Campbell Scientific RF401 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

RF401-series and RF430-series

Spread Spectrum Data

Campbell Scientific, Inc.

Radios/Modems

Revision: 3/14

Warranty

“PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC. are warranted by Campbell Scientific, Inc. (“Campbell”) to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for twelve (12) months from date of shipment unless otherwise specified in the corresponding Campbell pricelist or product manual. Products not manufactured, but that are re-sold by Campbell, are warranted only to the limits extended by the original manufacturer. Batteries, fine-wire thermocouples, desiccant, and other consumables have no warranty. Campbell’s obligation under this warranty is limited to repairing or replacing (at Campbell’s option) defective products, which shall be the sole and exclusive remedy under this warranty. The customer shall assume all costs of removing, reinstalling, and shipping defective products to Campbell. Campbell will return such products by surface carrier prepaid within the continental United States of America. To all other locations, Campbell will return such products best way CIP (Port of Entry) INCOTERM® 2010, prepaid. This warranty shall not apply to any products which have been subjected to modification, misuse, neglect, improper service, accidents of nature, or shipping damage. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied. The warranty for installation services performed by Campbell such as programming to customer specifications, electrical connections to products manufactured by Campbell, and product specific training, is part of Campbell’s product warranty. CAMPBELL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS AND EXCLUDES ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Campbell is not liable for any special, indirect, incidental, and/or consequential damages.”

Assistance

Products may not be returned without prior authorization. The following contact information is for US and international customers residing in countries served by Campbell Scientific, Inc. directly. Affiliate companies handle repairs for customers within their territories. Please visit

www.campbellsci.com to determine which Campbell Scientific company serves

your country.

To obtain a Returned Materials Authorization (RMA), contact CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC., phone (435) 227-9000. After an application engineer determines the nature of the problem, an RMA number will be issued. Please write this number clearly on the outside of the shipping container. Campbell Scientific’s shipping address is:

CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC, INC. RMA#_____ 815 West 1800 North Logan, Utah 84321-1784

For all returns, the customer must fill out a “Statement of Product Cleanliness and Decontamination” form and comply with the requirements specified in it. The form is available from our web site at www.campbellsci.com/repair. A completed form must be either emailed to repair@campbellsci.com or faxed to (435) 227-9106. Campbell Scientific is unable to process any returns until we receive this form. If the form is not received within three days of product receipt or is incomplete, the product will be returned to the customer at the customer’s expense. Campbell Scientific reserves the right to refuse service on products that were exposed to contaminants that may cause health or safety concerns for our employees.

– CAUTION –

Where an AC adapter is used, CSI recommends

Item # 15966.

Any other AC adapter used must have a DC output not exceeding 16.5 Volts measured without a load to avoid

damage to the RF401/RF430 Series radio!

Over-voltage damage is not covered by factory warranty!

(See Section 4.2, Power Supplies, for AC adapter requirements)

Power plug polarity

PDF viewers: These page numbers refer to the printed version of this document. Use the PDF reader bookmarks tab for links to specific sections.

1. Introduction ................................................................. 1

1.1 RF401-series Radios ............................................................................ 2

1.2 RF430-series Radios ............................................................................ 2

1.3 Combination Mode Communications .................................................. 3

1.4 Retired Spread Spectrum Radios .......................................................... 4

1.4.1 RF400-series Radios ..................................................................... 4

1.4.2 CR205, CR210, CR215 Dataloggers ............................................ 4

2. Specifications ............................................................. 4

3. Installation ................................................................... 6

3.1 Site Considerations ............................................................................... 6

3.2 Quick Start (Point-to-Point or PakBus) ................................................ 6

3.2.1 Step 1 – Set Up Base RF401 or RF430 ......................................... 6

3.2.2 Step 2 – Set Up Remote RF401 .................................................... 9

3.2.3 Step 3 – LoggerNet Set-up .......................................................... 10

3.2.4 Step 4 – Connect ......................................................................... 11

3.3 Antenna Considerations ..................................................................... 12

3.3.1 Line of Sight ............................................................................... 12

3.3.2 Mounting ..................................................................................... 12

3.3.3 Antenna Cable Routing ............................................................... 12

3.3.4 Antenna Cable Weather Sealing ................................................. 12

4. System Components ................................................ 12

4.1 RF401 or RF430 Radios ..................................................................... 12

4.1.1 Indicator LEDs ............................................................................ 12

4.1.2 Radio Configuration .................................................................... 13

4.2 Power Supplies ................................................................................... 13

4.2.1 Base Radio Site (radio connected to a PC) ................................. 13

4.2.2 Remote Sites with Datalogger ..................................................... 15

4.2.3 Non-datalogger Remote Site ....................................................... 15

4.3 Serial and USB Cables ....................................................................... 15

4.4 Compatible Antennas ......................................................................... 16

4.5 Antenna Cables and Surge Protection ................................................ 21

4.5.1 Antenna Cables ........................................................................... 21

4.5.2 Electro-static Issues..................................................................... 21

4.5.3 Antenna Surge Protector Kit ....................................................... 21

5. Software ..................................................................... 22

5.1 DevConfig .......................................................................................... 22

5.1.1 Using DevConfig ........................................................................ 22

5.1.2 RF401/RF411/RF416 or RF430/RF431/RF432 Tab ................... 23

5.1.2.1 Active Interface ................................................................ 24

5.1.2.2 SDC Address or CSDC Address ...................................... 24

5.1.2.3 Protocol ............................................................................ 24

Table of Contents

5.1.2.4 RS-232 Baud Rate ........................................................... 25

5.1.2.5 CS I/O ME Baud Rate ..................................................... 26

5.1.2.6 Hop Sequence .................................................................. 26

5.1.2.7 Net Address ..................................................................... 26

5.1.2.8 Radio Address ................................................................. 26

5.1.2.9 Power Modes ................................................................... 27

5.1.2.10 Retry Level ...................................................................... 27

5.1.3 PakBus Tab ................................................................................ 28

5.2 LoggerNet .......................................................................................... 29

5.2.1 Setup Screen ............................................................................... 29

5.2.1.1 Standard Setup (RF400) .................................................. 31

5.2.1.2 Standard Setup (RF400 Remote) ..................................... 33

5.2.2 Network Planner ......................................................................... 34

5.2.3 PakBus Graph ............................................................................. 35

6. Troubleshooting ........................................................ 36

Appendices

Part 15 FCC Compliance Warning ......................... A-1

B. Advanced Setup Menu ............................................ B-1

B.1 Accessing the Advanced Menu ....................................................... B-1

