(Including MDS 4790A/C/E/S, MDS 9790A) 400 MHz/900 MHz Multiple Address System Master Station Radio MDS 05-3438A01, Rev.
QUICK START GUIDE 1. Install and connect the antenna system to the radio (page 8). • Use an appropriate antenna aimed at the associated station. • Use low-loss feedline suited for 400/900 MHz. Keep the feedline as short as possible. 2. Connect the backup battery (page 15). 3. Connect the host computer to the DATA connector on the rear panel (page 22). 4. Verify proper input voltage level and connect power to the radio. Set the power switch(es) to ON. 5.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 1 2.0 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ..................................................................... 1 2.1 Network-Wide Diagnostics ............................................................... 2 2.2 Redundant versus Non-redundant Operation .................................. 2 2.3 Applications ......................................................................................
Orderwire Connector—J9 ............................................................... 23 Alarm Contacts—J10...................................................................... 23 4.7 Post Installation Checks ................................................................. 24 5.0 START-UP AND OPERATION ............................................................... 24 5.1 Initial Startup .................................................................................. 24 Normal Indications .............
RTU [ON/OFF/0-80]........................................................................ 48 RX [xxx]........................................................................................... 49 RXLEVEL [–20 to +3]...................................................................... 49 RXMUTE [ON/OFF/Time in msec].................................................. 49 RXPAD [ON/OFF] ........................................................................... 50 RXTOT [NONE, 1-1440] ..........................
MDS 4790/970—Front End Helical Coil Alignment......................... 87 8.5 Testing and Removing an Internal Duplexer ................................... 87 Testing............................................................................................. 87 Removing the Internal Duplexer...................................................... 88 8.6 Testing and Removing the Antenna Switch Module ....................... 89 Testing............................................................................
ISO 9001 Registration Microwave Data Systems adheres to this internationally-accepted quality system standard. Quality Policy Statement We, the employees of Microwave Data Systems, are committed to achieving total customer satisfaction in everything we do. Total Customer Satisfaction in: • Conception, design, manufacture and marketing of our products. • Services and support we provide to our internal and external customers.
ESD Notice To prevent malfunction or damage to this radio, which may be caused by Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), the radio should be properly grounded by connection to the ground stud on the rear panel. In addition, the installer or operator should follow proper ESD precautions, such as touching a grounded bare metal object to dissipate body charge, prior to adjusting front panel controls or connecting or disconnecting cables on the front or rear panels.
1.0 INTRODUCTION This guide presents installation and operating instructions for the MDS 4790 and MDS 9790 Series master station. It begins with an overall description of radio features and is followed by the steps required to install the unit and place it into normal operation. Additionally, the guide contains troubleshooting tips for resolving system difficulties that may be encountered. After you install the radio, keep this guide near the radio for future reference. 2.
All assemblies, including the duplexer and power supply, are contained in the radio’s compact (2RU high) enclosure. The radio’s compact size allows it to fit into most existing systems, in either tabletop or rack mounting arrangements. Connectors are provided on the rear panel for easy connection of power, antenna, data, alarm and diagnostic functions. 2.1 Network-Wide Diagnostics Newer MDS remote and master station radios, including the MDS 4790/9790, Series offer network-wide diagnostics capability.
a transceiver board will cause the boards to communicate briefly with each other to establish which board will operate as the active board and which operates as the stand-by. For more information, see “Transceiver Board and Power Supply Assemblies” on Page 82. 2.3 Applications The MDS 4790/9790 Series is designed for point-to-multipoint data transmission in oil and gas pipeline communications, transactional systems and telecommunications systems.
REMOTE RADIO TX LOW RX HIGH REMOTE RADIO RTU TX LOW RX HIGH RTU P W R IDIA G 13.8 –+ VDC – RTU P W R IDIA G 13.8 –+ VDC – P W R TX LOW RX HIGH REMOTE RADIO RTU IDIA G 13.8 TX LOW RX HIGH REMOTE RADIO –+ VDC – CONTINUOUSLY KEYED RTU P W R IDIA G 13.8 –+ VDC P W R – IDIA G 13.8 –+ VDC – TX HIGH RX LOW REPEATER REMOTE RADIO TX LOW RX HIGH TX LOW RX HIGH HOST SYSTEM POLLING REMOTE HALF-DUPLEX SWITCHED CARRIER Figure 3.
• Primary power options for: 15, 24, 48, or 125 Volt DC and 115/230 Volts AC sources. • Configuration, control and diagnostics from front panel display or connected PC • Remote diagnostics via a connected PC and radio software • Time stamping of alarms and major events • Flexible mounting (rack or tabletop); front panel can be (optionally) mounted separately from radio chassis 2.5 Accessories The radio can be used with one or more of the accessories listed in Table 1.
2.6 Model Number Codes The radio model number is printed on the serial number label, which is affixed to the radio chassis. The alpha-numeric string describes the unit’s hardware and software configuration as it was shipped from the factory. This model number is an important reference to have on-hand to use when speaking with, or writing to, the factory for assistance. 3.
Site Selection For a successful installation, careful thought must be given to selecting the site for the master station and the remote radios. Suitable sites should offer: • An antenna location that provides an unobstructed path to all the remote radios in the system • A source of adequate and stable primary power • Suitable entrances for antenna, interface or other required cabling. These requirements can be quickly determined in most cases.
The test can be performed by installing a radio at each end of the proposed link and checking the RSSI value reported at the radio’s front panel display. (See “Front Panel Indicators” on Page 25.) If adequate signal strength cannot be obtained, it may be necessary to mount the station antennas higher, use higher gain antennas, or select a different site for one or both stations.
Generally speaking, an omni-directional antenna (Figure 5) is used at the master station site. This type of antenna provides equal coverage to all of the remote sites. At remote stations, directional antennas, such as Yagis are typically used. Figure 5. Typical Omnidirectional Antenna for Master Station (Shown mounted to mast) Feedline Selection For maximum performance, a good-quality feedline must be used to connect the radio to the antenna.
