Elpro Technologies 905U-D User Manual
User Manual
905U-D Radio Modem
ELPRO Technologies Pty Ltd, 9/12 Billabong Street, Stafford Q 4053, Australia.
Tel: +61 7 33528600 Fax: +61 7 33528677 Email: sales@elprotech.com
Web: www.elprotech.com
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
Thank you for your selection of the 905U-D radio mode m. We trust it will give you
many years of valuable service .
ATTENTION!
Incorrect termination of supply wires may
cause internal damage and will void warranty.
To ensure your 905U-D enjoys a long life,
double check ALL your connection s with
the user’s manual
before turning the power on.
Caution!
For continued protection against risk of fire, replace the internal module fuse only with the same
type and rating.
CAUTION:
To comply with FCC RF Exposure requirements in section 1.1310 of the FCC Rules, antennas used
with this device must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons
to satisfy RF exposure compliance.
DO NOT:
operate the transmitter when someone is within 20 cm of the antenna
operate the transmitter unless all RF connectors are secure and any open connectors are properly
terminated.
operate the equipment near electrical blasting caps or in an explosive atmosphere
All equipment must be properly grounded for safe operations. All equipment should be serviced only
by a qualified technician.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 2
Important Notices
FCC Notice:
This user’s manual is for the ELPRO 905U-D radio telemetry module. This device complies with Part
15.247 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.
NOTE: This equipment is suitable for use in Class I Division 2 groups A, B C and D or nonhazardous locations only
This device must be operated as supplied by ELPRO Technologies Pty Ltd. Any changes or
modifications made to the device without the written consent of ELPRO Technologies Pty. Ltd. May
void the user’s authority to operate the device.
End user products that have this device embedded must be supplied with non-standard antenna
connectors, and antennas available from vendors specified by ELPRO Technologies. Please contact
ELPRO Technologies for end user antenna and connector recommendations.
Notices: Safety
Exposure to RF energy is an important safety consideration. The FCC has adopted a safety standard
for human exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC regulated equipment
as a result of its actions in Docket 93-62 and OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01.
Limited Warranty, Disclaimer and Limitation of Remedies
ELPRO products are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for the “serviceable lifetime”
of the product. The “serviceable lifetime” is limited to the availability of electronic components. If
the serviceable life is reached in less than three years following the original purchase from ELPRO,
ELPRO will replace the product with an equivalent product if an equivalent product is available.
This warranty does not extend to:
- failures caused by the operation of the equipment outside t he particular product's specification,
or
- use of the module not in accordance with this User Manual, or
- abuse, misuse, neglect or damage by external causes, or
- repairs, alterations, or modifications undertaken other than by an authorized Service Agent.
ELPRO’s liability under this warranty is limited to the replacement or repair of the product. This
warranty is in lieu of and exclusive of all other warranties. This warranty does not indemnify the
purchaser of products for any consequential claim for damages or loss of operations or profits and
ELPRO is not liable for any consequential damages or loss of operations or profits resulting from the
use of these products. ELPRO is not liable for damages, losses, costs, injury or harm incurred as a
consequence of any representations, warranties or conditions made by ELPRO or its representatives or
by any other party, except as expressed solely in this document..
Page 3 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
Important Notice
ELPRO products are designed to be used in industrial environments, by experienced industrial
engineering personnel with adequate knowledge of safety design considerations.
ELPRO radio products are used on unprotected license-free radio bands with radio noise and
interference. The products are designed to operate in the presence of noise and interference,
however in an extreme case, radio noise and interference could cause product operation delays or
operation failure. Like all industrial electronic products, ELPRO products can fail in a variety of
modes due to misuse, age, or malfunction. We recommend that users and designers design systems
using design techniques intended to prevent personal injury or damage during product operation, and
provide failure tolerant systems to prevent personal injury or damage in the event of product failure.
Designers must warn users of the equipment or systems if adequate protection against failure has not
been included in the system design. Designers must include this Important Notice in operating
procedures and system manuals.
These products should not be used in non-industrial applications, or life-support systems, without
consulting ELPRO Technologies first.
1. A radio license is not required in some countries, provided the module is installed usi ng the
aerial and equipment configuration described in the 905U-D Installation Guide. Check with
your local distributor for further information on regulations.
2. Operation is authorized by the radio frequency regulatory authority in your countr y on a non-
protection basis. Although all care is taken in the design of these units, there is no
responsibility taken for sources of external interference. Systems should be designed to be
tolerant of these operational delays.
