INSTRUCTION MANUAL RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Data Radios/Modems Revision: 3/14 C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 0 1 - 2 0 1 4 C a m p b e l l S c i e n t i f i c , I n c .
Warranty “PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC. are warranted by Campbell Scientific, Inc. (“Campbell”) to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for twelve (12) months from date of shipment unless otherwise specified in the corresponding Campbell pricelist or product manual. Products not manufactured, but that are re-sold by Campbell, are warranted only to the limits extended by the original manufacturer.
Assistance Products may not be returned without prior authorization. The following contact information is for US and international customers residing in countries served by Campbell Scientific, Inc. directly. Affiliate companies handle repairs for customers within their territories. Please visit www.campbellsci.com to determine which Campbell Scientific company serves your country. To obtain a Returned Materials Authorization (RMA), contact CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC., phone (435) 227-9000.
– CAUTION – Where an AC adapter is used, CSI recommends Item # 15966. Any other AC adapter used must have a DC output not exceeding 16.5 Volts measured without a load to avoid damage to the RF401/RF430 Series radio! Over-voltage damage is not covered by factory warranty! (See Section 4.
Table of Contents PDF viewers: These page numbers refer to the printed version of this document. Use the PDF reader bookmarks tab for links to specific sections. 1. Introduction ................................................................. 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 RF401-series Radios ............................................................................ 2 RF430-series Radios ............................................................................ 2 Combination Mode Communications ..................
Table of Contents 5.1.2.4 RS-232 Baud Rate ........................................................... 25 5.1.2.5 CS I/O ME Baud Rate ..................................................... 26 5.1.2.6 Hop Sequence .................................................................. 26 5.1.2.7 Net Address ..................................................................... 26 5.1.2.8 Radio Address ................................................................. 26 5.1.2.9 Power Modes ..........................
Table of Contents H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors................................................................... H-1 I. Phone to RF401 Series ............................................. I-1 I.1 I.2 PakBus Network................................................................................ I-1 Non-PakBus Network ....................................................................... I-7 J. Monitor CSAT3 via RF401 Series ........................... J-1 K.
Table of Contents 5-1. 5-2. 5-3. 5-4. 5-5. 5-6. 5-7. 5-8. D-1. D-2. D-3. D-4. D-5. D-6. D-7. D-8. F-1. F-2. G-1. I-1. I-2. I-3. I-4. I-5. K-1. K-2. K-3. Default DevConfig Screen for Setting Up the RF401 radios (OS4 or higher) ....................................................................................... 23 PakBus tab in DevConfig (with Default Settings) ............................. 28 Select RF4XX for connection type for a multipoint (non PakBus) network. .......................................
Table of Contents H-1. H-2. K-1. L-1. 900 MHz Distance vs. Path Loss (Lp in dB) per Three Path Types ........................................................................................... H-6 Path Type vs. Path Characteristics Selector .................................... H-6 900 MHz Gain Antenna Test Distances .......................................... K-6 Advanced Setup Menu .....................................................................
Table of Contents vi
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 1. Introduction This manual discusses the RF401-series and RF430-series spread spectrum radios. Spread spectrum radios spread the normally narrowband information signal over a relatively wide band of frequencies. This allows the communications to be more immune to noise and interference from RF sources such as pagers, cellular phones and multipath.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 1.1 RF401-series Radios The RF401-series radios have a CS I/O port and an RS-232 port (see FIGURE 1-1). These radios can serve as a field modem/radio while connected to the datalogger or as a base station modem/radio when connected to a PC’s RS-232 port. The following models are available: • RF401 915 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF401 radio, an RF430 radio, a CR206(X) datalogger, or an AVW206 interface.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems NOTE • RF430 915 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF430 radio, RF401 radio, or a CR206(X) datalogger. The 915 MHz frequency is used in the US/Canada. • RF431 922 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF431 radio, an RF411 radio, or a CR211(X). The 922 MHz frequency is used in Australia/Israel. • RF432 2.4 GHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF432 radio, an RF416 radio, or a CR216(X).