The RG-8A/U cable is a widely available and inexpensive feedline that is suitable for systems with short ranges or those with short feedlines. For longer feedlines and lower losses, Andrew HELIAX™ semi-rigid coaxial cable or similar products are a good choice. Table 2 shows the length of various types of cable and the resulting degradation in signal strength. Mount the antenna and feedline securely to the supporting structure to avoid damage from wind and ice loading.
Invisible place holder POWER CORD (AC cord shown) A B ENTE R ESCA PE PC DIAGNOSTICS & CONTROL CD-ROM (OPTIONAL) INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDE ADHESIVE FEET (4)* (For tabletop mounting) RACK-MOUNT BRACKETS (2)* * These items may already be installed on the radio chassis. Figure 6. Typical Shipment Contents 4.
Invisible place holder 3.5 inches (88.9 mm) 14.29 inches (363 mm) 17.2 inches (437 mm) Figure 7. Mounting Dimensions Remote Front Panel Mounting—Optional Configuration If desired, the front panel can be detached from the radio and mounted separately to the rack cabinet. This optional kit, MDS P/N 03-3228A01, is intended for rack-mount installations where all connections and control must be performed from the rear of the radio. The Auxiliary Mounting Plate (P/N 82-3189A01) is included in the kit.
Invisible place holder Invisible place holder A Figure 8. Front Panel Removal 5. Snap the front panel onto the Auxiliary Mounting Plate in the same way it was attached to the main radio chassis. 6. Mount the Auxiliary Mounting Plate to the rack cabinet at any convenient location within the range of the 7-foot cable (P/N 03-2198A04) supplied in the kit. 7. Attach the extension cable between the front panel modular connector and the in-line splice connector on the radio chassis. 4.
AC-Powered Units AC-powered radios are designed to operate from 115 to 230 Vac (50-60 Hz). The supply will automatically adjust to match either standard voltage. However, the supply voltage must be between 90 and 132 Vac, or 180 to 264 Vac. Operation outside these two ranges may cause damage to the power supply. A North American-style AC power cord is supplied with these units. See Figure 13, “. Master Station Rear Panel,” on page 18 to see the AC power supply module’s receptacle and switch.
4.4 Backup Battery A single backup battery is normally installed in AC-powered master stations. To prevent battery discharge during shipment, the radio’s internal Battery Backup switch is set to OFF at the factory. It must be set to ON at the time of installation to activate the radio’s battery-backup feature. Location of Battery Backup Switch A BATTERY BACKUP control switch is provided behind the front panel to enable and disable the internal back-up battery.
Low-Voltage Disconnect Feature The Battery Control Board contains a Low-Voltage Disconnect circuit. It prevents damage that may be caused when the backup battery drops below 10.65 volts—such as during an extended AC power outage. When the back-up battery voltage drops to 10.65 Volts (± 0.2 V), the Low-Voltage Disconnect assembly automatically disconnects the battery from the radio. This stops operation of the radio and protects the battery from potential damage.
Regardless of the antenna make, mount the antenna in the clear, as far away as possible from obstructions such as buildings, metal objects and dense foliage. Choose a location that provides a clear path in the direction of the associated stations. NOTE: Strong fields near the antenna can interfere with the operation of low-level circuits and change the values of the data being received. For this reason, the antenna should be mounted at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the radio and other electronic equipment.
Invisible place holder Power Supply POWER POWER ON/OFF INPUT J3 DATA (DB-25) J1 J9 DIAGNOSTICS RJ-11 (DB-9) ORDERWIRE J2 4-WIRE AUDIO J10 ALARM HEATSINK RADIO A Ground Lug (Hidden) OPTIONAL POWER SUPPLY (Redundant Models) ADDITIONAL HEATSINK (Redundant Models) RADIO B TX* * Present when external duplexer or cavity filter is supplied. Otherwise, holes are plugged. See text. ANT † RX* † Present when internal duplexer is supplied. Otherwise, hole is plugged. See text. Figure 13.
Invisible place holder Ext. Duplexer ANT RX TX RX TX Master Station Figure 15. Antenna Connection with External Duplexer Application #3— External Cavity Filter In some areas, interference from strong signals such as paging transmitters, may require the use of a cavity filter. A cavity filter is an externally-mounted device that is tuned to the frequency of an interfering signal. It removes or greatly attenuates the unwanted signal before it is detected by the master station receiver.
Invisible place holder This view applies only to units shipped prior to June 1, 2000 RADIO A OPTIONAL POWER SUPPLY (Redundant Models) ADDITIONAL HEATSINK (Redundant Models) RADIO B RX in (from Duplexer) TX out (to Duplexer) Figure 17. Coaxial Connectors for Older Radios (For units intended to operate with an external duplexer) Invisible place holder Ext. Duplexer TX ANT RX Cavity Filter IN OUT TX RX Master Station Figure 18.
Diagnostics Connector—J1 A DB-9 (9-pin) connector on the rear panel provides system diagnostics information. The DIAGNOSTIC PORT is used to control and perform diagnostics on the radio system from a connected computer. The communication speed between the computer and radio is up to 38400 bps. Figure 19 shows the EIA-574 (9-pin EIA-232) pin functions of the DIAGNOSTIC PORT as viewed from the radio’s rear panel.
Data Interface Connector—J3 The data connector on the radio’s rear panel is the main system data interface It typically connects to the host computer. Refer to Figure 21 and Table 4 for pinout details. Invisible place holder 13 25 1 14 Figure 21. Data Interface Connector, J3 Table 4. Data Interface Pinout 22 Pin Number Input/Output Pin Description 1 — Shield Connection. Connects to ground (negative supply potential) on the radio’s PC board. 2 IN TXD—Transmitted Data.
