Ott Hydromet Business Unit Adcon Telemetry A725 Telemetry transceiver User Manual

Adcon Telemetry GmbH Telemetry transceiver

User manual

A725 addSDI

User Manual

SMART WIRELESS SOLUTIONS

Proprietary Notice:

The Adcon logo, addSDI™, addIT™, addWAVE™, addVANTAGE™, addVANTAGE Profes-

sional™ and AgroExpert™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Adcon Telemetry. All

other registered names used throughout this publication are trademarks of their respective own-

ers.

Neither the whole nor any part of the information contained in this publication may be repro-

duced in any material form except with the prior written permission of Adcon Telemetry.

This publication is intended only to assist the reader in the use of the product. Adcon Telemetry

shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of any information in this publica-

tion, or any error or omission in such information, or any incorrect use of the product.

Document Release 1.0, Dezember 2006

ADC NO

T E L E M E T R Y

ADCON TELEMETRY GMBH

I N K U S T R A S S E 2 4

A-3400 KLOSTERNEUBURG

A U S T R I A

TEL: +43 | 2243 | 38280-0

FAX: +43 | 2243 | 38280-6

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ADCON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

CHAPTER 1

About the A725 addSDI___________________________________________________3

Conventions _____________________________________________________________4

Opening the packages____________________________________________________5

Installing the RTU ________________________________________________________6

Field Installation_______________________________________________________7

More about the LED tool _______________________________________________8

Configuring an addSDI RTU in the addVANTAGE software__________________9

Maintaining and servicing the RTU__________________________________________9

The RTU battery_______________________________________________________9

Changing the battery ________________________________________________ 10

Understanding connectors_______________________________________________ 14

The POWER Connector ______________________________________________ 14

The SDI Connector __________________________________________________ 15

SDI-12 Sensor Connections______________________________________________ 16

Self powered Sensor _________________________________________________ 17

Multiple Sensors connected to the SDI-12 Bus __________________________ 18

Communicating with the RTU ____________________________________________ 18

Serial communication protocol ___________________________________________ 19

General format of a command ________________________________________ 19

General format of an answer __________________________________________ 20

Using terminal commands _______________________________________________ 20

Returned errors list _____________________________________________________ 37

Command line interpreter ____________________________________________ 37

Device descriptors and storage handler ________________________________ 37

Real time clock ______________________________________________________ 37

Radio interface ______________________________________________________ 37

Specifications _________________________________________________________ 39

CHAPTER

CHAPTER 1

About the A725 addSDI

Chapter 1. Introduction

This manual explains the hardware aspects of Adcon’s A725

addSDI Remote Telemetry Units, including installation issues and

certain parameter configurations. The manual is divided as follows:

• "Introduction," which contains some general information and

document conventions.

• "Using the A725 RTU," which details the installation and use

of the Remote Telemetry Unit.

• "Specifications," which describes operating parameters for the

devices.

About the A725 addSDI

The A725 Remote Telemetry Unit—RTU (commercial trademark

addSDI™

) is a low power, short range telemetry device, capable of

operating SDI-12 compatible sensors.

The frequency of operation is in the 432 to 470 MHz range, mak-

ing it compliant to most radio communication regulations in the

world. The output power is under 10 mW, while the modulation is

narrow band FM (12.5 or 25 kHz channel spacing).

Due to its construction, as well as to the software controlling it, the

power consumption is extremely low. The unit operates from a

built in 6.2 Volt rechargeable battery, which is charged either using

a solar panel or an external power supply adapter. A special con-

figuration may be implemented where no internal battery is used,

but the power is obtained exclusively over an external connector.

The SDI-12 bus is also powered by the internal 6.2 Volt battery,

therefore the attached SDI-12 sensors must be able to work within

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

a minimum voltage of 5.6V. This is lower than the official SDI-12

minimum operating voltage.

The A725 is a ruggedized unit, complying with the IP65 environ-

mental protection class (NEMA 4). It can easily be installed and it

integrates perfectly into an Adcon A733 network. Depending on

the terrain, it assures a reliable wireless connection to an A733

series device to distances up to 1000 meters, under favorable con-

ditions even more.

Conventions

Certain conventions apply in this document.

Italics

Indicate that the text is variable and must be substi-

tuted for something specific, as indicated in the expla-

nation. Italics can also be used to emphasize words as

words or letters as letters.

Bold Indicates special emphasis of the text. Also indicates

menu names and items in a window.

fixed font Indicates characters you must type or system mes-

sages.

FileSave Indicates menu selection. For example, select the File

menu, then the Save option.

Note Indicates information of interest. Notes appear after

the information they apply to.

CAUTION Indicates that you may get unexpected results if you

don’t follow the instructions. Cautions appear

before the information they apply to.

WARNING Indicates danger to yourself or damage to the device if

you don’t follow the instructions. Warnings appear

before the information they apply to.

Chapter 2. Using the addSDI

The A725 addSDI Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) is part of the A7xx

series. For testing purposes, you should have an A840 Telemetry

Gateway installed before you install the A725 RTU. For informa-

tion about installing the A840, refer to the

Base Station, Telemetry

Gateway A840 and Wireless Modem A440 User Guide

Opening the packages

The addSDI RTU package contains the A725 RTU, an antenna, and

a pipe clamp. If ordered, the following items come in separate

packaging:

• A solar panel and pipe clamp

• A set of aluminum poles

• A LED tool

• Sensors and cables, one box for each sensor.

