User manual

Page 22© 2009 Active Research Limited
Get from hardware:
Reads the current Port Conguration
information, for all channels, from the
connected NDC hardware. This will
overwrite any current settings held by the
Control Centre’s Port Conguration; if the current settings
must be remembered, the File → Save Conguration
le main window menu option should be used before
requesting this operation.
Reset:
Returns all Port Congurations to the
factory defaults – port priorities match
channel numbers (port 1 has highest
priority and port 4 has the lowest), NMEA
Baud rates are set to 4800 Baud, USB/RS232 Baud
rate set to 38400 Baud and the extra ARL P-codes are
enabled.
Send to Hardware:
Finalises the Port Conguration editing
operation. If any alterations to the port
conguration settings have occurred
the Control Centre will now attempt to
download the new settings to the attached Actisense
NDC hardware. The Flash Hardware Control window
will appear for the brief duration of the download (normally
one to two seconds).
Note: Pressing any of the threes buttons above will only
affect the Port Conguration settings.
Set-up Procedure
1. The USB / RS232 communication port defaults
to 38400 Baud - normally more than capable of
transferring the received data of all four NMEA input
ports. When connected to a Personal Computer
there should not be any reason to change this Baud
rate. However, if it is required to connect the NDC
hardware to an RS232 compatible device that does
not support the Baud rate of 38400, then the rate
can be changed. Left click on the USB / RS232 Port
Baud rate control’s down arrow to display the list and
then select the required Baud rate value.
2. The proprietary Extra ARL P-code sentences sent
by the NDC hardware are completely benign and
should be ignored by all other manufacturer devices.
The Actisense software programs (Control Centre
and ActiPatch) use these sentences to perform
certain operations that enhance their control over the
NDC hardware and are therefore important. There
should not be any reason for requiring that these
sentences be disabled. However, as Actisense
believes in offering complete control over its products,
it is possible to enable/disable these sentences by
clicking on the Extra ARL P-codes control.
3. The OUT 0 / RS232 output defaults to normal output
mode - that is, with the Clone output mode option
disabled. If however, it is required to apply the NMEA
lter settings to the OUT 0 data, enable this option.
4. As detailed above, the NMEA 0183 standard
determines the Baud rate of 4800. If however, to make
the NMEA input compatible with special devices that
offer a different Baud rate, the rate can be changed
by left clicking on the NMEA Port 1-3 pull-down lists.
NMEA Port 4 does not have a pull-down list as it is
xed at 4800 Baud.
5. To aid memory, it is normal to keep the port priorities
in the same order as the port numbers - port 1 has
highest priority and port 4 the lowest. However, if for
some reason the port priorities require changing and
it is inconvenient to alter the hardware connections,
the port priorities can be changed using the Input
Port priorities list.
6. If the NDC hardware has not been detected yet, the
Control Centre will not allow the conguration transfer.
If this happens check all cable connections, Control
Centre communication settings (port number and
Baud rate) and battery power to the NDC hardware
(the diagnostic LED should be lit and either a ‘Green’
or ‘Amber’ colour).
7. When the Control Centre has detected the NDC
hardware (the hardware information will be displayed
in the NDC Hardware Information window), clicking
the Send to Hardware control button will start a
transfer of the new Port Conguration data to the
hardware. This process can be monitored on the
Flash Hardware Control and NDC Hardware
Connection Status windows (normally for advanced
users only).
8. The Flash Hardware Control window will display the
success status of the transfer and then disappear.
9. If at any time you would like to return the Port
Conguration settings back to their defaults, press
the Reset to defaults control button followed by the
Send to Hardware control button.
Note:
1. The USB / RS232 output is unaffected by the NMEA
Port Priorities, and typically retains all received data
– as this port has a high enough transmit bandwidth/
capacity to handle all NMEA data received.
2. Pressing any of the three control buttons on the
Port Conguration Tab will only change / download /
retrieve the port conguration values.