PDL User's Guide Revision 04 December 2004 Pacific Crest Corporation 990 Richard Avenue, Suite 110 Santa Clara, CA 95050 (408) 653-2070 (408) 748-9984 Fax PN: M0052204
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iii NOTICE PACIFIC CREST CORPORATION MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WITH REGARD TO THIS MATERIAL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Pacific Crest Corporation shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved.
iv © Copyright 2004 Pacific Crest Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation of this manual is prohibited without prior written permission of Pacific Crest Corporation, except as allowed under the copyright laws. Trimtalk and Trimble are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Ltd.
v TABLE OF CONTENTS Notice...........................................................................................iii Cautions and Warnings ...............................................................iii Table of Contents ........................................................................ v Introduction .................................................................................. 1 Welcome .................................................................................. 1 Scope ............
vi Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) ................................. 35 Service and Support .................................................................. 37 Contacting Pacific Crest Corporation..................................... 37 Warranty .................................................................................... 39 Two-year Limited Warranty.................................................... 39 Exclusions ..............................................................................
INTRODUCTION Welcome Thank you for purchasing the Positioning Data Link™ (PDL™) for use with your survey system. The PDL is an advanced, high speed, wireless data link that is designed specifically for GPS/RTK applications. Your success in using the PDL is our primary goal. We stand behind our product with expert support and service. We welcome your comments and questions. Scope This guide introduces the PDL Base and rover radio link systems used for GPS and RTK applications.
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FEATURES AND BENEFITS Fast Over-the-Air Data Rate – 19,200 bits per second • Reduced latency provides better GPS position information • Lower power consumption allows longer field operation • Greater throughput handles both GPS and GLONASS Enhanced User Interface – Channel display and buttons • View and change radio channel • Monitor charge status and other parameters Intelligent Protocols – Forward Error Correction (FEC), AutoBase™ and AutoRover™ technology1 • FEC provides improved noise immunity and range
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SETTING UP THE PDL HIGH POWER BASE Overview of PDL High Power Base (PDL HPB) Radio Modem Front Panel Digital Display Channel Change Pushbutton ON / OFF Indicator ON / OFF Pushbutton TX Indicator RX Indicator AMP POWER Indicator Figure 1 - PDL High Power Base Front Panel Buttons The ON/OFF button is used to turn the PDL HPB station on and off. Turn the unit on by pressing the ON/OFF button and holding it until the channel display indicator is lit.
6 Setting Up the PDL High Power Base The CHANNEL button is used to display and change the channel. Press the CHANNEL button momentarily to display the selected channel. To change the channel, press the CHANNEL button once to light the display, and then again to change the channel. Use the CHANNEL button to select the “b” setting. With “b” selected, the PDL HPB will be placed in AutoBase mode. This mode selects the channel for transmission automatically.
PDL User's Guide 7 The amplifier power LED indicates the RF power output level selected. When lit, the amplifier power LED indicates that the RF output power is set to high. When blank, the amplifier power LED indicates that the RF output power is set to low. The TX LED indicates that the PDL HPB is actively transmitting. In most RTK applications, the base station TX LED will blink once per second. The RX LED indicates that the PDL HPB is receiving an RF carrier signal.
8 Setting Up the PDL High Power Base Amp Power Selector Switch CAUTION HOT SURFACE Antenna Connector Data / Power Connector Figure 2 - PDL High Power Base Rear Panel RF Connector A BNC jack accepts the BNC male plug coming from the antenna mount. Enclosure The PDL HPB enclosure is rugged extruded aluminum with integrated heat sink fins. The enclosure is painted with a weather resistant powder coat blue paint.
PDL User's Guide 9 9 Warning: The PDL HPB enclosure and heat sink may become very hot during operation. This is normal depending on the ambient temperature, RF power selection and transmission duty cycle. Turn off the unit and allow it to cool prior to handling. PDL High Power Base System Setup Antenna and Antenna Mount Begin your PDL HPB station set up by screwing the Antenna Mount to the top of the Tripod Antenna Mast.
10 Setting Up the PDL High Power Base Antenna Antenna Mount Tripod Mast Antenna Cable Data / Power Cable Battery Cable To GPS Unit To Battery Figure 3 - PDL High Power Base System Setup 9 Caution: Do not extend the antenna mast in conditions of high wind or in situations where the uneven terrain or other soil conditions provide an unstable base. Keep the area surrounding the Tripod Antenna Mast clear and exercise caution to prevent injury or damage to property should the Tripod Antenna Mast fall.