Make sure you have received all the equipment and read through

the instructions that follow. Once you are sure to understand

them, you are ready to install your RTU.

CHAPTER 2

Using the addSDI

Figure 1 shows the front view of an addSDI RTU.

Figure 1. addSDI RTU

 WARNING Do not turn or manipulate the Gore Prevent element!

The unit’s IP65 environmental protection may be affected.

Installing the RTU

The following restrictions apply:

• In general the typical “line-of sight” distance over which the

RTU can communicate is 1 km (.6 miles). This is valid if both

the RTU and its partner device are mounted on a 3 m mast (9

ft.); the results may vary under different conditions, and you

can sometimes achieve greater distances, sometimes shorter.

SDI-12

Connector

Solar

Panel

Gore PreventTM

CHAPTER 2

Installing the RTU

• As with all wireless communication devices, the higher the

transmitter is installed, the better the communication will be.

Field Installation

Installing addSDI RTUs in the field is a fairly simple process. You

can perform a connectivity check with a LED tool. The LED tool is

shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. LED Tool

Note: The LED tool is a blind plug to be connected to the POWER

connector.

Follow these steps to install an addSDI RTU in the field:

1. Review the installation area and choose the best site.

2. Perform a connectivity check using the LED tool:

a. Insert the LED tool into the POWER connector and wait

up to 10 seconds. If the unit connects to at least one

station (or a base station), it will light up the LED for

about 4 seconds.

b. Keep observing the LED tool and, after another several

seconds, the LED will blink one or more times (the

number of blinks indicates the number of stations it has

contacted).

3. Assemble the mast from the set of poles.

4. Drive the tipped aluminum pole vertically into the ground,

using a sledge hammer. Put the “pole pounder” cap on top

of the pole to protect it from damage while hammering it in.

How far you drive the pole into the ground depends on your

application and the soil. Sandy soils in windy areas might

require guy wires to secure the pole.

5. Using a pipe clamp, fasten the solar panel onto the aluminum

mast. Make sure that the panel is facing south (north if you are

located in the southern hemisphere) and is out of the way of

the addSDI RTU.

CHAPTER 2

Using the addSDI

Note: The solar panel can be mounted under or behind the

addSDI RTU, but be sure that the RTU does not shadow the

panel.

6. Fasten the addSDI RTU to the top of the mast using another

pipe clamp. Adcon recommends that you perform another

connectivity test, if you can, to check the positioning of the

device.

 WARNING If you turn the fastening screws too tight, you might

damage the plugs.

7. Attach the SDI-12 sensor to the SDI jack and the solar panel to

the POWER jack by turning the connectors fastening screws

clockwise until secured tightly.

8. Secure access cable of the SDI-12 cable to the pole with cable

ties. To protect it from damage don’t let it sit on the ground!

This completes the installation of your addSDI RTU. If the SDI-12

jack is left unused, use the attached cap, meant to protect it

against moisture and dust. Be sure to make a note of the following

information because you’ll need it when you configure the device

in the software:

• Serial number of each RTU

• Type and address of SDI-12 sensors connected to each RTU

 WARNING The SDI-12 sensor addresses must be set prior to

attaching the sensors to the SDI-12 bus. Be sure to use unique

addresses only! There is no way to resolve address conflicts once

the sensors are attached to the SDI-12 bus.

More about the LED tool

The LED tool allows you to rapidly check the status of an addSDI

RTU. After you insert the LED tool into the POWER connector, the

unit waits for up to two seconds and then sends a broadcast frame.

If a nearby station or receiver decodes the frame, it will answer—

this may take up to 10 seconds. When an answer is received, the

LED tool lights up for about 4 seconds. A few seconds later, the

LED will light up again one or several times - once per station/

receiver that answered to its broadcast frame.

After that the LED continuously blinks briefly in 0.5 second inter-

vals to indicate that the unit is alive and that the internal battery

has enough energy to operate. If the blinking interval lengthens to

2 seconds, the battery has become undercharged (that is, under

CHAPTER 2

Maintaining and servicing the RTU

5.6 volts but over 5.2 volts)—this is called the

misery

state. In this

state, an addSDI RTU reduces its activities to a minimum. The

radio unit is switched off, the sensor sampling ceases, and no data

is stored in the internal memory. Only the internal real-time clock is

maintained and the power management functions are performed.

If the battery level drops below 5.2 volts, the system switches off

completely, effectively decoupling itself from the battery in order

to protect it. In this case the LED tool stays permanently off. An

addSDI RTU in such a situation will restart only after connecting it

to an external power supply (even a solar panel under low light

conditions).

Note: New addSDI RTUs are delivered with their internal batteries

unformatted, meaning they are completely discharged, and

you should install them only on sunny days. The battery will

be fully charged after two consecutive sunny days, but you

should get an LED light-up after several minutes of charging

in the sunlight.

