I'd be doing underground, but most of the same concepts apply.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions Midwest Internet Exchange The Brothers WISP ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Radabaugh" <[email protected]> To: "AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2019 11:20:57 AM Subject: Re: [AFMUG] [*] Re: MSTs I think the two of you are debating apples and oranges :-) There are cases like the Coyote ATC http://preformed.com/communications/fiber-networks/coyote-fiber-optic-closures/coyote-atc-aerial-terminal-closure that have two compartments - once for splicing onto the main line and one on the other side for drop cables using standard SC connectors. There are also MST based cases with the same idea - a spice case side and a couple of MST ports. The disadvantage to the combined splice case and drop case is that you have to put one at every location you want to have drops, or run a lot of long parallel drop cables from pole to pole. The combined cases are also normally installed in-line without slack storage. If you do that it means all of your splicing and repair work needs to be done in the air from a bucket truck. Depending on where you are located that might be an acceptable option - or it might completely suck. Personally in NW Ohio it completely sucks from November to March trying to work fiber in a bucket. By keeping the splice case and the MST (or the drop case) separate you can minimize the number of splice cases by putting 3, 4 or more multiport cables into one splice case. At the middle pole put a splice case and a 50’ stub MST (with 2-12 drop ports) on a 100’ slack loop. At the poles on either side (or all sides if this is a X intersection) put MST’s with 250/350/450/750’ tails into the splice case and then place the MST’s on the outer poles. This way you have one splice case that you put on a snowshoe and hang it back on the line with MST’s on the central pole and all the surrounding poles. You can do all the splicing and repair work on the ground in a nice warm trailer. This same method could be used with a case made just for drops or by not using the splicing side of a ATC type of case if you really prefer that method. 4 port MST’s with 250’ tails can be had in bulk for ~$100, 8 port for ~$150. Drop cables with one Opti-tap end vary from ~$45 to $100 depending on length. The advantage to a OptiTap style cable is you can send pretty much any trained monkey out to plug one in. No special knowledge is needed other than "don’t touch the end of the connector” and it can be done in pretty much any weather in less than a minute. Mark On Mar 26, 2019, at 8:50 AM, Adam Moffett < [email protected] > wrote: I'm comfortable saying that the installer is less likely to cause a problem opening the box and plugging in a cable than he is doing a ring cut and monkeying with bare fibers. You can also definitely plug in an SC connector from the bucket with gloves on a heck of a lot faster than you can take the closure down into your van or get a tent set up on the bucket. I can also get a mechanical field install-able connector for a couple bucks, or an SOC for $8. The mechanical connector takes about 30 seconds and the SOC takes maybe 2 minutes. What's an opti-tap cost? I'm not asking to be a wise-ass, I literally don't know, but when I look at them I see dollar signs. I can't speak authoritatively to the contamination question. Some dust or pollen must get in there when you open it, but isn't that true any time I open a splice closure? Again, honest question, not trying to be rhetorical. -Adam On 3/26/2019 7:59 AM, Mike Hammett wrote: <blockquote> So you feel comfortable enough with the design that when someone opens the box for an install or other service, that the contamination, disruption of existing service is minimized? That seemed to be at the heart of what MST or Opti-Tap type solutions are solving. ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions Midwest Internet Exchange The Brothers WISP ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adam Moffett" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2019 2:56:37 AM Subject: Re: [AFMUG] MSTs Look at Commscope OFDC or Multilink Optima-S They're almost identical in concept, but the OFDC seems a bit higher quality to me. You get a weather proof door for the installer to open up and insert his drop cable, and he just plugs it in with an SC-APC connector (or whatever connector you tell them to put in it). There's a separate door you open to access splice trays and buffer tubes. No special hardened connectors. I've seen Opti-Tap, but I didn't look at it seriously.....I guess I have a bias against weird connectors. On 3/25/2019 8:05 PM, Mike Hammett wrote: <blockquote> Who all makes MST-style systems? Who all makes interoperable ones? I understand many use OptiTap, so I'd assume everyone using OptiTap is interchangable. What do I need to know about MST-style systems? ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions Midwest Internet Exchange The Brothers WISP -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com </blockquote> -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com </blockquote> -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
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