PDL User's Guide 11 Connect the antenna, GPS Data Cable and Battery Power Cable as indicated in Figure 3. You are now ready to turn-on the system. Configuring the GPS Reference Station Refer to the GPS receiver model specific addendum that is included with this manual for specific instructions on configuring your GPS reference station for optimal performance with the PDL. Detailed instructions are also available on our web site at www.paccrst.com.
12 Setting Up the PDL High Power Base The following table shows the default factory settings: Setting Channel mode GPS Port Data Rate Parity Mode Factory Defaults PDL Base PDL Rover AutoBase AutoRover 38.4 k Baud 38.4 k Baud None Transparent with EOT timeout 5 3 19.2 kbps (raw data) 4-level FSK Enabled 0.5 - 5 Enabled Low Off EOT value Retries Link rate Modulation FEC RF Output Power Data Scrambling Digisquelch Break to command TX ACK timeout 0.10 CSMA Enabled Digidelay 0.
PDL User's Guide 13 Battery Care Base station kit shipments to North America include a 33 AHr deep-discharge gel lead acid battery. This battery provides all day operation with ample power for both the PDL and the GPS RTK reference station. International Shipments For shipments outside of North America, we include battery bag, power cables with fuse, and hardware for a user supplied battery.
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SETTING UP THE PDL LOW POWER BASE/REPEATER (PDL LPB) Overview of PDL LPB Radio Modem Front Panel Buttons The ON/OFF button is used to turn the PDL LPB modem on and off. Turn the unit on by pressing the ON/OFF button and holding it until the channel display indicator is lit. Turn off the PDL LPB by pressing the ON/OFF button until the display goes blank. There is a one-second turn-off delay in the power button to prevent inadvertent turn off. The CHANNEL button is used to display and change the channel.
16 Setting Up the PDL Low Power Base/Repeater setting. With “r” selected, the PDL LPB will be placed in AutoRover mode. This mode automatically selects the channel being used by the PDL Base. If you are operating in an area with more than one PDL Base station active, you should manually select the channel of operation to assure proper operation.
PDL User's Guide 17 Display The seven-segment, numeric display is used to indicate the channel or mode selection. To conserve power, the display is only lit for a short period following the pressing of the CHANNEL or ON/OFF buttons. Channel selections range from Channel 0 to Channel 15. Two digit channel numbers are displayed by alternately flashing a "1" followed by the second digit. Indicator LEDs The power LED indicates the power status and also provides a low external voltage supply indicator.
18 Setting Up the PDL Low Power Base/Repeater Enclosure The PDL LPB enclosure is a tough, impact resistant blue polycarbonate with machined aluminum end caps. Black bumpers with integrated gaskets provide the first level of shock protection for the internal components. An additional isolation system inside the enclosure reduces vibration impact to the sensitive radio receiver board.
PDL User's Guide Tripod Top Mount 19 Side Bracket Mount Data / Power Cable To Battery To GPS Unit Figure 5 - PDL Low Power Base Setup Connecting the PDL LPB The PDL LPB is connected to the GPS RTK receiver using the supplied cable.
20 Setting Up the PDL Low Power Base/Repeater button. Use the CHANNEL button to select the channel of operation, or select "r" for the AutoRover function or select "b" for the AutoBase function. Refer to the How to Use AutoRover and How to Use AutoBase sections of this manual for detailed instructions concerning these features.
SETTING UP THE PDL ROVER Overview of PDL Rover Radio Modem Front Panel Buttons The ON/OFF button is used to turn the PDL Rover modem on and off. When not in use, the PDL Rover should be turned off to conserve battery power. Turn the unit on by pressing the ON/OFF button and holding it until the channel display indicator is lit. Turn off the PDL Rover by pressing the ON/OFF button until the display goes blank. There is a one-second turn-off delay in the power button to prevent inadvertent turn off.
22 Setting Up the PDL Rover Antenna Connector (NMO thread) Antenna Internal Battery Pack RX Indicator Power On/Off Indicator Digital Display Channel Change Pushbutton ON / OFF Pushbutton Data / Power Connector User Supplied Range Pole (5/8 - 11 thread) Figure 6 - PDL Rover Display The seven-segment, numeric display is used to indicate the channel or mode selection. To conserve power, the display is only lit for a short period following the pressing of the CHANNEL or ON/OFF buttons.