Configuring an addSDI RTU in the addVANTAGE software

To configure the addSDI RTU with an A840 Telemetry Gateway

and the addVANTAGE Pro software, check the

Base Station,

Telemetry Gateway A840 and Wireless Modem A440 User Guide

Maintaining and servicing the RTU

The A725 unit needs virtually no maintenance. It is waterproof and

designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions (-30 to

+70 °C, or -22 to 158 °F), high RH values, water, and other noncor-

rosive liquids. It conforms to the European protection class IP65.

This applies also to the connectors, as long as they are mated.

Don’t let unmated connectors on either the addSDI RTU or the

sensors be exposed to the environment for extended periods of

time.

The RTU battery

The internal NiMH rechargeable battery pack supplies 6.2 volts.

The internal electronics manage the battery charging/discharging

process, ensuring it a long life. This approach, coupled with a

remarkably low average consumption, allows an addSDI RTU to

CHAPTER 2

Using the addSDI

operate at least two weeks on a fully charged battery under the fol-

lowing conditions:

• The channel has moderate radio activity, with requests every

15 minutes.

• Sensor readings are stored in the internal memory every 15

minutes.

• The sensors do not drain excessive current (neither in sleep-

mode nor during measurement).

Table 1 shows the addSDI devices’ expected operating time on a

fully charged battery under various conditions..

Note: Radio activity means that one base station and between one

and three RTUs are active on the same operating frequency

as the addSDI remote station under test.

However, if for some reason (wear-out or accident) the battery

loses its capacity (noted in the software with repeated “Battery

low” messages), it must be replaced. Make sure, though, that the

problem is really due to the battery and not to a defective or dirty

solar panel.

Adcon highly recommends you to take good care of your solar

panels! Clean them frequently with a damp cloth. Rain droplets

might splash thin layers of soil onto the panels, wind and spraying

covers them with dust, birds tend to drop “things” onto them, thus

reducing their power output. Watch out for the surrounding vege-

tation! A solar panel, well exposed to the sun at the beginning of

the season, might be shadowed by growing vegetation as the sea-

son progresses.

Table 1. addSDI Device Operation Time

Radio

Activity

Average SDI-12

Sensor Current

Average

Consumption

(mA)

Estimated

Operation

(days)

No none 0.667 100

Yes none 0.833 80

Yes 1.1mA 1.8 37

CHAPTER 2

Maintaining and servicing the RTU

Changing the battery

If you have verified that the battery needs to be replaced, follow

these steps to do so:

1. Open the lid by unscrewing the four screws in the corners of

the addSDI RTU, then remove the lid as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Removing the addSDI Lid

2. The battery pack is connected to the electronics board by

means of a PCB connector. Remove the battery pack’s plug

from the PCB connector, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Unplugging the PCB Connector

CHAPTER 2

Using the addSDI

3. Unscrew the two screws of the metal cover that holds the

battery pack in place, then remove the cover. Figure 5 shows

the A725 battery pack inside the RTU.

Figure 5. A725 Battery Pack

4. Remove the battery pack and replace it with a new one

(obtainable from your Adcon dealer).

5. Put the metal cover back in place and secure it with the two

screws.

6. Replace the old cover seal with the new one, provided

together with your battery, as rubber gaskets tend to stiffen

and might not reseal properly. Place the rounded side of the

gasket into the groove and have the flat side showing!

7. Insert the battery plug into the PCB connector.

8. Mount the lid back, taking care that the rubber gasket sealing

the box is not out of place.

 WARNING Be sure to mount the rubber gasket properly, so that

the unit’s IP65 environmental protection is not affected. Don’t

clamp the battery cable between the lid and the case, as this might

damage the cable and shorten the unit. Watch for soil and dust on

the seal, as this might lead to water ingress!

Chapter 3. Performing Advanced

Functions

With the appropriate knowledge you can configure the addSDI

devices in the field by using a hyperterminal window. To configure

the RTU you need a special serial adapter cable (item 200.720.540;

not included with the RTU; available from your Adcon distributor).

 CAUTION Do not try to configure your addSDI devices if you are

not well familiar with the SDI-12 commands and bus architecture

—the unit may not communicate properly with the SDI-12 sensors

and/or with the remote measuring station or function with the

addVANTAGE software.

 WARNING Tampering with parameters for the addSDI devices

may void your warranty or damage the device. In general, the

commands described in this chapter are intended for technical

support staff and users with a great deal of experience in handling

advanced hard- and software.

In the system architecture, the base station and RTU are both con-

sidered to be nodes. The base station is called the master node, or

master

, while the RTU is called the slave node, or

slave

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

Understanding connectors

The addSDI devices have cable attachments called connectors.

The connector type determines how the device communicates

with the sensors or the computer.

The POWER Connector

The RTU’s POWER connector, a 5-pin M9 jack, allows for:

• External charge supply (either a solar panel or an AC adapter)

if the internal rechargeable battery is used. (as in most cases).

• External power supply (battery or any DC source from 5.6 to

10 volts), with the internal battery removed

• Communication over a serial connection with 19200 baud

Figure 6 illustrates the connections available at the POWER con-

nector.

Figure 6. A725 POWER Connector (Top View)

 WARNING The serial line is 3-volt CMOS compatible; therefore,

the above mentioned adapter cable must be used to reach the RS-

232 levels (Adcon item number 200.720.540).

