GE MDS DS-TRM450 Manual revised

Microwave Data Systems Inc.

TRM 450 OEM Series

410–470 MHz Data Transceivers

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A

DECEMBER 2003

Integration Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................7

1.1 Modem Speed versus Channel Bandwidth ......................................8

1.2 Frequency Coverage ........................................................................8

1.3 Radio Operating Modes ...................................................................8

Single Frequency (Simplex) Operation...............................................8

Switched-Carrier Operation (Half-Duplex)..........................................9

1.4 Applications ......................................................................................9

Point-to-Multipoint, Multiple Address Systems (MAS)........................9

Point-to-Point System.......................................................................10

1.5 Model Number Codes ....................................................................11

2.0 INSTALLATION DESIGN ...........................................................12

2.1 Mounting the Transceiver ...............................................................13

2.2 Interface Requirements ..................................................................13

2.3 Antennas and Feedlines ................................................................14

Antennas ..........................................................................................14

Feedlines..........................................................................................15

2.4 Primary Power (3.3 Vdc) ................................................................15

DC Supply Connection.....................................................................15

Shutdown Mode (Energy Conservation)...........................................16

2.5 Data Interface Connections ............................................................16

3.0 TRANSCEIVER CONFIGURATION AND DIAGNOSTIC

COMMANDS .............................................................................19

3.1 Error Messages ..............................................................................21

3.2 Initial Installation—Radio and Data Configuration ..........................21

4.0 TROUBLESHOOTING...............................................................23

5.0 TECHNICAL REFERENCE.......................................................24

5.1 TRM 450 Transceiver Specifications ..............................................24

5.2 Test and Evaluation Assembly .......................................................25

5.3 Vendors for Connectors ..................................................................28

5.4 dBm-Watts-Volts Conversion Chart ................................................30

6.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS............................................................31

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A TRM 450 Integration Guide iii

RF Exposure

Separation distances
required for FCC RF
Exposure compliance

Copyright Notice

This Installation and Operation Guide and all software described herein
are protected by copyright: 2003 Microwave Data Systems Inc . All
rights reserved.

Microwave Data Systems Inc. reserves its right to correct any errors and
omissions in this publication.

Antenna Installation Warning

1. All antenna installation and servicing is to be performed by

qualified technical personnel only . When servicing the antenna, or

working at distances closer than those listed below, ensure the

transmitter has been disabled.

2. Typically, the antenna connected to the transmitter is a directional
(high gain) antenna, fixed-mounted on the side or top of a building,
or on a tower. Depending upon the application and the gain of the
antenna, the total composite power could exceed 90 watts ERP. The
antenna location should be such that only qualified technical per­sonnel can access it, and that under normal operating conditions no
other person can touch the antenna or approach within 2.3 meters of
the antenna.

Antenna Gain versus Recommended Safety Distance

(TRM 450 Series)

Antenna Gain (TRM 450 Series)

0–5 dBi 5–10 dBi 10–16.5 dBi

Minimum RF
Safety Distance

0.6 meter 1.06 meters 2.3 meters

ISO 9001 Registration

Microwave Data Systems adheres to this internationally accepted
quality system standard.

MDS Quality Policy Statement

We, the employees of Microwave Data Systems Inc., are committed to
understanding and exceeding our customer’s needs and expectations.

• We appreciate our customer’s patronage. They are our business.

• We promise to serve them and anticipate their needs.

• We are committed to providing solutions that are cost effective,
innovative and reliable, with consistently high levels of quality.

• We are committed to the continuous improvement of all of our
systems and processes, to improve product quality and increase
customer satisfaction.

iv TRM 450 Integration Guide MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A

ESD Notice

To prevent malfunction or damage to this product, which may be caused
by Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), the radio should be properly
grounded at the time of installation. In addition, the installer or main­tainer should follow proper ESD precautions, such as touching a bare
metal object to dissipate body charge, prior to touching components or
connecting/disconnecting cables.

Manual Revision and Accuracy

While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of
this manual, product improvements may result in minor differences
between the manual and the product shipped to you. If you have addi­tional questions or need an exact specification for a product, please con­tact our Customer Service Team using the information at the back of this
guide. In addition, manual updates can often be found on the MDS Web
site at www.microwavedata.com.

FCC Part 15 Notice

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be deter­mined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try
and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or locate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from
that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for
help.

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet
appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may
not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference,
including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party respon­sible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equip­ment.

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A TRM 450 Integration Guide v

vi TRM 450 Integration Guide MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This guide presents installation and operating instructions for the
TRM 450 digital radio transceiver. The radio is a compact, modular
board well suited to user-designed customer integration with remote
terminal units (RTUs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs),
automatic banking machines, or similar equipment.