B.2 Error Handling and Retries .............................................................. B-3

B.2.1 Number of Retries .................................................................... B-3

B.2.2 Number of Time Slots for Random Retry ................................ B-3

B.2.3 Number of Bytes Transmitted before Delay ............................. B-3

B.2.4 Sync Timer Setting ................................................................... B-3

B.2.5 Number of Retry Failures ......................................................... B-3

B.3 Received Signal Strength ................................................................ B-4

B.4 Advanced Setup Standby Modes ..................................................... B-4

C. Address and Address Mask ................................... C-1

D. Setting Up RF401-to-CR206(X) Communications ... D-1

D.1 CR206(X) Setup Information .......................................................... D-1

D.2 Example Setup 1 - LoggerNet to CR206(X) ................................... D-4

D.3 Example Setup 2 - Router to CR206(X) .......................................... D-7

E. Port Pin Descriptions .............................................. E-1

F. Non-PakBus Example Configurations .................. F-1

F.1 Direct PC to RF401 Series Base Station Setup (Transparent

Protocol) ....................................................................................... F-1

F.2 Remote Station Setup (Transparent Protocol) .................................. F-2

F.3 LoggerNet Configuration (Transparent Protocol) ............................ F-3

F.4 PC208W Configuration .................................................................... F-4

G. Short-Haul Modems ................................................ G-1

Table of Contents

H. Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other

Factors ................................................................... H-1

I. Phone to RF401 Series ............................................. I-1

I.1 PakBus Network................................................................................ I-1

I.2 Non-PakBus Network ....................................................................... I-7

J. Monitor CSAT3 via RF401 Series ........................... J-1

K. RF401/RF411 Pass/Fail Tests ................................ K-1

L. RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain

Calculations .......................................................... L-1

M. PakBus Networking Details ................................... M-1

M.1 PakBus Aware, PakBus Node, and RF PakBus .............................. M-1

M.2 Minimizing the Number of Small Link State Packets ..................... M-1

M.3 Maximizing the RF Packet Size ...................................................... M-1

M.4 Establishing an Ad Hoc Point-to-Point Link ................................... M-2

M.5 Net and Radio Address Settings ...................................................... M-2

M.6 Hop Metric, Signal Strength, and Standby Modes .......................... M-2

M.6.1 Hop Metric Code ...................................................................... M-3

M.7 RF Router ........................................................................................ M-3

M.8 Optimization .................................................................................... M-4

M.9 Idiosyncrasies .................................................................................. M-4

Figures

1-1. The RF411 is one of the models available of our RF401-series

radios. ............................................................................................... 2

1-2. RF430 has a USB port allowing it to be connected directly to a

PC’s USB port. ................................................................................. 3

3-1. RF401 Basic Point-to-Point Network ................................................... 9

3-2. Point-to-Point or PakBus communications, select direct connect as

the connection type. ........................................................................ 10

3-3. The Baud Rate in LoggerNet must match the radio’s RS-232 baud

rate. ................................................................................................. 11

4-1. Item #14310 900 MHz Omnidirectional 1/4 Wave Whip, 0 dBd ..... 17

4-2. Item #14204 900 MHz Omnidirectional 1/2 Wave Whip, 0 dBd ..... 17

4-3. Item #14201 900 MHz Yagi, 9 dBd w/Mounts ................................. 18

4-4. Item #14205 900 MHz Yagi, 6 dBd w/Mounts ................................. 18

4-5. Item #14221 900 MHz Omnidirectional Collinear, 3 dBd w/

Mounts ............................................................................................ 18

4-6. Item #15970 900 MHz Indoor Dipole, 1 dBd Window/Wall

Mounted .......................................................................................... 19

4-7. Item #16005 2.4 GHz Omnidirectional 1/2 Wave Whip, 0 dBd ...... 19

4-8. Item #16755 2.4 GHz Enclosed Yagi, 13 dBd w/Mounts ................. 20

4-9. Example COAX RPSMA-L Cable for Yagi or Omni Colinear ......... 20

4-10. Antenna Surge Protector .................................................................... 20

4-11. Enclosure with Antenna Surge Protector for RF401 .......................... 22

iii

Table of Contents

5-1. Default DevConfig Screen for Setting Up the RF401 radios (OS4

or higher) ....................................................................................... 23

5-2. PakBus tab in DevConfig (with Default Settings) ............................. 28

5-3. Select RF4XX for connection type for a multipoint (non PakBus)

network. ......................................................................................... 30

5-4. For the datalogger settings, the baud rate must match the radio’s

RS-232 baud rate. .......................................................................... 30

5-5. Default Screen for the RF400 Standard Setup in LoggerNet 4 ......... 31

5-6. Default Screen for the RF400 Remote Standard Setup in

LoggerNet 4 ................................................................................... 33

5-7. Point to Multi-Point Network with Two Routers .............................. 35

5-8. Point to Multi-Point Network as Displayed in PakBus Graph ......... 35

D-1. CR206 Setup Main Menu ................................................................ D-1

