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BOARDJ
Users Manual
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MadgeTech BOARDJ Users Manual

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Operations Manual for RF Series
Data Loggers
MadgeTech, Inc.
Revised February 27, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 3
TRANSMITTER CHARACTERISTICS .............................................................................. 3
TRANSMISSION DISTANCE ........................................................................................ 4
SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND SETUP ............................................................................ 4
WIRELESS CONFIGURATION DIALOG .......................................................................... 5
Transmitter Output Modes ...................................................................................... 6
Transmitter Options ............................................................................................... 6
Custom Transmit Interval ....................................................................................... 7
Indicator Mode ...................................................................................................... 9
REGISTERING THE DEVICE ON A SYSTEM.................................................................... 9
STARTING THE DEVICE AND SYNCHRONIZING THE TRANSMITTER ................................ 10
USING MULTIPLE DEVICES ...................................................................................... 12
PREVENTING COLLISIONS WITH PRIME NUMBERS ...................................................... 13
Prime Number Examples ...................................................................................... 15
AUTOSAVE OF WIRELESS DATA ............................................................................... 15
REAL TIME WIRELESS ALARMING ............................................................................. 17
SAVING ALARM SETUP TO XML FILE ......................................................................... 23
LOADING ALARM SETUP .......................................................................................... 23
INCREASING RANGE WITH THE RFEXTENDER ............................................................ 23
Simple RFExtender System ................................................................................... 24
Complex RFExtender System ................................................................................ 25
Module Address and Receiver Address Mask ............................................................ 25
Receiver Address Mask Example ............................................................................ 26
BATTERY LIFE ....................................................................................................... 28
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................................... 29
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY ................................................................. 29
FCC COMPLIANCE AND REQUIREMENTS .................................................................... 31
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) NOTICE ........................................... 31
INDUSTRY CANADA (IC) NOTICE .............................................................................. 32
CONTACT INFORMATION ......................................................................................... 32
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Connecting the IFC110 interface cable ........................................................... 4
Figure 2. Connecting the RFC101A wireless receiver ...................................................... 5
Figure 3. The Wireless Configuration dialog .................................................................. 5
Figure 4. Start Device dialog ...................................................................................... 9
Figure 5. Delay Start Feature ................................................................................... 12
Figure 6. The Configure Wireless Data dialog ............................................................. 17
Figure 7. The Wireless Alarm Setup dialog ................................................................. 20
Figure 8. The Wireless Alarm Settings dialog – Notification and Channel tab ................... 21
Figure 9. The Wireless Alarm Settings dialog – Email tab ............................................. 22
Figure 10. The multi-alarm Wireless Alarm Notification dialog ....................................... 23
Figure 11. RFExtender as a wireless repeater ............................................................. 24
Figure 12. RFExtender as a wireless communication interface ....................................... 24
Figure 13. A complex RFExtender system .................................................................. 27
MadgeTech, Inc. Operations Manual for RF Series Data Loggers
INTRODUCTION
MadgeTech’s RF series line of wireless-enabled data loggers provides a simple, low-cost wireless solution for short-range data collection applications. These products are powered by a user-replaceable internal battery and can be configured for up to ten years of battery life. They are designed for one-way, low data-rate applications, and transmit real-time data directly to a PC for monitoring. Like MadgeTech’s standard series of data loggers, they are simple to use and their versatile configuration options allow for easy integration into a wide variety of applications. The product line includes models for all the most popular commercial and industrial measurements, as shown in this table:
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION RFTemp101A Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFRHTemp101A Humidity / Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFTC4000A Thermocouple Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFRTDTemp101A RTD Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFpHTemp101A pH / Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFVolt101A DC Voltage Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFProcess101A DC Current Recorder and Wireless Transmitter RFPulse101A RFOT
These products have onboard memory in addition to the wireless transmitter, so they can completely replace existing data loggers and strip chart recorders while providing an added wireless data link. This memory can also serve as a failsafe backup, in the event of interference in the wireless channel or interruption of service to the monitoring computer.
TRANSMITTER CHARACTERISTICS
Pulse Recorder and Wireless Transmitter Temperature Recorder and Wireless Transmitter
The transmitter used in the RF series products is a carrier present-carrier absent (CPCA) amplitude-modulated (AM) signal operating at a carrier frequency of 418 MHz. The data being transmitted is encoded similarly to standard RS232 serial data at a bit rate of 4,800 baud. This signal is detected by the RFC101A receiver module and converted to RS232 signals, which are passed to the COM port of the monitoring PC.
The transmitter type and encoding method permit the device to use the maximum allowable output power specified by the FCC, and also minimizes the amount of battery power required for the transmission. This gives the user the best possible range, and also ensures a long battery life.
To conform to FCC Part 15.21 rules, the data transmission takes less than one second and the minimum periodic transmission rate allowed by the device is 30 seconds. The low duty cycle permits several devices to use the same communication band and receiver without excessive interference caused by “talking over” each other.
TRANSMISSION DISTANCE
The transmission distance achievable with any wireless system is dependent on many factors. The only consistent measurement of transmission distance that can be used with these devices is called the “line-of-sight” transmission distance. The transmitter and receiver are set up in a large open area, free of obstacles and interference, and are aligned so their antennas are oriented in the same direction. Under these circumstances, the RF series products can achieve up to 120 feet (36 m) transmission range.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND SETUP
The following components are required to successfully set up and use the RF series products:
▪ A personal computer running the Windows operating system (Windows 95 or higher) ▪ One of the RF series wireless-enabled data loggers ▪ An RFC101A wireless receiver module and power supply, for receiving wireless
transmissions from the data logger
▪ An IFC110 interface cable, for communicating with the wireless data logger ▪ MadgeTech Data Recorder software, included with the RFC101A or IFC110
To configure the data logger, and register it on the PC for data reception, connect it to the PC through the IFC110 serial interface cable as shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1. Connecting the IFC110 interface cable
To set up the system for receiving wireless data, connect the RFC101A to the PC and plug in the power supply to a 110VAC outlet (as shown in Figure 2). In most cases, the IFC110 will need to be removed from the PC to connect the RFC101A. If there are multiple COM ports available on the PC, the RFC101A may be connected to a different COM port than the IFC110, thus leaving IFC110 connected. To switch between using the IFC110 and RFC101A, simply change to the appropriate COM port under the “Communications” menu.
