Novatel 15a, 15aT User Manual
EuroPak-15a/15aT
Receiver
USER MANUAL
OM-20000100 Rev 5
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual
Publication Number: OM-20000100
Revision Level: 5
Revision Date: 2007/04/26
Associated Firmware Version: L1/E5a 5.101 or higher
NovAtel® and Narrow Correlator® tracking technology are registered trademarks of NovAtel Inc.
All other brand names are trademarks of their respective holders.
Proprietary Notice
© Copyright NovAtel Inc. (2006-2007). All rights reserved.
Unpublished rights reserved under International copyright laws.
Printed in Canada on recycled paper. Recyclable.
2 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Table of Contents
Notices 9
Software License 11
Warranty Policy 13
Customer Service 14
Foreword 15
1 Introduction 16
1.1 Overview of the EuroPak-15a........................................................................................................ 16
1.2 SBAS Overview............................................................................................................................. 16
1.3 Galileo Overview......................... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ................................................... ...................17
1.3.1 Open Service ... .... ... ... ................................................. ... ... ... ... ............................................. 18
1.3.2 Commercial Service.................................................................... ... ...................................... 18
1.3.3 Safety-of-Life Service........................................................... ... .... ... ... ... .... ............................ 19
1.3.4 Public Regulated Service..................................................................................................... 19
1.3.5 Search and Rescue Service. ... ... ................................................. ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ...................19
1.4 EuroPak-15a Enclosure . ... ... ... .... ... ................................................... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ............19
1.5 EuroPak-15a Features................................ ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ...................................... 20
1.5.1 GEO Signal Processing .......................................................................................................21
1.5.2 Digital Pulse Blanking ....................................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................................ 21
1.6 Functional Overview................................................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ......................................... 21
1.7 Internal Euro-L1E5a Card . ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ................................................... .... ... ... ...................... 21
1.7.1 Radio Frequency Section..................................................................................................... 21
1.7.2 Digital Electronics Section.................................... ... .... ... ... ... ................................................ 22
1.8 Antenna or Signal Generator............... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... .........................................................22
1.9 Principal Power Supply .................................................. ... .... ... ... ................................................... 22
1.10 Data Communications Equipment............................................................................................... 22
2 Installation 23
2.1 Additional Equipment Required..................................................................................................... 23
2.1.1 Selecting an Antenna or Signal Generator........................................................................... 23
2.1.2 Choosing a Coaxial Cable.................................................................................................... 23
2.1.3 Power Supply Requirements................................................................................................ 24
2.2 Installation Overview................... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ................................................... ...................24
2.2.1 Mounting the Antenna or Signal Generator..........................................................................25
2.2.2 Connecting the Antenna or Signal Generator to the Receiver............................................. 25
2.2.3 Applying Power to the Receiver........................................................................................... 26
2.2.4 Connecting Data Communications Equipment .................................................................... 26
2.3 Additional Features and Information..............................................................................................26
2.3.1 Strobes....................... ................................................. ... ... ... ................................................ 26
2.3.2 Status Indicators .. ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ................27
2.3.3 External Oscillator................................................................ ... .... ... ... ................................... 27
2.3.4 Mounting Bracket .................................... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................................ 27
3 Operation 28
3.1 Pre-Start Check List....................... ... ................................................ .... ... ... ... .... ... ......................... 28
3.2 Start-Up ............................ ... ... .... ... ... ................................................ .... ... ... ... .... ... ......................... 28
3.3 Communicating with the EuroPak-15a ..........................................................................................29
3.4 Getting Started............................................................................................................................... 29
3.4.1 Starting the Receiver............................................................................................................ 29
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 3
Table of Contents
3.4.2 Communicating with the Receiver Using GPSolution (Aviation) ..........................................29
4 Using Commands and Logs 31
4.1 Entering Commands.. .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ...................................................................................... 31
4.1.1 Command Settings on Power-Up.........................................................................................31
4.1.2 Determining the Current Command Settings ....................................................................... 32
4.1.3 Response Formats.................. ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ......................................................... 32
4.1.4 Response Messages .. ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ................................................... .... ... ... ... ...... 32
4.2 Logging Data ................. ... ... ... .... ................................................ ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ............................34
4.2.1 Log Types................................... .... ... ... ... .............................................................................34
4.2.2 Log Triggers................................................................ ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ............................34
4.2.3 Specifying Log Formats.............................. .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................................ 35
4.3 Log Formats...................... ... ... .................................................... ................................................... 35
4.3.1 ASCII................ .... ... ... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... ......................................... 35
4.3.2 Binary............................................................. ................................................ ... ...................36
4.4 Fields................................................... .... ... ... ................................................ .... ... .........................38
4.4.1 Field Types.... .................................................................................................... ...................38
4.4.2 Commonly-Used Fields........... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ...................................................... 39
5 Commands 43
5.1 Functional Listing of Commands ................................................................................................... 43
5.2 Command Summary......................................... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ................................................... 44
5.3 Command Reference.............. .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ..........................................................................45
5.3.1 AGCMODE Control Automatic Gain Control ..................................................................... 45
5.3.2 ASSIGN Assign Individual Satellite Channels...................................................................47
5.3.3 CHANCONFIG.................................................. ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ............................................ 49
5.3.4 CLOCKADJUST...... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ................................................ ... ... .... ... ... ... ...................50
5.3.5 COM Serial Port Configuration Control..................................... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ...................51
5.3.6 ECUTOFF Set Satellite Elevation Cut-off..........................................................................53
5.3.7 EXTERNALCLOCK.............. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .................................................... ... .... ... ... .........54
5.3.8 FIX Constrain to Fixed Position............................................................. ... ... ... .... ...............56
5.3.9 FRESET Clear Data in NVM..............................................................................................58
