Electrodata ATS-5X User Manual

ATS-5X

User Manual

Networked Communication Solutions, LLC

Electrodata, Inc.

Copyright 2015 Rev. 04/15

ATS-5X User Manual Page 2 of 44

Contents

1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................. 3

1.2 Interface .................................................................................................................................................................. 4

1.3 Assistance ................................................................................................................................................................ 4

2 Operation ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4

2.1 Instrument Power Up .............................................................................................................................................. 4

2.2 Battery Operation ................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.3 USB Devices ............................................................................................................................................................. 4

2.3.1 Keyboard ......................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.3.2 Mouse ............................................................................................................................................................. 5

2.3.3 Combination Keyboard and Mouse ................................................................................................................ 5

2.3.4 Drive ................................................................................................................................................................ 5

2.4 User Interface.......................................................................................................................................................... 6

2.4.1 Title Bar ........................................................................................................................................................... 6

2.4.2 Control Selection ............................................................................................................................................. 6

2.4.3 Screen Elements .............................................................................................................................................. 7

2.4.4 Screen Navigation ......................................................................................................................................... 12

2.5 Screens .................................................................................................................................................................. 13

2.5.1 Start-up Screen ............................................................................................................................................. 13

2.5.2 Main Menu .................................................................................................................................................... 13

2.5.3 Preferences ................................................................................................................................................... 13

2.5.4 Date & Time .................................................................................................................................................. 14

2.5.5 Setup ............................................................................................................................................................. 15

2.5.6 Self-Test ......................................................................................................................................................... 18

2.6 Equipment Connection ......................................................................................................................................... 19

2.6.1 Longitudinal Balance ..................................................................................................................................... 19

2.6.2 Delay Emulation ............................................................................................................................................ 20

2.7 Measurements and Functions .............................................................................................................................. 21

2.7.1 Level / Frequency / Noise ............................................................................................................................. 21

2.7.2 Impulse Noise ................................................................................................................................................ 24

2.7.3 Longitudinal Balance ..................................................................................................................................... 25

2.7.4 Dialer ............................................................................................................................................................. 27

2.7.5 Delay Emulator (4-Wire) ............................................................................................................................... 30

2.7.6 Echo Measurement ....................................................................................................................................... 31

2.7.7 Spectrum ....................................................................................................................................................... 33

2.7.8 23-Tone ......................................................................................................................................................... 33

2.7.9 P/AR Measurement ....................................................................................................................................... 34

2.7.10 Slope Measurement ...................................................................................................................................... 35

3 Maintenance ................................................................................................................................................................. 36

3.1 Software Update ................................................................................................................................................... 36

3.2 Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................. 37

3.3 Battery Care .......................................................................................................................................................... 37

4 Specifications ................................................................................................................................................................ 38

5 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................................................ 43

ATS-5X User Manual Page 3 of 44

1 Introduction

1.1 Overview

The ATS-5X is a hand-held test instrument for installation and troubleshooting of equipment or circuits in leased and
dial-up networks. Figure 1 below shows an image of the product in operation. The following measurements and
functions are provided:

 Level, frequency and noise
 Impulse noise
 Longitudinal balance
 23-tone
 Slope
 DTMF capture and dial interface
 Spectrum display
 Delay emulation
 Echo measurement
 Peak-to-average ratio

Figure 1 – ATS-5X Product Overview

ATS-5X User Manual Page 4 of 44

1.2 Interface

The test set interface is comprised of a color touchscreen LCD, a simple keypad and a USB port. The unit can be
controlled by the keypad, touchscreen or USB keyboard and mouse. The measurement data is shown on the display and
may be saved to a USB drive.

1.3 Assistance

Should you need assistance with the ATS-5X, please contact NCS/Electrodata at:

P.O. Box 31780
Independence, OH 44131

Local: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Toll-free: 800-441-6336
Email: [e-mail]

2 Operation

2.1 Instrument Power Up

The ATS-5X has a display section and a measurement jack section that are joined by a hinge. To open the product for
normal use, release the locking tab opposite the hinge and separate the two halves of the product. Once separated,
press the power button on the keypad to turn the device on. The LCD that is above the keypad will immediately light up
and display the startup screen.

After the device is powered on, the start-up screen is displayed momentarily, and the results of a brief self-test are
displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. If the self-test fails, the display will only show the start-up screen.
If the self-test passes, the display will show the Main Menu screen and the device is ready for use.

2.2 Battery Operation

The ATS-5X has an internal rechargeable battery that is not user replaceable. The battery is charged through the 12V
power adapter jack on the side of the ATS-5X. When the power adapter is powered and plugged into this jack, the
battery will be charged whether the ATS-5X is powered on or not. The power adapter may be inserted at any time into
the ATS-5X.

2.3 USB Devices

The ATS-5X has a USB host port and can support a single USB drive, keyboard and/or mouse. A keyboard or mouse can
be used to control the ATS-5X user interface, and a USB drive allows the user to save test results and update the ATS-5X
software. In the case that an unsupported device is plugged into the USB port, the ATS-5X will display a message
indicating the Vendor ID and Product ID of the unsupported device. USB hubs are not supported.

2.3.1 Keyboard

When a valid USB keyboard is plugged into the USB port, a keyboard icon will be displayed in the title bar to the right of
the battery (see Figure 2). The USB keyboard must be a class of USB device known as a human interface device (HID) in
order to be considered a valid keyboard. The keyboard keys listed below are valid control keys:

 Keys that type a character
 The directional arrow keys

ATS-5X User Manual Page 5 of 44

 Enter
 Backspace
 Escape

Figure 2 – Keyboard Icon

2.3.2 Mouse

When a valid USB mouse is plugged into the USB port, a mouse icon will be displayed in the title bar to the right of the
battery (see Figure 3) and a cursor will be displayed on the screen. As with the keyboard, the mouse must be an HID
type device to be considered valid. The cursor can be moved by the mouse and pressing and releasing the left mouse
button will act the same as pressing and releasing the touchscreen at the point where the cursor is displayed on the
screen. If a selection list with scroll controls is active, rotating the mouse scroll wheel will scroll the list. Any other
mouse button is not a valid input.

Figure 3 – Mouse Icon

2.3.3 Combination Keyboard and Mouse

Some USB devices allow both a USB mouse and keyboard on the same connection point, such as wireless mice and
keyboards. These devices are considered valid as long as they are HID type.

2.3.4 Drive

When a valid USB drive is plugged into the USB port, a disk icon will be displayed in the title bar to the right of the
battery (see Figure 4). The USB drive must be a class of USB device known as a mass storage device and must be
formatted with a FAT32, FAT16 or FAT12 file system in order to be considered a valid drive. If a software update file is
on the drive, a message will be displayed asking if the ATS-5X software should be updated with the file.

Figure 4 – USB Drive Icon

ATS-5X User Manual Page 6 of 44

Battery fully charged, power adapter plugged in

Battery charging

Battery discharging

Battery missing or damaged. Call factory for repair

(Flashing)

Battery charge is low

(Solid)

Battery is empty and device will automatically shut down

Button

controls

2.4 User Interface

NOTE: The user interface depicted in this manual is based on the operation of software version 1.15.

The screens shown on the touchscreen display have a number of different elements called controls to allow control of
the ATS-5X. The controls are similar to standard Microsoft Windows© control elements, such as buttons and selection
lists (see Figure 5).

Figure 5 – Sample Display

Interaction with the display controls is straightforward with the touchscreen or USB mouse. Using the keypad or USB
keyboard requires that controls be selected first prior to controlling them.

The various touchscreen displays have a number of common control elements that are used to setup the ATS-5X for
measurements. Interaction with the controls using the touchscreen or USB mouse is straightforward; however, most
actions using the keypad and USB keyboard require a control to be selected first.

