User Guide Trimble® SNB900 Radio-Modem Version 1.
Contact Information Trimble Navigation Limited Geomatics and Engineering Division 5475 Kellenburger Road Dayton, Ohio 45424-1099 USA +1-937-245-5600 Phone +1-937-233-9004 Fax www.trimble.com Copyright and Trademarks © 2005, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. Trimble and the Globe & Triangle logo are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited, registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.
AND REGARDLESS OF THE COURSE OF DEALING WHICH DEVELOPS OR HAS DEVELOPED BETWEEN YOU AND TRIMBLE. BECAUSE SOME STATES AND JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. NOTE: THE ABOVE LIMITED WARRANTY PROVISIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO PRODUCTS OR SOFTWARE PURCHASED IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TRIMBLE DEALER FOR APPLICABLE WARRANTY INFORMATION. Notices Class B Statement – Notice to Users.
Declaration of Conformity (Canada) Company name Trimble Navigation Limited Company number 1756 Company address Trimble Geomatics and Engineering Division 5475 Kellenburger Road Dayton, Ohio 45424-1099 USA 800-538-7800 (toll free in USA) +1-937-233-8921 Phone +1-937-233-9004 Fax Model number SNB900 Specification code 1756A-48480 Specification RSS210 Issue 3 Band 650KG1D Power 0.832 watt From frequency 902.6 MHz To frequency 927.
Safety Safety 1.1 1 Warnings and Cautions Always observe safety instructions that are presented in the following format: 1.2 C WARNING – A Warning alerts you to a possible hazard or unsafe practice that could result in serious injury or property damage. A Warning describes how to protect people and/or equipment from this risk. C CAUTION – A Caution alerts you to a possible risk of damage to the equipment and/or loss of data.
Safety 1.3 C WARNING – Avoid contact with the rechargeable Lithium-ion battery if it appears to be leaking. Battery fluid is corrosive, and contact with it can result in personal injury and/or property damage. To prevent injury or damage: - If the battery leaks, avoid contact with the battery fluid. - If battery fluid gets into your eyes, immediately rinse your eyes with clean water and seek medical attention.
Safety 1.4 Battery Consumption C 1.5 Installing Antennas C 1.6 CAUTION – Turbo mode increases power consumption by approximately 20%. If you work in Turbo mode, the battery will run down faster. CAUTION – For your own safety, and in terms of the RF Exposure requirements of the FCC, always observe the precautions listed here. -Always maintain a minimum separation distance of 21 cm (approximately 8 inches) between yourself and the radiating antenna on the SNB900 radio-modem.
Safety viii SNB900 Radio-Modem User Guide
Contents 1 Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Warnings and Cautions . Battery Safety . . . . . . . Disposing of the Battery . Battery Consumption . . Installing Antennas . . . . Operation and Storage . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents Use and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Use and care of the internal battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3 Configuration and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Configuring the SNB900 Radio-Modem Using the Front Panel Display . . . . 18 Status menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Network menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1 In this chapter: 1.1 Q Welcome Q Related Information Q Technical Assistance Q Your Comments Welcome This manual describes how to set up, install, and use a Trimble® SNB900 radio-modem. Even if you have used other radio-modems, Trimble recommends that you read this manual to learn about the special features of the product. B Tip – For an interactive look at GPS, go to the Trimble website at www.trimble.com.
1 1.2 Introduction Related Information Sources of related information include the following: • • • • 1.3 Release notes To read a summary of new and enhanced software features, read about small changes to the documentation, and receive step-bystep instructions for installing the software, open the release notes. Support page on the Trimble website For additional information such as service bulletins and FAQs, go to www.trimble.com/support.shtml.
Introduction 1.4 1 Your Comments Your feedback about the supporting documentation helps us to improve it with each revision. Send an e-mail with your comments to ReaderFeedback@trimble.com.
1 Introduction 4 SNB900 Radio-Modem User Guide
CHAPTER 2 Getting Started 2 In this chapter: Q Frequency Band Q Features Q Front Panel Display Q Menus Q Ports Q Cables and Accessories Q Use and Care The rugged Trimble SNB900 radio-modem is packaged in a weatherproof housing, making it ideal for harsh environments, such as those associated with construction, seismic, and mining surveys.
