GE MDS SD Series Quick Start Manual

MDS SD Series Quick Start Guide 1 MDS SD Series Quick Start Guide (Firmware 3.x) The MDS SD Series transceiver (Figure 1) is a software-configu- rable, industrial solution for use in wireless telemetry applications. As of the publication date, two SD models are offered: 400 MHz (SD4) or 900 MHz (SD9). In this guide, the term SD is used for information common to all models of the radio. The radio interfaces with a variety of data control equipment such as remote terminal units (RTUs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), flow computers, and similar devices. Data interface con- nections may be made by both serial (RS-232/485) and limited Ethernet protocols. Invisible place holder Figure 1. MDS SD Data Transceiver 1.1 About This Guide This guide covers SD transceivers operating in Packet Mode or Transparent Mode. A more detailed Reference Manual is also available (05-4846A01). SD manuals are available in printed or electronic form. All manuals are available free of charge at www.gemds.com. Invisible place holder 1.1.1 x710 Mode—Different Manuals Required The radio can be configured to emulate an MDS 4710 (400 MHz) or 9710 (900 MHz) radio. (These radios are referred to as “x710” here.) For x710 mode commands, consult these manuals: • Start-Up Guide (05-4669A01) • Reference Manual (05-4670A01) There are three main requirements for installing the transceiver... • Adequate and stable primary power • An efficient and properly installed antenna system • Correct interface connections between the transceiver and the data device. Figure 2 on Page 1 shows a typical installation of the radio. NOTE: Retrofit Kits are available to ease installation at former MDS x710 digital and analog sites. Consult the Refer- ence Manual for details. 2.1 Installation Steps In most cases, the steps given here are sufficient to install the transceiver. Refer to the Reference Manual for additional details, as required. 1. Mount the transceiver using the brackets supplied. Attach the brackets to the bottom of the transceiver case (if not already attached), using the four 6-32 x 1/4 inch (6 mm) screws. Mounting bracket dimensions are shown in Figure 3. If DIN Rail mounting brackets are to be used, consult the Reference Manual. 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. CAUTION:Using screws longer than 1/4 inch (6 mm) to attach the brackets to the radio may cause internal damage. Use only the supplied screws. Figure 2. Typical Installation Figure 3. Mounting Bracket Dimensions 2. Install the antenna and feedline. The antenna used with the radio must be designed to operate in the radio’s frequency band, and be mounted in a location providing a clear path to the associated station(s). At Remote sites, aim directional antennas toward the Master Station. Low loss coaxial feedline should be used and it should be kept as short as possible. 3. Connect the data equipment. Connection may be made using Ethernet signaling, Serial protocols (RS-232/RS-485), or both. 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 INSTALLATION ANTENNA CONNECTOR (TNC) SERIAL DATA CONNECTORS (DB-9) DC INPUT POWER LED INDICATOR PANEL ETHERNET CONNECTOR (RJ-45) COM1 used for radio management POWER SUPPLY 10.5–16 VDC @ 2.5A Negative Ground Only TRANSCEIVER LOW-LOSS FEEDLINE ANTENNA SYSTEM ETHERNET SERIAL Master Stations typically use omni-directional antenna DATA TELEMETRY DEVICE OR HOST COMPUTER OR: 7.25˝ (16.99 cm) 2.75˝ (7 cm)

05-4847A01, Rev. B • If Ethernet is to be used, connect your data equipment to the front panel Ethernet port next to the PWR connector. • If serial is to be used, connect your data equipment to the COM1 or COM2 port on the front panel. (Typically, COM1 is used for management of the radio and COM2 is used for connecting data equipment. Other arrangements are possi- ble. Refer to the Reference Manual for details.) In all cases, the radio is hardwired as a DCE device. A straight-thru cable may be used for most applications. NOTE: Do not connect the Ethernet port to a LAN with high traffic. Excessive traffic will overload the port and Ethernet communications will be temporarily disabled. 4. Connect primary power. Input power must be 10.5 to 16 Vdc (SD4) or 10.0 to 30 Vdc (SD9) and capable of providing at least 2.5 Amperes. A power connector with screw-terminals is provided with the unit (see Figure 4). Strip the wire leads to 6 mm (1/4 inch) and insert them into the wire ports. Be sure to observe proper polarity as shown below. Tighten the binding screws securely. Figure 4. DC Power Connector CAUTION:The unit is designed for use with negative-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 terminals and the radio’s power connector. 