5.3.10 LOG Request Logs from Receiver................................................................................... 59
5.3.11 POSITIONTYPE Set the Position Solution......................................................................61
5.3.12 PULSEBLANKING Enable/Disable Pulse Blanking.........................................................62
5.3.13 RESET Hardware Reset..................................................................................................63
5.3.14 SDLLBW Configure DLL Filter Bandwidth.......................................................................64
5.3.15 SPLLBW Configure Phase-Lock-Loop Bandwidth........................................................... 65
5.3.16 STHRESHOLD Control Signal Thresholds...................................................................... 66
5.3.17 UNASSIGN Unassign a Previously Assigned Channel...................................................67
5.3.18 UNLOG Remove Log from Logging Control....................................................................68
5.3.19 UNLOGALL Remove All Logs from Logging Control.......................................................69
6 Data Logs 70
6.1 Functional Listing of Logs..............................................................................................................70
6.2 Log Summary ...................... ... .... ... .................................................... ............................................ 71
6.3 Log Reference............... ... ... ... .................................................... ................................................... 71
6.3.1 AGCSTATS Automatic Gain Control Status......................................................................72
6.3.2 ALMANAC Decoded Almanac................. .... ... ... ... .... ................................................... ... ... 75
6.3.3 CLOCKMODEL Current Clock Model Status..................................................................... 77
6.3.4 PSRPOS Pseudorange Position........................................ .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... 80
6.3.5 RANGE Satellite Range Information......................... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................... 82
6.3.6 RAWEPHEM Raw Ephemeris.............................. .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................... 86
6.3.7 RAWFRAME Raw Subframes..................................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... 87
4 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Table of Contents
6.3.8 RXCOMMANDS Receiver Configuration . .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ................................................ 88
6.3.9 RXSECSTATUS Receiver Section Status......................................................................... 91
6.3.10 SATVIS Satellite Visibility................................................................................................ 94
6.3.11 SYSTEMLEVELS System Hardware Levels................................................................... 96
6.3.12 TIME Time Data .............................................................................................................. 97
6.3.13 TRACKSTAT Tracking Status......................................................................................... 98
6.3.14 VERSION Version Information ......................................................................................100
7 Firmware Updates 102
7.1 Contacting the NovAtel Aviation Department .............................................................................. 102
7.2 Downloading the Files ......................... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ..............103
7.3 Decompressing the Files..................... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ................................................... .... ..........103
7.4 Running the Utility........................................................................................................................ 104
7.4.1 Open a File to Download....................................................................................................104
7.4.2 Communications Settings ....... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... .................................................... ... ... ... . 105
7.4.3 Downloading Firmware . .... ... ... ... ... .... .................................................................................105
8 Built-In Status Test 107
8.1 Overview........................................... ... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... ....................... 107
8.2 Receiver Status Word.......................................... .... ... ... ..............................................................107
8.3 Error Strobe Signal...................................................................................................................... 107
8.4 Receiver Status Log ......................... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ..............................................................107
8.4.1 Overview .............................. ... ... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... .......................107
8.4.2 Error Word........ .... ................................................ ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ....................................... 108
8.4.3 Status Code Arrays............................................................................................................ 109
8.4.4 Receiver Status Code ................................ .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ....................................... 109
8.4.5 Auxiliary Status Codes............................... .... ... ................................................... ..............109
Appendices
A Technical Specifications 110
B Electrostatic Discharge Control (ESD) Practices 123
C Standards/References 125
D Replacement Parts 126
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 5
Figures
1 The SBAS Concept....................................................................................................................... 17
2 EuroPak-15a Enclosure ................................................................................................................ 20
3 Typical Receiver Installation..........................................................................................................25
4 The WGS84 ECEF Coordinate System ........................................................................................57
5 Serial Number and Version Label ...............................................................................................102
6 Main Screen of WinLoad............................................................................................................. 104
7 WinLoad’s Open Dialog.................................... ... .... ... ... .................................................... ... ....... 104
8 Open File in WinLoad..................................................................................................................105
9 COM Port Setup..........................................................................................................................105
10 Authorization Code Dialog........................................................................................................... 106
11 Update Process Complete .......................................................................................................... 106
12 Location of Receiver Status Word............................................................................................... 108
13 Reading the Bits in the Receiver Status Word............................................................................108
14 Location of Receiver Error Word.................................................................................................108
15 Reading the Bits in the Receiver Error Word .......................... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... .............108
16 EuroPak-15a Power Cable..........................................................................................................115
17 EuroPak-15a Null Modem Cable.................................................................................................116
18 EuroPak-15a Straight Through Serial Cable...............................................................................117
19 EuroPak-15a I/O Strobe Port Cable............................................................................................ 118
6 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Tables
1 Default Serial Port Configurations ................................ .................................................... ... ... ......26
2 Available Strobe Signals on the EuroPak-15a ............................................................................. 27
3 EuroPak-15a Status Indicators .................................................................................................... 27
4 Response Messages ....................................................................................................................33
5 Log Triggers for Each Log Type ................................................................................................... 34
6 ASCII Message Header Structure ................................................................................................36
7 Binary Message Header Structure ...............................................................................................37
8 Field Types ................................................................................................................................... 38
9 Byte Arrangements ......................................................................................................................39
10 Serial Port Identifier Values ................ ... .... ... .................................................... ... ... ... ... ................39
11 Message Type Byte Format ......................................................................................................... 39
12 GPS Time Status ........................................................................................................................ 40
13 Commands By Function ............................... ................................................................................ 43