2 2.1 Getting Started Frequency Band The SNB900 radio-modem operates in the 902–928 MHz frequency band. It is certified for unlicensed use in this band as a transmitter, pursuant to 47 C.F.R. §§ 15.247, 15.249 (1993) (unlicensed, low-power devices) Subpart C of Part 15 of FCC Rules regarding Spread Spectrum Systems for the United States. License-free operation in Canada is covered by RSS-210 of Industrie Canada.
Getting Started 2 • High-speed wireless data rate • Interfaces with Trimble survey-grade and construction-grade GPS receivers • Rugged, weatherproof construction • Internal battery • Two-line, 16-character VFD display • Compatible with Trimble CMR+™ and RTCM SC-104 • Operational parameters configured using the WinFlash utility, a handheld controller, or the front panel • Can be configured as a base, repeater, or rover • Compatible with TRIMCOMM™ 900, SiteNet™ 900 and SNR900 external radio
2 2.3 Getting Started Front Panel Display The front panel of the SNB900 radio-modem (see Figure 2.1) has a Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) that shows the network frequency and radio status, as well as error messages. Power LED Front panel (display) Up button Logo showing location of Bluetooth antenna Next button Power button Figure 2.
Getting Started 2.4 2 Menus When you start the SNB900 radio-modem, the default Status menu screen is displayed on the front panel. This screen shows a summary of the radio-modem’s configuration settings. 24.1 Selecting a menu To move to a different menu, press the button on the front panel display. To scroll through the available settings in a menu, press the Up button or the Down button . 24.2 Main menus Table 2.1 lists each main menu and describes its use. Table 2.1 Main menus Use this menu .
2 Getting Started Table 2.2 lists the possible settings and the default setting for each main menu. Table 2.
Getting Started Table 2.
2 2.5 Getting Started Ports Figure 2.2 shows the location of three ports on the back panel of the SNB900 radio-modem: • a reverse polarity female TNC connector – the Radio-antenna port • a 26-pin D sub connector for power/data – the Modem port • a seven-pin female LEMO 0-shell connector for power/data – the LEMO port Radio-antenna port Modem port ETHERNET AUDIO REVERSE POLARITY VENT: DO NOT REMOVE External venting plug Figure 2.
Getting Started 2.6 2 Cables and Accessories The SNB900 radio-modem equipment set includes: • an antenna cable • an antenna bracket • a power supply When the radio-modem is configured as a base: 26.1 • Data is received at the LEMO or 26-pin connector from a Trimble GPS receiver. When the unit is configured as a repeater, no data connection is required. • The unit is powered by an internal battery or by a suitable power source, such as a stable DC power supply.
2 2.7 Getting Started Use and Care The radio-modem is configured as a base or rover, and can be connected to most Trimble survey-grade and construction-grade GPS receivers through a single serial I/O cable and power cable. When used as a repeater, the radio-modem operates autonomously and requires only a power and antenna connection, with no connection to the serial port. To achieve line-of-sight (LOS) coverage to all points in a survey area, an SNB900 radio-modem network can include repeaters.
Getting Started 2 C WARNING – Avoid contact with the rechargeable Lithium-ion battery if it appears to be leaking. Battery fluid is corrosive, and contact with it can result in personal injury and/or property damage. To prevent injury or damage: - If the battery leaks, avoid contact with the battery fluid. - If battery fluid gets into your eyes, immediately rinse your eyes with clean water and seek medical attention.
2 Getting Started To charge the radio-modem’s internal battery, connect the unit to a 15 Volt external power source and turn in on. If the SNB900 radiomodem is turned off, the internal battery will not be charged. Trimble provides the recommended power supply (P/N 48800-00) in the SNB900 kit. The internal battery of the SNB900 radio-modem will gradually lose capacity over its life. After approximately 500 charge/discharge cycles, the battery will be down to 80 % of its original capacity.
