Fibre
Optical cables carry messages by light.
Fibre optic technology has been with us for several years and has by now
proved its superiority. Optical fibre systems offer so many advantages. You
may ask what’s so new about light being used to transmit signals? Our
forefathers lit warning beacons when invaders threatened. The Ancient Greeks
used the heliograph, a movable mirror that reflected the sun’s rays
and could flash coded signals across great distances. Lighthouses are still
in service.
For one thing, optical fibre cables are much easier (and therefore cheaper) to install, being far smaller in size and lighter to handle.
But the biggest advantage is that optical fibres can carry far more information than any copper cable. A virtue of the highest importance, you’ll agree, in an age where the flow of data transmission has increased from a trickle to a torrent.
Security, too, is an important point. Signals carried by optical fibres are practically immune to detection; they’re effectively invulnerable to eavesdroppers.
You need another good reason? How about safety? Optical fibre cables will not – indeed, cannot – produce sparks.
Telemetry is the process of monitoring the behaviour
of electronically operated machinery over long or short distances by remote
control. Here again, high transmission capacity plus low transmission loss
are the chief benefits. But there’s another big plus point that has
particular appeal to industrial users; optical fibre cables are not susceptible
to interference from heavy electrical equipment. Signal integrity is thus
assured.
Connections, Runcorn, WA7 5QP. Tel: 01928 567099 Fax: 01928 587092
