ORION RADIO MODEM WITH I/O OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 1892 1335 THIS IS A DRAFT VERSION OF THE MANUAL. THERE MAY BE ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN IT, AND YOU USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. Figure 1 - Orion Radio Modem Figure 2 - Orion Radio Modem - OEM PCB version 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
OVERVIEW The Orion is a radio modem with on-board telemetry inputs and outputs. It is available in a number of different versions to suit different applications, and has many userprogrammable features, which may be locally or remotely set. It is supplied with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) program which runs under Windows on a PC, and can be used both to configure the Orion and as an interface to control and display the telemetry inputs and outputs. Figure 3 shows the Orion in block diagram form.
v One-to-one or master + outstations configuration v Outstations can be polled, or volunteer data when thresholds are reached (‘alarms’). v GUI for simple programming and operation *The four analogue inputs can also be used to transmit digital data if required 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
OPTIONS WHEN ORDERING Many options are user-programmable, but the options below must be specified when ordering so that the correct version of the Orion can be supplied: OEM PCB version The Orion is available uncased as a PCB for mounting in OEM equipment. In/Out capability The Orion is also available as a straight radio modem without the telemetry in/out capability. Frequency band of operation The Orion can be supplied to operate in the VHF, UHF and higher (e.g. 868MHz) bands.
INSTALLATION Physical The cased version may be used freestanding or fixed using the four holes provided: Figure 4 - Orion (cased) dimensions and mounting (mm) Figure 5 - Orion (cased) clearance (mm) The PCB version should be mounted using the holes provided, and requires clearances as shown overleaf. 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
Figure 6 - Dimensions of Orion PCB (mm) Figure 7 - Required mounting clearances for Orion PCB 6 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
Connections Power Front panel, locking power plug, 2 pole with 2.1mm centre pin. Centre conductor: +9 to +15V DC Outer conductor: 0V (connected to unit ground) Antenna Female BNC, 50O Antenna connection for both transmit and receive. The antenna will typically be mounted directly onto this connector; otherwise the connection to the antenna should be as short as possible and made in high-quality low-loss coaxial cable.
Serial Port 9-way D-type male connector - NOT a standard serial port v Protocol (RS232, RS422 or RS485) is fixed by soldered links. See page 10. Pin No 1 RS232 SHDN RS422 RS485 Modem on/off input If < 0.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) The GUI is a program which runs on a PC under Windows, and provides a simple and convenient way to set up local or remote units before use. It can also be used in conjunction with the telemetry inputs and outputs as a display and control console (mimic panel) during normal operation. It is connected to the serial port of the local or master unit. v The Orion can also be interrogated and controlled using your own equipment and software.
SETTING UP AN ORION The Orion has some options which are chosen when it is ordered (see page 4) and many which you can configure yourself with hardware links, or soft-configure using data commands. The best way to set up the soft-configurable options is to connect the supplied Graphical User Interface (GUI) to the unit, although it is also possible to use your own equipment using the commands described in Appendix A (page 21) and Appendix B (page 27).
Links can be closed with a solder blob as shown in Figure 10 to select these options: Option Choice Links Protocol RS232 LK1 open RS422/RS485 LK1 closed Full duplex LK2 open Half duplex LK2 closed Full I/O + modem LK5 open Modem only LK5 closed Analogue user output LK3 open, LK4 closed, LK6 1-2 open RSSI output LK3 closed, LK4 open, LK6 1-2 open Variable power control (GMAX radios only) LK3 open, LK4 open, LK6 1-2 closed, LK6 2-3 open Duplex In/Out mode Use of Analogue Out 0 For GM
Figure 11 - Orion GUI window Note the set of tabs at the top which set the Orion up. The tabs at the bottom are used to set up in/out functions, and also to monitor and control during operation. These tabs may be modified or absent on your display, depending on the mode that the Orion is currently in and whether their parameters are relevant or not. v 12 This section of the manual deals with setting up - see page 20 for details of operation. 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
COM Ports and General Status Figure 12 - COM Port tab This tab is the first one which the GUI presents to you, because the GUI must be set to the same baud rate and parity as the port on the Orion in order to communicate with it. If the message Modem connected does not appear immediately, select the correct baud rate and parity, then click the COMn radio button (even if it is already selected), where n is the number of the port to which the Orion is connected. The message Modem connected appears.
v FLASH FACTORY SETTINGS CORRUPT! (Error code 4) When the modem was first programmed at the factory, a backup factory settings table was written in the FLASH memory. This is used if it is necessary to invoke the Reprogram with Factory Settings command. You can write your own custom settings into this backup table if you wish, using menu item Link, Factory settings, Write, which is password protected. If this is corrupt, please consult Wood & Douglas technical support for assistance.
