Cable Tester

[arfur mo]

I'm really impressed already.

But my post did not suggest that cable testers are all a waste of time, just that the one mentioned by KWC with a price tag of

[SUBS]

i assume your like me and not using cat5e more now, i have used it on a few occasions but the 'juries still out' as the results have not always been the best, i don't wan't to run out a long legnth and come unstuck and having to run in coax's.

regs

alan

Hello Alan.

Even using cat5, as its 1 pair per camera, similar checks have worked for me.

Decent cat5 & baluns like NVT dont seem too bad, I do a lot of sub contract work for smaller companies who use cheapo baluns and there certainly is a differece, but its still better than risking cheap RG59 on long runs.

What I dont like is the way active baluns / hubs amplify the signal at the monitor end, seems all wrong to me, I was always taught that this is bad practice as it amplifies the noise as well. and I dont like the rj45 ones that power the camera through 1 pair, cos over any distance the voltage drop is too great. Last winter I temporarily moved a control room, ran all 19 cameras, plus 4 monitor signals in the opposite direction, via 250M of 25 pair cat5 with ecxellent results, and no discernable crosstalk.

[lowlofe]

Hello Alan.

Even using cat5, as its 1 pair per camera, similar checks have worked for me.

Decent cat5 & baluns like NVT dont seem too bad, I do a lot of sub contract work for smaller companies who use cheapo baluns and there certainly is a differece, but its still better than risking cheap RG59 on long runs.

What I dont like is the way active baluns / hubs amplify the signal at the monitor end, seems all wrong to me, I was always taught that this is bad practice as it amplifies the noise as well. and I dont like the rj45 ones that power the camera through 1 pair, cos over any distance the voltage drop is too great. Last winter I temporarily moved a control room, ran all 19 cameras, plus 4 monitor signals in the opposite direction, via 250M of 25 pair cat5 with ecxellent results, and no discernable crosstalk.

Jesus

What blauns did you use

Regs

Alex

[arfur mo]

hi subs,

tbh how often a meter like this gets used depends on the work you undertake, aside from alarms and CCTv i install and extend networks as well telephone systems, so having a definative test uit is invaluable, i can test a network point before i fit a handset to prove it works if i have not installed the cableing.

i'd bet we have all had the "it don't work so MUST be your cableing" arguments, especially from the geeky IT johny's to lazy or oversure to recheck their works, so when you show the governer your measurement record and can prove with a meter all is well with your works (or was when you left it), jsut wins so many silly arguments and often gets you paid for the arguing (and boy do i like that ).

what i really hate with a vengence is the clowns who show up with a soppy box of flashing lights and then say that is a decent test, when no way is it so. where as this 'simple' fluke unit will measure each core ressistance and identify split pairs (which the soppy light boxes won't).

as for the coax test on it, hands up i have not used it in anger, i'd assumed it will do cable legnth as it will with CAT5e if you calibrate it will also give accurate legnths, but it will perform a test - if limited.

imo having this meter paid for itself on the very 1st use, after that just having it available costs nothing, but can save copious amounts of time and so like cable tracers well worth having.

regs

alan

just to add to the above, i tested the Fluke 620 with RG59 cable, set the meter to the right cable (allows calibration with a test legnth) simply hooking it on to the meter, simple deduction in if it shows no cable or a very short length then the fault is local i.e. at the plug, if the reading is say 30 ft then you have an approximate but fairly accurate distance to the break for say a severed cable.

for those working in this field, its simply a priceless help especially if your cable is one of several, hidden in walls or bunched with hundreds of others in a riser or two .

regs

alan

[SUBS]

Jesus

What blauns did you use

Regs

Alex

Bit of a mix with that but 90% NVT with 1 active hub and 1 passive one on the cameras that had sorter original cbale runs.

as its a temporaty nearly all kit the kit was stuff that we had hanging about.

to be fair, half the cameras were mono, and all but 2 were statics.