2.4.1 Title Bar

Most screens show a title bar at the top of the screen to show the name of the current screen, the state of the battery
and the time. The state of the battery is indicated by different icons displayed on the left-hand side of the title bar.
These icons are described in Table 1 below.

Table 1 – Battery Icons

2.4.2 Control Selection

To use the keypad and USB keyboard with a control element on the screen, the control must either be focused or active
in order to respond to keypad or keyboard input. A control is focused when it has a yellow perimeter and it is active
when it has a red perimeter (see Figure 6).

ATS-5X User Manual Page 7 of 44

Focused

Control

Active

Control

Figure 6 – Focused and Active Controls

Focus is shifted from one control to the next by using the directional arrow keys on the keypad or USB keyboard. Once a
control is focused (yellow perimeter) it can be activated (red perimeter) by pressing the ENTER key and de-activated by
pressing ENTER again or by pressing the ESC key.

Some controls cannot be focused and must be controlled by the touchscreen or USB mouse. Only number or text entry
fields need to be activated before they can be controlled by the keypad or USB keyboard.

2.4.3 Screen Elements

2.4.3.1 Button Control

The button control element (see Figure 5 below) behaves similar to a standard button on a computer. An action is
initiated by pressing and releasing (touchscreen or USB mouse) within the boundary of the button. The button action
can also be performed by pressing the ENTER key when the button is focused.

2.4.3.2 Toggle Control

The toggle control allows selecting one action or setting from a collection. Each time the toggle control is pressed in the
same manner as a button control, the display text changes and a different action is performed. Each of the different
items available on the control can be accessed by successive control presses. The toggle control is demonstrated in
Figure 7 below.

A momentary toggle control, such as the 2713 Hz Burst control on the main menu, requires a holding action on the
touchscreen to remain activated. These types of controls may be toggled on and off by pressing the ENTER key.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 8 of 44

“Pressing” the toggle

control selects a new

list item

Selection List

Control

Figure 7 – Toggle Control Item Cycling

2.4.3.3 Selection List Control

The selection list control displays a vertical list of text items and allows selection of one or more items, depending on the
context. The text items can be selected by pressing with the touchscreen or USB mouse on the item. To select an item
with the keypad or USB keyboard, the control must first be activated by focusing the control and then pressing the ENTER
key. Once activated, the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys can be used to change the selected item. The selected item in
a selection list control is marked with a colored row, as shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8 – Selection List Control

2.4.3.4 Drop Selection List Control

The drop selection list control is similar to a selection list control in that it allows selection of a single item out of a
vertical list; however, the list collapses to show only the selected item when the selection is complete. The drop
selection list can be distinguished from the button and toggle controls by the marker in the bottom right hand corner, as
shown in Figure 9.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 9 of 44

Drop control

in collapsed

Drop control

in expanded

To expand the list in order to make a selection, press the control in the same manner as a button control (see Figure 9).
Once the selection list is visible, the current selection row should be marked with a unique color in the same manner as
the selection list control. To change the selected item using the keypad or USB keyboard, press the up arrow and down
arrow keys. To change the selected item using the touchscreen or USB mouse, simply press the text to be selected, in
the same manner as the selection list control. The USB mouse scroll wheel may also be used to change the list selection.
Some lists have many items and show scroll controls on the right side of the list to allow viewing all of the selections (see
Figure 10). To use the scrolling feature on the list, press the up and down arrow buttons with the touchscreen or USB
mouse.

Once the selection has been made, it must be confirmed in order to hide the selection list and perform the associated
action or setting change. To do this with the keypad or USB keyboard, press the ENTER key. To confirm the selection
with the touchscreen or USB mouse, press the item a second time or press somewhere outside of the boundary of the
selection list. Cancel a selection change by pressing the ESC key with the selection list visible.

Figure 9 – Drop Selection List Control, Collapsed and Expanded

Figure 10 – Drop Control with Scroll Buttons

2.4.3.5 Grid Control

A grid control allows selection of data items outlined in a table format (see Figure 11). The grid control cannot be
focused and therefore cannot receive keypad or USB keyboard input. A grid control may allow a single selection,
multiple selections or only a momentary selection (selection made while pressed). As with the button control, the
selection must be made by pressing and releasing within the bounds of a single grid cell.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 10 of 44

Grid control

circled

Text Entry

Control

Figure 11 – Grid Control

2.4.3.6 Text Entry Control

The text entry control provides a means of specifying text as numbers and letters (see Figure 12). The control must first
be activated to enter or change the text. Using the touchscreen or USB mouse, this is accomplished by simply pressing
the within the boundary of the field. Using the keypad or USB keyboard, the control can be activated by pressing the

ENTER or BK-SP keys when the control is focused. Pressing the BK-SP key to activate the focused control will cause the

existing contents of the control to be cleared.
Once activated, modification of the text occurs at the location of the blinking cursor, in the same manner as on a

computer. The cursor position may be moved by pressing the LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW keys on a USB keyboard.
Pressing the BK-SP key with the control activated will cause of the removal of one character to the left of the cursor.
Pressing a valid key will cause the insertion of a character at the location of the cursor. If the character to the right of
the cursor is a number, pressing the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys on a USB keyboard will increment and decrement
that digit.

A text entry control may have limits on the number and type of characters allowed. Text entry controls that allow only
numbers may be configured to ensure that the number is within maximum and minimum values. Pressing the #- key for
a number-only text entry that allows negative numbers will toggle the sign of the number, regardless of cursor position.

To cancel changes made to the control text while activated, press the ESC key. To commit changes made to the control
text, press the ENTER key or press outside of the control boundary with the touchscreen or USB mouse.

2.4.3.6.1 On-Screen Keyboard

To allow text entry with the touchscreen or USB mouse, press and hold within the boundary of the text entry control.
This will display an on-screen keyboard, such as shown in Figure 13. Characters that are selected on the grid control will
be displayed in the text entry control at the top of the screen. The functionality of the buttons is defined as follows:

Figure 12 – Text Entry Control

ATS-5X User Manual Page 11 of 44

Slider

Controls

 Bksp: Backspace – delete the character to the left of the cursor in the text entry field at the top of

the screen

 (Left arrow): Move the text entry field cursor one character to the left
 (Right arrow): Move the text entry field cursor one character to the right
 Space: Insert a blank space character at the cursor location in the text entry field
 DONE: Accept the changes made to the text

The functionality of the toggle controls is defined as follows:

 abc/ABC: Toggle capitalization of the letters within the grid control
 (0-9) Symbols/Letters: Toggle the character set of the grid control

Figure 13 – On-Screen Keyboard

2.4.3.7 Slider Control

The slider control allows visual adjustment of a setting (see Figure 14). The slider control cannot be focused and
therefore cannot receive keypad or USB keyboard input. To adjust the slider setting, use the touchscreen or USB mouse
to momentarily press within extents of the control to bring the slider set-point to the center of the pressed location. To
continuously adjust the slider set-point, press and hold within the control boundary, moving the touchscreen press
location or USB mouse while holding.

Figure 14 – Slider Control

2.4.3.8 Graph Display

The graph display shows a sequence of data points connected by lines (see Figure 15). Unless otherwise disabled, the
graph display can be focused and activated for keypad or USB keyboard input. Once activated, pressing the UP ARROW or

DOWN ARROW keys will change the vertical axis limits so that current “view” of the data is shifted either up or down.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 12 of 44

Graph

Display

Top border color

indicates if display

is focused or active

Horizontal

axis units

Vertical

axis units

Similarly, the RIGHT ARROW and LEFT ARROW keys shift the horizontal axis limits so that the data view moves right and left.
The graph axis limits may only be adjusted with the keypad or USB keyboard if the axis values are not already at their
limits.

