Microtest TSB-67 - 568A Annex E, PentaScanner+, PentaScanner Cable Admin User Manual

Penta Scanner

Product Family

User Guide

A Guide to Using the Microtest PentaScanner Product Family
to install, mange and troubleshoot Category 5 and ISO Class
C/D Cabling Systems

The PentaScanner Product Family verifies installed links against Category 5
(TSB-67 and 568A Annex E) and ISO Class C/D requirements.

Copyright © 1993, 1996 Microtest, Inc. All rights reserved

Chapter 1: Introduction

The Complete Category 5 Solution

The

PentaScanner Product Family

Category 5 and ISO Class C and D links.
compliance with TIA TSB-67 requirements for measurement rep orting and analysis (includin g
TSB-67 NEXT sweep and swept Attenuation). These tools are designed to be the complete
solution for professional cable installers, service providers, and network administrators.

is the hand-held certification and diagnostic tool for

PentaScanner

products also provide full software

Scanners in the
menus, arrow keys, on-line help and descriptive menu options that guide you quickly and easily
through certifying or troubleshooting cabling systems.

Most of the information in this user guide applies to all
information applies only to

PentaScanner
PentaScanner

PentaScanner

+ units (with 36-pin connectors) are differentiated from
Cable Admin units (with Modular 8 connectors), where applicable.

product family incorporate a graphical user interface, backlit display

PentaScanner

PentaScanner

+ units — this information is noted as such.

products. Some

PentaScanner

and

2-Way Injector +/2-Way Injector

The 2-Way Injector+ and 2-Way Injector perform wire map, signal generation for Attenuation, and
end of link termination for other measurements. In additio n, each measures NEXT at the Injector
end of the link and reports the results to the Scanner. As p art o f the Autotest, NEXT results are
stored for both ends of the link. Data from the Injector end of the link can be displayed in any of
the Autotest view modes and printed as part of Autotest reports.

Super Injector +/Super Injector

The Super Injector+ and the Super Injector are single direction active injectors and remote test
coordinators that work with Scanners to verify twisted-pair cable transmission quality. By using the
Injector, the Scanner can test Attenuation, NEXT, Loop Resistance, and provide a Wire Map for
any twisted-pair cable.

Scanner Display Conventions

Scanner Display Meaning

ÏÐÑÒ The up and down arrows in the display indicate that more

information is available by pressing the
Use the

12-36 or 12/36 The paired numbers in the d i sp lay indicate wire pairs. For example,

12 indicates the wire pair on pins 1 and 2. 12-36 indicates two wire
pairs tested, the first on pins 1 and 2, and the second on pins 3 and 6.

On-Line Help for Instant Answers

The Scanners include on-line context sensitive help. Just press the HELP key at any time for
information about the test that you are performing. By pressing function keys (F1, F2, F3, F4) and
arrow keys (

ÏÐÑÒ), you can move easily through the help text.

Ñ and Ò

ÏorÐ arrow key.

arrow keys for page up and page down navigation.

Chapter 2: Getting Started

Charging the Scanner’s Battery

In order to operate the Scann er and the 2-Way Injector from battery power, the battery must first
be charged. You can run the units from the AC adapter until the charg i ng cycle is complete.

Ready Screen

This screen is displayed after you press the ON/OFF key. Ready! should display in the center of the
screen. If not, contact your Microtest distributor for assistance.

The date and time are displayed at the top of the screen. The currently selected Autotest is
displayed below the time. Th e currently selected cable type is displayed on the bottom left of the
screen.

Press Cable (F1) to view a list of availab l e cable types, to create a new cable type, or to edit an
existing cable type. You can test cables using both modular and BNC connector types.

Press Jack (F4) to toggle the jack selection between twisted-pair (TWP) and Coax.

Scanner Information

To display software, hardware and serial number information, press and hold .

The Software and Hardware Version Numbers are displayed in the right cen ter of the screen.
Check the Microtest Web page at http://www.microtest.com/, or the Microtest Bulletin Board
System (BBS) at [phone] (U.S.) or [phone] (Europe) to be sure you are working
with the most recent software version.

The Scanner’s Serial Number is disp layed in the lower center area of the screen. You may need to
provide the Serial Number when having repairs or refurbishments done, or when you call for
Technical Support. The Serial Number can also be found on the label on the back of the unit.

The left area of the screen is a co ntrast indicator for the d isplay. Press the

Ñ or Ò arrow key to

increase or decrease the contrast.

Ni-Cd Battery (Scanner and 2-Way Injectors)

Rechargeable Battery Pack

AC Connector

Keypad

The Scanners and the 2-Way Injector+/2-Way
Injector are powered by a rechargeable, recyclable

Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery pack. Under
various state and local laws, it may be illegal to
dispose of this battery pack into the municipal waste
stream. Check with your local solid waste o fficials for
details in your area for recycling options or proper
disposal.

Page 3

To remove the Ni-Cd battery pack, place the Scanner or Injector face down and slide the arrow­shaped tab downward. Then lift the battery pack up towards you. To install the battery pack, in sert
the two tabs on the top o f the battery in the Scanner and press down on the battery pack until it
clicks into place.

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector Battery

The Injector is powered on by the Scanner. When active, the Injector’s Status Indicator will
indicate the current mode of operation. After 15 seconds of inactivity, the Injector will
automatically shut itself off to preserve battery life.

When operating with the AC adapter plugged in, the Injector is always on. If it is inactive (i.e. no t
performing measurements), the Injector recharges its battery pack. The Charging LED will indicate
the state of the battery. (See the section titled CHARGING Indicator for details). Battery charging
is disabled while the Injector is performing a measurement function. After 15 seconds of inactivity,
the Injector automatically returns to charging mode.

Ni-Cd Battery Tips

• Power off the unit before changing the Ni-Cd battery pack.

• The

• If the display goes blank wh ile the AC adapter is plugged in to the Scanner, it indicates that the

• The Ni-Cd battery pack is NOT being rech arg ed while the Scanner is powered ON.

• The Ni-Cd battery pack is recharged by powering OFF the Scanner and plu g g i ng the AC

• The average time to recharge the Ni-Cd battery pack is about 15 hours with the AC adapter,

• To further maximize Ni-Cd battery pack life, Microtest recommends that approximately every 7

• To maximize Ni-Cd battery pack life, avoid extreme temp eratures.

• Backlighting the display causes increased battery drain.

• Average daily life of the Ni-Cd battery is about 8 hours.

• Contact your Microtest distributo r for details on the external Quick Charger, Microtest Part

PentaScanner

within five minutes to avoid memo ry loss.

Ni-Cd battery pack is on maintenance (“trickle”) charg e.

adapter in to the Scanner or b y u sing the optional external Quick Charger.

and 2 to 3 hours with the Quick Battery Charger.

- 10 charging cycles, you refresh your battery using Battery Refresh Mode (see below).

Number 8003-01.

and

PentaScanner Cable Admin

Ni-Cd battery pack must be replaced

Battery Refresh Mode

You can refresh your
Scanner’s Battery Refresh Mode. When you set the Refresh Mode, the unit’s battery will fully
discharge and then recharge, which should increase your battery’s life. The Refresh Mode is
executed via the PENTA reflash program.

To put your Scanner into Refresh Mode, attach it to your PC with a DB-9 serial cable. Attach the
AC Adapter to the Scann er, and power the unit on. At the PC’s DOS promp t, type:
PENTA -REFRESH -C1 (for COM1, or -C2 for COM2) and press Enter.
The Scanner’s display will read:

The PentaScanner+ is in battery refresh mode.

When finished discharging, the Scanner will turn itself off and proceed to recharge via the AC
adapter.

PentaScanner

+,

2-Way Injector+,

and

2-Way Injector

battery using the

To put your
your Scanner with a RJ-45 or 3 6-pin cable, whichever is appro p riate for your equipment (you may
need to use an adapter if your units have different connector types). Attach the Scanner to the PC
with a DB 9 serial cable. Attach AC Adapters to both the Injector and the Scanner, and power

both units on. At the PC’s DOS prompt, type:
PENTA -2REFRESH -C1 (for COM1, or -C2 for COM2) and press Enter. The Injector is now in
discharge mode, indicated by the alternate flashing of the Pass and Fail LED indicators. When the
battery has discharged, the Injector will switch to recharge mo de (indicated by the Charging light).
To refresh the Scanner and the Injector batteries at the same time, follow the instructions above for
connecting the Injector to the Scanner, and the Scanner to the PC. Attach AC Adapters to both
the Injector and the Scanner, and power both units on. Put the Injector into refresh mode first, by
typing:
PENTA -2REFRESH -C1 (for COM1, or -C2 for COM2) and press Enter.
Now, put the Scanner into refresh mode by typing:
PENTA -REFRESH -C1 (for COM1, or -C2 for COM2) and press Enter.
Both units will discharge and recharge as described above.

Once the units are in Refresh Mode, you can disconnect the DB-9 serial cable. Keep the units
plugged in to the AC adapters. The units will discharge and recharge in approximately 15-20
hours. For best results, do not remove the AC adapter un til the battery is fully charged. On the

PentaScanner

displayed on the screen. On the
when the Charging Indicator LED is flashing.

2-Way Injector or 2-Way Injector+

+, the battery is fully charged wh en the “Charging Battery” message is no lon ger

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector

into Refresh Mode, first attach the Injector to

, the battery is fully charged

Super Injector+/Super Injector Battery

The

Super Injector+

use only AA alkaline batteries in the Injector. Other battery types are not supported.) To remove
the batteries, move the battery door latch forward and remove the battery door.
The Injector battery life varies depend i ng on usage and battery quality. On average, the batteries
will withstand testing of more than 500 cables. Low battery detection is reported in several ways:

• The Injector Status Indicator blinks slowly (approximately once per second) instead of normal
rapid blinking.

• Press the Extended Functions key and select Injector Info to display the battery status.

• The Scanner checks the Injector batteries before running selected tests and before calibrating

the Injector, and displays a warn ing message if the Injector batteries are low.

and

Super Injector

are powered by three AA alkaline batteries. (Be sure to

Test Connectors

The

PentaScanner+, 2-Way Injector+

PentaScanner, PentaScanner Cable Admin, 2-Way Injector

8 (RJ-45) connectors:

and

Super Injector+

have 36-pin connectors. The
and

Super Injector

have Modular

36-pin connector Modular 8 (RJ-45) connector
on the
and the

Page 5

2-Way Injector+

Super Injector+

on the

the

2-Way Injector+

Super Injector

and

High Voltage Protection

The

PentaScanner+/PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin, 2-Way Injector+/2-Way

Injector

and

Super Injector+/Super Injector

are designed to withstand input hazard voltage
conditions that arise from normal telephony applications such as 48 VDC at less than 80 ma or 24
VAC used to power many keysets. The unit detects when a voltage of greater than ±15 volts is

applied on the inputs and sounds a warning to alert the user to remove the hazard condition
immediately to prevent possible damage to the input circuits. Tests cannot be performed when
hazard conditions are detected on the inputs.

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector LED Indicators

Test Connector
(36-pin on 2-Way
Injector+ or Mod 8
on 2-Way Injector)

Pass
Indicator

Status
Indicator

Fail
Indicator

Circuit
Guard
Indicator

Charging
Indicator

Indicator State Description

Pass Steady Light Overall Autotest result is PASS

Fail Steady Light Overall Autotest result is FAIL

Status Steady Light The Injector is powered ON and waiting for

communication with the Scanner.

Status Off The Injector is powered OFF (or ch arg i n g battery

if AC adapter is attached).

Status Rapid Blink Executing command or measurement in progress

Status Slow Blink Battery is low
Charging Steady Light The Injector is inactive, the AC adapter is present

and the battery pack is being charged at the maximum rate.

Charging Off The Injector is inactive and the battery or AC adapter is

not present; or the Injector is active.

Charging Blinking (once The Injector is inactive and the A C adapter is present; the

every 10 battery pack is fully charged and th e Injector is in trickle
seconds charge mode.

Circuit Blinking Overvoltage condition
Guard,
Pass, Fail,
plus steady
tone

Super Injector+/Super Injector LED Indicators

Indicator State Description

Status Rapid blink Test in progress
Status Steady light Injector waiting for
signal from Scanner
Status Slow blink Injector battery low

Pass Steady light Test has passed
Fail Steady light Test has failed
Fail, plus Steady light Overvoltage steady
tone condition

Pass
Indicator

Fail
Indicator

Status
Indicator

Test Connector
(36-pin on Super
Injector+ or Mod 8
on Super Injector)

When to Use the Injector

Some measurements require the use of the Injector at the far end of the cable. For other
measurements, the Injector can be connected but its use is optional. The Scanner automatically
detects the presence of and co nfigures the Injector for th e measurement to be performed. The
following table outlin es when to use the Injector:

Page 7

Injector

Measurement Required? Description

Attenuation Yes The Injector generates the frequencies and the Scanner

measures the signal to determine the signal loss.

Autotest Yes The Injector is required for Attenuation, NEXT

measurements, Resistance and Wire Map during Autotest.

Capacitance No If connected, the Injector provides an “OPEN” for the

duration of the measurement.

Length No If connected, the injector provides an “OPEN” for the

duration of the measurement.

Impedance No If connected, the injector provides an “OPEN” for the

duration of the measurement.

NEXT - Scanner Yes The Injector provides a 100 ohm termination while the
End Scanner measures NEXT.

NEXT - Injector Yes The Scanner provides a 100 ohm termination for the
End (2-Way duration of the measurement.
Injector+/2-Way
Injector only)

Loop Resistance Yes If connected, the Injector is used to “SHORT” the wire pair

under test and the Scanner measures Loop Resistance. If the
2-Way Injector is not connected, the Scanner will display
“OVR” (Over Range).

Wire Map (Find Yes The Scanner commu nicates with the Injector across the link
Cable Faults) under test to determine the wire connection from the

Scanner end to the Injector end.

Noise No The Injector is not required to measure impulse noise or

peak-to-peak noise.

Note: The Injector is not us ed when testing coaxial cable. See Appendix D: Worki ng with
Coaxial Cable for more information.

Using Multiple Injectors

One Scanner can store calibration d ata f or up to five Injectors. To determine which Injector is
attached to the Scanner, pr ess the Extended Functions key, then select Injector Info. The
Scanner will display the serial number and other information for the attached Injector.

Injector Calibration

Calibration of the Injector’s signal amplitude is required f or accurate Attenuation measurements
and requires user intervention. To maintain accurate Attenu ation measurements, the Injector must

be calibrated each calendar day that it is used. Expiration of calibration data is automatically
detected by the Scanner.