3. To avoid the risk of electrocution, the aerial, aerial cable, serial cables and all terminals of the
905U-D module should be electrically protected. To provide maximum surge and lightning
protection, the module should be connected to a suitable earth and the aerial, aerial cable,
serial cables and the module should be installed as recommended in the Installation Guide.
4. To avoid accidents during maintenance or adjustment of remotely controlled equipment, all
equipment should be first disconnected from the 905U-D module during these adjustments.
Equipment should carry clear markings to indicate remote or automatic opera tion. E.g. "This
equipment is remotely controlled and may start without warning. Isolate at the switchboard
before attempting adjustments."
5. The 905U-D module is not suitable for use in explosive environments without additional
protection.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 4
Important Notices
How to Use This Manual
To receive the maximum benefit from your 905U-D product, please read the Introduction,
Installation and Operation chapters of this manual thoroughly before putting the 905U-D to work.
Chapter Four Configuration detail s the configurations available and explains the diverse operation
of the product in detail.
Chapter Five Specifications details the features of the product and lists the standards to which the
product is approved.
Chapter Six Troubleshooting will help if your system has problems and Chapter Seven specifies the
Warranty and Service conditions.
The foldout sheet 905U-D Installation Guide is an installation drawing appropriate for most
applications.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 7
1.1 GENERAL ........................................................................................................................ 7
1.2 TRANSPARENT MODE ..................................................................................................... 8
1.3 CONTROLLED MODE ....................................................................................................... 9
1.4 REPEATER UNITS .......................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER TWO INSTALLATION ....................................................................... 11
2.1 GENERAL ...................................................................................................................... 11
2.2 ANTENNA INSTALLATION ............................................................................................. 11
2.2.1 Dipole and Collinear antennas. ................................................................................ 13
2.2.2 Yagi antennas. .......................................................................................................... 13
2.3 POWER SUPPLY ............................................................................................................. 15
2.4 SERIAL CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................. 15
2.4.1 RS232 Serial Port........................................................................................................ 15
2.4.2 RS485 Serial Port........................................................................................................ 16
CHAPTER THREE OPERATION ............................................................................ 18
3.1 POWER-UP AND NORMAL OPERATION .......................................................................... 18
3.2 SERIAL AND RADIO DATA ............................................................................................. 18
3.2.1 Character Type ......................................................................................................... 19
3.2.2 Serial Data Rate ....................................................................................................... 20
3.2.3 Radio Data Rate ....................................................................................................... 20
3.3 ADDRESSING ................................................................................................................. 21
3.4 TRANSPARENT MODE ................................................................................................... 21
3.5 TRANSPARENT MODE REPEATERS ................................................................................ 22
3.6 CONTROLLED MODE ..................................................................................................... 23
Page 5 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
3.6.1 Auto-Connect Controlled Mode ................................................................................. 26
3.6.2 Low Power Auto-Connect Mode ............................................................................... 26
3.6.3 Single-Connect Controlled Mode .............................................................................. 26
3.6.4 Fast Operation Controlled Mode ............................................................................... 27
3.6.5 CTS/RTS Flow Control ............................................................................................. 27
3.6.6 Intermediate Repeaters ............................................................................................... 27
3.7 WHAT OPERATING MODE TO USE ? .............................................................................. 28
3.7.1 Transparent or Controlled Mode? ............................................................................ 28
3.7.2 Error Check ? ........................................................................................................... 28
3.8 SERIAL / RADIO RATES ................................................................................................. 29
3.9 RADIO INTERFERENCE .................................................................................................. 29
3.10 OPERATING PROBLEMS ................................................................................................. 30
CHAPTER FOUR CONFIGURATION ........................................................................... 32
4.1 BEFORE CONFIGURING .................................................................................................. 32
4.2 ADDRESSING ................................................................................................................. 33
4.3 DEFAULT CONFIGURATION ........................................................................................... 33
4.4 CONFIGURATION PROGRAM .......................................................................................... 33
4.4.1 Transparent Mode .................................................................................................... 35
4.4.2 Controlled Mode ...................................................................................................... 35
4.4.3 Other Parameters ..................................................................................................... 38
4.5 HAYES COMMANDS ...................................................................................................... 40
4.6 CONFIGURATION EXAMPLES ......................................................................................... 45
4.7 SWITCH CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................. 48
CHAPTER FIVE SPECIFICATIONS .............................................................................. 50
CHAPTER SIX TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................................................... 52
6.1 DIAGNOSTICS CHART .................................................................................................... 52
6.2 TEST FUNCTIONS .......................................................................................................... 52
6.2.1 Radio Testing - AT&Tx ......................................................................................... 52
6.2.2 Bit Error Rate Test (BER) ....................................................................................... 53
6.2.3 On-line diagnostics .................................................................................................. 54
APPENDIX A HAYES COMMANDS ............................................................................. 55
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 6
Chapter One Introduction
HOST
905U-D
RS232
HOST
905U-D
RS485
Chapter One INTRODUCTION
1.1 General
The 905U-D radio modem module has been designed to provide flexible and reliable radio
modem functions, at an economical price. Radio modems transmit serial data over a long
distance via radio. The serial data is not changed - the output data is the same as the input data.