You might want to use the POWER connector with something

other than the standard configuration. For example, if you want to

connect an external battery to the RTU, disconnect the internal

battery and use the configuration shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. A725 Wiring up an External Battery

RxD

TxD

Ground

Battery

Ext Power

Battery

(5.6 to 10 Volt) -

Short

CHAPTER 3

Understanding connectors

If you want to use the internal battery with a different power sup-

ply (charger) than the ones provided by Adcon (120 or 300mA

solar panels or the ACS110 charger), make sure to use the wiring

as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. A725 Connection with External Power Supply

And if you want to use an external battery, charged by its own

solar panel, you need to disconnect the internal the internal bat-

tery and the Adcon solar panel and use the wiring as shown in

Figure 9.

Figure 9. A725 Connection with External Battery and Power Supply

The SDI Connector

The SDI connector is used to connect the addSWITCH A725 to an

SDI-12 Sensor bus (See Figure 10). The connector used is a female

5 pin SWITCHCRAFT jack (EN3P5F, the counterpart is the

EN3C5M).

The A725 comes with a 1m cable with flying ends. A standard

cable clamp can be used to connect the sensors. It is up to the

user to protect this cable clamp for outdoor usage. Please contact

your local Adcon dealer for special SDI-12 wiring boxes.

Charger

(9 to 10 Volt,

Short

100 to 300 mA)

Charger

(must fit the

Short

Battery

(5.6 to 10 Volt)

Battery) -

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

Figure 10. The SDI-12 Connector

If you do not use an SDI-12 sensor with the proper cable already

mounted, but will connect it to the SDI bus through a wiring box, it

is absolutely crucial to obey the following instructions: first identify

the function of each of the sensors cables. Then connect them to

the wiring box in exactly the folloing order: First connect SDI-GND.

Then connect SDI-POWER (only if a sensor receives its power sup-

ply from the RTU) and last connect SDI-DATA. Else you might

cause the SDI-12 bus to perform unexpectedly!

 CAUTION Some SDI-12 sensors have a rather high startup current,

which prevents operation with our low power addSDI RTU. Always

check your SDI-12 sensor’s peak current draw upon start-up! This is

of particular importance when connecting more than one sensor to

the SDI-12 bus - while one sensor might still operate flawlessly with

your RTU, two might draw too much current and cause the RTU to

shut off the bus. This will occurr when the total power draw on the

SDI-12 bus goes beyond 500mA. In case of doubt or questions

please consult your sensor supplier or your Adcon dealer.

Note: Please see also SDI-12 spec for additional wiring and setup

information.

To enable the SDI-12 bus operation, a jumper must be installed

between GND (Pin 1) and SDI-Sense (Pin 2). This jumper is factory

installed in the connector of the standard 1m cable, which comes

with your addSDI RTU.

Note: When the SDI-12 bus is not used, please disconnect the SDI

connector and the solar panel from your addSDI. The RTU

will then switch to a power save mode.

2SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

SDI−Sense

SDI−POWER

green

yellow

GND

gray

CHAPTER 3

SDI-12 Sensor Connections

Sensor powered by RTU

To connect a single SDI-12 sensor, that does not have it’s own

power supply, follow the wiring scheme as shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11. Single Sensor Connection, sensor is powered by the RTU

Note: In this configuration, the RTU powers the SDI-12 sensor. The

sensor must be capable of working with a supply voltage as

low as 5.6V.

 WARNING Check the minimum supply voltage of your sensor

BEFORE

installing it! This information should be available from

your sensor supplier.

Self powered Sensor

Sensors with an integrated power supply must be connected fol-

lowing the wiring scheme in Figure 12.

Jumper

Detection

SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

POWER

SDI−12 SENSOR

2SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

SDI−Sense

SDI−POWER

GND

gray

yellow

green

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

Figure 12. Single Sensor Connection, for sensor with internal battery

pack

Multiple Sensors connected to the SDI-12 bus

Multiple sensors can be connected to the SDI-12 bus as long as

the following conditions are met:

• the maximum

total (!)

current consumption (500mA) is not

exceeded

• the maximum number of sensor values (20) is not exceeded

• all sensors have unique addresses

 WARNING If two sensors with identical addresses are connected

to the same bus, communication with these sensors is not possible.

Note: The factory default address of most SDI-12 sensors is usually

0. Please use an appropriate tool, usually delivered by the

sensor manufacturer, to change the address. The A725

addSDI RTU is not capable of changing addresses of SDI-12

sensors.

The sensors can be connected in a star, daisy chain or mixed topol-

ogy. Self powered and RTU powered sensors can also be mixed.

See Figure 13 for details.

Jumper

Detection

SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

2SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

SDI−Sense

SDI−POWER

GND

gray

yellow

green

self powered

SDI−12 SENSOR

CHAPTER 3

Communicating with the RTU

Figure 13. Multiple SDI-12 sensors

Communicating with the RTU

 WARNING Please disconnect the SDI connector, when

attempting to configure the A725 RTU via the A720SC serial cable.

You will not be able to communicate with your A725 addSDI RTU

as long as the SDI connector is plugged in.