The transceiver (Figure 1) is a data telemetry radio designed to operate
in a point-to-multipoint environment, such as electric utility
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and distribution
automation, gas field automation, water and wastewater SCADA, and
on-line transaction processing applications. The radio employs
microprocessor control to provide highly reliable communications, even
under adverse conditions.

TRM 450 radios use Gaussian-mean shift keying (GMSK) modulation.

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Figure 1. TRM 450 Data Transceiver

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A TRM 450 Integration Guide 7

1.1 Modem Speed versus Channel Bandwidth

The TRM 450 can be configured by the user to one-of-six arrangements
dependent on the permissible values of over-the-air data baud rate
(

), Gaussian filtering (

BAUD

configurations are:

Table 1. Permissible Data Configurations

Baud (bps)

19200 25.0 kHz .3
16000 25.0 kHz .3
9600 25.0kHz .5
9600 12.5 kHz .3
8000 25 kHz .5
8000 12.5 kHz .3
4800 25.0 kHz .5
4800 12.5 kHz .5

), and channel bandwidth (

BT

Receive
Bandwidth
(BW) BT

). The valid

BW

The current configuration will be displayed by the

MODEM

command.
These parameters are independent of any other user-controllable
operating parameter.

1.2 Frequency Coverage

The TRM 450 series radios are available for operation in one of three the
frequency subbands between 410–470 MHz. The subbands are:
410–430 MHz, 430–450 MHz and 450–470 MHz. Any combination of
transmitter and receiver operating frequencies can be programmed
within the subband of the TRM 450, including a simplex (TX = RX)
pair.

NOTE: Each of the three radio frequency ranges (subband) are factory

set and cannot be changed by the user.

1.3 Radio Operating Modes

Single Frequency (Simplex) Operation

Single frequency operation (also known as simplex) is a special case of
switched carrier operation. Single frequency operation is automatically
selected whenever the transmit and receive frequencies are set to the
same value.

8 TRM 450 Integration Guide MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A

Switched-Carrier Operation (Half-Duplex)

Switched-carrier operation is a half-duplex mode where the master
station transmitter is keyed to send data and unkeyed to receive. MDS’
TRM 450 radios operate in switched-carrier mode and are keyed when
data is present.

NOTE: TRM 450 radios do not support full-duplex operation (i.e.,

transmitting and receiving at the same time). For information
on other MDS products that provide this capability, contact
your sales representative.

1.4 Applications

Point-to-Multipoint, Multiple Address Systems (MAS)

Point-to-multipoint (MAS) is the most common application of the
transceiver. It consists of a central master station and several associated
remote units as shown in Figure 2. An MAS network provides
communications between a central host computer and remote terminal
units (RTUs) or other data collection devices. The operation of the radio
system is “transparent” to the computer equipment. That is, the radio
system transports the data in its original form, making no changes to the
data format.

Often, the radio system is used to replace a network of remote monitors
currently linked to a central location by leased telephone lines. At the
central office of such a system, there is usually a large mainframe
computer and some means of switching between individual lines
coming from each remote monitor. In this type of system, there is a
modulator/demodulator (modem) at the main computer and at each
remote site, usually built into the remote monitor itself. Since the cost of
leasing a dedicated-pair telephone line is quite high, radio is frequently
used as an alternative communication medium.

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A TRM 450 Integration Guide 9

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Figure 2. MAS Point-to-Multipoint Network

(Two remote stations shown—four or more are typically used)

Point-to-Point System

Where permitted, the transceiver may also be used in a point-to-point
arrangement. A point-to-point system consists of just two radios—one
serving as a master and the other as a remote—as shown in Figure 3. It
provides a simplex or half-duplex communications link for the transfer
of data between two locations.

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Figure 3. Typical Point-to-Point Link

10 TRM 450 Integration Guide MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A

THIS INFORMATION IS
SUBJECT TO
CHANGE.

DO NOT USE FOR
PRODUCT ORDERING.

1.5 Model Number Codes

The radio model number is printed on the PC board or on the radio
enclosure, and provides key information about how the radio was
configured when was shipped from the factory. See Figure 4 for an
explanation of the model number characters.

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Figure 4. TRM 450 Model Number Codes

(As found on the serial number and identification label)

FREQUENCY BAND

1 410 – 430 MHZ
2 430 – 450 MHZ
3 450 – 470 MHZ

AGENCY

TRM 450

OPERATING MODE

T – TRANSCEIVER
R – RECEIVE ONLY

APPROVAL

E – ETSI
F – FCC

MDS 05-4121A01, Rev. A TRM 450 Integration Guide 11