MDS 9810 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Data Transceivers MDS 05-3301A01, Rev. C JULY 2004 Installation Operation Guide Installation and & Operation Guide Microwave Data Systems Inc.
QUICK START GUIDE Below are the basic steps for installing the transceiver. Detailed instructions are given in “INSTALLATION” on Page 14 of this guide. 1. Install and connect the antenna system to the radio • Use good quality, low-loss coaxial cable. Keep the feedline as short as possible. • Preset directional antennas in the direction of desired transmission. 2. Connect the data equipment to the radio’s INTERFACE connector • Connection to the radio must be made with a DB-25 Male connector.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 ABOUT THIS MANUAL......................................................................................................... 1 2.0 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION................................................................................................... 1 Transceiver Features........................................................................................................................ 2 Model Configuration Codes .......................................................................
.5 “Single-Radio” Repeater—Alternative Method ............................................................................ 24 Interface Wiring .............................................................................................................................. 24 Software Programming (TDD Command) ...................................................................................... 24 Limitations of Single-Radio Repeaters............................................................................
SKIP [NONE, 1...8] ........................................................................................................................ 46 SKIPSYNC [ON/OFF] .................................................................................................................... 46 SNR ............................................................................................................................................... 46 SREV ...........................................................................
mounted) the above separation distance must be maintained at all times. More information on RF exposure is available on the Internet at www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins. This manual is intended to guide a professional installer to install, operate and perform basic system maintenance on the described radio. CSA/US Notice This product is available for use in Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C & D Hazardous Locations.
FCC Notice, U.S.A. The transceiver complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This device is specifically designed to be used under Section 15.247 of the FCC Rules and Regulations.
vi MDS 9810 Installation and Operation Guide MDS 05-3301A01, Rev.
1.0 ABOUT THIS MANUAL This guide presents installation and operating instructions for the MDS 9810 transceiver. Following installation, we suggest keeping this guide near the equipment for future reference. NOTE: Earlier versions of this manual also covered the MDS 24810 (2.4 GHz) transceiver, which has been discontinued by MDS. An electronic version of the earlier manual is available for download at www.microwavedata.com. 2.
Transceiver Features Listed below are several key features of the transceiver. These are designed to ease the installation and configuration of the radio, while retaining the ability to make changes in the future.
Invisible place holder 2.1 Spread Spectrum Radios—How Are They Different? The main difference between a traditional (licensed) radio system and the MDS 9810 transceiver is that these units “hop” from channel to channel many times per second using a specific hop pattern applied to all radios in the network. A distinct hopping pattern is provided for each of the 65,000 available network addresses, thereby minimizing the chance of interference with other spread spectrum systems.
Simplex “Peer-to-Peer” Peer-to-peer communication is possible using the transceiver’s simplex mode. With this arrangement (Figure 4), two or more remote units can share information by direct communication with each other in addition to communicating with a central master radio. This is possible because the transmit and receive frequencies for each hop channel are the same at each radio when simplex mode is enabled.
Invisible place holder REPEATER STATION REMOTE REMOTE-MASTER* RTU Pin 3 MASTER Pin 2 REMOTE REMOTE RTU REMOTE * Special operating mode. See Programming section of manual. RTU HOST COMPUTER Figure 5. Typical Peer-to-Peer Network with Repeater Assistance Point-to-Point System A point-to-point configuration (Figure 6) is a simple arrangement consisting of just two radios—a master and a remote.
Invisible place holder REPEATER MASTER STATION T IN M O RU -P CT TO E T- SP K IN D LIN POREA SP REMOTE RADIO MDS 9810 / 9820 MASTER RADIO Null-Modem Cable REMOTE RADIO REMOTE RADIO RTU RTU RTU MAS SYSTEM (LICENSED OR UNLICENSED) MDS 9810 / 9820 REMOTE RADIO MDS 9810/9820 LINK TO AN OUTLYING SITE Figure 7.