14 Command Summary ....................................................................................................................44
15 Frequency Values for AGCMODE Command ..............................................................................45
16 AGC Mode Values .......................................................................................................................45
17 Antispoofing Flag Values ................ ... ... .... ................................................... .... ... ... ...................... 46
18 Channel State Values ..................................................................................................................48
19 Configuration Values .................................... ... .................................................... ... ... ... ................49
20 Parity Values ................................................................................................................................ 52
21 Handshaking Values .................................................................................................................... 52
22 Echo Values .... ... ... ... .... ................................................ ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ......................................... 52
23 Break Values ................................................................................................................................ 52
24 Clock Type ................................................................................................................................... 55
25 Pre-Defined Values for Oscillators ............................................................................................... 55
26 Fix Type Values ...........................................................................................................................56
27 Log Trigger Values ....................................................................................................................... 60
28 Log Hold Values ........................................................................................................................... 60
29 Position Frequency Switch ........................ ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .................................................... .........61
30 Frequency Switch .........................................................................................................................62
31 Pulse Blanking Switch ........................ ... .... ... ... ... .... ................................................ ... ... .... ............62
32 PLL Bandwidth Values ................................................................................................................. 65
33 Logs By Function .........................................................................................................................70
34 Log Summary ............................................................................................................................... 71
35 AGC Status Word .........................................................................................................................73
36 Clock Model Status Values .......................................................................................................... 79
37 Constellation Change Flag Values ............................................................................................... 79
38 Solution Status Values ................................................................................................................. 81
39 Position Type Values ......... ... .... ... ... ... ... ................................................. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ................81
40 Channel Tracking Status .............................................................................................................. 84
41 Tracking State Bit Values ....................................... ... ... ... .... ... ... ................................................... 85
42 Correlator Spacing Bit Values ...................................................................................................... 85
43 Command Type Values ................................................................................................................ 90
44 Component Type ..........................................................................................................................91
45 Receiver Error .............................................................................................................................. 92
46 Receiver Status ............................................................................................................................ 93
47 Satellite Visibility Values ....... .... ... ... ... ... ....................................................................................... 95
48 Complete Almanac Flag Values ...................... ....................................................... ......................95
49 Reject Code Values .....................................................................................................................99
50 Version Log Field Formats ...................................................................................................
51 Target Card Identification ........................................................................................................... 105
...... 101
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 7
Tables
52 Performance Specifications ............................. ... .... ... ... ... .... ... .................................................... 110
53 EuroPak-15a Serial Port Pin-Out Descriptions ...........................................................................114
54 EuroPak-15a I/O Port Pin-Out Descriptions .................... ........................................................... 114
55 10GALILEO6GPS Channel Configuration ....................... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... . 120
56 16GPSL1L5 Channel Configuration ....................................... .................................................... 120
57 16GALILEOL1E5a Channel Configuration ................................................................................. 121
58 12GPS4GEOL1L5 Channel Configuration ............................. .................................................... 121
59 8GPS8GEO Channel Configuration ....................... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... .... ... ....................................... 122
60 16GPSL5 Channel Configuration ............................................................................................... 122
61 Static-Accumulating Materials .................................................................................................... 124
8 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Notices
Notices
The following notices apply to the EuroPak-15a.
FCC NOTICE
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the radiated and conducted emission limits for a
Class B digital device, for both CISPR 22 and 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 turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver
• Connect the equipment to 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
IMPORTANT: In order to maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device, it is required to
use properly shielded interface cables (such as Belden #9539 or equivalent) when using the
serial data ports, and double-shielded cables (such as Belden #9945 or equivalent) when
using the I/O strobe port.
WARNING: Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved by NovAtel Inc. could
result in violation of Part 15 of the FCC rules.
CE NOTICE
The enclosure carries the CE mark.
WARNING: This is a Class B product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
"Hereby, NovAtel Inc. declares that this EuroPak-15a is in compliance with the essential requirements and
other relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC."
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 9
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
The EuroPak-15a has passed the following EMC regulatory tests:
Emissions Testing of the EUROPAK-15a
• EN 55022 1998 (CISPR 22 (2006)) - Information technology equipment - Radio disturbance
characteristics - Limits and methods of measurement
• FCC, Part 15 Subpart B (2004)
Immunity Testing of the EUROPAK–15a
• EN 61000-6-1: 2001 – Immunity Requirement s for Residen tial , Com mercial and Light
Industrial Environments
Safety of Information Technology Equipment
• IEC/EN 60950
Notices
10 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Software License
Software License
BY INSTALLING, COPYING, OR OTHERWISE USING THE SOFTWARE PRODUCT, YOU AGREE
TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT . IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS
OF THIS AGREEMENT, DO NOT INSTALL, COPY OR USE THE SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
1. License: NovAtel Inc. ("NovAtel") grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable license (not a sale) to use
one copy of the enclosed NovAtel software on a single computer, and only with the product it was supplied
with. You agree not to use the software for any purpose ot her than the due exercise of the rights and
licences hereby agreed to be granted to you.
2. Copyright: NovAtel owns, or has the right to sublicense, all copyright, trade secret, patent and other
proprietary rights in the software and the software is protected by national copyright laws, international
treaty provisions and all other applicable national laws. You must treat the software like any other
copyrighted material except that you may either (a) make one copy of the software solely for backup or
archival purposes, the media of said copy shall bear labels showing all trademark and copyright notices
that appear on the original copy, or (b) transfer the software to a single hard disk provided you keep th e
original solely for backup or archival purposes. You may not copy the product manual or written materials
accompanying the software. No right is conveyed by this Agreement for the use, directly, indirectly, by
implication or otherwise by Licensee of the name of NovAtel, or of any trade names or nomenclature used
by NovAtel, or any other words or combinations of words proprietary to NovAtel, in connection with this
Agreement, without the prior written consent of NovAtel.