D-2. This graph represents a transmitting radio that uses a long header

and a receiving radio that is in a sleep cycle. The length of the wake-up initializer exceeds the time interval of cyclic sleep ensuring that the receiver detects the wake-up initializer and

receives the payload (i.e., transmitted data). ................................ D-3

D-3. This graph represents a radio that transmits a wake-up initializer

that is shorter than the cyclic sleep of the receiving radio. The receiver does not detect the wake-up initializer and remains

asleep—missing the data transmission. ........................................ D-3

D-4. DevConfig Deployment panel showing the CR206(X) setup for

Example 1. ................................................................................... D-5

D-5. DevConfig Deployment panel showing the RF401 setup for

Example 1. ................................................................................... D-6

D-6. DevConfig Deployment panel for CR206(X) Example Setup 2 ..... D-7

D-7. DevConfig Deployment panel showing the RF401#1 setup for

Example 2. ................................................................................... D-8

D-8. DevConfig Deployment panel showing the RF401#2 setup for

Example 2. ................................................................................... D-9

F-1. Point-to-Multipoint System .............................................................. F-4

F-2. PC208W Datalogger Generic Dial String ......................................... F-6

G-1. Short-Haul Modem to RF401 Setup ................................................ G-1

I-1. Configuring a phone-to –RF401 network using the Network

Planner Tool. The Network Planner is available in LoggerNet

version 4 or higher. ........................................................................ I-1

I-2. Phone base configuration. ................................................................. I-4

I-3. Enter the base site’s phone number. .................................................. I-5

I-4. Enter 250 for the Maximum Packet Size. .......................................... I-6

I-5. LoggerNet Point-to-Multipoint Setup ............................................... I-9

K-1. Loop-back Test without Antennas ................................................... K-4

K-2. Vertically Polarized 9 dBd 900 MHz Yagi ...................................... K-6

K-3. 3 dBd 900 MHz Collinear Omni Antenna ....................................... K-6

Tables

3-1. PC Driver Installation .......................................................................... 7

3-2. Lacking 12 V on CS I/O Pin 8 ........................................................... 10

4-1. 15966’s Voltage Regulation .............................................................. 14

5-1. Standard Setup Menu ........................................................................ 27

5-2. Standard Retry Levels ....................................................................... 27

B-1. Advanced Setup Menu .................................................................... B-5

D-1. CR206(X) Power Modes and the Recommended Corresponding

RF401 Power Modes ................................................................... D-2

Table of Contents

H-1. 900 MHz Distance vs. Path Loss (Lp in dB) per Three Path

Types ........................................................................................... H-6

H-2. Path Type vs. Path Characteristics Selector .................................... H-6

K-1. 900 MHz Gain Antenna Test Distances .......................................... K-6

L-1. Advanced Setup Menu ..................................................................... L-1

Table of Contents

NOTE

CAUTION

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

1. Introduction

This manual discusses the RF401-series and RF430-series spread spectrum radios. Spread spectrum radios spread the normally narrowband information signal over a relatively wide band of frequencies. This allows the communications to be more immune to noise and interference from RF sources such as pagers, cellular phones and multipath. The RF401-series and RF430series radios reduce susceptibility to RF interference from other spread spectrum devices by providing user-selectable frequency hopping patterns.

You do not need a communications authority license for the RF401-series or RF430-series configurations described in this manual including U.S. Government Agencies regulated by NTIA Annex K. Spread spectrum radios, like all FCC Part 15 devices, are not allowed to cause harmful interference to licensed radio communications and must accept any interference that they receive. Most Campbell Scientific users operate in open or remote locations where interference is unlikely. If there is a problem, interference can be reduced using methods such as moving the device, reorienting or using a different type of antenna, or adding RF shielding.

The RF401-series and RF430-series radios can provide up to one mile transmission range when using an inexpensive whip antenna. The radios can provide up to 10 mile transmission range when using a higher gain directional antenna at ideal conditions. Compatible antennas are described in Section 4.4.

Line-of-sight obstructions and RF interference will affect the transmission distance. See Appendix H, Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors, for a discussion of antenna gain and other factors affecting distance.

You may test the radio communications onsite by using the 21107 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Demo Kit; contact Campbell Scientific for more information.

Campbell Scientific does not recommend using RF401series and RF430-series radios in networks containing RF450 radios. The RF450 radios will interfere with the transmission of the RF401-series and RF430-series radios.

No product using the 24XStream radio, including the RF416 and RF432, will be available for sale in Europe after 1/1/2015 due to changes in EU legislation. Consequently, purchase of the RF416 or RF432 is not recommended for use in Europe in new networks that may require future expansion.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE

1.1 RF401-series Radios

The RF401-series radios have a CS I/O port and an RS-232 port (see FIGURE 1-1). These radios can serve as a field modem/radio while connected to the datalogger or as a base station modem/radio when connected to a PC’s RS-232 port. The following models are available:

• RF401 915 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another

RF401 radio, an RF430 radio, a CR206(X) datalogger, or an AVW206 interface. The 915 MHz frequency is used in the US/Canada.

• RF411 922 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another

RF411 radio, an RF431 radio, a CR211(X) datalogger, or an AVW211 interface. The 922 MHz frequency is used in Australia/Israel.

• RF416 2.4 GHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF416

radio, an RF432 radio, a CR216(X) datalogger, or an AVW216 interface. The RF416 is intended mainly for certain European and Asian markets.

FIGURE 1-1. The RF401 is one of the models available of our RF401-

series radios.

Unless specified otherwise, throughout this manual RF401 refers to the RF401, RF411, and RF416 radios.