The Scanner and Injector are connected through their respective test connector ports using the
patch cable provided with each instrument. The amplitu de of each frequency g enerated by the
Injector is measured by the Scanner. The resulting calibration values are sto red in the Scanner

according to the In jector’s serial number. The Scanner maintains fi ve sets of Injector calibration
data simultaneously.

1. Connect the Scanner and the Injector using the patch cable supplied with the Scanner (see

following diagrams). If you have a Scanner with a 36-pin connector, you may also need to use
the Mod 8 Adapter (included).

2. Power on the Scanner.

3. Press the Extended Functions key.

4. Select Calibrate Injector. The Scanner will display:

Searching for Injector . . .

5. On finding the Injector, the Scanner displays:

Calibrating . . .

6. When the calibration is complete, the Scanner displays:

The Injector has been calibrated

7. Press OK (F1) to return to the Extended Functions menu.

Mod 8 Adapter Note

Use of the mating connectors not in conformance with FCC Part 68, Sub-Part F may result in
damage not covered by Microtest warranty.

Calibration Connections

Modular 8 Adapter

Modular 8 Plug to
36-Pin Patch Cable

36-Pin Injector36-Pin Scanner

Page 9

Modular 8 Plug to
36-Pin Patch Cable

36-Pin Scanner

Modular 8 Patch Cable

36-Pin Scanner

Mod 8 Injector

Mod 8 Injector

Injector Internal Calibration (2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector only)

Periodically, the
internal measurement circuitry. The Scanner will determine when internal calibration is required for
itself and the Injector. If required, the Scanner directs the Injector to perform the calibration. At
the same time, the Scanner performs its own internal calibration, synchroni zing the calibration
times of both devices. Internal calibration is performed automatically and is required to account for
temperature changes. The on l y effect you may notice is an occasion al slight increase in test times
while internal calibration is being performed.

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector

and the Scanner require calibration of their

Connections

The Scanner and the Injecto r are used together to perform measurements that allow the Scanner to
verify installed links or assist in the diagnosis of network prob l ems at the physical layer. To
accomplish these measurements, the Scanner and the Injector are connected at both ends of a
network cabling link. The end at which the Scanner is connected is referred to as the

“PentaScanner end”. The end at which the Injector is connected is referred to as the “Injector
end”.

When the
results for both ends of the lin k. Press the F4 key to toggle the display between Scanner (Penta)
and Injector (Inj) test results.

Refer to the diagrams on the following pages for instructions on connecting the Scanner and the
Injector for both basic link and full channel tests.

2-Way Injector+

or

2-Way Injector

is used for testing, the Scanner screens will display test

Basic Link with Modular 8 Jacks

The diagram below shows the connection of a
closet and a

2-Way Injector+ or Super Injector+

Use the Modular 8 plug to 36-pin patch cable to attach the
At the other end of the link, use the Modular 8 plug to 36-pin patch cable to attach the Injector to
the Modular 8 jack.

Wiring Closet Work Area

Modular 8 Jack

Modular 8 Plug to
36-Pin Patch Cable

36-Pin Injector36-Pin Scanner

PentaScanner

+ to a Modular 8 jack in the wiring

to a Modular 8 jack in the work area.

PentaScanner

+ to the Modular 8 jack.

If you are using a

Super Injector

, use the Modular 8 patch cable to connect the Injector to the

Modular 8 jack as shown:

Wiring Closet Work Area

Modular 8 Jack

Modular 8 Plug
to 36-Pin
Patch Cable

36-Pin Scanner

Modular 8
Patch
Cable

Modular 8 Injector

Basic Link with IDC Block and Modular 8 Jack

Wiring Closet Work Area

110 Block

Modular 8 Jack

110 Block
to 36-Pin
Patch
Cable

Modular 8
Plug to
36-Pin
Patch
Cable

Page 11

36-Pin Injector36-Pin Scanner

The diagram shows the connection of a
and a

2-Way Injector+ or Super Injector+

PentaScanner

+ to an IDC (110) block in the wiring closet

to a Modular 8 jack in the work area.

Punch Down Block A dapter kits are available (as option al accessories) to interface the Scann ers
with IDC (110) punch-down blocks. For the

PentaScanner

and

PentaScanner Cable Admin

PentaScanner+

, order kit #8123-01. For the

, order kit #8051-13.

Use the 110 Block to 36-pin patch cable to attach the Scanner to the 110 Punch down block. At
the other end of the link, use the Modular 8 plug to 36-pin patch cable to attach the Injector to
the Modular 8 jack.

If you are using a 2-Way Injector or Super Injector, use the Modular 8 patch cable to connect the
Injector to the Modular 8 jack, as shown:

Wiring Closet Work Area

110Block
to 36-Pin
Patch Cable

36-Pin Scanner

110 block

Modular 8 Jack

Modular 8
Patch
Cable

Modular 8 Injector

Full Channel Modular 8 Link

A full channel consists of the different link elements from the hub to the wallplate. For cables
terminated with a Modular 8 plug, use the Modular 8 Adapter to interface the PentaScanner+
with these cables. This diagram shows the connection of a
wiring closet and a

Wiring Closet Work Area

2-Way Injector+ or Super Injector+

110 block

Modular 8 Jack

PentaScanner+

to a cross connect in the

to a Modular 8 jack in the work area.

User Cable

Modular 8
Adapter

36-Pin Scanner

Modular 8 Injector

Use the Modular 8 Adapter to attach the

PentaScanner+

to the user cable attached to the cross

connect. At the other end of the link, use an additional Modular 8 Adapter to attach the

Injector+

or

Super Injector+

to the user cable attached to the Modular 8 jack.

2-Way

If you are using a

2-Way Injector or Super Injector

with a Modular 8 connector, attach the user cable

directly to the Modular 8 jack, as shown:

Wiring Closet Work Area

110 block

Modular 8
Adapter

36-Pin Scanner

If you are using a

PentaScanner

Modular 8 Jack

User Cable

Modular 8 Injector

or

PentaScanner Cable Admin

and

2-Way Injector or Super Injector

with Modular 8 connectors, attach the user cables directly to the Modular 8 jacks, as shown below:

Wiring Closet Work Area

110 block

Modular 8 Jack

User Cable

36-Pin Scanner

Modular 8 Injector

Chapter 3: Autotest

Autotest lets you run cable tests, check test results against standards, and get a PASS/FAIL

indication — without having to know which tests to select or how to interpret results. Autotest can
be customized depend i ng on your site or system req uirements. For example, your system may
require the use of two wire pairs (in stead of four) or you may not need to perform all of the tests
that Autotest can run. By customizing Autotest to meet your specific needs, you save time and
money!

Autotest varies depending on your network type. Au totest supports many network types, including
ARCNET, 10BASE-T, Category 5, Category 4 and Category 3 LINK, ISO Class C and D, Token
Ring 4/16 Mbps. See Appendix A: Specifications for a list of supported network types.

Page 13

This chapter explains how to run Autotest, including selecting the cable types and Autotest
specifications. It also explains h ow to customize an Autotest so you can select the pairs that are
tested, the PASS/FAIL criteria, and select which tests to run during Au totest. Each test, such as
NEXT, Impedance, Capacitance, etc. is explained, including how to customize the limits for each
test and how to troubleshoot test results.

Steps for Running Autotest

1. From the Ready screen, verify that the cable type matches the cable type you will be testing. If

it matches, proceed to step 2. Otherwise, see Selecting the Cable Type for instructions.

2. Also from the Ready screen, verify that the default Autotest is the Autotest that you want to

run. If it is, proceed to step 3. Otherwise, see

3. Connect the Scanner to the near end of the twisted pair cable you are testing and connect the

Injector to the far end. During Autotest, the Injector provides the far end termination fo r
measurements made by the Scanner. In addition, it generates signals of programmable
frequency for measurement by the Scanner to determine one-way Attenuation. The

Injector+/2-Way Injector

Crosstalk at its end of the installed lin k. The Scanner acts as the termination device while
NEXT is being measured by the

4. If you have not used the Injector in the last 24 hours, you will need to calibrate. Press the

Extended Functions key and select Calibrate Injector.

5. Press the AUTOTEST key. If you are testing twisted pair cable, th e Scanner will immediately

verify that the Injector is attached. If the Injector is not attached, the Scanner will wait until it
is attached before running the Autotest.

6. When the Autotest completes, a PASS or FAIL tone will sound. You can then view the results

of individual tests. (See Autotest Result s Screen for instructions.) Or, you can view a
summary of test results. (See Viewing Autotest Results Summary for instructions.)

7. You can also save Autotest results — see Saving Autot est Resul t s for details.

8. You can also print Auto test results — see Printing Autotest Results for details. A sample

Autotest report is shown at the end of this chapter.

also generates swept frequency signals and measures the Near End

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector

Customizing Autotest

.

for instructions.

2-Way

Press the ESCAPE key at any time to cancel the Autotest.

Selecting the Cable Type

To display the CABLE SETUP screen, press Cable (F1) from the Ready screen. This screen
displays the cable types available for testing.
Before running an Autotest, verify that the cable type you are testing matches the cable type in the
Scanner. Press the

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the list o ne line at a time. Press the

Ï or Ð arrow key to scroll through the list one page at a time.

If the cable type you are using is not in the list, press Edit (F2) to define a new cable type (see
Editing the Cable Type for furth er in structions). You can also press Edit (F2) to review the

current settings for the selected cable type or to make changes.

Press Default (F1) to choose the highlighted cable type for the test you run. Choosing the correct
cable type will ensure accurate Length measuremen ts.

Press Delete (F3) to delete user-defined cable types. Note: Factory-supplied cable types cannot be
deleted.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Editing the Cable Type

To display the EDIT CABLE screen, press Cable (F1) f r om the Ready screen, then press Edit
(F2). This screen displays the characteristics of the cable you will be testing.

Press the

Ñ or Ò arrow key to highlight the (cable) Name or NVP (Nominal Velocity of

Propagation) field. The Impedance field is for reference only and does not affect test results. The
highlighted field will be enclosed in a box. Use the Scanner keypad to enter the Cable Name or the
NVP value.

Press Del (F2) to delete the character at the cursor.

If your Scanner has an alp hanumeric overlay on the keypad , use the keypad to enter the cable
name. If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to edit the name. See
Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on editing.
Note: If you change the information for a f actory supplied cable type and do not edit the cable
name, an asterisk (*) will appear before the cable name.
If you are not sure of the NVP value, press GetNVP (F4) to calculate it. See Calculating NVP for
more information.

Press Save (F1) to store the new settings and exit. If you have changed th e cable information,
press Default (F1) from the CABLE SETUP screen to select it as the cable type to use during
testing.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

Calculating NVP

To display the CABLE NVP screen, press Cable (F1) fro m the Ready screen, then press Edit
(F2); then press GetNVP (F4).

For an accurate Length test, th e NVP (Nominal Velocity of Prop agation) must be set correctly.
NVP is a measure of how fast a signal travels do wn a cable compared to the speed of light. It is
usually between 60% and 90% and is specified by the cable vendor. The Scanner has a large library

of cables with the manuf acturer’s specified NVP.
This screen lets you calculate the NVP for cables over 50 feet (15.24 meters) long. The

PentaScanner

pair in the cable. The
cable.

and

PentaScanner Cable Admin

PentaScanner+

calculates the NVP based on the shor test wire p air in the

calculate the NVP based on the lo ngest wire

You can use the CABLE NVP featu r e to create a custom cable type when the cable type is not
known.

If your Scanner has an alp hanumeric overlay on the keypad , use the keypad to enter the cable
length. If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to edit the length.
See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on editing.

Press Del (F2) if you wish to delete the character at the cursor. Af ter you have entered the cable
length, press Calc (F4) to calculate the NVP.

Page 15

After calculating the NVP, press Save (F1) from the EDIT CABLE screen to store the new
settings. Then, press Default (F1) from the CABLE SETUP screen to select the cable as the
default cable type.

Customizing Autotest

To display the AUTOTEST SETUP screen, p ress the Extended Functions key, then select
Setup Autotest. This screen lets you set the default Autotest, edit Autotest settings and delete

user-defined Autotests.
Press the
key to scroll up or down o ne screen at a time. When the Autotest you want to use is highlighted ,
press Default (F1) to select it as the Autotest to run.

If your Scanner has an alp hanumeric overlay on the keypad , use the keypad to change the Autotest
name. If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to edit the name. See
Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on editing. Press Change (F2)
to set the Margin Display.

Press Delete (F3) to delete user-defined Autotests.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the list. Or, press the Ï or Ð arrow

Editing Autotest Information

To display the EDIT AUTOTEST screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2). This screen lets you customize

Autotest settings.

Press the
the highlighted option. Or, press the number on the keypad that corresponds to the option you
want.

Select Name/Options to edit the Autotest name and to change th e MARGIN OPTION. Select
Pairs to choose the pairs to be used in the Autotest, and to indicate which pairs have PASS/FAIL
criteria applied to them during Autotest. Select Tests to Run to choose which tests to run during
Autotest. Select Limits to edit test limits.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the availab l e options and press Select (F1) to choose

Editing the Autotest Name

To display the EDIT AUTOTEST NAM E screen , press the Extended Functions key, then select
Setup Autotests, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select
Name/Options. This screen lets you edit the Autotest name and change the MARGIN OPTION.

If your Scanner has an alp hanumeric overlay on the keypad , use the keypad to enter up to 14
characters for the Autotest name. If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press
Edit (F2) to display the edit screen. See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more
information on editing.

When Margin Display is set to TIA Margin Di spl ay, marginally passing test results (those for

which the passing value falls within the Scanner’s accuracy range) are marked with “*PASS”. When
Margin Display is set to ACR Margin Check, a cable will pass if a failing NEXT test result is within
the Scanner’s accuracy range AND if the ACR result is within an acceptable range. Wh en Margin
Display is set to None, the only possible Autotest results are “PASS” or “FAIL”.

In the Autotest memory list screen, the test status can be “P” (PASS) or “F” (FAIL), or if the
Autotest was run with Margin Display set to TIA, “*” (MARGINAL PASS).

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Autotest name and exit or press the ESCAPE key
to exit.

Selecting Pairs for Autotest

To display the EDIT AUTOTEST PAI RS screen , press the Extended Functions key, then select
Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2); then select Pairs. This

screen lets you select which pairs to test and which pairs to use as PASS/FAIL criteria.

The top row indicates the p airs to be tested during Autotest. The bottom row indicates the pairs
that will determine the PASS/FAIL criteria for the cable. Press the
move left or right within the rows. Or, press the

Press Select (F2) (or Unsel) to select (or deselect) the pair. Selected tests are marked with an ‘x’.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to move between rows.