A single-radio repeater works similar to the system shown in Figure 8, but consists of just one transceiver at the repeater site. It works by buffering (storing) incoming messages and retransmitting them a short time later. Accordingly, there will be a delay in transmissions through this type of repeater. Additional details for Single-Radio repeater s are given in Section 4.5 (Page 24). 2.3 Accessories The transceiver can be used with one or more of the accessories listed in Table 1.
Figure 9 shows a typical remote station arrangement. At a remote station, a directional antenna is normally used, and a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) or other telemetry equipment replaces the host computer normally used in a master station. Invisible place holder REMOTE TERMINAL UNIT ANTENNA SYSTEM (Directional Type Normally Used) REMOTE RADIO 13.8 VDC POWER CABLE LOW-LOSS FEEDLINE 13.8 VDC POWER SUPPLY Figure 9. Typical Remote Station Arrangement 3.
Terrain and Signal Strength While the 900 MHz band offers many advantages over VHF and lower UHF frequencies for data transmission, they are also more prone to signal attenuation from obstructions such as terrain, foliage or buildings in the transmission path. A line-of-sight transmission path between the master station and its associated remote site(s) is highly desirable and provides the most reliable communications link.
With the hand-held antenna positioned near the proposed mounting spot, a technician can check for synchronization with the master station (shown by a lit SYNC lamp on the front panel) and measure the reported RSSI value. If adequate signal strength cannot be obtained, it may be necessary to mount the station antennas higher, use higher gain antennas, or select a different site.
4. Multiple MDS 9810 systems can co-exist in proximity to each other with only very minor interference as long as they are each assigned a unique network address. Each network address has a different hop pattern. 5. If constant interference is present in a particular frequency zone, it may be necessary to “lock out” that zone from the radio’s hopping pattern. The radio includes built-in software to help users identify and remove blocked frequency zones from its hopping pattern.
Invisible place holder Figure 10. Typical Omnidirectional Antenna At remote sites and point-to-point systems, a directional antenna, such as a Yagi is generally recommended to minimize interference to and from other users. Antennas are available from a number of manufacturers. Invisible place holder Figure 11. Typical Yagi Antenna (mounted to mast) Feedlines The choice of feedline used with the antenna should be carefully considered.
Table 2 lists several types of feedlines and indicates the signal losses (in dB) that result when using various lengths of each cable at 900 MHz. The choice of cable will depend on the required length, cost considerations, and the amount of signal loss that can be tolerated. Table 2. Length vs. Loss in Coaxial Cables at 900 MHz Cable Type 10 Feet 50 Feet 100 Feet 500 Feet (3.05 Meters) (15.24 Meters) (30.48 Meters) (152.4 Meters) RG-8A/U 0.85 dB 4.27 dB 8.54 dB 42.70 dB 1/2 inch HELIAX 0.23 dB 1.
3. If the maximum transmitter power allowed is less than 30 dBm, use the PWR command (described on Page 42) to set the power accordingly. For convenience, Table 3 lists several antenna system gains and shows the maximum allowable power setting of the radio. Note that a gain of 6 dB or less entitles you to operate the radio at full power output—30 dBm (1 watt). Table 3. Antenna System Gain vs.
Invisible place holder INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDE F5 E F4 A F * K– O 5 H4 L P 6 I 1 G) / J 2 C B( F1 3 D F3 F2 9 N T 8 M7 S V + Y R X = Q , . 0 R # WESC S BK SP TE EN AC E P T IF SH U RL CT Z HAND-HELD TERMINAL (OPTIONAL) 13.8 VDC POWER CABLE TRANSCEIVER Figure 12. Typical Transceiver Shipment Below are the basic steps for installing the transceiver. In most cases, these steps alone will be sufficient to complete the installation.