TS is the basic two-way link for asynchronous RS232 data. It has no error correction. TU also provides a two-way asynchronous RS232 data link, but it has Feed-forward Error Correction (FEC) so that many errors can be corrected. TP provides a two-way asynchronous RS232 data link with both FEC and requests for repeat transmission of corrupt packets to provide an error-free link. TRR configure a modem as a simplex repeater, retransmitting received data to extend the range of the radio link.
TOR TOT TOX TOT Single outstation. The master is configured as TOR, and the outstation as TOT. Data input at the outstation is output at the master’s normal data port, I/O ???and alarm messages are output on the secondary data port. External equipment (the GUI for example) is needed at the master to supervise the operation and receive data. The master is configured as TOX, and each outstation as TOT, with an ID number so that it can be individually addressed.
No. of retries (TP mode only) If a received packet fails its CRC check, the receiving modem will ask for retransmission. For each packet, this will be repeated until either a good copy is received, or the number of retries set here has been reached. A typical setting is 10 - 15. Max no. of bytes in a data frame (TP mode only) The maximum number of bytes in each packet as it is transmitted. Select a value from the drop-down list, which are the only values available.
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Telemetry Option Configuration Depending on which mode you are using the Orion unit in, you may need to set up other options such as alarm levels. v These options are not relevant if you are using the unit as a straight modem.
For each input, select: Alarm: enable disable Alarm validation period: 1 to 255 - time for which condition must persist (in 10ms blocks) Alarm condition: low-high transition high-low transition Alarm Behaviour Figure 17 - Alarms Alarm repeat: 1 to 1023 - alarm is repeated at this interval (in 10ms blocks) during alarm condition 0 - alarm is sent once when condition first occurs Alarm retry: 20 1 to 1023 - when link is unidirectional, alarm will be sent this number of times to ensure that it gets
This space reserved for additional material 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
OPERATION LED Indications Three LED indicators are visible on the front panel, with the following meanings: Yellow Status Slow blink (every 2 seconds) indicates normal operation. Fast flash (5Hz) indicates one of the following: v the receiver is detecting carrier with no data modulated on it v the modem is in AT command mode v the radio module is reporting a lock error v the modem is not configured Green RX Steady on state indicates valid data reception or communication with the GUI software.
APPENDIX A: AT COMMAND CODES Normally the GUI is the best way to configure, control and interrogate a local Orion unit. However, if you want to use your own equipment and software to do this, you can use the serial port to send ASCII AT commands and receive replies, which are listed in this Appendix. The modem is configurable via the same port as is normally used for data.
OK The modem is now ready to be configured. v Transmission and reception are blocked during Command Mode. In order to be recognised as the Command Mode instruction rather than data, these conditions must be fulfilled: v The RTS line must be set v No data must be sent to the modem for at least the time set by register S154 v The symbol + must be sent three times consecutively immediately following the wait period.
The current value of most parameters can be found out by adding a question mark to the end of the code which sets it, for example: ATB1? to which the modem responds 1 Capital letters MUST be used for all command instructions. A space after AT is optional, so the commands AT B1? and ATB1? are functionally identical. Ending Command Mode (ATO) v Before ending Command Mode, make sure that you save any changes you wish to keep by issuing the AT&W command.
AT&Y8 Set operating frequency directly Read operating frequency Save to EEPROM Restore factory parameters ATB0= Set serial baud rate ATB0? Read baud rate ATB1= Set parity ATB1? Read parity ATFC? Read channel spacing (comparison frequency) ATFIF? Read IF frequency AT&F= AT&F? AT&W xxxx.xxxxxxx MHz 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 4 4800 9600 19200 38400 1200 2400 even odd none FC = 6.25 kHz FC = 10.0 kHz FC = 12.5 kHz FC = 20 kHz FC = 25 kHz frequency in MHz +xx.