Figure 2. Connecting the RFC101A wireless receiver
WIRELESS CONFIGURATION DIALOG
Figure 3. The Wireless Configuration dialog
The Wireless Configuration dialog (shown in Figure 3) allows the user to select from a variety of operating modes to meet the requirements of different monitoring systems. To access this dialog, identify the device using the Device -> Identify Device and Read Status menu item, switch to the “Device Detail” tab, and click the “Wireless Configuration” button. To edit the configuration, press the “Change” button in the dialog, make the appropriate changes, then press the “Save” button to commit the changes to the device. Note: Closing the dialog or exiting with the “OK” button will not store the changes in the device.
To comply with FCC regulations, saving a configuration change may cause the device to inhibit output from the transmitter while the internal timers synchronize to the new configuration (this may be the longer of the reading interval or custom transmit interval). To force synchronization of the timers and enable output before the aforementioned interval has passed; restart the device from the software.
Transmitter Output Modes
Real-time data transmissions may be sent through the RF antenna, the device’s serial port, both or neither. If both the serial and RF transmitters are disabled, the device will function strictly as a standard data logger. The typical user will configure the device for wireless transmission only thus transmitting data from the device to the RFC101A receiver. However, serial transmission may be desirable for some systems where the built-in transmitter is not powerful enough to maintain a reliable link, the signal must be brought outside of an environment that blocks RF, or when a hardwired connection to an alternate transmitter is required. Additionally, both modes may be enabled for combined local and long-distance monitoring of the signal. See “Increasing Range with the RFExtender” later in this manual.
Transmitter Options
The transmitter module has four configuration options. Two of these options pertain to enabling and disabling the transmitter under different operating conditions and two pertain to the timing and format of the transmitted signal. These options are summarized below.
1. Transmit only while logging – If this option is selected, the transmitter will only
output data when the logger is recording data to memory. When memory is filled and the device stops logging, the transmitter will stop as well to indicate the logger needs to be offloaded and restarted. If the memory wrap-around mode of the logger is enabled, the device will continue to overwrite the oldest internal data and continue transmitting data wirelessly. If this transmitter option is not selected, the transmitter will continue to operate regardless of whether the device is recording data.
2. Transmit under switch control – If this option is selected, the on/off switch may
be used to inhibit the transmitter output. This allows the user to manually stop the transmitter without affecting the logger operation or transmission timing. This may be useful for transporting the device through an area where other devices are operating on the same frequency band, disabling the transmitter until the device is placed in-system, or disabling individual devices to evaluate system performance and troubleshoot interference or collisions. In systems where a manual override is not desirable, this option may be left unchecked, and the transmitter will not be affected by the position of the switch.
Note: The above two transmitter options function as such: if either one of the
modes would disable the transmitter under given conditions, the transmitter will be
disabled. For the transmitter to be enabled, the required conditions must be met for both options to allow the transmission.
3. Randomize transmit interval – If this option is selected, the transmitter will wait a
short random delay of up to 5 seconds before it transmits each data packet. This can decrease the chances of lost packets due to devices “talking over” each other because of long-term timer drift. Devices that are initially synchronized to transmit 10 seconds apart can drift in their timekeeping by up to 2 seconds per day, meaning that they could potentially interfere with each other after a few days of sustained operation. Because the transmission lasts less than a second, a random delay of up to 5 seconds can allow the majority of the transmissions to escape interference. If this transmitter option is not selected, the device will transmit at the interval set by its timer to within a few milliseconds. It is then up to the user to make any necessary accommodations for the timer drift. See “Using Multiple Devices” later in this manual.
4. Use error correction – If this option is selected, the transmitter output format will
be modified to include a simple forward error correction scheme known as a Hamming code. This method of error correction allows the receiver in a one-way transmission to correct any single bit error in each block of eight data bits being received. This option may help to increase system reliability in some environments.
Note: System reliability will most commonly be degraded by loss of signal or by burst noise longer than a single bit, thus this option may not substantially improve performance for the typical user. Additionally, if this option is not selected, the device may be able to transmit two complete copies of the data packet, increasing the likelihood that one of the copies will be received even when the other is lost due to interference. (Each packet always contains error detection, to ensure that invalid data is not displayed.)
Custom Transmit Interval
By default, the transmitter module will transmit a data packet with each internally recorded data point, or if it is not recording, at the reading rate specified for the data logger. This option allows the user to specify a custom transmit interval that will be used only by the transmitter. Like the data logger reading rate, this interval is limited to a minimum of 30 seconds and a maximum of 12 hours, but unlike the reading rate it may be set to any multiple of 10 seconds. Additionally, the device can be configured to return new data every interval, or to repeatedly send the data from the most recent internally recorded reading. This option can be useful for the following reasons:
1. Real-time monitoring – Some applications may require relatively quick feedback of
trend data to the user, but only need to be recorded at longer intervals. With this option, for example, an operator could check the trend of a system every 10 minutes and make necessary adjustments to keep the system within specifications, but the official logger record of the data only needs to indicate the value on an hourly basis.
2. Increasing system reliability – In applications where the operating environment is
unfriendly to RF, this option can be used to repeat the same data multiple times to increase the probability of successful reception. If the logger is recording every 5 minutes, the transmitter can be configured to send the data from the last reading every 30 seconds, allowing for 10 transmissions per logger reading. If the
environment sees a burst of RF interference a few times per minute, it is highly probable that one or more transmissions will be received properly.