Invisible place holder 7.25" 184 mm 1.75" 4.44 CM 2.75" 70 mm Alternate Position 6.63" 168 mm 8.5" 216 mm 2.0" 50 mm 5.625" 143 mm 2.25" 57 mm Figure 13. Transceiver Mounting Dimensions CAUTION POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT DAMAGE The screws holding the brackets to the radio are 5⁄16 inch (8 mm). If replacement screws are used for any reason, they must not exceed this length to avoid damage to the radio’s PC board. 2. Install the antenna and antenna feedline for the station.
and Pin 7 (signal ground). Figure 14 shows a detailed view of the DATA INTERFACE connector. If hardware flow control is desired, Pin 4 (request to send—RTS) and Pin 5 (Clear-to-Send—CTS) are also required. A detailed chart of pin functions is provided in Table 15 on Page 59. Invisible place holder Pin Pin Description No. Alarm Output Analog Input Pin Diagnostic Channel Enable Unused RSSI Voltage Future use— do not connect 9.
The three essential settings for the transceiver are: Mode—Master or Remote Network Address—a unique number from 1–65000 Data Interface Parameters—bps, data bits, parity, stop bits a. Connect an HHT to the DIAG(NOSTICS) connector (see Figure 15). After the HHT beeps, press ENTER to display the ready “>” prompt. b. Set the Mode—Determine whether the transceiver will be used as a master or remote, and program it accordingly using the MODE M or MODE R command (Page 41). (MODE M = Master, MODE R = Remote.
d. Set the data interface parameters to match the connected data device—The default setting is 4800 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit.
applied to all remote radios as soon as they become synchronized with the master radio. Antennas Omnidirectional antennas are normally required at all stations in a simplex system. The transmission range may be significantly reduced as compared with stations using directional antennas, so it is especially important that sites be chosen to allow sufficient signal strength between all units. A discussion of site selection is provided in Section 3.2.
frequencies (MODE R-M command, Page 41), and the other programmed as a master (MODE M command). DB-25 DB-25 RXD 3 2 TXD TXD 2 3 RXD GND 7 7 GND Master (Mode M Pin 2 (TXD) of the master radio must be connected to Pin 3 (RXD) of the other radio (the one programmed as MODE R-M) using a local interface cable. This allows the signals received by the MODE R-M radio to be re-transmitted by the master. The signal ground leads (Pin 7) must also be connected to each other.
DCE DB-25 DB-25 TXD 2 3 RXD RXD 3 2 TXD GND 7 7 GND CTS 5 4 RTS Keyline (or device requiring keyline) DCE MDS 2000/4000 Series XCVR (DEVICE CTS KEY) MDS Spread Spectrum Remote XCVR Invisible place holder Figure 18. Data Interface Cable Wiring for Tail-End Links Programming In a tail-end link system, the radio’s device behavior must be set to DEVICE CTS KEY (Page 38) using the HHT. This allows one radio to control the keying of another.
Antennas Two antennas are required at repeater stations—one for each radio. Measures must be taken to minimize the chance of interference between these antennas. One effective technique for limiting interference is to employ vertical separation. In this arrangement, one antenna is mounted directly over the other, separated by at least 10 feet (3 Meters). This takes advantage of the minimal radiation exhibited by most antennas directly above and below their driven elements.
4.5 “Single-Radio” Repeater—Alternative Method A single MDS x810 transceiver may be used to form a repeater station to extend the range of a system. The general repeater principles discussed in Section 4.4 apply to single-radio repeaters—why repeaters are used, geographic site considerations, etc. However, there are some important differences in single-radio repeater systems: • • • Only one transceiver is used at the repeater site. The transceiver’s TXD & RXD pins must be tied together (DB-25).
Limitations of Single-Radio Repeaters Diagnostics As of the date of publication, over-the-air diagnostics is not fully supported in repeater systems. Diagnostic data from these systems may be unavailable or unreliable. This is particularly true if a repeater radio is configured as the “root” in a diagnostics scheme (See “Performing Network-Wide Remote Diagnostics” on Page 53.) Better success might be achieved by picking a standard remote to use as the root.