CHAPTER 3 Configuration and Installation 3 In this chapter: Q Configuring the SNB900 Radio-Modem Using the Front Panel Display Q Configuring the SNB900 Radio-Modem Using the WinFlash Utility Q Upgrading the SNB900 Radio-Modem Firmware Q Installing the SNB900 Radio-Modem in the Field To configure the SNB900 radio-modem for optimum use with a particular application, use the display on the front panel of the radiomodem.
3 3.1 Configuration and Installation Configuring the SNB900 Radio-Modem Using the Front Panel Display You can use the configuration menus that are displayed on the front panel of the SNB900 radio-modem to configure the radio-modem. No computer is required. The front panel provides access to the following menus: 31.
Configuration and Installation 3 Status menu screens: (1) Default screen Figure 3.1 shows the first Status menu screen. This is the default screen that is displayed when you supply power to the radio-modem. Radio-modem action Battery indicator Menu title Operating mode Figure 3.
3 Configuration and Installation Field Description Network number or CMR statistics This field switches between the network number and the CMR statistics approximately once every two seconds. When the network number is displayed, the field shows which network the radio-modem is operating on. Each network follows a unique hopping pattern.
Configuration and Installation 3 Status menu screens: (2) CMR Statistics screen A second Status menu screen, the CMR Statistics screen, displays additional CMR information. To access the CMR Statistics screen, press the default Status menu screen is displayed. button when the Menu title 5-minute CMR statistics Figure 3.
3 Configuration and Installation To return to the default Status menu screen, press the button when the Firmware screen is displayed. Alternatively, press the button to retrace your steps. 31.2 Network menu Use this menu to control which network the radio-modem is operating on. Each network has a unique hopping pattern. By choosing a unique hopping pattern, you can reduce the likelihood of interference from nearby transmitters.
Configuration and Installation • 3 Repeater – the radio is being used as part of a network, in order to extend radio coverage Repeater radios Note – A single network can have only one base radio but it can have many rovers and up to four repeaters. Each repeater in a network must be uniquely identified by the number #1, #2, #3, or #4. 31.4 Turbo Mode menu In areas of high radio frequency interference, Turbo mode can help to improve the reliability of the radio network.
3 31.5 Configuration and Installation Port Configuration menu: LEMO Port Configuration and Modem Port Configuration You can configure settings for the two data ports that are on the back panel of the SNB900 radio-modem. B Use this port ... To connect the SNB900 to ... LEMO port, the 7-pin port A Trimble GPS receiver, via a LEMO cable Modem port, the 26-pin port An office computer, or to another device that uses serial communication Tip – For the location of these ports, see Figure 2.2 on page 12.
Configuration and Installation 3 Editing the port configuration settings Use the LEMO Port Config menu to change the baud rate and parity settings for the LEMO port, and the Modem Port Config menu to change the baud rate and parity settings for the Modem port. To edit the port configuration settings: B 1. Access the required port configuration menu as described above. 2. Press the selected. button or the button until the Baud rate field is Tip – A field is editable if it blinks when selected. 3.
3 Configuration and Installation To access the display configuration menu, press the button on the front panel display until the required menu appears: To edit this setting, press the button or the button. When this option is selected ... The radio-modem display is ...
Configuration and Installation 3 Step 1: Installing the WinFlash utility Install this free utility from the Trimble Radio Communications CD. Alternatively, download and install the latest version of WinFlash from the Trimble website: 1. Go to www.trimble.com. 2. Click Support. 3. From the list, select SNB900. 4. Click Downloads. 5. Download the file the contains the latest version of WinFlash. 6. Run the file that you have downloaded. Follow the installation instructions provided by the wizard.
3 Configuration and Installation Step 3: Starting WinFlash and configuring it to connect to the SNB900 28 1. On the computer, run the WinFlash utility. The Device Configuration dialog appears: 2.
Configuration and Installation 3 a. Select the appropriate computer serial port (COM port). b. Select SNB900 and then click Next. The Operation Selection dialog appears: c. Select the Configure radio option and then click Next. The Settings Review dialog appears. d. Make sure that you have selected the correct operation and then click Finish. A connection status window appears.
