Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Global Transceiver Module (GXM) Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Version 0.2 FreeWave Technologies, Inc. 1880 South Flatiron Court Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 444-3862 (303) 786-9948 Fax www.FreeWave.com SPREAD SPECTRUM WIRELESS DATA TRANSCEIVER USER MANUAL Copyright © 1995-2009 by FreeWave Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. Published 2009. Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual WARRANTY FreeWave Technologies warrants your FreeWave® Wireless Data Transceiver against defects in materials and manufacturing for a period of two years from the date of shipment. In the event of a Product failure due to materials or workmanship, FreeWave will, at its option, repair or replace the Product. The Product must be returned to FreeWave upon receiving a Return Material Authorization (RMA) for evaluation of Warranty Coverage.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual This product is licensed by The United States. Diversion contrary to U.S. law is prohibited. Shipment or re-export of this product outside of The United States may require authorization by the U.S. Bureau of Export Administration. Please contact FreeWave Technologies for assistance and further information.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Table of Contents ABOUT FREEWAVE TRANSCEIVERS.................................................................................................................7 CHOOSING POINT-TO-POINT OR POINT-TO-MULTIPOINT OPERATION ........................................................................8 QUICK START ON A POINT-TO-MULTIPOINT NETWORK ..........................................................................9 POINT-TO-MULTIPOINT OPERATION LED'S. ........
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Radio Temperature ..............................................................................................................................................35 MULTIPOINT PARAMETERS ......................................................................................................................................36 EDIT MULTIPOINT PARAMETERS ............................................................................................................
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual About FreeWave Transceivers FreeWave transceivers operate in virtually any environment where data communications occur. A pair of transceivers function as a 9-pin null modem cable. If the FreeWave transceivers are to be used in an application where a null modem cable is used, such as communication between two computers, then the FreeWave transceivers can be connected directly.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Choosing Point-to-Point or Point-to-MultiPoint Operation A Point-to-Point network is limited to one Master and one Slave transceiver. Up to 4 Repeaters may be added to extend the reach of the network, but no other Master or Slave may be added. In a Point-to-MultiPoint network (also referred to as MultiPoint network) the transceiver, designated as a Master, is able to simultaneously communicate with numerous Slaves.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Quick Start on a Point-to-MultiPoint Network The following is a quick start guide for setting up two transceivers in Point-to-MultiPoint mode. This mode allows for a Master to communicate with several Repeaters and Slaves simultaneously. 1. Connect the transceiver to the serial port of a computer either through a serial cable or via the diagnostics cable. Make sure to connect the radio to a power source (3.3 to 5 VDC). 2.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Quick Start on a Point-to-Point Network When purchased as a pair, the FreeWave® Wireless Data Transceivers are shipped from the factory preconfigured with most of the settings to operate in Point-to-Point applications. To establish communications between a pair of FreeWave Wireless Data Transceivers just received from the factory: 1. Connect the transceiver to the instrument with the RS232 cable and also attach power. 2.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Choosing a Location for the Transceivers Placement of the FreeWave transceiver is likely to have a significant impact on its performance. The key to the overall robustness of the radio link is the height of the antenna. In general, FreeWave units with a higher antenna placement will have a better communication link. In practice, the transceiver should be placed away from computers, telephones, answering machines and other similar equipment.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Setting up the Transceiver using HyperTerminal Note: The terms Modem and Transceiver are used interchangeably in this manual and in the text of the Setup menu. While the words have different meanings, the two terms should be treated as one and the same when referring to FreeWave products.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual 2. Double-click on the Hypertrm.exe icon. The following window appears. 