Ï or Ð arrow key to

Press Save (F1) to store the pair selections and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit without
saving.

Note: If a pair is selected for PASS/FAIL criteria, but is not selected for testing, all tests will fail. If
a pair is selected for testing but is not selected for PASS/FAIL criteria, the Autotest will not be
marked as FAIL if that pair fails.

Selecting Tests to Run During Autotest

To display the EDIT TESTS TO RUN screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select
Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Tests to
Run. This screen lets you enable or disable the tests to run during Autotest. When using the

Way Injector+

Press the
Press Select (F2) (or Unsel) to enable (o r disable) the highlighted test. Enabled tests are marked
with an ‘x’.

After all test selections have been made, p r ess Save (F1) to save the list of selected tests for this
Autotest.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit the screen without saving.

Ò or Ñ arrow key to highlight the test(s) to en able or disable.

or

2-Way Injector,

you can run tests at the Scanner or Injector end of the link.

2-

Note: ACR will not be computed unless the NEXT and Attenuation tests are enabled (since ACR
computations are based on NEXT and Attenuation measurements). T he Scanner will automatically
disable ACR if NEXT or Attenuation is not enabled.

Page 17

Editing Test Limits

To display the EDIT LIMI TS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits. This screen

lets you specify the PASS/FAIL limits used in tests.
Press the
Press Select (F1) to display the limits screen for the highlighted test. Or, press the number on the
keypad that corresponds to the test for which you want to change the limits.
After editing the selected limits, press Save ( F1) to save these changes and to retu rn to the EDIT
LIMITS screen.
If you have created a new Au totest by editing the Auto test name or by editing a factory­programmed Autotest, and if you want the new test to be the default Autotest, press ESCAPE
until you return to the AUTO TEST SETUP screen, then press Default (F1).
Note: See the individual test section s for information on cu stomizing specific test limits.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to highlight the test fo r which you want to edit the limits.

Running Autotest

To display the AUTOTEST: screen, press the AUTOTEST key. This screen is disp layed while
Autotest is running. The Autotest name is displayed at the top of the screen and the cable type is
shown in the top center of the screen. Each pair being tested is displayed in the lower left corner o f
the screen. The name of each test b eing run is displayed in the lo wer right corner of the screen. A
status bar at the bottom of the screen indicates the prog ress of the Autotest.

Press the ESCAPE key at any time to cancel the Autotest.
Note: The Injector must be attached to the far end of the cable during Autotest. If it is not, the
Scanner screen will display the following:
Searching for Injector . . . (Injector Not Found)

Autotest Results Screen

To display the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen, p r ess the AUTOTEST key, or press the Extended
Functions key and select Memory. This screen is displayed wh en Autotest completes or when

saved Autotest results are selected for viewin g .

The Autotest name is at the top rig h t of the display and the PASS/FAIL indicator is in the center.
The number of failed tests, if any, is displayed next to the PASS/FAIL indicator. An Autotest will
PASS if all the selected tests meet the specified criteria. An Autotest will FAIL if one or more
selected tests fail. When the Margin Display is set to TIA M argi n Di spl ay an Autotest will
marginally PASS (*PASS) if one or more NEX T, Attenuation or Length measuremen ts marginally
passes. A marginal PASS is defined as a PASS result that is closer to the PASS/FAIL threshold than
the accuracy of the Scanner.

Press View (F1) to display Auto test results, then use the
the tests. The tests you view depend on the tests you have selected to run in AUTOTEST SETUP.
See Selecting Tests to Run During Autotest for more information.

Ñ or Ò arrow keys to scroll through

Press Save (F2) to save test results and exit. See Saving Autotest Results for more information.
Note: The Save (F2) key is unavailab l e when viewing the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen via the
Extended Functions/Memory feature.

Press Print (F3) to print test results. See Printing Autotest Results for more information. Note:
The Print (F3) key is unavailable when viewing the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen via the
Extended Functions/Memory feature.

Press Tests (F4) to view a PASS/FAIL summary of test results and to view results for selected
tests. See Viewing Autotest Results Summary for more information.

Viewing Autotest Results

WIRE MAP, LENGTH, PROPAGATION DELAY, NEXT, ATTENUATION, ACR, IMPEDANCE,
LOOP RESISTANCE, CAPACITANCE

You can view Autotest results by pressing View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen and
pressing the

The next section describes each test, including how to set test limits, how to read results screen and
how to troubleshoot test results.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through test results. Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Wire Map

Wire Map easily diagnoses your communications link for crossed pairs, shorts, split pairs and opens.

Crossed pairs occur when two or more wires are reversed from end to end, thus resulting in a
communication failure.

Split pairs occur when physical con tinuity is maintained but wires from lo gical pairs are split up.
This error is more difficult to detect because there is still a pin-to-pin correspondence. Wire Map

finds split pairs, and you can also suspect split pairs if the cable’s NEXT test result is less than 22
dB. For more information, refer to Microtest’s Category 5 Cable Testing Handbook.

Wire Map Test Results

To display this screen, press View ( F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen, then press the

Ò key until the WIRE MAP TEST RESULTS screen is displayed.

The wire map screen displays a grap hical representation of th e wiring in your cable. Near end
wiring displays on the left side of the screen and far end wiring displays on the right side of the
screen.

• A >< between wire pairs indicates a crossed pair.

• No line between wire pairs indicates an open.

• A ] between wire pairs indicates a short.

• A straight line between pairs indicates a good pair.

• “PASS” or “FAIL” indicates if wiring is correct or incorrect.

Press Splits (F1) to display the SPLIT PAIRS screen, with the split status displayed to the right of
the wire pair.

Press the Ò arrow key to display the next test result screen or p ress the ESCAPE key to exit.
Note: You can also generate a wire map by attaching the Injector to the far end of the twisted pair
cable and pressing the Find Cable Faults key.

Page 19

Length

Length can find opens, shorts, and breaks in a cable. The

Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) to fi nd the location of faul ts in cables. TDR is similar to ‘cable
radar’. The Scanner generates a pu lse down the wire, and when th e pulse encounters an impedance
change (such as an open, short, or poor connection), all or part of the pulse energy is reflected
back to the Scanner. Th e Scanner then measures the delay between when the pulse was sent and
when the reflection was received. Kn owing the speed that the pulse travels down the cable
(Nominal Velocity of Propagation, o r NVP), the Scanner can then calculate the distance to th e
fault.

The Length measurement is mo st accurate when the NVP setting you use is set correctly.

PentaScanner Product Family

uses

Customizing Length Limits

To display the LENGTH LIMI TS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then select
Length. This screen lets you ch ange the minimum and maximum Leng th limits.

Press the
limit will be enclosed in a box.

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limits. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Length limits and exit or press the ESCAPE key to
exit without saving.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to select the minimum or maximum Length limit. Th e selected

Length Test Results

To display the LENGTH screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen, then
press the

Autotest Length test results provide information for the sh o r test p air, displayed at the top of the
screen. The PASS/FAIL bar across the screen compares the measured Length value to th e Length
limit value. Below the PASS/FAIL bar, the Length limit value is displayed. Th e A utotest name is
displayed after Spec: at the lower left of th e screen.

Press Table (F1) to display the Length and Delay of all pairs, and the Skew b etween pairs (if
Propagation Delay has been selected as p art o f the Autotest). The Skew value is the worst-case
value of the difference in propagation delay between the wire p airs.

Ò key until the LENGTH screen is displayed.

Press the

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Length and Delay continuously by pressing the
Measure Cable Performance key and selecting Length/Delay.

Ñ or Ñ arrow key to display the previous o r next test results screen.

Propagation Delay

Customizing Delay Limits

To display the DELAY LIMITS screen, press th e Extended Funct i ons key, then select Setup
Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then select
Delay. The Delay Limits screen lets you ch an ge the minimum and maximum Delay limits.

Press the
will be enclosed in a box.
If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limits. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Delay limits and exit or press the ESCAPE key to
exit without saving.

Ò or Ñ arrow key to select the minimum or maximum Delay limit. The selected limit

Propagation Delay Test Results

To display the PROPAGATION DELAY screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS
screen, then press the

At the upper left of the screen, the pair corresponding to the test result is shown. The measured
Delay is shown to the right of the pair. The PASS/FAIL bar across the screen compares the
measured Delay value to the Delay limit value. Below the PASS/FAIL bar, the Delay limit value is
displayed. The Autotest name is displayed after Spec: at the lower left of the screen .

Press Table (F1) to display the Length and Delay of all pairs, and the Skew. The Skew value is the
worst-case value of the differen ce in propagation delay between the wire pairs.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the Delay results for each pair.

Ò arrow key until the DELAY screen is displayed.

Press the

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Length and Delay continuously by pressing the
Measure Cable Performance key and selecting Length/Delay.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen .

Near End Crosstalk (NEXT)

As current flows in a wire, an electro mag netic field is created which interferes with sig nals on
adjacent wires. As the frequency increases, this effect generally intensifies. Each pair is twisted to
allow opposing fields in the wire pair to cancel each other. Th e tighter the twist, the more effective
the cancellation and the higher the data rate supported by th e cable. Maintaining this pair twist is
the single most important factor in any single Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) installation. If wires
are not tightly twisted, the result is excessive Near En d Crosstalk (NEXT).

Measuring NEXT at Both Ends of the Link

The 2-Way Injector+ (and 2-Way Injector) allow NEXT to be measured at both ends of the link
without having to swap the Scanner and the Injector end devices. When the Scanner is measuring
NEXT, the Injector provides a 100 ohm termination at the Injector end. The Scanner transmits a
signal which is varied (or swept) through a frequency range. The signal is monitored on the receive
pair through a narrow band receiver. The received signal amplitude is co mp ared to the transmitted

Page 21

signal and the differen ce is reported as the NEXT value (in dB). When measuring Injector end
NEXT, the roles of the devices are reversed. The Scanner provides the 100 ohm termination for
the Injector measurements and the Injector transmits a signal which is varied (or swept) through a
frequency range. The signal is monitored by the Injector on the receive pair through a narrow band
receiver and the difference in the transmitted and received signal levels is reported as the Injector
end NEXT (in dB).

Customizing NEXT Limits

To display the NEXT LIMITS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then select
NEXT.

The NEXT LIMITS screen lets you specify the PASS/FAIL limits, frequency range and step size
used in testing NEXT. Press the
The selected limit will be enclosed in a box.

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limit. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.
Note: Limit only applies when Criteria is set to Fixed. When Criteria is set to Fixed, the decibel
value entered in the Limit field will be used as the PASS/FAIL criteria across all frequencies.

The

PentaScanner+

allows you to set a limit based on an Offset value. When Criteria is set at
something other than Fixed, the Offset field replaces the Limit field. The value entered in the
Offset field will be added to the NEXT criteria calculations, allowing you to set tighter NEXT
limits in your Autotests. For exampl e, if you enter a dB offset of 5.0 dB, the criteria calculatio ns for
Cat 5 Link, Cat 5 Channel, etc. will be increased by 5.0 dB. You can enter offset values from 0.0

— 60.0 dB.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to select the NEXT limit to be changed.

When Step or Criteria is selected, Change (F2) lets you toggle through the available settings.
After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new NEXT limit settings and exit o r press the ESCAPE
key to exit without saving.

NEXT Test Results

To display the NEXT screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen, then press
the

Ò key until the NEXT screen is displayed. This screen di splays Near End Crosstalk (NEXT)

test results.

When using the
NEXT is being reported for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

At the upper left of the screen, the pair combination is shown. The PASS/FAIL bar across the
screen compares the measured NEXT value to the NEXT limit value. The A utotest name is
displayed after Spec: at the lower left of the screen.

Press Detail (F1) to display the Frequency Sweep range and test results for all p airs.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the NEXT results for each pair combination.
When using the
results for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

2-Way Injector+

2-Way Injector+

(or the

(or the

2-Way Injector

2-Way Injector

), the top line of the screen indicates if

), press F4 to toggle between NEXT

Press the Ñ or Ò arrow key to view the previous or next test results screen.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run NEXT continuously by pressing the Measure Cable

Performance key and selecting NEXT.

NEXT Detail

To display this screen, press Detail (F1) from the NEXT screen. Thi s screen displays the frequency
sweep range and the worst case NEX T for each pair.

Press Graph (F1) to enter graphi ng mode. Graph (F1) is available when Save Sweep Data has
been selected in the AUTOTEST SETUP, or when NEXT results are viewed immediately after
running the test.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the available pair combinations.

When using the
results for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the NEXT screen.

2-Way Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

), press F4 to toggle between NEX T

NEXT Graph

To display this screen, press Detail (F1) from the NEXT screen, then p r ess Graph ( F1) . This screen
displays the NEXT graph for the indicated pair combination.

The top line of th e screen displays the worst case NEXT an d the frequency at which it occurred.

When using the
if NEXT is being reported for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

Press Zoom (F1) to magnify the area of the graph around the cursor. The Zoom key can display
1x, 2x, 5x or 10x magnification.

Press Print (F2) to print the NEXT graph.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the NEXT DETAIL screen.

2-Way Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

), the second line of the screen indicates

Attenuation

The Attenuation function measures signal loss in a cable as a function of frequency. This
measurement is a very important cable certification parameter. Your Scanner measures cable
attenuation using the one way method as specified by IEEE and EIA.

The one way Attenuatio n measurement requires that a signal be injected at one end of the cable
and measured at the other end to determine cable loss. The Injector acts as the far end signal
generator and the Scanner NEX T receiver measures the received signal.

Page 23

Customizing Attenuation Limits

To display the ATTENUATION LIM I TS screen, press the Extended Funct i ons key, then select
Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then press Limits (F4),

then select Attenuation. This screen displays the Attenuatio n frequency range and the criteria used
to determine the range.

Press the

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limit. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

If the Criteria in the ATTENUATION LIMITS screen is set to Fixed Points, you can press Limits
(F4) to display the ATTENUATION LIM I TS AND FREQUENCY screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new limits and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit
without saving.

Ò or Ñ arrow key to highlight the field to change.

Attenuation Limits and Frequency

If the Criteria in the ATTENUATION LIMITS screen is set to Fixed Points, you can display the
ATTENUATION LIMITS AND FREQUENCY screen. To display this screen, press the Extended
Functions key, then select Setup Autotest, then h i ghlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit
(F2), then select Limits, then select Attenuation, then press Limits (F4). This screen displays

Attenuation limits for each frequency and lets you specify the frequencies to be included in the
Autotest.