3. Patent Infringement: NovAtel shall not be liable to indemnify the Licensee against any loss sustained by it
as the result of any claim made or action brought by any third party for infringement of any letters patent,
registered design or like instrument of privilege by reason of the use or application of the software by the
Licensee or any other information supplied or to be supplied to the Licensee pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement. NovAtel shall not be bound to take legal proceedings against any third party in respect of any
infringement of letters patent, registered design or like instrument of privilege which may now or at any
future time be owned by it. However, should NovAtel elect to take such legal proceedings, at NovAtel's
request, Licensee shall co-operate reasonably with NovAtel in all legal actions concerning this license of
the software under this Agreement taken against any third party by NovA tel to protect its rights in the
software. NovAtel shall bear all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by Licensee in the course of cooperating with NovAtel in such legal action.
4. Restrictions: You may not: (1) copy (other than as provided for in paragraph 2), distribute, transfer, rent,
lease, lend, sell or sublicense all or any portion of the software; (2) modify or prepare derivative works of
the software; (3) use the software in connection with computer-based services business or publicly display
visual output of the software; (4) transmit the software over a network, by telephone or electronically using
any means; or (5) reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the software. You agree to keep confidential
and use your best efforts to prevent and protect the contents of the software from unauthorized disclosure
or use.
5. Term and Termination: This Agreement and the rights and licences hereby granted shall continue in force
in perpetuity unless terminated by NovAtel or Licensee in accordance herewith. In the event that the
Licensee shall at any time during the term of this Agreement: i) be in breach of its obligations hereunder
where such breach is irremediable or if capable of remedy is not remedied within 30 days of notice from
NovAtel requiring its remedy; or ii) be or become bankrupt or insolvent or make any composition with its
creditors or have a receiver or manager appointed of the whole or any part of its undertaking or assets or
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 11
Software License
(otherwise as a solvent company for the purpose of and followed by an amalgamation or reconstruction
hereunder its successor shall be bound by its obligations hereunder) commence to be wound up; or iii) be
acquired or otherwise come under the direct or indirect control of a person or persons other than those
controlling it, then and in any event NovAtel may forthwith by notice in writ ing terminate this Agreement
together with the rights and licences hereby granted by NovAtel. Licensee may terminate this Agreement
by providing 30 days prior written notice to NovAtel. Upon termination, for any reasons, the Licensee shall
promptly, on NovAtel's request, return to NovAtel or at the election of NovAtel destroy all copies of any
documents and extracts comprising or containing the software. The Licensee shall also erase any copies of
the software residing on Licensee's computer equipment. Termination shall be without prejudice to the
accrued rights of either party , including payments due to NovAtel. This provision shall s urvive termination
of this Agreement howsoever arising.
6. Warranty: For 90 days from the date of shipment, NovAtel warrants that the media (for example, compact
disk) on which the software is contained will be free from defects in materials and workmanship. This
warranty does not cover damage caused by improper use or neglect. NovAtel does not warrant the contents
of the software or that it will be error free. The software is furnished "AS IS" and without warranty as to the
performance or results you may obtain by using the software. The entire risk as to the results and
performance of the software is assumed by you.
7. Indemnification: NovAtel shall be under no obligation or liability of any kind (in contract, tort or otherwise
and whether directly or indirectly or by way of indemnity contribution or otherwis e howsoever) to the
Licensee and the Licensee will indemnify and hold NovAtel harmless against all or any loss, damage,
actions, costs, claims, demands and other liabilities or any kind whatsoever (direct, consequential, special
or otherwise) arising directly or indirectly out of or by reason of the use by the Licensee of the software
whether the same shall arise in consequence of any such infringement, deficiency, inaccuracy, error or
other defect therein and whether or not involving negligence on the part of any person.
8. For software UPDA TES and UPGRADES, and regular customer support, contact the NovAtel GPS Hotline
at 1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. or Canada only), or 403-295-4900, or fax 403-295-4901, e-mail to
support@novatel.ca, visit our website http://www.novatel.com or write to:
NOVATEL INC.
CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT.
1120 - 68 AVENUE NE,
CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA T2E 8S5
9. Disclaimer of Warranty and Limitation of Liability:
a. THE WARRANTIES IN THIS AGREEMENT REPLACE ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NovAtel DISCLAIMS AND EXCLUDES ALL OTHER WARRANTIES.
IN NO EVENT WILL NovAtel's LIABILITY OF ANY KIND INCLUDE ANY SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, EVEN IF
NovAtel HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THE POTENTIAL LOSS OR DAMAGE.
b. NovAtel will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by delay in furnishing the software or any other
performance under this Agreement.
c. NovAtel's entire liability and your exclusive remedies for our liability of any kind (including liability
for negligence) for the software covered by this Agreement and all other performance or non-performance by NovAtel under or related to this Agreement are to the remedies specified by this Agreement.
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Province of Alberta, Canada. Each of the parties
hereto irrevocably attorns to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Alberta.
12 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Warranty Policy
Warranty Policy
NovAtel Inc. warrants that its Global Positioning System (GPS) products are free from defects in materials and
workmanship, subject to the conditions set forth below, for the following periods of time:
Date of sale shall mean the date of the invoice to the original customer for the product. NovAtel’s responsibility
respecting this warranty is solely to product replacement or product repair at an authorized NovAtel location.
