Understanding Fiber Optics, 5th ed. by Jeff Hecht
More than 100,000 copies of Understanding Fiber Optics have been sold since the first edition was published in 1987 by Howard W. Sams Co. It is a broad introductory textbook that has been widely used for self-study, technician training, and undergraduate programs. At 790 pages covering fiber optics and their applications in telecommunications, it is comprehensive, explanatory, avoids higher mathematics and is designed to be used for self-study and as a reference as well as a textbook.
The book opens with three chapters that introduce the reader to fiber optics as a whole, the optical technology behind fiber optics, and the field of telecommunications. Following chapters explain optical fibers and their properties, specialty fibers, cables, light sources, transmitters, receivers, and other important components. Two chapters cover measurements, testing, and troubleshooting. A series of chapters covers system concepts and standards, system design, and telecommunication systems ranging from the global telecommunications network to your local phone network. The final two chapters cover fiber-optic sensors and imaging bundles. Throughout, I concentrate on explaining concepts rather than deriving equations.
The book includes many line drawings that explain basic concepts and equipment. Each chapter has both a multiple-choice quiz and a series of open-ended "Questions to Think About" for readers to test their knowledge. I also include appendices with tables of useful information, formulas, and references. A glossary explains terms and decrypts acronyms. A 16-page index makes it easy to find subjects inside the book, to make it a good reference as well as a good tutorial and textbook. I fuss about these things so students and teachers won't have to waste their time looking for the missing pieces.
Versions of the fifth edition
Pearson/Prentice Hall published the original hardcover fifth edition of Understanding Fiber Optics in 2006, and they reverted rights to me in 2015, I republished it through Laser Light Press without significant change in contents. By using high-quality professional scanning of the original printed book and print-on-demand publishing, I was able to produce a paperback edition of the 800-page book for a list price of $39.00. The print on demand process cannot produce books quite as clean and sharp as conventional printing, but if properly printed on paper they should be entirely legible and suitable for self-study at the much more reasonable price of $39.00. The books are produced and sold by Amazon. Print copies also are available from Bookshop.org and other sellers of POD books.
Used hardcover and paperback versions of Understanding Fiber Optics are available from some booksellers. Be sure you know which edition you are getting; some online listings do not make it clear which edition they offer.
Scanning also produces a PDF electronic version of Understanding Fiber Optics which I have made available at $9.95 from PAYHIP.COM and Google Books , and for $10.00 from the SPIE Digital Library. I recommend the PDF version as the best electronic version of the Understanding Fiber Optics.
PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BUYING: Amazon sells its electronic version of Understanding Fiber Optics as a "Kindle Edition," for $9.95 but it is not in a standard ebook format. It actually is a "print replica," which really is a PDF displayed on an e-book reader (or on Kindle reader software used on a computer). Unlike epub and other ebook formats, the the test of the "print replica" does not flow to fit the size of the reader screen. Instead it displays images of each page in the PDF version one by one, with the image size adjusted to fit the screen on which you are reading. The printed book measures 9.5 by 7.25 inches (a diagonal of 11.9 inches), so for comfortable reading you should read on a screen at least that size. The largest current Kindle has an 8.9 inch (digital) screen, which is significantly smaller. Turning a Kindle on its side will make the type larger and easier to read, but will show only part of the screen. Kindle readers that display Kindle files on computer screens larger than the printed page would give you a better reading experience.
If you are not satisfied with the print (or PDF) quality, please contact me. I have reasons to suspect that poor-quality pirated copies may be being sold, and am trying to track down the source.
I am trying to prepare a more manageable (i.e., much smaller) version of Understanding Fiber Optics, and would welcome your comments.
INSTRUCTOR MANUALS FOR UNDERSTANDING FIBER OPTICS
When Understanding Fiber Optics was marketed as a textbook, I wrote Instructor's Guides which included answers to questions and quizzes in the book, worked-out problems with calculations shown, resources and suggestions for instructors in planning their courses. Because the book is now largely used for self-study, I am making them available inexpensively to everyone who wants them.
I have posted PDF copies of the Instructor Manual for the fifth edition at Payhip and Google Play for $2.99, and they will soon be available through the SPIE Digital Library. I recommend the PDF version as the best buy; PDFs are as easy to read as print copies. The cost of paper and postage inevitably makes print versions more expensive, but many people like them; I am self-publishing print copies through Amazon for $8.95 which should also be available from other vendors. I am also making eBook versions available for $2.99 at Amazon and elsewhere, but that format is awkward because you need to turn the reader on its side to be able to follow the math used in the worked-out problems, and that means you need to flip through many pages.
I also prepared instructor manuals for the third and fourth editions of Understanding Fiber Optics, but the software used is now obsolete, so much of the math is garbled. I am making them available for free. You can find a free PDF copy of the one for the third (1999) edition at https://payhip.com/b/2wJ34 A free PDF copy of the instructor guide for the fourth (2002) edition is at https://payhip.com/b/4Z8gd.
A separate page lists the table of contents of the fifth edition of Understanding Fiber Optics.