3. Staggering transmissions from multiple devices – If several devices need to
record data at the same time while transmitting the output in real time, this option can be used to ensure that at least one transmission from each device is sent without interference from the other devices. This is similar to the randomization option provided above, but is better suited to some applications. See “Using Multiple Devices” later in this manual. In the screenshot below, this particular wireless data logger is set to “delay start” at 1:00PM; since the sample interval is 30 seconds, the next data logger should be started at 1:00:30, and the next logger should be started at 1:01:00, and so on.
To prevent confusion, it’s helpful to set a delay start time for the first logger that is on the hour, half hour, quarter hour, 10 minutes of, and 5 minutes of. For example:
On the hour: 2:00PM, 3PM, etc. On the half hour: 2:30PM, 3:30PM, etc. On the quarter hour: 2:15PM, 3:15PM, etc. 10 minutes of: 2:50, 3:50, etc. 5 minutes of: 2:55, 3:55, etc.
To find the ideal delay start interval, use the following calculation:
To determine the reading rate, you must perform a simple calculation: X/Y=Z. To solve for the ideal reading rate (Z), divide X by Y.
Desired Reading Rate(X) # Of Loggers(Y) = Ideal delay between loggers (Z)
Example: 15 minutes X 60 seconds 25 = 36. It is best to use the closest odd number, so a 37 second delay start interval will be used.
Note. Rounding up is not encouraged because it can increase the chances of data overlap.
X= Desired reading rate (in seconds) Y= # of loggers Z=?
Example 1:
If X= 15 minutes, and Y= 25 loggers, then Z= 0.6 minutes X 60 seconds = 36. In this example, 36 is rounded to an odd number, such as 37; 37 seconds is the ideal delay start interval. Example 2:
If X= 60 minutes, and Y = 75 loggers, then Z= 0.8 minutes X 60 seconds = 48. In this example, 48 is rounded to the nearest odd number, such as 49; 49 seconds is the ideal delay start interval.
Note. If Z results in < 30 seconds, change X and/or Y.
Figure 4. Start Device dialog
Indicator Mode (not applicable to the RFOT)
The device may be configured to blink the LED activity indicator every 10 seconds (the factory default setting) or only when a scheduled reading is taken. The green LED indicator will blink to indicate that the device is configured properly to allow a wireless transmission to occur. If the wireless transmitter is disabled by any of the available configuration options (by setting the transmitter output mode to disable the wireless output, or by selecting either of the related transmitter control options), the indicator will not blink. When a wireless transmission is about to be sent, both the green and the red LED indicators will blink.
The primary reason to turn off the 10-second indicator is to conserve battery capacity. See “Battery Life” later in this manual. The 10-second mode is forced “on” if the custom transmit interval discussed above is enabled.
REGISTERING THE DEVICE ON A SYSTEM
Before the MadgeTech software will receive data from an RF-series transmitter, the device must be properly registered on the system. When the device is identified or configured, the PC software will store an image of the device for future reference. This image is stored on the PC’s hard disk so it is retained even when the software or PC is shut down. The software then refers to the device image when receiving a transmission to “fill in”
the information that is not transmitted in the data packet. This information includes the device ID, calibration date, and measurement variables such as a thermocouple type or engineering units. The data packet contains a checksum of critical settings to ensure invalid data is not displayed. For this reason, the device must be re-registered if it is calibrated or the measurement data is changed on another PC. Note that re-registering a device after a configuration change will not allow the PC to receive data from the transmitter if there is already data from the device in the wireless graph. If no data has been received since the software was launched, or the software is closed and launched again, the software will receive the transmissions as expected. This behavior is caused by the fact the data that has already been received is only valid with the previous image. Adding new data to the old dataset with different calibration constants or
thermocouple type would result in invalid data.
STARTING THE DEVICE AND SYNCHRONIZING THE TRANSMITTER
Like other MadgeTech data loggers, the RF series devices must be configured through a PC. The wireless transmitter is primarily set up through the “Wireless Configuration” dialog discussed previously, but synchronization of the transmitter to the desired starting time is accomplished through the “Start Device” dialog when launching the data logger. When launching, choose the start time, and set the logger parameters (device ID and reading rate) for the run. When the device is started, both the logger and transmitter time base will be set for the selected start time. They will remain inactive until the selected time, and then begin to operate as configured in the “Start Device” and “Wireless Configuration” dialogs. When the delay-start time arrives, the logger will take readings (if enabled) at the programmed reading rate, and wireless transmissions (if enabled) will be made at the reading rate or custom interval, depending on how the device is configured.
If a delayed start is specified, the device will remain completely inactive during the start delay period. The indicators will not blink, no readings will be taken and no transmissions will be sent. It will continue to communicate normally, and may be queried, stopped, or restarted. If the application only requires the wireless transmitter without data logging capability, the device may be stopped immediately (when the “Transmit only while logging” option is not selected) after launching without affecting the scheduled start of the wireless transmissions. This will marginally improve the battery life when data logging capability is not required.
If immediate start is specified, the device will begin logging immediately, but it will inhibit transmitter output for the first reading to comply with FCC regulations. To ensure the first transmission is sent, use the delayed start mode with a 1-2 minute delay (minimum allowed by software).
Once the device is started, the wireless transmissions can be viewed by performing the following steps:
1. Connect the RFC101A wireless receiver to a COM port (as shown in Figure 2)
2. Go to the Communications -> Select COM Port menu and select the COM Port
matching the port that the RFC101A is attached to (usually COM1)
3. Go to the Communications -> Select Baud Rate menu and select 4,800 Baud
4. Go to the Communications menu and ensure that Accept Real Time Wireless Input
has a check mark next to it. If it does not, click on it and go back to the Communications menu to confirm it is now checked.
