Satcube Ku User Manual
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Document number: Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Release date: 30th October 2020 Disclaimer The information provided in this manual is for information purposes only. This document is subject to change without notice and may contain errors or inaccuracies. Make sure to acquire the most current version from the distributor before using the equipment. This document is a user manual for the Satcube Ku terminal.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Safety statements on batteries To avoid unnecessary hazards, observe the following directions. • • • • • Keep the battery packs away from fire. Do not disassemble, break or otherwise tamper with the battery packs. Do not drop the battery packs. Do not expose the battery packs to temperatures above 50 °C. Only use Lithium Ion battery packs that are supplied by Satcube. In case of battery fault, contact Satcube support at www.satcube.com/customer-service/.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Introduction The Satcube Ku provides the user with an internet connectivity anywhere on earth, by connecting to nearby geostationary satellites.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 System safety The following general safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation to avoid injuries or material damage. a) Security notice • Do not substitute parts or modify equipment Because of the danger of introducing additional hazards, do not perform any unauthorized modification of this product. If any unauthorized substitution of parts has been conducted the warranty will be declared void.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Figure 1 Ingress Protection, IP, rating explanation chart. The Satcube Ku Terminal is rated IP65. c) Electricity precautions • Keep away from live circuits To avoid injuries, always disconnect power and discharge circuits before touching them. User must not remove equipment covers or tamper with electric circuits in any way.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • • • Keep cables away from water Ensure that the power cable and other used cables are not placed in submerged conditions or in areas where water could collect. Make sure AC power supply is grounded If the equipment is connected to an AC power supply, the power supply must be properly grounded in order to ensure safe operation.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 for explanation of the used variables. Table 2 shows safety distances for the situation in Figure 2. Deploy and Power On a) Deploy terminal • • Unpack and position on a level surface. On rough terrain, the optional tripod can be used. Ensure terminal has clear line of sight towards satellite. A satellite finder app can be used to find approximate locations of satellites.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Figure 5 Wheel located on lefthand side of terminal. To LOCK/UNLOCK, turn as shown. Figure 6 Lock on right-hand side of the terminal. To SECURE in position, pull the lever as shown. Locked position in the right picture. Figure 7 Connection ports are located on the front of the terminal. The DC power cable socket is located to the right. Ethernet and USB ports are located to the left.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Accessing the Graphical User Interface (GUI) The GUI provides access to key functions, including starting/ending transmissions, enabling/disabling WIFI and terminal configuration. The connection can be done to the terminals static IP or to terminal dynamic IP assigned by modem DHCP. Using static IP way always works, dynamic IP is most convenient it does however require the modem to be configured to use DHCP.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 b) Status Bar In the bottom row of Figure 11 the status icons are shown. In the bottom left there are three battery indicators showing connected batteries and their power level. In this picture there is one battery connected that is fully charged. In Figure 12 the different battery symbols are shown; no connected battery, connected battery with corresponding charge level and the battery in the right most slot is charged by the terminal when mains power is connected.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • • • Satellite position the current profile has active. Satcube terminal IP where web GUI can be reached for when using automatic acquisition of IP. Usually WIFI. Last part shows Current software version or an indication if a new software update is available. In Figure 17 the current software of the terminal is seen 0.5.12 and by Figure 17 Home screen showing useful information. pressing OK button a new software update can be downloaded.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Terminal settings and configuration To function properly, the Satcube Ku terminal needs to know its own position and information about the satellite to which it will connect. All satellite details are stored in profiles which the user can switch between using the GUI or terminal display. a) Profile selection This can be done in one of two ways: i. Terminal display • Use the left/right buttons to navigate to the PROFILE selection screen seen in Figure 19.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 d) Recommended Configuration For the terminal to work as intended and to provide optimal user-experience the following configuration should be made. • • Set embedded modem to 192.168.222.222 - Crucial to all terminal to modem communication. Services like OpenAMIP and SNMP will be able to send over configuration data and link information such as C/N values. Enable DHCP in modem, activate automatic IP acquisition in terminal.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 a) Terminal Pointing • • Correct pointing depends on three elements; Azimuth which is changed by rotating the terminal base, Elevation which is changed by altering the upwards/downwards angle of the upper part and Polarization which is changed by rotating the upper part. The required values are calculated from the information provided by the satellite profile. Use the buttons to navigate to the POINTING screen to view these as can be seen in Figure 20.