You can use a Windows Hyperterminal window to connect to the

addSDI RTU. After you have installed the system, follow these

steps to configure the device and set the default parameters:

Note: To configure the A725 RTU you must use the A720SC

adapter cable mentioned above (available from your Adcon

dealer) and connect it to the POWER jack of the RTU.

1. Open a Hyperterminal window.

2. Select the appropriate serial port and click OK.

3. Configure your terminal as follows:

• 19200 baud

• 1 stop bit

• 8 data bits

• No parity

• No protocol (neither hardware nor software)

SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

self powered

SDI−12 SENSOR

Jumper

Detection 1

2SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

SDI−Sense

SDI−POWER

GND

gray

yellow

SDI−DATA

SDI−GND

SDI−12 SENSOR

POWER

green

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

4. Select OK to open the terminal window.

5. Press Enter to generate a response in the window.

Serial communication protocol

This protocol is based on a master sending commands and a node

answering. The whole communication is conducted in plain ASCII

strings. When exchanging numbers, they are represented in deci-

mal format. All commands are terminated with a CR/LF combina-

tion. All responses (answers) are terminated with the # character.

General format of a command

The commands have the following format:

ID Command Param1 Param2 ... ParamN

•ID is the destination device. If you include an ID as part of a

command, the node checks whether ID=ownID. If it does, the

node executes the command on itself. If the ID is not the

node’s ID, the node executes the command on a remote

device, if such an ID exists. Not naming any ID implies that the

command is addressed locally.

Note: Not all the commands can be executed remotely!

•Command is the command proper, which can be composed of

a variable string of characters (for example, SLOT). Each node

can implement a set of commands depending on the

functionality of the node itself. However, as a minimum

requirement, a node recognizes the CMDS command, which

returns a list with the commands accepted by the node.

•Param1 Param2 ... ParamN represent the parameters,

which are command dependent. If you type no parameters

when you issue a command, it is the equivalent of querying

for information (the GET version of a command). If you type

parameters, you are issuing the SET version of a command

and are setting the command to the parameters you typed.

General format of an answer

The answers have the following format:

ID Command Result1 Result2 ... ResultN ErrResult

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

•ID is the answering device. If a command was further routed,

it is the ID of the end device. The answer must always contain

the ID on return.

•Command is the string representing the original command. It

is supplied so that a master can distinguish between the

answers it is waiting for, and out-of-band notifications (which

may come, for example, over the radio port of a node). As

with the ID, the command name must always be supplied.

•Result1 Result2 ... ResultN are the result values

returned by the remote node. If the ErrResult is not zero,

all other possible characters and/or strings until the end of

the line may be ignored.

•ErrResult shows whether the command was successfully

executed or not. If this value is 0, the command was

successfully executed. If this value is other than 0, the

command failed. The number may further indicate the error

type. (See also “Returned errors list” on page 37.)

The answer string may contain any number of spaces or CR/LF

characters between its components; however, after the terminator

(#) no other characters are allowed.

Using terminal commands

The A725 addSDI firmware is basically the same as used with the

A723 addIT, except for the following items:

• new device type: A725

• only SDI-12 Sensors available

The following list describes all available commands and their

usage.

Note: You can type uppercase or lowercase characters because

the commands are not case sensitive.

CMDS

DESCRIPTION Returns a list of supported commands.

PARAMETERS None.

RETURNS A list of strings separated by spaces.

REMARKS GET only.

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE CMDS

15535 CMDS CMDS ID PMP RSSI TIME FREQ SLOT DATA

INFO RX TX FDEV 0

TIME

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the real time clock.

PARAMETERS The actual time, or none in the GET version.

RETURNS The actual time as dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm:ss.

REMARKS GET/SET.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE TIME 12/12/1999 22:10:10

15535 TIME 0

TIME

15535 TIME 12/12/1998 22:10:10 0

FREQ

 CAUTION Do not change the frequency of your device without

reason: apart from the fact that it might not communicate in the

network anymore, you might also violate the applicable

radiocommunications laws in your country. Depending on the

destination country, some models may also return an error

message.

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the operating frequency.

PARAMETERS The operating frequency and step (Hz), or none in the GET version.

RETURNS The actual frequency and step, in Hz.

REMARKS GET/SET.

REMOTE Yes, SET only.

EXAMPLE FREQ 433925000 25000

15535 FREQ 0

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

FREQ

15535 FREQ 433925000 25000 0

RSSI

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the Relative Signal Strength Indicator threshold at

which the RF receiver must wake up.

PARAMETERS The threshold value. For the A725, it can take values from 0 to

255; it is typically factory set to 42.

RETURNS The instant RSSI value and the programmed threshold.

REMARKS GET/SET.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE RSSI 50

15535 RSSI 0

RSSI

15535 RSSI 34 50 0

Note: The values of the RSSI threshold have no units, they are arbi-

trary. However, a value of 160 corresponds approximately to

the maximum value allowed in the addVANTAGE software

(that is, 8 µV).

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the node’s ID.

PARAMETERS The node ID.

RETURNS The node ID.

REMARKS GET/SET.

REMOTE Yes, SET only.

EXAMPLE ID 4557

15535 ID 0

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

4557 ID 4557 0

SLOT

 CAUTION Changing these parameters may adversely affect the

ability of the device to operate for extended periods under low sun

shine conditions.