Determination of replacement or repair will be made by NovAtel personnel or by technical personnel expressly
authorized by NovAtel for this purpose.
THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES DO NOT EXTEND TO (I) NONCONFORMITIES, DEFECTS OR
ERRORS IN THE PRODUCTS DUE TO ACCIDENT, ABUSE, MISUSE OR NEGLIGENT USE OF
THE PRODUCTS OR USE IN OTHER THAN A NORMAL AND CUSTOMARY MANNER, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS NOT CONFORMING TO NOVATEL’S SPECIFICATIONS, OR FAILURE TO FOLLOW PRESCRIBED INSTALLATION, OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE
PROCEDURES, (II) DEFECTS, ERRORS OR NONCONFORMITIES IN THE PRODUCTS DUE TO
MODIFICATIONS, ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS OR CHANGES NOT MADE IN ACCORDANCE
WITH NOVATEL’S SPECIFICATIONS OR AUTHORIZED BY NOVATEL, (III) NORMAL WEAR
AND TEAR, (IV) DAMAGE CAUSED BY FORCE OF NATURE OR ACT OF ANY THIRD PERSON,
(V) SHIPPING DAMAGE; OR (VI) SERVICE OR REPAIR OF PRODUCT BY THE DEALER WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM NOVATEL. IN ADDITION, THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES SHALL NOT APPL Y T O PRODUCTS DESIGNATED BY NOVATEL AS BETA SITE TEST
SAMPLES, EXPERIMENTAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, PREPRODUCTION, SAMPLE, INCOMPLETE
OR OUT OF SPECIFICATION PRODUCTS OR TO RETURNED PRODUCTS IF THE ORIGINAL
IDENTIFICATION MARKS HAVE BEEN REMOVED OR ALTERED. THE WARRANTIES AND
REMEDIES ARE EXCLUSIVE AND ALL OTHER W ARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WRITTEN OR ORAL, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXCLUDED. NOVATEL SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, EXPENSE, OR INJURY ARISING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY OUT
OF THE PURCHASE, INSTALLATION, OPERATION, USE OR LICENSING OR PRODUCTS OR
SERVICES. IN NO EVENT SHALL NOVATEL BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE DUE TO ANY CAUSE.
EuroPak-15a Receivers One (1) Year from date of sale
NovAtel Antennas One (1) Year from date of sale
Cables and Accessories Ninety (90) Days from date of sale
Software Support One (1) Year from date of sale
There are no user serviceable parts in the GPS receiver and no maintenance is required. When the status code indicates
that a unit is faulty, replace with another unit and return the faulty unit to NovAtel Inc.
Before shipping any material to NovAtel or Dealer, please obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA)
number from the point of purchase. You may also visit our website at http://www.novatel.com
Support | Repair Request from the side menu.
Once you have obtained an RMA number, you will be advised of proper shipping procedures to return any defective
product. When returning any product to NovAtel, please return the defective product in the original packaging to avoid
ESD and shipping damage.
and select
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 13
Customer Service
Customer Service
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your EuroPak-15a receiver, please contact the NovAtel
Aviation Group using any one of the following methods:
NovAtel GPS Hotline: 1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. and Canada)
403-295-4900 (International)
Fax: 403-295-4999
E-mail: support@novatel.ca
Website: www.novatel.com
Write: NovAtel Inc. Aviation Group
1120 - 68 Avenue NE
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2E 8S5
Firmware Updates
Firmware updates are firmware revisions to an existing model, which improve basic functionality of the GPS
receiver.
The process for obtaining firmware updates is discussed in Chapter 7, Firmware Updates starting on Page 102.
If you need further information, please contact NovAtel using one of the methods given above.
14 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Foreword
Foreword
Scope
This manual contains sufficient information on the installation and operation of the EuroPak-15a or EuroPak15aT receiver to allow you to effectively integrate and fully operate it. After the addition of accessories, usersupplied data communications equipment and a power supply, the receiver is ready to go.
These receivers utilizes a comprehensive user-interface command structure, which requires communications
through its communications (COM) ports. This manual also lists and describes the various receiver commands
and logs.
For an overview of GPS, a glossary of terms, units of conversion and acronyms, refer to the GPS+ Reference
Manual available on our website at http://www.novatel.com/Downloads/docupdates.html
It is beyond the scope of this manual to provide details on service or repair. Please contact your local NovAtel
dealer for any customer-service related inquiries, see Customer Service on Page 14.
Prerequisites
The installation chapters of this document provide information concerning the installation requirements and
considerations for the EuroPak-15a and EuroPak-15aT receivers.
Conventions
.
The term EuroPak-15aT will not be used in this manual unless a specific detail refers to it alone. The term
receiver and the term EuroPak-15a will infer that the text is applicable to a EuroPak-15a or EuroPak-15aT
unless otherwise stated.
The conventions used throughout this document are:
H The letter H in the Binary Bytes or Binary Offset columns represents the header length for that
command or log. The binary header is described in Section 4.3.2 on Page 36.
0x A number following 0x is a hexadecimal number.
field
[ ] Parameters surrounded by [ and ] are optional in a command or are required for only some instances
< > Text displayed between < and > indicates the entry of a keystroke in the case of the command or an
In tables where no values are given, such fields should be assumed to be reserved for future use.
T ext surrounded by a box indicates a variable parameter to be entered as part of the command string.
of the command depending on the values of other parameters.
automatic entry in the case of carriage return
<CR> and line feed <LF> in data output.