Table 4. Data Interface Pinout (Continued) Pin Number Input/Output Pin Description 19 OUT 14.0 Vdc Output. Provides a regulated supply voltage at 1.5 amperes for low-power accessories. 20 -- No Connection 21 -- No Connection 22 -- No Connection 23 -- No Connection 24 -- Do not connect—Reserved for future use. 25 -- No Connection Orderwire Connector—J9 The radio provides for an orderwire channel to facilitate communications between two associated MDS 4790/9790 radios.
4.7 Post Installation Checks Before applying power to the radio, verify that: 1. All connections are properly wired and secure 2. Input voltage matches that of the installed power supply 3. Antenna heading is preset in the direction of the associated station This completes the installation of the radio. Section 5.0, START-UP AND OPERATION, describes the unit’s indicators and gives initial startup procedures. 5.0 START-UP AND OPERATION The radio is designed for continuous, unattended operation.
Coordinating Activities by Orderwire The orderwire channel can be very useful in coordinating the set-up and testing of two MDS 4790/9790 radios set up in a Polling Remote system configuration. With a telephone handset plugged into the ORDERWIRE jack (J9) on the radio’s rear panel, technicians can talk to each other freely by merely speaking into the handset. The telephone handset with a carbon microphone element can be plugged into J9 on the rear panel to communicate with someone at the radio of the link.
Invisible place holder ENTER A B ACTIVE STBY ALARM RX ALR TX ALR I/O ALR ACTIVE STBY ALARM RX ALR TX ALR I/O ALR ESCAPE LED INDICATORS LCD DISPLAY PROGRAMMING AND CONTROL KEYS Figure 23. Front Panel Controls and Indicators LED Indicators The basic operation of the transceiver board(s) can be checked by viewing the LED indicators on the front panel. The top row of indicators shows the status of the “A” transceiver board; the bottom row shows the status of the “B” transceiver board.
Table 5. Explanation of Front Panel LEDs LED Name Color Meaning When Lit ACTIVE Green Transceiver board (A or B) is the selected unit. STBY Yellow Transceiver board (A or B) is currently in stand-by mode. (Functional on master station configured for redundant operation only.) ALARM Red A major or minor alarm event has occurred; use the front panel’s Active Radio Status screen to list current alarm events (see Page 73).
6.0 DIAGNOSTICS AND CONTROL Configuration, control and diagnostics of the master station is performed by connecting a Windows PC running a terminal program or other MDS diagnostics software to a diagnostic port on the rear of the unit (Figure 26). (If a PC is not available, many of the same functions may be performed using the front panel interface, described in Section 6.4, Configuration and Programming using the Front Panel, beginning on Page 56.
2. Connect a DB-9 to DB-9 cable (Figure 27) between the PC and the radio’s rear panel DIAGNOSTIC PORT (Figure 26). DB-9 MALE CONNECTOR TO RADIO DB-9 FEMALE CONNECTOR TO PC Figure 27. PC Diagnostic Cable (DB-9 to DB-9)— MDS P/N 97-1971A04 3. Install a terminal emulation program, such as HyperTerminal™; or MDS InSite™ software (MDS P/N 03-3533A01), if such a program is not already installed. 4. Launch the terminal program or diagnostics software. a.
The system displays one or more lines in confirmation. These responses are listed in Tables 6 through 8 beginning on Page 32. You may leave the diagnostics software and PC running, or you may exit from the diagnostics software, power-down the PC, and disconnect the PC from the radio.
See Section 6.3, Detailed Command Descriptions, beginning on Page 35 for detailed information about these commands. Commands and Command Parameters Most commands can be used in two ways. Typing only the command: For example: REPEATER will display the current information. Typing the command, followed by a space and a parameter value: For example: REPEATER ON will implement a change of a radio parameter.
Table 6. PC Commands—Radio Operation TERMINAL COMMAND FRONT PANEL MENU DESCRIPTION BATT(ery) [ON/OFF] Details, page 38 Battery Backup Details, page 69 Enable or disable alarms derived from the monitoring the internal back-up battery. BAUD [xxxxx abc] Details, page 38 Baud Rate/Format Details, page 66 Set or display communication attributes for data interface port ......................................................... xxxxx=Baud rate (110, 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400) ...............
Table 6.
Table 7. PC Commands—Diagnostics (Continued) PC COMMAND FRONT PANEL MENU DESCRIPTION KEY Details, page 44 Manual Key Details, page 68 Enable the transmitter DKEY Details, page 41 Manual Key Details, page 68 Disable the transmitter MADDR [NONE, 1–255] Details, page 44 Multi-Drop Address (MADDR) Details, page 68 Unit address for use with MDS’ InSite NMS software where multiple master stations are connected together at one location.
Table 8.
Each bit of the hexadecimal response code represents a unique alarm event. The first 4-digit number indicates major alarm conditions; if there are no major alarms, this number is 0000. The second 4-digit number represents minor alarm conditions; if there are no minor alarms, this number is 0000. Code values for individual major alarm conditions are given below: Table 9.
Table 10.Minor Alarm Conditions’ Hexadecimal Alarm Code Event Number Major Alarm Event Assignments Description 0000 0020 26 The DC input supply voltage is out of tolerance. If the supply voltage is too far out of tolerance, the radio may not work. 0000 0010 27 LNA current fault. (LNA current is out of range.) 0000 0008 28 Total board current fault. (Total board current is out of range.) 0000 0001 31 The radio’s internal temperature is approaching an out-of-tolerance condition.
