Black Box RF115 User Manual
1
Black Box Corporation • 1000 Park Drive • Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 • Tech Support: 724-746-5500 • www.blackbox.com • e-mail: info@blackbox.com
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Black Box Corporation.
10/8/2004 #15626
Data speeds of up to
115.2 kbps half-duplex.
Supports a distance of
up to 20 miles (32.2 km)
for line-of-sight, up
to 60 miles (96.6 km)
with 2 repeaters.
10- or 11-bit word
structure.
Offers Modbus RTU
protocol support.
Optional antennas
available—
omnidirectional and
unidirectional.
T
he Industrial Modem RF115 is
designed to stand up to
electromagnetic and radio
interference, industrial motors,
and temperature extremes found
in oil and gas fields and refineries,
utility substations, manufacturing
floors, military installations—
anywhere ordinary equipment
can’t go. This wireless async
modem uses Spread-Spectrum
technology to speed your data to
its final destination—safe and
error-free. Data travels over the
license-free 902–928-MHz radio
band.
You can use two modems in a
point-to-point configuration and
receive incoming signals from a
remote control device. Or use the
modem in a polled multipoint
configuration and communicate
with multiple remote devices. The
Modem’s DB9 connector is an
RS-232 interface. Optional RS-485
Modules are also available.
ANT.
VDC
Industrial
Modem RF 115
O I C P
RS-232
CONFIG.
Wireless async communication
that stands up to extreme
conditions—without sacrificing
data quality or speed.
Key Features
INDUSTRIAL MODEM RF115
Each Industrial Modem
includes a fixed whip antenna
with a 20-mile (32.2-km) line-ofsight range. The modem can also
be outfitted with any of our
optional antennas. Choose from
omnidirectional or unidirectional
antennas—in a variety of cable
lengths and mounting options.
For additional security, the
modem features voltage clamps
and fuses to protect your
transmissions from electrical
surges found on power lines.
Still Compatible
If you already have an
Industrial Modem RF115, don’t
worry—the MDR100A-R4 is
compatible with older models and
antennas.
We also offer adapter cables
for attaching older Industrial
Modem RF115s to newer
antennas or attaching older
antennas to newer Industrial
Modem RF115s.
Choosing the Right Antenna for
Your Industrial Modem RF115
For ordinary line-of-sight
installations, the built-in antenna
may be all you need.
If you can’t get a direct line of
sight without separating the
modem from the antenna, choose
one of our Omnidirectional
Antennas.
If you need to transmit through
trees or non-metallic structures—
or if you want to increase signalto-noise ratio—choose a Yagi
(unidirectional) Antenna with
Bracket Mount.
Remember, you always need a
direct line of sight in any application over a 0.25- to 0.5-mile (0.4to 0.8-km) range.
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Spread-Spectrum
Technology Explained
Unlike conventional radio,
Spread Spectrum doesn’t stick to
one frequency.
During transmission, SpreadSpectrum signals are spread over
a wide range of frequencies. Then
a receiver collects (de-spreads)
the transmissions into their
original form.
The Spread-Spectrum signal
is then tagged with a pseudorandom code. Only the user’s
receiver recognizes this code.
The receiver knows in advance
how the transmitter will spread
the spectrum, so it can easily find
the signal and track the
transmission.
Speed — Up to 115.2 kbps half-
duplex (up to 57.6 kbps fullduplex)
Protocol — Async, Modbus RTU
support
Distance — Up to 20 miles (32.2 km)
line-of-sight, depending on
environment, geographic
conditions, and optional antenna;
up to 60 miles (96.6 km) with
2 repeaters
Hopping Code — 15 orthogonal
user-selectable pseudorandom
algorithms
Occupied Bandwidth — 230 KHz
Spreading Function — Frequency-
hopping 112 channels
(96 channels international)
Word Length — 10-/11-bit maximum
Radio Frequency — 902- to
928-MHz spread spectrum;
No FCC license required
RF Output Power — 1⁄10 to 1 watt
(selectable in 1⁄10 increments)
Interface — RS-232 (can support
2- or 4-wire RS-485 with the
optional RS-485 Modules)
Connectors — RS-232: DB9;
Antenna: Standard-thread
SMA F; RS-485: 2- or 4-wire
screw terminal strip
Indicators — P (Power), C (Carrier),
I (Data In), O (Data Out)
Operating Environment — -40 to
+167°F (-40 to +75°C)
Relative Humidity Tolerance —
Up to 95%, noncondensing
Power — 12 VDC (24 VDC available
as special order); 115- or
230-VAC wallmount transformer
included
Size — 1.4"H x 5"W x 7.8"D
(3.6 x 12.7 x 19.8 cm)
Weight — 1.8 lb. (0.8 kg)
Technically Speaking
Specifications
Ordering Information
ITEM CODE
Industrial Modem RF115 .................................MDR100A-R4
RS-485 RF Modem Module
2-Wire .................................................................MD3310-R2
4-Wire (RS-485/422).........................................MD3311-R2
Optional RF Antennas
Omnidirectional with Bracket Mount
25-ft. (7.6-m) Cable.............................MDR151-0025-R3
50-ft. (15.2-m) Cable...........................MDR151-0050-R3
100-ft. (30.4-m) Cable.........................MDR151-0100-R3
Yagi (Unidirectional) with Bracket Mount
25-ft. (7.6-m) Cable.............................MDR152-0025-R4
50-ft. (15.2-m) Cable...........................MDR152-0050-R4
100-ft. (30.4-m) Cable.........................MDR152-0100-R4
Y
ou may also need…
DB9 Extension Cable with EM/RFI Hoods........EDN12H
Standard SMA Male to
“N” Type Male Adapter Cable........................MDR153
Reversed SMA Male to
“N” Type Male Adapter Cable........................MDR154
To do this, the receiver uses a
locally generated replica pseudorandom noise code, a received
code, and a receiver correlator to
separate only the desired coded
information from all possible
transmitters. (Think of the
correlator as a filter that responds
to signals encoded with a
pseudorandom noise code that
matches its own code.)
No Interference
The correlator is not
susceptible to man-made
interference or other noises—
whether natural or generated by
other Spread-Spectrum radios.
The code simply sounds like
background noise, so it’s difficult
for an unauthorized user to
detect.
No Jamming
To prevent jamming, the despreading process spreads
(decreases) the power level of
other signals.
How the Technology Caught On
Low susceptibility to
interference and anti-jamming
features—plus the ability to
tolerate high levels of
electromagnetic and multipath
interference—are what prompted
the United States military to use
the technology during World
War II.
Spread Spectrum and the FCC
In 1985, the FCC let radios
based on a Spread-Spectrum
modulation method operate
without a license in certain
portions of the radio spectrum.
The three frequencies the FCC
specified for commercial Spread
Spectrum are:
• 902 MHz to 928 MHz
• 2400 MHz to 2483.5 MHz
• 5725 MHz to 5850 MHz.
Why the Technology is Popular
Today
Spread-Spectrum technology
is the ideal medium for wireless
data transmission for a number of
reasons:
• Transmissions remain free
from interference and
jamming.
• Transmissions can be
specifically addressed.
• Multiple conversations can
occur simultaneously in
relatively small areas.
• Data rates can be very high
if you use the 2400 band or
higher.
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