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the node’s sampling interval and rate.

PARAMETERS The interval (60 - 65535) and rate (0 - 255). The interval represents

the time (in seconds) elapsed between two slots stored in the inter-

nal memory, while the rate represents the numbers of samples

used to build the average that will be stored.

Note: The rate parameter is not relevant for the A725 RTU. The

sensors’ firmware is responsible for calculations of avaraged

values etc.

RETURNS The interval and rate.

REMARKS GET/SET. The default interval is 900 (15 minutes) and rate is 15 (15

samples per 15 minutes).

REMOTE Yes, SET only.

EXAMPLE SLOT 900 15

15535 SLOT 0

SLOT

15535 SLOT 900 15 0

PMP

DESCRIPTION Sets/returns the node’s Power Management Parameters (switches

the battery charge on/off).

PARAMETERS The lower (switch on) and the higher limit (switch off), both in volts

x 10. Standard Values are 65 (for 6.5 Volts) for switch on and 72 (for

7.2 Volts) for switch off (for a standard 6.2 Volt NiCd or NiMH bat-

tery). From these values, other thresholds are internally computed.

RETURNS The lower (switch on) and the higher limit (switch off), both in volts

x 10.

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

REMARKS GET/SET.

REMOTE Yes, SET only.

EXAMPLE PMP 65 72

15535 PMP 0

PMP

15535 PMP 65 72 0

DATA

DESCRIPTION Returns data stored for a certain device.

Note: This command cannot be used to retrieve data from the

SDI-12 subsystem. Please see the description of the SDI-

DATA command therefore.

PARAMETER The ID of the device for which the data is requested and the date/

time (in the standard format) the data was stored. If missing, then it

refers to the data of the local device.

RETURNS A data block.

Note: The addSDI does not support analog sensors.

REMARKS GET only. If the date/time parameter is not included, the latest

data is returned. If the date/time parameter is included, the data

closest to, but later than, the given date/time is returned.

REMOTE Yes, for a GET, but only one frame at a time. The A725 can issue

the command only for itself, locally.

EXAMPLE DATA 15535 1/3/2000 12:12:12

15535 DATA b1 b2 b3 ... bn 0

The data block returned will typically contain a number of data

frames (telegrams). The structure of a block is as follows:

dd mm yyyy hh mm ss si ft d1 d2 ... dn dd mm yyyy ... dn cs

where:

•dd mm yyyy is the date

•hh mm ss is the time

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

•si is the size of the frame

•ft is the frame type (39 for the A725)

•d1 d2 ... dn are the data values (the frame content)

•cs is a 16-bit checksum obtained by summing the bytes and

discarding the carries over 0xFFFF

The A725 devices always responds with a type 39 data frame. The

composition of the data block of such a frame (the values marked

as d1, d2... dn) is depicted in Figure 14, while the digibyte is

depicted in Figure 15.

Figure 14. Frame 39 description

Figure 15. The Digibyte

The remote version is limited to a single frame. An example of such

a command is given below:

9999 DATA 9999 13/12/2006 19:46:00

9999 DATA

13 12 2006 19 46 23 13 39 255 255 3 0 0 89 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2258 0

RF incoming

RF outgoing

Digibyte

Pulse Counter CNT0, always 0

Pulse Counter CNT1, always 0

I/O A Cabling 2, always 0

I/O A Cabling 3, always 0

I/O B Cabling 1, always 0

I/O B Cabling 2, aways 0

I/O B Cabling 3, always 0

Battery

I/O A Cabling 1, always 0

Checksum

b7 b0

SC Res Res Res Res Res Res Res

SC — Solar Cell (0–off, 1–on)

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

Notice that if you need to get data that is not the last (newest) slot

remotely from a device, the ID must be supplied twice. If you need

to get the last slot stored, you can ignore the ID and the date/time

parameters:

9999 DATA

13 12 2006 22 15 00 13 39 255 255 3 0 0 87 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3311 0

IMME

DESCRIPTION Samples all inputs and immediately returns the sampled data.

Note: This command cannot be used to get data values from the

SDI-12 subsystem.

PARAMETER The ID of the requested subsystem; default is the standard A/D

subsystem of the A725 (ID=0).

RETURNS A data block (see also “DATA” on page 25).

Note: The analog inputs are disabled on the A725.

REMARKS GET only. The command needs a certain delay to execute (for

example, for the standard subsystem this delay amounts to two

seconds. The delay is necessary to allow for the sensors to settle

after applying power to them.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE IMME

4711 imme 13 12 2006 20 00 18 13 39 0 0 127

0 0 84

0 0 0 0 0 0

2209 0

FDEV

DESCRIPTION Formats the internal memory (destroys all the data).

PARAMETER If the parameters are missing, the command will destroy all the

data in the EEPROM file. If a parameter is given, the EEPROM type

is defined (data won’t be destroyed). The following EEPROM types

are currently defined:

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

• 0 – 16 Kbytes (e.g. model 25128)

• 1 – 32 Kbytes (e.g. model 25256)

RETURNS Nothing.

REMARKS SET only.

REMOTE Yes, SET only.

