GE MDS DS-LCT450 Tri-Mode Data Transceiver User Manual 4669B MDS SDx Data Xcvr Body

GE MDS LLC Tri-Mode Data Transceiver 4669B MDS SDx Data Xcvr Body

User Manual

Start-Up Guide Firmware Release 1.x.x MDS 05-4819A01, Rev. 01MAY 2008 MDS LCT 450 Tri-Mode Data Transceiver
OPERATIONAL & SAFETY NOTICES Concentrated energy from a directional antenna may pose a health hazard to humans. Do not allow people to come closer to the antenna than the distances listed in the table below when the transmitter is operating. More information on RF exposure can be found online at the following website:www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins. Above data based on a 30-watt output level with a 100% duty cycle. FCC Part 15 Notice The transceiver is approved under Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two con-ditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interfer-ence received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Any unauthorized modification or changes to this device without the express approval of Microwave Data Systems may void the user’s authority to operate this device. Furthermore, this device is intended to be used only when installed in accordance with the instructions outlined in this manual. Failure to comply with these instructions may void the user’s authority to operate this device. Antenna Gain vs. Recommended Safety Distance Device complies with Power Density requirements at 20 cm separation:NoRequired separation distance for 9 dBi antenna (in m): 2.53RF Exposure
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 1 INTRODUCTION This guide presents basic installation and operating instructions for the MDS LCT 450 Series wireless transceiver.The transceiver (Figure 1) is designed to operate in the Railroad Dis-tributed Power application. It is software-configurable to provide flex-ible operation in a variety of applications using one hardware platform. It employs microprocessor control and Digital Signal Pro-cessing (DSP) technology to provide robust communications even under adverse conditions. Figure 1. Data TransceiverNOTE: Some features may not be available on all units, based on the options purchased and the applicable regulatory constraints for the region in which the radio will operate. Front Panel Connectors Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the interface connectors and indicators on the transceiver’s front an d rear panels. These items are referenced in the installation steps given later in this guide.
2 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 Invisible place holder Figure 2. Antenna & DC Power Connectors Invisible place holder Figure 3. Data Interface Connector & LED Status Panel INSTALLATION There are three main requirements for installing the transceiver: • Adequate and stable primary power• An efficient and properly installed antenna system• Correct data connections between the transceiver and the data device.Antenna(Mini-UHF)Power Input(10.5 to 16 Vdc @ 8A)LED Indicator Panel(See inset above)Data Interface(DB-25)PWRDCDTXDRXD
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 3 Figure 4 shows a typical station arrangement. This is followed by step-by-step procedures for installing the transceiver and making front and rear panel connections. Figure 4. Typical Station Arrangement Installation Steps Below are the basic steps for installing the transceiver. Refer to Figure 4 as necessary to make the cable connections.1. Mount the transceiver to a stable surface using the brackets supplied with the radio. Begin by attaching the radio’s mounting brackets to the bottom of the transceiver case (if not already attached) using the four 6-32 x 1/4 inch (6 mm) screws supplied. Figure 5 shows the mounting bracket dimensions.DC POWER CABLE10.5—16 VDC @ 8ANegative GroundDATA EQUIPMENTANTENNASYSTEMLOW-LOSSCOAXIAL CABLE(50 Ohm)RADIOTRANSCEIVER