Although the 905U-D is intended to be simple in its application, it also provides many
sophisticated features. This manual should be read carefully to ensure that the modules are
configured and installed to give reliable performance.
Each 905U-D module will connect to a host device by RS232 or RS485 serial connection.
Examples of host devices are PLC’s, data loggers, intelligent transducers and computers. The
905U-D unit can receive data from the host device and transmit this data by radio to another (or
several) 905U-D module. The other module will recreate the serial data and output it as either a
RS232 or RS485 serial signal. The 905U-D unit provides two-way communications - each
module can accept serial data and also output serial data.
The 905U-D module includes power supply, microprocessor controller, serial input/output
circuits and a 900MHz frequency-hopping spread-spectrum radio transceiver - no external
electronics are required. The 905U-D radio frequency has been selected to meet the requirements
of unlicensed operation for remote monitoring and control of equipment. That is, a radio licence
is not required for the 905U-D modules in many countries. See Chapter Five Specifications for
details. The units are configured from a PC using a “free-ware” configuration package, or from
a PC terminal using Hayes commands.
RS232 is an electrical standard format for a full
duplex point-to-point serial connection. RS485
is an electrical standard format for a half-duplex
multidrop serial connection. Up to 32 devices
can communicate on a common RS485 serial
bus. Each 905U-D unit can only connect to one
serial signal - either RS232 or RS485.
However different modules in the same system
can connect to different types of serial signals. For example, RS232 data from one host device
can be transmitted to a remote 905U-D unit and output as RS485 data to another host device.
The 905U-D has been designed to be flexible enough to cover a wide range of applications. The
user is able to configure many different parameters such that the 905U-D unit will connect
reliably to different types of host devices. Before the radio modem can be used, these
parameters must be configured. Some of these parameters are :-
• Character type - the 905U-D will accept a variety of 7 or 8 data bit characters
• Serial Data Rate - between 1200 and 115200 bits/sec
• Radio Data Rate - 19200, 57600 or 115200 bits/sec
• Operating mode - transparent mode or controlled mode .
Page 7 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
HOST
905U-D
DATA
HOST
905U-D
DATA
HOST
905U-D
DATA
The operation of the 905U-D radio modem is relatively simple. As data is received at the serial
port, the data is transmitted on the radio channel. Up to 530 bytes of data can be trans mitted in
one transmission. The radio transmission commences when the first data byte is received, and
ends when there are no more data bytes in the input buffer, or when the number of bytes
transmitted equals the maximum message length (user configurable - default 530 bytes). If
more than 530 bytes is input, the 905U-D unit will transmit the first 530 bytes, then the next
530 bytes, and so on until all of the data has been transmitted.
Because the radio data rate could be less than the input serial data rate, an input memory buffer
of 2Kbytes is provided. The RS232 connection provides CTS control to prevent the buffer
overflowing. There are no data flow control signals for RS485.
A radio channel cannot provide as secure a data channel a s a wired connection. The 905U-D
uses a radio band with a low level of natural or industrial noise, however there i s a chance of
interference from other users of the unlicensed radio channel. We recommend that the flow of
data over the radio channel is controlled by using error detection and “handshaking” - that is,
returning an acknowledgment transmission if a data packet is received on the radio channel
without error. This function can be performed by either the host devices or the 905U-D
modules. The modules may be configured by the user to operate in one of two modes. In
transparent mode, it is assumed that the host devices control the flow of data. In controlled
mode, the 905U-D units control the flow of data.
