Campbell Scientific RF450 User Manual
RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
Revision: 8/11
Copyright © 2001-2011
Campbell Scientific, Inc.
Warranty and Assistance
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 on the corresponding Campbell
invoice. 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
apply to any Campbell 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.
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Campbell Scientific company serves your country.
®
2010, prepaid. This warranty shall not
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www.campbellsci.com/repair
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. A completed form
RF450 Table of Contents
PDF viewers note: These page numbers refer to the printed version of this document. Use
the Adobe Acrobat® bookmarks tab for links to specific sections.
1. General Description.....................................................1
2. Specifications ..............................................................1
3. Configuration ...............................................................2
3.1 Theory of Radio Operation.......................................................................2
3.2 PakBus Graph ...........................................................................................3
3.3 Location of the Transceivers ....................................................................4
3.4 Using the Device Configuration Utility....................................................4
3.5 Quick Start................................................................................................7
3.6 Deployment Settings.................................................................................8
3.6.1 Active Interface...............................................................................8
3.6.2 SDC Address...................................................................................8
3.6.3 Baud Rate........................................................................................8
3.6.4 RF450 Operation Mode Setting ......................................................9
3.6.5 Network ID ...................................................................................10
3.6.6 Frequency Key Setting..................................................................10
3.6.7 Repeater Frequency Key Setting...................................................10
3.6.8 Transmit Power Setting.................................................................11
3.6.9 Low Power Mode Setting .............................................................11
3.6.10 Transmit Subnet ID Setting.........................................................12
3.6.11 Radio ID Setting .........................................................................13
3.7 Master Radio...........................................................................................13
3.8 Slave .......................................................................................................14
3.9 Repeater ..................................................................................................14
3.10 Power Considerations ...........................................................................15
4. Antennas ....................................................................15
4.1 Antennas for the RF450 Series...............................................................15
4.2 Antenna Cables and Surge Protection ....................................................17
4.2.1 Antenna Cables .............................................................................17
4.2.2 Electro-static Issues ......................................................................17
4.2.3 Antenna Surge Protector Kit.........................................................17
5. LoggerNet Software Setup........................................ 18
6. RF450s with RF401 or CR206(X) in the Same
Network ...................................................................19
7. Troubleshooting ........................................................19
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RF450 Table of Contents
Appendices
A. Installation Scenarios ............................................. A-1
B. Settings Editor......................................................... B-1
Figures
A.1 Example 1: PC-to-RF Network.......................................................... A-1
A.2 Example 2: PC-to-RF Network with Repeater................................... A-3
A.3 Example 3: PC-to-RF Network with Parallel Repeaters .................... A-5
A.4 Example 4: Phone-to-RF Base........................................................... A-7
A.5 Example 5: Call-back......................................................................... A-8
3.1-1. Simplest Form of a Multi-Point Network............................................ 3
3.2-1. Point to Multi-Point Network with Two Routers ................................ 4
3.2-2. RF450 Point to Multi-Point Network with Two Routers as
Displayed in PakBus Graph............................................................. 4
3.4-1. Start-up DevConfig Screen for Configuring the RF450...................... 5
3.4-2. DevConfig Screen Showing the RF450 Settings................................. 6
3.4-3. DevConfig RF450 Summary Screen ................................................... 7
3.7-1. DevConfig Screen Showing Settings for Multi-Point Master ........... 13
3.8-1. DevConfig Screen Showing Settings for a Slave in a
Multi-Point Network...................................................................... 14
3.9-1. DevConfig Screen Showing Settings for Repeater in a
Multi-Point Network...................................................................... 14
5.1-1. LoggerNet Setup Screen for an RF450 Multi-Point Network ........... 18
7-1. RF450 Front Side View..................................................................... 19
A.1-1. Schematic of PC-to-RF450 Network............................................... A-1
A.1-2. DevConfig Screen Showing Master Radio Settings for Example 1 A-2
A.2-1. Schematic of PC-to-RF450 Network with Repeater ....................... A-3
A.2-2. DevConfig Screen Showing Master Radio Settings for Example 2 A-4
A.2-3. DevConfig Screen Showing Slave/Repeater Radio Settings
for Example 2 .............................................................................. A-4
A.2-4. DevConfig Screen Showing Slave Radio Settings for Example 2 .. A-5
A.3-1. Schematic of PC-to-RF Network with Parallel Repeaters............... A-6
A.4-1. Schematic of Phone-to-RF Base...................................................... A-7
Tables
3.6-1. Transmit Power Settings ................................................................... 11
3.6-2. Low Power Mode Settings ................................................................ 12
3.10-1. Power Requirements at 12 VDC ....................................................... 15
7-1. Multi-Point Network LED Status...................................................... 19
A.1-1. RF450 Settings for Example 1 ........................................................ A-2
A.2-1. RF450 Settings for Example 2 ........................................................ A-3
A.3-1. RF450 Settings for Example 3 ........................................................ A-6
A.4-1. RF450 Settings for Example 4 ........................................................ A-7
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FCC Notifications
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: 1) This device may not cause harmful interference
and 2) this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation. This device must be operated
as supplied by Campbell Scientific, Inc. Any changes or modifications made
to the device without the express written approval of Campbell Scientific, Inc
may void the user's authority to operate the device.
