Users Manual

18 MDS™ Master Station MDS 05-6399A01, Rev. G
3.1 Applications
The Master Station is designed for point-to-multipoint data transmission in utility SCADA com-
munications, transactional systems, and telecommunications systems. The wireless network pro-
vides communications between a central host computer and remote terminal units (RTUs) or
other data collection devices. In such an arrangement, the operation of the radio system is trans-
parent to the computer equipment.
Repeater and Polling Remote Operation (MPRS Only)
In a system using FCC Part 90 repeater and polling remote, the polling remote radio operates in
half-duplex mode and the repeater operates in half-duplex or full-duplex mode. The SD Master
Station can be used as a polling remote, or as a repeater. Refer to Page 43 for details on configur-
ing the radio for repeater operation.
Simplex and Switched Carrier Operation
System-wide simplex operation is achieved by switching the Master Station carrier on to trans-
mit, and then off to receive. The same frequency is used for both transmit and receive.
In MPRS Master Stations, switched carrier, half-duplex mode works in the same way, except dif-
ferent frequencies are used for transmit and receive.
Refer to Page 57 for details on configuring the radio for simplex operation for SD radios.
3.2 Network Management
MPRS Network-Wide Diagnostics
When operating with SD radio interfaces (MPRS), the Master Station offers network-wide diag-
nostics capability, sometimes referred to as DLINK Diagnostics. Network-wide diagnostics com-
munications is a packetized diagnostic capability that provides the following advantages:
• You can gather diagnostic data over a large radio network without disrupting the system
communications flow.
• When required, you can increase diagnostics communications speed by actively collecting
diagnostic data.
• You can access diagnostic data for each radio in the network from any radio diagnostics
port in the network.
• You can broadcast certain messages to all radios in the system simultaneously.
You can use the Master Station to poll remote radios in its radio system for diagnostic data. For
more information on the implementation of network-wide diagnostics, refer to the GE MDS Net-
work-wide Diagnostics Handbook (P/N 05-3467A01).
MPRS Network Management Using PulseNET
PulseNET uses the SNMP, Netconf, and DLINK protocol to monitor the SD Master Station
(MPRS) and downstream devices. The Master Station can be connected locally using either
COM1 or COM2 serial or through Ethernet using TCP. Refer to the section “Dlink” on Page 48
for more information about configuring DLINK on the Master Station.
PulseNET remotely discovers and monitors Master Stations and other SD or x710 radios on the
network using DLINK and other Orbit radios with SNMP and Netconf. The locally connected