1.2 Transparent Mode
The default configuration of the 905U-D
modem is transparent mode - the modules
are set in this mode at the factory. In
transparent mode, the 905U-D provides no
control of the data transmissions (no error
correction). Input data is simply transmitted
by radio and every other 905U-D unit in
that system which receives the transmission
will output the data. This mode relies on
the host devices to perform the
“handshaking” function, and re-transmitting
serial data if the data is corrupted (no “handshake”). It also relies on the host devices to include
any addressing necessary in the data. In this mode, modules are not configured with a unit
address. Data is “broadcast” - every other 905U-D in the system will receive the data and
output the data to their individual host devices. The user may configure the 905U-D modems to
add error checking to each data packet transmitted - if error checking is configured, data will
not be output if it is received without a correct error-check. This feature provides additional
protection against corruption of the data during the radio transmission. If error-che cking is not
configured, then the data received by radio will be output without checking for errors.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 8
Chapter One Introduction
PLC
905U-D
905U-D
RS485
PLC
PLC
905U-D
PLC
HOST
905U-D
DATA
HOST
905U-D
NO DATA
HOST
905U-D
DATA
#1
#2
#3
Transparent mode is “point-to-multipoint” communications, suitable for a host device which is
able to communicate on a multi-drop “bus” type network. An example of an application is the
use of radio modems to extend a PLC RS485 network. The serial messages from the PLC’s
already include PLC addressing and error detection/correction to control the flow of data.
1.3 Controlled Mode
“Controlled mode” provides “point-topoint” communications similar to telephone
modems. In controlled mode, the flow of
data is controlled by the 905U-D units.
Each 905U-D unit is configured with an
address by the user, and a destination
address for the data to be transmitted to.
Data is transmitted addressed to the
destination module, and only this module
will output the serial data. The source
module will add an error-check (16 bit
CRC) to the data transmitted by radio. The destination module will process the error-check, and
if correct, it will transmit an acknowledgment message (ACK) back to the source module. If the
source module does not receive a ACK, it will re-transmit the data. The source module will
attempt to transmit the data up to five times, until an acknowledgment (ACK) is received. If an
acknowledgment is still not received, then the DCD signal on the RS232 port will be reset and a
alarm message can be sent to the host via the serial port.
An example of an application using controlled mode would be a radio modem link between an
intelligent gas analyzer and a monitoring computer system. Intelligent transducers do not
normally provide addressing or error checking functions - these would be provided by the
905U-D modules.
In controlled mode, the destination address may be pre-set, or set on-line by the host device
using “Hayes” commands. Hayes commands are a standard set of commands used with
conventional telephone modems. An example of an application that would use Hayes command
Page 9 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
PLC
905U-D
905U-D
RS485
PLC
PLC
905U-D
PLC
REPEA TER
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
905U-D
to set destination addresses would be a central computer polling data loggers for periodic
information.
1.4 Repeater Units
A 905U-D unit may be used as a repeater to re-transmit radio messages. The purpose of a
repeater unit is to extend radio range.
In transparent mode, there can be an unlimited number of repeaters, however with some
conditions (refer to Section 3.5). The repeater in transparent mode will repeat every
transmission it receives.
In controlled mode, up to five repeaters may be configured for any transmission path. The
repeaters are configured by address.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 10
Chapter Two Installation
Chapter Two INSTALLATION
2.1 General
The 905U-D module is housed in an rugged aluminum case, suitable for DIN-rail mounting.
Terminals will accept wires up to 12 gauge (2.5 sqmm) in size.
All connections to the module must be SELV. Normal 110-240V mains supply should not
be connected to any terminal of the 905U-D module. Refer to Section 2.3 Power Supply.
Before installing a new system, it is preferable to bench test the complete system. Configuration
problems are easier to recognize when the system units are adjacent. Following installation, the
most common problem is poor communications caused by incorrectly installed antennas, or radio
interference on the same channel, or the radio path being inadequate. If the radio path is a
problem (ie path too long, or obstructions in the way), then higher performance antennas or a
higher mounting point for the antenna may rectify the problem. Alternately, use an intermediate
905U-D Module as a repeater.
The foldout sheet 905U-D Installation Guide provides an installation drawing appropriate to
most applications. Further information is detailed below.
Each 905U-D module should be effectively earthed via the "GND" terminal on the 905U-D
module - this is to ensure that the surge protection circuits inside the 905U-D module are
effective.
