OPERATION & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
315 MHz High-speed Smart Repeater
Power
Switch
HOLATRON SYSTEMS, LLC
833 ILANIWAI ST., STE. 3
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 732-5419
www.holatron.com
WARNING
Holatron Systems specializes in the design and manufacture of standard and custom electronic
control systems where reliability and error free data communication are critical. The repeater
described in this manual is part of a system intended to remotely actuate pyrotechnic or other
hazardous devices, and the components of this system have been carefully designed to
minimize the possibility of accidental actuation of such devices. Holatron’s design goal is to
ensure that data communication errors due to radio interference or to insufficient signal
strength due to low battery, exceeding specified range, or conductive objects in the signal path
will result in failure of intentional actuation rather than unintended actuation. Techniques used
to achieve this design goal are described in section 2.0. Though the probability of unintended
actuation is extremely small, it cannot be guaranteed to be zero. Therefore, it is important that
the user not arm the receiver until all persons who might be harmed by accidental
actuation are in a safe area.
As a condition of purchase, the user must acknowledge awareness and agreement that
utilization of this product and participation in activities utilizing fireworks, rockets, and explosives
is an ultra-hazardous activity carrying implied and explicit risks of injuries and damages to the
user and to other participants. The user assumes the risk connected with the utilization of this
product and all risks of participation in the activities for which this product is sold. User
acknowledges that he/she/it has the necessary and required skill, expertise, training and
licensing, as may be applicable or necessary by custom, usage, trade or law, to engage and
participate in the ultra-hazardous activities connected with the use, purchase, transportation, or
employment of the products sold under this agreement. User acknowledges that Holatron
Systems, LLC, has not and will not conduct any investigation into the skill, expertise, training
and licensing, as may be applicable or necessary by custom, usage, trade or law, of the user or
of user’s agents, employees and assigns, to engage and participate in the ultra-hazardous
activities connected with the use, purchase, transportation, or employment of this product. User
specifically agrees that Holatron Systems, LLC, its officers, employees, and agents shall not be
liable for any claim, demand, cause of action of any kind whatsoever for, or on account of
death, personal injury, property damage or loss of any kind resulting from or related to user’s or
user’s employees’, agents’ or assigns’ use of this product, and user agrees to indemnify,
defend in any action at law, and hold harmless Holatron Systems, LLC, from same, whether
brought by the user, user’s agent, or assigns, or any third party.
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INFORMATION TO USER
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested, assigned FCC ID number OI4RPTR315, and found to comply
with the limits for 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 and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.
· Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
· Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
· Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected
· Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Les changements ou modifications non approuvés expressément par la partie responsable de
la conformité pourrait annuler l'autorité de l'utilisateur à faire fonctionner l'équipement..
This device also complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s). 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.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio
exempts de licence. L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l'appareil ne
doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage
radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en compromettre le
fonctionnement.
This radio transceiver 11556A-RPTR315 has been approved by Industry Canada to operate
with the antenna types listed below with the maximum permissible gain and required antenna
impedance for each antenna type indicated. Antenna types not included in this list, having a
gain greater than the maximum gain indicated for that type, are strictly prohibited for use with
this device.
Le présent émetteur/récepteur radio 11556A-RPTR315 a été approuvé par Industrie Canada
pour fonctionner avec les types d'antenne énumérés ci-dessous et ayant un gain admissible
maximal et l'impédance requise pour chaque type d'antenne. Les types d'antenne non inclus
dans cette liste, ou dont le gain est supérieur au gain maximal indiqué, sont strictement interdits
pour l'exploitation de l'émetteur.
This radio transceiver is approved for operation with Linx Technologies ANT-315-CW-HD
monopole antenna with RP-SMA connector and peak gain of -1.8 dBi.
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This manual is divided into four sections. The first is a description of the system hardware. The
second describes radio interference suppression methods. The third lists device specifications.
The fourth covers the recommended operating and maintenance procedure.
1.0 HARDWARE DESCRIPTION.
The model RPTR315 high-speed smart repeater can be used to extend the range or
enhance the coverage of standard Holatron systems operating on 315 MHz. The
repeater accomplishes this by receiving a Holatron digital signal and retransmitting it if it
is correctly formatted. Only Holatron digital signals will be retransmitted. Other signals
on 315 MHz or other frequencies will be ignored. Multiple repeaters may be arrayed
equidistant from the Holatron transmitter to provide enhanced coverage with
simultaneous retransmissions, or they may be arranged in a linear cascade to multiply
the effective range of the transmitter. For example, one repeater midway between
transmitter and receiver will double the transmitter’s range in that direction. A repeater
located at distance D from the transmitter, and a second located at distance 2D will
triple the transmitter’s range (extend it to 3D), and so on, with a maximum cascade of 4
repeaters possible for a five-fold extension of range. Combinations of enhanced
coverage arrays and linear cascades are possible, provided no cascade contains more
than 4 repeaters. These repeaters are also useful for extending coverage around
corners of conductive buildings, over hills, and onto rooftops.