1.2 RF430-series Radios

The RF430-series radios have a USB port and an RS-232 port (see FIGURE 1-2). The RF430 can only be configured through the USB port. Usually, these radios connect to a PC’s USB port to serve as base station modems/radios. The RF430-series radios may also connect to the datalogger’s RS-232 port to serve as a field modem (requires a null modem cable and a field power cable). The following models are available:

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE

• RF430 915 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another

RF430 radio, RF401 radio, or a CR206(X) datalogger. The 915 MHz frequency is used in the US/Canada.

• RF431 922 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another

RF431 radio, an RF411 radio, or a CR211(X). The 922 MHz frequency is used in Australia/Israel.

• RF432 2.4 GHz Spread Spectrum Radio—transmits data to another RF432

radio, an RF416 radio, or a CR216(X). The RF432 is intended mainly for certain European and Asian markets.

If the RF430’s operating system is prior to OS2, its USB port will only communicate at 38.4 kbps. Therefore, the RF430 operating system will need to be updated to a newer version if the network will contain dataloggers that do not support 38.4 kbps. Operating system updates are available from

www.campbellsci.com/downloads.

FIGURE 1-2. RF430 has a USB port allowing it to be connected

directly to a PC’s USB port.

Unless specified otherwise, throughout this manual RF430 refers to the RF430, RF431, and RF432 radios.

1.3 Combination Mode Communications

Besides the “direct” to PC communications described in the Quick Start and Installation sections, it is possible to combine methods in datalogger communications. Some examples:

• Phone to RF401: PC to external modem to COM220 to RF401 to

datalogger (see Appendix I, Phone to RF401 Series)

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

CAUTION

• Short Haul modem to radio: PC to short haul modems to radios to

datalogger (see Appendix G, Short-Haul Modems)

• Ethernet network to radio: PC to Internet to NL100 to radio to datalogger

(use LoggerNet IPPort, remote IP address, port number)

1.4 Retired Spread Spectrum Radios

1.4.1 RF400-series Radios

On May 2, 2005, the RF401, RF411, and RF416 replaced the RF400, RF410, and RF415, respectively. The newer radios have a choice of three communication protocol settings. The three protocol settings are Transparent, PakBus Aware, and PakBus Node. Transparent is the protocol used by the RF400. RF401 and RF430 radios in networks that also have RF400 radios must use the Transparent protocol setting. Transparent is the default setting for RF401 radios with operating systems of OS3 or lower.

Do not mix the “Transparent” protocol with any of the PakBus protocols. This will produce RF traffic without any RF communications.

The PakBus Aware and PakBus Node settings make the radios easier to use in a PakBus network. Radios set to PakBus Aware and radios set to PakBus Node can be in the same network. PakBus Aware is the default setting for RF430 radios and RF401 radios with an operating system of OS4 or higher. The PakBus Aware setting is the simplest to use and does not require a PakBus address. The PakBus Node setting is intended for radios used as stand-alone routers.

RF400 radios can be upgraded to RF401 radios by sending the RF400 to Campbell Scientific; an RMA is required.

1.4.2 CR205, CR210, CR215 Dataloggers

On September 15, 2005, the CR206, CR211, and CR216 dataloggers replaced the CR205, CR210, and CR215 dataloggers, respectively. The newer dataloggers’ internal radios have two RF Protocol settings, which are PakBus and Transparent. The PakBus setting is used with RF430 radios and RF401 radios set to PakBus Aware or PakBus Node. The Transparent RF protocol setting is required when the network contains older equipment (e.g., RF400s, CR205s).

2. Specifications

Power Voltage: 9 to 16 VDC Current: 75 mA typical during transmit (RF401 series)

78 mA typical during transmit (RF430 series) 24 mA typical receiving a signal (RF401, RF411) 36 mA typical receiving a signal (RF416) 26 mA typical receiving a signal (RF430, RF431) 40 mA typical receiving a signal (RF432)

Quiescent Current in Standby Modes*

Avg. Quiescent Current (mA)

Advanced Setup

Standby Mode

Standard

Setup

RF401/

RF411

RF416

RF430/

RF431

RF432

24.0

33.0

26.2

39.8

0 (no duty cycling)

3.9

5.5

5.7

9.2 3 2

2.0

2.8

2.4

3.8 4 3

1.1

1.5

1.6

2.4 5

0.64

0.84

1.1

1.5 6

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.75

* Not receiving a signal nor transmitting

Physical

Size: 12.1 x 7.0 x 3.3 cm (4.75 x 2.75 x 1.3 in) Weight: 225 g (0.5 lb) Operating temp. range: –25°C to +50°C Humidity: 0 to 95% RH, non-condensing

RF/Interface Transceiver modules: MaxStream

RF401, RF430 – 9XStream XO9-009 RF411, RF431 – 9XStream XH9-009 RF416, RF432 – 24XStream X24-009 Frequency bands: RF401, RF430 – 910.5 to 917.7 MHz RF411, RF431 – 920.0 to 927.2 MHz RF416, RF432 – 2.45015 to 2.45975 GHz Interface ports: CS I/O 9 pin (RF401 series only) RS-232 9-pin (4 wire: Tx, Rx, CTS, GND) USB Port (RF430 series only)

RS-232 baud rates: 38.4 k (default), 19.2 k, 9600, 4800, 1200 bps USB baud rate: 38.4 k (default), 19.2 k, 9600, 4800, 1200 bps;

Mode: Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS),

Channel capacity: 65,535 addresses Transmitter output: 100 mW nominal (50 mW RF416, RF432) Receiver sensitivity: −110 dBm at 10

(−104 dBm for RF416)

Antenna impedance: 50 Ω, unbalanced (SMA male connector) Interference reject: 70 dB at pager and cellular phone frequencies

RF packet size: up to 64 bytes, half-duplex Error handling: RF packet CRC failure detection/rejection or

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

OS1 only supported 38.4 kbps

25 hop channels, 7 hopping sequences, direct FM frequency control

-4

bit error rate

(RF401, RF411, RF430, RF431)

configurable retry levels

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

3. Installation

3.1 Site Considerations

Location of a radio near commercial transmitters, such as at certain mountaintop sites, is not recommended due to possible “de-sensing” problems for the radio. A powerful signal of almost any frequency at close range can simply overwhelm a receiver. Lower power and intermittent repeater sites may not be a problem. Test such a site with a representative setup before committing to it (see Section 6, Troubleshooting). Keep in mind that commercial sites tend to evolve. Such a site may work now but could change in the future with the addition of new equipment.