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 1.4 • Short Haul modem to radio: PC to short haul modems to radios to datalogger (see Appendix G, Short-Haul Modems) • Ethernet network to radio: PC to Internet to NL100 to radio to datalogger (use LoggerNet IPPort, remote IP address, port number) Retired Spread Spectrum Radios 1.4.1 RF400-series Radios On May 2, 2005, the RF401, RF411, and RF416 replaced the RF400, RF410, and RF415, respectively.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems Quiescent Current in Standby Modes* Avg. Quiescent Current (mA) RF401/ RF430/ RF411 RF416 RF431 24.0 33.0 26.2 3.9 5.5 5.7 2.0 2.8 2.4 1.1 1.5 1.6 0.64 0.84 1.1 0.40 0.50 0.60 * Not receiving a signal nor transmitting RF432 39.8 9.2 3.8 2.4 1.5 0.75 Physical Size: Weight: Operating temp.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 3. Installation 3.1 Site Considerations Location of a radio near commercial transmitters, such as at certain mountaintop sites, is not recommended due to possible “de-sensing” problems for the radio. A powerful signal of almost any frequency at close range can simply overwhelm a receiver. Lower power and intermittent repeater sites may not be a problem.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems c. NOTE If using an RF430, install the USB drivers to the PC by doing the following procedures. Install drivers BEFORE connecting the RF430 to the PC. You cannot use the RS-232 port to configure the radio. • Obtain software drivers from one of the following sources. Source 1: Insert the CD supplied with a new RF430. The CD should auto run and present a menu (if not, open AutoRun.exe). Click on [Install Drivers] button.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems NOTE 8 d. If using an RF401, plug AC adapter into AC outlet and plug barrel connector into the base radio’s “Power” jack. The RF430 is powered through its USB port. After connecting the radio to its power source, you will see the red “Pwr/TX” LED light immediately followed by the green RX LED in about 5 seconds. The green LED goes off after a second and the red after ten seconds indicating a successful power-up.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems - RX LED Test To determine if there is a neighboring radio network in operation using the same hopping sequence as yours, stop communications on your network and observe your radio’s green LED for activity. A flashing green LED would indicate that there is a nearby network using the same hopping sequence. • Click apply after changing settings. AC Adapter RS-232 LoggerNet Datalogger CS I/O CS I/O FIGURE 3-1.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems TABLE 3-2. Lacking 12 V on CS I/O Pin 8 EQUIPMENT CR500 CR7 700X Bd. 21X CR10 Wiring Panels PS512M Power Supply SERIAL NUMBER < 1765 < 2779 < 13443 All (black, gray, silver) < 1712 When you connect power to the RF401 (through the SC12 cable or the optional Field Power Cable) you should see the power-up sequence of red and green LEDs described in Step 1 (assuming datalogger is powered).
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems b. CAUTION For the datalogger settings, set the Baud Rate to match the radio’s RS-232 baud rate. (The radio’s default RS-232 baud rate is 38.4 kbps.) The datalogger “Extra Response Time” can be left at 0 (see FIGURE 3-3). For safety, maintain 20 cm (8 inches) distance between antenna and any nearby persons while the radio is transmitting. FIGURE 3-3. The Baud Rate in LoggerNet must match the radio’s RS232 baud rate. 3.2.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 3.3 Antenna Considerations 3.3.1 Line of Sight The single most important factor in radio performance is antenna placement. As Appendix H, Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors, states, “height is everything.” The two radios must be able to ‘see’ each other if distances over a mile or two are required. This can be accomplished with a mast or tower. 3.3.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems Green LED activity indicates that there is an RF signal being received whose hopping sequence corresponds to the configured hopping sequence of the RF401. This does not necessarily mean that the network/radio address of the received packet corresponds with that of the RF401 (where a neighboring network exists it is a good idea to choose a unique hopping sequence). 4.1.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems TABLE 4-1. 15966’s Voltage Regulation Current Drain (mA) 0 (no load) 122 807 Resistive Load (Ohms) ∞ (open circuit) 100 Ω 15 Ω AC Adapter Output (Volts) 12.22 12.20 12.11 The voltage regulation of the 15966 is exceptionally good. Power connector polarity: inner conductor positive (+) CAUTION There are many AC adapters available with barrel connectors (plugs) that will fit the RF401 or RF430.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 4.2.2 Remote Sites with Datalogger At the remote site, an RF401 radio is usually powered by the datalogger through its CS I/O port. Alternatively, the #14291 Field Cable can be used to connect the radio to an appropriate 12 Vdc power supply. The 14291 Field Cable connects to the radio’s Power jack.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 4.4 Compatible Antennas NOTE The 900 MHz antennas are compatible with the RF401, RF411, RF430, and RF431. The 2.4 GHz antennas are compatible with the RF416 and RF432. Several antennas are offered to satisfy the needs for various base station and remote station requirements. These antennas have been tested at an authorized FCC open-field test site and are certified to be in compliance with FCC emissions limits.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 16755 2.4 GHz, 13 dBd ANTENNA, ENCLOSED YAGI, allows vertical or horizontal polarization, MAXRAD WISP24015PTNF, boom length 17 inches, diameter 3 inches, W/ END MOUNT to fit 1 to 2 in. O.D. mast (requires antenna cable and possibly a surge protector; see Section 4.5, Antenna Cables and Surge Protection). FCC OET Bulletin No.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems FIGURE 4-3. Item #14201 900 MHz Yagi, 9 dBd w/Mounts FIGURE 4-4. Item #14205 900 MHz Yagi, 6 dBd w/Mounts FIGURE 4-5.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems FIGURE 4-6. Item #15970 900 MHz Indoor Dipole, 1 dBd Window/Wall Mounted FIGURE 4-7. Item #16005 2.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems FIGURE 4-8. Item #16755 2.4 GHz Enclosed Yagi, 13 dBd w/Mounts FIGURE 4-9. Example COAX RPSMA-L Cable for Yagi or Omni Colinear FIGURE 4-10.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 4.5 Antenna Cables and Surge Protection 4.5.1 Antenna Cables The 14201, 14203, 14205, 14221, and 16755 antennas require an antenna cable; either (1) the COAXRPSMA or (2) the COAXNTN with surge protector (see FIGURE 4-9 and FIGURE 4-10). Indoor omnidirectional antennas are either supplied with an appropriate cable or connect directly to the radio. 4.5.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems FIGURE 4-11. Enclosure with Antenna Surge Protector for RF401 5. Software 5.1 DevConfig RF401s with operating systems of OS4 or higher and RF430s are configured for PakBus networks. If the default settings need to be changed, our Device Configuration Utility (DevConfig) is often the preferred method to use. DevConfig provides the settings for the standard setup (see Appendix B, Advanced Setup Menu, for the advanced setup menu).