Alarm Sense ASENSE [HI/LO] The ASENSE command displays or sets the logic characteristics of the alarm outputs at the ALARM RELAY connector (see “Alarm Contacts— J10” on Page 23). Entering the ASENSE command alone shows whether the alarm output is currently actively high or low. Entering the ASENSE command followed by HI or LO resets the alarm output to normally closed or normally open state.
a = Data bits (7 or 8) b = Parity (N for None, O c = Stop bits (1 or 2) for Odd, E for Even) The factory default setting is 9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit. NOTE: 7N1, 8O2, and 8E2 are invalid communication settings. If the data rate is faster than the radio’s baud rate setting, the DATA Port will accept a minimum of 500 data bytes in a single continuous data transmission. At baud rates of 9600 bps or less, the radio can support unlimited continuous data transmission.
Continuous Transmitter Keying CKEY [ON/OFF] A B Continuous Keying screen, Page 68 The CKEY command enables or disables continuous keying. When CKEY is enabled (ON), the radio is continuously keyed. The CKEY command is normally enabled when the radio is in a full-duplex master configuration. Data Interface clear-to-Send Period CTS [0-255] A B Clear-to-Send Delay screen, Page 66 This command displays or sets the timer value associated with the CTS line response.
Note that key-on-data mode is only applicable when the input data source is digital. When the input data source is analog, the DATAKEY setting is irrelevant. Event Log Date Format DATE [mmm dd yyyy] A B Set Date screen, Page 73 This command sets or displays the date. The accuracy of the date and time are important, because event codes are “stamped” with the date and time.(See also “TIME [hh:mm:ss]” on Page 54.) Enter the command without any parameters to display the date.
• 4800 • 9600 • 19200 (default setting) Example: DLINK 4800 sets the RJ-11 DIAG port to operate at 4800 bps. The same baud rate must be entered into the InSite Equipment List’s BAUD field. The default setting is DLINK ON. Diagnostics Message Gap Time DMGAP [xx] The DMGAP command sets the amount of time in milliseconds to wait after the receipt of a character before interpreting the next received character as the start of a new message.
indicates that pre-emphasis and de-emphasis are enabled, and OFF indicates that pre-emphasis and de-emphasis are disabled. ON Hardware Revision Level HREV This command displays the hardware revision level. Initialize to Factory Defaults INIT This command resets customer-programmable settings back to factory defaults: Table 11.
Table 11. Defaults for User-Configurable Parameters (Continued) Key Radio Transmitter Function Value Soft-Carrier Dekey (SCD) 0 msec Timeout-Timer 30 seconds (ON) TX Level Auto Unit Diagnostic Service (DTYPE) Node KEY This command activates the transmitter. See also the DKEY command.
Display Unit Model Number Code MODEL This command displays the radio’s model number. The characters and numbers, and their position in the code sequence, identifies the product options and configuration of the radio at the time of manufacture. It is helpful to have this code and the unit serial number available when communicating with the factory for technical assistance.
Entering the NMASK command alone displays the current setting of minor alarm events in hexadecimal format. Entering the NMASK command followed by an eight-digit hexadecimal number reassigns each of the 32 possible alarm events as enabled or disabled, with respect to minor alarm output relay status and switchover criteria. The hex value for the mask corresponds to the hex value for the ALARM command (see the ALARM command description).
Push-to-Talk Keying Delay PTT [0-255] A B Push-to-Talk Delay screen, Page 66 This command sets or displays the amount of time to wait after the radio receives a keying signal from either the PTT or RTS lines before actually keying the transmitter. Entering the PTT (Push-to-Talk) command without a parameter displays the timer value associated with the keying delay selection. Entering the PTT command with a parameter ranging from 0 to 255 sets the timer value in milliseconds.
Example: >RADIO Radio response:RADIO A RADIO A IS ACTIVE RADIO B IS INACTIVE Entering the RADIO command with a parameter of A or B forces the active transceiver board to the A or B transceiver board, and disables standby redundancy. RADIO A or RADIO B settings should rarely be used; they are provided mainly for diagnostic test purposes. Repeater Mode REPEATER [ON/OFF] Repeater Mode screen, Page 67 A B This command sets or displays whether the radio is configured as a repeater.
Receive Frequency RX [xxx] Receive Frequency screen, Page 65 A B This command displays or changes the radio’s receive frequency. Normally, the radio will be shipped to the customer programmed with the customer-specified frequency. If the operating frequency was not specified when the radio was ordered, the RX frequency is set to the center of the radio’s operating band (see Section 2.6, Model Number Codes, beginning on Page 6 for the model’s operating band).
Receive Data Attenuator RXPAD [ON/OFF] A Receive Pad screen, Page 71 B This command enables or disables the receive attenuator for the receive audio level on radios operating in the analog mode. Entering the RXPAD command without a parameter shows whether the attenuator is ON (enabled) or OFF (disabled). Entering the RXPAD command followed by ON enables the receive attenuator; entering OFF disables it.
Show Selected Parameters SHOW [DC/PWR/CURRENT/RADIO] The SHOW command discloses different types of radio information, depending on the command parameter entered. These are: • • DC—Displays DC input/output voltages. PWR—Displays the actual (measured) RF power output in dBm. Unlike the PWR command, this command shows the actual level being measured, not the programmed RF power setting. • CURRENT—Shows the low noise amplifier and total board current. • RADIO—Shows the currently active radio (A or B).
Software (firmware) Revision Level SREV Software Revision screen, Page 74 A B SREV displays the software release number, revision and build date: 06-3321A01 1.0.0ddmmmyyyy Standby Hardware Configuration STANDBY [ON/OFF] A B Standby Equipment screen, Page 69 The STANDBY command is used to notify the monitoring processor of the presence of a second radio assembly within the chassis so that it can switch to the alternate unit in the event of a failure of the primary radio assembly.
• Press the Enter key to display the next alarm event • Enter QUIT, Q, or a period (.) to return to the command prompt. The table below gives the text message displayed by the STAT command for each associated alarm event. Table 12.
Clock Formatting TIME [hh:mm:ss] A Set Time screen, Page 73 B This command sets or displays the time in 24-hour format. The accuracy of the date and time are important, because event codes are “stamped” with the date and time. (Also see “DATE [mmm dd yyyy]” on Page 41.) Enter the command without any parameters to display the time.