ATI10=0 Turn all test modes off ATI10? Return whether any test is active ATS154= ATS154? ATS155= ATS155? ATS156? ATS157= ATS157? End command mode Set packet length in TP mode Get packet length in TP mode Set number of retries in TP mode Get number of retries in TP mode Set TX delay Read TX delay Set TX to RX frequency offset Get TX to RX frequency offset Guard time Read Guard time Set centre frequency Read centre frequency Get RSSI Set Channel number Get Channel number ATS158? Get data quality ATS16
ATS166? Get Sync tolerance ATS167= Set Inverted Symbol 2 3 0 1 2 3 4 mismatches 6 mismatches None invert TX invert RX invert Both invert Get Inverted Symbol state Set Squelch delay ATS168= 1 to 255 ms Get Squelch delay ATS168? Set Destination ID ATS169= 001 to 249 Master/slave modes only Read destination ID ATS169? Set Unit ID ATS170= 001 to 249 Master/slave modes only Read Unit ID ATS170? Set Low battery ATS172= threshold 0 - 1023 Proportion of full charge Get Low battery ATS172? threshold Set Analog
ATS182= ATS182? ATS183= ATS183? ATS184= ATS184? ATS186=xxx ATS187=x ATS185=xx ATT? Set power supply trip level Read power supply level Set delay after last packet Read delay after last packet Set no. of TX packets sent Read no. of TX packets sent Set delay period to wait before transmitting Set max number of delays to wait before transmitting Set no.
APPENDIX B: OVER-AIR COMMAND CODES Normally the GUI is the best way to configure, control and interrogate a remote Orion unit. However, if you want to use your own equipment and software to do this, you can use the serial port of the local Orion to send over-air commands and receive corresponding replies, which are listed in this Appendix.
Messages from Base Station to Outstation: 04 IDS IDD 20 CH Poll outstation IDD Note: IDS = 0 for base station 04 IDS IDD 21 nn tt dd ss CH Set input trigger state for digital input port nn Logic 1 in byte tt = send alarm message, 0 = don’t Dwell time dd, (1 -255)*10ms, (0 = no dwell time) Logic 0 in byte ss indicates a High to Low change Logic 1 in byte ss indicates a Low to High change 04 IDS IDD 22 nn cc llll dd ss Set analogue input set by bit in byte nn to: CH Analogue input type: cc = 1, 20mA; cc
04 IDS IDD 45 CH Read pulse count (which will reset counter) 04 IDS IDD 46 CH Read radio channel and TX setting 04 IDS IDD 47 nn CH Read Analogue output level for port nn 04 IDS IDD 48 CH Read Digital output states 04 IDS IDD 49 CH Read RSSI Value (for last message received) 32 1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v1.
Messages from Outstation to Base Station 04 IDS IDD 50 bbbb CH Reply to poll with bbbb = battery ADC level (reply to 20 command) 04 IDS IDD 51 nn tt dd ss CH Setup status of digital input (set by bit in byte nn) (reply to 21 or 31): If tt = 0 then don’t send alarm message If tt = 1 then= send alarm message If tt = 2 and port = 00 then poll counter is used Dwell time dd, (1 -255)*10ms, (0 = no dwell time) Logic 0 in byte ss indicates a High to Low change Logic 1 in byte ss indicates a Low to High change
04 IDS IDD 60 aaaa bbbb cccc dddd CH Analogue input levels (reply to 40 command) aaaa = ADC level of analogue input 0, 1 - 1023 bbbb = ADC level of analogue input 1, 1 - 1023 cccc = ADC level of analogue input 2, 1 - 1023 dddd = ADC level of analogue input 3, 1 - 1023 04 IDS IDD 61 nn CH Digital input levels (reply to 41 command or after an alarm) Logic 0 in byte nn indicates output = Low Logic 1 in byte nn indicates output = High 04 IDS IDD 62 nn aaaa CH Analogue input level for port nn (reply to 42 c
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APPENDIX C: ATT? PARAMETER STRING STRUCTURE The modem responds to the ATT? command by sending a comma-separated list of all available parameters used for the selected modem mode.
“Analogue”, port no, level (port0 output), “Analogue”, port no, level (port1 output), “Analogue”, port no, level (port2 output), “Analogue”, port no, level (port3 output), “Digital”, port no, logic, alarm enabled, dwell time, edge type, poll counter enabled, poll counter trip level (port0 input), “Digital”, port no, logic, alarm enabled, dwell time, edge type (port1 input), “Digital”, port no, logic, alarm enabled, dwell time, edge type (port2 input), “Digital”, port no, logic, alarm enabled, dwell time, ed