Figure 15 – Graph Display

2.4.3.8.1 Graph Display Limit Adjust

To adjust the horizontal and vertical axis values of the graph display, press and hold (touchscreen or USB mouse) within
the boundary of the graph display for at least 1 second. This will display the Graph Setup screen (see Figure 16). Four
number entry fields are shown to adjust the minimum and maximum horizontal and vertical axis limits. The Reset
button will adjust the axis limits in the four number entry fields back to their default values. The Done button hides the
Graph Setup screen and shows the original graph display with the axis limits specified in the Graph Setup screen. Select
an item in the Previous Views selection list to quickly restore a common display setting.

2.4.4 Screen Navigation

There are controls on each screen that allow the user to change to other screens. For instance, most screens have a
Back button that returns the display to the previous screen. When the ATS-5X is first powered on, the Start-Up screen is
displayed momentarily and then the Main Menu screen is displayed. From this point, the Setup or System Menu screens
may be displayed by pressing their respective buttons on the Main Menu screen, or the displayed may be moved to one
of the measurement screens by pressing one of the measurement buttons. Pressing the ESC key will return the display
to the previous screen. Figure 17 below shows a simplified diagram of the screen navigation.

Figure 16 – Graph Setup Screen

ATS-5X User Manual Page 13 of 44

Figure 17 – Simplified Screen Navigation Diagram

2.5 Screens

2.5.1 Start-up Screen

After the ATS-5X is powered on, a splash screen is displayed while loading. This screen shows the results of the power­on self test in the upper left-hand corner, the product serial number in the lower left-hand corner and the software
version in the lower right-hand corner. After the initialization is complete, the Main Menu screen is automatically
displayed. To allow the start-up screen to be displayed indefinitely, press the Freeze toggle control. Press it again to
continue to the main screen.

2.5.2 Main Menu

The Main Menu screen (see Figure 17) allows access to each of the measurement functions, to the System Menu screen
and the Setup screen. The 2713 Hz Burst momentary toggle control allows a momentary override of the transmitter
setup to transmit a 2713 Hz tone at 0 dBm. When the control is active, the tone is transmitted. Once the control is de­activated, the transmitter is disabled.

2.5.3 Preferences

The Preferences screen can be accessed from the Main Menu screen by pressing the System Menu button and then the
Preferences button. This screen allows adjustment of ATS-5X parameters related to the user interface, as shown in

Figure 18 below.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 14 of 44

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Year

Day

Figure 18 – Preferences Screen

The screen controls have the following function:

 Audio Volume: Adjusts the volume of the ATS-5X receive signal, which may be the signal at the receive jack

or the transmit jack, depending on the configuration in the Setup screen. Moving the slider
towards the top of the screen will increase the volume.

 Alert Volume: Adjusts the volume of the user interface alerts or “beeps.”
 Display Brightness: Adjusts the intensity of the display backlight. Moving the slider toward the top of the screen

will increase the brightness.

 Backlight Shutoff Time: Sets the inactivity duration before the display brightness level is reduced. User interface

operation will maintain the display brightness at the set level. However, after a period of
inactivity, the display brightness will be reduced. User interface operation will again restore
the brightness back to the set level. This setting may be used to assist in prolonging the
battery charge.

 Device Shutoff Time: Sets the inactivity duration before the ATS-5X will power down. Unless there is user

interface activity within the specified duration, the device will shut itself down.

 Set Date & Time: Displays the Date & Time screen to allow adjustment of the date and time.

2.5.4 Date & Time

The time and date that is maintained by the ATS-5X may be adjusted from the Date & Time screen, accessible from the
Preferences screen. Figure 19 below shows the date and time adjustment.

Figure 19 – Date & Time Screen

ATS-5X User Manual Page 15 of 44

Source Z / 2

Tx

Source Z / 2

Termination Z

Rx

TIP

RING

TIP

RING

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

4-Wire
Off
On

SETTINGS

Transmitter

Receiver

Source Z / 2

Tx

Source Z / 2

Tx

Rx

TIP

RING

TIP

RING

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

4-Wire
On
On

SETTINGS

Transmitter

Receiver

Source Z / 2

Source Z / 2

Termination Z

Rx

TIP

RING

TIP

RING

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

4-Wire
Off
Off

SETTINGS

Transmitter

Receiver

Rx

TIP

RING

TIP

RING

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

4-Wire
On
Off

SETTINGS

Transmitter

Receiver

2.5.5 Setup

The Setup screen allows configuration of the ATS-5X line interface. Although Figure 22 shows one example of a
configuration, the content and available selections on the screen are dependent upon the measurement mode
previously selected. The ATS-5X line interface is influenced by the setup options as shown in Figure 20 and Figure 21.

Figure 20 – Line Interface Options (4-Wire Configuration)

ATS-5X User Manual Page 16 of 44

Source Z / 2

Tx

Source Z / 2

Rx

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

2-Wire
On of Off
On

SETTINGS

TIP

RING

Transmitter

TIP

RING

Receiver

Source Z / 2

Source Z / 2

Rx

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

2-Wire
Off
Off

SETTINGS

TIP

RING

Transmitter

TIP

RING

Receiver

Rx

Interface:

Bridging:

Transmitter:

2-Wire
On
Off

SETTINGS

TIP

RING

Transmitter

TIP

RING

Receiver

Figure 21 – Line Interface Options (2-Wire Configuration)

The setup options are listed below:

 Impedance selection

o 600: Selects a 600Ω source impedance for the transmitter and termination impedance for the receiver.
o 900: Selects 900Ω source and termination impedances in the same manner as the 600Ω selection.

 Bridging selection

o No: Transmitter has the specified source impedance and receiver has the specified termination

impedance.

o Yes: Transmitter (when not in use) and receiver are high-impedance.

 Interface selection

o 2-Wire: The receiver is connected to the transmit jack tip and ring.
o 4-Wire: The receiver is connected to the receive jack tip and ring.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 17 of 44

 Off-hook selection

o No: A telephone on-hook condition is presented to the transmit jack tip and ring.
o Yes: A telephone off-hook condition is presented to the transmit jack tip and ring.

 Tx selection

o Off: The transmitter is disconnected from the transmit jack.
o 1004 Hz: A single 1004 Hz tone at 0 dBm
o Single Tone: A single sinusoidal tone with the specified Level (dBm) and Freq. (Hz)
o Tone Sweep: A single sinusoidal tone with the specified Level (dBm) and variable frequency
o 23-tone: 23 simultaneous tones at frequencies between 150 Hz and 4 kHz. The combined signal level is

specified with the Level (dBm) number entry.

o P/AR: (Peak-to-Average Ratio signal) 16 simultaneous tones at frequencies between 140 Hz and 4 kHz.

The combined signal level is specified with the Level (dBm) number entry.

o Slope: A single tone with the specified Level (dBm) and variable frequency. While in the applicable -

measurement screens, the frequency of the transmit tone will cycle among 404 Hz, 1004 Hz and
2804 Hz indefinitely with a 10 second dwell at each frequency.

 Filter selection

o 20 kHz: No additional attenuation is applied to the receiver
o C-Msg.: C-Message weighted filter
o 3.4kHz Flat: A low-pass filter with 3.4 kHz cutoff frequency
o D Filter: A band-pass filter between 300 Hz and 3.4 kHz
o 15kHz Flat: A low-pass filter with 15 kHz cutoff frequency
o 1010Hz Notch: A band-stop filter with 1010 Hz center frequency, providing at least 50dB attenuation between

995 and 1025 Hz.

o C-msg. Notch: The combination of a C-message filter and a 1010Hz notch filter

 Level (dBm) adjustment

o Specifies the level of the transmitted signal in dBm.