4 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 NOTE: To prevent moisture from entering the radio, do not mount the case with the cable connectors pointing up. Also, dress all cables to prevent moisture from running along the cables and into the radio. Invisible place holder Figure 5. Transceiver Mounting Bracket Dimensions Using screws longer than 1/4 inch (6 mm) to attach the brackets to the radio may damage the internal PC board. Use only the supplied screws. 2. Install the antenna and feedline for the station. The antenna used with the transceiver must be designed to operate in the radio’s frequency band, and be mounted in a location that pro-vides a clear, path to the other associated station(s). Use low loss coaxial feedline and keep the cable as short as possible.8.5"216 mm1.75"4.44 CM6.63"168 mm2.75"70 mm7.25"184 mmALTERNATEPOSITION5.625"143 mm2.25"57 mm2.0"50 mmCAUTIONPOSSIBLEEQUIPMENTDAMAGE
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 5 3. Connect the data equipment to the DATA INTERFACE connec-tor. Check DATA INTERFACE REFERENCE on Page 13 for pin wiring details. Note: The radio’s DIAGNOSTICS port is used for reprogramming the radio’s firmware. 4. Connect primary power to the transceiver. Power applied must be within 10.5–16 Vdc and capable of continuously providing at least 8 Amperes. A power connector with is provided with each unit (see Figure 4). The transceiver is designed for use with nega-tive-ground systems only. The power supply should be equipped with overload protection (NEC Class 2 rating), to protect against a short circuit between its output ter-minals and the radio’s power connector. 5. Set the radio’s configuration. The transceiver is designed for quick installation with a minimum of software configuration required. a. Connect a PC to the transceiver’s DATA INTERFACE connec-tor as shown in Figure 6. If desired, a cable may be built using the information shown on Page 13 of this guide.b. Launch a terminal communications program, such as Hyper-Terminal (included with most Windows TM systems). Press the key a few times (at half-second intervals) to receive the ready “>” prompt on the screen. NOTE: To prevent unintended keying of the transmitter duringmanagement activities, set PTTSIG to OFF , or do notconnect to Pin 6 of the COM1 port.CAUTIONPOSSIBLEEQUIPMENTDAMAGEENTER
6 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 Invisible place holder Figure 6. PC Configuration Setup c. Set the transmit frequency by entering TX xxx.xxxx , where xxx.xxxx is the frequency in MHz. Press . The response PROGRAMMED OK indicates successful entry.d. Set the receive frequency by entering RX xxx.xxxx , where xxx.xxxx is the frequency in MHz. Press . The response PROGRAMMED OK indicates successful entry.e. Set the radio’s modem type if necessary, using the MODEM xxxx command, where xxxx is the modem selection (typically 4800 or 9600 ). The default setting is 9600 . Set the radio’s serial data interface rate (typically BAUD 9600 8N1 ).This completes the initial setup and configuration of the radio.PC Running Terminal SessionTransceiverTo DB-25Data Interface PortENTERENTER
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 7 SOFTWARE COMMAND SUMMARY Table 1 lists software commands commonly used during initial instal-lation and setup of the transceiver. Detailed Command Usage (This section currently under revision) chan [chan # [rxfreq # [txfreq # [pwr # [bw # ] ] ] ] } Table 1. Command Summary Command Name FunctionBAUD [xxxx xxx] Sets radio’s serial data interface rate/format. Default setting is BAUD 9600 8N1. DKEY Dekey the radio (transmitter OFF). This is generally a radio test command. KEY Key the radio (transmitter ON). This is generally a radio test command. MODEM [xxxx] Set the modem characteristics of the radio. PWR [37–45] Set or display the transmit power setting. PTTSIG [ON, OFF] Set/display push-to-talk configuration. RSSI Display the Received Signal Strength Indication. RX [xxx.xxxx] Set or display receiver frequency. SER Display the radio serial number. SNR Signal-to-Noise Ratio (in dB). SPECTRUM [xxx.xx] Display internal spectrum analyzer, where xxx.xx characters denote center frequency in MHz. The command spectrum may be entered alone to view current operating channel. SREV Display the Software Revision Level. STAT Display radio status and alarms. TEMP Display the internal temperature of the radio in degrees C. TX [xxx.xxxx] Set or display the transmit frequency.
