Sorphase: SOR & OTDR

Version-specific help

Version 5.0 (build 8)

This guide covers version 5.0. The current website catalog lists version 5.0. Check the App Store for availability on your device; the features below require version 5.0 or later.

Version 5.0 build 8 has been submitted and is awaiting Apple review. It is not yet approved or available. Version 4.0 remains live. The guided-comparison and saved-setup instructions below apply after 5.0 is installed.

Start in Traces. Import supported .sor files from Files or use the clearly labelled synthetic sample job. In 5.0, Import SOR files is also visible above your library. Open a trace to inspect the measured curve, cursors, event table, metadata and report options.

In 5.0, open a trace and choose Compare this trace. Pick Opposite directions for same-wavelength A-to-B/B-to-A averaging, or Different wavelengths for same-direction bend screening. Read the exclusion reason for unavailable candidates. Confirm from your field records that both measurements describe the same physical fiber, then open the comparison. Matching recorded IDs cannot establish the physical connection.

On Compare, choose Saved comparisons, enter a name and Save comparison setup. A setup retains selected originals, trace settings, threshold profile, distance unit, tolerance, bend threshold and overlay alignment. Results are calculated again; they are not historical certificates. Normal saves allow up to 100 setups in the library. Delete an unwanted setup before saving more; deletion preserves original files.

Open a saved setup to review its original filenames and captured settings. Opening applies its unit, tolerance and bend threshold. Its threshold profile affects Compare only, while individual trace reports retain your current profile. Missing or changed inputs block reopening rather than substitute another file. Restore an independent backup or choose the intended files again and save a new setup.

Add > Backups exports a library or a single job. In 5.0, a library backup includes saved setups; a job backup includes only setups whose originals are all in that job. Checked restore adds independent copies with remapped setup references and does not replace existing records. New format 2 backups require 5.0 or later; 5.0 reads older format 1 files. Limits: 64 MB backup, 40 MB original data, 256 traces and 256 jobs. Keep copies outside the app.

If a stored copy is missing, restore a backup or import the original again. Incomplete cable summaries cannot be exported. An unreadable library index stays preserved and read-only; automatic repair is not provided. Do not delete the app to troubleshoot without independent copies of your data.

Version 5.0 queues overlapping import results and preserves each checksum retry destination. Read each result and choose Done to see the next. Inspecting a checksum mismatch keeps the trace marked unverified. A missing or uncertain measurement does not establish a pass.

Comparison settings accept a match tolerance of 1–1000 metres and bend threshold of 0.01–10 dB. Invalid entries keep the previous value. The threshold profile and instrument event readings determine assessment; a possible bend is an indicator, not a diagnosis.

Loss-marker span and end-of-fiber position are different coordinates. Helix adjustment does not establish physical cable length. Check budget component estimates against your actual design. The interface is English; translated store descriptions do not translate the application.

Guide updated 2026-11-03.