3 Configuration and Installation When the status reaches 100%, the SNB900 Properties dialog appears: Use the dialog to configure the SNB900 settings. Configuring the SNB900 settings B Tip – For more information about settings, see Configuring the SNB900 Radio-Modem Using the Front Panel Display, page 18. To configure the radio-modem, edit the fields in the SNB900 Properties dialog: 1. In the Network number field, select the appropriate operating network. The default is Network 1.
Configuration and Installation B 2. In the Mode field, select the appropriate operating mode for the intended use. The default is GPS Base. 3. In the LEMO Port and Modem Port groups, select the required baud rate and parity settings. For both ports, the defaults are 38400 and None. 4. Choose a setting in the Power Down Display field. The default is Never Power Down. Tip – To extend the life of the internal battery by approximately 20%, use the radio-modem with the display switched off. 5.
3 3.1 Configuration and Installation Upgrading the SNB900 Radio-Modem Firmware Firmware upgrades for the SNB900 radio-modem are periodically available from the Trimble website. To upgrade the firmware: 3.1 1. Download the latest upgrade from the same location as the WinFlash utility. For more information, see Step 1: Installing the WinFlash utility, page 27. 2. Use the WinFlash utility to upgrade the firmware in the SNB900.
Configuration and Installation 31.2 3 Installing the SNB900 radio-modem as a base When the radio-modem is used as a base radio, it transmits GPS corrections from a base station receiver to rovers in a network. To install the radio-modem as a base: 1. If necessary, reconfigure the radio-modem serial port settings. These settings must be the same on the radio-modem as they are on the GPS receiver. 2. Connect the radio-modem to the base station GPS receiver.
3 30.1 Configuration and Installation Installing the SNB900 radio-modem as a repeater To achieve coverage to all points in a project site, you can add up to four repeaters to the network. Repeaters retransmit data packets in a way that prevents mutual interference with the base and with each other. A rover receiver uses data packets from the base or from a repeater, whichever it receives first. (The operation of the repeaters is transparent to the rovers.
Configuration and Installation 30.1 3 Installing the SNB900 radio-modem as a rover When the SNB900 is used as a rover, it receives GPS corrections from the network for use by a GPS receiver. To install the SNB900 radio-modem as a rover: 30.1 1. If necessary, reconfigure the radio-modem serial port settings. These settings must be the same on the radio-modem as they are on the GPS receiver. 2. Connect the radio-modem to the rover GPS receiver. 3.
3 Configuration and Installation (approximately 8 inches) between yourself and the radiating antenna on the SNB900 radio-modem. - Do not co-locate the antenna with any other transmitting device. - For mobile operation, do not allow the maximum gain of the antenna to exceed 5 dBi. Height Antenna height is the single most important factor in achieving maximum range with a radio-modem: Doubling the height of an antenna results in an approximately 40% increase in line-of-sight range.
CHAPTER 4 Antenna Details 4 In this chapter: Q Omni-Directional Antennas Q SNB900 Radio-Modem Antenna Range Q Energy Patterns The SNB900 radio-modem uses an omni-directional antenna that concentrates radio frequency energy and then radiates it equally at all azimuths in the horizontal plane.
4 4.1 Antenna Details Omni-Directional Antennas The SNB900 radio-modem uses an omni-directional antenna. The antenna concentrates the radio frequency energy that it receives from the radio-modem and then radiates that energy equally in all directions in the horizontal plane. The antenna does not increase the energy that it receives. Note – The omni-directional antenna used with the radio-modem is not omni-directional in the vertical plane. You must orient the antenna vertically.
Antenna Details 4.3 4 Energy Patterns Figure 4.1 shows the radiated energy patterns of an omni-directional antenna, viewed from above. Energy is radiated in the horizontal (azimuth) plane. 0 dB 5 dB 45° 12° Figure 4.1 B Antenna gain patterns in horizontal plane Tip – The horizontal plane is the plane that perpendicularly bisects the length of the antenna.
4 Antenna Details 40 SNB900 Radio-Modem User Guide
CHAPTER 5 Troubleshooting 5 In this chapter: Q Servicing Q Status Messages The SNB900 radio-modem provides status messages that you can use to isolate and correct system configuration or operational issues. 5.1 Servicing There are no user-serviceable parts in an SNB900 radio-modem. Contact your Trimble representative or local service provider for assistance.