5. Go to the Device Menu and choose “Display Real Time Wireless Data”
6. Wait for the first data point to be received.
7. For multiple data loggers, choose the “Composite Graph” tab to view all of the
wireless data sets in one graph. This helps the speed in refreshing the graph and is useful when comparing data from multiple data loggers, and looking for data trends.
The LED’s on the RFC101A indicate power (green) and data (red). The Red LED light up briefly every time a new data point is received. The Green LED should be on steady. If not, ensure that the wall power adapter is plugged in properly.
USING MULTIPLE DEVICES
When using more than one RF transmitter, should transmissions overlap, it is certain that one or both of the transmissions will be lost. There are several methods, described below in order of complexity (least to most), to circumvent this issue:
1. Use Delay Start to Stagger the Reading / Transmit intervals – By choosing a
reading rate (see Prime Number scheme below, or Step# 3 under Custom Transmit
Interval) and delay between start times on multiple loggers, you can ensure that the computer never receives more than one wireless signal in a 30 second window.
Figure 5. Delay Start Feature
2. Rely on the logged data - The RF transmitters can be configured to log all data to
non-volatile memory. If a data point is lost, it may be fully recovered by a later off­load.
3. Provide a direct connection - If it is possible to have a PC always connected to the
RF series logger (while monitoring via RF elsewhere), then using the serial output transmitter mode or the real-time chart recording feature of the software will avoid RF interference.
4. Randomize the transmission interval – This option is selected from the wireless
configuration menu. Selecting this option will cause the transmitter to wait a short random delay of up to 5 seconds before it transmits each data packet. Should two transmitters drift to within 5 seconds of each other, this feature will reduce the dropped points by about 80% until the transmitter clocks drift apart again. This will also decrease the chances of sequential lost packets.
5. Staggering of scheduled transmissions – By starting the RF transmitters at
different times, the transmissions will not overlap until the time drift between the transmitter clocks causes transmission collisions. At room temperature, the typical clock will drift no more than 1-2 seconds per day. Higher or lower temperatures will cause more drift. For example: if you use delay start to start one transmitter at 11:00:00 and a second transmitter at 11:00:30 (at 1 minute sample rates), then typically they would run for about 30 days (at similar temperatures) before there was a possibility of a collision. However, temperature fluctuations that deviate up or down from room temperature will generally cause the clock to run slower. Thus, potential collisions depend the time between samples, relative clock accuracy and relative ambient temperatures.
6. Prime number scheduled transmissions – This method utilizes prime numbers to
help prevent transmission collisions. See the next section for further detail on this method.
PREVENTING COLLISIONS WITH PRIME NUMBERS
As mentioned in the previous section, prime numbers can be helpful in preventing collisions, allowing the maximum amount of data to be received from every transmitter. This section will outline the steps to follow to select the best transmission intervals, and provide a worked example.
Using prime numbers is advantageous because the common multiples of two prime numbers are farther apart than the multiples of two nearby non-primes. (For example, the numbers 8 and 12 have a common multiple at 24, 48, 72, etc., while 7 and 11 have their first common multiple at 77.) So, if two transmitters were set up to transmit at 8 and 12 minutes respectively, a collision (and a lost transmission) would occur every 24 minutes, much more often than if they were set up to transmit at 7 and 11 minutes. When expanding to 3 or more transmitters, this property is even more pronounced.
The size of the prime number matters as well. For larger prime numbers, fewer collisions will occur in a given amount of time.
Finally, to minimize the impact of the collisions that do occur, the transmitter should be configured to transmit the same data at least twice for every reading. This can be accomplished using the “Return most recently recorded data only” option in the Wireless Configuration dialog. For two transmitter systems, this ensures that every reading will have at least one clear window for transmission. If two transmitters collide during the first transmission attempt, they cannot possibly collide during the second (they are scheduled to select different windows for the second attempt). For three or more transmitters, it is possible to collide with one transmitter on the first attempt and another on the second attempt, but the number of these “sequential collisions” is very small.
The general procedure for selecting transmission intervals follows below. It assumes that all the transmitters will be recording data at the same rate.
1. Determine the number of transmitters – Determine the number of points that
need to be monitored, and select the transmitters that will cover those points most efficiently.
2. Determine the reading interval – The reading interval selected for the devices
should be the longest interval that will provide the data needed for the application.
3. Select the prime numbers – The transmission intervals must always be a multiple
of 10 seconds. So, divide the reading interval (in seconds) by 20, and pick the largest prime numbers that are less than this value. This ensures that there will always be at least two transmission slots per reading for each transmitter. Prime numbers in the necessary range are listed in Table 1.
4. Assign the transmission intervals – Multiply the prime numbers selected in step 3
by 10, and assign them to the transmitters. If some transmitters are monitoring more critical data than others, they may be assigned the smaller or larger numbers depending on the application. If the smallest numbers are substantially less than half the reading interval (e.g. 130 seconds for a 10 minute reading interval), assign them to the more critical transmitters to increase the number of transmissions per reading. If the smaller numbers are close to half the reading interval, assign the larger numbers to the critical transmitters, as the larger numbers will experience slightly fewer collisions.
5. Configure and launch the devices – In the Wireless Configuration dialog, enable
the custom transmit interval, and select the “Return most recently recorded data only” option for each device. Enter the proper transmission interval in seconds (be careful not to enter the number incorrectly as hours/minutes/seconds), and save the configuration before exiting the dialog. When launching the devices, use delayed start mode to begin the transmission schedules at the same time, and select the reading interval determined in step 2.