5. Set the radio’s configuration. Connect a PC to the radio’s COM1 port as shown in Figure 5. A straight-thru cable may be used for this connection. NOTE: Consult your System Administrator if you are unsure of the settings required for your network. Figure 5. Setup for PC Configuration 2.1.1 Software Configuration There are two methods for communicating with the radio for con- figuration and management: Serial (COM1 DB9 connector) and Telnet (ETHERNET RJ-45 connector). Both present identical menus, but the method of access is different for each. The focus here is on Serial access, but Telnet may be used by following these additional points, which replace Steps 1 and 2 below: • Connect to the radio with a PC that is on the same IP net- work as the transceiver. Launch a Telnet program, and con- nect to the radio using its programmed IP address. • The default IP address is 192.168.1.1. If you do not know the IP address of the radio, log in with the serial configuration steps below, and view the address on the Starting Informa- tion screen. 1. With a PC connected to COM1, launch a terminal program, such as HyperTerminal (included with most Windows®-based PCs, except Vista) and set the following parameters: 8 bits, no parity, one stop bit (8N1), flow control disabled, VT100 emulation. The radio’s COM1 port automatically determines the connected baud rate (within the range of 1200–115200 bps). 2. Press the key followed by a series of keypresses (1/2 second intervals) until the Login: prompt appears. 3. At the prompt, enter the username. The default username is: admin (lower case). Press . At the next prompt, enter the password. The default password is: admin (lower case). Press . (Before placing the unit in final service, it is recommended that a new password be set using the Security Configuration Menu.) 4. Upon login, the Starting Information Screen appears (Figure 6). It shows basic read-only information about the radio. Figure 6. Starting Information Screen (First screen displayed upon login) 5. Press G to access the Main Menu (Figure 7). This is the gate- way to all settable parameters of the radio. Figure 7. Main Menu Screen 6. Select Radio Configuration from the Main Menu and then select Basic Settings. The screen shown in Figure 8 appears. Figure 8. Basic Settings Menu PC Running Terminal Session Transceiver DB-9M to COM1 Port ESCAPE ENTER ENTER ENTER

MDS SD Series Quick Start Guide 3 7. Review the basic settings to determine if they are appropriate for your system.The RX (receive) and TX (transmit) frequen- cies must always be set/verified. To set the frequencies, press the letter shown to the left of RX and TX, and enter the correct frequencies in MHz (xxx.xxxxx). Press . 8. The factory default modem settings support 9600 bps trans- mission in a 12.5 kHz bandwidth channel. Many other options are available. These may be viewed by selecting Modem Type and pressing the spacebar to cycle through the list. When done with the steps above, return to the Main Menu and review the other configuration options to determine if other settings are required for your system. 2.2 Initial Checkout In-service operation of the transceiver is completely automatic. The only operator actions required are to apply DC power and observe the LEDS for proper indications. Table 1 summarizes the radio’s LED functions. 2.2.1 LED Functions NOTE: LED labeling may vary on early units. LED position and functionality remains as described below. Figure 9. LED Status Indicators Table 1: Description of LED Status Indicators NOTE: The Ethernet connector also has two embedded LEDs. A flashing green indicates Ethernet data activity, and a yellow indicates 100 Mbps operation has been achieved. 2.2.2 Antenna SWR Check Before final operation begins, the antenna system’s standing wave ratio (SWR) should be checked using a wattmeter suited to the fre- quency of operation. High SWR (above 2:1) may indicate an antenna or feedline problem, and should be corrected. 2.2.3 RSSI Check (for Remotes) Using the Radio Performance menu, check the received signal strength indication (RSSI) for adequate signal strength. The radio must be receiving a signal from the associated Master Station (LINK LED on or blinking). In general, signal levels stronger than –80 dBm will provide very reliable communication and allow for a degree of “fade margin.” Optimize the RSSI at Remotes by slowly adjusting the direction of the station antenna. Watch the RSSI indication for several seconds after making each adjustment so that the RSSI accurately reflects any change in the link signal strength. With RSSI, the less negative the number, the stronger the incoming signal. All radios in the network must meet the basic requirements listed below for proper operation. Check these items first when trouble- shooting a system problem: • Adequate and stable primary power • Secure connections (RF, data and power) • A clear transmission path between Master and each Remote • An efficient and properly aligned antenna system providing adequate received signal strength. • Proper programming of the transceiver’s parameters • The correct interface between the transceiver and the con- nected data equipment (correct cable wiring, proper data format, timing, etc.) 3.1 LEDs The radio’s LED indicator panel provides useful information when troubleshooting a system problem. Refer to Table 1 for LED infor- mation. 