User guide

Chelsea Technologies Group
FAST
tracka
User Guide HB179 Issue 7.0
Page
6
of
47
The FAST
tracka
is shipped standard with a 15 Ah rechargeable battery pack, with an integral
intelligent battery charging circuit which monitors battery temperature and charge characteristics.
The internal charging circuit greatly simplifies the user’s task of battery maintenance. Battery
charge algorithms are computed internally with respect to charge state and temperature; the user
is required only to provide adequate voltage and current at the charge plug. Proper charging
capability is provided through the FAST
tracka
Deck Unit, but the customer is expected to ensure
that the charging current and voltage to the battery pack does not exceed the specified limits for
effective charging when using sources other than the Deck Unit to charge the battery pack. The
battery lifetime and power consumption rates are heavily dependent on the flash rate and the
excitation protocol intensities.
The FAST
tracka
is shipped with a Deck Unit, a deck unit interface cable, and a serial cable to
allow RS232 communication between the FAST
tracka
and the user’s computer or terminal
emulator. The user is required to provide an adequate terminal emulation package (e.g. PCPlus)
in order to communicate with the FAST
tracka
. In addition to allowing communication, the Deck Unit
supplies power to the FAST
tracka
via an internal switch mode PSU. Consequently the instrument
may be operated through the Deck Unit alone, without a battery pack. Finally, the Deck Unit
contains a second internal switch mode PSU to properly charge the battery pack. Since this
PSU is separate from the Host supply PSU, battery pack charging can occur simultaneously and
independently of host operation.
The electronic systems of the FAST
tracka
include a Motorola MC68332 microcontroller operating
at variable clock speeds up to 16MHz, a flexible FPGA digital logic system, and a nonvolatile
PCMCIA flashdisk. The FAST
tracka
optical system utilises a proprietary high-speed/ fast repetition
rate blue LED light source and a sensitive photomultiplier emission detector, both specially
engineered for the excitation and observation of chlorophyll fluorescence.
Since the FAST
tracka
has been designed for maximal flexibility, each user’s application may be
as customised as is desired. Technical information is provided to help the user operate the
FAST
tracka
with most standard deployment scenarios, but we realise that many items have been
either customised or require additional information. Our technical services are ready to help you
effectively use our instrument in any situation you require, in house or in the field.