User guide

Chelsea Technologies Group
FAST
tracka
User Guide HB179 Issue 7.0
Page
9
of
47
The Deck Unit will provide power to the FAST
tracka
only if mains power is supplied to the Deck
Unit through the mains plug. If the FAST
tracka
is requested to turn on without power being applied through the Deck Unit and if no battery pack
power is available, the instrument will return an error code through the indicator LEDs in the
optical head. If the battery cable is attached, and proper battery power is applied, and the host
cable is incorrectly attached, the indicator LEDs will show proper wakeup codes, but no
communication will appear on the RS232 cable. It is important to ensure that all cables are
properly attached before operating the instrument.
With the Deck Unit cable attached to the FAST
tracka
interface bulkhead connector and proper
mains power supplied to the Deck Unit, the FAST
tracka
should automatically operate.
3.2 ESTABLISHING CONTROL
With either the battery pack attached or the Deck Unit supplying power, the FAST
tracka
is ready to
be turned on. The instrument will remain in SLEEP mode and may be awakened by:
a) toggling the magnet switch at the optical head
b) pre-setting wake up times through system software
When awakened, the instrument will begin to operate with the set up parameters last set through
software control if autoacquire mode has been set, otherwise it will await further instruction from
the operator. To establish communication with the instrument:
• connect the supplied 9 way serial cable between the Deck Unit and the host PC;
• connect Host Cable between the Deck Unit and instrument;
• correctly set the serial parameters on the terminal emulator which you are using. The
instrument responds to 9600 baud, no parity, 8 data bits and one stop bit;
Use the magnet to turn on the instrument. The location of the magnet switch is located in the
centre of the optical head.
When the FAST
tracka
recognises the wakeup request, the indicator LEDs will blink once, and the
following menu will be displayed:
Chelsea Instruments Ltd
Fast Repetition Rate Fluorimeter - Ver X
This indicates that the instrument is up and running, and that the serial communication with the
FAST
tracka
is correctly set. Continue with the instrument configuration as explained in the Software
Reference section. The FAST
tracka
can be returned to sleep mode by using the magnet switch
again, in which case the indicator LEDs will blink twice.
NOTE: Improper operation and/or configuration of the terminal device, or terminal emulator running
on the host PC, has often been the cause of many communication problems noted by users of this
and other serial devices. Consult Appendix 2 for tips on serial communication to the FAST
tracka
before continuing if you have problems at this stage with establishing communication with the
instrument.