Test Reference Cords Fluke Networks

Product Overview: Test Reference Cords Fluke Networks

Test Reference Cords

TRCs are used for certifying cabling systems to ANSI/TIA, ISO/IEC and IEEE standards. They are terminated with reference grade connectors per ANSI/TIA-526-14-C and IEC 61280-4-2. These standards specify multimode connectors having a mated loss of ≤ 0.10 dB. The TIA version for singlemode does not specify it at this time but can be found in ISO/IEC 14763-3, where again a reference grade connector must be used having a mated loss of ≤ 0.20 dB.

Why use a TRC?

If you are installing low loss connectors, those connectors may have a loss of ≤ 0.15 dB. So testing it with a connector that has a loss greater than 0.15 dB will yield a pessimistic result. More importantly, if your link is an engineered link operating to custom test limits – you could be failing a perfectly good link. Another advantage is consistent and predictable results – something installers often complain about when certifying a cabling system.

Fluke Networks offers test cords with reference grade connectors in accordance with standards such as ANSI/TIA-526-14-C and ISO/IEC 14763-3. The requirements of these standards for loss at the connector are 0.10 dB for multimode and  0.20 dB for singlemode.

Our test reference cords are made to the following specifications:

Multimode 50/125 µm

• Cable: OFS, LaserWave 300 (OM3), ±1.0 μm core diameter
• Jacket color: Aqua
• Insertion Loss (reference grade) 0.07 dB maximum against the MTC <0.1 dB random mating
• Return Loss: 40 dB maximum
• Radius of Curvature per GR-326: 7 mm to 25 mm
• Apex Offset per GR-326: 0 to 50 µm
• Fiber Height (spherical fit) per GR-326: -100 nm to + 100 nm
• Angular Offset per GR-326: -0.3 degrees to +0.3 degrees
• Fiber Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm
• Ferrule Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm

Multimode 62.5/125 µm

• Cable: OFS, Laser Optimized 62.5 XL ±1.0 μm core diameter
• Jacket color: Orange
• Insertion Loss (reference grade) 0.07 dB maximum against the MTC <0.1 dB random mating
• Return Loss: 40 dB maximum
• Radius of Curvature per GR-326: 7 mm to 25 mm
• Apex Offset per GR-326: 0 to 50 µm
• Fiber Height (spherical fit) per GR-326: -100 nm to + 100 nm
• Angular Offset per GR-326: -0.3 degrees to +0.3 degrees
• Fiber Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm
• Ferrule Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm

Singlemode 9/125 µm (UPC)

• Cable: Corning, SMF 28e+
• Jacket color: Yellow
• Insertion Loss (reference grade) 0.17 dB maximum against the MTC <0.2 dB random mating
• Return Loss: 50 dB maximum
• Radius of Curvature per GR-326: 7 mm to 25 mm
• Apex Offset per GR-326: 0 to 50 µm
• Fiber Height (spherical fit) per GR-326: -100 nm to + 100 nm
• Angular Offset per GR-326: -0.3 degrees to +0.3 degrees
• Fiber Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm
• Ferrule Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm

Singlemode 9/125 µm (APC)

• Cable: Corning, SMF 28e+
• Jacket color: Yellow
• Step or conical endface: Step
• Insertion Loss (reference grade) 0.15 dB maximum
• Return Loss: 65 dB maximum
• Radius of Curvature per GR-326: 5 mm to 12 mm
• Apex Offset per GR-326: 0 to 50 µm
• Fiber Height (spherical fit) per GR-326: -100 nm to + 100 nm
• Angular Offset per GR-326: 7.5 degrees to 8.5 degrees
• Fiber Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm
• Ferrule Roughness (Rq) per GR-326: 0 to 50 nm

See more Fluke Networks products here.