CAUTION
The module number FGR09 has a maximum transmitted
output power of 955mW. It is recommended that the
transmit antenna be kept at least 23cm (approximately 10
inches) away from nearby persons to satisfy FCC RF
exposure requirements.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class
B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected
• Consult an experienced radio/TV technician for help
• Consult Campbell Scientific
RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
1. General Description
The RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio is a 900 MHz license-free radio
specifically designed to work with Campbell Scientific dataloggers. RF450
radios consist of a FreeWave DGR09 radio module and an interface board.
This manual addresses the RF450’s interface with CR3000, CR1000, and
CR800-series dataloggers and a PC running LoggerNet. Though the radios
may be setup in a point-to-point mode, this manual will only address multipoint applications, as this is the only way to take advantage of the low-power
mode of the Slave radios at the datalogger site. This reduces the required
power at remote sites from about 75 mA to less than 10 mA in most
applications.
NOTE
to International users
Radios deployed outside of the United States must use a Hop
Table Version other than zero (the default). See Appendix B for
details on changing the Hop Table Version.
2. Specifications
Frequency: 902 to 928 Mhz
Transmit:
Output Power 5 mW to 1 W, user selectable
Range 60 miles maximum assuming ideal conditions,
line-of-sight, and appropriate antenna. Note
that line-of-sight obstructions, RF interference,
and antenna type will affect transmission
distance. Realistic, reliable distances are
approximately 13 miles.
Modulation Spread spectrum GFSK, 120 or 170 kbps
Spreading Method Frequency hopping
Occupied Bandwidth 230 kHz, at 60 dB
Channel Spacing 230 kHz
Hopping Patterns 15 per band, 105 total, user selectable
Hopping Channels 50 to 112, user selectable
Hopping Bands 7, user selectable
Frequency Zones 16 Zones, 7 Channels per zone
Receive:
Sensitivity -108 dBm for 10-6 bit error rate
-110 dBm for 10-4 bit error rate
Selectivity -20 dB at Fc +/- 115 kHz
-60 dB at Fc +/- 145 kHz
System Gain 140 dB
Data Transmission:
Error Detection 32 bit CRC, retransmit on error
Data Encryption Substitution, dynamic key
Link Throughput 115.2 kbps, max
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
Data Interface:
Protocol RS-232, DCE, CS I/O, ME, and SDC;
user selectable
RS-232 Baud Rate: 1200 bps, 4800 bps, 9600 bps, 19.2 kbps,
38.4 kbps, 57.6 kbps, 115.2 kbps;
user selectable
Connectors DB9
Antenna SMA female connector
External antenna required
Power Requirements:
Voltage 7 to 28 Vdc
Current Transmit 500 mA
Receive 76 mA*
Idle 22 mA*
Sleep 7 mA*
Environmental:
Operating Temperature -40° to +75°C
Dimensions 1.44” x 3.17” x 5.70” (3.66 x 8.05 x 14.48 cm)
1.44” x 3.17” x 7.5” (3.66 x 8.05 x 19.05 cm) with
mounting plate
Weight 0.7 lbs (0.3 kg)
Humidity 0 to 95% non-condensing
FCC ID: KNY-6231812519
Canada: 2329B-DGR09RAS
3. Configuration
3.1 Theory of Radio Operation
NOTE
In a point-to-multi-point network (multi-point network) the transceiver
designated as a Master, is able to simultaneously communicate with numerous
Slaves. In its simplest form, a multi-point network functions with the Master
broadcasting its messages to all Slaves and the Slaves responding to the Master
when given data by the datalogger connected to the data port (see Figure 3.1-1).
There may be only one RF450 Master in a network and it must
be connected to a PakBus router. A PakBus router may be
software such as LoggerNet or PC400 or a datalogger configured
as a router.
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
Slave
Slave
Master
Slave
FIGURE 3.1-1. Simplest Form of a Multi-Point Network
In a multi-point network, outbound packets from the Master or repeater to
Slaves or other repeaters are sent a set number of times determined by the user.
The receiving transceiver, Slave or repeater, will accept the first packet
received with the correct signature (32 bit CRC). However, the packet is not
acknowledged. On the return trip to the Master, all packets sent are
acknowledged or retransmitted until they are acknowledged. Therefore, the
return link in a multi-point network is generally very robust.