8 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 chan - channel # {all,0-8] rxfreq - receiver frequency txfreq - transmitter frequency pwr - power in watts (5, 20, 25, 30) bw - bandwidth (12.5, 25)>chanChannel 1 RX 452.92500 MHz TX 452.92500 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHz>chan allSelected LCT Channel is 0Channel 0 RX 450.00000 MHz TX 453.00000 MHz PWR 5 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 1 RX 452.92500 MHz TX 452.92500 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 2 RX 452.95000 MHz TX 452.95000 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 3 RX 457.92500 MHz TX 457.92500 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 4 RX 457.95000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 5 RX 452.92500 MHz TX 452.92500 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 6 RX 452.95000 MHz TX 452.95000 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 7 RX 457.92500 MHz TX 457.92500 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHzChannel 8 RX 457.95000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHz>chan 8 rxfreq 453rxfreq 453Channel 8 RX 453.00000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 30 Watts BW 25.000 KHz>chan 8 pwr 20pwr 20Channel 8 RX 453.00000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 20 Watts BW 25.000 KHz>chan 8 bw 12.5bw 12.5
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 9 Channel 8 RX 453.00000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 20 Watts BW 12.500 KHz>mode test>selchan helpUsage: selchan [0-8] >selchan 8Channel Number 8>chanChannel 8 RX 453.00000 MHz TX 457.95000 MHz PWR 20 Watts BW 12.500 KHz>keyTRANSMITTER ENABLED>dkeyTRANSMITTER DISABLED>mode normal TROUBLESHOOTING For proper operation, all radios in the network must meet these basic requirements:• Adequate and stable primary power• Secure connections (RF, data and power)• A clear transmission path between stations• An efficient antenna system providing adequate received signal strength.• Proper programming of the transceiver’s operating parameters• The correct interface between the transceiver and the connected data equipment (correct cable wiring, proper data format, tim-ing, etc.) LED Indicators The LED status indicators (Figure 7) are an important troubleshooting aid and should be checked whenever a problem is suspected. Table 2 describes the function of each status LED on the front panel of the radio.
10 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 Invisible place holder Figure 7. LED Indicators Event Codes When an alarm condition exists, the transceiver creates a code that can be read on a connected terminal. These codes can be helpful in resolving many system difficulties. Refer to Table 3 (Page 11) for a definition of the event codes. Checking for Alarms —STAT command To check for alarms, connect a terminal to the radio’s DIAGNOSTICS port. See DATA INTERFACE REFERENCE on Page 13 for pinout information. Enter STAT on the connected terminal. If no alarms exist, the message NO ALARMS PRESENT appears on the display.If an alarm does exist, a two-digit alarm code (00–31) is displayed and the event is identified as a Major or Minor Alarm. A brief description of the alarm is also given.If more than one alarm exists, the word MORE appears on the screen. To view additional alarms, press . Table 2. LED Status Indicators LED Name DescriptionPWR • Continuous—Power applied, no problems detected.• Rapid flash (5 times-per-second)—Alarm indication. TXD Data being transmitted over the air. RXD Data being received over the air. DCD When lit, indicates that a communication link is established with the other station(s).PWRDCDTXDRXDENTER
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 11 Major Alarms vs. Minor Alarms Major Alarms —report serious conditions that generally indicate a hardware failure, or other abnormal condition that will prevent (or seriously hamper) further operation of the transceiver. Major alarms generally indicate the need for factory repair. Contact your factory representative for assistance. Minor Alarms— report conditions that, under most circumstances will not prevent transceiver operation. This includes out-of-tolerance con-ditions, baud rate mismatches, etc. The cause of these alarms should be investigated and corrected to prevent system failure. Event Code Definitions Table 3 contains a listing of event codes that may be reported by the transceiver. The codes shown are a subset of a larger pool of codes used for various GE MDS products. For this reason, the table does not show a sequential listing of all code numbers. Only the codes appli-cable to this product are shown. Table 3. Event Codes Event CodeEvent Class Description 01 Major Improper software detected for this radio model.04 Major The RF synthesizer is reporting an out-of-lock condition.08 Major The system is reporting that it has not been calibrated. Factory calibration is required for proper radio operation.12 Major Receiver time-out. No data received within the specified receiver time-out time.13 Minor A Transmitter timeout was detected. The radio stayed keyed longer than the duration specified by the TOT command.17 Minor A data parity fault has been detected on the PAYLOAD port. This usually indicates a parity setting mismatch between the radio and the customer equipment.18 Minor A data framing error has been detected on the PAYLOAD port. This may indicate a baud rate mismatch between the radio and the customer equipment.