5 5.2 Troubleshooting Status Messages A status message can appear as a one or two line message on the front panel. Table 5.1 Status messages Message Description Action Battery Low The internal battery is below approximately 25% capacity and the external voltage is below 11.6 V. To ensure uninterrupted radio transmission, connect a charged external power supply before the radio-modem drops below 5% capacity.
Troubleshooting Table 5.1 5 Status messages (continued) Message Description Action The connection on the Bluetooth port has been dropped. You may need to re-establish the Bluetooth connection. Charger Disable Radio Hot The charger has been disabled because the internal temperature of the radio-modem is above 45 °C (113 °F) The radio-modem must cool down before the internal battery can be charged.
5 Troubleshooting Table 5.1 Status messages (continued) Message Description Action There was an error on the serial port (baud rate/ parity/stop bits). Check the port data rate settings. 58 °C (136 °F) while on internal battery power or 80 °C (176 °F) while on external power The radio-modem must cool down before it can transmit again.
Troubleshooting Table 5.1 5 Status messages (continued) Message Description Action WARNING: Radio The internal temperature of the Cold radio-modem is below –12 °C (10 °F) while on internal battery power or on external power. Try to keep the radio-modem from getting colder. Consider the equipment setup as well as the environment.
5 Troubleshooting 46 SNB900 Radio-Modem User Guide
Index Down button 9 Next button 9 Up button 9 Numerics 0 db antenna 38 26-pin port see Modem port 3 dB antenna 35 5 dB antenna 35, 38 7-pin port see Lemo port A accessing CMR Statistics screen 21 Display Config menu 26 Firmware screen 21 Mode menu 22 Network menu 22 port configuration menus 24 Serial Number screen 21 Turbo Mode menu 23 accessories 13 antenna 5 dB, 0 dB 38 5 dB, 3 dB 35 connector, back panel 12 efficiency 36 energy patterns 39 height 36 installing 35 maximum gain vii, 35, 36 maximum g
Index Bluetooth Port X Connected/Disconnected message 42 browsing menu screens 9 bulletins from website 2 C carry pouch 13 caution v installing antennas vii observe these 35 operation and storage vii Turbo mode vii, 23, 31 Charger Disable Radio Hot/Cold message 43 charging battery 19 Charging Complete message 43 charging the internal battery 19 Class B Statement ii CMR 7 corrections, base receiver 22 screen 18, 20, 21 Turbo CMR mode 31 CMR Statistics screen 21 CMR+ 7 comments, sending to Trimble 3 computer
Index FCC RF Exposure requirements iii features 6 feedback on documentation 3 firmware from external application 43 from website 2 upgrading 32 Firmware screen 21 front panel menus 10 messages 42 G gain high antenna 38 maximum antenna vii, 36 maximum antenna, FCC iii GPS receivers, interfaces with 7 H Hardware Error XX message 43 height, antenna 36 high-power signals 32 horizontal energy, antenna 39 horizontal plane, what is 39 I installing antennas 35 installing SNB900, avoiding interference 32 internal
Index N ports navigating 9 NB900 Configuration dialog, WinFlash 30 network frequency display 8 Network menu 22 network number 20, 32 network, default 10 Notice to Users ii O omni-directional antennas 38 operating system, for WinFlash utility 26 Operation Selection dialog, WinFlash 29 orienting the antenna 38 other devices vii, 35 overview 5 P parity 10 changing 25 error 44 Port Config menu accessing 24 port configuration settings, editing 25 port configuration,accessing menus 24 Port X Error Check Data
Index S Safety ii safety antennas 35 disposing of the Lithium-ion battery vi Lithium-ion battery v maximum antenna gain iii minimum separation vii, 35 scrolling 9 serial COM port, on computer 27 Serial Number screen 21 servicing 41 settings, default 10 signals from other sources 32 SiteNet 900 external radio 7 SNR900 external radio 7 software patches 2 standard features 6 statistics, CMR 20 Status menu CMR Statistics screen 21 default 19 Firmware screen 21 Serial Number screen 21 status messages 42 storage
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