Traditionally, a multi-point network is used in applications where data is
collected from one to many dataloggers and reported back to one central site.
The central site is typically a PC running LoggerNet, but could be a datalogger.
Refer to Appendix A for different installation scenarios.
Though the radios may be setup in a point-to-point mode, this manual will only
address multi-point applications, as this is the only way to take advantage of
the low-power mode of the Slave radios at the datalogger site. This reduces the
required power at remote sites from about 75mA to less than 10mA in most
applications.
3.2 PakBus Graph
PakBus Graph is a LoggerNet utility that graphically depicts the devices and
connections in a PakBus datalogger network. In PakBus graph, the LoggerNet
server is typically represented by PakBus address 4094, and each of the
PakBus dataloggers that have been configured in Setup will be shown by the
PakBus address in brackets followed by its name assigned through LoggerNet
setup.
Because RF450 networking protocols are used to direct packets, not PakBus
protocols, the network's representation in PakBus Graph may be significantly
different than one would expect. Figure 3.2-1 depicts the physical network of
six dataloggers and one LoggerNet server. Dataloggers numbered 1 and 2
route packets to other dataloggers from the LoggerNet server.
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
r
[4] Site4
[5] Site5
[2] Site2
FIGURE 3.2-1. Point to Multi-Point Network with Two Routers
This same network will be depicted in PakBus Graph as shown in Figure 3.2-2.
Dataloggers numbered 1 and 2 have RF450 radios configured as
Slave/Repeaters. The RF450 radios are doing the networking, not the PakBus
dataloggers.
[4094]
LN Serve
[1] Site1
[3] Site3
FIGURE 3.2-2. RF450 Point to Multi-Point Network with
Two Routers as Displayed in PakBus Graph
3.3 Location of the Transceivers
Placement of the radio is likely to have a significant impact on its performance.
The key to the overall robustness of the radio link is the height of the antenna.
3.4 Using the Device Configuration Utility
Radios are configured using the CSI Device Configuration Utility (DevConfig)
software tool that comes with LoggerNet (see Figure 3.4-1). To avoid COM
port conflict, DevConfig is usually run when LoggerNet is shut down, and vice
versa. The following general procedure is used to configure the RF450 radios
via DevConfig:
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
1. Launch DevConfig by double clicking the icon on the Windows Desktop
or through the Windows Start Menu | Start | All Programs | LoggerNet |
Device Configuration Utility.
2. From the Device Type list, select the RF450. Information, instruction and
help are provided on each screen.
FIGURE 3.4-1. Start-up DevConfig Screen for Configuring the RF450
3. Select the correct COM port for serial communications with the radio.
4. Power the RF450 radio by using the power plug or by using the SC12
cable to connect the radio’s CS I/O port to the datalogger’s CS I/O port.
5. Connect an RS-232 or USB-to-RS-232 cable between the RF450 and PC.
6. Click Connect then press the green “setup” button located on the side of
the RF450 between the RS-232 and power ports. The radio CD and CTS
LEDs should turn green. After several seconds, a screen similar to Figure
3.4-2 will appear:
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
FIGURE 3.4-2. DevConfig Screen Showing the RF450 Settings
Deployment, Settings Editor, Terminal, and Send OS tabs are available. The
Deployment tab contains all the standard parameters that need to be set for a
PakBus network. The Settings Editor or Terminal tabs may be used to access
all of the FreeWave Radio settings. They should be used by experienced
FreeWave Radio users only. New operating systems for the CSI board are
loaded through the Send OS tab.
The Device Configuration Utility makes applying the same settings to multiple
devices easy. Once settings are configured for one device, click the Apply
button; a summary screen similar to Figure 3.4-3 will show. Click the Save
button to save a configuration file. This file can then be used to load the
settings into another RF450. Click the Read File button to load the settings in
DevConfig then the Apply button to load the settings into the RF450.
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RF450 Spread Spectrum Radio
3.5 Quick Start
FIGURE 3.4-3. DevConfig RF450 Summary Screen
1. Using DevConfig, set a unique PakBus Address for each datalogger in the
network. Keep the other settings as their default.
2. Decide on a unique Network Identification Number between 0 and 4095,
excluding 255. All radios in the network will have the same Network ID.
3. Select a Frequency Key Number between 0 and 14. It is recommended
that you change this from 5 which is the default. Generally all radios in
the network will have the same Frequency Key.
4. Select one radio to be the Master; the others will be designated as Slaves.
5. Slave Radios: Using DevConfig, set the “Radio Operation Mode” to
Multi-Point Slave. Set the Network ID to the number decided upon in step
2 above. Set the Frequency Key to the number decided upon in step 3
above. Set the Radio ID to the PakBus Address assigned in step 1 above.
Keep the remaining settings as their defaults. (See note below regarding
repeaters.)
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