3.2 Quick Start (Point-to-Point or PakBus)

This section is intended to serve as a “primer” enabling you to quickly build a simple system and see how it operates. This section describes in four steps how to set up a pair of radios in a direct connect, point-to-point or PakBus network. We recommend that you do this before undertaking field installation. For additional help on point-to-point networks and for help on creating pointto-multipoint networks, refer to Section 5, Software, and Appendix F, NonPakBus Example Configurations.

For this system you will need the following hardware or the equivalent:

1. Two radios (either two RF401s or an RF430 and an RF401)

2. Two antennas

3. AC adapter (Item # 15966)

4. RS-232 serial cable or USB cable

5. SC12 cable (included with RF401)

6. Datalogger (e.g., CR800, CR1000, CR3000)

7. Field Power Cable (Item # 14291) if datalogger or wiring panel doesn’t have 12 V on pin 8 of CS I/O port

You will also need:

• An IBM

• LoggerNet installed on PC

compatible PC with one available COM port or USB port

3.2.1 Step 1 – Set Up Base RF401 or RF430

a. Connect an antenna (or antenna cable with Yagi or omnidirectional

antenna attached) to the radio’s antenna jack. The main objective is to provide an antenna. If you should transmit without an antenna attached, there will be no equipment damage as the transmitter is protected against load mismatch. The separation between the base radio antenna and the remote radio antenna can be any convenient distance. (See Sections 3.3, Antenna Considerations, and 4.4, Compatible Antennas, for antenna considerations and options.)

b. If using an RF430, go to step c. If using an RF401, use the RS-232 serial

cable to connect the RF401’s RS-232 port to the PC’s RS-232 port. Then go to step d.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

TABLE 3-1. PC Driver Installation

NOTE

c. If using an RF430, install the USB drivers to the PC by doing the

following procedures. Install drivers BEFORE connecting the RF430 to the PC.

You cannot use the RS-232 port to configure the radio.

• Obtain software drivers from one of the following sources.

Source 1: Insert the CD supplied with a new RF430. The CD should auto run and present a menu (if not, open AutoRun.exe). Click on [Install Drivers] button.

Source 2: Obtain the file at www.campbellsci.com/downloads, and copy it to a PC drive. Open the file and follow the prompts.

• Follow the on-screen prompts to copy driver files to the PC.

• Install drivers for RF430 as outlined in TABLE 3-1. PC Driver

Installation. Procedures differ for different Windows® operating systems and assume driver files have been copied to the PC.

Windows® XP Windows® Vista Windows® 7

1. Connect the RF430

radio to a computer USB port via the USB cable

2. The Found New

Hardware Wizard

window will open. Select “No, not this time,” when asked to connect to Windows® Update, then click Next.

3. Select “Install the

software automatically,”

1. Connect the

RF430 radio to a computer USB port via the USB cable

2. The Found New

Hardware

window will open. Click on “Locate and install driver software.”

3. If the Windows®

Security window appears, select “Install this driver software anyway.”

1. Connect the

RF430 radio to a computer USB port via the USB cable

2. Windows® 7

configures the driver automatically.

then click Next.

4. If the Windows®

Security window appears, select “Install this driver software anyway” to continue.

5. Click Finish to

close the found

New Hardware Wizard window.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE

d. If using an RF401, plug AC adapter into AC outlet and plug barrel

connector into the base radio’s “Power” jack. The RF430 is powered through its USB port. After connecting the radio to its power source, you will see the red “Pwr/TX” LED light immediately followed by the green RX LED in about 5 seconds. The green LED goes off after a second and the red after ten seconds indicating a successful power-up. The red LED then begins to flash on and off. The red LED flashes once every half second in the default “< 4 mA, ½ sec Cycle” standby mode as the radio wakes up briefly and listens for RF transmissions with an average current consumption less than 4 mA.

e. Access the Device Configuration (DevConfig) Utility to configure radio

(see Section 5.1, DevConfig, for more information).

• Active Interface: Use AutoSense (default).

• Protocol: Use PakBus Aware (default for RF430s and RF401s with

OS4 or higher) if remote radio is connected to a PakBus datalogger (CR200(X), CR800, CR1000, CR3000). Otherwise, use Transparent (default for RF401’s with OS3 or lower).

• SDC or CSDC Address: Use default “7” (only needed if remote radio

is connected to a PakBus datalogger).

• RS-232 Baud Rate: Use 38.4 kbps setting if the datalogger attached to

the remote radio supports 38.4 kbps. Use 9600 kbps setting if the datalogger does not support 38.4 kbps (e.g., CR200(X), CR10X, CR510). The 38.4 kbps setting is default for RF401 radios with OS4 or higher and all RF430 radios. RF430 radios with OS1 only support

38.4 kbps.

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• Net Address: Use “0” (default) unless there is a neighboring network.

• Radio Address: Use “0” (default); only used when Protocol setting is

Transparent.

• Hop Sequence: Use “0” (default) unless there is a neighboring

network.