 Freq. (Hz) adjustment

o Specifies the frequency for single-tone transmitter selections

 Start adjustment

o Specifies the start frequency (in Hertz) for a single-tone frequency sweep

 Stop adjustment

o Specifies the stop frequency (in Hertz) for a single-tone frequency sweep

 Step adjustment

o Specifies the frequency increment (in Hertz) for a single-tone frequency sweep

 Dwell Time (sec) adjustment

o Specifies the amount of transmission time at each frequency increment during a single-tone frequency sweep.

All changes in the Setup screen occur immediately. The tone frequency will remain constant within the Setup screen
when the Tone Sweep and Slope transmitter selections. These selections require use of their respective measurement
screens to automatically change the frequency.

When the setup context is changed by selecting a different measurement, some settings that were valid for the previous
measurement may not be valid for the current measurement. If this is the case, any invalid settings will be changed to
valid settings when the new measurement or function is chosen. For this reason, it is a good practice to verify the setup
for each new measurement used.

When the display shows any screen other than the measurement or function screen, or the Setup screen, the setup is
changed so that the transmitter is set to off. Therefore, if the transmitter is set to single tone in the Setup screen and

ATS-5X User Manual Page 18 of 44

the display is navigated to the Main Menu screen, the transmitter will be set to off and will remain off until it is set again
in the Setup screen.

When finished with the setup, press the Back button to return to the previous screen.

Figure 22 – Setup Screen

2.5.6 Self-Test

The ATS-5X has a self-test functionality to allow the user to verify proper operation. The Self-Test screen can be
accessed by pressing the Self-Test button on the System Menu screen. This will begin a sequence of tests that require
user interaction. Tests may be skipped to check the operation of certain functions.

The instructions for each test will be displayed on the screen. Respond to each prompt within 1 minute, or the self-test
will be aborted. After completion of the self-test, a summary is displayed, showing the results for each of the tests, as
shown in Figure 23 below. If the self-test was aborted due to prolonged inactivity, the test result will be “Untested.”

The following controls are displayed on the Self-Test screen at various points:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Yes: Affirmative answer to the prompt on the screen
 No: Negative answer to the prompt on the screen
 Retry: Repeat the test and discard the results of the last test.
 Again: Repeat the entire self-test

Figure 23 – Self-Test Results

ATS-5X User Manual Page 19 of 44

TIP

RING

Transmitter

Z

Tx

Z

REF

ATS-5X

Rx

TIP

RING

Receiver

Terminating

Equipment

Shield or Ground

2.6 Equipment Connection

The ATS-5X has a differential transmitter with a two terminal jack and a receiver with the same configuration. When
Interface is specified as 2-wire in the Setup screen, the internal receiver is connected to the transmitter jacks and the
receiver jacks are not used (see Figure 21). When Interface is specified as 4-wire, the receiver is connected to the
receiver jacks and both sets of jacks are used for testing (see Figure 20).

The ATS-5X can be used for in-service tests, end-to-end tests or loop tests. However, there are some special setup
considerations for some ATS-5X functions.

2.6.1 Longitudinal Balance

The longitudinal balance measurement applies a common mode signal to the tip and ring of the transmitter relative to
the reference jack. When using the longitudinal balance measurement, the reference jack should be connected to a
potential for which balance is to be measured. In most cases, this is simply ground or the cable shield. For all other ATS­5X measurements, the reference jack should not be connected. The source impedance of the transmitter is fixed at
365Ω nominal for both the tip and ring connections.

The longitudinal balance is computed from two separate measurement configurations. The first measurement
configuration has the circuit under test connected to the tip and ring of the ATS-5X transmitter jack as shown in Error!
Reference source not found.. The second measurement configuration requires the circuit under test to be connected to
the ATS-5X transmitter jack in reverse fashion, as shown in Figure 25.

The longitudinal balance measurement should be conducted on a circuit that is not in service and with the far-end
equipment is not generating any signal near the test frequencies of the ATS-5X.

Figure 24 – Longitudinal Balance Setup – Step 1 (Normal Connection)

ATS-5X User Manual Page 20 of 44

TIP

RING

Transmitter

Z

Tx

Z

REF

ATS-5X

Rx

TIP

RING

Receiver

Terminating

Equipment

Shield or Ground

Source Z / 2

Tx

Source Z / 2

TIP

RING

Transmitter

Termination Z

Rx

TIP

RING

ATS-5X

Receiver

End Device End Device

Tx

Rx

Rx

Tx

Figure 25 – Longitudinal Balance Setup – Step 2 (Reversed Connection)

2.6.2 Delay Emulation

The delay emulation function serves as a unidirectional repeater with adjustable delay and attenuation. This
functionality may be used to simulate mid-span delay or echo from a far-end device. The ATS-5X must be connected in a
4-wire manner in either configuration. The repeater configuration is as shown in Figure 26 and the far-end configuration
is as shown in Figure 27.

Figure 26 – Delay Emulator Mid-Span Repeater Setup

ATS-5X User Manual Page 21 of 44

Source Z / 2

Source Z / 2

TIP

RING

Termination Z

Rx

TIP

RING

ATS-5X

Receiver

End Device

Tx

Rx

Tx

Transmitter

Figure 27 – Delay Emulator Far-End Echo Generator Setup

2.7 Measurements and Functions

2.7.1 Level / Frequency / Noise

2.7.1.1 Overview

The level/frequency/noise measurement shows the level, frequency and harmonic content of the most prominent
receiver tone as well as the overall receiver noise level. The basic display is shown in Figure 28.

2.7.1.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface setup for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 1004 Hz
 Single Tone
 Tone Sweep

2.7.1.3 Measurements and Displays

The measurements listed below are continuously updated and displayed:

 Noise Level: The total true RMS (50Hz to 20kHz) level of the signal at the receiver after the filter selected

 Signal Level: The level of the largest single sinusoidal tone at the receiver before the selected filter has

 Bandpath RMS: The value of Noise Level reported in units of dBm.
 Frequency: The frequency corresponding to the tone measured for the Signal Level. If there are no

 Noise w/Tone: The total true RMS (50Hz to 20kHz) level of the signal at the receiver after a 1010Hz Notch

in the Setup screen has been applied. Notch filtering is ignored.

been applied. If there are no significant tones detected, the display shows “Under -80.0
dBm”.

significant tones, the display shows “N/A”.

filter has been applied. The filter selected in the Setup screen is not applied for this
measurement.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 22 of 44

 SNR: The ratio between the Signal Level and the Noise w/Tone measurements. If the there are

no significant tones detected, the display shows “N/A”.

 Harmonic Distortion: The harmonic distortion of the largest single tone at the receiver before the filter in the

Setup screen has been applied. Harmonic distortion is considered up to the maximum input
frequency (20 kHz). If there is no significant tone or if the frequency of the largest single
tone is beyond 10,500 Hz, the display shows “N/A”.

 Volume: Adjusts the volume of the ATS-5X receive signal, which may be the signal at the receive jack

or the transmit jack, depending on the configuration in the Setup screen. Moving the slider
towards the top of the screen will increase the volume. This adjustment is the same as the

Audio Volume adjustment in the Setup screen.

Figure 28 – Level/Frequency/Noise Measurement

2.7.1.4 Tone Sweep Mode

If Tone Sweep is selected as the transmitter type in the Setup screen, the Level / Freq / Noise screen displays controls for
the tone sweep. The Start Sweep and Stop Sweep buttons (see Figure 29) can be used to control the tone sweep.
When the tone sweep is active, the current transmit frequency is displayed just above the Stop Sweep button, as shown
in Figure 29. Once the tone sweep is complete, this area will show the text “Complete”.