2.2 Antenna Installation
The 905U-D module will operate reliably over large distances. The distance which may be
reliably achieved will vary with each application - depending on the type and location of
antennas, the degree of radio interference, and obstructions (such as hills or trees) to the radio
path. Typical reliable distances are :
USA/Canada 15 miles 6dB net gain antenna configuration permitted (4W ERP)
Australia/NZ 12 km unity gain antenna configuration (1W ERP)
Longer distances can be achieved if one antenna is mounted on top of a hill.
To achieve the maximum transmission distance, the antennas should be raised above
intermediate obstructions so the radio path is true “line of sight”. Because of the curvature of the
earth, the antennas will need to be elevated at least 15 feet (5 metres) above ground for paths
greater than 3 miles (5 km). The modules will operate reliably with some obstruction of the
radio path, although the reliable distance will be reduced. Obstructions which are close to either
antenna will have more of a blocking affect than obstructions in the middle of the radio path.
For example, a group of trees around the antenna is a larger obstruction than a group of trees
further away from the antenna. The 905U modules provide a test feature which displays the
radio signal strength.
Line-of-sight paths re only necessary to obtain the maximum range. Obstructions will reduce
the range, however may not prevent a reliable path. A larger amount of obstruction can be
Page 11 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
tolerated for shorter distances. For very short distances, it is possible to mount the antennas
inside buildings. An obstructed path requires testing to determine if the path will be reliable -
refer the section 6 of this manual.
Where it is not possible to achieve reliable communications between two 905U modules, then a
third 905U module may be used to receive the message and re-transmit it. This module is
referred to as a repeater. This module may also have a host device connected to it.
An antenna should be connected to the module via 50 ohm coaxial cable (eg RG58, RG213 or
Cellfoil) terminated with a male SMA coaxial connector. The higher the antenna is mounted, the
greater the transmission range will be, however as the length of coaxial cable increases so do
cable losses. For use on unlicensed frequency channels, there are several types of antennas
suitable for use. It is important antenna are chosen carefully to avoid contravening the maximum
power limit on the unlicensed channel - if in doubt refer to an authorised service provider.
The net gain of an antenna/cable configuration is the gain of the antenna (in dBi) less the loss in
the coaxial cable (in dB).
The maximum net gain of the antenna/cable configuration permitted is
Country Max. gain (dB)
USA / Canada 6
Australia / New Zealand 0
The gains and losses of typical antennas are
Antenna Gain (dB)
Dipole with integral 15’ cable 0
5dBi Collinear (3dBd) 5
8dBi Collinear (6dBd) 8
6 element Yagi 10
9 element Yagi 12
16 element Yagi 15
Cable type Loss (dB per 30 ft / 10 m)
RG58 -5
RG213 -2.5
Cellfoil -3
The net gain of the antenna/cable configuration is determined by adding the antenna gain and the
cable loss. For example, a 6 element Yagi with 70 feet (20 metres) of Cellfoil has a net gain of
4dB (10dB – 6dB).
Connections between the antenna and coaxial cable should be carefully taped to prevent ingress
of moisture. Moisture ingress in the coaxial cable is a common cause for problems with radio
systems, as it greatly increases the radio losses. We recommend that the connection be taped,
firstly with a layer of PVC Tape, then with a vulcanising tape such as “3M 23 tape”, and finally
with another layer of PVC UV Stabilised insulating tape. The first layer of tape allows the joint
to be easily inspected when trouble shooting as the vulcanising seal can be easily removed.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 12
Chapter Two Installation
Where antennas are mounted on elevated masts, the masts should be effectively earthed to avoid
lightning surges. For high lightning risk areas, surge suppression devices between the module
and the antenna are recommended. If the antenna is not already shielded from lightning strike by
an adjacent earthed structure, a lightning rod may be installed above the antenna to provide
shielding.
2.2.1 Dipole and Collinear antennas.
A collinear antenna transmits the same amount of radio power in all directions - as such that are
easy to install and use. The dipole antenna with integral 15 ‘ cable does not require any
additional coaxial cable, however a cable must be used with the collinear antennas.
Collinear and dipole antennas should be mounted vertically, preferably 3 feet (1 metre) away
from a wall or mast to obtain maximum range.
2.2.2 Yagi antennas.
A Yagi antenna provides high gain in the forward direction, but lower gain in other directions.
This may be used to compensate for coaxial cable loss for installations with marginal radio path.
The Yagi gain also acts on the receiver, so adding Yagi antennas at both ends of a link provides
a double improvement.