• Standby Mode: < 4 mA ½ second (default)

• Retry Level: Use Low (default)

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

LoggerNet

AC Adapter

RS-232

CS I/O

Datalogger CS I/O

- RX LED Test -

To determine if there is a neighboring radio network in operation using the same hopping sequence as yours, stop communications on your network and observe your radio’s green LED for activity. A flashing green LED would indicate that there is a nearby network using the same hopping sequence.

• Click apply after changing settings.

FIGURE 3-1. RF401 Basic Point-to-Point Network

3.2.2 Step 2 – Set Up Remote RF401

a. Connect an antenna (or antenna cable with Yagi or omnidirectional

antenna attached) to the RF401 antenna jack. The separation between the base RF401 antenna and the remote RF401 antenna can be any convenient distance (see Sections 3.3, Antenna Considerations, and 4.4, Compatible Antennas).

b. Use the SC12 serial cable to connect the datalogger CS I/O port to the

remote RF401 radio’s CS I/O port. The CS I/O port on newer dataloggers applies power to the remote RF401.

With older dataloggers lacking 12 V on pin 8 (see TABLE 3-2), you can

power the RF401 using a Field Power Cable (see above hardware list) between the datalogger’s 12 V (output) terminals and the RF401’s “Power” jack.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

TABLE 3-2. Lacking 12 V on CS I/O Pin 8

EQUIPMENT

SERIAL NUMBER

CR500

< 1765

CR7 700X Bd.

< 2779

21X

< 13443

CR10 Wiring Panels

All (black, gray, silver)

PS512M Power Supply

< 1712

When you connect power to the RF401 (through the SC12 cable or the

optional Field Power Cable) you should see the power-up sequence of red and green LEDs described in Step 1 (assuming datalogger is powered).

Current dataloggers and wiring panels (not mentioned in TABLE 3-2)

provide 12 V on pin 8. For older products not listed, check for 12 V between CS I/O connector pin 8 and pin 2 (GND) or contact Campbell Scientific.

c. Configure the remote radio using the same settings as the base radio (see

“e” in Section 3.2.1, Step 1 – Set up Base RF401 or RF430). This assumes the base radio is set to AutoSense.

3.2.3 Step 3 – LoggerNet Set-up

a. The next step is to run LoggerNet and configure it to connect to the

datalogger via the radio’s point-to-point or PakBus network you have set up. For point-to-point and PakBus communications, the radios are represented as direct connect in LoggerNet (see FIGURE 3-2). Refer to Section 5.2, LoggerNet, for the LoggerNet setup of point-to-multipoint.

FIGURE 3-2. Point-to-Point or PakBus communications, select direct

connect as the connection type.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

CAUTION

b. For the datalogger settings, set the Baud Rate to match the radio’s RS-232

baud rate. (The radio’s default RS-232 baud rate is 38.4 kbps.) The datalogger “Extra Response Time” can be left at 0 (see FIGURE 3-3).

For safety, maintain 20 cm (8 inches) distance between antenna and any nearby persons while the radio is transmitting.

FIGURE 3-3. The Baud Rate in LoggerNet must match the radio’s RS-

232 baud rate.

3.2.4 Step 4 – Connect

You are now ready to connect to your datalogger using the LoggerNet Connect screen. After you connect, notice the flashing of the green LEDs on both radios. This indicates that RF packets with the same hopping sequence are being received by the radios. The red LEDs light solid while the connection lasts. When you Disconnect, the red LEDs remain on for five seconds, which is the default setting of the “Time of Inactivity to Sleep.”

Datalogger program transfer and data collection are now possible. Refer to Appendix H, Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors, for a treatment of communication distance vs. factors in the RF path.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

3.3 Antenna Considerations

3.3.1 Line of Sight

The single most important factor in radio performance is antenna placement. As Appendix H, Distance vs. Antenna Gain, Terrain, and Other Factors, states, “height is everything.” The two radios must be able to ‘see’ each other if distances over a mile or two are required. This can be accomplished with a mast or tower.

3.3.2 Mounting

The higher the gain of a yagi antenna, the more important it is to aim the yagi precisely and mount the yagi solidly to prevent movement due to strong winds, large birds, etc.

3.3.3 Antenna Cable Routing

The antenna cable should be routed in a protected area and made secure against damage from wildlife, wind, and vandalism.

3.3.4 Antenna Cable Weather Sealing

The presence of water inside the antenna cable’s plastic sheath can attenuate your transmitted and received signals significantly. The RF energy, instead of traveling the length of the cable with little loss, is absorbed according to the amount of water present (like in a microwave oven). A small amount of water can ruin a once good communication link.

When moisture gets inside the sheath it is very difficult to remove. Some careful cable handling (even pinholes can let in significant amounts of water), thoughtful cable routing, and good weather-proofing can prevent this.

Apply a 1/8 inch thick coat of pure silicone rubber compound (RTV) 1) where the cable connector screws onto the antenna connector (apply after the connector is in place allowing future removal) and 2) at the junction between plastic cable sheath and cable connector. If carefully done this should last for years. An alternative approach is to wrap self-vulcanizing rubber tape around these same areas of the antenna connector, cable connector and cable sheath. This tape can be purchased at most electrical supply stores (see Section 6, Troubleshooting, item 6).

4. System Components

4.1 RF401 or RF430 Radios

4.1.1 Indicator LEDs

The radios have a red LED labeled “Pwr/TX” and a green LED labeled “RX.” When 12V power is applied the red LED lights for ten seconds. About 3 seconds after power-up the green LED lights for a second. Ten seconds after power-up the selected standby mode begins to control the red LED. The red LED lights to indicate when the receiver is actively listening. When the receiver detects RF traffic (header or data with the same hopping sequence), the red LED will light steadily. When the RF401 is transmitting, the red LED will pulse OFF as the RF packets are transmitted (it will not be on solid).