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 c) Maximizing Signal Strength Elevation and Polarization sensors are not susceptible to interference, but disturbances in the local magnetic fields do affect the Azimuth compass. Therefore, users should first set Elevation and Polarization to within 0.2° of the correct value and then sweep the Azimuth to find maximum signal strength. If the terminal support surface is not level, fine tune the Elevation and check the Polarization again after Azimuth adjustment.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Criteria is set to make sure terminal has been pointed correctly before transmission. • • • • • If OpenAMIP is configured terminal requires the permission from modem to allow transmission with the L 1 1 criteria. For more information about the L 1 1 criteria please consult the OpenAMIP documentation. Polarization value is pointed to within 0.5 degrees of target value. Elevation value is pointed to within 0.5 degrees of target value. No alarms are currently present.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • Beam Selection: The modem chooses the best deemed beam available at current location to be sent to the terminal using OpenAMIP. The selection is done from one of the preconfigured beams in the modem. Current beam is shown in the home screen as seen in Figure 23. • Beam Switch: If first assigned beam cannot be accessed due to line of sight issues or Figure 23 Terminal currently pointing towards a satellite weak signal a beam switch can be initiated. at 0.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Internet access Internet can be accessed either through the built-in WIFI hotspot or by connecting a device to an ethernet port. Ethernet is always active. WIFI is enabled/disabled via the GUI. By default, the WIFI password is “satcube123”; as this information is publicly available, it should be changed via the GUI to prevent unauthorized access. a) Enabling WIFI and changing the password via the GUI Go to SETTINGS.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 c) Stow the terminal • Loosen the lock on the adjustment wheel and fold the terminal. Make sure the latch on the upper antenna part is clasped tightly on to the base of the unit. Stow the terminal and the batteries in the provided case to avoid damage. Cleaning and maintenance a) General guidelines • • • • • In order to make sure the terminal is working as intended and to maximize the lifetime the following cleaning and maintenance routine should be adhered to.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • The hot air exhaust from the fans should also be inspected to ensure there has been no accumulation of dust hindering airflow. Exhaust is shown in Figure 26. Cleaning of the fans can be done using cotton buds. c) Cleaning the protective vents • • • The protective vents should be cleaned to ensure proper functionality. There are three vents on the terminal.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 e) Cleaning the interfaces and connections • • Interfaces, ethernet, USB, DC power and L-band connectors should be inspected to ensure that no dirt or excessive dust is found. If any dirt or other potentially harmful substances are present immediately clean affected interface. Battery connections should be inspected to ensure no cleaning is needed. f) Storage instructions Before long time storage: • Batteries should be charged.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Appendix Manual for the terminal’s GUI The GUI has 3 main tabs: STATUS, SETTINGS, ABOUT. Functions for each tab is provided below. STATUS | SYSTEM Figure 29 Status screen as seen when logged into the terminal web GUI. • • SATELLITE INFORMATION: Information about what satellite profile is currently selected (using either the GUI or terminal display). TARGET: Theoretical positioning angles for maximum signal strength.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • • • • • • • ORIENTATION: Current pointing angles. MAGNETIC FIELD: Measured magnetic field around the terminal. NOTE: High readings (above 100 µT) is an indication that pointing will be significantly affected and an alternative location should be found. CALIBRATION: If this button is present it means that the terminal has not been calibrated with the updated calibration sequence. Please click the button and follow the instructions.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 SETTINGS |CONTROL Figure 31 Control page providing toggle switches for POWER, TRANSMISSION and receive quality limit. • • • • • • TRANSMISSION: Use MODE to turn transmission ON/OFF. CAUTION! Before turning on the transmission, make sure no-one is standing in front of the terminal. PORT: Switches between internal modem and optional external modem/device.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • • • SATELLITE NAME: Enter the name of the satellite. LONGITUDE: Enter the satellite’s unique longitude. DOWNLINK POLARIZATION: Select the correct polarization for the selected satellite. Figure 33 Page for editing preset satellite profiles in the GUI, which can then be accessed in the terminal display. • • • • • • POLARIZATION OFFSET: Enter a polarization offset in degrees if the selected satellite has its polarization axis outside of the geostationary arch.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 SETTINGS | POSITION - WIFI Figure 34 POSITION and WIFI settings • • POSITION: Select format for position (Decimal or deg/min/sec). If checkbox is not checked, the terminal will calculate and fill in the current coordinates automatically. If the terminal’s GPS malfunctions, check the box and enter the latitude/longitude manually before pressing SAVE. WIFI i. WIFI ON: Tick the checkbox to turn WIFI ON. This will be indicated on the terminal display. ii.