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems (5) Select the port matching the COM or USB port on the PC in which the radio is connected. (6) Click on the “Connect” button on the bottom left of the DevConfig screen. (7) Press the “Setup” button on the radio, and DevConfig will display the Deployment panel—defaulting to the RF401/RF411/RF416 or RF430/RF431/RF432 tab (see FIGURE 5-1). (8) Click Apply after changing settings. 5.1.2 RF401/RF411/RF416 or RF430/RF431/RF432 Tab FIGURE 5-1.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.1.2.1 Active Interface CAUTION The only Active Interface settings that are available for the RF430 radios are Auto Sense and RS-232. When changing the RF430 active interface, it is necessary to cycle power to the RF430 for the change to take effect. The factory default setting for Active Interface is “Auto Sense.” It is designed to automatically configure the radio’s port for common user situations.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems by using RF level packet acknowledgements and retries. This is done for any size network. CAUTION Do not mix the “Transparent” protocol with any of the PakBus protocols. This will produce RF traffic without any RF communications. One of the PakBus protocols is preferable when using dataloggers with the PakBus operating system (e.g.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems NOTE If the RF430’s operating system is prior to OS2, its USB port will only communicate at 38.4 kbps. Therefore, the RF430 operating system will need to be updated to a newer version if the network will contain dataloggers that do not support 38.4 kbps. Operating system updates are available from www.campbellsci.com/downloads.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.1.2.9 Power Modes The radio’s average idle current can be set with the following Standby Modes (default setting shaded): TABLE 5-1. Standard Setup Menu Duty Cycle DevConfig Setting Advanced Standby Mode Maximum Response Delay* 100% < 24 mA – always on 0 100 ms 17% < 4 mA ½ sec 4 600 ms 4% < 2 mA 1 sec 6 1100 ms 2% < .4 mA 8 sec 7 8100 ms *Maximum time it takes to get an RF Packet sent and for the other radio to respond.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.1.3 PakBus Tab FIGURE 5-2. PakBus tab in DevConfig (with Default Settings) The settings entered in DevConfig’s PakBus tab are only used when the radio is set to the PakBus Node protocol. The PakBus Node protocol setting is for standalone RF routers (repeaters). In this mode, the radio is not attached to any datalogger or PC; it is ONLY a RF router. Each standalone router in a network needs a unique PakBus address.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems Defaults can often be used for the other settings provided in the PakBus tab. The default settings are shown in FIGURE 5-2. Beacon Interval Setting, in units of seconds, governs the rate at which the radio will broadcast PakBus messages in order to discover any new PakBus neighboring nodes. For the router configuration, this is broadcast over RF; otherwise it is broadcast on the wired port.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems FIGURE 5-3. Select RF4XX for connection type for a multipoint (non PakBus) network. FIGURE 5-4. For the datalogger settings, the baud rate must match the radio’s RS-232 baud rate.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.2.1.1 Standard Setup (RF400) FIGURE 5-5. Default Screen for the RF400 Standard Setup in LoggerNet 4 Communication Enabled - Before communication can take place, all devices in the chain must be enabled. When this box is selected, the radio is enabled for communication. Maximum Time On-Line – This field is used to define a time limit for maintaining a connection to the device.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems buttons. If the Reset Max Time button is pressed, the Max Time On-Line counter will be reset. If the Don’t Reset button is pressed or if no button is pressed, the connection will be terminated when Max Time On-Line is reached. The format for this field is 00 h(ours) 00 m(inutes) 00 s(econds). NOTE If you are using LoggerNet Admin or LoggerNet Remote 4.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.2.1.2 Standard Setup (RF400 Remote) FIGURE 5-6. Default Screen for the RF400 Remote Standard Setup in LoggerNet 4 Communication Enabled - Before communication can take place, all devices in the chain must be enabled. When this box is selected, the RF400 radio is enabled for communication. Maximum Time On-Line – This field is used to define a time limit for maintaining a connection to the device.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems buttons. If the Reset Max Time button is pressed, the Max Time On-Line counter will be reset. If the Don’t Reset button is pressed or if no button is pressed, the connection will be terminated when Max Time On-Line is reached. The format for this field is 00 h(ours) 00 m(inutes) 00 s(econds). NOTE If you are using LoggerNet Admin or LoggerNet Remote 4.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 5.2.3 PakBus Graph PakBus Graph is a LoggerNet utility that graphically depicts the devices and connections in a PakBus datalogger network. In PakBus graph, the LoggerNet server is typically represented by PakBus address 4094, and each of the PakBus dataloggers that have been configured in Setup will be shown by the PakBus address in brackets followed by its name assigned through LoggerNet setup.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 6. Troubleshooting If you can’t connect, check out these possible causes: 1. Datalogger or Wiring Panel lacks 12 V power on pin 8 of CS I/O port. The RF401 should go through its initialization with red and green LEDs lighting (see Section 4.1.1, Indicator LEDs) when serial cable is connected if 12 V is present on CS I/O connector (see Quick Start Table 2).