If the transmit frequency is changed more than 100 kHz from the factor’s setting, please review the duplexer guidelines in Section 8.4, Operating Frequency Change Considerations, beginning on Page 85. Transmit Data Audio Gain Enhancement TXGAIN [ON/OFF] A Transmit Gain screen, Page 71 B This command enables or disables the transmit audio boost for the transmit audio level in units the analog mode using J2: 4-WIRE AUDIO INTERFACE.
6.4 Configuration and Programming using the Front Panel If a PC running MDS diagnostics software is not available to connect to the radio, the front panel display and controls may be used to review and change operating parameters and perform diagnostics. This section explains how to use the front panel controls and screens. Cross-references to the corresponding PC-based commands are included. The front panel display has two modes: “safe” mode (display only), and configuration mode.
Invisible place holder RADIO START-UP MDS 4790 MAS Radio OWNERS NAME OWNERS MESSAGE ENTER ENTER MDS 4790 MAS Radio ≥Configuration Diagnostics Event Log ENTER MDS 4790 MAS Radio ≥Configuration Diagnostics Event Log MDS 4790 MAS Radio Configuration Diagnostics ≥Event Log MDS 4790 MAS Radio Configuration ≥Diagnostics Event Log TO CHANGE SETTING: ENTER ENTER ENTER TO CHANGE SETTING: ENTER ENTER CONFIGURATION ENTER SCREENS (CONTINUED) ESCAPE Operating Status TX: dekeyed RSSI: –60 dBm S/N: 10 dB
Programming and Control Buttons The programming and control buttons are located at the far right side of the front panel. They are used to navigate through the front panel screens and, when the front panel display is in configuration mode, to make changes to radio operating parameters. Figure 29 shows a detailed view of these controls. Invisible place holder ENTER ESCAPE Figure 29.
Invisible place holder Selection arrow MDS 4790 MAS Radio -> C o n f i g u r a t i o n Diagnostics Event Log Figure 30. Menu Directory Screen Displaying the menu directory To display the menu directory when the start-up screen is displayed, press the ENTER, up, or down arrow button once. The menu directory lists the three main menus—Configuration, Diagnostics, and Event Log. Selecting a main menu item Pressing the up or down arrow buttons cycles the selection arrow (->) through the main menu items.
• ESCAPE—Cancels the current radio functionality selection before the ENTER button is pressed a second time. • Up/down arrow buttons ( )—Cycles through a display of available choices. Pressing the ENTER button when a particular choice is displayed reconfigures the radio using that setting. Making changes to radio functions 1. When an individual menu screen is displayed, press the ENTER button. The message change pending appears at the bottom of the screen.
The Diagnostic screens display important status information for the local and remote radio, as well as run several tests useful in locating system problems. Group 4—Event Log (Page 75) The event log displays up to 800 of the most recent operating changes. These events include system problems, as well as normal operator actions such as turning the power on or off.
Table 14.
Table 15.
GROUP 1—MAIN SCREENS Start-up Screen MDS 4790 MAS Radio OWNERS NAME OWNERS MESSAGE Menu Directory MDS 4790A MAS Radio ->Configuration Diagnostics Event Log When the radio is first powered on, or after a period of time has elapsed after the last button press, the front panel display shows the start-up screen. The start-up screen displays the product model number, as well as the owner’s name and message. (Typically, customers use the owner name and message fields to display the system and site name.
NOTE: Receive Frequency Receive Frequency 400.00000 MHz Changing the transmitter’s operating frequency may result in degraded or out-of-specification performance. Please review Section 8.4, Operating Frequency Change Considerations, beginning on Page 85 before making a change. This screen is used to display or set the receive frequency. Normally, the radio will be shipped programmed with the customer-specified frequency.
Baud Rate/Format Baudrate/Format 9600 8N1 This screen is used to set or display the communication attributes for the DATA INTERFACE port. For a description of the communication attributes, see BAUD [xxxxx abc] command, Page 38. To change the baud rate, press ENTER, then press the left arrow button to move the underscore under the baud rate. Then use the up/down arrow buttons to select a new baud rate.
Soft-Carrier De-key Delay Soft Carrier De-key 0 milliseconds This screen is used to set or display the Soft-Carrier Dekey Delay. This is the amount of time to wait after a de-key request before actually de-keying the radio. When the delay is 0, the radio will de-key immediately following removal of a keying signal. To change the delay, press ENTER, then use the left/right arrow buttons to select the digit to change. Then use the up/down arrow buttons to increase or decrease the digit.
RX Mute Mode RX Mute Mode disabled This screen is used to set or display the radio’s RX (receive) Muting status. RX muting may be required when the radio is configured as a full-duplex polling remote communicating through a repeater. RX muting prevents the radio from hearing its own transmissions (“echoes”), which can cause errors in some software applications. The default RX Mute time is 5 milliseconds.
Unit Address Unit Address 2067 The radio’s unit address identifies itself as a unique radio within a network managed by MDS’ InSite™ NMS software or similar program. This address is independent of the Multi-Drop Address (above) and is needed only for local and over-the-air diagnostics and control services of this unit through an NMS program such as InSite. The default unit address is the last four digits of the radio’s serial number. User-programmable unit addresses can range 10000...65000.
Note that key-on-data mode is only applicable when the input data source is digital. When the input data source is analog, this setting is irrelevant. DATAKEY [ON/OFF] command, Page 40 Data Buffering Data Buffering enabled This screen is used to enable or disable data buffering. If data buffering is enabled, the radio operates in seamless mode, where the data is sent over the air as quickly as possible.
TXLEVEL [–20 to +3, AUTO] command, Page 55 Receive Level [–20 to +3] Receive Level -1 dBm This screen is used to set or display the radio’s audio receive level when the radio is operating as an analog device. The audio receive level can be set from –20 to +3 dBm. To change the audio receive level, press ENTER. You do not need to use the left/right arrow buttons to select a digit. Instead: To increase the receive level, press the up or left arrow button ( ).