Figure 29 – Level/Freq/Noise Tone Sweep Controls

2.7.1.5 Saving Results

To save the measurements, insert a valid memory device into the ATS-5X USB port. Once the memory device is
recognized, the screen will display two additional controls for saving results— Time Record and Freq Record—as shown
in Figure 30.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 23 of 44

Figure 30 – Level/Freq/Noise Save Results Controls

Pressing the Time Record button will begin saving the results shown on the screen to the memory device at a constant
interval (see Figure 31). Once started, the results capture will continue until the Stop button is pressed. The Stop
button must be pressed before the memory device is removed from the ATS-5X USB port to ensure that the results are
properly saved. The status of the results capture is displayed just above the Stop button. Unless there is an error, the
status display shows the elapsed time of results capture in hours:minutes:seconds format. The results are saved to a
comma separated text file.

Figure 31 – Level/Freq/Noise Time Recording

The Freq Record button will initiate saving the results shown on the screen to the memory device for each different
receive frequency detected (see Figure 32). Once started, the results capture will continue until the Stop button is
pressed. The Stop button must be pressed before the memory device is removed from the ATS-5X USB port to ensure
that the results are properly saved. The status of the results capture is displayed just above the Stop button. Unless
there is an error, the status display shows the number of different input frequencies detected and therefore the number
of data points saved. Each time that the Frequency measurement settles out to a different frequency than previously
displayed, the ATS-5X begins monitoring all of the displayed measurements. Once the frequency changes again, the
minimum, maximum and average of each measurement (at the previous frequency) is recorded. In this way, the
frequency record mode will capture the results and order them according to the frequency at which they occurred. The
results are saved to a comma separated text file.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 24 of 44

Figure 32 – Level/Freq/Noise Frequency Recording

2.7.2 Impulse Noise

2.7.2.1 Overview

The impulse noise measurement counts the number of times that receive signal level momentarily exceeds a selectable
threshold. The measurement is run for a predetermined amount of time and may be run in the presence of a holding
tone. A holding tone is any single tone with frequency between 950 Hz and 1050 Hz and with level at least -40 dBm.

The receive signal is filtered according to the Setup screen selection before the signal level is compared with the
threshold. If a holding tone is present, the receive signal is also passed through a 1010 Hz notch filter before the level
threshold comparison is made. There is a maximum impulse count rate of 1 pulse every 100 ms.

If an impulse noise test is started and there is no valid holding tone present, impulses exceeding the threshold will be
counted for the remainder of the test. However, at a point when a valid holding tone is detected, impulses exceeding
the threshold will only be counted if a valid holding tone is present, from that point to the end of the test.

A sensitivity selection is required before starting the test. The higher sensitivity setting allows greater threshold
accuracy for low-level signals, but will operate correctly for large holding tones. The lower sensitivity setting has
reduced accuracy for low-level signals but will permit holding tones up to the maximum receiver level.

2.7.2.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface setup for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 1004 Hz
 Single Tone

2.7.2.3 Measurements and Controls

The measurements or displays on the screen are described below:

 Test Status: The present operational status of the impulse noise test. The following display values are

possible:

o Running: A test is currently in progress
o Stopped: A test has been aborted
o Completed: A test has run for the specified duration

 Impulse Count: The total number of times that the receive level exceeded the threshold value while the test

is running. When a test is not running, the total impulse count of the previous test is
displayed, if the test was run.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 25 of 44

 Elapsed Time: The duration of the last test run while in the Impulse Noise screen, displayed in

hour:minute:second format. If a test is in progress, the current elapsed test time is
displayed.

 Holding Tone: The frequency of a holding tone, if present. If there is no valid holding tone, the display

shows “None”. This display is active regardless of testing status.

 Tone Loss Counter: The number of times that a holding tone is no longer detected. This display only changes

while a test is running.

 Threshold: The impulse threshold for counting, expressed in dBrn or dBrnC.
 Test Duration: The specified duration of the test in hour:munute:second format.

The screen controls are listed below:

 Hold Tone: Selects the sensitivity or holding tone level range for the duration of the test. Select “< -

10dBm” if there is no holding tone or if the holding tone signal level is not anticipated to
exceed -10 dBm. This setting has increased sensitivity for low signal levels. Select “> ­10dBm” if the holding tone level is expected to exceed -10dBm.

 Threshold: Specifies the counting threshold. Momentary signal levels that exceed this threshold will be

counted.

 Test Duration: The test duration in hours:minutes:seconds format.
 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Start: Begin the impulse noise test. This test will continue for the specified test duration or until

aborted, only while the Impulse Noise screen is active.

 Stop: Abort the impulse noise test that is currently running. The accumulated test results will still

be displayed on the screen.

 Save: Saves the current test results to a text file on the USB drive inserted into the ATS-5X. If

there is not a valid drive, a message is displayed to indicate this.

 Setup: Show the Setup screen.

Figure 33 – Impulse Noise Measurement Screens

2.7.3 Longitudinal Balance

2.7.3.1 Overview

The longitudinal balance measurement is used to determine the amount of differential-mode signal that results from
common-mode influence. Refer to section 2.6.1 regarding the line connection. The Longitudinal Balance screen displays
the receiver signal level, the test frequency and instructions regarding connection to the circuit under test (see Figure

34). There are two measurements that must be made: one with the circuit connected to transmitter tip and ring in

ATS-5X User Manual Page 26 of 44

normal fashion, and one with the circuit connected to ring and tip in a reverse fashion. Once both measurements are
completed, the results are displayed.

Figure 34 – Longitudinal Balance Overview

2.7.3.2 Setup

The longitudinal balance setup requires the line interface to be 2-wire. The transmitter connection is non-standard for
this setup (refer to section 2.6.1). The receiver bridging is forced on and the impedance selection on the Setup screen is
applicable only to the reference level of the transmitter; it does not affect the source impedance.

The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 1004 Hz
 Single Tone
 Tone Sweep

2.7.3.3 Measurements and Controls

The measurements or displays on the screen are described below:

 Frequency: The frequency corresponding to the transmitted tone. If there are no significant tones, the

display shows “N/A”.

 Level: The receiver signal level at the transmitter frequency.
 Sweep frequency: Displays the current transmit frequency during a tone sweep. This display is only visible

when the transmitter has been configured for Tone Sweep and one of the two balance
measurements is in progress.

The screen controls are listed below:

 OK: If the step 1 measurement instructions are displayed at the top of the screen, this button

will begin the step 1 measurement process. If the transmitter is configured for Tone Sweep,
this process involves measuring at each frequency in the sweep. If the step 2 measurement
instructions are displayed at the top of the screen, this button begins the step 2
measurement process. If a measurement has been aborted by pressing the Cancel button,
pressing the OK button will allow another measurement to be taken. If the display shows
the longitudinal balance measurement results, pressing the OK button will allow another
measurement to be taken.

 Back: Return to the previous screen.
 Setup: Show the Setup screen.
 Cancel: Aborts the current longitudinal balance measurement (see Figure 35). Any partial results

are discarded.

 Save: Save the tone sweep longitudinal balance results to a USB drive in the ATS-5X USB port (see

Figure 36). A message will be displayed to indicate if there is no valid USB drive attached.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 27 of 44

Figure 35 – Measurement Aborted

2.7.3.4 Tone Sweep Mode

If Tone Sweep is selected as the transmitter type in the Setup screen, the step 1 measurement will be performed at each
of the frequencies in the sweep. After this is completed, the instructions for the step 2 measurement setup are
displayed. Once the OK button is pressed, the step 2 measurement will be performed at each of the frequencies in the
sweep once more. While the sweep is active, the current transmit frequency is displayed, as shown in Figure 36.
Pressing the Cancel button will abort the measurement and discard any partial results.