PDL User's Guide 23 Indicator LEDs The power LED indicates the power status and also provides a low battery indicator. When lit, power is turned on. The power LED will blink to indicate that the internal battery requires recharging. If the power LED does not respond to the ON/OFF button, then the internal battery may be fully discharged and must be charged prior to further operation.
24 Setting Up the PDL Rover end cap NMO style mount is replaced with a 5/8-11 UNC stud, allowing the PDL Rover to be used as part of the pole system with a GPS antenna. See Figure 5. Range Pole Mount The bottom end cap is female threaded with 5/8-11 UNC that is compatible with common range poles. The unit is easily mounted in the place of a stand-alone antenna and eliminates the need for an antenna cable. PDL Rover Setup Antenna and Antenna Mount Screw the Antenna on the antenna mount of the PDL Rover.
PDL User's Guide 25 External Antenna Data Cable (from GPS) Range Pole Figure 7 - PDL Rover Setup Connecting the PDL Rover The PDL Rover is connected to the GPS RTK receiver using the supplied cable. After connecting the cable, press the ON/OFF button. Use the CHANNEL button to select the channel of operation, or select "r" for the AutoRover function. Refer to the How to Use AutoRover section of this manual for detailed instructions concerning this feature.
26 Setting Up the PDL Rover Configuring the GPS Rover See the GPS receiver model addendum that is included with this manual for specific instructions on configuring your GPS rover for optimal performance with the PDL. Detailed instructions are also available on our web site at www.pacificcrest.com. PDL Rover Default Settings Refer to Table 1 in Setting Up the PDL Base for the default factory settings of your PDL Rover.
PDL User's Guide 9 27 Warning: The internal Lithium-Ion battery is NOT USER SERVICEABLE. Do not attempt to open the enclosure or replace the battery. Lithium-Ion batteries can be dangerous if mishandled. The PDL Rover has a built-in charger that monitors and controls the charging of the internal battery. The internal battery quickly charges in less than 4 hours, and can be charged with the supplied charger, or from an external 12 volt supply.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR BEST PERFORMANCE Antenna Antenna placement is critical for good performance. Range and coverage is directly proportional to the height of the transmitting and receiving antennas. Where possible, select a reference station location that takes advantage of terrain to get the transmitting antenna as high as possible. Always use the telescoping antenna mast, and raise the antenna as high as is practical and safe, given terrain and wind conditions.
PDL User's Guide 29 The next time you turn on your unit, you will see an "r" momentarily, after which the scan process will begin. To manually select a channel for operation, press the CHANNEL button until the desired channel is displayed. With AutoRover the PDL Rover scans each programmed operating frequency, looking for a signal from the PDL Base. When a signal is found, the PDL Rover selects that channel for operation.
30 Tips and Techniques for Best Performance Following channel selection, the data received from the GPS will automatically begin transmitting. 9 Warning: Depending on the number of channels programmed, channel selection can take from 1 to 16 minutes. We recommend that you set up and turn on your PDL Base station as soon as possible during system setup to prevent delays. Equipment Care Routine equipment care will prolong the life and reliability of your PDL family products.
PDL User's Guide 31 Code Description E01 External voltage too high E02 External voltage too low E03 External voltage too low for transmission E04 Rover internal battery requires replacement E05 Rover internal battery charge current too high E06 Rover internal battery charge current too low E07 Unit temperature exceeds safe limit for 35 W operation E08 Unit temperature exceeds safe limit for 2 W operation E09 Current consumption too high for 35 Watt operation E10 Current consumption too high for 2 Watt ope
32 Tips and Techniques for Best Performance Cycle power to clear error codes. If codes persist, contact factory.
FCC RULES AND REGULATIONS Licensing Requirements It is the responsibility of the PDL Base station owner to comply with applicable rules and regulations concerning the operation of a radio transmitter. In the United States, the FCC regulates the licensing of this equipment. Application for a license is made by submitting FCC form 600 along with evidence of frequency coordination (if required) and applicable fees. Similar licensing requirements exist worldwide.
34 FCC Rules and Regulations Being Part of the RF community Operation of a licensed radio product makes you a member of the RF community. Be aware that virtually all frequencies licensed are provided on a shared basis with other users. Each frequency used in RTK GPS activities has certain restrictions and limitations. For complete information, refer to Part 90, Title 47, of the Code of Federal Regulations. Most frequencies sharing data transmissions and voice transmissions give priority to voice users.