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems 7. Radio receiver is “de-sensing” from nearby transmitter. This problem can be observed from LED behavior when operating a handheld radio near an RF401 or RF430 that is receiving collected data from a remote station.
RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems c. Change polarization (element orientation) of all yagi and collinear antennas in your network to see if that reduces effects of offending transmitter. 10. PC208W.dnd file is corrupted. The remote possibility exists that this file has become corrupted in your PC. After you create the Network Map in PC208W, you can back up PC208W.dnd in case this should happen.
Appendix A. Part 15 FCC Compliance Warning Changes or modifications to the RF401 series radio systems not expressly approved by Campbell Scientific, Inc. could void the user’s authority to operate this product. Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
Appendix A.
Appendix B. Advanced Setup Menu B.1 Accessing the Advanced Menu The standard Setup Menu is described in Section 5.1, DevConfig. The advanced Setup Menu can be accessed by configuring a terminal emulator program such as ProcommTM or HyperTerminalTM to 9600 baud (8-N-1). Connect the radio to the PC via the RS-232 or USB cable and press the Setup button on the radio. The advanced setup menu is shown below.
Appendix B.
Appendix B. Advanced Setup Menu B.2 Error Handling and Retries In the RF module received packets are analyzed for data corruption with an embedded CRC. The radio rejects a received packet (doesn’t send it out a port) if the packet’s header address fails to match the radio address, if an RF module receive error is detected, or if the RF packet’s CRC test fails. B.2.1 Number of Retries This setting specifies the maximum number of times an RF401 will re-send a packet failing to get an ACK response.
Appendix B. Advanced Setup Menu to 3, the transmitting radio will send the same packet up to 3 times; each time looking for an ACK packet back from the receiving radio. If it does not receive an ACK packet after sending the packet 3 times, the transmitting radio will increment its Number of Retry Failures count. If a radio is configured to do retries, it will produce an ACK packet for every RF packet that it receives, addressed to it, that has a valid CRC.
Appendix B. Advanced Setup Menu TABLE B-1. Advanced Setup Menu STANDBY MODE STANDBY AVG RECEIVE CURRENT Wake-up Interval (red LED flash interval) MAX. RESPONSE DELAY 01 < 24 mA 0 (constant) 0 sec 32 < 4 mA ½ sec ½ sec 4 3 < 2 mA 1 sec 1 sec 5 < 1 mA 2 sec 2 sec 6 < 0.6 mA 4 sec 4 sec 74 < 0.
Appendix B. Advanced Setup Menu LONG HEADER TIME Sets long header duration in tenths of a second. The default is 7 (for 0.7 seconds). If changed from the default of 7, this number should be set to the “Max. Response Delay” indicated in TABLE B-1 for the standby mode you are using plus 200 milliseconds (0.2 seconds). For example, if your standby mode delay is 2 seconds, set the long header time to 2.2 seconds. The valid number range is from 0 to 255. The longest long header time you should ever need is 8.
Appendix C. Address and Address Mask Address The address is 16 bits: (0 - 1111,1111,1111,1111) (0 - ffffh) 0 – 65535) binary hexadecimal decimal The two parts of the address are the “Network Address” and the “Radio Address.” The six most significant bits of the address are the “Network Address”, and the ten least significant bits are the “Radio Address.
Appendix C. Address and Address Mask four bits are not compared, any remote radio with Radio Address of 0 to 1111 (decimal 0 to 15) will be received by the base station. This allows multiple remotes in a network to be received by the base without changing the base Radio Address (the remotes cannot receive the base, however). Auto-Sense pre-configures as many settings as possible (including the address mask).
Appendix C.