5.0 OPERATION 5.1 Initial Start-up In-service operation of the transceiver is completely automatic. Once the unit has been properly installed and configured, operator actions are limited to observing the LED status indicators for proper operation. If all parameters are correctly set, operation of the radio can be started by following these steps: 1. Apply primary power to the radio. 2. Observe the transceiver LED status panel (Figure 21) for the proper indications.
Complete instructions for using the software commands referenced herein are provided in Section 6.0, PROGRAMMING (beginning on Page 28). Antenna Aiming For optimum performance of directional antennas, they must be accurately aimed in the direction of desired transmission. The easiest way to do this is to point the antenna in the approximate direction, then use the remote radio’s built-in Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) feature to further refine the heading for maximum received signal strength.
A detailed explanation of the HOPTIME command, and a table listing the available selections and the channel efficiency associated with each, can be found on Page 40. Baud Rate Setting The default baud rate setting is 4800 bps to accommodate most systems. If your system will support a higher data rate, you should increase the radio’s transmission speed using the BAUD xxxxx abc command (Page 37). It should be set to the highest speed that can be sent by the data equipment in the system.
used for programming instead of the DIAG(NOSTICS) jack. With this arrangement, Pin 23 of the HHT cable must be grounded to enable the diagnostic channel. (See Table 15 on Page 59.) Invisible place holder 13.8 + VDC – ANTE NNA F5 F4 F3 F2 F1 P CTR V IFT SH T 0 = , UL 9 S R Q + O 8 7 # – 6 N M L K J 5 4 ) * 3 I H G F E 2 1 ( / D C B A X Y R ENTE ACE ESC SP SP BK W Z Figure 22. Hand-Held Terminal Connected to the Transceiver 2.
Invisible place holder Figure 23. HHT setup display 2. The first of 15 menu items will be displayed. Settings can be reviewed by pressing the NEXT function ( ZE key). Parameter settings can be changed by pressing the ROLL function ( A key). 3. Set up the HHT as listed in Table 5. Table 5.
Here are some additional points to remember when using the HHT: • Use the SHIFT key to access numbers; press again to return letters. • Flashing square cursor ( ) denotes letter mode. • Flashing superscript rectangular cursor ( ) denotes number mode. • Use ESC/BKSP key to edit information or commands being typed into the terminal. Error Messages Below are some HHT error messages you may encounter and their probable causes: • • • • • • • • • MDS 05-3301A01, Rev.
Table 6. Command Summary These programming commands can only be set at the master radio. NETWORK-WIDE DIAGNOSTICS CONFIGURATION NETWORK CONFIGURATION COMMAND 32 DESCRIPTION BUFF [ON, OFF] Details Page 37 ON = Seamless data, OFF = Fast byte throughput. HOPTIME [XSHORT, 16, 20, 25, 32, SHORT, NORMAL, LONG] Details Page 40 Select hop time—XSHORT, 16 ms, 20 ms, 25 ms, 32 ms, SHORT, NORMAL, LONG SEND [n, -n, +n] Details Page 43 Sets/displays re-send count for data packets.
Table 6. Command Summary (Continued) SET/PROGRAM COMMANDS COMMAND MDS 05-3301A01, Rev. C DESCRIPTION ADDR [1...65000] Details Page 36 Program network address AMASK [0000 0000–FFFF FFFF] Details Page 36 Sets alarm response. Default is FFFF FFFF. ASENSE [HI/LO] Details Page 36 Changes the sense of the alarm output. Default sense is HI. BAUD [xxxxx abc] Details Page 36 Set data communication parameters CTS [0–255] Details Page 37 Program CTS delay in milliseconds.
Table 6. Command Summary (Continued) DISPLAY OPERATING STATUS COMMAND DESCRIPTION ADDR [1...65000] Details Page 36 Network address (1-65000) AMASK [0000 0000–FFFF FFFF] Details Page 36 Sets alarm mask (response). Default is FFFF FFFF. ASENSE [HI/LO] Details Page 36 Changes the sense of the alarm output. Default sense is HI. BAUD [xxxxx abc] Details Page 36 Display data communication parameters.