Table 1. Prime numbers from 3 to 2160
-- 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23 29 31 37 41 43 47 53 59 61 67 71 73 79 83 89 97 101 103 107 109 113 127 131 137 139 149 151 157 163 167 173 179 181 191 193 197 199 211 223 227 229 233 239 241 251 257 263 269 271 277 281 283 293 307 311 313 317 331 337 347 349 353 359 367 373 379 383 389 397 401 409 419 421 431 433 439 443 449 457 461 463 467 479 487 491 499 503 509 521 523 541 547 557 563 569 571 577 587 593 599 601 607 613 617 619 631 641 643 647 653 659 661 673 677 683 691 701 709 719 727 733 739 743 751 757 761 769 773 787 797 809 811 821 823 827 829 839 853 857 859 863
877 881 883 887 907 911 919 929 937 941 947 953 967 971 977 983 991 997 1009 1013 1019 1021 1031 1033 1039 1049 1051 1061 1063 1069 1087 1091 1093 1097 1103 1109 1117 1123 1129 1151 1153 1163 1171 1181 1187 1193 1201 1213 1217 1223 1229 1231 1237 1249 1259 1277 1279 1283 1289 1291 1297 1301 1303 1307 1319 1321 1327 1361 1367 1373 1381 1399 1409 1423 1427 1429 1433 1439 1447 1451 1453 1459 1471 1481 1483 1487 1489 1493 1499 1511 1523 1531 1543 1549 1553 1559 1567 1571 1579 1583 1597 1601 1607 1609 1613 1619 1621 1627 1637 1657 1663 1667 1669 1693 1697 1699 1709 1721 1723 1733 1741 1747 1753 1759 1777 1783 1787 1789 1801 1811 1823 1831 1847 1861 1867 1871 1873 1877 1879 1889 1901 1907 1913 1931 1933 1949 1951 1973 1979 1987 1993 1997 1999 2003 2011 2017 2027 2029 2039 2053 2063 2069 2081 2083 2087 2089 2099 2111 2113 2129 2131 2137 2141 2143 2153 -- -- -- -- --
Prime Number Examples
Two examples are provided in Table 2 below to illustrate the procedure. Notice that increasing the reading interval by a factor of 6 (1 hour instead of 10 minutes) results in an increase by a factor of 540 in the time before data is lost (45 days instead of 2 hours)!
Table 2. Prime number examples Example 1 Example 2 Number of Transmitters 5 5 Reading Interval 10 minutes (600 seconds) 1 hour (3600 seconds) Max Transmission Interval 300 seconds (= 600/2) 1800 seconds (= 3600/2) Max Prime Number 30 (= 300/10) 180 (= 1800/10) Selected Prime Numbers 29, 23, 19, 17, 13 179, 173, 167, 163, 157 Transmission Intervals
* More critical devices
290 seconds 230 seconds 190 seconds* 170 seconds* 130 seconds*
1790 seconds* 1730 seconds* 1670 seconds 1630 seconds 1570 seconds
First Lost Reading After > 2 hours > 45 days
AUTOSAVE OF WIRELESS DATA
A convenient feature of the Wireless Real Time Chart Recording mode of the MadgeTech software is the ability to automatically save the data to all supported data file formats such as (.CSV files); software version 2.00.70 or higher is required. Data can also be saved manually using “File/Save As” in the software or the “Save As” button in the “Configure Wireless Data” dialog.
Note. While the Auto Save feature is enabled, system memory consumption will go up. To avoid excessive PC memory consumption, MadgeTech recommends setting the amount of
readings that are saved to the highest value (e.g. every 1000 Readings) that is possible. For operations with 1-2 data loggers, it is OK to set “200” as the reading count. To select where a file is automatically saved/archived to, simply click the “Browse” button and specify a directory where the files will be automatically saved.
Note. Initially, the default directory is the same as that set in your software preferences under the “Data” tab.
To setup the autosave feature, ensure your wireless data logger has been started by using a standard interface cable, and that the RFC101A wireless receiver is now attached to the target PC. Precisely, follow the steps:
1. Start the logger as in the section “Starting the Device and Synchronizing the
Transmitter” on page 10.
2. Under the “Communications” menu, ensure that “Accept Real Time Wireless Input”
is checked.
3. Choose the “Composite Graph” tab to view all of the wireless data set.
4. Click “Device” and note the following menu additions/changes pertaining to
wireless transmissions:
a. “Configure Wireless Data” b. “Wireless Statistics” c. “Wireless Alarm Setup”
5. Click “Device” then “Configure Wireless Data”. The “Configure Wireless Data”
window below will appear and list the loggers whose wireless data have been
received.
6. The following checkboxes are: a. “Accept Data From Device” – allows the user to set whether the software accepts wireless data from each device in the list. This is useful if it is necessary to isolate data reception to certain transmitters in certain locations.
b. “Display Data on Wireless Graph” – allows the user to set whether the software displays wireless data from each device in the list. This is useful if it is desirable to only view data from certain devices.
c. “Automatically Save Data” – allows the user to set whether the software will automatically save data from each device in the list. This is useful if you want to archive data from some devices, but not all of them.
d. “Browse” button - allows the user to program the directory where saved data is archived.
e. The drop down menu allows users to program the data to automatically save after a certain amount of data has been received.
7. Careful use of Autosave – It is recommended that Manual save be used in most
cases. If Autosave of wireless data is needed for record keeping purposes, use a
longer autosave interval as the number of received data loggers increases. Autosave interval is set as default at every 500 readings. When using 1-2 loggers, 200 reading interval will be OK; while when using 10 loggers, 1000 reading interval is recommended. Autosave feature will be improved when MadgeTech implements XML file format for autosave in the future release.
Figure 6. The Configure Wireless Data dialog
REAL TIME WIRELESS ALARMING
This feature is useful when alarm notifications (screen, email, cell phone text message) are critical. To set up real time wireless alarming, ensure the transmitter(s) in use have been started and the RFC101A receiver is installed on the system and has been configured properly (e.g. change baud rate to 4800). To access the real time wireless alarming functions, follow these steps:
1. Start the logger as in the section “Starting the Device and Synchronizing the
Transmitter” on page 10.