Press the
Autotest.
Press Select (F2) (or Unsel) to include (or skip) the Attenuatio n frequency during the Autotest.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to highlight the Attenuation frequency to be included in the

Press Edit (F3) to change the Attenuation limit for the h i ghlighted frequency.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new limits and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit
without saving.

Editing Attenuation Limits

To display the ATTENUATION LIMITS FOR FREQUENCY screen, press the Extended
Functions key, then select Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit
(F2), then select Limits, then select Attenuation, then press Limits (F4), then press Edit (F3).

This screen displays the maximum Attenuation limit for the selected freq uency and lets you change
it.

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limit. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new maximum Attenuation limit and exit or press the
ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

Attenuation Test Results

To display the ATTENUATION screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen ,
then press the

At the upper left of the screen, the pair corresponding to the displayed result is shown. The
Attenuation, in decibels (dB), is shown centered and the frequency is shown to the right. The
PASS/FAIL bar across the screen compares the measured Attenuation value to the Attenuation
limit value. The Autotest name is displayed after Spec: at the lower left of the screen.

Press Detail (F1) to display the frequency sweep range and the test results f or all pairs.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the Attenu atio n results for each pair combination.

¬ arrow key until the ATTENUATION screen is d i sp layed.

Press the

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Attenuation continuously by pressing the Measure
Cable Performance key and selecting Attenuation.

Ï or Ð arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen.

Attenuation Detail

To display this screen, press Detail (F1) from the ATTENUATION screen. T his screen displays the
frequency sweep range and the worst case Attenuation f or each pair.

Press Graph (F1) to enter gr aphing mode. Graph ( F1) is available when Save Sweep Data : At tn
has been selected in the SAVE AUTO T EST screen or when viewing results immediately after
running the Autotest.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the available pair combinations.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Attenuation screen.

Attenuation Graph

To display this screen, press Detail (F1) from the ATTENUATION screen, then press Graph (F1).
This screen displays the Attenuation graph for the indicated pair combination.

Press Zoom (F1) to magnify the area of the graph around the cursor. The Zoom key can select 1x,
2x, 5x or 10x magnification.

Press Print (F2) to print the Attenuation grap h.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Attenuation Detail screen.

Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio (ACR)

Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio (ACR) is an in dication of how much larger the received signal is
compared to the noise (NEXT) on the same pair. ACR rep orts the difference between NEXT and
Attenuation on th e cable. Both Attenuation and NEXT are measured an d the ACR value is
computed at each measured A ttenuation frequency. The worst case ACR is reported for each pair
combination.

Page 25

Customizing ACR Limits

To display the ACR LIMITS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup Aut o­test, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then select ACR.

This screen lets you set the Limit Functio n and edit the Fixed Minimum AC R limit. Use the

 or ¬

arrow keys to select the field to change. The selected field will be enclosed in a box.

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limit. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

When Limit Function is selected, press Change (F2) to toggle between Fixed, Derived and
(ISO) Class D:

• When Fixed is selected, the minimum ACR limit that you specify is applied across the full

frequency range measured.

• When Derived is selected, the ACR limit applied is derived from the equation:

NEXT limit - Attenuation limit.

• When Class D is selected, the ACR limit applied is as specified for ISO Class D links.

• When Fixed Minimum is selected , the value you enter can range f r om 0 to 60 dB.

ACR Test Results

When using the
ACR is being reported for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

At the upper left of the screen, the pair combination is shown. The ACR, in decibels (dB), is
shown to the right of the pair combination. The PA SS/FAIL bar across the screen compares the
measured ACR value to the ACR limit value. Below the PASS/FAIL bar, the ACR limit value is
displayed. The Autotest name is displayed after Spec: at the lower left of the screen .

2-Way Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

), the top line of the screen indicates if

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the ACR test results f or each pair combination.
When using the

2-Way Injector+

(or

2-Way Injector

), press F4 to toggle between NEXT results

for the Scanner or Injector end of the link.

Press the

Ò or Ñ arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .

Impedance

Impedance is a measure of the oppo sition to the flow of current in a cable. Unshielded Twisted
Pair (UTP) is commonly rated at either 100 or 120 ohms. This value must be constant over the
operating bandwidth of the cable.

Impedance measurements, useful f or finding mismatches, include the effects of resistance,
inductance and capacitance. An Impedance mismatch will cause a signal reflection in the cable,
which in turn absorbs sig nal energy. This creates excessive loss, shorter distances that data can travel
reliably, and data errors. The
(TDR) to measure Impedance.

The Impedance function measures the characteristic impedance of the cable at a fixed propagation
delay down the cable. Depending on the NVP o f the cable, this sample point is between 25 and 40

PentaScanner Product Family

uses Time Domain Reflectometry

feet down the cable. The sampling of the voltage is delayed long enough to allow the incident step
to propagate past near end patch cables, cross connects block, etc. that could disrupt the
impedance measurement. The length of the cable must be long enough to produce a round trip
delay, which is longer than the sample time delay. For short cables, the imp edance function
measures the termination value.

Note: To measure Impedance correctly, the cable length must be 40 feet or greater. If the cable is
not at least 40 feet long, the Impedance test result will be OVR (Over range) or UND (Under
range).

Customizing Impedance Limits

To display the IMPEDANCE LIMITS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select
Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then

select Impedance.

This screen lets you change th e minimum and maximum Impedance limits. Press the

Ñ or

Ò arrow key to select the minimum or maximum Impedance limit. The selected limit will be

enclosed in a box.

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limits. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Impedance limits and exit or press the ESCAPE
key to exit without saving.

Impedance Test Results

To display the Impedance screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen, then
press the

At the upper left of the screen, the pair combination is shown. The Impedance, in ohms (
shown to the right of the pair. The PASS/FAIL bar across the screen compares the measured
Impedance value to the Impedance limit value. B elow the PASS/FAIL bar, the Impedance limit
value is displayed. The Au totest name is displayed after Spec: at the lower left of the screen.

Press Table (F1) to display the Impedan ce test resu lts for all pairs or press Pair (F3) to toggle
through the Impedance results for each pair.

Ò key until the IMPEDANCE screen is displayed.

Ω), is

Press the

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Impedance continuously by pressing the Measure
Cable Performance key and selecting Impedance.

Ï or Ð arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen.

Loop Resistance

Loop Resistance is the combined resistance of two conductors in a twisted pair cable, or the coaxial
shield and center conductor in coaxial cable. In twisted pair cable, Loop Resistance is measured by
using the Injector to sho r t the far end of the pair being tested. In coaxial cable, a shorting p l ug is
required to measure Loop Resistance. The Loop Resistance range is 0 to 10,000 ohms.

Page 27

Resistance is said to fail if measured values on pairs used by the selected network type are g reater
than the resistance for a maximum length loop (100 meters for most networks).

Customizing Loop Resistance Limits

To display the LOOP RESISTANCE LI M I TS screen, press the Extended Functi ons key, then
select Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select
Limits, then select Loop Resistance. This screen lets you chan ge the maximum Loop Resistance
limit.

If your Scanner has an alphan umeric overlay on the keypad, use th e keyp ad to enter the limit. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new maximum Loop Resistance limit and exit or press
the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

Loop Resistance Test Results

To display the LOOP RESISTANCE screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS

screen, then press the Ä key until the LOOP RESISTANCE screen is displayed.

At the upper left of the screen, the pair corresponding to the test result is shown. The Loop
Resistance, in ohms (Ω), is shown to the right of the pair. The PASS/FAIL b ar across the screen
compares the measured Loop Resistance value to the Loop Resistance limit value. Below the
PASS/FAIL bar, the Loop Resistance limit valu e is displayed. The Autotest n ame is d i splayed after
Spec: at the lower left of the screen.

Press Table (F1) to display the Loop Resistance test results for all pairs or press Pair (F3) to toggle
through the Loop Resistance results for each pair.

Press the
Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Loop Resistance continuously by pressing the
Measure Cable Performance key and selecting Loop Resistance.

Ï or Ð arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen.

Capacitance

Capacitance is the amount of electric field energy that can be stored between two conductors at a
given voltage. For twisted pair cable, Capacitance is measured between conductors in a pair. For
coaxial cable, Capacitance is measured between the conductor and the shield.

The Capacitance measurement is made by measuring the effective charging and discharging time
constant that is formed by the capacitance of the cable. This is done at low frequency to eliminate
any transmission line effects of the cable under test.

Customizing Capacitance Limits

To display this screen, press th e Extended Funct i ons key, then select Setup Autotest, then
highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limit s, then select Capacitance.

Press the
selected limit will be enclosed in a box.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to select the minimum or maximum Capacitance limit. The

If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limits. If
your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Capacitance limits and exit or press the ESCAPE
key to exit without saving.

Capacitance Test Results

To display the CAPACITANCE screen, press View (F1) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen,
then press the

At the upper left of the screen, the pair corresponding to the displayed result is shown. The
capacitance, in picofarads (pF), is shown to the right of the pair. The PASS/FAIL bar across the
screen compares the measured Capacitance value to the Capacitance limit value. Below the
PASS/FAIL bar, the Capacitance limit value is disp layed. The Autotest name is displayed after
Spec: at the lower left of the screen.

Press Table (F1) to display th e Capacitance test results for all pairs or press Pair (F3) to toggle
through the Capacitance test results f or each pair.

Ò key until the CAPACITANCE screen is displayed .

Press the

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .
Note: For diagnostic purposes, you can run Capacitance continuously by pressing the Measure
Cable Performance key and selecting Capacitance.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to display the previous or next test results screen .

Saving Autotest Results

This screen lets you store Autotest results in the Scanner’s memory. To display the SAVE TEST
screen, press Save (F2) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen. Press the
to highlight the field to update.
If your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter field values.
When editing the Circuit ID, pr ess F3 to change editing modes (CAPS, caps, NUM or Inc).
Increment (Inc) mode automatically increments the last character position, and lets you manu ally
increment or decrement any character using the

To start the Automatic Increment function:

1. Run the initial Autotest.

2. Enter the initial Circuit ID.

3. Set F3 to Inc mode.

4. Press F1 to save the Autotest.

After performing the next Autotest, enter the SAVE TEST screen. The Scanner will automatically
increment the last field in the Circui t ID. Press F1 to save the Autotest.

Ñ or Ò arrow key.

Ñ or Ò arrow key

When you enter the initial Circuit ID, you can divide the fields by using non-alphanumeric
characters. The non-alphanumeric characters are considered field separators. For example, the
Circuit ID BLDG-001 is divided into two fields by the ‘-’ character. In Automatic Increment
mode, the Scanner will automatically increment the last field, “001”, from “001” to “999” and
then roll back to “000”. Both alphabetic and numeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) will be
incremented if the circuit ID contains both types of characters.

Page 29

While in Automatic Increment mod e, you can manually increment the last character b y p ressing the

Scanner’s ENTER key. In addition, you can use the
the Circuit ID, and you can use the
the character at the cursor.
Note: When in Inc mode, pressing F3 will allow you use the arrow keys to move the cursor from
the Circuit ID field to the Save Sweep Data field.

If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen.
After editing, press Save (F1) to store your changes and exit or press the ESCAPE key to return
to the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen.

Ñ key to manually increment (or the Ò key to decrement)

Ï and Ð keys to move to any character in

Save Sweep Data

When the Save Sweep Data field is selected in the SAVE TEST screen, several choices are
available:

• When None is selected, Sweep data is not saved

• When Attn is selected, all measured Attenuation p oints are saved with the Autotest

• When NEXT is selected, all measured NEXT p oints are saved with the Autotest

• When Both is selected, both Attenuation and NE XT are saved with the Autotest

When None is selected, no sweep data is saved . The worst case NEXT data point f or each pair is
preserved in the saved Autotest. If you choose to save the NEXT sweep data, then every measured
next point is preserved. This permits you to view and print the graphs while viewing an Autotest
from memory. If this data is not saved , then the graphical info rmation is not available except
immediately after the Autotest has been run, or in Measure Cable Performance.

Normally, 500 Autotests can be saved. However, saving full NEXT sweep and Attenuation sweep
data drastically reduces the number of Autotests, which can be saved. When saving Attenuation
data and both near an d far end NEXT sweep data, perhaps only 40 tests can be saved. The specific
number of tests that can be saved is indeterminate, since the information is highly compressed prior
to saving. A cable, which has a smooth NEXT reading, will compress better than a cable with
jumpy NEXT. Also, so me Autotests (such as a Category 3) specify the NEXT sweep range to be
smaller than a Category 5 Autotest; and fewer Autotests may be stored if the Autotest us es 100
kHz NEXT step size rather than TIA or 200 or 500 kHz steps.

Printing Autotest Results

PRINT FORMAT

To display this screen, press Print (F3) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen. This screen
provides a selection of formats for printing Autotest Results.

Press Change (F2) to view the available printing formats.

Press Print (F3) to select a report format and begin printing.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .

Viewing Autotest Results Summary

To display the TESTS screen, press Tests (F4) fro m the AUTOTEST RESULTS screen.

When using the

2-Way Injector+

(or

2-Way Injector

results are from the Scanner or Injector end of the link.

), the screen indicates if NEXT and ACR test

Press the

Ò or Ñ arrow key to scroll through the list of tests and their PASS/FAIL results.

Press View (F1) to view the test results for th e highlighted test.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTO TEST RESULTS screen .

Sample Autotest Report

1. Heading provides
information on the
circuit. The Circuit ID
is filled in as you save
each test result. Some
fields in the heading
can only be entered

using Microtest’s
Cable Management
System (CMS) For
Windows.

2. Expected results
(factory or user­defined).

3. Actual test results
for this cable.

4. An ‘!’ preceding a
test result indicates that
the test result is
outside of the test
limits; an asterisk (*)
indicates a marginal
pass condition.

5. Results for each
pair combination.

Page 31

Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating

Several screens allow editing. For exampl e, you can edit the owner and company names that appear
on the opening logo screen and on printed reports. Different Scanners in the

Product Family

different editing methods.

have different editing pro ced ures. This chapter explains in more detail the two

Editing with the Alphanumeric Keypad

Use this editing method if your Scanner has an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad.
Each character is edited individually; that is, the character being edited is at the cursor position.
Alphabetic and special characters are printed above each nu mbered key on the keypad. Fo r
example, ABC is printed above the 2 key. With the keypad in CAPS mode, press and hold the 2
key to display an A, B, or C. Release the key to place the disp layed character in the field that is
being edited. The 1 key allows entry of special characters:

- hyphen
_ underscore
. period

‘ comma
* asterisk
( l ef t parentheses
) r i ght parent heses
/ slash
# pound sign

PentaScanner

Press Del (F2) to delete the character at the cu rsor.