Table 6. Command Summary (Continued) (CONTINUED) DIAGNOSTIC/TEST DISPLAY OPERATING STATUS COMMAND DESCRIPTION SNR Details Page 46 Signal-to-noise ratio. Expressed in dB. SREV Details Page 47 Display transceiver firmware revision level STAT Details Page 47 Show current alarm status TDD [ON/OFF] Details Page 47 Sets or displays time-division multiplex status of DATA INTERFACE connector. (Sometimes referred to as “simulated full-duplex” mode.
ADDR [1...65000] This command sets or displays the radio’s network address. The network address can range from 1 to 65000. Network address must be programmed at the time of installation and must be common across each radio in a given network. Radios are typically shipped with the network address unprogrammed. This causes the address to display as NONE. This leaves the system in an invalid state and prevents operation.
a = Data bits (7 or 8) b = Parity (N for None, O c = Stop bits (1 or 2) for Odd, E for Even) The factory default setting is 4800 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (Example: 4800 8N1). NOTE: 7N1, 8O2, and 8E2 are invalid communication settings and are not supported by the transceiver. BUFF [ON, OFF] This command sets or displays the received data handling mode of the radio. The command parameter is either ON or OFF. (The default is ON.
For DCE operation, the timer specifies how long to wait after the RTS line goes high before asserting the CTS line. A timer value of zero means that the CTS line will always be asserted (unless the radio is attempting to throttle back data as part of normal flow control operation). For CTS Key operation (see the DEVICE command), the timer specifies how long to wait after asserting the CTS line before sending data out the DATA INTERFACE port.
DLINK [xxxxx] DLINK followed by the baud rate sets the baud rate (bps) of the diagnostics link. The following DLINK baud rates selections are allowed: • • • • • 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 (default setting) Example: DLINK 4800 sets the RJ-11 DIAG port to operate at 4800 bps. The default is DLINK 19200 and DLINK ON. NOTE: The same baud rate must be entered into the appropriate field(s) of any Network Management Software, if used.
These node types are needed for repeater sub-networks and simplex sub-networks where simplex frequencies are used. See the Network-Wide Diagnostics System Handbook (05-3467A01) for an explanation of these node types. HOPTIME [XSHORT, 16, 20, 25, 32, SHORT, NORMAL, LONG] The HOPTIME command sets or displays the hop time setting. The command is one of eight keywords whose parameters and related efficiencies are shown in Table 7.
INIT The INIT command is used to reset the radio’s operating parameters to the factory defaults. This may be helpful when trying to resolve configuration problems that may have resulted from the entry of one or more improper command settings. If you are unsure of which command setting may have caused the problem, this command allows you to get back to a known working state. Use of the INIT command causes the changes shown in Table 8 to be applied. Table 8.
R-M indicates that the transceiver has been programmed to the special remote-master mode (remote radio operating on master frequencies) This is used in repeater-assisted peer-to-peer systems; see Section 2.2, Typical Applications (beginning on Page 3) for details. The R-M mode denotes a remote radio operating on master frequencies. In all other respects, a remote-master behaves the same as a normal remote. All units default to remotes; other modes must be specifically programmed with the MODE command.
For a master radio, under normal operation, entering the RSSI command causes the response NOT AVAILABLE to be returned. This is because a master is normally receiving signals from several remote stations and an RSSI reading would be continually changing. The only exception is when the SETUP command has been asserted. This disables hopping and allows reading a “raw” RSSI signal level in real time from a master or remote radio. NOTE: RSSI Readings are not accurate for incoming signals stronger than –50 dBm.
When the SEND command is issued without parameters, the cumulative retransmission count is shown. A value of 1 represents the default selection, meaning “normal, non-robust operation.” Values greater than 1 successively improve the chance of successful data delivery in spectrally harsh environments. (Note that the SEND count for a remote radio is only viewable when the remote is synchronized with its master station.) There are two formats for entering the SEND command.