Backlight Intensity Backlight Intensity 050100 n n n n n n n n n n Set Owner Name Set Owner Name ^ _ ! ” # $ % &’’ ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 This screen is used to set the brightness of the front panel display’s background. Making the screen background brighter or dimmer may aid the clarity of the front panel display when viewed under different light conditions. The bar display indicates the relative brightness of the screen background, with ‘0’ being dim and ‘100’ being very bright.
Set Time Set Time 12:04:03 AM May 01 1999 This screen is used to set or display the time set in the radio. The accuracy of the date and time are important, because event codes are “stamped” with the date and time. To change the time, press ENTER, then use the left/right arrow buttons to select the hour, minute, second, or AM/PM. Then use the up/down arrow buttons to increase or decrease the digit, or toggle between AM and PM. Repeat for other characters if necessary. Press ENTER again to make the change.
S/N Ratio This screen displays the current signal-to-noise ratio in dBm. S/N Ratio SNR, SNR! command, Page 51 Radio Selection Radio Selection AUTO Radio A is active This screen is used to set or display the transceiver board selection. When AUTO is selected automatic switchover is enabled. If a major alarm is detected and a redundant radio is operational, control will automatically switch to the alternate radio. The AUTO setting should be used even if there is only one transceiver board installed.
GROUP 4—EVENT LOG Event Log Log 1 of 1 5/ 1/1998 12:00;00 System Boot This screen shows the events logged on the active transceiver board. In many cases, the events leading up to a failure can be reviewed to help determine the cause of a problem. The event log number, date and time of the event, and a description of the event are shown. Press ENTER to review the event log. The most recent log will be shown first. Use the up/down arrow buttons to scroll through the stored history of events.
7.1 Local Problem-Solving Front Panel LEDs The first indication of a problem is usually an illuminated ALARM LED on the front panel. In normal operation, only the green (ACTIVE) LED should be lit (and, in a master station configured for redundant operation, one of the yellow STBY LEDs). In a redundant master station, the LEDs show the state of the A and B transceiver boards. In a non-redundant master station, the LEDs show the state of the A transceiver board.
Chassis-Mounted LEDs On current production radios, a series of additional LEDs are located behind the front panel affixed to the chassis. These indicators are primarily for use in troubleshooting the radio and show important details about the status of the radio circuitry. To view the chassis LEDs, remove the front panel by grasping it along the bottom edge and pulling straight out (see Figure 33). A Invisible place holder Figure 33.
Table 19. Explanation of Chassis-Mounted LEDs LED Name Meaning When Lit PWR Power is applied to the radio. MJR ALM Major Alarm—Indicates a hardware failure or other abnormal condition that will prevent (or seriously hamper) further operation of the radio. Factory service may be required. MNR ALM Minor Alarm—Indicates a condition which, under most circumstances will not prevent radio operation. This includes out-of-tolerance conditions, baud rate mismatches, etc.
• Major alarms generally indicate a hardware failure or other abnormal condition that will prevent (or hamper) further operation of the radio link. Most major alarms trigger a switch-over of internal transceiver board assemblies on a master station configured for redundant operation. • Connections to a relay that is actuated by these alarms are provided on the rear panel ALARM connector. (See Figure 22 on Page 23.
COMPUTER RUNNING MDS "POLL.EXE" PROGRAM REMOTE REMOTE REMOTE REMOTE MASTER STATION POWER DIVIDER POWER ATTENUATORS • Fixed or adjustable • 5w minimum rating NON-RADIATING ATTENUATOR • Install on any unused divider ports • 5w minimum rating Figure 35. System Bench Test Set-up 7.2 Performing Network-Wide Radio Diagnostics Radios in a network can be remotely polled by connecting a laptop or PC running MDS InSite diagnostics software to any radio in the network.
4. Use the DLINK ON and DLINK [baud rate] commands to enable network-wide diagnostics and set the baud rate at the diagnostics port of each node radio. 5. Connect same-site radios using a null-modem cable at the radios’ diagnostic ports. 6. Connect a PC on which MDS InSite software is installed to the root radio, or to one of the nodes, at the radio’s diagnostic port. (This PC may be the PC being used to collect payload data, as shown in Figure 36.
Invisible place holder RJ-11 PLUG (TO RADIO) 1 6 RJ-11 PIN LAYOUT DB-9 FEMALE (TO COMPUTER) 4 TXD RXD 2 5 RXD TXD 3 6 GND GND 5 Figure 37. RJ-11 to DB-9 Adapter Cable 8.0 REPLACING ASSEMBLIES Component-level repair of a transceiver board in the field is not recommended due to the complex nature of the circuitry and the use of surface-mount technology throughout the radio. Malfunctioning assemblies should be returned to the factory (or authorized service center) for repair or replacement.
Invisible place holder MAIN TRANSCEIVER BOARD POWER SUPPLY Figure 38. Main Transceiver and Power Supply Removal 8.2 Installation & Removal of Backup Battery (P/N 28-1575Axx) To install the backup battery, follow these steps: 1. Make sure AC power is removed and the BATTERY BACKUP switch is set to OFF (see Figure 11). 2. Remove the 4 Phillips screws on each side of the chassis and remove the top cover of the radio. DANGER PERSONAL INJURY HAZARD MDS 05-3438A01, Rev.
4. Locate the battery cable and connect it to the proper terminals on the battery. The red wire connects to the positive (+) terminal; the black wire connects to the negative (–) terminal. Backup Battery (P/N 28-1575Axx) Figure 39. Backup Battery Installation 5. Reinstall the top cover of the radio and set the BATTERY BACKUP switch to ON. If the battery is charged, the radio should begin operating immediately.