EXAMPLE FDEV 1

15535 FDEV 0

INFO

DESCRIPTION Returns various status information.

PARAMETER None.

RETURNS A list of a device’s internal variables:

ID INFO rf_in rf_out date time ver clk stack cop batt temp

days_uptime hr:min_uptime rssi pmp_low pmp_high type slot sam-

ples po err_level

The formats for the above parameters are as follows:

•rf_in and rf_out as a decimal

•date as dd/mm/yyyy

•time as hh:mm:ss

•ver as x.x

•clk, stack, and cop as decimal; they represent internal

housekeeping parameters: the A725 uses cop to number

watchdog occurrences, but clk and stack are currently

undefined

•batt as battery level using the standard voltage conversion

equation (0 is 0 volts, 255 is 20 volts)

•temp as internal temperature in the A725 housing, which is

device dependent. The precision of the sensing element is

low (±2°C), but it is sufficient for battery power management

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

(charge/discharge). To compute the actual value (in °C), the

following equation must be used:

•days_uptime in days; together with hr:min_uptime, it

represents the amount of time the device is up without a reset

or watchdog

•hr:min_uptime in hours:minutes format

•rssi as decimal; it is the value programmed with the RSSI

command

•pmp_low and pmp_high are the programmed values with

the PMP command )

•type is used to represent the device type; the following

types are currently assigned:

— 0 for A730MD

— 1 for A720

— 2 for A730SD

— 3 for A720B

— 4 for A733

— 5 for A723

— 6 for A440

— 7 for A733GSM

— 8 for A731

— 9 for A732

— 10 for A740

— 11 for A740GSM

— 12 for A724

— 13 for A725

— 14 for A726

slot and samples are the actual values programmed by

means of the SLOT command

•po is the power output of the device during the last frame

sent

•err_level is the error value; 0 means no error

REMARKS GET only.

REMOTE Yes, GET only. The A725 can issue the command both remotely

and locally.

Temp °C[ ] internalTemp 400⋅

255

------------------------------------------------- 68–=

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

EXAMPLE INFO

15535 INFO 0 84 13/12/2006 20:02:29 2.10 2 0 0 85

59 0 3:52 42 65 72 12 60 1 0

DESCRIPTION Switches the unit to permanent receive mode (for tuning pur-

poses).

PARAMETERS None.

RETURNS Nothing.

REMARKS The system stops, and exits the command only when a key is

pressed. This command returns no message.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE RX

15535 RX 0

DESCRIPTION Switches the unit to transmit mode (for tuning purposes).

PARAMETERS None (sends an unmodulated carrier), 1 (sends a 1 kHz modulated

carrier), 0 (sends a 2 kHz modulated carrier) or 5 (sends a mixed 1

+ 2 kHz modulated carrier).

RETURNS Nothing.

REMARKS The system stops, and exits the command only when a key is

pressed. This command returns no message.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE TX

15535 TX 0

TX 1

15535 TX 0

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

TX 5

15535 TX 0

DESCRIPTION Sends a broadcast frame.

PARAMETERS None.

RETURNS A data block.

REMARKS After the device has sent the broadcast frame, it will listen for

answers. All valid answers will be listed with their IDs.

REMOTE Yes. A device getting this frame would have to wait for a random

time (2 to 10 seconds) before performing the actual broadcast; if

no terminal is active, then no results will be listed. A list of heard

stations with their RF levels will be updated in the memory and will

be available whenever the BLST command is issued.

EXAMPLE B

15535 B 0

#234 BA 0

#7851 BA 0

BLST

DESCRIPTION Lists the stations heard after the last broadcast command was

issued.

PARAMETERS None.

RETURNS The date and time when the broadcast was performed, the num-

ber of stations heard, and a list with the heard stations’ ID and their

respective RF levels.

REMARKS GET only.

REMOTE Yes. The remote version will list only the first 9 stations heard.

EXAMPLE BLST

15535 BLST 10/12/1999 12:15:04 4

2008 150

2003 177

6883 168

4027 220

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

VER

DESCRIPTION Requests the firmware version of the device.

PARAMETERS None.

RETURNS The current version.

REMARKS GET only.

REMOTE No.

EXAMPLE VER

15535 VER 2.14.0 0

SDI

DESCRIPTION A complex command that can be used to check the status of the

SDI-12 subsystem, as well as configure it.

PARAMETERS The command has a multitude of options. If issued without param-

eters, the GET variant is implied, i.e. the status of the SDI-12 sub-

system will be returned (see also bellow). The following

parameters/formats of the command can be used:

•sdi + adds a measurement to the list. If you add the C

argument, CRC-measurements are used (default is without

CRC). You can set a different measurement method with M

followed by a number (default M0) or you can choose

continuous measurement by choosing R followed by a

number. In addition, you can set up to 24 bits in the value

index map by adding a mix of several index numbers

(separated by white spaces or ',', default 0-19) and bit masks

starting with 0x, e.g., 0x3 for indexes 0 and 1 (see also the

examples). The R-Method performs “Continuous

Measurements” (see SDI-12 standard). All measurements are

performed sequentially in the order they are situated in the

table.