When the SETUP command is entered, the HHT prompt changes to SETUP>, and: • Hopping is disabled. • Synthesizer frequencies are reset to the test frequencies specified by the TX and RX commands. • The radio can be keyed using the KEY command. DKEY is used to unkey the radio. (If the radio is left in a keyed state it is automatically unkeyed after several minutes.) • The RSSI is sampled in a raw, continuous fashion regardless of whether the unit is a master or a remote.
SKIP [NONE, 1...8] This command sets or displays which, if any, of the eight 3.2 MHz (128 frequency) zones will be skipped from the radio’s hopping sequence. Skipping zones is one way of dealing with constant interference on one or more frequencies. See Section 3.3 (Page 10) for more information on dealing with interference. Figure 24 shows the frequency range covered by each zone. The command parameter is either the keyword NONE or an undelimited string of up to seven digits where each digit 1...
SNR output ranges from 10 dB to 33 dB. A value of 10 dB represents little or no signal. A value of 24 dB represents a very strong signal. For remote radios, a value of 0 is reserved to mean “no signal”; it is displayed whenever a remote is not in synchronization with the master station. When the SNR command is used, it causes the DIAG(NOSTIC) port to enter an update mode, and it will provide an updated signal-to-noise ratio every 1.6 seconds. It stays in this mode until the ENTER key is pressed.
Note that when TDD is enabled (TDD ON), there is a significant impact on both data throughput and latency. Data throughput is roughly cut in half. Worst case data latency is increased by two hoptimes. The effect in seamless mode (BUFF ON) is even more pronounced, as shown in Table 10. Table 10. Hoptime Setting vs.
ZONE DATA The transceiver divides its frequency operating spectrum into eight contiguous 3.2 MHz zones. (These are the same zones referenced by the SKIP command described earlier.) Data frame statistics are maintained for each zone to indicate the transmission quality through the network. This information is useful for identifying zones where significant interference exists. Zone quality information can be accessed using the ZONE DATA command on a connected HHT.
A variation on the ZONE DATA command is ZONE DATA! This causes data to be retrieved from all zones. Data is sequentially displayed for each of the 8 zones and then control returns to the command prompt. (Note: If a frequency zone has been skipped, statistics will still be gathered for that zone when ZONE DATA is invoked at a remote site, but the numbers will accumulate very slowly since the only data being passed in a skipped zone is the radio’s synchronization signal.
PWR SYNC TXD RXD Table 11. LED Status Indicators LED Name Description PWR • Continuous—Power is applied to the radio, no problems detected. • Flashing 5 times per second—Fault indication. See Section 7.0, TROUBLESHOOTING (beginning on Page 50). • Flashing once every 4 seconds—Radio is in Sleep Mode. SYNC Lights continuously to indicate the radio is receiving/sending synchronization frames. Within 16 seconds of start-up, this LED should be lit continuously.
Alarm Code Definitions Table 12 contains a listing of all event codes that may be reported by the transceiver. Table 12. Alarm Codes Alarm Code Alarm Type Description 00 Major The network address is not programmed. 01 Major Improper software detected for this radio model. 02, 03 Reserved for factory use. 04 Major 05 -- 06 Major Analog-to-Digital (A-to-D) fault. 07 Major One or more of the radio’s internal voltage regulators is reporting a failure. The radio will not operate.
7.3 Performing Network-Wide Remote Diagnostics Diagnostics data from a remote radio can be obtained by connecting a laptop or personal computer running MDS Network Management Software to any radio in the network. Figure 30 shows an example of a setup for performing network-wide remote diagnostics.
A complete explanation of remote diagnostics can be found in MDS’ Network-Wide Diagnostics System Handbook (MDS P/N 05-3467A01). Table 13. Network-Wide Diagnostics Radio Setup Commands NETWORK-WIDE DIAGNOSTICS CONFIGURATION COMMAND DESCRIPTION DLINK [xxxxx] Details Page 55 Set baud rate of diagnostics link DTYPE [NODE/ROOT/GATE/PEER] Details Page 55 Set radio’s operational characteristics for network-wide diagnostics 1.