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE

Green LED activity indicates that there is an RF signal being received whose hopping sequence corresponds to the configured hopping sequence of the RF401. This does not necessarily mean that the network/radio address of the received packet corresponds with that of the RF401 (where a neighboring network exists it is a good idea to choose a unique hopping sequence).

4.1.2 Radio Configuration

The RF401 and RF430 radios are designed to be easily installed, and for many applications, the radios work out of the box using the default settings. RF401s with operating systems of OS4 or higher and RF430s are configured for PakBus networks. These radios have a Protocol setting of PakBus Aware and an RS-232 Baud Rate of 38.4 K. RF401 radios with an operating system of OS3 or lower have a Protocol setting of Transparent and an RS-232 baud rate of 9600. The 9600 baud rate needs to be used if the network contains older dataloggers (e.g., CR510, CR10X) or other devices that do not support the

38.4 K baud rate.

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If the default settings need to be changed, our Device Configuration Utility (DevConfig) is often the preferred method to use (see Section 5.1, DevConfig). DevConfig provides the settings for the standard setup (see Appendix B, Advanced Setup Menu, for the advanced setup menu).

If the spread spectrum radios are used in a PakBus network, the radios may also be configured using the Network Planner or PakBus Graph. The Network Planner assists you in designing PakBus networks. Refer to Sections 5.2.2, Network Planner, and 5.2.3, PakBus Graph, for more information.

4.2 Power Supplies

Appendix L, RF401/RF411 Average Current Drain Calculations, provides information about calculating current drain for your system.

4.2.1 Base Radio Site (radio connected to a PC)

The USB port supplies power to the RF430. If an RF401 is used as a base radio, the #15966 wall charger typically supplies 12 Vdc power to the radio. The barrel connector of the wall charger connects to the radio’s Power jack.

TABLE 4-1 shows the CSI AC adapter Item # 15966 voltage regulation (typical) while plugged into an AC outlet delivering 120.0 VAC:

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

TABLE 4-1. 15966’s Voltage Regulation

Current Drain

(mA)

Resistive Load

(Ohms)

AC Adapter Output

(Volts)

0 (no load)

∞ (open circuit)

12.22

122

100 Ω

12.20

807

15 Ω

12.11

CAUTION

The voltage regulation of the 15966 is exceptionally good.

Power connector polarity: inner conductor positive (+)

There are many AC adapters available with barrel connectors (plugs) that will fit the RF401 or RF430. Some of these (including the CSI AC adapter Item # 272) will cause immediate damage if plugged into the RF401 or RF430 even briefly. It is also possible to damage the RF401 or RF430 with an AC adapter labeled as low as “12 VDC” because it may output an open-circuit (no current drain) voltage exceeding the maximum. The very low quiescent current (170 µA) of the RF401 or RF430 in its default and other standby modes allows the supply voltage to rise at times virtually to its open-circuit level.

The RF401 or RF430 radio will sustain damage if the Power jack voltage ever

exceeds 18 Volts!

120 VAC line voltages vary from location to location and from time to time so observing a 16.5 VDC maximum is wise. Unconsidered AC adapter selection raises the specter of over-voltage damage to the RF401 and non-warranty repairs!

There are several things to consider. Beware of AC adapters outputting an AC voltage. An AC adapter can output the correct voltage but the wrong polarity. The center conductor of the barrel connector must be positive (+). The AC adapter must also be capable of supplying the instantaneous peak currents demanded by the RF401 transmitter. The best approach is to obtain the AC adapter recommended by CSI (Item #15966). If this is not possible, obtain an AC adapter that matches the voltage vs. current characteristics shown below.

To be sure that the candidate AC adapter’s “no load” voltage is below the 16.5 VDC recommended maximum, measure the output with a DC voltmeter while the AC adapter is plugged into the outlet but not powering anything.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE NOTE

4.2.2 Remote Sites with Datalogger

At the remote site, an RF401 radio is usually powered by the datalogger through its CS I/O port. Alternatively, the #14291 Field Cable can be used to connect the radio to an appropriate 12 Vdc power supply. The 14291 Field Cable connects to the radio’s Power jack.

The field cable is required for the following situations:

• RF401-series radio connected to the datalogger’s RS-232 port instead of

the CS I/O port

• RF430-series radio connected to the datalogger (RF430-series radios do

not have a CS I/O port)

• Datalogger purchased before December 1997 (see TABLE 3-2 in Section

3, Installation)

If ac power is available, the #15966 wall charger may also be used to power the radio (see Section 4.2.1, Base Radio Site).

If powering the RF401 from the CS I/O port but communicating via the RS-232 port, be sure to select RS-232 as the Active Interface so that the CS I/O port is not automatically selected by Auto Sense.

4.2.3 Non-datalogger Remote Site

Radio-to-MD485 networks and radio-to-phone networks require a power supply with a null modem port at the non-datalogger site. An A100 adapter used with a PS100 power supply provides this capability. The PS100 is recharged via a wall charger or a solar panel.

4.3 Serial and USB Cables

An RF401 base station must use the included 10873 RS-232 cable to connect the RF401’s RS-232 port to the PC COM port. An RF430 base station normally uses the included USB cable to connect the RF430’s USB port to the PC’s USB port. An RF430 base station can also be connected to the PC COM port via the 10873 RS-232 cable.

A remote RF401 normally uses the included SC12 cable to connect the RF401’s CS I/O port to the datalogger’s CS I/O port. A remote RF401 can also be connected to the datalogger’s RS-232 port via the 14392 null modem cable.

A remote RF430 must use the 14392 null modem cable to connect the RF430’s RS-232 port to the datalogger’s port.