3. In the Name text box, type in a descriptive name. Select an icon from the Icon selection box. 4. Click on the OK button. The following “Connect To” dialog box appears: 5. Select the connection type to be used from the Connect using drop-down menu. In most cases the connection type will be either Direct to Com1 or Direct to Com2. Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual 6. Click on the OK button. The Properties dialog box appears for the selected connection type. The following are the port settings which must be set for a proper connection: Port Setting Bits per second Data bits Parity Stop bits Flow control 7. Menu Option to Select 19200 8 None 1 None After selecting the appropriate menu items for each setting, click on the OK button.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual 8. To connect HyperTerminal to the transceiver, briefly short Pin 2 of the I/O port on the FreeWave transceiver to ground. If connected to the diagnostics pins, type U (Capital ‘U’) to invoke the Setup menu. When Setup is invoked, the FreeWave Setup Main Menu will display in the HyperTerminal dialog box. All three LED’s on the transceiver will light green and stay green as long as the transceiver is in the Setup mode. 9.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Troubleshooting HyperTerminal The following are some common issues encountered while using HyperTerminal. 1. 2. 3. 4. Nothing appears on the screen after shorting Pin 2 on the transceiver to ground. This usually indicates one of two things; either the wrong COM port is selected or a null modem RS-232 cable is being used. Follow the steps below to change the COM ports. 1. Click on the Disconnect button. 2. Select Properties from the File menu. 3.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Setting up a Transceiver Note: Once Setup mode has been invoked in HyperTerminal, the process of exiting Setup mode involves pressing the Escape (Esc) key several times, allowing the transceiver to connect to the network. Otherwise, cycling the power is the alternative way to exit Setup mode. Note: Do not “hot plug” radios to cycle power as this may cause damage to the circuitry and render the radio unusable.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Operation Mode Description Point-to-Point Master (0) This mode designates the transceiver as the Master in Point-to-Point mode. The Master may call any Slaves designated in its Call Book. In Point-to-Point mode the Master determines the settings used for most of the radio transmission characteristics, regardless of the settings in the Slave and/or Repeaters.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Set Operation Mode 1. Selecting 0 Set Operation Mode from the Main Menu displays the following window: Current Operation Mode 2. Select the appropriate operation mode by typing the associated number or letter after Enter Choice. 3. When the selection is accepted, the Set Modem Mode menu will refresh and display the updated mode. 4. Press the Esc key once to return to the Main Menu. Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Baud Rate This setting is the communication rate between the transceiver and the instrument to which it is connected. It is important to note that this is independent of the baud rate for the other transceiver(s) in the network. For example, a pair of transceivers may be used in an application to send data from remote process instrumentation to an engineer's computer.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Baud Rate Description Actual Baud Rate (selections 0-9) The actual baud rate for the transceiver’s data port. Data, Parity (A) Modbus RTU (B) It is desirable to set the baud rate to the highest level supported by the device to which it is connected. With a poor radio link, however, this could result in slower data communications. Six data word length and parity configurations are available to be used with FreeWave transceivers.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual TurnOn/OffDelay (E) These settings are not utilized in the GXM. FlowControl (F) This menu specifies the hardware flow control for the Data port. The options for 0-3 are described below.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Call Book Use of the Call Book is required in Point-to-Point networks. While the call book is an option in Point-toMultiPoint networks, the Network ID feature is strongly recommended in most applications. The instructions provided in this section are for Point-to-Point mode only. Use of the Call Book for MultiPoint networks is explained later in this chapter.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual 4. The system will prompt for Repeater 1’s number. If no Repeaters are being used, press the Esc key. (skip step 5) Otherwise, enter the 7-digit serial number of the Repeater. 5. The system will then prompt for Repeater 2’s number. Enter the 7-digit serial number of the second Repeater. If only one Repeater is being used, press the Esc key. 6. The system refreshes the transceiver’s Call Book menu with the new changes. 7.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual PROGRAMMING POINT-TO-MULTIPOINT CALL BOOK In a MultiPoint network, the Slaves and Repeaters are not listed in the Master's Call Book. A Slave must have the Master and any Repeater it is going to use in its Call Book. Note: If the Network ID feature is used in a MultiPoint network, no entries are needed in the Call Book of any of the transceivers. See the Network ID feature in the MultiPoint Parameters section.