Invisible place holder A Figure 40. Front Panel Removal/Replacement 8.4 Operating Frequency Change Considerations Changing the radio’s operating frequency through a terminal command or front panel is an easy process. However, there are frequency-sensitive components within the radio that could effect operation on the new frequency—the receiver front-end helical coils and an internal duplexer, if one is present.
MDS 4790—400 MHz Notch-Type Duplexers The radio’s transmit frequency can be changed up to 100 KHz without re-tuning the duplexer. The duplexers shown in Figure 41 can be aligned in the field by experienced technicians using high-quality test equipment. For assistance, please consult MDS Technical Support for additional details about tuning. Figure 41.
MDS 4790/9790 Simplex Radios—With Antenna Switch Modules Simplex radios do not have a duplexers. In its place, an Antenna Switch Module is placed to switch the antenna system between the radios transmitter and receiver. The switch does not have any frequency-sensitive elements and covers the radio’s entire operating band. Radios equipped with this module can be programmed to any frequency within their operating range. However, two things need to be considered. 1.
3. Using an adapter, connect the RF power meter to the SMA connector on the vertical interface board, key the radio and measure the RF power. • If the power registers +39dBm, the radio board is functioning correctly. • If the power registers less than +39dBm, proceed with Step 4. 4. Use the front panel to switch to the alternate transmitter and again measure the RF power output. • If the alternate transmitter registers +39dBm, the internal duplexer likely needs replacing. 5.
CAUTION Use care when removing the duplexer. Physical damage may cause detuning. POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT DAMAGE Figure 45. Internal Duplexer Removal 8.6 Testing and Removing the Antenna Switch Module The antenna switch connects the transmitter or receiver circuit to the station antenna in a simplex radio. NOTE: The radio contains either an internal duplexer for full-duplex operation or an antenna switch for simplex operation.
2. Open the radio chassis, locate the TX cable, and disconnect the cable from vertical interface board. 3. Using an adapter, connect the RF power meter to the SMA connector on the vertical interface board, key the radio and measure the RF power. If the power registers +39 dBm, the radio board is functioning correctly. If the power registers less than +39dBm, proceed with Step 4. 4. Use the front panel to switch to the alternate transmitter and again measure the RF power output.
8.7 Cooling Fan Maintenance The MDS 4790/9790 Series uses cooling fans to cool the main transceiver boards. To ensure that the fans operate correctly, inspect them on a regular basis and keep them clear of dust (Figure 47). AIR FLOW COOLING FAN (Keep clear of dust) Figure 47. Location of Cooling Fan 9.0 RADIO SOFTWARE UPGRADES From time-to-time, Microwave Data Systems releases new software code for its radio products.
Software disks are also available from MDS that include a loader program for downloading the code on the disk into the radio. Contact MDS Technical Support for details. Finally, if you have an InSite CD from MDS, it also will have radio code on it, but it may not be the latest version. 9.2 Preparing for Download MDS software upgrades are distributed as ASCII files with a “.S28” extension. Browse to find the desired “.S28” software file for your radio.
10.0 TECHNICAL REFERENCE 10.1 Technical Specifications The following specifications apply to all models unless noted. GENERAL Size: 2RU (8.89 cm/3.5 inch) high 43.7 cm (17.2 in) wide 36.6 cm (14.3 in) deep (including internal duplexer and power supply) Weight: 9 kg (19.8 lbs.) max Frequency Range: MDS 4790A/C 330 to 512 MHz MDS 9790A 800 to 960 MHz Reprogrammable within smaller bands; duplexer and helical filters may require retuning.
TRANSMITTER Frequency Stability: ±1.5 ppm Carrier Power Accuracy: ±1.5 dB Adjacent Channel Power: –60 dBc Spurious Emissions: –36 dBm, 9 kHz to 1 GHz –30 dBm, 1 GHz to 12 GHz Frequency Range: MDS 4790: 330 to 512 MHz MDS 9790: 800 to 960 MHz Modulation Type: Binary CPFSK Carrier Power: Standard models— 100 mw to 5 W in 1 dB increments ETSI certified “E” models—5 watts (fixed) Duty Cycle: Continuous Output Impedance: 50 Ohms Bandwidth Compatibility: 12.
RECEIVER (Continued) Frequency Stability: ±1.5 ppm Errors at High Input Levels: +1 dBm at BER 10–4 Bandwidth: 12.
NOTE: This section is intended for use as a guideline when planning transmission paths. It does not consider all of the local conditions that may be present, nor does it guarantee that adequate signal strength will be obtained in a given system. There is no substitute for an on-the-air test to verify the predicted path results, and to check the overall operation of the radio system. To ensure a highly reliable path, a line of sight between both ends of the link is desirable.
Earth Curvature As the distance of a communication link increases, the clearance problem is compounded by the earth’s curvature. Radio waves traveling through typical atmospheric conditions bend slightly, which is represented by treating the earth as though it were slightly flatter than it actually is. Experience has shown that if we consider the earth’s radius to be 4/3rds of its actual size, we get good agreement between theory and measured propagation results.
Calculating Path Loss Assuming that we have satisfied the line-of-sight and first Fresnel zone clearance requirements, we can calculate the path loss. At 450 MHz, the loss between two isotropic radiators (0 dBi antennas) that are 1 km apart is 86 dB. For every doubling of distance, the loss increases by an additional 6 dB. Knowing this, the output power (+37 dBm), and the receiver sensitivity (–115 dBm), we can calculate antenna size and tower height requirements to cover any desired distance. 10.
Probability of System Fading FProb = a × b × 6.0 × 10 –7 3 × f × d × 10 ( – F ) ⁄ 10 where: FProb = probability of fading more than F a = terrain factor • 4 is used for very smooth terrain, such as over water • 1 is used for average terrain, with moderate roughness • 0.25 is used for mountainous or very rough terrain b = climate factor • 0.5 is used for a hot, humid climate • 0.25 is used for temperate or northern areas • 0.