Radios connected to the datalogger’s RS-232 port must use a 12Vdc field cable (item #14291) or AC adapter to furnish 12 V to the Power connector on the radio.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

NOTE

CAUTION

4.4 Compatible Antennas

The 900 MHz antennas are compatible with the RF401, RF411, RF430, and RF431. The 2.4 GHz antennas are compatible with the RF416 and RF432.

Several antennas are offered to satisfy the needs for various base station and remote station requirements. These antennas have been tested at an authorized FCC open-field test site and are certified to be in compliance with FCC emissions limits. All antennas (or antenna cables) have an RPSMA female connector for connection to the radio. The use of an unauthorized antenna could cause transmitted field strengths in excess of FCC rules, interfere with licensed services, and result in FCC sanctions against user. The antennas are listed below. Photographs of some of the antennas are shown in FIGURE 4-1 through FIGURE 4-8.

An FCC authorized antenna is a REQUIRED component. You must pick one of the antennas listed below.

CSI Item Number Description

14310 900 MHZ, 0 dBd ANTENNA, OMNI ¼ WAVE WHIP,

RPSMA STRAIGHT, LINX, 3.2 inches long.

14204 900 MHZ, 0 dBd ANTENNA, OMNI ½ WAVE WHIP,

RPSMA RT ANGLE, ASTRON, 6.75 inches long.

14221 900 MHZ, 3 dBd ANTENNA, OMNI COLLINEAR,

ANTENEX FG9023, 24 inches tall, W/FM2 MOUNTS, fits 1 in. to 2 in. O.D. mast (requires an antenna cable; see Section 4.5, Antenna Cables and Surge Protection).

15970 900 MHZ, 1 dBd ANTENNA, INDOOR OMNI ½

WAVE DIPOLE, 10 ft. cable with SMA connector to attach to the radio, window or wall mounted by sticky back, 4 inches wide.

14205 900 MHZ, 6 dBd ANTENNA, YAGI, LARSEN

YA6900 TYPE N-F, boom length 17.25 inches, longest element 7.25 inches, W/MOUNTS, fits 1 in. to 2 in. O.D. mast (requires an antenna cable; see Section 4.5, Antenna Cables and Surge Protection).

14201 900 MHZ, 9 dBd ANTENNA, YAGI, MAXRAD

BMOY8905 TYPE N-F, boom length 21.4 inches, longest element 6.4 inches, W/MOUNTS, fits 1 in. to 2 in. O.D. mast (requires an antenna cable; see Section

4.5, Antenna Cables and Surge Protection).

16005 2.4 GHz, 0 dBd ANTENNA, OMNI ½ WAVE WHIP,

RPSMA RT ANGLE, LINX ANT-2.4-CW-RCT-RP,

4.5 inches long.

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

CAUTION

16755 2.4 GHz, 13 dBd ANTENNA, ENCLOSED YAGI,

allows vertical or horizontal polarization, MAXRAD WISP24015PTNF, boom length 17 inches, diameter 3 inches, W/ END MOUNT to fit 1 to 2 in. O.D. mast (requires antenna cable and possibly a surge protector; see Section 4.5, Antenna Cables and Surge Protection).

FCC OET Bulletin No. 63 (October 1993)

Changing the antenna on a transmitter can significantly increase, or decrease, the strength of the signal that is ultimately transmitted. Except for cable locating equipment, the standards in Part 15 are not based solely on output power but also take into account the antenna characteristics. Thus, a low power transmitter that complies with the technical standards in Part 15 with a particular antenna attached can exceed the Part 15 standards if a different antenna is attached. Should this happen it could pose a serious interference problem to authorized radio communications such as emergency, broadcast, and air-traffic control communications.

In order to comply with the FCC RF exposure requirements, the RF401 and RF430 may be used only with approved antennas that have been tested with these radios and a minimum separation distance of 20 cm must be maintained from the antenna to any nearby persons.

Read Appendix A, Part 15 FCC Compliance Warning, of this manual for important FCC information.

FIGURE 4-1. Item #14310 900 MHz Omnidirectional 1/4 Wave Whip,

0 dBd

FIGURE 4-2. Item #14204 900 MHz Omnidirectional 1/2 Wave Whip,

0 dBd

RF401-series and RF430-series Spread Spectrum Radio/Modems

FIGURE 4-3. Item #14201 900 MHz Yagi, 9 dBd w/Mounts

FIGURE 4-4. Item #14205 900 MHz Yagi, 6 dBd w/Mounts

FIGURE 4-5. Item #14221 900 MHz Omnidirectional Collinear,

3 dBd w/Mounts

+ 96 hidden pages

Campbell Scientific RF401 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Warranty

Assistance

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 RF401-series Radios

1.2 RF430-series Radios

1.3 Combination Mode Communications

1.4 Retired Spread Spectrum Radios

1.4.1 RF400-series Radios

1.4.2 CR205, CR210, CR215 Dataloggers

2. Specifications

3. Installation

3.1 Site Considerations

3.2 Quick Start (Point-to-Point or PakBus)

3.2.1 Step 1 – Set Up Base RF401 or RF430

3.2.2 Step 2 – Set Up Remote RF401

3.2.3 Step 3 – LoggerNet Set-up

3.2.4 Step 4 – Connect

3.3 Antenna Considerations

3.3.1 Line of Sight

3.3.2 Mounting

3.3.3 Antenna Cable Routing

3.3.4 Antenna Cable Weather Sealing

4. System Components

4.1 RF401 or RF430 Radios

4.1.1 Indicator LEDs

4.1.2 Radio Configuration

4.2 Power Supplies

4.2.1 Base Radio Site (radio connected to a PC)

4.2.2 Remote Sites with Datalogger

4.2.3 Non-datalogger Remote Site

4.3 Serial and USB Cables

4.4 Compatible Antennas