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Radio Transmission Characteristics The Edit Radio Transmission Characteristics option allows the user to modify several different parameters in the transceiver. Many of these parameters must be maintained throughout the network for proper functionality. Note: This menu is only for the sophisticated user who has a good understanding of the principles of radio data transmission.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Available options (0) HOP TABLE VERSION Entry 0 allows the user to choose the portion of the band in which the transceiver will operate. Selection Band 0 Entire band, 2.400 - 2.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual (3) 2.4GHZ FREQUENCY ZONE Frequency Zone allows the user to select which portions of the band the network will use. Setting a zone to 1 will include it in the hopping pattern, while setting the zone to 0 will exclude that zone. In MultiPoint networks, this setting is only changed in the Master radio. In Point-to-Point networks, the Master and the Slave must have matching Frequency Zone settings.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual (4) GOVERNMENT RULES This section allows the user to set the transceivers to comply with different government standards. Set the mode to comply with the correct regulations for the area in which the transceiver will be operated. Setting Definition 0 FCC rules – Radio power output can be the full 500 mW. 1 Do not use this option in the GXM. 2 EU 440 rules – Radio power output is limited to a maximum of 100 mW.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual The following table defines the Maximum packet size in bytes by way of charting the Min Packet Size setting versus the Max Packet Size setting where the RF Data Rate is set to 2.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual (3) XMIT RATE Two settings for the Transmit Rate parameter are available. The setting for normal operation of the transceiver is a Transmit Rate 1. Transmit Rate 0 is useful to qualitatively gauge signal strength in Point to Point mode. When set to Transmit Rate 0, the transceivers will transmit back and forth continuously, even if no data is being applied to the serial port.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual the Master will repeat the message the number of times equal to the Master Packet Repeat value in the MultiPoint Parameters menu. Master transmit times are completely asynchronous to the occurrence of any change of the RTS line; the latency time from RTS to CTS is variable. The Max and Min Packet Size parameters in the Radio Parameter menu determine this duration.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual The following table shows the changes at different Lowpower Mode settings. The actual current draw depends on many factors. The table below gives only a qualitative indication of supply current savings. A low number reduces latency and a high number reduces current consumption.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual (B) MCU SPEED MCU Speed controls the speed of the Micro Controller Unit in the transceiver. The default setting is 0 for low speed. A setting of 1 is required for Ethernet and UDP operation. The following table describes the MCU speed settings. Setting Description Notes 0 Low speed Reduces current consumption 1 High speed Required for 230 KBaud and greater data port rate (C) REMOTE LED This feature is not supported in the GXM.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual ANTENNA REFLECTED POWER This is a measurement of the transmitted power that is reflected back into the transceiver from mismatched antennas or cables, or loose connections between the transceiver and antenna. A reading of 0-5 is good; 5-20 is marginal; 20+ indicates that the connections should be inspected for loose connections and cable quality. TRANSMIT CURRENT (MA) This measures the current draw of the transmitter in milliamps.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual MultiPoint Parameters When installing MultiPoint networks it is important to do some up front planning. Unlike Point-to-Point networks, a Point-to-MultiPoint network requires several parameters are set consistently on all transceivers in the network. This includes RF data rate, Min and Max Packet Size, and FreqKey. Note: If several independent MultiPoint networks are to be located in close proximity the planning becomes more critical.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual packets. In turn, the Repeater will send the packet out to the next Repeater or Slaves the number of times corresponding to its own Master Packet Repeat setting. Increasing the Master Packet Repeat setting will increase the probability of a packet getting through, but will also increase latency in the network because each packet from the Master or Repeater is being sent multiple times.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual (4) DTR CONNECT With the setting of 0 in the Slave, the transceiver will transmit when RS232 data is received. A setting of 1 will form a Point-to-Point link with the Master when the DTR line is high. With a setting of 2, the transceiver will transmit in bursts. This mode is valuable when a network has many low data rate devices and it is desirable to increase overall network capacity.