Compliance with GPS Week Rollover
The GPS week rollover issue refers to the way GPS receivers store information regarding the current GPS
week. According to the official GPS system specifications document (ICD-GPS-200, paragraph 20.3.3.3.1.1),
"… 10 bits shall represent the number of the current GPS week…". This means the GPS week is represented by
an integer number between 0 and 1023. As GPS time started on Sunday January 6, 1980 at 0:00 hours, week
1023 ended on Saturday August 21, 1999 at 23:59:59.
As per the GPS system specifications document, NovAtel firmware resets the receiver's GPS week number
back to zero. Users should be aware of this issue and keep in mind that there may be a compatibility issue when
purchasing and using different makes of GPS receivers.
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 15
Chapter 1 Introduction
This chapter provides information on the features and functionality of the EuroPak-15a and how it operates in
the context of an SBAS system.
1.1 Overview of the EuroPak-15a
The EuroPak-15a is a high-performance GPS, Galileo and GEO receiver capable of receiving and tracking
sixteen GPS L1, GPS L5, Galileo L1 and Galileo E5a signals. Alternatively, four of the sixteen signals can be
SBAS GEO L1 and SBAS GEO L5 signals. The EuroPak-15a also decodes the navigation signals.
There is flexibility in areas such as configuration and specification of output data and control signals. Multiple
software models are available, allowing you to better fit the receiver to the application while maintaining the
option for a compatible upgrade path.
The EuroPak-15a enclosure offers a complete solution, a protective enclosure that provides an interface to the
receiver card’s power, data, and status signals.
1.2 SBAS Overview
A Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) is a safety-critical system designed to augment the
Department of Defense Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Positioning Service (SPS). SBAS enhances
GPS service by providing:
• a ranging function to the SBAS satellites, which improves signal availability and reliability
• GPS signal corrections, which improve accuracy
• int egrity monitoring, which improves safety
The primary mission of the SBAS system is to provide a means for air navigation for all phases of flight in the
National Airspace System (NAS) from departure, through en route, and approach. The principal functions of
SBAS include:
• determi ning ionospheric corrections
• determining satellite orbits
• determining satellite clock corrections
• determining satellite integrity
• ind ependent data verification
• SB A S m e ssage broadcast and ranging
• system operations & maintenance
As shown in Figure 1 on Page 17, the SBAS system consists of a series of Reference Stations and Master
Stations, a Ground Uplink Subsystem, and Geostationary Satellites (GEOs). The Reference Stations, which are
strategically located to provide adequate coverage, pick up GPS satellite data and route it to the Master
Stations. The Master Stations then process the data to determine the signal integrity, signal corrections, and
residual errors for each monitored satellite. This information is sent to the Ground Uplink Subsystem for
transmission to the GEOs, which then re-transmits the data on the GPS L1 and L5 (not yet available)
frequency. In the future, the system will support L5 signal frequency broadcasts.
16 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Introduction Chapter 1
Figure 1: The SBAS Concept
Reference Description
1 Geo satellite
2 GPS satellite constellation
3 L1 and L5
4 C1 and C5
5 GPS user
6 Integrity data, differential corrections and ranging control
7 Reference station
8 Master station
9 Integrity data, differential corrections, time control and status
10 Ground uplink subsystem
1.3 Galileo Overview
Galileo will be Europe's own global navigation satellite system, providing a highly accurate, guaranteed global
positioning service under civilian control. It will be inter-operable with GPS and GLONASS, the two other
global satellite navigation systems.
A user will be able to take a position with the same receiver from any of the satellites in any combination. By
offering dual frequencies as standard, however, Galileo will deliver real-time positioning accuracy down to the
metre range, which is unprecedented for a publicly available system.
It will guarantee availability of the service under all but the most extreme circumstances and will inform users
within seconds of a failure of any satellite. This will make it suitable for applications where safety is crucial,
such as running trains, guiding cars and landing aircraft.
The first experimental satellite, part of the so-called Galileo System Test Bed (GSTB) was launched in
December 2005. The objective of this experimental satellite is to characterize the critical technologies, which
are already in development under European Space Agency (ESA) contracts. Thereafter up to four operational
satellites will be launched in the 2007-2008 time frame to validate the basic Galileo space and related ground
segment. Once this In-Orbit Validation (IOV) phase has been completed, the remaining satellites will be
installed to reach the Full Operational Capability (FOC) in 2010.
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 17
Chapter 1 Introduction
The fully deployed Galileo system consists of 30 satellites (27 operational + 3 active spares), positioned in
three circular Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) planes in 23616 km altitude above the Earth, and at an inclination of
the orbital planes of 56 degrees with reference to the equatorial plane. Once this is achieved, the Galileo
navigation signals will provide a good coverage even at latitudes up to 75 degrees north, which corresponds to
the North Cape, and beyond. The large number of satellites together with the optimization of the constellation,
and the availability of the three active spare satellites, will ensure that the loss of one satellite has no discernible
effect on the user.
T wo Galileo Control Centres (GCC) will be implemented on European ground to provide for the control of the
satellites and to perform the navigation mission management. The data provided by a global network of twenty
Galileo Sensor Stations (GSS) will be sent to the Galileo Control Centres through a redundant communications
network. The GCC's will use the data of the Sensor Stations to compute the integrity information and to
synchronize the time signal of all satellites and of the ground station clocks. The exchange of the data between
the Control Centres and the satellites will be performed through so-called up-link stations. Five S-band up-link
stations and 10 C-band up-link stations will be installed around the globe for this purpo se.
