Hardware Solutions for Gas Utilities Manual

TWOWAY COMMUNICATIONS
ORION Migratable endpoints and ORION Fixed Network endpoints operating in mobile mode are capable of two-way
communication with the ORION FHSS mobile transceiver. Using the two-way functionality, extended status, historical interval
data and firmware information can be extracted from the endpoint.
The Service Details screen for an ORION Migratable endpoint provides access to the two-way communication functionality.
Figure 59 shows the Extended Status, Interval History and Firmware Version tabs in addition to the Reading tab on the
Service Details screen. Service Details can be accessed from the accounts in List View during a route read, or during Quick
Read. See "Service Details" on page 27 for more information.
OTE:N ORION Fixed Network endpoints operating in mobile mode display in ORS as "ORION ME".
Figure 59: Service Details – ORION ME
Signal Strength Indicator
On the Service Details screen, the icon displayed above the current reading field indicates the relative strength of the
communication signal between the ORION Migratable and ORION Fixed Network (in mobile mode) endpoints and the ORION
mobile transceiver. See Figure 60.
Figure 60: Signal strength icon Figure 61: No signal
As readings come in, the icon bars fill and flash to report changing communication conditions: 1-2 bars filled = weak signal;
3-4 bars filled = good signal; 5 bars filled = excellent signal.
If the mobile transceiver is not receiving a communication signal from the endpoint, the bars are covered by a red circle with a
line through it as shown in Figure 61.
OTE:N Two-way radio frequency communication operates best when there is additional distance between the reading
equipment and the endpoint. When attempting to use two-way communication, it may be necessary to increase the
distance between the reading equipment and the endpoint.
TWOWAY COMMUNICATIONS
Page 57 April 2014 ORION® Meter Reading System (ORS)