2. Ensure that “Display Real Time Wireless Data” from the “Device” menu is selected.
3. Choose the “Composite Graph” tab to view all of the wireless data set.
4. Click “Device” then “Wireless Alarm Setup”.
5. The “Wireless Alarm Setup” window below will appear and list the loggers whose
wireless data have been received.
6. Highlight an RF data logger and click the button “Create New or Modify”. A
“Wireless Alarm Settings” window will appear. The “Serial Number” and “Device
Name (ID)” will be listed.
7. Ensure that “Notification and Channel” tab is selected. There are two notification
types:
a. Screen Alarm – will notify the user with a window indicating an alarm has been activated.
b. Email Alarm – will notify the user with an email or cell phone text message that an alarm has been activated. If you check the “Email Alarm” checkbox then please remember to go to “Email” tab to enter the required information.
Note. For email notification, please contact your IT Department for information on your mail server/network settings. For cell phone text messaging, please contact your cell phone company to activate your cellular phone to receive emails in the form of text message alarms. The feature to mention to the cellular phone company’s is “SMS messaging to email”, or email to cellular text message function. In order to use the cellular phone text messaging option, this must be completed. For convenience, MadgeTech is providing this web site for customers to look up the section titled “Email to SMS / Web to SMS”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_gateways
c. Notify on every reading out of range – will notify the user at the programmed sample interval when an alarm condition has occurred.
d. Notify only on initial out of range reading – will notify the user as soon as the first alarm condition occurred, but will not continue to alert the user thereafter.
e. Notify on every [H] [M] [S] while reading is out of range – will notify the user after a specified length of time that an alarm condition has occurred. This is useful if a parameter is allowed to stay in an alarm condition for a certain amount of time, and if the alarm continues, it is of concern to be alerted.
f. Channel Settings – Allows the user to set the channel in which they want an alarm to be associated with. The user can also specify the respective units for the measurement channel.
g. Low Alarm – allows the user to specify that if a value measured is lower than what the user specified, then either a screen and/or email/text message alarm will appear.
h. High Alarm - allows the user to specify that if a value measured is higher than what the user specified, then either a screen and/or email/text message alarm will appear.
i. Add/Modify – allows the user to add the created alarm to the alarm list. To save the alarm settings, click “OK” to save the settings and close the “Wireless Alarm Settings” window and return to “Wireless Alarm Setup” window.
8. In the "Wireless Alarm Setup" window the data grid will show the added alarms.
Click the "Save and Exit" button to save the settings and close the "Wireless Alarm
Setup" window. If the user clicks the “Cancel” button, the window will close without
saving settings/changes.
9. In the "Wireless Alarm Setup" window, highlight an alarm in the data grid and this
will enable the "Delete" button. Use the "Delete" button to delete an alarm. Click the
"Save and Exit" button to save the changes or click "Cancel" to ignore the changes.
10. In "Wireless Alarm Setup" window, if there are entries in the data grid, then the
feature "Notifying no reading received for a period of TIME" will be enabled. This
feature allows the user to be notified if no wireless data has been received for a
period of TIME either in terms of Screen Alarm or Email Alarm (as checked in the
“Wireless Alarm Settings” window).
11. The “Load Alarm Setup” and “Save Setup to File” buttons are described in the
following sections. These features are to allow users to load alarm setup from, and
save alarm setup to an XML file, respectively.
Figure 7. The Wireless Alarm Setup dialog
Figure 8. The Wireless Alarm Settings dialog – Notification and Channel tab
Figure 9. The Wireless Alarm Settings dialog – Email tab
Figure 10. The multi-alarm Wireless Alarm Notification dialog
SAVING ALARM SETUP TO XML FILE
Follow the steps in the Real Time Wireless Alarming section, page 17, to set up alarms. When there are one or more entries in the grid in the Wireless Alarm Setup dialog, the “Save Setup to File” button will become enabled. Click “Save Setup to File” and enter a file name to save all the alarms in the grid.
LOADING ALARM SETUP
Start up MadgeTech software and click menu item “Device” then “Wireless Alarm Setup” to bring out the Wireless Alarm Setup dialog. If the device to be set up for wireless alarming is listed then their previously saved alarm setup can be loaded. Click “Load Alarm Setup” button and select the XML file to load. If the selected XML file contains alarm setup for the active devices shown on the list then a message will show up to ask for confirm. Click Yes to load the alarm setup
INCREASING RANGE WITH THE RFEXTENDER
The RFExtender products can extend the transmission distance of MadgeTech’s RF series products for up to 1 mile (1.6 km) under ideal conditions. Typical ranges are 1000 to 2000 feet (300 to 600 m) outdoors, and up to 300 feet (100 m) indoors. An RFExtender system requires a minimum of two RFExtender transceivers, one at each node of the wireless link. The RFExtender transceivers require AC power.
Simple RFExtender System
A basic set-up might be one of the two configurations below:
Figure 11. RFExtender as a wireless repeater
Figure 12. RFExtender as a wireless communication interface
In either configuration, the RFExtender functions like an extension cable between the logger interface and the PC. The primary difference between the two setups is the logger interface that is connected to the RFExtender. Figure 11 uses an RFC101A, and is therefore limited by the one-way communication between the RF data logger and the RFC101A. Just like using the RFC101A by itself, this setup requires that the logger be brought back to the PC and connected to an IFC110 interface cable to launch, download, or configure the logger. Figure 12 allows two-way communication through the IFC110 and thus can allow full use of the data logger features.
The setup in Figure 11 is necessary when several transmitters must send their data to the same RFExtender. The data is received by the RFC101A, and retransmitted or “repeated” to the PC. Figure 12 is appropriate when only one data logger needs to be used with a particular RFExtender, at a particular time. The data logger is configured to transmit data packets over the serial cable instead of through the wireless transmitter, and the RFExtender transmits the serial data back to the PC. This setup has two advantages: the logger can be launched, downloaded, and configured without bringing it back to the PC, and the IFC110 interface cable is less expensive than the RFC101A.