Press CAPS (F3) (or caps or NUM) to toggle the keypad between uppercase letters (CAPS ),
lowercase letters (caps), or numerals (NUM).

Press the

Press Save (F1) to save the new entries.

Press Clear (F4), when available, to clear the field that is highlighted.

Ï or Ð arrow key to move left or right within the string of characters.

Editing with the Arrow Keys

Use this method if your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay on the keypad. To edit a
field, highlight the field and press Edit (F2).

Each character is edited individually; i.e. the character being edited is at the cursor position. Press
the A-Z key to enter an alphab etic character and press the
hold down the
key to enter a numeric value.

Press the

Ò or Ñ arrow key to scroll through the available ch aracters. Or, press a number

Ï or Ð arrow key to move left or right within the string of characters.

Ò or Ñ arrow key to change it. You can

Press Del (F1) to delete the character at the cu rsor.

Press Clear (F4) to erase the contents of the field.

Press Done (F2) to exit the editing screen.

Printing or Downloading Test Results

To send test results directly from the Scanner to a printer or PC:

1. Configure the Printer Po rt settings in the PRINTER PORT SETUP screen. To display this
screen on the
Functions key, then select Printer Port. To display this screen on the
press the Extended Functions key, then select User Preferences, th en select Printer
Port.

1. Press the

Handshaking. The default settings for Baud rate and Handshaking are 9600 and
XON/XOFF. The settings for Data Bits, Stop Bits and Parity are fixed at 8, 1 and None
and cannot be changed. After highlighting the Baud rate or Handshaking setting, press
Change (F2) to toggle through the available settings.

DB-9 to DB-9 Cable DB-9 to DB-25 Cable

Male Female

1. Attach the DB-9 end of the cable to the Scanner an d the other end to the serial port on the
back of the printer or to COM 1 or COM 2 on the back of the PC:

Connection for Printing Test Results Connection for Downloading Test Results

PentaScanner

or

PentaScanner Cable Admin

, press Extended

PentaScanner+,

Ò or Ñ arrow key to highlight a setting to modify — Baud rate or

2. Press Printer (F3) to display the
graphics printer screen. Press Save (F1)
to store the new settings and exit o r press
the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

3. Choose the appropriate serial
communications cable. A DB-9 to DB-9
serial cable is included in the kit, or you
can use a DB-9 to DB-2 5 cable. Note:
The cable must be wired as in Appendix
C: Pin-outs.

IBM-compatible PC

Printer
(rear view)

Male Female

Scanner

DB-9

DB-9

Serial Port

Serial Cable

1. Use the PRINT OPTIONS screen to set the criteria to determine which Autotests to print.
To display the PRINT OPTIONS screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select
Memory, then press Print (F3).

2. To display the PRINT FORMAT screen, press Print (F3) from the AUTOTEST RESULTS
screen, or press Print (F3) from the PRINT OPTIONS screen. Press Change (F2) from the

Page 33

Scanner

COM 1 or COM 2

DB-9 to DB-25 or
DB-9 to DB-9
Serial Cable

PRINT FORMAT screen to select the PRI NT FO RMAT (text or CSV); then press Print
(F3) to begin printing.

3. If you are sending resu lts to a PC, you can use Microtest’s

(CMS) For Windows

Autotest records in Comma Separated Variable (CSV) format. Make sure that the baud
rate, parity, handshaking (protocol) and data and stop bi t settings in
are the same as the Scanner’s Printer Port Settings. Refer to the CMS For Windows User
Guide for instructions. You can also send results to the PC using Windows™ Terminal
Emulation or Procomm Plus® (see below).

(a Microtest accessory available from yo ur distributor) to d ownload

Cable Management System

CMS For Windows

Printing Tips

• When printing from the Ext ended Funct ions menu, you can print all tests that p assed

or failed by selecting All Pass or All Fail from the PRINT OPTIONS screen.

• For best results, print NEXT and Attenuatio n graphs to a LaserJet printer. The LaserJet

printer will print the graph on one page, whereas the Epson format requires two pages
to print the same graph.

Uploading Autotest Reports to Windows Terminal

1. With Windows loaded, click on the Accessories window, and select Terminal. If

Terminal is not an icon, click on Files, choose Run, and type “TERMINAL.EXE”.

2. Select Settings | Communication s from the Menu Bar.

3. In the Communications screen, verify that the settings are 9600 Baud, Xon/Xoff, 8

data bits, 1 stop bit and No parity. Choose the appropriate Communications (serial)
port. Click OK to save these settings.

4. Select Transfers | Receive Text File from the Menu Bar. In the Receive Text File screen,

name the file with a .txt extension. Note the drive and path to which the file will be
saved.

5. The screen will now show “Receiving [file.txt]” on the bottom right and “Bytes: 0” on

the bottom left.

6. Begin the transfer from the Scanner (see step 7 in Printing or Downloading Test

Results, above). Select “text” as the Print Format.

7. When the transfer is complete, close Windows Terminal.

You can now use the DOS ‘COPY’ command to print the text file to a pr inter; i.e., “COPY
filename.txt LPT1”.

Uploading Autotest Reports to a PC with Procomm Plus

Procomm Plus for DOS

To send reports to a PC using Procomm Plus for DOS, open Procomm Plus and perform these
steps:

1. Press ALT + P to enter port parameters. Set the port to be used (COM1 or COM2),

the baud rate (default is 9600), the data bits (8), stop bits (1) and parity (None). Make
sure that the settings are the same as the Scann er’ s Printer Port Settings. Press Alt + S to
save settings.

2. Press ALT + S to select terminal options. Ensure that the handshake method selected is

XON/XOFF to match the Scanner’s Printer Po rt Settings.

3. Press ALT + F1 to open a log file. Type the desired file name. Give the filename a

“.TXT” extension to make it easy to locate.

4. Begin the transfer from the Scanner (see step 7 in Printing or Downloading Test

Results, above). Select “text” as the Print Format. You should see the information

scrolling on the Procomm Plus window while the transfer is in progress.

5. When the transfer is complete, press ALT + F1 again to close the log file. The file will

be saved under the current directory.

6. Press ALT + X to exit the Procomm Plus package.

You can now use the DOS ‘COPY’ command to print the log file to a printer; i.e., “COPY
filename.txt LPT1”.

Procomm Plus for Windows

To send reports to a PC using Procomm Plus for Windows, open Procomm Plus and perform these
steps:

1. Press ALT + S to select terminal options. Ensure that the handshake method selected is

SOFTWARE, set the port to be u s ed (COM1 or COM2). Set the data bits (8), stop
bits (1) and parity (None), and set the baud rate to the high est sp eed that your system
will support. Set the terminal setting to VT100. Set the protocol to ASCII. Save the
new settings.

2. On the Scanner, press the Extended Functions key, then select Printer Port. Set the

baud rate to match the baud rate set in Procomm Plus and set the handshake to
XON/XOFF.

3. Select the download fold er. Type the desired file name. Give the filename a “.TXT”

extension to make it easy to locate.

4. Begin the transfer from the Scanner (see step 7 in Printing or Downloading Test

Results, above). Select “text” as the Print Format. You should see the information
scrolling on the Procomm Plus window while the transfer is in progress.

5. When the transfer is complete, click OK.

6. Exit Procomm Plus.

You can now use the DOS ‘COPY’ command to print the report file to a printer; i.e., “COPY
filename.txt LPT1”.

Uploading NEXT and Attenuation Graphs to a PC with Procomm Plus

Procomm Plus for DOS

1. Open the Procomm Plus application.

2. Press ALT + P to enter port parameters. Set the port to b e used (COM1 or COM2),

the baud rate (default is 9600), the data bits (8), stop bits (1) and parity (None). Press
Alt + S to save settings.

3. On the Scanner, press the Extended Functions key, then select Printer Port. Set the

baud rate to match the baud rate set in Procomm Plus and set the handshake to
RTS/CTS. Press F3 (Printer) to display and change the Graph ics Printer options. Save
these changes.

4. In Procomm Plus, press Alt + S to get to the Procomm Plus setup utility.

5. On the Procomm Plus setup utility menu select FILE/PATH OPTIONS. On the

FILE/PATH OPTIONS menu select C- Default path for downloaded files
(PgDn) x:directory path. Make sure the path specified is the one to which you would
like to save the files.

6. Press ESC to return to the Procomm Plus Setu p Utility menu. Select TERMINAL

OPTIONS. On the TERMINAL OPTIONS menu, set C-Soft flow ctrl (XON/XOFF) to

Page 35

OFF. Set D-Hard flow ctrl (RTS/CTS) to ON. Press ESC to return to the Procomm
Plus Setup Utility menu.

7. Press ESC to go to the Procomm Plus main screen. Press PageDown on the PC

keyboard. The Download Protocols menu will be displayed.

8. Select R for R) RAW ASCII and press ENTER. RAW ASCII DOWNLOAD will be

displayed, with a Please enter f ilename: prompt. Type the file name desired and press

ENTER. A blank screen with the message DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS - PRESS
ESC TO END will display. If you get an Error Opening File message, check the path

name in item C on the FILE/PATH OPTIONS screen. Correct this item if necessary
and try again.

9. From the Scanner, start the download of the graph information by pressing Print (F2)

from the NEXT GRAPH or ATTENUATION GRAPH screen . When the download is
complete, press ESC to close the Proco mm Plus file.

10. The NEXT and Attenuation graph file will be located in the path specified in step 3

above.

11. Use the DOS copy command to send the NEXT graph information to the printer. For

example, to print a file named NXT FILE .ASC, type COPY /B NXTFILE.ASC LPT1.

Procomm Plus for Windows

1. Open the Procomm Plus application.

2. Press ALT + S to select terminal options. Ensure that the handshake method selected is

HARDWARE, set the port to be u s ed (COM1 or COM2). Set the data bits (8), stop
bits (1) and parity (None), and set the baud rate to the high est sp eed that your system
will support. Set the terminal setting to VT100. Set the protocol to RAW ASCII.

3. On the Scanner, press the Extended Functions key, then select Printer Port. Set the

baud rate to match the baud rate set in Procomm Plus and set the handshake to
RTS/CTS. Press F3 (Printer) to display and change the Graph ics Printer options. Save
these changes.

4. Select the download folder and enter a file name to wh ich you want to save the graph

data. For example, you might n ame th e file TEST.GPH.

5. From the Scanner, start the download of the graph information by pressing Print (F2)

from the NEXT GRAPH or ATTENUATION GRAPH screen.

6. Exit to DOS, and use the DOS copy command to send th e NEXT or Attenuation

graph information to the printer. For example, to print the file named TEST.GPH, type

COPY /B TEST.GPH LPT1.

Troubleshooting Printing Problems

Problem: I get a blank page between each test result. How can this be corrected?
Solution: Change the lines p er page setting on the printer to 66 lines per page.

Problem: My printout is garbled. Why?
Possible Solution: The Handshaking setting for the printer may not be set correctly. Press the

Extended Functions key; then select Printer Port. Handshaking should be set to XON/XOFF
on both the Scanner an d the printer. Also, make sure th e baud rate setting matches that of the
printer (9600 baud is the most common baud rate). If you experience problems at this setting,
change to a lower baud rate setting. The serial port on the printer cannot always keep up with the
flow of data from the Scanner, so if you experience printing problems, ALWAYS change to a slower
baud rate, rather than a faster baud rate.

Problem: The screen displays Printing . . . but nothing is printing on the printer.
Possible Solution: You must use a “straigh t through” serial cable. Refer to Appendix C: Pin­outs for the cable pin-out specifications. Also, make sure that XON/XOFF handshaking is

supported.

Downloading Software Updates

If you are connected to the Internet, our World Wide Web page can be accessed by entering
http://www.microtest.com in the URL ad dress field. Files are available in the Support Download
area after online registration.
You can also download the latest

1. Use a communications package* for your computer and set the following parameters:

• Modem speed between 1200 and 57,700 (1200 to 28.8 baud)

• Data Bits, 1 Stop Bit, No Parity

• ANSI Terminal Emulation

*Windows “Terminal,” the program that is packaged with Windows 3.x, will not work with

Microtest's BBS. Most commercially available communications programs will perform
successfully.

2. Dial in to the Microtest BBS:

[phone] (U.S.) [phone] (U.K.)

3. You will be asked for your name and password. If you are a new user, enter your name

and make up a password. Remember to keep a record of the password you used.

4. If you plan to use our BBS more than o ne time, it may be convenient to f i rst set up a

default download protocol:

• From the Main Menu, select Y for You r Settings. Enter 14 between the
brackets, and press Enter.

• Select the letter representing the download protocol you will use, e.g., Z for
Zmodem. Press Enter.

• Type Q to Quit. Then press Enter.

(Note: You can change your default at any time by f ollowing the above pro cedure

and reselecting a protocol.)

5. Press F for Files, D for Download.

6. Type in the name of the file you want, e.g. PS421.EXE, and press Enter.

Note: The file you download will have a .EXE extension. This is a “self-extracting archive”

program that you will need to run to decompress the update program, Flash image and
“README” files.

7. You will be prompted for another file name. Press Enter again to continue.

8. Press D for Download.

Depending upo n your communications software, your download may begin immediately or

you may need to start it manually. If you did not select a default protocol, you will be
prompted to select a download protocol at this time.

9. Press Q to Quit back to the Main Menu, and G to log off (Goodbye).

PentaScanner

files from Microtest's BBS:

Updating Scanner Software from the PC

At this point, you have d ownloaded the required software update files from the BBS to the PC. Or,
you may have been given a diskette containing software update files and have copi ed them to the
PC.
NOTE: The update process will erase all test results stored in memory. If you have any Autotest
results stored in memory, print o r download the results befo re updating the software.

Page 37

1. Connect the DB-9 end of the communications
cable to the serial port on th e Scanner and the
other end (DB-9 or DB-25) to the serial port on
the PC.

2. Turn off the Scanner and plug the AC adapter in
to the Scanner.

3. Hold down the AUTOTEST key and the Find
Cable Faults key and press the On/Off key. The
Scanner will turn on and the screen will display:

Waiting for REFLASH

You are now ready to download the new flash update

AC
Adapter

COM 1 or COM 2

Either DB-9 to DB-25
or D-9 to DB-9
Serial Cable

from the PC.

4. From the DOS prompt, type PENTA -? and press
the <ENTER> key on the PC keyboard. The options and default screen will display.