Appendix C.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-toCR206(X) Communications Certain CR206(X) settings must match the RF401 settings for communications between the datalogger and radio to be successful. The factory default settings of these devices may not match. D.1 CR206(X) Setup Information 1. Access the Deployment panel in DevConfig (see FIGURE D-1). FIGURE D-1. CR206 Setup Main Menu 2. PakBus Address: Must match the PakBus Address in LoggerNet. 3.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications 6. Address: Enter 0 if the RF Protocol setting is PakBus. If the RF Protocol setting is Transparent, enter a number from 0 to 1023. This number must match the Radio Address setting for all RF401 radios in the network. The Address setting must also match the setting for all other CR206(X) dataloggers in the network. 7. Power Mode: Enter a radio “Power Mode” that works with the RF401's power mode (see TABLE D-1).
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications FIGURE D-2. This graph represents a transmitting radio that uses a long header and a receiving radio that is in a sleep cycle. The length of the wake-up initializer exceeds the time interval of cyclic sleep ensuring that the receiver detects the wake-up initializer and receives the payload (i.e., transmitted data). FIGURE D-3.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications Below is a description of all of the Power Mode options: • No Radio—datalogger model has no radio (not used with this application). • Always ON—radio always on; 25 mA continuous current drain; does not transmit wakeup header (alternatively you may check the "Ignore” box to disregard the Power Mode setting and keep the radio always on).
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications FIGURE D-4. DevConfig Deployment panel showing the CR206(X) setup for Example 1.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications RF401 Setup for Example 1 (see FIGURE D-5): 1. Since the RF401 will connect to a PC, select AutoSense or RS-232 Active Interface. 2. Choose PakBus Aware for the Protocol. 3. Must use 9600 baud rate to communicate with a CR206(X). The baud rate setting in the LoggerNet Setup screen must also be set to 9600. 4. Select Hop Sequence 0, which matches the CR206(X)'s hop sequence. FIGURE D-5.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications D.3 Example Setup 2 - Router to CR206(X) The following is a typical setup of an RF401 cabled to a router datalogger and linked to a CR206(X) in a PakBus network. CR206(X) Example Setup 2 (see FIGURE D-6) 1. Enter PakBus Address 1. 2. Select PakBus Aware for RF Protocol. 3. Select Hop Sequence 0. 4. Select Network (Address) 0. 5. The Radio Address is fixed at 0 when the RF Protocol is PakBus. 6.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications RF401 #1 Setup for Example 2 (see FIGURE D-7) 1. Since RF401 #1 will connect to a PC, select AutoSense or RS-232 Active Interface. 2. Choose PakBus Aware for the Protocol. 3. Use 9600 k baud rate to communicate with the CR206. The baud rate setting in the LoggerNet Setup screen must also be set to 9600. 4. Select Hop Sequence 0, which matches the CR206(X)'s hop sequence. 5. Select Net Address 0, which matches the CR206(X)'s address. 6.
Appendix D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications RF401 #2 Setup for Example 2 (see FIGURE D-8) 1. For RF401 #2 , select Datalogger SDC 7 (or 8, 10, 11). 2. Set the RF401 Protocol to "PakBus Aware". 3. Select Hop Sequence 0, which matches the CR206(X)'s and RF401 #1's hop sequence. 4. Select Net Address 0, which matches the CR206(X)'s and RF401 #1's address. 5. The Radio Address is fixed at 0 in PakBus modes. 6. Select Power Mode < 2ma 1 second to work with the CR206(X). 7.
Appendix D.
Appendix E. Port Pin Descriptions RS-232 Port The “RS232” port is a partial implementation of RS-232C. It is configured as Data Communications Equipment (DCE) for direct cable connection to Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) such as an IBM-PC serial port. RS-232 CONNECTOR, 9-PIN D-SUB FEMALE PIN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I/O DESCRIPTION O I TX RX GND O CTS I = Signal Into the radio, 0 = Signal Out of the radio Only CTS is implemented for flow control.
Appendix E.
Appendix F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations The following procedures explain how to build a basic RF401 point-to-point network and a point-to-multipoint network with base station connected directly to the PC COM port. The PC should be running LoggerNet or PC208W. The remote station can consist of a radio connected to a datalogger. F.1 Direct PC to RF401 Series Base Station Setup (Transparent Protocol) 1.
Appendix F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations - RX LED Test To determine if there is a neighboring RF401 network in operation using the same hopping sequence as yours, stop communications on your network and observe an RF401 green LED for activity. A flashing green LED would indicate that there is a nearby network using the same hopping sequence. f. Select 9600 for RS-232 Baud Rate. g. Select desired Standby mode (< 24 mA Always on, < 4 mA ½ sec Cycle, etc.) according to your power budget.
Appendix F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations F.3 LoggerNet Configuration (Transparent Protocol) There are two ways of configuring the Setup map for a point-to-point ‘network.’ You can represent the RF401s in the Setup map (as RF400s) or simply leave them off. The simple map usually results in a quicker connection and requires less typing.
Appendix F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations (3) Extra Response Times are typically 0 s 3 dBd Omni Collinear 9 dBd Yagi 6 dBd Yagi 0 dBd Half-wave CS I/O CS I/O CS I/O CS I/O RS-232 CS I/O AC Adapter FIGURE F-1. Point-to-Multipoint System F.4 PC208W Configuration For point-to-multipoint operation the RF401 can temporarily be put into AT Command Mode by sending a string of three ASCII characters. The default sequence to enter AT Command mode is: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Appendix F.