Yagi antennas are directional. That is, they have positive gain to the front of the antenna, but
negative gain in other directions. Hence Yagi antennas should be installed with the central beam
Page 13 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
905U
Antenna installed
with drain hole s
down
Coax feed looped
at connection
90
o
horizontal and must be pointed exactly in the direction of transmission to benefit from the gain
of the antenna. The Yagi antennas may be installed with the elements in a vertical plane
(vertically polarised) or in a horizontal plane (horizontally polarised). For a two station
installation, with both modules using Yagi antennas, horizontal polarisation is recommended.
If there are more than two stations transmitting to a common station, then the Yagi antennas
should have vertical polarisation, and the common (or “central” station should have a collinear
(non-directional) antenna.
Also note that Yagi antennas normally have a drain hole on the folded element - the drain hole
should be located on the bottom of the installed antenna.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 14
Chapter Two Installation
905U-D
DB9
MALE
DTE HOST
DB9
FEMALE
905U-D
DB9
MALE
DCE HOST
DB9
MALE
905U-D
10 – 30 +
VDC -
+
-
905U-D
13 - 24
VAC
+
-
2.3 Power Supply
The 905U-D module is powered by a 10 - 30VDC or 13 – 24VAC supply. The power supply
should be rated at 1 Amp and be CSA
Certified Class 2.
For DC supplies, the negative side of the
supply is connected to "COM" and may be
connected to “ground”. The supply negative
is connected to the “GND” terminal internally.
The positive side of the supply must not be
connected to earth. The DC supply may be a
floating supply or negatively grounded.
The power requirements of the 905U-D units
is 80mA at 12VDC or 50mA at 24VDC. The
power requirements in low power mode is
20mA at 12VDC.
2.4 Serial Connections
2.4.1 RS232 Serial Port
The serial port is a 9 pin DB9 female and provides for connection to a host device as well as a
PC terminal for configuration, field testing and for factory testing. This port is internally shared
with the RS485 - ensure that the RS485 is disconnected before attempting to use the RS232 port.
Communication is via standard RS232 signals. The 905U-D is configured as DCE equipment
with the pinout detailed below.
Hardware handshaking using the CTS/RTS lines is provided. The CTS/RTS lines may be used to
reflect the status of the local unit’s input buffer, or may be configured to reflect the status of
CTS/RTS lines at the remote site. The 905U-D does not support XON/XOFF.
Page 15 © January 2011
905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
Data carrier detect
- on always in t ranspare nt m ode
Data Terminal Ready - DTR can be configured to initiate low power
Example cable drawings for connection to a DTE host (a PC) or another DCE host (or modem) are
detailed above.
DB9 Connector Pinout
Pin Name Direction Function
1 DCD Out
- on when link is es tabl ished i n control led mode
–
2 RD Out
3 TD In
4 DTR In
5 SG
6 DSR Out
7 RTS In
8 CTS Out
9 RI
Transmit Data – Serial Data Output
Receive Data – Serial Data Input
mode, or to force a link dis connect ion (“ha ng up” in c ontroll ed m ode.
Signal Ground
Data Set Ready - always high when unit is powere d on.
Request to Send - hardware flow control confi gurable
Clear to send - hardware flow control confi gurable
Ring indicator - indicates another module is att em pti ng to conne ct i n
controlled mode.
2.4.2 RS485 Serial Port
The RS485 port provides for communication between the 905U-D unit and its host device using a
multi-drop cable. Up to 32 devices may be connected in each multi-drop network. Note that the
RS485 port is shared internally with the RS232 port - make sure that the RS232 port is disconnected
before using the RS485 port.
As the RS485 communication medium is shared, only one of the units on the RS485 cable may
send data at any one time. Thus communication protocols based on the RS-485 standar d requi re
some type of arbitration.