In addition to filtering out non-Holatron signals and incorrectly formatted digital signals,
the repeater can be set to cause only Holatron signals on a selected digital channel to
be retransmitted, or optionally to retransmit any of 12 available channels. The repeater
will retransmit any proprietary system code on its selected channel(s). Repeater
performance is optimum if only one channel at a time is transmitting. It may degrade if
multiple channels are transmitting simultaneously.
Retransmission is performed by a highly sensitive narrow band (superhetrodyne) digital
radio transceiver that receives encoded radio commands from standard 315 MHz
Holatron transmitters and retransmits them through a common antenna. A
microcomputer decodes and error checks the received signals in real-time before
initiating retransmission. This system is designed to be used for remote control
applications where speed and high reliability are critical. When used with the Holatron
model XMTR12C, RFLS-6HSXT series, or RFLS-12XT series remote control
transmitters, a single repeater will typically double the transmitter’s range from ½ mile to
one mile (line of sight), provided there are no intervening conductive objects such as
automobiles, chain-link fences, etc, in the receive and transmit paths. Range increases
as the repeater is elevated above earth or other conductive objects (such as aluminum
bleachers). Range will be even greater when receiving and transmitting over water.
The repeater is environmentally sealed when its hinged lid is closed and latched, and it
may be operated in this configuration under heavy rainfall and other adverse
environmental conditions, but it is not designed to be submerged under water.
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The user has access to the following components (refer to annotated cover photo):
1.1 THE ANTENNA.
The RF signal is received and retransmitted by a single quarter-wave screw-on
antenna. The circuit board acts as a ground plane for this antenna. Both are
contained within the repeater enclosure and will operate with undiminished range
even when the lid is closed. Note that range is optimized when the receiver is
elevated at least 12” above nearby conductive objects such as car hoods, metal
bleachers, or earth ground, and the antenna is vertical. When installing the
antenna, it should only be hand-tightened to the point where mechanical
resistance begins to be felt. That is all that is required for good electrical contact.
Excessive tightening can damage the antenna jack to the internal circuit board.
The antenna should never be tightened with pliers or any similar tool.
1.2 THE POWER SWITCH.
This miniature toggle switch, located on the top side of the internal circuit board,
turns on power to the receiver. When finished, don’t forget to turn it off in order
to conserve battery life. There is no external indicator to show that it is on.
1.3 THE STATUS INDICATOR.
While the power switch is on, this indicator, located on the top side of the internal
circuit board, will flash intermittently in bursts of one, two, or three green flashes
at a time if the battery voltage is high enough to reliably power the repeater.
The bursts indicate the amount of energy remaining in the batteries. If no
flashing occurs, the batteries must be replaced before the transmitter can be
used reliably. Three flashes per burst indicate that the batteries have full
capacity, two flashes indicate that their capacity is beginning to diminish, and
one flash indicates that they are near the end of their useful lifetime in which
case they should be replaced immediately after the current use. Adequate
repeater output to achieve the specified range will occur as long as the total
series battery voltage is above approximately 5 volts, but the battery voltages will
drop rapidly at this point
This indicator will also light green while a signal is being received that matches
the expected Holatron preamble and sync code of the system communication
protocol, even if it is from a transmitter operating on digital channel that is
different from the one selected with the mode selector switch.
When repeater mode is selected (switch positions 0 – D), this indicator will light
up orange while retransmission is occurring. In continuous transmission
(broadcast) mode (switch positions E or F), it will light up red as each data
packet is transmitted.
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Continuous
The functionality of this indicator is summarized in the following table:
Status Indicator Table
Flash Pattern Color Status
3 flashes Green Battery normal
2 flashes Green Battery reduced
1 flash Green Battery critically low
No flashes None
(1 sec or more)
Rapid flashing Green
Rapid flashing Orange
One blink per 2
seconds
Rapid flashing Red
Green
Red
Battery excessively low,
or dead
Preamble & sync signal
rcvd (can be triggered by
background noise)
Holatron command being
received on a channel
that is different from
switch selection
Holatron command being
retransmitted
Holatron cue 1 command
being broadcast on
channel 1, code 0, once
every 2 seconds
Holatron cue 1 command
being broadcast on
channel 12, code 0,
continuously
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1.4 THE MODE SELECTOR SWITCH.