Appendix F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations FIGURE F-2.
Appendix G. Short-Haul Modems Set SRM-5A at PC end to “DCE” mode. Set SRM-5A at RF401 end to “DTE” mode. The PC to SRM-5A cable is typically a 9-pin female to 25-pin male (CSI Item # 7026). The SRM-5A to RF401 cable is 25-pin male to 9-pin male available as CSI Item # 14413. Setup LoggerNet as direct connect (refer to Section 3.2.3, Step 3 – LoggerNet Set-up). AC Adapter SRM-5A Short-haul Modems RS-232 DCE DTE Datalogger CS I/O CS I/O FIGURE G-1.
Appendix G. Short-Haul Modems The remote RF401 is typically powered via the datalogger’s CS I/O port. Refer to Section 4.2, Power Supplies, for more information about power supplies. NOTE G-2 With short-haul modems it is necessary to configure the base station RF401’s “RS-232 Auto Power Down Enable” (in the Advanced Setup \ Interface Parameters menu) to mode "0" which will maintain the radio's RS-232 port always active. This results in an additional constant 2 mA current drain by the RF401.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors NOTE You may test the radio communications by using the 21107 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Demo Kit; contact Campbell Scientific for more information.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors theoretically extends the attainable distance by a factor of 2.8. Adding 9 dBd yagi antennas on both ends in place of 0 dBd whip antennas theoretically extends the distance by a factor of 7.9. The higher the yagi’s gain, the narrower the beam width and the more critical it is that it be aimed right on target.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors Where: Pt => transmitter output power, in dBm (20 dBm in the case of the RF401 or RF411) Lt => cable loss between transmitter and antenna in dB (see Cable Loss section) Gt => transmit antenna gain in dBi (dBi = dBd + 2.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors CSI’s “COAX RPSMA-L” uses LMR-195 antenna cable. Cable loss is proportional to length as the following table illustrates. LMR-195 Cable Loss vs. Length @ 900 MHz LENGTH (ft.) 100 50 25 10 6 LOSS (dB) 11.1 5.6 2.8 1.1 0.7 Antenna Gain Antenna gain is specified either in dBi (decibels of gain relative to an isotropic radiator) or in dBd (decibels of gain relative to a dipole). The relationship is: dBi = dBd + 2.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors Here is a table showing the free space path loss (in dB). Note the effect of frequency. Frequency 400 MHz 915 MHz 2.4 GHz 1 mi. 89 96 104 2 mi. 95 102 110 4 mi. 101 108 116 8 mi. 107 114 122 Distance 10 mi. 16 mi. 109 113 116 120 124 128 22 mi. 115 123 131 26 mi. 117 124 133 30 mi.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors Rain, Snow, and Fog Below 10 GHz, these don’t have much effect on path loss (see Ground Reflections). Real World Distance Estimates From the above discussion of departures from the ideal “free space” path loss, it is clear that we should usually use something other than the 2nd power distance table.
Appendix H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors Here’s the equation we will use, from the first page: Pt - Lt + Gt - Lp + Gr - Lr = Pr Example #1 Antenex FG9023 antennas on each end, 20’ of LMR195 cable on one end, 10’ of LMR195 on the other end, antennas at 10’ height, fairly open terrain with a few trees. How far can I go? Pt = 20 dBm Lt = 20’ x (11.1 dB/100 ft) = 2.22 dB Gt = Gr = 3 dBd = 5.15 dBi Lr = 10’ x (11.1 dB/100 ft) = 1.