•

sdi -

removes a configuration entry. The argument are the

sdi-

addr

and the

method

('M' or 'R') and optionally the checksum

flag 'C'. Sensors are considered as belonging to the same

sensor unit if they have the same

sdi-addr

and

method

•

sdi I

returns the sensor configuration, including the sensor

identifier string in double quotes, where '\' and '"' in the id

string are escaped with a '\'. Invalid characters (those outside

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

the SDI-12 allowable characters 0..31, 127..255) are

substituted with an underscore (_). The arguments are the

same as in

sdi -

command.

•

sdi !

resets the SDI-12 configuration. All previous entries are

deleted from the configuration table.

•

sdi *

forces a sensor discovery cycle after the next

measurement cycle. The status of the operation can be

checked by issuing an sdi command without arguments (the

GET version). All sensors discovered will be displayed in the

list. When the discovery operation ends, “D” flag changes

back to “d” (see also below).

 CAUTION Use the sdi ! and sdi * command with absolute

precaution, because the RTU’s SDI-12 configuration may be

deleted!

RETURNS The following information is supplied in the form of a string of

characters in the case the command was issued without arguments

(the GET variant):

•

a/A —

The presence of the SDI-12 BUS:

absent,

active;

•

w/W —

Wait-State of the system:

not waiting,

waiting for

an SDI-12 sensor;

•

m/M —

Measurement command status:

no measurement is

being done,

a measurement is in progress;

•

v/V —

Availability of Values for storage:

no values are

available,

values are available for local storage;

•

d/D —

discovery initiation:

no discovery pending,

discovery pending (will be done at the next sensor poll cycle).

In addition, for every programmed SDI-12 sensor, the following

information will be listed:

•

sensor id —

the sensor ID in ASCII (0 - 9, A - Z and a - z);

•

method + CRC —

the measuring method, either

(normal)

(continuous), optionally followed by the CRC flag (C);

•

index —

the indices used (in hexadecimal), e.g.:

0x3

if indices

0 and 1 are used.

Note: For further information about the significance of the above

terms please also consult the specification of the SDI-12

standard, version 1.3 (http://www.sdi-12.org).

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

REMARKS SET/GET.

REMOTE Yes.

EXAMPLE Initiate a “discovery“command

#sdi *

#sdi

35385 sdi awmvD 0 0

Discovery is pending (D).

Detach A720SC Serial Cable and attach SDI-12 bus and wait for at

least 1 minute; the bus will be scanned.

Detach the SDI-12 bus, wait 2s and attach A720SC again. Proceed

with the following command:

#sdi

35385 sdi awmvd 1 0 M0 0xfffff 0

The answer indicates: 1 sensor found at address 0, method 0 and

index mask is 0xfffff (all 20 indices, 0-19).

Note: Every “1” in the index mask (binary), corresponds to a

selected index, e.g. 0x3 corresponds to index 0 and 1.

Example for three equivalent configuration commands:

sdi + 0 M0 3,4,5,9

sdi + 0 M0 0x238

sdi + 0 M0 0x230,3

The binary representation of 0x238 is: 1000111000b (bits 3,4,5 and

9 are set).

DATASDI

DESCRIPTION Returns a slot of SDI-12 sensor data, if any.

PARAMETERS Offset and date/time, both optional. If an offset is specified, then

only the values after the offset are returned, all others are skipped.

CHAPTER 3

Using terminal commands

The date/time specifies the first slot to be retrieved that is strictly

“younger” than the specified time stamp.

RETURNS The data block returned will typically contain a number of data

frames. The structure of a block is as follows:

dd mm yyyy hh mm ss si ft rfin rfout db batt sdih

sdib1 sdib2 ... sdibn cs

where:

•

dd mm yyyy

is the date

•

hh mm ss

is the time

•

is the size of the frame (variable for the SDI frames)

•

is the frame type (60)

•

rfin

is the RFin RSSI value

•

rfout

is the RFout RSSI value

•

is the digibyte value

•

batt

is the battery voltage value

•

sdih

ist the SDI-12 header

•

sdib1, sdib2 ... sdibn

are the SDI-12 sensor quadruples

•

is a 16-bit checksum obtained by summing the bytes and

discarding the carries over 0xFFFF (float values are not

included in the checksum).

The composition of the data block of such a frame (the values

marked as sdih, sdib1... sdibn) is depicted in Figure 16.

CHAPTER 3

Performing Advanced Functions

Figure 16. SDI-12 Data Frame, part of type 60 Frame

The frame is similar to the standard DATA frame, but has the SDI

sensor values appended after the battery value. The frame type 60

contains SDI-12 data only.

SDI-12 specific parameters are explained below:

•

SDI count —

represents the number of configured SDI values

following in the SDI data block.

•

SDI offset —

the offset in the SDI-12 frame. Usually it is 0 (no

offset is used).

•

SDI available —

is the number of SDI-12 sensor values

effectively returned. The difference between the

SDI count

and

SDI available

indicates missing sensors (down or damaged).

Usually these two values are identical.

•SDI values — this is a number of SDI-12 quadruples:

• SDI address

• SDI method

• SDI index

• SDI value (floating point).

Ott Hydromet Business Unit Adcon Telemetry A725 Telemetry transceiver User Manual

Adcon Telemetry GmbH Telemetry transceiver

User manual

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