As a further feature, Galileo will provide a global Search and Rescue (SAR) function, based on the operational
search and rescue satellite aided tracking Cospas-Sarsat system. T o do so, each satellite will be equipped with a
transponder, which is able to transfer the distress signals from the user transmitters to the Rescue Co-ordination
Centre (RCC), which will then initiate the rescue operation. At the same time, the system will provide a signal
to the user, informing them that their situation has been detected and that help is under way. This latter feature
is new and is considered a major upgrade compared to the existing system, which does not provide a feedback
to the user.
Five categories of services have been defined:
1. A free Open Service (OS)
2. A highly reliable Commercial Service (CS)
3. A Safety-of-Life Service (SOL)
4. A government encrypted Public Regulated Service (PRS)
5. A Search and Rescue Service (SAR)
1.3.1 Open Service
This single-frequency service will involve the provision of a positioning, navigation and precise timing service.
It will be available for use by any person in possession of a Galileo receiver. No authorization will be required
to access this service. Galileo is expected to be similar to GPS in this respect.
The principal applications will be general navigation and positioning, network timing, traffic information
systems, systems including information on alternative routes in the event of congestion, and wireless location,
for example, with mobile telephones.
Studies clearly show that the availability of these services will be significantly enhanced by the existence of a
greater number of satellites, as is the case when both GPS and Galileo are in operation. This is particularly
important for land-based services, such as private car navigation, where service is mostly required in downtown
cores and where satellite shadowing is minimized by the combination of the systems.
The Open Service will be transmitted in the E5a frequency band at 1176.45 MHz.
1.3.2 Commercial Service
Service providers using the multi-frequency commercial services will have the opportunity to give added value
to their range of products for which they can charge the end customer and will, in turn, pay a fee to the Galileo
operator. The signal will contain data relating to the additional commercial services being offered. In return for
the fee, the Galileo operator will be able to offer certain service guarantees. This aspect of service guarantee
and the commensurate liabilities is one area where Galileo is significantly differentiated from GPS. A key
component in achieving this is an independent system within Galileo for monitoring the satisfactory working of
18 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Introduction Chapter 1
the system and informing the end user of this by an integrity signal incorporated in the data stream.
The main applications for this service concern professional users who are ready to pay for a service guaranteed
by the Galileo operator, notably in the areas of technical surveys, in activities involving customs and excise
operations, network synchronization, sea fleet management, vehicle fleet management, and road tolls.
Controlled access to this service for end-users and the providers of value-added services will be based on
protected access keys in the receivers. This will also enable revenue to be collected from users.
The commercial service will be transmitted in the E6 frequency band at 1278.75 MHz.
1.3.3 Safety-of-Life Service
The safety-of-life service will be offered to users who are highly dependant on precision, signal qual ity and
signal transmission reliability. It will offer a high level of integrity, and consequently, provide the user with a
very rapid warning of any possible malfunctions. It will need to be certified in accordance with the regulations
applicable to the various modes of transport (the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations
in the case of air transport; the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations in the case of sea
transport). This service will require specialized receivers providing access to this enhanced-quality signal.
The safety-of-life service will be transmitted in two frequency bands – L1 at 1575.42 MHz, and E5b at 1207.14
MHz. Users may receive signals from the two frequency bands independently.
1.3.4 Public Regulated Service
The PRS will be a restricted access service, offered to government agencies that require a high availability
navigation signal. The PRS service will utilize ranging codes that are encrypted with a highly secure
government encryption scheme. To enhance availability, the PRS service is intended to have anti-jamming and
anti-spoofing capabilities.
The PRS will be transmitted in two frequency bands – L1 at 1575.42 MHz, and E6 at 1278.75 MHz. Users may
receive signals from the two frequency bands independently.
1.3.5 Search and Rescue Service
A specific public service designed to assist in search and rescue operations will make it possible to locate
person and vehicles in distress. The vehicles will be fitted with beacons, which having been activated in the
event of an emergency will send an alerting signal to the rescue centre.
The Galileo Program provides this search and rescue service for users based on humanitarian an d public
service principles of the international COSPAS-SARSAT system while at the same time making search and
rescue operations more effective.
1.4 EuroPak-15a Enclosure
The EuroPak-15a provides a hardware interface between your equipment and the NovAtel Euro-L1E5a card.
Each is a rugged, sealed enclosure that provides protection against adverse environments. It has DB-9
connectors to access data and status signals.
The EuroPak-15a offers the following features:
• A mounting enclosure with a PCB interconnect back plane
• Two serial ports provided on two DB-9P connectors (see the note below):
•COM1
• COM3 (the port is labelled COM2 on the enclosure but is COM3 in the software)
• Auxiliary status and synchronization signals
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 19
Chapter 1 Introduction
• Antenna or signal generator Radio Frequency (RF) ports
• Input power port
• Indicators to provide power and communication status
• An external oscillator port (input only)
The following accessories are included with the EuroPak-15a:
• 1 12V power adapter cable
• 1 I/O cable
• 1 null modem serial cable
• 1 straight through serial cable
• A CD containing NovAtel’s PC utilities and product documentation
For technical specifications on the EuroPak-15a, please see Appendix A, Technical Specifications starting on
Page 110.
Figure 2: EuroPak-15a Enclosure
The port labelled COM2 on the back of the receiver, see Figure 2 above, connects to COM3 of the internal
Euro-L1E5a card.