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 v. vi. SECURITY KEY: The current password required to connect to the WIFI network. The default password is satcube123. As this information is publicly available, we advise you to change the password to prevent unauthorized access to the WIFI network. SAVE: Stores the current settings and uploads them to the terminal. SETTINGS | NETWORK Figure 35 The NETWORK configuration page in the GUI.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 SETTINGS | GENERAL – STATUS Figure 36 GENERAL and STATUS page • • • • • • • • GENERAL SYSTEM PASSWORD: tick the check box to password protect access to the GUI. By default, this is admin. We advise you to change this to prevent unauthorized access to the terminal. LOGS ENABLED: Tick the check box to generate log files. Unchecking this will result in the inability to for the support to solve issues experienced.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 ABOUT Figure 37 The ABOUT page of the GUI. • • • SOFTWARE INFORMATION: Displays current firmware and GUI versions installed HARDWARE INFORMATION: Displays current hardware revision and the serial number unique for each terminal. SOFTWARE UPGRADE: Allows a new software version to be installed. Either upload a file from a local device and press INSTALL, or with an active internet connection use the function CHECK ONLINE.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 The C/N value is zero for all orientations Wrong settings in satellite profile or modem profile Polarization value showing +45 degrees from “Zero position” The antenna elements inside the antenna are shifted 45 degrees SATCUBE PROPRIETARY Try one of the following: 1. Check selected satellite and ensure correct frequencies and LOs set in terminal GUI and in modem 2. Check RQ value and use instead if C/N is needed during pointing. 3. Check line of sight 4.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Red RQ value The embedded power sensor needs to be calibrated. Can only be red when RF Detector Bandwidth in the satellite preset is set to 0 (not recommended). Set RF Detector bandwidth in as seen in Figure 33. Or: 1. Move the terminal to an open space with free line of sight towards open sky. Increase or decrease elevation angle to an angle that is more than 12 degrees away from nominal elevation towards the current selected satellite.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Technical specifications General terminal specifications Item Dimensions Total weight Data rate Batteries Frequencies Polarization EIRP G/T Satellite modem Power consumption Secondary links Interfaces User interface Water and dust protection DC input AC/DC input range Ambient temperature tolerance Specification 470 / 300 / 55 mm (18.50 / 11.81 / 2.17 inches) 8 kg (17.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Interface • Power input The power input is located at the front right side of the terminal, covered by a rubber protection. Figure C1 DC power input interface. Item AC input range Power consumption DC input voltage DC connector type DC connector male type Current rating Pin count Max. operating temperature Min. operating temperature Connector IP grade Figure C2 DC connector pin layout (terminal view).
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 • LAN interface and USB interface The LAN and USB connections are located at the front left side of the terminal, covered by a plastic protection. 1 2 3 Figure C2 LAN and USB interfaces. Port 1 2 3 • Type 100 Mbps Ethernet 100 Mbps Ethernet USB L-band interface An L-band interface is available on the backside of the antenna, located at the top right. The interface consists of two SMA connectors with an impedance of 50 ohm.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Battery pack The supplier states that this battery meets the requirements of Battery Directives and the battery parts are RoHS compliant. Item Type of battery Cell model Weight Rated capacity Nominal voltage Watt hour rating Charging method Max. charge voltage [V] Max. continuous charge current Rec. Charge cut off Max. continuous discharge current Rec.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Integrated Modem Satcube terminals come with integrated modems. It is either a UHP Networks modem, UHP-210, or an iDirect modem, IQ200. The use of the modems in the Satcube terminal is described in this section and a brief description on modem configuration. For extensive setup instructions or user manuals the reader is referred to respective modem manufacturer’s own documentation.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 iDirect IQ200 The iDirect IQ200 has default IP-address 192.168.0.1 and to log in the defaults are • • Username: admin Password: iDirect After Satcube configuration the IP-address is 192.168.222.222/29. Login credentials are either as above or as follows: • • Username: admin Password: P@55w0rd! All the transmission parameters in the IQ200 modem is set by your service provider by providing option files.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 OpenAMIP Is a protocol that enables the modem to talk to an antenna control unit in this case the terminal embedded system. OpenAMIP requests the remote geo location from the terminal. Using that information, the modem decides from a beam map (a predefined set of satellite beams with the frequency information associated with different geolocations) which satellite and with what frequency settings to try to connect to a HUB.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Embedded Network Topology The Satcube Ku terminal's on-board components communicate on the 8-address subnet 192.168.222.216/248. The allocation of the different addresses can be found in Table 3. A network topology map can be found in Figure 38. All the switches are completely transparent to the network and allows all traffic. VLAN traffic out from the modem must pass through ethernet port 2 as the WIFI module blocks VLAN tagged traffic.
Satcube Ku User Manual v2.3-2020 Table 3 Network addresses in the Satcube Ku terminal internal network. IP address Function 192.168.222.216 192.168.222.217 192.168.222.218 Subnet address Unassigned Unassigned Comments 192.168.222.219 MCU (Terminal) 192.168.222.220 192.168.222.