More than 100,000 copies of Understanding Fiber Optics have been sold since the first edition was published in 1987 by Howard W. Sams Co. It is a broad introductory textbook that has been widely used for self-study, technician training, and undergraduate programs. At 790 pages covering fiber optics and their applications in telecommunications, it is comprehensive, explanatory, avoids higher mathematics and is designed to be used for self-study and as a reference as well as a textbook.
The book opens with three chapters that introduce the reader to fiber optics as a whole, the optical technology behind fiber optics, and the field of telecommunications. Following chapters explain optical fibers and their properties, specialty fibers, cables, light sources, transmitters, receivers, and other important components. Two chapters cover measurements, testing, and troubleshooting. A series of chapters covers system concepts and standards, system design, and telecommunication systems ranging from the global telecommunications network to your local phone network. The final two chapters cover fiber-optic sensors and imaging bundles. Throughout, I concentrate on explaining concepts rather than deriving equations.
The book includes many line drawings that explain basic concepts and equipment. Each chapter has both a multiple-choice quiz and a series of open-ended "Questions to Think About" for readers to test their knowledge. I also include appendices with tables of useful information, formulas, and references. A glossary explains terms and decrypts acronyms. A 16-page index makes it easy to find subjects inside the book, to make it a good reference as well as a good tutorial and textbook. I fuss about these things so students and teachers won't have to waste their time looking for the missing pieces.
Versions of the fifth edition
Pearson/Prentice Hall published the original hardcover fifth edition of Understanding Fiber Optics in 2006, and they reverted rights to me in 2015, I republished it through Laser Light Press without significant change in contents. By using high-quality professional scanning of the original printed book and print-on-demand publishing, I was able to produce a paperback edition of the 800-page book for a list price of $39.00. The print on demand process cannot produce books quite as clean and sharp as conventional printing, but if properly printed on paper they should be entirely legible and suitable for self-study at the much more reasonable price of $39.00. The books are produced and sold by Amazon. Print copies also are available from Bookshop.org and other sellers of POD books.
Used hardcover and paperback versions of Understanding Fiber Optics are available from some booksellers. Be sure you know which edition you are getting; some online listings do not make it clear which edition they offer.
Scanning also produces a PDF electronic version of Understanding Fiber Optics which I have made available at $9.95 from PAYHIP.COM and Google Books , and for $10.00 from the SPIE Digital Library. I recommend the PDF version as the best electronic version of the Understanding Fiber Optics.
PLEASE NOTE BEFORE BUYING: Amazon sells its electronic version of Understanding Fiber Optics as a "Kindle Edition," for $9.95 but it is not in a standard ebook format. It actually is a "print replica," which really is a PDF displayed on an e-book reader (or on Kindle reader software used on a computer). Unlike epub and other ebook formats, the the test of the "print replica" does not flow to fit the size of the reader screen. Instead it displays images of each page in the PDF version one by one, with the image size adjusted to fit the screen on which you are reading. The printed book measures 9.5 by 7.25 inches (a diagonal of 11.9 inches), so for comfortable reading you should read on a screen at least that size. The largest current Kindle has an 8.9 inch (digital) screen, which is significantly smaller. Turning a Kindle on its side will make the type larger and easier to read, but will show only part of the screen. Kindle readers that display Kindle files on computer screens larger than the printed page would give you a better reading experience.
If you are not satisfied with the print (or PDF) quality, please contact me. I have reasons to suspect that poor-quality pirated copies may be being sold, and am trying to track down the source.
I am trying to prepare a more manageable (i.e., much smaller) version of Understanding Fiber Optics, and would welcome your comments.
INSTRUCTOR MANUALS FOR UNDERSTANDING FIBER OPTICS
When Understanding Fiber Optics was marketed as a textbook, I wrote Instructor's Guides which included answers to questions and quizzes in the book, worked-out problems with calculations shown, resources and suggestions for instructors in planning their courses. Because the book is now largely used for self-study, I am making them available inexpensively to everyone who wants them.
I have posted PDF copies of the Instructor Manual for the fifth edition at Payhip and Google Play for $2.99, and they will soon be available through the SPIE Digital Library. I recommend the PDF version as the best buy; PDFs are as easy to read as print copies. The cost of paper and postage inevitably makes print versions more expensive, but many people like them; I am self-publishing print copies through Amazon for $8.95 which should also be available from other vendors. I am also making eBook versions available for $2.99 at Amazon and elsewhere, but that format is awkward because you need to turn the reader on its side to be able to follow the math used in the worked-out problems, and that means you need to flip through many pages.
I also prepared instructor manuals for the third and fourth editions of Understanding Fiber Optics, but the software used is now obsolete, so much of the math is garbled. I am making them available for free. You can find a free PDF copy of the one for the third (1999) edition at https://payhip.com/b/2wJ34 A free PDF copy of the instructor guide for the fourth (2002) edition is at https://payhip.com/b/4Z8gd.
A separate page lists the table of contents of the fifth edition of Understanding Fiber Optics.