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Calibrating a Slave in 1PPS Enable/Delay mode 1. Trigger an oscilloscope on the 1 PPS pulse on the DTR line of the Master. 2. Monitor the CD line of the Slave. 3. If the timing on the Slave differs from the Master it may be adjusted via the value in the Slave's 1 PPS Enable/Delay parameter. The difference in time between each incremental integer value is 542.534nS.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Notes: A Master with firmware before x.40 will always transmit and receive on 0. With firmware of 2.40 and greater (900MHz) or 3.40 and greater (2.4GHz) the Master may be set to use alternate Subnet ID values. Changing these settings on the Master is not recommended under normal circumstances. In some MultiPoint Networks, the FreqKey will be at the same setting for all transceivers.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Note: With firmware x.40 and above, the Subnet ID default is F,F. A Multipoint Master with an F,F Subnet ID will behave the same as if the Subnet ID was set to 0,0. A Multipoint Slave with a Subnet ID of F,F will not roam from one repeater or network to the next, it will only link to a Master or Repeater that has either a Transmit Subnet of 0 or an F,F Subnet ID.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Overlapping MultiPoint Networks Overlapping MultiPoint networks may be set up effectively with FreeWave transceivers when several key parameters are set correctly. Overlapping MultiPoint networks are defined as networks using different Masters which share or overlap in a specific geographic area. It may also include co-located transceivers configured into different networks. See application note #5412 “Synch Colloc Master in Sync Mode” for more details.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual DISABLING A PASSWORD The process to disable the password is similar to the process to change the password. However, when prompted to enter the new password the follow the steps below: 1. Hold down the Alt key and type 0255. 2. Release the Alt key. 3. Repeat this step 3 more times (hold Alt and type 0255 a total of 4 times).
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Factory Default Settings FreeWave serial 900MHz transceivers are shipped from the factory with the following Default Settings: Default (A) High Noise 0 Point to Point Slave 1 (B) MCU Speed 0 Set Baud Rate Default (C) Remote LED 0 Baud Rate 115200 (A) Data Parity 0 (B) Modbus RTU 0 (0) NUMBER OF REPEATERS 1 (C) RS232/485 0 2 (D) Setup Port 3 (1) MASTER PACKET REPEAT (E) TurnOffDelay/OnDelay 0/0 (2) MAX SLAVE RETRY 9 (F) Flow C
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Examples of Data Communication Links FreeWave transceivers’ versatility allows data communication links to be established using a variety of different configurations. The example below shows the most common and straightforward link; a Master communicating to a Slave in a Point-to-Point link. The example below shows how a link might be set up using a Repeater.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual The example below shows a configuration where a Master routinely calls a number of Slaves at different times. The Master is communicating with a transceiver designated as a Slave/Repeater that is connected to a remote device. Since this device is placed in an elevated location, the transceiver may also be used as a Repeater when it is not used as a Slave.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual The last example is a Point-to-MultiPoint network which uses one of the sites as a Slave/Repeater. This network functions in the same manner as a standard MultiPoint network with Repeaters. However, the number of radios may be reduced with the use of the MultiPoint Slave/Repeater feature. Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Additional Transceiver information This section contains additional important information about FreeWave transceivers. The following topics are included in this section: RS232 Pin Assignments FGR2 OEM Board Pin Assignments FGR-115WC Waterproof Enclosure Pin out for 11-pin Waterproof Cable, part ASC0612WW. Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual Additional Transceiver information Board Level Pinout J1 - 14 pin, 2.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual GMX Specifications Specification Transmit Frequency Range 2400 – 2483 MHz ISM Band Spread Spectrum FHSS Output Power 10 mW to 500 mW Range – Line-of-sight 20 miles Modulation 2 level GFSK RF Data Rate Selectable speeds, 115.2 or 153.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual GXM Mechanical Drawing Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
Spread Spectrum Wireless Data Transceiver User Manual FreeWave Technical Support For up-to-date troubleshooting information check the Support page at www.FreeWave.com. FreeWave provides Technical Support, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mountain Time (GMT -7) Call toll-free at 1-866-923-6168 or factory direct after hours at 303-381-9200 or email at moreinfo@FreeWave.com Preliminary GXM Manual Version 0.