RS485 is a balanced, differential standard but it is recommended that shielded, twisted pair cable
be used to interconnect modules to reduce potential RFI. It is important to maintain the polarity
of the two RS485 wires. An RS485 network should be wired as indicated in the diagram below
and terminated at each end of the network with a 120 ohm resistor. On-board 120 ohm resistors
are provided and may be engaged by operating the single DIP switch in the end plate next to the
RS485 terminals. The DIP switch should be in the “1” or “on” position to connect the resistor. If
the module is not at one end of the RS485 cable, the switch should be off.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 16
Chapter Two Installation
HOST
905U-D
HOST
RS485 CONNECTIONS
RS485
RS232
DIP SWITCH
FOR 120
RS485 CONNECTION USING TERMINATING RESISTOR
905U-D
120Ω
SUPPLY
+
HOST HOST
Ω
120
+
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905U-D Radio Modem User Manual
LED Indicator
Condition
Meaning
OK
On
Normal Operation
Radio TX
Flash
Radio Transmitting
Serial RX
GREEN flash
Serial Port Receiving
Serial TX
GREEN flash
Serial Port Transmitting
DCD
Off
Communications failure or link not
Chapter Three OPERATION
3.1 Power-up and Normal Operation
When power is initially connected to the 905U-D module, the module will perform internal
diagnostics to check its functions. The following table details the status of the indicating LEDs
on the front panel under normal operating conditions.
Radio RX GREEN flash
RED flash
RED flash
DCD On Transparent mode - always on
communications link is established
Other conditions indicating a fault are described in Chapter Six Troubleshooting.
Radio receiving data
Weak radio signal
CTS low
Controlled mode - on when
established
3.2 Serial and Radio Data
The 905U-D module provides a full-duplex RS232 serial port and half-duplex RS485 serial port
- only one serial port can be used at any one time. The radio communications is half-duplex this means that the 905U-D operates at half duplex. Many applications use full duplex RS232
communications but do not require full duplex - the protocol used operates at half-duplex and
will operate with the 905U-D without problems. If an application really requires full duplex
communications, then the 905U-D should not be used.
Data input at the serial port is placed into the input buffer. This buffer will store 2Kbytes of
data, and CTS/RTS control can be configured on the RS232 port to prevent overflow.
Man_905D_1.10.doc Page 18
Chapter Three Operation
When the 905U-D unit detects data in the input buffer, it initiates a radio message. The radio
message will end when the number of t ransmitted bytes reaches the maximum message length
(configurable by the user), or if the input buffer becomes empty.
If the configured serial data rate is the same or more than the radio data rate, then data is
transmitted as soon as it enters the input buffer - data “streams” from the input buffer to the
radio port. If the serial rate is less than the radio rate, then the transmission will be delayed for a
period to allow sufficient data to build up in the input buffer to avoid the radio emptying the
input buffer before a complete serial message has been input. The 905U-D will calculate the
amount of delay depending on the difference between the serial and radio rates.
The radio transmission will stop when the input buffer is empty or when the radio has
transmitted the maximum number of bytes (user configurable - maximum 530 bytes). If there is
still data in the input buffer, the 905U-D will start another radio transmission.
If error checking is configured, then a 16 bit CRC error-check is added to the end of the
transmitted data packet. The receiving module will receive the full data packet and check the
CRC before outputting the data.
The maximum size of the data packet is configurable by the user (maximum is 530 bytes). If
less data than the maximum size is input to the 905U-D, then the 905U-D will transmit the
actual data input. If more data is input than the maximum size, then the 905U-D will transmit
multiple packets until all of the data is transmitted.
Because of radio start-up delays, the effective radio data rate will be lower than the transmitted
data rate. If you are sending large blocks of data, and the serial rate is equal or more than the
radio rate, we recommend that you use CTS/RTS flow control to prevent the input buffer from
overflowing. If you use the maximum data rate of 115,200 bits/sec, the best effective overall
rate is approx 65,700 bits/sec using a serial speed of 76,800 bits/ sec. If you use a serial speed of
115,200, the effective overall rate will be lower. If you are required to use a serial speed of
115,200 bits/sec, then we suggest that you configure the maximum packet size to 60 bytes -
this will give faster performance than the default setting of 530 bytes.
3.2.1 Character Type
The 905U-D may be configured by the user to recognize the following types of characters - 7 or
8 data bits, even or odd or no parity, 1 or 2 stop bits.
Most applications will require the character type to be the same at each 905U-D modem in the
system. Nevertheless, the character type may be configured to be different at different 905U-D
modems. Data is transmitted by radio as an eight-bit byte without stop or start bits. If the input
data is 7 data bits, then the byte transmitted by radio comprises the 7 bits plus a zero bit. Input
characters with 8 bits are transmitted as just the 8 data bits, with no parity. Because the data is
transmitted without parity, the user may configure CRC error checking to be added to each
transmitted data packet. Data is output at the destination module based on the character type
configured at that module - that is, the start/stop bits and parity is added to the radio data.
Page 19 © January 2011
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