5. Type PENTA followed by the COM 1 or COM 2 option (-C1 or -C2), and press the
<ENTER> key on the PC keyboard.

Examples:

English: Penta -C1
English (Int’l):Penta -C1 -E
French: Penta -C1 -F
German: Penta -C1 -G
Spanish: Penta -C1 -S
Italian: Penta -C1 -I
Japanese: Penta -C1 -K

These commands update the Scanner with the information sto red in the file using COM 1

with the Scanner in “Waiting for REFLASH” mode. While the flash is being updated,
the PC screen will show a progress graph. This process will take approximately two
minutes.

Note: The international Scann ers require an international version o f software. Attempts to

update a non-international version of the Scanner with international versions of
software will fail!

6. When the update is complete, the PC will display the DOS prompt. Upon completion,
the screen may display:

ERROR

One or more stored

Autotest results have

been lost.

7. If so, press OK (F1) to display the Ready screen. The software is now updated!

8. To place the real-time clock in 24 hour mode, press the Extended Functions key,
select User Preferences (if you have a

PentaScanner+),

select Date/Time, and press

Save (F1) to store the new settings

To verify the software update, p ress and hold the Backlight b utton (located to the right o f the
ESCAPE button). The software version number will be displayed.

Updating the 2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector

If you have any Autotest results stored in the Scanner, be sure to print or download them to a PC
before updating the Injector. Th e u pdate process will erase ALL Autotest results stored in memory.

1. Connect the DB-9 end of the communications cable to the serial port on the Scanner
and the other end (DB-9 or DB-25) to the serial port on the PC.

2. Turn off the Scanner and plug the AC
adapter into the Scanner.

3. Hold down the AUTOTEST and Find
Cable Faults keys and press the ON/OFF
key on the Scanner. The Scanner will turn
on and the screen will display:

Waiting for REFLASH

4. Connect the Scanner to the Injector using
the Category 5 patch cable provided.

5. Plug the AC adapter into the

Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

2-Way

).

6. You are now ready to download the new

AC Adapter

Injector

Patch Cable

AC Adapter

Scanner

COM 1 or
COM 2

DB-9 to DB-9
Serial Cable

flash update from the PC.

7. From the DOS prompt, type PENTA -?
and press the Enter key on the PC keyboard. The options and default screen will
display.

8. Type PENTA followed by the COM 1 or COM 2 option (-C1 or -C2), followed by -2,
and press the <ENTER> key on the PC keyboard. Example:

PENTA -C1 -2

This command updates the 2-Way Injector+ (or the 2-Way Injector) from the flash image

downloaded from the BBS. The updated software is downloaded from the PC through
the PC COM port to the Scanner. While the software is being downlo ad ed, the PC
screen will show a progress graph. This process will take approximately one minute.

9. When the download is complete, the PC displays:

Download of FLASH image file complet e.

10. Watch the Scanner screen for REFLASH progress. The Scanner display will show the
progress of the update and the

2-Way Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

) Status and
Pass LEDs will blink during the update. This step will take approximately one minute.
When complete, the

2-Way Injector+

(or the

2-Way Injector

) is updated with the

new software.

11. To verify the update, press the Extended Functi ons key o n the Scanner, then select

Injector Info. The Scanner will display the new software version.

Technical Support

If you are having problems with the Scanner and cannot find help for your problem in this user
guide, you can contact Microtest Technical Support by phone, fax, via the Internet, the Microtest
BBS, or CompuServe:

U.S.A. and Canada 1-800-NET-FIXR (1-800-638-3497) (voice)

Europe, Middle East and Africa [phone] (voice)

World Wide Web

You can download f iles and send mail to Microtest via the Internet:

http://www.microtest.com/

Page 39

1-800-419-8991 (fax)

[phone] (fax)

Microtest Bulletin Board System (BBS)

You can contact Microtest Technical Support and download product update files from the
Microtest BBS. To access the BBS, set your communications software to 1200 to 14400 baud; 8
data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity; ANSI terminal emulation, and dial:

[phone] (U.S.) or
[phone] (Europe)

FaxFacts

You can request additional information from FaxFacts, Microtest’s telephone-operated fax request
line. FaxFacts is an on-demand system that allows you to dial in on any touch tone phone and have
product information and technical tips faxed to you. To access FaxFacts, dial:

U.S. [phone]

Follow the voice prompts to request the appropriate document.

Chapter 5: Find Cable Faults

Find Cable Faults traces your cable runs and locates intermittent faults. It also in corporates Time

Domain Reflectometry so you can find faults in cab les less than 10 feet long. (The

Product Family

has zero dead zone fo r detecting cable faults.)

PentaScanner

Wire Map determines how the cable and connectors are wired, from one end to the other. It is
usually run before any other measurements, to pinpoin t cabling problems caused by o pens, shorts,
split pairs or miswires.

Find Cable Faults draws a graphical representation of the cable, showing opens, shorts and
miswires. When Wire Map is run, Find Cable Faul t s continuously repeats its testing so the
operator can wiggle connectors and wires to locate intermittent faults. Find Cable Faults
repeatedly runs Length and Wire Map and displays the length and continuity of the entire cable.

Wire Map

The Wire Map screen is displayed when you press the Find Cable Faults key. There are primarily
four things that can go wrong with a cable or connector:

• A short between wires

• An open on any single wire

• An open across all wires (break)

• An impedance mismatch

If a short or open exists in the cable, isolate the segment you suspect, connect the Scanner to it and
run the Length test by pressing the Measure Cable Performance key; then selecting Length.

An Impedance mismatch is caused by irregularities in the cable and can show up as an open or a
short at an unexpected length.

When troubleshooting wiring problems, look for improperly crimped cables — make sure that the
outer insulation fits into the end of the connector.

Press Splits (F1) to display the wire splits screen. The split status is shown to the right of each wire
pair.

Wire Map for Both Ends of the Link

The Injector plays an integral part in determining the wire map for a given link. With the
Scanner and the Injector connected at opposite ends of a link or cable, the wire map can be
determined. When running
communicate to determine how the link is wired. With the wire map on display, press
display the wire splits screen. The Scanner/Injector combination identifies the following wiring
configurations:

Find Cable Faults

or

Autotest

, the Scanner and the Injector

Splits (F1)

Straight Through Wiring

Straight through wiring (the expected case) is displayed as shown:

Cross Wiring

Cross wiring is displayed as shown:

to

Short at the Injector End

A short at the Injector end is displayed as:

Short at the Scanner End

A short at the Scanner end is displayed as:

Note: The Injector is not required in order to detect a sho rt at the Scanner end of the link.

Short on the Link

A short in the link (where wires can be seen at both ends) is displayed as:

Page 41

Chapter 6: Measure Cable Performance

Measure Cable Performance lets you run individual tests such as NEXT, Attenuation,

Length/Delay, Impedan ce, Loop Resistance, Capacitan ce, Impulse Noise and Peak to Peak Noise.

Press the Measure Cable Performance key to display a list of the tests to run.

Press the
the highlighted test.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Ready screen.

See Chapter 3: Autotest for more information on test results for UTP cable.

See Appendix D: Working with Coaxial Cable for information on test results for coaxial cable.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to highlight the test yo u want to run, then press Select (F1) to run

NEXT

To display this screen, press th e Measure Cabl e Perf ormance key, then select NEXT.
This screen displays the f r equency sweep range and the worst case NEXT for each pair. When using
the

2-Way Injector+ or 2Way Injector

reported from the Scanner end (Penta) or the Injector end (Inj) of the link.

Press Graph (F1) to enter graph i ng mode.

Press Sweep (F2) to display the NEX T Sweep range and step criteria.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the availabl e pair combinations.

When using the
for the Injector end or the Scanner end of the link.

2-Way Injector+ or 2Way Injector

, the top line of the screen indicates if NEXT is being

, press F4 to toggle between the NEXT results

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the MEASURE CABLE PERFORMANCE screen.

NEXT Graph

To display this screen, press th e Measure Cabl e Perf ormance key, then select NEXT, then press
Graph (F1).

The top line of th e screen displays the worst case NEXT an d the frequency at which it occurred.

When using the
NEXT is being reported for the Scanner (Penta) or Injector (Inj) end of the link.

Press Zoom (F1) to magnify the area of the graph around the cursor. The Zoom key can display
1x, 2x, 5x or 10x magnification.

Press Print (F2) to print the NEXT graph.

Press Test (F3) to rerun the NE X T test and display new data.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the NEXT results screen.

2-Way Injector+ or 2Way Injector

, the second line of the screen indicates if

Note: See Chapter 3: Autotest for more information on NEXT testing.

NEXT Sweep

To display this screen, press th e Measure Cabl e Perf ormance key, then select NEXT, then press
Sweep (F2). This screen allows you to select the sweep range and step method for NEXT tests.

If your Scanner has an alp hanumeric overlay on the keypad , use the keypad to enter the new sweep
limits. If your Scanner does not have an alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit
screen.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the NEXT results screen.

Attenuation

To display the ATTENUATION screen, press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select
Attenuation.

Press Graph (F1) to enter gr aphing mode.

Press Sweep (F2) to display the Attenuation results at different frequencies.

Press Pair (F3) to toggle through the available pair combinations.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the M EASURE CABLE PERFORMANCE screen.

Attenuation Graph

To display this screen, press th e Measure Cabl e Perf ormance key, then select Attenuation, th en
press Graph (F1). This screen di splays the Attenuation graph f or the indicated pair combinatio n.

Press Zoom (F1) to magnify the area of the graph around the cursor. The Zoom key can display
1x, 2x, 5x or 10x magnification.

Press Print (F2) to print the Attenuation grap h.

Press Test (F3) to rerun the Attenuation test and d i splay new data.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Attenuation screen.
Note: See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on printing.

Attenuation Limits

To display this screen, press th e Measure Cabl e Perf ormance key, then select Attenuation, th en
press Sweep (F2).

This screen allows you to change the Attenuation Sweep rang e and step criteria.

Press the
values, or press Change (F2) to toggle through the Criteria values.

When entering range values, p ress Del ( F2) to delete the number at the curso r. On the

PentaScanner+,

Page 43

Ñ or Ò key to highlight the f i eld to change. Use the Scann er keypad to enter the range

there is also a numeric mode, indi cated by NUM (F3).

Press Limits (F4) to display and change Attenuation limits at various frequencies.

Press Save (F1) to store the new values.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Attenuatio n screen.
Note: See Customizing Attenuation Limits in Chapter 3 for more information on Attenuation
limits.

Length/Delay

To display the LENGTH/DELAY screen, press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select
Length/Delay.

The pairs are shown on the left and the length for each pair is shown in the second column. The
third column shows the propagation delay values in nanoseconds (nS) and the fourth column
indicates the condition of the wire pair (open or short). The Skew value is the worst-case value of
the difference in propag ation delay between the wire pairs.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the MEASURE CABLE PERFORMANCE screen.

Impedance

To display the IMPEDANCE screen , press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select
Impedance.

The pairs are shown on the left and the impedance values in ohms (Ω) are shown on the right.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Measure Cable Performance screen.

Loop Resistance

To display the LOOP RESISTANCE screen, press the Measure Cable Performance key, then
select Loop Resistance.

The pairs are shown on the left and the loop resistance values in ohms (Ω) are shown on the right.
Press the ESCAPE key to return to the MEASURE CABLE PERFORMANCE screen.

Capacitance

To display the CAPACITANCE screen, p r ess the Measure Cable Performance key, then select
Capacitance.

The pairs are shown on the left and the capacitance values in picofarads (pF) are shown on the
right.
Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Measure Cable Performance screen.

Noise

Noise is undesirable electrical activity that interferes with a network’s ability to transmit data
reliably. Noise sources in networks may include AC transmission lines, fl uorescent light fixtures,
industrial equipment, elevators, etc. Noise problems also occur when other wire pairs in the same
sheath are used for non-LAN applications.

Testing for noise involves turning off all LAN devices and measuring for background electrical
activity in the cable. Often, noise problems can be corrected by moving the cable away from the
source or removing the source, if possible. Different noise sources radiate at different frequencies.
By knowing the freq uency of the noise source, you are better able to pinpoint the cause of the
noise. Two Noise measurements are p rovided: Impulse Noise and Peak-to-Peak Noise.

Impulse Noise counts the impulses detected between wires in a pair, or the center conductor and
shield (when using a Coax jack). Impulse Noise measurements are used for lo ng term monitoring
of the network. They indicate spikes of electrical activity that occur at random on the network.

Peak-to-Peak Noise measures continuous noise signals, in the range of 0 to 3,000 millivolts (mV),
between the wires in a pair or the center conductor and shield in the case of coax cable (when using
the Coax jack).

Impulse Noise

To display the IMPULSE NOISE screen, press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select
Impulse Noise.

A noise impulse is detected when it crosses the selected voltage level. When the selected voltage
level is positive, impulses rising above that level are counted. When the selected voltage level is
negative, impulses falling below that level are counted.
The wire pair being monitored is indicated in the upper left corner of the display.

The current time of day is displayed below the wire pair.

The box below the curren t time displays a graph of the impulses detected since the measurement
started. The graph can span a 25-hour period with each dot across the graph representing the
highest peak impulse in the last 15-minute interval.

The bar graph on the right displays the impulses per second, averaged over the last 10 seconds.

E.T. indicates the Elapsed Time since the start of the test.

Count indicates the cumulative count of impulses detected since the start of the measurement.

When the Count exceeds 65535, OVR (Over Range) is displayed. In an Over Range condition, the
last average CPS (Counts Per Second) recorded is displayed.

CPS indicates the average counts per second since the measurement started. The maximum average
counts per second is 200.0.

Press Pair (F1) to select a new pair to test. The results from the previously displayed pair are
cleared from the screen.

Press Clear (F2) to restart the test and clear all h i story data.

Press Level (F4) to change the voltag e level for detecting impulses. The resu lts from the previously
displayed pair are cleared from the screen.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Measure Cable Performance screen.

Page 45

Peak-to-Peak Noise

To display the PEAK-TO-PEAK-NOISE screen, press the Measure Cable Performance key,
then select P-P Noise.

The pairs are shown on the left and the Peak-to-Peak Noise values are shown on the right.

If the Peak-to-Peak noise level exceeds 3,000 mV, OVR (Overrange) is displayed.

The measurement’s bandwidth covers a range of 40 KHz to 30 MHz.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the Measure Cabl e Perf ormance screen .

Chapter 7: Analyze LAN Traffic

Analyze LAN Traffic is a built-in network monitor that shows the current level of LAN traffic

activity and monitors network traffic for up to eight hours with the interval set to 5 minutes (using
the AC adapter as a power sou r ce).