The results screen will not display the longitudinal balance measurement results in sweep mode. These results must
be saved to the USB drive to be viewed on another device. The following measurements are recorded when the Save

button is pressed:

 Frequency of the transmitter
 Longitudinal Balance in dB

Figure 36 – Longitudinal Balance Tone Sweep

2.7.4 Dialer

2.7.4.1 Overview

The Dialer screen (see Figure 37) allows DTMF or pulse dialing and capture of received DTMF digits. A string of up to 30
digits may be dialed using fixed on and off times for DTMF dialing, or fixed on-hook and off-hook times for pulse dialing.
The ATS-5X microphone may also be used in the Dialer screen to allow voice calls.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 28 of 44

The DTMF digit capturing feature will display the last 16 valid digits received. Any of these digits mat be selected to
display the level, frequency and time statistics for that digit. The measurements for all 16 digits may be saved to a USB
drive.

Figure 37 – Dialer Screen

2.7.4.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface settings for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 1004 Hz
 Single Tone
 23-Tone
 P/AR

The Setup screen shows an additional adjustment for the transmit level of DTMF digits, DTMF TxLevel (dBm) (see Figure

38). This adjustment specifies the combined DTMF transmit level of both tones of the DTMF digit.

Figure 38 – Dialer Setup

2.7.4.3 Measurement and Controls

The following measurements related to captured DTMF digits are displayed on the screen:

 Low freq: The frequency of the lower frequency component of the currently selected captured DTMF

digit.

 High freq: The frequency of the higher frequency component of the currently selected captured DTMF

digit.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 29 of 44

 Level: The signal level of the two DTMF tones for the currently selected captured DTMF digit. The

level display in the same row as Low freq corresponds to the level of the lower frequency
DTMF component. The level display in the same row as High freq corresponds to the level
of the higher frequency DTMF component.

 Pause Time: The digit-to-digit gap time prior to the currently selected captured DTMF digit. For the first

digit captured, this value has no meaning.

 Duration: The time that the currently selected captured DTMF digit was present.

The screen controls are listed below:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Save: Store the captured DTMF digit measurements to the USB flash inserted in the ATS-5X USB

port. If no valid drive is attached, a message is displayed to indicate this. This button is only
visible if there have been DTMF digits captured.

 Mic: Mute/Talk: When the control is set to “Mute”, the ATS-5X internal microphone is inactive and the

receiver audio speaker is on. When the control is set to “Talk”, the ATS-5X internal

microphone is active and the receiver audio speaker is off.

 On Hook / Off Hook: Same function as the Off-Hook control in the Setup screen.
 Setup: Show the Setup screen
 Dial: Initiate the dial sequence that was entered in the text entry to the left of the button. Once

the dialing has been initiated, the button text changes to Stop. After the dialing has been
completed, or if the Stop button is pressed, the button text reverts to Dial.

 Dial Mode: Selects whether the dial sequence will be dialed using DTMF digits or Pulse dialing.
 Dial Sequence: A sequence of numbers, *, #, A, B, C or D digits that are to be dialed (see Figure 39). The

digits are not dialed at the moment they are entered into the Dial Sequence text field, but
rather after the Dial button has been pressed. To enter the letters A, B, C or D into the Dial
Sequence text entry, use a USB keyboard attached to the ATS-5X USB port, or enter the
letters with the On-Screen Keyboard screen.

 Volume: Adjusts the receiver audio volume. Moving the slider towards the “+” symbol to the right

increases the volume. This control is the same as the Audio Volume control in the
Preferences screen.

 Captured digits: Displays the DTMF digits detected at the receiver. The last 16 DTMF digits detected are

displayed in the Captured digits control, with the right-most digit as the last digit detected.
Each of the digits in the control can be selected as described in the Grid Control section.
Selecting a digit will cause the measurement information for that captured digit to be
displayed on the screen.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 30 of 44

Dial

Sequence

Figure 39 – Dialing with the Dialer Screen

2.7.5 Delay Emulator (4-Wire)

2.7.5.1 Overview

The Delay Emulator screen (see Figure 40) configures the ATS-5X to act as a pass-through device with a programmable
time delay and attenuation. There are no measurements displayed on this screen. This function is intended to be used
to determine the effect of signal delay on other equipment.

2.7.5.2 Setup

The Delay Emulator function configures the line interface of the ATS-5X to be 4-wire fixed as a delayed repeater of the
receiver with no filtering. As such, the Setup screen does not show adjustments for these setup parameters (see Figure

41).

Figure 40 – Delay Emulator Screen

ATS-5X User Manual Page 31 of 44

Figure 41 – Setup Screen in Delay Emulator Context

2.7.5.3 Measurements and Controls

The screen controls are listed below:

 Delay amount (msec): The amount of time delay from the receiver to the transmitter
 Signal attenuation (dB): The amount of signal level attenuation from the receiver to the transmitter
 Max input level (dBrn): Selects the anticipated maximum receiver signal level. The larger setting allows for

higher-level signals to pass through undistorted to the transmitter and the smaller setting
allows for lower-level signals to pass through with greater accuracy.

2.7.6 Echo Measurement

2.7.6.1 Overview

The echo measurement (Figure 42) provides a method of characterizing the time delay and return amplitude of echoes
in a circuit. The ATS-5X does this by transmitting a stimulus and measuring the response when the Measure button is
pressed—the measurement is not made continuously. For this reason, the echo measurement must be conducted on a
quiet circuit. After the measurement is completed, the delay time and relative magnitude of the echo is displayed on
the screen. If a circuit has multiple echoes, up to five are displayed on the screen, sorted by the time delay of each echo.
The results may be saved to a USB drive in a text file format.

Figure 42 – Echo Measurement Completed

ATS-5X User Manual Page 32 of 44

2.7.6.2 Setup

The Echo Measurement screen configures the transmitter and receiver in a special manner, and therefore the
transmitter and receiver filter selections in the Setup screen are not available. However, the echo measurement may be
performed with either the 2-wire or 4-wire interface. Figure 43 below shows the available setup configurations.

Figure 43 – Setup Screen in Echo Measurement Context

2.7.6.3 Measurements and Controls

The following measurements are shown on the screen (see Figure 42) after the echo measurement has been completed:

 Point #: An index number to identify discrete echo points in the case when multiple echoes are

measured in a single measurement.

 Echo Time: The time required for the ATS-5X to detect a response after a stimulus has been

transmitted.

 Return Level: The level of the returned echo stimulus relative to the transmitted stimulus. More negative

numbers indicate less detectable echo.

 Measurement in Progress…: The percentage progress of a single echo measurement (see Figure 44).

The following controls are shown on the screen:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Measure: Initiates an echo measurement. Once initiated, the measurement progress is display as

shown in Figure 44.

 Abort: Once a measurement has been initiated, it can be stopped by pressing the Abort button.
 Save: Store the echo measurement results to the USB flash inserted in the ATS-5X USB port. This

button is only visible if an echo measurement has been performed and a valid USB drive is
inserted into the ATS-5X USB port.

 Setup: Show the Setup screen.
 Volume: Adjusts the receiver audio volume. Moving the slider towards the “+” symbol to the right

increases the volume. This control is the same as the Audio Volume control in the
Preferences screen.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 33 of 44

Figure 44 – Echo Measurement Progress Display

2.7.7 Spectrum

2.7.7.1 Overview

The spectrum measurement displays the frequency spectrum of the receive signal after the filter selected in the Setup
screen has been applied. The spectrum display is updated continuously. The units on the vertical axis are dBm instead
of dBm/Hz, and therefore the spectral display should only be used for measurements involving collections of discrete
tones and not frequency bands. However, the graph can be used to determine the relative signal levels of any time of
signal. The axis extents may be adjusted as explained in the Graph Display section. The frequency spectrum data may
be saved to a USB drive in a text file and picture file of the display.

