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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare to test specialised optical devices
   • Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards and follow work health and safety (WHS) and environmental requirements for the given work
   • Work safely according to relevant safety legislation and company work practices, identifying hazards and using personal protective equipment
   • Determine type of optical device using the design plan and obtain manufacturer’s specifications for testing
   • Determine test procedures and test equipment required to evaluate optical device suitability
2. Test specialised optical device
   • Set up test layout according to safe industry practice and connect specialised optical device into the test set-up
   • Undertake a test regime to determine performance characteristics of specialised optical device
   • Analyse test results to determine suitability and compatibility of optical device for integration into the network
3. Document performance of specialised optical device
   • Prepare evaluation report with recommendations on suitability of the specialised optical device
   • Present test results and evaluation report to appropriate person with copies filed for later reference according to organisation’s policies

Performance Evidence

Evidence of ability to:

plan and coordinate test activities and equipment

test specialised optical devices and determine suitability for integration into a network

analyse test results

report and make recommendations on suitability for integration

comply with all work health and safety (WHS) requirements and work practices.

Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.

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Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

explain what an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) source test shows

summarise attenuation characteristics of optical fibres

outline the principles of operation for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM)

identify features and operating requirements of test equipment including:

a hand-held optical power meter

an optical spectrum analyser

a transmission test set

outline dispersion characteristics of various fibres

describe dispersion compensation devices

explain standard electrostatic discharge precautions

outline functions of an optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) and reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM)

explain gain equalisation

summarise the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) wavelength grid for DWDM

describe the measurement of dispersion

explain optical amplifier operation

name optical fibre connector types and describe their characteristics

list optical fibre types and describe their characteristics

explain ‘optical return loss’ (ORL)

clarify path protection and protection switching

explain polarisation dependent loss (PDL)

identify protocols used on optical DWDM systems

explain reflectance in optical systems

summarise ring topologies and linear network topologies

explain specific work health and safety (WHS) requirements that impact the safe inspection of optical connectors and the safe measurement of optical power from laser transmission systems

discuss tuneable laser sources and their characteristics.

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