The Analyze LAN Traffic feature is useful for tracking down intermittent faults. It can also help
you decide if your netwo rk needs a bridge or a router becau se of excessive LAN traffic. It provides
even greater flexibility in locating problems, by letting you change the traffic sampling interval
simply by pressing Setup (F4).

Note: Analyze LAN Traffi c does not monitor T oken Ring network traffi c.

LAN Traffic Display

To display the TRAFFIC screen, press the Analyze LAN Traff ic key. The ANALYZE LAN
TRAFFIC screen displays two graphs. The large graph on the left shows a historical “skyline” of

activity; representing the percent utilization of th e total network. The small bar graph on the right
indicates the current level of activity. This indicator should change frequently because of the
volatile nature of most network activity. If it is always off or always fully on, yo u may have a serious
problem with your cabling system or LAN hardware.

Press Clear (F2) to reset the graph.

Press Scale (F3) to toggle between linear and logarithmic scale.

Press Setup (F4) to configure th e monitor.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

The Traffic level indicator shows relative activity as follows:

0 No network activity
1-10 Typical network traffic
11-20 heavy network traffic
21-40 Very heavy traffic
41-60 Overloaded network
61-99 Probable defective component

Setting Up the Traffic Monitor

To display this screen, press th e Analyze LAN Traf f ic key, then Setup (F4).

This screen lets you change th e traffic-sampling interval for the n etwork activity monitor.

Press Change (F2) to toggle throug h the available interval options.

Press Save (F1) to store the new setting and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

Chapter 8: Extended Functions

Extended Functions Menu

This screen displays the Extended Functions availabl e for the Scanner. Press the Ñ or Ò key to
scroll through the available options. Or, press the
at a time. Press Select (F1) to choose the highlighted option, or press the number on the keypad
that corresponds to the option you want.

• Select Autotest Memory to manage, view, print and clear saved test results.

• Select Setup Autotest to set the default Autotest, edit Autotest names, select pairs to

test and/or to include in PASS/FAIL criteria, select the tests to run and cu stomize test
limits.

• Select Calibrate Injector to calibrate the Injector.

• Select User Preferences to edit the owner or company name, specify backligh t and

auto shutoff time limits, set leng th units, configure th e p r in ter port, or set the date and
time. Note: The
printer port, and date/time items on the main EXTENDED FUNCTIONS menu.

• Select Injector Info to display Injector software, hardware and calibration information.

• Select Cable Trace to send a traceable signal down a length of attached cable.

PentaScanner+

(

• Select Office Locator to determine the ro om and wall outlet to which a length of cable
leads. (

Note: The
contains an additional item, LAN Monitor. This item is identical to the LAN Monitor Setup
function under the Analyze LAN Traffic key. The

Admin

FUNCTIONS menu, not under the USER PREFERENCE menu.

PentaScanner

also displays units, printer port, and date/time setups under the main EXTENDED

PentaScanner+

PentaScanner

only.)

only.)

and

PentaScanner Cable Admin

Ï or Ð key to scroll up and down one screen

and

PentaScanner Cable Admin

EXTENDED FUNCTIONS menu

PentaScanner

and

PentaScanner Cable

display the units,

Autotest Memory

To display the MEMORY screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Aut otest
Memory. This screen lets you view, print or delete the Autotest results you h ave sto r ed in memory.

Press the
page down) then press Select (F2) to choose the highlighted test.

Press View (F1) to display th e selected test.

Press Print (F3) to print all or selected test results.

Page 47

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the list of stored tests (or Ï to page up and © to

Press Clear (F4) to erase all or selected test results.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the EXTENDED FUNCTI O NS screen.
See Chapter 3: Autotest for more information.

Autotest Setup

To display the AUTOTEST SETUP screen, p ress the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest. This screen lets you select the default Autotest, ed it Autotest settings and delete user-

defined Autotests.

Press the
page down). When the A utotest you want is highligh ted, press Default (F1) to select it as the
default Autotest.

Note: An Autotest name pro ceeded by an asterisk (*) indicates that the o riginal Autotest has been
modified and the Autotest name has not been changed.

Press Edit (F2) to change the Autotest name, to select pairs to be used, to select the tests to run,
and to set test limits.

Press Delete (F3) to delete the highlighted user-defined A utotest.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the SETUP screen.
See Chapter 3: Autotest for more information.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the list of Autotests (or to page up and Ð to

Editing Autotest Information

To display the EDIT AUTOTEST screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Setup
Autotest, then press Edit (F2). This screen lets you customize Autotest settings.

Press the
choose the highlighted option. Or, press the number on the keypad that corresponds to the option
you want.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the AUTOTEST SETUP screen.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the available options and press Select (F1) to

• Select Name/Options to edit the Autotest name and to change the Marg in Options.

• Select Pairs to choose the pairs to be tested during Autotest, and to indicate which

pairs have PASS/FAIL criteria applied to them during the Autotest.

• Select Tests to Run to choose the tests to run during Autotest.

• Select Limits to edit test limits.

•

Calibrating the Injector

The Injector must be calib rated each calendar day that you u s e it to ensure accurate measurements.
To calibrate the Injector, connect the Scanner and the Injector with the patch cable supplied with
the Scanner. Press the Extended Functions key; then select Calibrate Injector.

Press Cancel (F1) or the ESCAPE key to stop the calibration.
See Chapter 2: Getting Started for more information on the Injector.

Setting Up User Preferences

To display the USER PREFERENCE SETUP screen, press the Extended Functions key, then
select User Preferences. This screen displays th e User Preferences options.
Press the
choose the highlighted option. Or, press the number on the keypad that corresponds to the option
you want.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the SETUP screen.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to scroll through the available options and press Select (F1) to

• Select Owner/Company Name to edit the owner and company name used on the
opening screen and on printed reports.

• Select Backlight/AutoShutoff to set the backlight “on time” and to set the automatic
shutoff time limits.

• Select Units to display the Scanner’ s Language and Date Style, and to set Length units.
(This item appears in the Extended Functions menu in the

PentaScanner Cable Admin

• Select Printer Port to configure the Scanner’s printer port settings. (Thi s item appears
in the Extended Functions menu in the

Admin

• Select Date/Time to set the Scanner’s date and time. (This item appears in the
Extended Functions menu in the

Admin

•

.)

.)

.)

PentaScanner

PentaScanner

and

PentaScanner

and

PentaScanner Cable

PentaScanner Cable

and

Editing Owner/Company Name

To display the OWNER/COMPANY NAME screen, press the Extended Functi ons key, then
select User Preferences, then select Owner/Company Name. This screen lets you select the
Owner or Company Name for ed iting. Use the
then enter new names with the keypad (if your Scanner’s keypad has an alp hanumeric overlay) or
press Edit (F2) to display the ed it screen (if your Scanner’s keypad d oes not have an alphanumeric
overlay). You can enter up to 19 characters for the Owner and Company Names. The n ames that
you enter will appear on printed reports and on the Scanner boot screen.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store your changes and exit or press th e ESCAPE key to exit
without saving.

See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on editing.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to highlight the name to edit,

Setting Backlight and Auto Shutoff Times

To display the BACKLIGHT/AUTOSHUTOFF screen, press the Extended Functions key, then
select User Preferences, then select Backlight/Auto Shutof f. This screen lets you specify how
long the backlight stays on and lets you specify a time limit for the Scanner to automatically shut
off. Press the
setting will be enclosed in a box. Press Change (F2) to view the available settings.

Ñ or Ò arrow key to select the Backlight or Auto Shutoff setting. Th e selected

Press Save (F1) to store your chan ges and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

Setting Up Units

To display the UNITS SETUP screen, press the Extended Functions key, select User
Preferences (if you have a

settings for Units (feet or meters), Lang uage and Date Style.

Page 49

PentaScanner+

), then select Units. This screen di splays the current

The Language and Date Style fields are preprogrammed. Neither of these fields can b e changed.
Press Change (F2) to toggle the Units setting between feet and meters.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new Units setting and exit or press the ESCAPE key to
exit without saving.

Setting Up the Printer Port

To display the PRINTER PORT SETUP screen, press the Extended Functions key, select User
Preferences (if you have a

configure serial printer port settings.

PentaScanner+

), then select Printer Port . This screen lets you

Press the

The default settings for Baud rate and Handshaking are 9600 and XON/XOFF. The settings for
Data Bits, Stop Bits and Parity are fixed at 8, 1 and None. Their values cannot be changed.

After highlighting the Baud rate or Handshaking settin g, press Change (F2) to toggle th rough the
available settings.

Press Printer (F3) to display the graphics printer screen.

Press Save (F1) to store the new settings and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.
See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more information on printing and
downloading.

Ò or Ñ arrow key to highlight a setting to modify — Baud rate or Handsh akin g.

Selecting a Graphics Printer

To display the GRAPHICS PRINTER screen , press the Extended Functions key, select User
Preferences (if you have a

This screen lets you specify the typ e of printer used for printing NEXT and Attenuatio n graphs.

Press Change (F2) to toggle throug h the available printer settings.

Press Save (F1) to store the new settings and exit or press the ESCAPE key to exit without saving.

PentaScanner+

), then select Printer Port , then press Printer (F3).

Setting the Date and Time

To display the DATE/TIME SETUP screen, press the Extended Functions key, select User
Preferences (if you have a

Press the
change. The selected portion of the field will be enclosed in a box.

Press Change (F2) to toggle thro ugh the available date and time settin gs.

After editing press Save (F1) to store the n ew date and time settings and exit or press the
ESCAPE key to exit.

Ñ or Ò or Ï or Ð arrow key to select the portion of the date or time field to

PentaScanner+

), then select Date/Time.

Displaying Injector Information

To display the INJECTOR INFO screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Injector
Info.

The calibration date is shown at the top of the screen, follo wed by the battery status. The software
and hardware versions are displayed below the battery status. The serial numb er is displayed at the
bottom of the screen.

Press the ESCAPE key to return to the EXTENDED FUNCTIO NS screen.

Tracing a Cable

(

PentaScanner+

To display the TRACE CABLE screen, press the Extended Functions key, then select Cable
Trace.

only)

To trace a cable, use

along with this Scanner. Attach the end of the cable you want to trace to the Scanner’s twisted pair
or BNC connector. A multi-tone trace signal will begin transmitting. Make sure the cable you are
tracing is not grounded. A grounded cable will cause the signal generated by this unit to be very
weak. As long as the anten na of the
cable, you will hear a multi-tone sound. Trace along the cable where the sound is loudest to
determine the cable’s path. For mo re information, refer to the
Operator Manual or the operator manual for the audio amplification device you are using.

Press ESCAPE to exit the Cable Trace function.

Microtest’s Cable Tracer II

Cable Tracer II

(sold separately) or any other audio amplifier,

or similar device is within one foot of the

Microtest Cable Tracer II

Locating an Office Cable Drop

(

PentaScanner+

To display the OFFICE LOCATO R screen, press th e Extended Funct i ons key, then select
Office Locator. Use this function with

an office cable drop. Insert the RJ-45 Office Locator plugs into the wall outlets in the o ffices you
wish to locate. At the hub, run the Office Locator function at each connection. The Scanner will
display the ID of the Off ice Locator plug at the far en d of the attached cable.

Press ESCAPE to exit the Office Locator fu n ctio n.

only)

Microtest’s Office Locat or Kit

to find the termination o f

Appendix A: Specifications

PentaScanner+/PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

Physical Characteristics

• Dimensions: 10.2 cm x 20.3 cm x 5.5 cm (4”x 8” x 2.15”)

• Weight: 0.79 kg (1lb 12 oz)

Power

• Rechargeable, replaceable battery p ack

• Volts @ 1200 mA-Hr

• Built in charger using AC adapter

Page 51

• Battery life: 8+ hours operation

• AC: 9V DC - 1 amp AC adapter for continuous operation or charging

User Interface

• x 64 Graphic LCD with backlight

• cm x 3.8 cm (2.25” x 1.5”) display area

• Elastomeric keypad with tactile feedback, n umeric input, dedicated fu nctions, 4 soft functions

and cursor pad

• Context-sensitive help and operating instructions

• Tone generation audio for warning or other user feedback

• Date stamp of all tests

Environmental

• Operating Temperature: 0 to 50° C (32 to 122° F)

• Storage Temperature: -10 to 55° C (14 to 131° F)

• Operating Humidity (non-condensing): 10 to 90%

• Storage Humidity: 5 to 95%

Measurement Ports

•

PentaScanner+
PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

•

: BNC and 36-pin connector that withstands in excess of 20,000 mating cycles

: BNC and shielded Modular 8 (RJ-45)

connector

• Testing of all four pairs on RJ-45 is fully supported

Serial Port

• Connector, Cable:DB-9

• Baud rate: 300 to 38,400 baud

• Parity: NONE

• Length: 8 Bits

• Handshaking: None, RTS/CTS, and XON/XOFF

Memory

• Control: Flash memory allows electroni c upgrading in remote locations

• Test Storage: Up to 500 complete Autotest results can be stored in permanent flash memory

(

PentaScanner+

memory (

PentaScanner, PentaScanner Cable Admin

). Up to 500 complete Autotests results can be stored in battery-backed

)

Autotest Functions

• Full suite of tests to determine if cab le meets generic cabling or network type requirements
(TIA/EIA TSB-67, ISO Class C, D, 10-BASE-T, Token Ring, Fast Ethernet, ATM 155 etc.)