Appendix H. Distance vs.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series I.1 PakBus Network Use of the Network Planner may be the easiest method of configuring a phoneto-RF401 PakBus network (see FIGURE I-1). The Network Planner is a tool available in LoggerNet 4.0 or higher. In the Network Planner, select each device from a list and use the link tool to indicate physical communication. The Network Planner calculates the optimum settings for each device and can send the settings to each device.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series 1. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS a. b. c. d. e. 2. RF401s with OS4 or greater COM220 A100/PS100 or CH100 AC charger (CSI Item # 9591) or solar panel Two SC12 cables (one included with RF401 and one with COM220) POINT-TO-MULTI-POINT COMMUNICATIONS (PakBus Protocol) PC-Modem ----- COM220-A100/PS100-RF401 ------ RF401-PakBus DL (null-modem) LoggerNet SETUP a. Setup: ComPort_1 (choose appropriate ComPort) PhoneBase PhoneRemote PakBus Port CR1000_1 CR1000_2 b.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series NOTE If there is a neighboring RF401 network, you should change the Hopping Sequence of base and remote RF401s to a new setting to avoid interference. - RX LED Test To determine if there is a neighboring RF401 network in operation using the same hopping sequence as yours, stop communications on your network and observe RF401 green LEDs for activity. At this point, any green LED activity would indicate that there is a nearby network using the same hopping sequence. 3.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series FIGURE I-2. Phone base configuration.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series FIGURE I-3. Enter the base site’s phone number.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series FIGURE I-4. Enter 250 for the Maximum Packet Size. 4. HARDWARE After configuring LoggerNet and the RF401s you are ready to set up hardware. The A100 null-modem connectors connect via SC12 cables to the COM220 and the base RF401 CS I/O port. Connect the site phone line to COM220. Connect power to the PS100. Connect antenna to RF401. When you turn on the PS100 supply, the RF401 receives 12V power and you will see the LEDs light in their power-up sequence.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series I.2 Non-PakBus Network Where a phone to RF401 Base is desired in a non-PakBus network, the following configurations will provide Point-to-Point or Point-to-Multipoint communications (using the RF401 Transparent protocol). To have a base datalogger in this configuration requires that another RF401 be added at the base. 1. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS a. b. c. d. e. 2.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series NOTE If there is a neighboring RF401 network, you should change the Hopping Sequence of base and remote RF401s to a new setting to avoid interference. - RX LED Test To determine if there is a neighboring RF401 network in operation using the same hopping sequence as yours, stop communications on your network and observe RF401 green LEDs for activity. At this point, any green LED activity would indicate that there is a nearby network using the same hopping sequence. 3.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series b. Remote RF401s 1) Radio Addresses: 1, 2, etc. (unique for each remote RF401 and must agree with respective RF401Remote settings) 2) Protocol: Transparent 3) CS I/O Baud Rate: 9600 4) All other settings: default NOTE If there is a neighboring RF401 network, you should change the Hopping Sequence of base and remote RF401s to a new setting to avoid interference. FIGURE I-5.
Appendix I. Phone to RF401 Series 4. COM220 Dip Switches Dip Switch 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 NOTE Position Open Open Open Open Open Open Open Open Refer to the COM220 manual for more information about the COM220 Dip Switches. 5. HARDWARE After configuring LoggerNet and the RF401s you are ready to set up hardware. The A100 null-modem connectors (it’s not important which connector goes to which unit) connect via SC12 cables to the COM220 and the base RF401 CS I/O port. Connect the site phone line to COM200.
Appendix J. Monitor CSAT3 via RF401 Series Procedure for installing a pair of RF401 series spread spectrum radios for monitoring a CSAT3 system at a distance. This function has traditionally been implemented by running a short haul modem cable between CSAT3 and PC. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS • • • • • • Two RF401s (mounting bracket option available) Two RF401 antennas (and possibly cables, see Section 4.
Appendix J. Monitor CSAT3 via RF401 Series (g) RS-232 Baud Rate – use the default (9600) for RF401 radios with OS3 or earlier. For RF401 radios with OS4 or higher, change the setting to 9600. (5) Repeat steps 1 - 4 with the “remote” RF401. Temporarily use 6 ft. cable and AC adapter during the remote RF401 setup. CSAT3 monitoring requires a Point-to-Point network so you should configure all remote RF401 settings the same as you did for the base RF401.
Appendix K.
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests (e) ASCII (f) COM1 (or any available COM port) NOTE With some versions of HyperTerminalTM after changing a setting it is necessary to do a “Call Disconnect” (or “Disconnect”) followed by a “Call Connect” (or “Call”) for the new setting to register. (2) Connect an SC12 to the selected PC COM port either directly or via known-good RS-232 cable.
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests TESTING RF401/RF411s After verifying the functionality of the terminal program and the integrity of the serial cable and COM port, proceed as follows: (1) Connect 12V power to an RF401/RF411 (Field Power Cable (Item # 14291) with 12V battery pack attached (see step 12 below)).
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests FIGURE K-1. Loop-back Test without Antennas (9) Make sure that no antennas are attached to the RF401/RF411s (10) Label the other RF401/RF411, “Remote” (11) Insert jumper into the Remote RF401/RF411’s RS-232 connector pins 2 and 3 (using a U-shaped portion of a paper clip) allowing data received from base RF401/RF411 to be transmitted back to terminal screen by remote RF401/RF411.
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests TESTING ANTENNAS After setting up the terminal program and verifying the integrity of the COM port, serial cable, and RF401/RF411s, you are ready to test an RF401/RF411 antenna. Prepare to test an antenna by: • Orienting RF401/RF411s so that the antenna connectors are on top • Fastening RF401/RF411s to cardboard boxes or other non-metallic structures maintaining antenna connectors 20 inches above the floor.
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests FIGURE K-2. Vertically Polarized 9 dBd 900 MHz Yagi (ii) A collinear antenna should be solidly mounted in a vertical position so that its omnidirectional “pancake” pattern is horizontal. A metal or wooden stand can be used. FIGURE K-3. 3 dBd 900 MHz Collinear Omni Antenna (d) Set up remote RF401/RF411 with NO antenna and with antenna connector 20 inches above floor. (e) Arrange antenna distance apart according to following table. TABLE K-1.