7. Launch the MDS Network Management application at the PC. (Refer to the software user’s manual for details.) DLINK [xxxxx] DLINK followed by the baud rate sets the baud rate (bps) of the diagnostics link. The following DLINK baud rates selections are allowed: • • • • • 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 (default setting) Example: DLINK 4800 sets the RJ-11 DIAG port to operate at 4800 bps. The default is DLINK 19200 and DLINK ON.
7.4 Troubleshooting Chart Table 14 provides suggestions for resolving system difficulties that may be experienced in the radio system. If problems persist, contact the factory for further assistance. Refer to the inside back cover of this guide for contact information. Table 14. Troubleshooting Chart Difficulty Recommended System Checks Unit is inoperative. a. Check for the proper supply voltage at the power connector. Interference is suspected. a. Verify that the system has a unique network address.
Network Addresses: 65,000 Temperature Range: –30°C to +60°C Humidity: 95% at +40°C; non-condensing Primary Power: 13.8 Vdc (10.5–30 Vdc range)* * Transceivers shipped prior to Revision “U” (November 1999) may be configured for 25 Vdc maximum DC input. Supply Current (typical): Transmit: 400 mA @ 13.8 Vdc Receive: 125 mA @ 13.8 Vdc Sleep Mode: <30 mA @ 13.8 Vdc Size (excluding mtg. hardware): 2.0" x 5.62" x 7.25" 51 x 143 x 184 mm Weight: 2.38 lb/1.
Desensitization: 75 dB Spurious: 70 dB minimum Bandwidth: 25 kHz Interference Ratio (BER degraded by 10-1): Co-channel: Adjacent channel: Two channels away: Three channels away: Time Required to Synchronize with Master Radio: –10 dB +30 dB +50 dB +60 dB Less than 13 seconds (typical) 8.2 RSSI Checks with a Voltmeter As an alternative to the HHT method of measuring RSSI (see Antenna Aiming on page 27), a dc voltmeter may be connected to Pin 21 of the transceiver’s DATA INTERFACE connector.
Invisible place holder Pin Pin Description No. Alarm Output Analog Input Pin Diagnostic Channel Enable Unused RSSI Voltage Future use— do not connect 9.9 Vdc Regulated Output Unregulated DC Input/Output Digital Output Pin Unused Unused Unused 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 Pin No.
Table 15. Data Interface Connector (DB-25) Pin Pin Number Input/ Output 14 -- Unused. 15 -- Do not connect—Factory test point. 16 -- Unused. 17 -- Digital Output Pin Output value is 3 Vdc for set and 0 Vdc for clear. May be activated via MDS Network Management Software. 18 IN/OUT Accessory Power Unregulated input/output. Provides a source of power for low-current accessories. The supply voltage may be between 11.0 and 25 volts. 19 OUT 20 -- 21 OUT 22 -- Unused.
The RTU simulator shown in the test setup (MDS Part No. 03-2512A01) is a microcontroller that emulates a remote terminal unit operating at 1200, 2400, 4800, or 9600 bps. Custom software is supplied with the RTU simulator that allows continuous polling of remote radios. The software reports the number of polls sent, polls received, and the number of errors detected. The software runs on an IBM-compatible personal computer. NOTE: It is very important to use attenuation between all units in the test setup.
Upgrading the Radio’s Software Using the Radio Configuration software, select RADIO SOFTWARE under the SYSTEM menu. Follow the prompts and on-line instructions to complete the upgrade procedure. UPGRADE Software upgrades are distributed as ASCII files with a .S28 extension. These files use the Motorola S-record format. When the download is activated, the radio’s PWR LED will flash rapidly, confirming that a download is in process. The download takes about two minutes.