This 16 position miniature rotary switch, located on top of the internal circuit
board as shown in the cover photo, is used to select one of 16 possible repeater
operating modes. It can be set to positions 0 – 9 or A – F by rotation with a small
screwdriver. The mode selected by each switch position is shown in the following
table:
Repeater Mode Selection Table
Switch Repeater
Position Mode
----------- ------------
0 Repeat all Holatron commands.
1 Repeat only channel 1 Holatron commands.
2 Repeat only channel 2 Holatron commands.
3 Repeat only channel 3 Holatron commands.
4 Repeat only channel 4 Holatron commands.
5 Repeat only channel 5 Holatron commands.
6 Repeat only channel 6 Holatron commands.
7 Repeat only channel 7 Holatron commands.
8 Repeat only channel 8 Holatron commands.
9 Repeat only channel 9 Holatron commands.
A Repeat only channel 10 Holatron commands.
B Repeat only channel 11 Holatron commands.
C Repeat only channel 12 Holatron commands.
D Repeat all Holatron commands on channel 1, code 0.
E Transmit channel 1, code 0, cue 1 command at 0.5 Hz.
F Transmit channel 12, code 0, cue 1 command at 6.22 Hz.
NOTE: Positions “E” and “F” have been disabled in order to comply with
FCC and IC requirements.
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2.0 RADIO INTERFERENCE REDUCTION.
.
For obvious safety reasons, Holatron's design goal is to ensure that data communication
errors due to radio interference or to insufficient signal strength due to low battery,
exceeding specified range, or conductive objects in the signal path will result in failure of
intentional receiver actuation rather than unintended actuation. This goal is achieved by
transmitting a 64 bit noise-tolerant code repeatedly while a transmitter button is
depressed. 60 of these bits must match the pattern expected by the receiver. Thus,
there is one chance in (2 to the 60
a random signal. Expressed in decimal numbers, this is (1.1529 times 10 to the 18th
power, or 11529 followed by 14 zeroes). This is a probability of 8.6736 times 10 to the
-19th power (or a decimal point followed by 18 zeroes followed by 86736). Though this
probability of unintended actuation is extremely small, it cannot be guaranteed to be
zero. Therefore, it is important that the user not arm the receiver until all persons
who might be harmed by accidental actuation are in a safe area.
This repeater performs the same error checking that occurs in all Holatron receivers,
and it does not retransmit any commands that are not error free.
th
power) of an actuation occurring due to reception of
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3.0 SPECIFICATIONS.
Parameter Minimum Typical Maximum
Carrier Frequency, MHz.
Input range (line-of-sight from
standard Holatron xmtrs)
Output range (line-of-sight to
standard Holatron rcvrs)
Delay from end of rcvd
314.95 315.00 315.05
½ mile
½ mile
1 msec
packet to start of packet
retransmission)
Supply Voltage 5 VDC 6 VDC 14 VDC
Battery current (standby) 23 mA
Battery current (xmting) 26 mA
4.0 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.
This section describes the recommended operating procedure and maintenance for the
smart repeater.
4.1 OPERATION.
4.1.1 Set the Mode Selector Switch to the desired position from the table in
section 1.4.
4.1.2 Turn on the Power switch.
4.1.3 Verify adequate battery level by the flashing pattern as described in the
table in section 1.3. Replace the batteries if fewer than 2 flashes per
burst are observed.
4.1.4 Make sure no receivers in the vicinity are armed and connected to
devices to be fired, and then verify that an orange rapid flash occurs on
the status indicator when a transmitter on the selected channel is
actuated. A rapid green flash indicates that the wrong channel is
selected.
4.1.5 If a rapid orange flash was observed in the previous step, the repeater is
now operational. Close and latch the lid, and place the repeater box in its
desired location. It can be placed on the ground, but the higher it is and
the farther from conductive objects it is, the more effective it will be. It
should also be oriented with the antenna vertical for maximum range.
Suspending it from a point above the reach of spectators by a cord tied to
its handle has the dual advantage of enhancing range and preventing
tampering.
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4.1.6 Receivers may now be turned on and armed.
4.1.7 When finished with the system, be sure to remember to turn off the
repeater Power Switch to stop further drain of its batteries. If the
repeater will be stored for a prolonged period of time (6 months), remove
the batteries to avoid damage to the electronics from possible battery
leakage.
4.2 MAINTENANCE.
Since there are no calibration or tuning adjustments, the only maintenance
required is periodic replacement of the batteries and checking to make sure the
antenna is tight. The exterior of the box, which is completely sealed, may be
safely cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth. It may be operated out in heavy rain
and dust, but it should never be immersed in water.
If further information or service is required, contact:
Holatron Systems, LLC.
833 ILANIWAI ST., STE. 3
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 732-5419
www.holatron.com
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