10.4 dBm-Volts-Watts Conversion Chart Table 20 is provided as a convenience for determining the equivalent voltage or wattage of an RF power expressed in dBm. Table 20. dBm–Volts–Watts Conversion Chart 100 dBm V Po dBm V Po dBm mV +53 +50 +49 +48 +47 +46 +45 +44 +43 +42 +41 +40 +39 +38 +37 +36 +35 +34 +33 +32 +31 +30 +29 +28 +27 +26 +25 +24 +23 +22 +21 +20 +19 +18 +17 +16 +15 +14 +13 +12 +11 +10 +9 +8 +7 +6 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1 200W 100W 80W 64W 50W 40W 32W 25W 20W 16W 12.5W 10W 8W 6.4W 5W 4W 3.2W 2.
GLOSSARY Active Messaging—This is a mode of diagnostic gathering that may interrupt SCADA system polling communications (contrast with passive messaging). Active (or intrusive) messaging is much faster than passive messaging because it is not dependent upon the RTU polling cycle. BERT—Bit-error rate test. The results of a BERT are normally expressed as a ratio (power of 10) of the number of bits received in error compared to the total number received. BER—Bit-error rate. See also BERT. Bit—Binary digit.
kbps—Kilobits-per-second. Menu Directory—Front panel display screen that is the entry point to screens for displaying radio status and programming the radio. It contains the main menu items Configuration, Diagnostics, and Event Log. SWR—Standing Wave Ratio. A parameter related to the ratio between forward transmitter power and the reflected power from the antenna system. As a general guideline, reflected power should not exceed 10% of the forward power (≈ 2:1 SWR).
INDEX A Access Level screen 64 Accessories 5 ACTIVE LED 27 Active Radio Status screen 73 ALARM command (display current alarm status in hexadecimal format). See also STAT command 35 ALARM LED 27 Alarm Masks screen 71 Alarms classify events as major (AMASK command) 37 classify events as minor (NMASK command) 45 connecting optional circuits 23 display hexadecimal codes (LCD screen) 71 display status (STAT command).
OPT! (list installed radio options) 46 OWM command (set/display text message) 46 OWN command (set/display text message) 46 owner and radio information, PC 34 PC, summarized 30–35 PTT (set/display push-to-talk delay) 47 PWR (set/display RF forward output power) 47 RADIO (set/display active transceiver board) 47 radio operation, PC 32 REPEATER (enable/disable repeater configuration) 48 RSSI, RSSI! (display received signal strength indication) 48 RTU (enable/disable internal RTU) 48 RX (set/display receive fre
RF forward output power (PWR command) 47 RX timeout (RX Timeout screen) 67 signal-to-noise ratio (S/N Ratio screen) 74 signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, SNR! commands) 51 soft carrier de-key delay (SCD command) 50 soft carrier de-key delay (Soft Carrier De-Key Delay screen) 67 software release information (Software Revision screen) 74 software release information (SREV command) 52 start of new message timer (DMGAP command) 42 time (Set Time screen) 73 time (TIME command) 54 transmit audio level (TXLEVEL command)
Fresnel zone 96 front panel controls and indicators 26 front panel removal 13, 85 internal duplexer removal 89 LCD menu flowchart 57 LCD start-up screen 27 LED indicators, chassis mounted 77 LED indicators, front panel 26, 76 main transceiver and power supply removal 83 MAS network 3 MDS 4790A master station 1 mounting dimensions and bracket details 12 network-wide diagnostics 81 network-wide remote diagnostics setup 81 PC connected to the master station 28 PC diagnostic port cable 29 programming and contro
Mounting the radio 11 dimensions and bracket details, illustrated 12 rack mount 11 remote front panel mount 12 tabletop mount 11 N Network-wide diagnostics enable/disable (DLINK command) 41 enable/disable internal RTU (RTU command) 48 illustrated 81 set radio to root or node (DTYPE command) 42 set time to wait between characters (DMGAP command) 42 NMASK command (classify minor alarm events).
Repeater operation 3 illustrated 4 set/display (Repeater Mode screen) 67 Replacing assemblies 82 transceiver board 82 Requirements for installation 6 RF propagation planning 95 RSSI display (LCD screen) 73 maximizing 24 theoretical signal strength, formula 98 RSSI, RSSI! commands (display received signal strength indication) 48 RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) command (enable/disable internal RTU) 48 internal simulator 79 RX ALR LED 27 RX command (set/display receive frequency) 49 RX Timeout screen 67 RX timeout,
start of new message timer (DMGAP command) 42 time (Set Time screen) 73 time (TIME command) 54 transmit audio level (TXLEVEL command) 55 transmit frequency (Transmit Frequency screen) 64 transmit frequency (TX command) 54 transmit level (Transmit Level screen) 70 transmit timeout (Transmit Timeout screen) 67 transmitter state (Manual Key screen) 68 Set Date screen 73 Set Owner Message screen 72 Set Owner Name screen 72 Set Time screen 73 SHOW command (display various settings) 51 Show Temperature and Voltag
ACTIV E STBY ALARM RX ALR ACTIV E TX ALR LINE STBY ALARM RX ALR TX ALR LINE ENTER ESCAPE I-8 MDS 4790/9790 Series Installation and Operation Guide MDS 05-3438A01, Rev.
IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY... MDS products are designed for long life and trouble-free operation. However, this equipment, as with all electronic equipment, may have an occasional component failure. The following information will assist you in the event that servicing becomes necessary. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Technical assistance for MDS products is available from our Technical Support Department during business hours (8:00 A.M.–5:30 P.M. Eastern Time).
Microwave Data Systems Inc. 175 Science Parkway Rochester, NY 14620 General Business: +1 585 242-9600 FAX: +1 585 242-9620 Web: www.microwavedata.com A product of Microwave Data Systems Inc.