8.6 dBm-Watts-Volts Conversion Chart Table 16 is provided as a convenience for determining the equivalent voltage or wattage of an RF power expressed in dBm. Table 16. dBm-Watts-Volts Conversion—for 50 ohm Systems dBm V Po dBm V Po dBm mV +53 +50 +49 +48 +47 +46 +45 +44 +43 +42 +41 +40 +39 +38 +37 +36 +35 +34 +33 +32 +31 +30 +29 +28 +27 +26 +25 +24 +23 +22 +21 +20 +19 +18 +17 +16 +15 +14 +13 +12 +11 +10 +9 +8 +7 +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 200W 100W 80W 64W 50W 40W 32W 25W 20W 16W 12.5W 10W 8W 6.4W 5W 4W 3.
Antenna System Gain—A figure, normally expressed in dB, representing the power increase resulting from the use of a gain-type antenna. System losses (from the feedline and coaxial connectors, for example) are subtracted from this figure to calculate the total antenna system gain. Bit—The smallest unit of digital data, often represented by a one or a zero. Eight bits (plus start, stop, and parity bits) usually comprise a byte. Bits-per-second—See BPS. BPS—Bits-per-second.
Fade Margin—The greatest tolerable reduction in average received signal strength that will be anticipated under most conditions. Provides an allowance for reduced signal strength due to multipath, slight antenna movement or changing atmospheric losses. A fade margin of 20 to 30 dB is usually sufficient in most systems. Frame—A segment of data that adheres to a specific data protocol and contains definite start and end points. It provides a method of synchronizing transmissions.
Mode—This refers to the programmed function of an MDS spread spectrum radio—master or remote. (See also Remote Station and Master Station.) Multiple Address System (MAS)—See Point-Multipoint System. Network Address—User-selectable number between 1 and 65000 that is used to identify a group of transceivers that form a communications network. The master and all remotes within a given system must have the same network address.
INDEX A ACCESS DENIED error message 31 Accessories (table) 7 ADDR command (set/display radio network address) 36 Alarm checking for 51 code definitions 52 codes 51 codes, table 52 major vs.
dBi, defined 64 dBm, defined 64 DCE, defined 64 Decibel (dB), defined 64 Default settings data interface baud rate 28 factory settings reset by INIT command (table) 41 re-initializing HHT to 29 restoring (INIT command) 41 See also individual command descriptions DEVICE command (set/display DCE or CTS Key behavior) 38 Diagnostics network-wide, performing 53 setup mode (SETUP command) 44 using InSite software for network-wide 53 Display alarm output sense (ASENSE command) 36 alarms (STAT command) 47 connector
feedline selection 12 peer-to-peer systems 19 performance optimization 26 primary power 17 programming network address 18 repeaters 22 requirements 7 setting data interface parameters 19 site selection 8 site survey 9 tail-end links 21 transmission path 8 Interference about 10 checks 28 troubleshooting 56 K Key set to CTS keying (DEVICE command) 38 transmitter, for antenna SWR check 27 KEY command (key transmitter) 27, 35, 45 L Latency, defined 65 LED status indicators illustrated 26 table 26 M Master Stati
data interface cable wiring for, illustrated 23, 24 installation 22 installing peer-to-peer with 20 system, illustrated 6 using single radio for 24 Root (radio diagnostics type) 39, 55 RSSI checking with voltmeter 58 RSSI command (display received signal strength) 42 RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) defined 66 simulator (used in test setup) 61 RTU command (enable/disable internal RTU) 43 RX command (set/display test receive frequency) 43 RXTOT command (set/display received data timeout value) 43 S SCADA (Supervis
IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY... MDS products are designed for long life and trouble-free operation. However, this equipment, as with all electronic equipment, may have an occasional component failure. The following information will assist you in the event that servicing becomes necessary. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Technical assistance for MDS products is available from our Technical Support Department during business hours (8:00 A.M.–5:30 P.M. Eastern Time).
Microwave Data Systems Inc. 175 Science Parkway Rochester, NY 14620 General Business: +1 585 242-9600 FAX: +1 585 242-9620 Web: www.microwavedata.com A product of Microwave Data Systems Inc.