Appendix K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests (f) Type 8 groups of 5 characters on the terminal (aaaaabbbbbccccc etc.) (g) 100% of characters should appear on screen with good yagi/collinear antenna. (h) Removing yagi/collinear antenna, you should get no echoed characters.
Appendix K.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations For remote sites with tight power budgets due to solar or battery power supplies, the following will help determine average current consumption. The RF401/RF411’s average current drain is based on: • • • • Standby mode of RF401/RF411 Data collection interval Number of data points collected “Time of inactivity to sleep” selection STANDBY MODES TABLE L-1.
Appendix L.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #1 (Remote RF401/RF411 in default standby mode) There is a Point-to-Point system with base RF401/RF411 and remote RF401/RF411. The remote station senses weather conditions and sends lowresolution data to final storage. The base station collects 10 data points from the remote station once per minute. Both stations are configured for “<4 mA, ½ sec Cycle” (the default standby mode).
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #2 (Base RF401/RF411 in default standby mode) The base RF401/RF411 in the above example does more receiving and less transmitting than the remote RF401/RF411 so you might expect less average current drain, however, the amount of data being transmitted per minute is small, and the long header required is significant.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #3 (Base RF401/RF411 in “<0.4 mA, 8 sec Delay” standby mode) The RF401/RF411s in this example are configured for the lowest possible average standby mode current (Advanced Setup Menu selection 7). The same amount and frequency of data are collected as in Example 1. It = Is + Ih + Iq + Ir + Ii Calculating each term: Is = table mA value = 0.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #4 (Remote RF401/RF411 in “<0.4 mA, 8 sec Delay” standby mode) The RF401/RF411s in this example are configured for the lowest possible average standby mode current (Advanced Setup Menu selection 7). The same amount and frequency of data are collected as in Example 1. It = Is + Id + Ir + Ii Calculating each term: Is = table mA value = 0.4 mA Id = [45 (ms) + 2 N (ms)] 65 ms × 73 mA = × 73 mA = 0.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #5 (Base RF401/RF411 in default “<4 mA, 1 sec Delay” standby mode) The RF401/RF411s in this example are configured for the default average standby mode current. The same amount of data (10 data points) are collected as in Example 1, however the frequency of collection is changed from once a minute to once an hour. It = Is + Ih + Iq + Ir + Ii Calculating each term: Is = table mA value = 4 mA Ih = L (ms) 700 ms × 73 mA = × 73 mA = 0.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #6 (Base RF401/RF411 in “<0.4 mA, 8 sec Delay” standby mode) The RF401/RF411s in this example are configured for the lowest possible average standby mode current (Advanced Setup Menu selection 7). The same amount of data are collected as in Example 1, however the frequency of collection is changed from once a minute to once an hour. It = Is + Ih + Iq + Ir + Ii Calculating each term: Is = table mA value = 0.
Appendix L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations EXAMPLE #7 (Remote RF401/RF411 in “<0.4 mA, 4 sec Cycle” standby mode ) The RF401/RF411s in this example are configured for the lowest possible average standby mode current (Advanced Setup Menu selection 7). The same amount of data are collected as in Example 1, however the frequency of collection is extended to once an hour. It = Is + Id + Ir + Ii Calculating each term: Is = table mA value = 0.
Appendix L.
Appendix M. PakBus Networking Details M.1 PakBus Aware, PakBus Node, and RF PakBus Both the PakBus Aware and PakBus Node settings use the RF PakBus Protocol allowing radios with these settings to coexist in the same network (i.e., some radios can be PakBus Aware and some PakBus Nodes). The PakBus Aware protocol does not require the assignment of a unique PakBus address, whereas each radio with the PakBus Node protocol must have a unique address (the default PakBus address is 1).
Appendix M. PakBus Networking Details For example, a 1000 byte PakBus packet that is normally sent in 16 (64 byte) RF packets will be sent in four (256 byte) RF packets. Reducing the number of RF packets sent to the receiving radio minimizes the interleaving of RF packets, which is a common cause of framing errors in the PakBus packets. M.
Appendix M. PakBus Networking Details M.6.1 Hop Metric Code The HopMetric code corresponds to the following times that are seen in PakBus Graph: HopMetric Code 0 1 2 3 4 Time 200 msec or less 1000 msec 5000 msec 10000 msec 20000 msec The duty cycle portion of the hop metric is: Standby Mode <24 mA Always On < 4 mA 1/2 sec Cycle < 2 mA 1 sec Cycle <.
Appendix M. PakBus Networking Details M.8 Optimization Since response speed is always important, you should use the fastest IO mode available. Specifically the fastest IO mode is CSDC for the datalogger interface and 38.4k for the RS-232 interface. Another reason to use the fastest IO mode is that the RF401 buffers the entire PakBus packet before sending it to the radio module (the RF400 would just start streaming it to the radio immediately), and therefore introduces a delay.
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