Complex RFExtender System
It is possible to use more than two RFExtenders in a system with more than two nodes. This type of setup will be an extension of the two simple setups demonstrated above. Refer to Figure 12 for an example of a complex system.
The setup in Figure 13 shows an RFExtender connected to a PC that can receive data from 8 other transceivers. Each of the remote transceivers can either communicate serially with one logger via an IFC110 or receive wireless data from multiple RF series transmitters through an RFC101A. For this system to function properly, each transceiver must be set up to receive data only from the proper location. This is accomplished by assigning each transceiver a unique module address to identify itself, and a receiver address mask to identify the module addresses from which it will receive data.
Module Address and Receiver Address Mask
The module address provides a unique identification of the individual transceivers. It consists of 4 hexadecimal digits, which can be divided between a “system number” and a node address within that system. Most applications will us a module address of the format XXYY, where XX is the system number and YY is the node address. A system is comprised of a PC connected to an RFExtender transceiver (the “Local Node”) and several other transceivers (“Remote Nodes”) setup within the transmission range. Using the system number is not strictly necessary, but it allows several groups of transceivers to be located within transmission distance of each other without allowing data from one group to be received by the other.
The receiver address mask is also 4 digits and will usually be configured in one of two ways: to receive data from all the modules within a system, or to receive data only from another module with the same module address. Only the local node at the PC will be configured to receive data from multiple modules, as only the PC is capable of receiving and processing the data being transmitted by all the modules. The remote nodes will be assigned individual addresses, and configured only to accept transmissions from a module with the same address as their own. To allow two-way communication with a remote node, the local node module address and receiver address mask will be changed temporarily to match that of the remote node.
Assigning module addresses should begin with the determination of the system number. The system numbers used may be sequential, starting with one, as the zero address has special significance. The local node should be assigned node address zero, and the remote nodes may be sequential starting with one. Note that this is how the module addresses in Figure 13 were generated.
The receiver address mask instructs the transceiver which data to receive by indicating what part of the incoming module address should be compared to its own module address. The remote nodes should be assigned receiver address masks of “FFFF”. In general terms, a hexadecimal digit “F” in the receiver address mask means “compare this digit”. So a receiver address mask of “FFFF” means “compare all the digits”, and if all the digits do not match, ignore the incoming data. In technical terms, the comparison is performed as a logical “AND” operation, which is a common function in computers and digital circuits.
The local node in Figure 13 is assigned an address mask of “FF00”. This can be interpreted as “compare the system number, but not the node number”. (Technically, the “AND” function will always result in a node address of “00”.) This way, the PC will receive data from all the transceivers in its system. As a general note, to communicate between one transceiver to the next, it is important that when configuring each transceiver, the “Network Address” and “Module Address” are set as the same.
Receiver Address Mask Example
The local node in Figure 12 has a module address of “0100” and a receiver address mask of “FF00”. Suppose that it receives data from module address “0104”. The incoming address is processed through the mask as “0104” AND “FF00” = “0100”. The result matches the local node address of “0100”, so the transceiver passes the data through.
Likewise, suppose that module address “0104” receives data from module address “0108”. The incoming address is processed through the mask as “0108” AND “FFFF” = “0108”. The result does not match the receiver’s module address of “0104”, so the receiver ignores the data.
For further information on uses of the module address and receiver address mask, contact MadgeTech Technical Support.
L
F
0
2
F
0
F
0
1
F
0
3
8
F
0
4
5
g
Node
7
0107 FFFF
0106 FFFF
Node
6
0108 FFFF
0105 FFFF
Node
Node
100 F00
ocal
Node
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Node
Node
101 FFF
102 FFF
103 FFF
Node
104 FFF
ADDRESS
MASK
RFEXTENDER
TRANSCIEVER
RF SERIES
DATA LOGGER
RFC101A
WIRELESS
RECEIVER
IFC110
INTERFACE
CABLE
WIRELESS LINK CABLE LINK
ure 13. A complex RFExtender system
Fi
BATTERY LIFE
There are many variables that affect the battery lifetime. These variables include (but are not limited to) sample rate, transmit rate, LED settings, transmission settings, ambient temperature and battery self-discharge.
For the purposes of approximating battery life, please consult Tables 3 and 4 below. These numbers should not be used as an absolute guarantee, but as an approximate guide for deciding when the battery will need replacement. This table is useful because the lithium batteries used in the RF products do not show a strong correlation between voltage and remaining capacity, which makes it very difficult to measure their remaining life. In lithium batteries, the voltage stays very nearly constant for the entire life of the battery until it drops sharply and suddenly when depleted.
There are variables that are not accounted for in the tables. The table assumes a pattern of continuous use, in which both the logger and transmitter features are used such that both the transmitter and logger are active at approximately the indicated “activity rate” (for cases where the logger and transmitter operate at different rates, use the faster rate for estimation). The calculations assume that the device is configured and deployed, then downloaded and redeployed when the logger memory is nearly full.
Table 3. Estimated battery life ACTIVITY RATE WORST CASE FACTORY DEFAULT BEST CASE 30 seconds 3 months 6 months 6 months 1 minute 6 months 12 months 12 months 2 minutes 12 months 20 months 24 months 3 minutes 15 months 27 months 3 years 4 minutes 21 months 33 months 3.5 years 5 minutes 24 months 3 years 4 years 6 minutes 27 months 3.5 years 5 years 8 minutes 33 months 4 years 6 years 10 minutes 3 years 4.5 years 7 years 15 minutes 4 years 5 years 8.5 years 30 minutes 5 years 6 years 10+ years 1 hour 6 years 6.5 years 10+ years 2 hours 6.5 years 7 years 10+ years 4 hours 7 years 7+ years 10+ years
The transmitter settings used to calculate the best, worst and factory default cases are indicated in Table 4.