• Up to 20 user definable Autotest programs

Wire Map

• Uses Injector for complete mappin g of wiring at both ends o f the cable

• Finds miswires, opens, shorts, split pairs

• Includes test of shield if connected

Length

• TDR method determines length and distance to cable faults

• Range: 0 to maximum distan ce

• where maximum distance = 915 meters (3000 ft)for twisted pair cable

= 1220 meters (4000 ft) for coaxial cable

• Accuracy: ± K ± Length Resolution ± NVP uncertainty

where K = ±4% of length or 0.6 meters (2 ft), whichever is greater

• Length Resolution: 0.3 meters (1 ft)

PentaScanner+ NEXT and Attenuation Measurement Performance Specifications

PentaScanner+ NEXT and
Attenuation Performance
Parameters @ 100MHz

Dynamic Accuracy (dB) 0.3 0.5 0.3

Residual NEXT (dB) 67 62 45

Output Signal Balance (dB) 50 43 40
Common Mode Rejection (dB) 45 38 34

Random Noise (dB) 78 75 78
Transmit Return Loss (dB) 26 23 20
Receive Return Loss (dB) 22 17 17
NEXT Accuracy (dB) @ 100 MHz 0.5 (*1) 0.9 (*1) 1.5 (*2,3)

Atten. Accuracy (dB) @ 100 MHz 0.3 (*4) 0.6 (*4) 0.6 (*3,4)

Testing through
36-Pin Connector

Typical

Max

Testing
through
Mod 8
Adapter

Typical

*Notes:
(1) NEXT accuracy is calculated at the Basic Link Limit (29. 3 dB) per error model in TSB-67 A.3
(2) NEXT accuracy is calculated at the Channel Limit (27.1 dB) per error model in TSB-67 A.3
(3) Performance assumes a high performance modular 8 plug
(4) Attenuation accuracy cal culated per error model in TSB-67 A.3

Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT)

• Tests all six pair combinations

• Frequency range 0.7 to 100 MHz

• Sweep Mode 0.1 MHz, 0.2 MHz, 0.5 MHz linear or TIA (user selectab le)

• Dynamic Range:

PentaScanner+
PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

: Measurement dynamic range > 75 dB

• Measurement Accuracy:

PentaScanner+

: Calculated per TIA TSB-67 error model (see NEXT and Attenuation

Specifications table)

PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

measured using fixed attenuators

• Measurement resolution: 0.1 dB

Attenuation

• Tests all four pairs using far end active signal injection

Page 53

: At least 15 dB > 568A

: 1.5 dB when measured ±1.5 dB when

• Frequency range

PentaScanner+
PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

: 1.0 to 100 MHz

: 1.0 to 100 MHz

• Sweep mode: Swept 1- 100 MHz using 1 MHz step or fixed points (1.0, 2.0, 4.0,5,0, 8.0,
10, 16.0, 20, 25, 31.25, 62.5, and 100 MHz)

• Dynamic Range: 0 - 50 dB

• Measurement Accuracy:

PentaScanner+

: Calculated per TIA TSB-67 error model (see NEXT and Attenuation

Specifications table)

PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

: 1.5 dB

• Measurement resolution: 0.1 dB

Impedance

• Range: 40 to 200 ohms

• Accuracy: ± 5 ohms

• Resolution: 2 ohms

Loop Resistance

• Range: 0 to 10000 ohms

• Accuracy: ± 0.3 ohms @ 0 to 15 ohms

± 2% @ 15 to 109 ohms (
± 2% @ 15 to 200 ohms (

± 5% @ 109 to 5000 ohms (

± 5% @ 200 to 5000 ohms (

PentaScanner+

)

PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

PentaScanner+

)

PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable

Admin

)

± 10% @ 5000 to 10000 ohms

• Resolution: 0.1 ohms 0 to 200 ohms

1.0 ohms 200 to 9.999K ohms

Capacitance

• Range: 0 to 100,000 pF

• Accuracy: ± 20 pF 0 to 200 pF

± 10% 200 to 100,000 pF

• Resolution: 5 pF 20 to 1000 pF

50 pF 1000 to 100,000 pF

Impulse Noise

• Detects the occurrence of narro w imp ulse type events exceeding an adju stable threshold of

± 0.262, 0.524, 1.0, 2.0 or 2.5 volts. Instantly displays up to 200 impulse noise events per

second. Graphically logs and displays impulse events for up to 25 hours. Termination
impedance: 200 ohms.

Peak to Peak Noise

• Measures the peak to peak voltage of stead y state noise signals.

• Range: 0 to 3,000 mVpp into 100 ohms.

• Bandwidth: 3dB from 40 kHz to 30 MHz

High Voltage Input/Protection

• The test interface withstands input hazard conditions that arise from normal telephone
interfaces (48 VDC at less than 80 mA) or 24 VAC power used to power many telephone
keysets.

2-Way Injector+/2-Way Injector

Environmental, Physical Characteristics, User Interface, Measurement Port

Refer to specifications for

PentaScanner+/PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

LED Displays

• Pass Indicator (GREEN) for test result

• Fail Indicator (RED) for test result

• Status Indicator (GREEN) for 2-Way Injector status

• Charging Indicator (RED) fo r battery status

• Hazard Indicator (RED) for hig h voltage input protection warning

Audible Feedback

• Programmable tone generation through a piezo - electric transducer to signal test is complete or
overvoltage conditions

Rechargeable Battery

• Removable, rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd )

• Capacity: 1200 mAh

• Battery Life: 8+ hours daily operation

• Charging Time: 14 hours (via AC Adapter)

2-3 hours (via Battery Charger)

High Voltage Input/Protection

• The test interface withstands input hazard conditions that arise from normal telephone
interfaces (48 VDC at less that 80 mA) or 24 VAC power used to power many telephone
keysets.

FLASH Memory

• 128K FLASH memory is provided to allow for software updates in the field

Power Control

• AC Adapter or Battery

• Auto-shutoff when operating on battery

• Power on under Scanner control

Injector End Termination to Support Scanner Measurements

• OPEN (during Impedance, Capacitance, and Length measurements and d uring
Communication)

• SHORT (during Loop Resistance measuremen ts)

• 100 Ohm Termination (during NEXT measurements)

• Swept signal injections during Autotest

Page 55

2-Way Injector+ NEXT Measurement Performance Specifications

20Way Injector+
NEXT Performance
Parameters @ 100MHz

Dynamic Accuracy (dB) 0.3 0.5 0.3

Residual NEXT (dB) 67 62 45

Output Signal Balance (dB) 50 43 40
Common Mode Rejection (dB) 45 38 34

Random Noise (dB) 78 75 78
Transmit Return Loss (dB) 26 23 20
Receive Return Loss (dB) 22 17 17
NEXT Accuracy (dB) @ 100 MHz 0.5 (*1) 0.9 (*1) 1.5 (*2,3)

Testing through
36-Pin Connector

Typical

Max

Testing
through
Mod 8
Adapter

Typical

*Notes:
(1) NEXT accuracy is calculated at the Basic Link Limit (29. 3 dB) per error model in TSB-67 A.3
(2) NEXT accuracy is calculated at the Channel Limit (27.1 dB) per error model in TSB-67 A.3
(3) Performance assumes a high performance modular 8 plug

Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT)

• Tests all six pair combinations

• Frequency range 0.7 to 100 MHz

• Sweep Mode 0.1 MHz, 0.2 MHz, 0.5 MHz linear or TIA (user selectab le)

• Dynamic Range:

2-Way Injector+
2-Way Injector

: Measurement dynamic range > 75 dB

: At least 15 dB greater than required by EIA/TIA 568A Annex E for

Category 5 link and ISO 11801 Class D performance or 60 dB, whichever is less

• Measurement Accuracy:

2-Way Injector+

: Calculated per TIA TSB-67 error model (see 2-Way Injector+ NEXT

Injector Specifications table)

2-Way Injector

: ±1.5 dB when measured using fixed attenuators

• Measurement resolution: 0.1 dB

Super Injector+/Super Injector
Physical Characteristics

• Dimensions: 7.62 cm x 16.5 cm x 3.25 cm (3.0” x 6.5” x 1.28”)

• Weight: 0.255 kg (9 oz)

Power

• AA Alkaline batteries

• Battery Life: Varies depending on usage and battery quality. On averag e, the batteries will

withstand testing of well over 500 cables.

Features

• Automatic power control from Scanner

• Status indicators: Active, Test Passed, Test Failed

• Built in protection from normal telephone circuit power voltages

• Audio alert to signal test complete and overvoltage line conditions

• Active signal generator (up to 100 MHz) to measure one-way cable attenuation

• Supports testing of all 4 pairs

Environment

• Refer to specifications for

Supported Cabling/Network Types

• Arcnet • ISO Class D

• Apple local talk • Multimedia 802.9

• ATM 51 Mbps • Token Ring 4 MHz

• ATM 155 Mbps • Token Ring 16 MHz

• Cat 3 Channel & Basic Link • TPPMD

• Cat 4 Channel & Basic Link • T PDDI

• Cat 5 Channel & Basic Link • T1/E1

• CDDI • 10BASE-T

• ISDN • 100 BaseX

• ISO Class C • 100 VG Any LAN

• User-defined network types are also supported. See Microtest’s Category 5 Cabl e Testing

Handbook for more information on network types.

PentaScanner+/PentaScanner/PentaScanner Cable Admin

Appendix B: 150 ohm Cables

Working with 150 Ohm Cables

If you are using 150 ohm cable, adjust the minimum and maximum Impedance limits ±10% to 135
and 165 ohms.

First, make sure that the cable type for which you are changing the Impedance limits has been
selected as the default cable type. To select the default cable type, press Cable (F1) from the
Ready screen, highlight the d esired cable type, and press Default (F1).
To display the IM PEDANCE LIMITS screen, press the Extended Functions key, th en select
Setup Autotest, then highlight the Autotest to edit, then press Edit (F2), then select Limits, then
select Impedance.
Press the
overlay on the keypad, use the keypad to enter the limits. If your Scan n er does not have an
alphanumeric overlay, press Edit (F2) to display the edit screen. Change the Minimum limit to 135
and the Maximum limit to 165. See Chapter 4: Editing, Printing & Updating for more
information on editing.

After editing, press Save (F1) to store the new limits and press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Ñ or Ò arrow keys to highlight the field to edit. If your Scanner has an alphanumeric

Creating a Cat 5 Test for Token Ring

1. At the Ready screen, press the Ext ended Funct ions key and select Setup Autotest .

2. Highlight the Cat 5 Link Autotest and press Edit (F2).

3. Select Pairs.

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4. Use the arrow keys and the Unsel/ Sel (F2) key so that the only pairs selected (marked with a
x) are 36 and 45.

5. Press Save (F1).

6. Select Limits.

7. Select Impedance. Change the Minimum limit from 80 to 135. Change the Maximum limit
from 125 to 165. Press Save (F1) to save the new limits.

8. Press the ESCAPE key twice.

9. Press Default (F1) to select “*Cat 5 Link” as the default Autotest. The “*” indicates that this

is a user-defined Autotest.

10. If the length of cable that you are testing is near 328 feet, you may need to change the
maximum Length limit from 328 to 361 feet. Other limits such as the Loop Resistance and
Capacitance may also need to be chang ed proportionately to the increase in Length limit if
these tests are failing marginally.

11. You are now ready to press the AUTOTEST key to run the Token Ring Cat 5 Autotest.

Appendix C: Cable Pin-outs

Cable Pin-outs

B-9 Female DB-9 Male

1___________1
2___________2
3___________3
4___________4
5___________5
6___________6
7___________7
8___________8
9___________9

Serial Cable DB-9 Female to DB-9 Male Pin-outs

B-9 Female DB-25 Male

1___________8
2___________3
3___________2
4___________20
5___________7
6___________6
7___________4
8___________5
9___________22

Serial Cable DB-9 Female to DB-25 Male Pin-outs

B-9 Female DB-9 Male

2___________2
3___________3
4___________20
5___________5
6___________6
7___________7
8___________8
20__________4
22__________22

Cable Pin-Out Signals

The signals for the cable pin-outs are as follows:

DB-9 DB-25 DB-25 DB-9
Male Male Female Female
Pin Pin Signal Pin Pin Signal Description

Serial Cable DB-25 Female to DB-25 Male Pin-outs

5 7 GND 7 5 Protective Ground
3 2 TXD 2 3 Transmitted Date
2 3 RXD 3 2 Received Data
7 4 RTS 4 7 Request to Send
85CTS58Clear to Send
4 20 DTR 20 4 Data Term Ready
6 6 DSR 6 6 Data Set Ready
1 8 RLSD 8 1 Received Line Signal

Detector

9 22 RI 22 9 Ring Indicator

Appendix D: Working with Coaxial Cable

Coaxial cable is a common type of cable used for network data transmission. In coaxial cable, an
insulated wire runs through the middle of the cable and a second wire, called the shield, surrounds
the insulation of the inner wire like a sheath. The outer insulation jacket wraps around the second
wire.

Page 59

By pressing the Measure Cable Performance key, you can test Length/Delay, Impedance, Lo o p
Resistance, Capacitance, Imp ulse Noise and Peak-to-Peak Noise for coaxial cable. NEXT and
Attenuation are not supported for coaxial cable.
NOTE: The Injector is not used when testing coaxial cable.

Length/Delay Test Results

To display the LENGTH/DELAY screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) and set the Jack
to Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select Length/Delay.

During the Length/Delay test, the cable should be open or shorted.

If NEF (No End Found) is displayed next to the Length, it indicates that the cable is properly
terminated or the cable is too lon g .

The IEEE Length specification is 600 feet.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Impedance Test Results

To display the IMPEDANCE screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) and set the Jack to
Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select Impedance.

During the Impedance test, th e cable can be open, sho r ted or terminated. There is no preference.

If UND (Under range) is displayed, the cab le is less th an 40 feet long or the Imp ed an ce is less th an
40 ohms.
If OVR (Over range) is displayed, the Impedance is greater than 200 ohms, the cable is less than
40 feet long, or the cable/pair is not connected.

The IEEE Impedance specification is 50 ohms, ±2 ohms.
Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Loop Resistance Test Results

To display the LOOP RESISTANCE screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) and set the
Jack to Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Performance key, th en select Loop Resistance.

During the Loop Resistance test, the cable should be terminated or shorted.

If OVR (Over range) is displayed, the Loop Resistance is greater than 10K ohms.
The IEEE Loop Resistance specification is 14.6 ohms.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Capacitance Test Results

To display the CAPACITANCE screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) and set the Jack to
Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select Capacitance.

During the Capacitance test, the cable should be open.

If OVR (Overrange) is displayed, the Capacitance is greater than can be measured or the cable is
properly connected.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Impulse Noise Test Results

To display the IMPULSE NOISE screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) an d set the Jack
to Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Performance key, then select Impulse Noise.

During the Noise test, the cable can be open, shorted or terminated. There is no preference.

Press Clear (F2) to clear the graph.

Press Level (F4) to change the voltage level for detecting impulses.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

Peak-to-Peak Noise Test Results

To display the PEAK-TO-PEAK NOISE screen, from the Ready screen, press Jack (F4) and set
the Jack to Coax. Then press the Measure Cable Perf ormance key, then select P-P Noise.

During the Noise test, the cable can be open, shorted or terminated. There is no preference.

Press the ESCAPE key to exit.

4747 North 22nd Street Phoenix, AZ 85016-4708

[phone] FAX [phone]

Microtest Europe

2A Kingfisher House, Northwood Park, Gatwick Road

Crawley, West Sussex, RH102XN, United Kingdom

[phone], FAX [phone]

http://www.microtest.com

Part Number 2938-4509-03E Rev 1 3/96

Page 61