3.2 Event Codes When an alarm condition exists, the transceiver creates a mes- sage that can be read on the Statistics/Events Menu. While viewing this menu, select Alarms/Events to see the current alarms. Consult the Reference Manual for details. 3.2.1 Types of Alarms Minor Alarms—report conditions that, under most circumstances will not prevent transceiver operation. This includes out-of-toler- ance conditions, baud rate mismatches, etc. The cause of these alarms should be investigated and corrected to prevent system failure. 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 may require factory repair. Contact your factory represen- tative for assistance. 3.3 Built-In Spectrum Analyzer A Spectrum Analyzer screen is available for viewing other radio signals near the SD’s operating frequencies. Access to the ana- lyzer is made through the Maintenance Tools Menu (Mainte- nance/Tools>>Radio Test>>Spectrum). A submenu appears where you can specify the center frequency and span frequency of the spectrum scan. Start the analyzer function by selecting Spec- trum from the menu. The display creates a received signal strength indication (RSSI) vs. frequency plot for the frequency and surrounding signals. Refer to the Reference Manual for detailed information. 4.1 COM1 Connections for PC Control The COM1 DB-9 connector is used for PC management of the radio. A straight-through cable is required that connects Pin 2 (RXD), Pin 3 (TXD), and Pin 5 (Ground). (See Figure 10.) Figure 10. COM1 Wiring to Computer LED Name Description PWR • Continuous—Power applied, no problems detected. • Rapid flash (5 times-per-second)—Alarm indication. LAN • Flashing—Ethernet data activity is detected. • Off—Ethernet signals not detected, or excessive traffic is present. DATA1/DATA2 The DATA LEDs show data activity on the DB-9 serial payload port(s). LINK When lit, indicates that a communication link exists with the master station. ENTER 3.0 TROUBLESHOOTING 4.0 COM1/COM2 REFERENCE RXD TXD GND 2 3 5 RXD TXD GND 2 3 5 > < DB-9 FEMALE (COMPUTER) DB-9 MALE (RADIO SIDE)

175 Science Parkway Rochester, NY 14620 MDS SD Series Quick Start Guide General Business: +1 585 242-9600 05-4847A01, Rev. B FAX: +1 585 242-9620 September 2009 Web: www.gemds.com 4.2 COM2 Connections The COM2 connector (Figure 11) is typically used to connect an external DTE telemetry device to the radio, which supports the RS-232 or RS-485 (balanced) format, depending on how the radio is configured. The radio supports data rates of 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, and 115200 bps (asynchronous data only). The COM2 connector mates with a standard DB-9 plug that is available from many electronics parts distributors. 4.2.1 Pin Descriptions—RS-232 Mode Table 2 provides pin descriptions for the connector when operating in RS-232 mode. For RS-422/485, refer to the Reference Manual. NOTE: The radio is hard-wired as a DCE device. The chart below shows a top-level view of the transceiver’s menu- system. For detailed menu descriptions, refer to the SD Reference Manual. Figure 11. COM2 Connector (DB-9F) As viewed from outside the radio Table 2: COM2 Pin Descriptions—RS-232 Pin Number Input/ Output Pin Description 1 OUT DCD (Data Carrier Detect/Link)—A low indicates signal received. 2 OUT RXD (Received Data)—Supplies received data to the connected device. 5 9 6 1 3 IN TXD (Transmitted Data)—Accepts TX data from the connected device. 4 IN Sleep Mode Input—Grounding this pin turns off most circuits in a remote radio. This allows for greatly reduced power consumption, yet preserves the radio’s ability to be quickly brought on line. (See Using the Radio’s Sleep Mode” for details.) 5 -- Signal Ground—Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on chassis. 6 OUT Alarm Output (DSR)—An RS-232 high/space (+5.0 Vdc) on this pin indicates an alarm condition. An RS-232 low/mark (–5.0 Vdc) indicates normal operation. This pin may be used as an alarm output. (See Reference Manual.) 7 IN Reserved. 8 OUT Reserved. 9 -- User I/O for special applications, not normally used. 5.0 MENU OVERVIEW Table 2: COM2 Pin Descriptions—RS-232 (Continued) Pin Number Input/ Output Pin Description                                                 !                " #    ! $  % $      "        $      "  # &'(  "")*   )+       &     *   ,   *+ '-   '.     /)  &  % $!   $    %        %+   0(     (  %0'   ("        !   ) 1    + $    +