User Manual

SGD-SB2025NT-TUM, Part 2
Jan 12 Page 63 SOLAR CHANNELS
6 SOLAR CHANNELS (RELATIONS)
6.1 M ULTI -C HANNEL O VERVIEW
The ‘Facility Key’ controlled Multi-channel option of the TM allows a collection of Station NI (sites)
to be grouped together and operate as an independent sub-system of the parent Solar network.
These groupings will be referred to as a “Solar Channel” and, although it is anticipated that all base
stations or repeaters on a Solar Channel would be operating on the same radio frequency, it is not
mandatory.
The maximum capacity of a Solar TM is 32 Station NI (sites) and every TM is able to support the
maximum irrespective of any options. A TM can also support up to 16 Channels but will be
programmed for the number according to the option fitted. The Station NI can be distributed
across these channels in any mix of quantities; for example eight channels of four sites each or
four channels with eight sites each and so on. The introduction of Solar 2 has seen the feature
added to have more than one Central NI per channel in order to provide multiple presentations to
Control/Console systems. However, the maximum number of Central NIs per system remains at
16 no matter these are allocated to channels. A channel need not have a Central NI if no
Control/Console connection is required.
6.2 R ELATIONS F UNCTION
6.2.1 NI to Channel Association
The facility to define which Station(s) belong to which channel and to define which Central NI, if
any, will operate a channel is accessed by clicking the ‘Relations’ button on the TM Status panel
(see Section 3.4.1 ).
Figure 56. Route to Relations page.
This will open a window that has three rows of numbered squares: Station NIs across the top;
Channels in the middle; and Central NIs across the bottom. Station squares and Central squares
will only become active when allocated to an NI. Channel squares will be active to the number
authorised on the system.
The example ‘Relations’ page, shown overleaf in Figure 57 , shows a TM with the 16 channel
option that has six Station NIs and three Central NIs enabled. The ‘Relations’ page is available on
a single channel TM but it serves no purpose in the configuration process.
A Station NI square will be active when the corresponding Station NI panel is enabled and a
Central NI square will be active when the corresponding Central NI panel is enabled. The channel
squares that are active will correspond to the number of channels that have been enabled by the
Facility Key.
At the initial configuration stage, all Station NIs will be associated to channel #1 and the Central NI
will be related to channels on a one to one basis. Once all the NIs that form the Solar network
have been allocated to a Station or Central role and are online, the redefining of relationships
between channels and NI can be undertaken. These relationships are shown by the lines that link
the squares. It is not possible to delete a relationship only to change it.