2.7.7.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface setup for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 1004 Hz
 Single Tone
 23-Tone
 P/AR

2.7.7.3 Measurements and Controls

The following controls are shown on the screen:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Save: Store the 23-tone measurement results in text format and picture format to the USB flash

inserted in the ATS-5X USB port. If no valid drive is attached, a message is displayed to
indicate this.

 Pause: Freeze the display in its current state
 Resume: Allow the screen to update continuously.
 Setup: Show the Setup screen.

2.7.8 23-Tone

2.7.8.1 Overview

The 23-tone measurement (see Figure 45) provides a quick overview of the frequency response and distortion of a
circuit in the voice band. The ATS-5X may act as a transmitter or receiver in an end-to-end measurement setup, or as

ATS-5X User Manual Page 34 of 44

both simultaneously in a loop test. When acting as a transmitter, a fixed set of discrete tones is sent simultaneously in a
continuous manner. A number of measurements are performed on the receiver signal and displayed on the screen in
numerical and graphical format. The measurement results can be saved at any time to a USB drive.

Figure 45 – 23-Tone Measurement Screen

2.7.8.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface setup for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 23-Tone

2.7.8.3 Measurements and Controls

The following measurements are shown on the screen and updated continuously:

 Delay: A graphical representation of the envelope delay distortion over frequency. This plot shows

the change in time (or phase) delay from tone to tone.

 Levels: A graphical display of the levels of each of the 23 tones
 Rx Level: The combined level of all of the 23 tones
 S/N: The ratio between the Rx Level and the noise excluding distortion.
 S/IMD(2): The ratio between the Rx Level and the 2

nd

-order inter-modulation products within the

voice frequency band.

 S/IMD(3): The ratio between the Rx Level and the 3

rd

-order inter-modulation products within the voice

frequency band.

 S/Dist: The ratio between the Rx Level and the noise including distortion.

The following controls are shown on the screen:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Save: Store the 23-tone measurement results in text format to the USB flash inserted in the ATS-

5X USB port. If no valid drive is attached, a message is displayed to indicate this.

 Setup: Show the Setup screen.

2.7.9 P/AR Measurement

2.7.9.1 Overview

The peak-to-average ratio measurement (see Figure 46) is one method of quantifying the distortion of a circuit. The
ATS-5X is capable of simultaneous transmission and measurement of the P/AR signal so that the measurement may be

ATS-5X User Manual Page 35 of 44

conducted as an end-to-end or loop test. The display shows a continuous update of the P/AR measurement as well as
the receive signal level.

Figure 46 – Peak-to-Average Ratio Measurement

2.7.9.2 Setup

The P/AR measurement context restricts the receiver filter to a 1.3 kHz band-pass filter, but allows the other standard
line interface settings to be adjusted.

The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 P/AR

2.7.9.3 Measurements and Controls

The following measurements are shown on the screen and updated continuously:

 Receive Level: The total level of the receiver signal
 Peak to average ratio: The ratio between the peak-to-average ratio of the receiver signal and the nominal peak-to-

average ratio, expressed with a multiplier of 100. If the peak-to-average ratio of the receive
signal is higher than the nominal ratio for the transmit signal, the display will show a value
greater than 100. If the peak-to-average ratio of the receive signal is lower, the value will be
less than 100.

The following controls are shown on the screen:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Save: Store the P/AR measurement and receive level in text format to the USB flash inserted in

the ATS-5X USB port. If no valid drive is attached, a message is displayed to indicate this.

 Setup: Show the Setup screen.

2.7.10 Slope Measurement

2.7.10.1 Overview

The slope measurement provides a coarse overview of the frequency response of a circuit. The slope measurement
compares the received signal level at 404 Hz and 2804 Hz with the received signal level at 1004 Hz and displays the
relative difference. When the ATS-5X transmitter is set to Slope and the Slope Measurement screen is active, the
transmitter will transmit a single tone that periodically changes frequency between 404, 1004 and 2804 Hz. Each tone
frequency must be present for at least 1 second to capture and accurate measurement. Once all three tones have been
measured and frequency cycles back around to the first tone again, the measurement display is updated.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 36 of 44

Figure 47 – Slope Measurement

2.7.10.2 Setup

There are no restrictions on the line interface setup for this measurement.
The following transmit modes are permitted for this measurement:

 Off
 Slope

2.7.10.3 Measurements and Controls

The following measurements are shown on the screen and updated continuously:

 Receive freq: The frequency of the largest single tone at the receiver
 Receive level: The level of the largest single tone at the receiver, regardless of the Setup screen filter

selection.

 Receive level at 1004 Hz: The level of the last 1004 Hz tone that was detected for a sufficient period of time,

regardless of the Setup screen filter selection.

 Receive level at 404 Hz: The level of the last 404 Hz tone that was detected. The display shows the relative level

compared to the Receive level at 1004 Hz.

 Receive level at 2804 Hz: The level of the last 2804 Hz tone that was detected. The display shows the relative

level compared to the Receive level at 1004 Hz.

The following controls are shown on the screen:

 Back: Return to the previous screen
 Save: Store the Slope measurement results in text format to the USB flash inserted in the ATS-5X

USB port. If no valid drive is attached, a message is displayed to indicate this.

 Setup: Show the Setup screen.

3 Maintenance

3.1 Software Update

NOTE: EXCERCISE CAUTION DURING THE SOFTWARE UPDATE! IF THE SOFTWARE UPDATE
PROCESS IS INTERRUPTED, THE ATS-5X CAN BE RENDERED INOPERABLE AND MUST BE
RETURNED TO THE FACTORY FOR REPAIR.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 37 of 44

Software updates for the ATS-5X may be downloaded from the NCS/Electrodata website (www.ncs-electrodata.com).
Once downloaded, the software file should be placed on the root directory of a valid USB drive (see section 2.3.4). The
name of the software file must be ATS5XSFT.DAT to be recognized by the ATS-5X. The name of the file must be all
upper-case or lower-case letters, and there cannot be another file on the root directory of the USB drive with the same
name but different letter case.

To begin the turn the ATS-5X on and verify that power-on self test passes. Once the Main Menu screen is displayed,
insert the USB drive into the ATS-5X USB port. A prompt will be displayed asking if the ATS-5X software should be
changed to the software contained on the USB drive (see Figure 48). Press the Yes button to continue to the Software
Update screen. Once this screen is displayed (see Figure 49), connect the DC power adapter to the ATS-5X to reduce the
likelihood of ATS-5X battery discharge during update. Press the I understand, begin update button to download the
USB drive software file to the ATS-5X. Once the download is initiated, it cannot be stopped by the user. After it
completes, the ATS-5X will automatically reset. Turn the ATS-5X off and then back on to re-activate the USB port.

Figure 48 – Software Update Prompt

Figure 49 – Software Update Screen

3.2 Calibration

If equipment calibration is required, the recommended calibration cycle is 1 year. Contact the factory to schedule a
calibration.

3.3 Battery Care

To preserve the life of the internal battery, the ATS-5X should not be stored at temperatures above 120°F (50°C) for
periods greater than 1 month. After periods of prolonged storage, several battery charge/discharge cycles may be
necessary to restore the battery capacity.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 38 of 44

4 Specifications

The specifications are subject to change without notice.