PDL User's Guide 35 Automatic Station Identification For operation in the United States, the FCC requires that radio transmitters used for GPS RTK applications periodically broadcast a station identifier. The station identifier is the call sign assigned to you on the station license. The PDL supports the broadcast of station identification in a manner that meets the requirements of the FCC. Upon receipt of equipment, program your FCC callsign into the configuration of your PDL using PDLCONF software.
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SERVICE AND SUPPORT Contacting Pacific Crest Corporation Quality, technology and service are the hallmarks of Pacific Crest Corporation. We provide easy access to our customer service and the repair departments to keep you running efficiently. Phone: 1-800-795-1001 (U.S. & Canada toll free) (408) 653-2070 (International) (408) 748-9984 (Fax) E-mail: support@pacifccrest.com sales@ pacifccrest.com Web: www. pacifccrest.
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WARRANTY Two-year Limited Warranty This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state or area to area. Pacific Crest Corporation warrants PDL family products, exclusive of cables and batteries, against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of two years from receipt by the end user. Cables and batteries carry a one year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
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APPENDIX A - SAFETY INFORMATION Exposure to Radio Frequency Energy The PDL radio modem products are designed to comply with the following national and international standards and guidelines regarding exposure of human beings to radio frequency electromagnetic energy: • • • • • FCC Report and Order FCC 96-326 (August, 1996) American National Standards Institute (C95.
42 Warranty If using an antenna with a gain greater than unity please calculate the RF exposure as per the formula given below: Distance = √ [gain of antenna x power output x 300] √ [2 pi x frequency] Power output in Watts, frequency is in MHz, distance in meters, and antenna gain is absolute value. • • • DO NOT operate the transceiver unless all RF connectors are secure and any open connectors are properly terminated. DO NOT operate the transceiver with a damaged antenna.
APPENDIX B - PIN-OUTS AND CONNECTORS PDL High Power Base The PDL Base data receptacle is a LEMO PN HGG.1B.305.CLLP. For a mating plug, we recommend LEMO PN FGG.1B.305.CLAD.72Z. Refer to Table 2 and Figure 6 for pin-outs and orientation. PDL Low Power Base and Rover The PDL Rover data receptacle is a LEMO PN HMG.0B.305.CLN. For a mating plug, we recommend LEMO PN FHG.0B.305.CLAD.52Z. Refer to Table 2 and Figure 7 for connector pin assignments.
44 Appendix A - Pin Outs and Connectors The PDL Low Power Base and Rover antenna connector is an industry standard NMO. The impedance is 50Ω.
APPENDIX C - TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS General Serial Port Interface RS-232 compatible. 1200 to 38400 baud operation with 1 start, 8 data, optional parity, and one stop bit. Power Supply 9-16 VDC. PDL Rover quiescent/receive power consumption 0.3W. PDL High Power Base quiescent/receive power consumption is 1.9W. PDL High Power Base in the low/high RF power setting consumes 13W/125W during transmission. The PDL Low Power Base quiescent/receive power consumption is 0.9W.
46 Notes Transmitter attack time < 18 ms. Spurious and harmonic FM 55 dBc. FM hum and noise -40 dBm. Receiver Sensitivity -116 dBm or better (12dB SINAD). Selectivity for the PDL HPB and Rover is !-60 dB. Selectivity for the PDL LPB is !-70dB. (9600, GMSK, 25 KHz), and !-60 dB (19,200, 4LFSK, 25 KHz). FM hum and noise -40 dB. Conducted spurious -65 dB. Carrier detect attack time 2 ms.
PDL User's Guide 47 Modulation Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) with BT of 0.5 (4800, 9600 bps link rate). Four-level FSK (4800, 9600, 19200 bps link rate). Environmental Size PDL LPB and Rover - 8.25"L x 2.40"D (21.0cmL x 6.1cmD) PDL HPB - 6.23"W x 2.77"H x 6.58"L (15.8cmW x 7.0cmH x 16.7cmL) Weight PDL Rover - 0.85 lbs. (0.39 Kg) PDL HPB - 3.22 lbs. (1.46 Kg) PDL LPB - 0.65 lbs. (0.30 Kg) Shock and Vibration Per ANSI/ASAE EP455 Protection Per IEC 144/855420 I.P.