12 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 Internal Spectrum Analyzer The radio contains a built-in spectrum analyzer tool (Figure 8) that can be displayed on a connected PC. The tool is helpful in diagnosing interference problems on or near your channel frequency.Access the spectrum analyzer by entering spectrum at the command prompt. A display appears showing detected signals on your current channel.Optionally, you can specify a frequency at the command prompt to view the surrounding spectrum of that frequency. To do this, enter spectrum xxx.xx, where xxx.xx is the frequency in MHz.As shown in Figure 8, the display creates a received signal strength indication (RSSI) vs. frequency plot for the frequency and sur-rounding signals. By analyzing the display, you can determine the presence of other signals near the transceiver’s operating frequency. This information can be helpful in troubleshooting interference prob-lems.26 Minor The DC input voltage is out-of-tolerance. If the voltage is too far out of tolerance, operation may fail.31 Minor The transceiver’s internal temperature is approaching an out-of-tolerance condition. If the temperature drifts outside of the recommended operating range, system operation may fail.Table 3. Event Codes (Cont’d)Event CodeEvent Class Description
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 13Invisible place holderFigure 8. Internal Spectrum Analyzer DisplayDATA INTERFACE REFERENCE(This section currently under revision)Table 4 lists the pin functions on the DB-25 DATA INTERFACE con-nector.Table 4. LED Status Indicators Pin No. Description1 No connection.2Ground—Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on the radio’s PC board.3 No connection.4Detected Audio. 5Channel 3 Select (see Note 1).6RX(A) RS-485 digital.7Data PTT (Keying Signal).8RX(B) (RS-485 digital
14 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01 Notes:Note 1: Channel select decoding: (High = no connection, Low= Gnd)Chan 3 Chan 2 Chan 1 Chan 0 SelectedHigh (future use) High High High 1High (future use) High High Low 2High (future use) High Low High 3High (future use) High Low Low 4High (future use) Low High High 5High (future use) Low High Low 6High (future use) Low Low High 7High (future use) Low Low Low 89+5 Vdc to programming device10 Programming data (bi-directional [SRI] or TD [ARIA])11 Ground—Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on the radio’s PC board.12 Power Switch Contact (momentary ground changes state) (Unique to SRI)13 Return (Ground) to programming interface.14 Channel 2 select (See Note 1)15 Programming data, RD (unique to ARIA)16 NCData Interface Control (High = analog input, Low= digital input)17 TX Audio18 Ground—Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on the radio’s PC board.19 Channel 0 select (Note 1)20 +13.6 VDC21 Ground—Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on the radio’s PC board.22 +13.6 VDC23 Channel 1 select (Note 1)24 NCTBD – TX(A) (RS485 digital)25 NCTBD – TX(B) (RS485 digital)Table 4. LED Status Indicators
05-4819A01, Rev. 01 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 15SPECIFICATIONSGENERALFrequency Range*: 450–512 MHzRECEIVERMaximum Usable Sensitivity: –110 dBm at 1x10–6 BER (Preliminary)Bandwidth: 12.5 kHzTRANSMITTERRF Carrier Power: 5 Watts to 30 WattsDuty Cycle: 25%Output Impedance: 50 ΩChannel Spacing: 6.25, 12.5, 25 kHzFCC Emission Designators: 12.5 kHz B/W: 9K25F1D, 9K25F2D, 9K25F3D 25.0 kHz B/W: 16K5F1D. 16K5F2D, 16K5F3DDATA CHARACTERISTICSPayload Signaling Type: EIA/RS-485Connector Type: DB-25 FemalePayload Data Rates: 300–115200 bps, asynchronousPayload Data Latency: 10 ms maximumDIAGNOSTICS INTERFACESignaling Standard: RS-232PRIMARY POWERVoltage: 13.8 Vdc Nominal (10.5 to 16 Vdc)Negative-Ground Systems OnlyTX Supply Current: 8 Amperes (Typical) @ 30 Watts OutputRX Supply Current: Operational—125 mA, NominalFuse: 8-Ampere, internalENVIRONMENTALHumidity: 95% at 40 degrees C (104°F), non-condensingTemperature Range: –40 to 70 degrees C (–40°F to +158°F)Weight: 1.0 kilograms
16 MDS SD4 Startup Guide 05-4819A01, Rev. 01
Installation Guide
GE MDS, LLCRochester, NY 14620General Business: +1 585 242-9600FAX: +1 585 242-9620Web: www.GEmds.com175 Science Parkway

Navigation menu