Transmitter

Frequency

Range: 50 Hz to 20 kHz
Resolution: 1 Hz
Accuracy: ±20 ppm

Transmit Level

Range: -40 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB

Harmonic Distortion (to 20 kHz)

< 0.5% for transmitter levels between -15 dBm and +10 dBm and frequencies between 200 Hz and 10 kHz
< 1% for transmitter levels between -30 dBm and -15 dBm and frequencies between 200 Hz and 10 kHz
< 3% elsewhere

Source Impedance

Settings: 600Ω, 900Ω
Accuracy: ±5%
Flatness: ±5%

Receiver

Frequency

Range: 50 Hz to 20 kHz
Resolution: 1 Hz
Accuracy: ±1 Hz

Receive Level

Range: -80 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.1 dB at 1004 Hz from -20 dBm to +10 dBm
±0.2 dB elsewhere
Flatness: 0.5 dB
Detector: DFT

Noise Level

Range: 0 dBrn to +100 dBrn
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±2 dB from 0 dBrn to 10 dBrn
±1 dB elsewhere

Noise with Tone

Range: 0 dBrn to +100 dBrn
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±3 dB from 0 dBrn to 10 dBrn
±2 dB elsewhere (reference IEEE 743-1995 notch filter definition)

Termination Impedance

Settings: 600Ω, 900Ω, bridging (> 25kΩ)
Accuracy: ±5%
Flatness: ±5%

Filters

C-Message

3.4 kHz Flat
D Filter
15 kHz Flat
1010 Hz Notch
C-Message & 1010 Hz Notch
None (20 kHz Flat)

23-Tone

Transmit Level

Range: -40 dBm to +4 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB
Flatness: 0.1 dB

Receive Level

Range: -90 dBm to +4 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB
Flatness: 0.1 dB

ATS-5X User Manual Page 39 of 44

Envelope Delay Distortion

Range: -1800µs to +1800 µs
Resolution: 0.1 µs
Accuracy: ±5 µs

Signal to Inter-modulation Distortion

Range: -100 dB to +100 dB
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB

Signal to Noise

Range: -100 dB to +100 dB
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB

Impulse Noise

Filters

All settings valid

Threshold Level

Range: 20 dBrn to 100 dBrn
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±2 dB from 20 dBrn to 40 dBrn with 15 kHz filter and no filter settings
±1 dB elsewhere

Impulse Counting

Max rate: 10 impulses per second (dead time is 100 ms)
Max Value: > 1,000,000
Conditions: After test is started, count impulses continuously until holding tone is detected. After holding

tone is detected, only count impulses when the holding is present.

ATS-5X User Manual Page 40 of 44

Holding Tone

Tone Filter: Standard 1010 Hz Notch
Range: 950 to 1050 Hz

Dialer

DTMF Detection – Level

Range: -20 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB

DTMF Detection – Frequency

Range: 600 Hz to 1800 Hz
Resolution: 1 Hz
Accuracy: ±1 Hz

DTMF Dialing

Level: 0 dBm ± 0.2 dB
Twist: < 0.2 dB
Freq. skew: < 0.1 Hz
On-duration: 100 ± 1 ms
Off-duration: 50 ± 1 ms

Pulse Dialing

Off-hook time: 60 ms
On-hook time: 90 ms
Digit gap: 800 ms

Spectrum

Level

Range: -120 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB

Frequency

Range: 50 Hz to 20 kHz
Resolution: 14 Hz

Echo Measurement

Time Measurement

Range: 10 ms to 2 sec
Resolution: 1 ms
Accuracy: ±2 ms

Level Measurement

Range: -60 dB to +60 dB (relative to transmit signal at 0 dBm)
Resolution: 1 dB
Accuracy: ±2 dB

Delay Emulator

Time Delay

Range: 10 ms to 700 ms
Resolution: 1 ms
Accuracy: ±2 ms

ATS-5X User Manual Page 41 of 44

Attenuation

Range: 0 to 30 dB
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.3 dB

Peak to Average Ratio

Transmitter Level

Range: -40 dBm to +2 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB

Transmitter Waveform

P/AR ratio: 100 ± 2 counts

Receiver Level

Range: -80 dBm to +2 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB

Filter Settings

1.3 kHz band-pass filter (see IEEE 455-1985)

P/AR Measurement

Range: 0 to 120 units
Resolution: 1 unit
Accuracy: ±2 units for receive levels between -30 dBm and +2 dBm
±4 units elsewhere

Longitudinal Balance

Transmitter Level

Range: +10 dBm
Accuracy: ±0.2 dB
Flatness: 0.5 dB

Source Impedance

Magnitude: 365Ω tip and ring

Receiver Level

Range: -90 dBm to +10 dBm
Resolution: 0.01 dB

Longitudinal Balance

Range: 0dB to +120dB
Accuracy: ±1 dB for balance up to 70 dB
±3 dB for balance up to 90 dB
Flatness: 0.5 dB
Detector: DFT

Voltage Limits

DC blocking: 60V max differential tip and ring
AC voltage: 100V max peak from low-impedance source

Holding Current

Range: 23 mA to 25 mA

ATS-5X User Manual Page 42 of 44

Power

Adapter

AC input: 100 – 240VAC RMS, 50 – 60 Hz, 0.8A
DC output: 12 VDC positive center, 2500 mA

Battery

Life: 6 hours average on full charge for new battery

Data Storage

USB drive: User-provided

Physical

Size

Open: 11.5” L x 3.9” W x 1.5” H
Closed: 6.0” L x 3.9” W x 2.7” H
Weight: 1.6 lbs

Environmental

Operating: -10°C to +55°C
Storage: -20°C to +80°C (Storage temperature should not exceed 50°C for periods more than 1 month)
Humidity: 90% maximum, non-condensing

ATS-5X User Manual Page 43 of 44

Term

Long Form

Explanation

dB

Decibel

A way of expressing a ratio, typically a power ratio. A decibel
calculation for P1 as compared to P2 is shown below:













Ratios of quantities other than power are typically expressed in the
following manner:













dBm

Decibel with reference to 1
Milliwatt of power

A measure of power. When a device like the ATS-5X measures voltage
only, reference impedance is assumed, such as 600Ω. Power expressed
in dBm is calculated from the RMS voltage as follows:









󰇧











󰇨



Where Z

REF

is the reference impedance for the circuit.

dBrn

Decibel above Reference Noise

A measure of power. Power expressed in dBrn is related to power
expressed in dBm as follows:











dBrnC

Decibel above Reference Noise
with C-message filter

The same dBrn except that the RMS voltage measurement for the dBm
calculation

DFT

Discrete Fourier Transform

A method of calculating a frequency spectrum from time domain data.

DTMF

Dual Tone Multiple Frequency

Type of signaling digit that is composed of two simultaneous tones.

HID

Human Interface Device

This is a popular type of communication standard (or device class) for
USB mouse and keyboard devices

Hz

Hertz

A measure of frequency. A 1004 Hz tone is an oscillatory waveform
with a rate of 1004 repetitions per second

IMD

Inter-modulation Distortion

When multiple tones are present in a circuit, nonlinear distortion can
cause other tones at multiples of the base tones

kHz

Kilohertz

A measure of frequency. 1 Kilohertz = 1,000 Hertz

mA

Milliampere

A measure of electric current. 1 Milliampere = 10-3 Ampere

ms, msec

Millisecond

A measure of time. 1 Millisecond = 10-3 Second

P/AR

Peak-to-Average Ratio

The ratio between the peak value of a signal and its average. The ATS­5X P/AR measurement performs this measurement on the absolute
value of the receive signal.

ppm

Parts Per Million

A measure of ratio. 1 ppm = 10-6

5 Abbreviations

ATS-5X User Manual Page 44 of 44

Term

Long Form

Explanation

RMS

Root Mean Square

A measure of signal magnitude, particularly useful for power
calculations. The RMS value for an arbitrary waveform is:
















󰇛󰇜







Where T is usually the length of one period of a periodic waveform.

Rx

Receive

Tx

Transmit

µs,µsec

Microsecond

Measure of time. 1 Microsecond = 10-6 Second

USB

Universal Serial Bus

A communication standard. The ATS-5X uses a USB port to allow
communication with devices such as USB keyboards.