Table 4. Transmitter settings for battery life estimation WORST CASE FACTORY DEFAULT BEST CASE Wireless Output Enabled Enabled Enabled Serial Output Not Significant Not Significant Not Significant Logging Option Not Significant Not Significant Not Significant Switch Option Not Significant Not Significant Not Significant Randomization Enabled Disabled Disabled
Error Correction Enabled Disabled Enabled Custom Interval Enabled Disabled Disabled Sampling Option Not Significant Not Applicable Not Applicable Indicator Mode 10 seconds 10 seconds Reading only
Even longer battery life can be achieved by disabling the wireless output in favor of serial-only or no transmission. Battery life is not calculated for these unusual cases.
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
The RF series data loggers are rated for –30 to +70 °C (-5 to +50 °C for the RFpHTemp101A, and -20 to +100 °C for the RFOT) and up to 95 %RH (non-condensing).
Although the devices are fully functional over this range, the strength of the wireless output signal may vary with changes in environment. In particular, the signal strength may be reduced at the temperature extremes, in high humidity, or if humidity condenses inside the device.
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY
To achieve maximum distance for the wireless transmission, there are a number of guidelines that should be followed. Consider these points when setting up the system:
Transmitter location – Keep the transmitter as close to the receiver as possible. If
either the transmitter or receiver must be in an enclosed area, keep the other inside the same area. This is especially important if there would be metal walls, conduit, or wires between the units. In particular, attempting to transmit from inside of a freezer or refrigerator is not likely to be successful.
Line of sight – Keep the transmitting and receiving antennas along a direct line of sight
from one to the other. In addition, keep the number of corners or obstacles in between them to a minimum.
Nearby objects – Try to keep the transmitting and receiving antennas away from any
foreign objects, especially those made of metal. Performance may be improved by moving the antenna away from the ground, ceiling, or nearby objects.
Antenna orientation – Keeping the transmitting and receiving antennae parallel with
one another may improve performance.
Composite Graph – Keep the Wireless Realtime Chart Recording selected on the
Composite Graph tab when receiving readings from multiple recorders.
Minimize interference – Keep external sources of radio frequency noise to a minimum.
Locate the antenna and receiver as far from any other electrical or wireless devices as possible. If multiple transmitters are being used, set up the system to minimize interference between transmitters.
Minimum delay between readings – Keep the transmit intervals to no less than 30 seconds between readings on ALL devices. This can be accomplished using the Delay Start
method and specifying start times at least 30 seconds apart from each other, and a reading rate that will not result in overlapping transmissions.
Recommended Maximum number of transmitters per system – See Table 5 for
recommendations based on reading rate used.
Careful use of Autosave - It is recommended that Manual save be used in most cases.
If Autosave of wireless data is needed for record keeping purposes, use a longer autosave interval as the number of received data loggers increases. Autosave interval is set as default at every 500 readings. When using 1-3 loggers, 200 reading interval will be OK; while when using 10 loggers, 1000 reading interval is recommended. Autosave feature will be improved when MadgeTech implements XML file format for autosave in the future.
Table 5. Maximum Recommended transmitters per system DATA FREQUENCY TRANSMITTERS TIME SEPARATION 2 minutes 8 30 seconds 3 minutes 6 30 seconds 4 minutes 8 30 seconds 5 minutes 10 30 seconds 6 minutes 12 30 seconds 8 minutes 16 30 seconds 10 minutes 10 1 minute 15 minutes 15 1 minute 30 minutes 30 1 minute 1 hour 30 2 minutes 2 hours 40 3 minutes 4 hours 48 5 minutes 8 hours 60 8 minutes 12 hours 72 10 minutes
Computer Specifications and Maintenance – As with any software application, a
computer with a fast CPU and plenty of available memory (RAM) is a key factor in achieving the best performance. A windows disk cleanup such as Disk Defragmenter and Scandisk will help improve system performance greatly. System reliability can also be improved using the “File” then “Save” command to archive wireless data every x amount of readings. For example, reliability will be increased if data is being archived every 200 readings, than if it was being archived ever 2000 readings.
Periodically Restart the MadgeTech Software – For long-term wireless reception of
multiple RF-series data loggers, MadgeTech recommends that the data be manually saved and the software restarted as often as every few days, depending on how often new data is received. Memory usage of the MadgeTech2.exe program can be tracked in the Processes tab of the Windows Task Manager. When a wireless data logger is configured and launched at the target PC, a unique *.DVC (device file) is stored in the MadgeTech program directory. This *.DVC file contains information about the wireless transmitter, which can be loaded on to other PC’s so those computers can accept real time wireless data. Of course it is necessary that the PC on which the DVC file was loaded is setup with an RFC101A receiver, the baud rate is set to 4800, “Accept Real Time Wireless Input” is checked from the “Communications” menu, and “Display Real Time Wireless Data” is checked from the “Device” menu.
INDUSTRY CANADA (IC) NOTICE
The following IC identification numbers are associated with the devices covered by this manual. These certifications/registrant numbers are displayed on the labels of the products. Removal or defacement of these numbers will void the IC certification.
PRODUCT IC # TRADE NAME RFTemp101A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFRHTemp101A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFTC4000A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFRTDTemp101A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFpHTemp101A 4953A-RFPHTEMP MadgeTech, Inc. RFVolt101A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFProcess101A 4953A-BOARDRF MadgeTech, Inc. RFPulse101A RFOT
4953A-BOARDRF 4953A-BOARDJ
MadgeTech, Inc. MadgeTech, Inc.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For further information on the products described in this manual, contact:
MadgeTech, Inc.
879 Maple Street, Contoocook, NH 03229
P.O. Box 50 Warner, NH 03278
Phone: (603)-456-2011 Fax: (603)-456-2012 Email: support@madgetech.com Web: http://www.madgetech.com/
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