1.5 EuroPak-15a Features
The EuroPak-15a has been designed with the following features:
• 16 channel parallel tracking
• Fully field-upgradeable firm ware
• Low power consumption
• 1 Hz raw data and position output rates
At a minimum, the following channel configuration is available:
• 8 GPS L1 (for L1L5GPS model)
• 8 GPS L5 (for L1L5GPS model)
• 5 Galileo L1 (for L1E5aGAL model)
• 5 Galileo E5a (for L1E5aGAL model)
• 6 GPS L1 (for L1E5aGAL model)
20 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Introduction Chapter 1
Additional features for the receiver card include:
• GEO signal processing
• GPS signal processing
• Galileo signal processing
• Digital pulse blanking for the L1 signal
• Digital pulse blanking for the L5 signal
• Digital pulse blanking for the Galileo L1 signal
• Digital pulse blanking for the Galileo E5a signal
• A variant of the product, the EuroPak-15aT, is available. This variant contains a highly stable
OCXO frequency reference. The EuroPak-15aT can distribute this 10 MHz frequency reference
from its OSC port.
Galileo signal processing will only be available on activated models.
Some of these features are discussed further in the following sections.
1.5.1 GEO Signal Processing
Specific channels have the capability to receive and process the SBAS signal provided by GEOs. These signals
are in-band at L1 and L5. They are identified through the use of SBAS-specific PRN numbers. The SBAS
message is decoded and separated into its various components. The SBAS message and associated
pseudorange are provided as an output.
1.5.2 Digital Pulse Blanking
Digital pulse blanking involves removing or attenuating pulses in the RF signal that exceed a specified level.
The EuroPak-15a provides digital pulse blanking for the GPS L1, GPS L5 signal, Galileo L1 and Galileo E5a
signal paths. Digital pulse blanking reduces the negative effects of pulsed interference.
Use the PULSEBLANKING command to enable/disable pulse blanking or control its sensitivity, see Page 62.
1.6 Functional Overview
In addition to the EuroPak-15a, an GNSS receiver system typically contains three other major components:
• An antenna (and optional LNA power supply) or signal generator
• A power supply
• Data communications equipment
1.7 Internal Euro-L1E5a Card
The internal Euro-L1E5a card consists of a radio frequency and a digital electronics section.
1.7.1 Radio Frequency Section
The receiver obtains a filtered and amplified L1, L5 or E5a signal from the antenna or signal generator via the
coaxial cable. The RF section performs the translation from the incoming RF signal to an IF signal usable by
the digital section. It also supplies power to the active antenna’s LNA through the coaxial cable while
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 21
Chapter 1 Introduction
maintaining isolation between the DC and RF paths. The RF section can reject a high level of potential
interference (for example, MSAT, Inmarsat, cellular phone, and TV sub-harmonic signals).
1.7.2 Digital Electronics Section
The digital section of the receiver receives a down-converted, amplified GNSS signal which it digitizes and
processes to obtain a navigation solution (position, velocity and time). The digital section consists of an analogto-digital converter, a 32-bit system processor, memory, control and configuration logic, signal processing
circuitry, serial peripheral devices, and sup porting circui try.
The digital section performs the translations and calculations necessary to convert the IF analog signals into
usable position and status information. It also handles all I/O functions, in cludi ng the auxiliary strobe signals,
which are described in detail in Section 2.3.1 on Page 26. For input and output levels please see Appendix A,
Technical Specifications on Page 110.
1.8 Antenna or Signal Generator
The purpose of the antenna is to convert the electromagnetic waves transmitted by the satellites into RF signals.
An active antenna or a signal generator is required for the receiver to function properly.
Power for an antenna LNA is supplied by the receiver.
1.9 Principal Power Supply
A single external power supply capable of delivering 15 W is necessary to operate the receiver. See Appendix
A, Technical Specifications starting on Page 110 for details.
WARNING: If the voltage supplied is below the minimum specification, the receiver will suspend
operation. If the voltage supplied is above the maximum specification, the receiver may
be permanently damaged, voiding your warranty.
1.10 Data Communications Equipment
A PC or other data communications equipment is necessary to communicate with the receiver and, if desired, to
store data generated by the receiver.
22 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Chapter 2 Installation
This chapter contains instructions and tips to set up your NovAtel receiver to create a GNSS receiver system.
At the time of publication, it is recommended that the L5 signal for the receiver be generated by a signal
generator as there are no L5 signals in space.
2.1 Additional Equipment Required
In order for the receiver to perform optimally, the following additional equipment is required:
• An interface for power, communications, and other signals
• An antenna or signal generator
• A quality coaxial cable (and interconnect adapter cable as necessary)
• Data communications equipment capable of serial communications
• A serial cable (if not included with the receiver)
• A power supply
• A power cable (if not included with the receiver)
CAUTION:When the EuroPak-15a receiver is installed in a permanent location, such as in a
building, it should be prot ected by a lightening protection device according to local
building codes. See also Warranty Policy on Page 13.
2.1.1 Selecting an Antenna or Signal Generator
An L5 Signal Generator is available from NovAtel, see the A viation Group’ s contact information on Page 14 to
learn more.
The GPS-704-X antenna is a wide band passive antenna available from NovAtel. It is designed to operate in the
frequency range 1150-1650 MHz. An external LNA is required.
NovAtel offers a variety of antenna models. Each offer exceptional phase-center stability , a significant measure
of immunity against multipath interference and has an environmentally-sealed radome.
Connection at the time of publication is directly to a signal generator. There are no L5 signals in space at
the present time.
2.1.2 Choosing a Coaxial Cable
An appropriate coaxial cable is one that is matched to the impedance of the antenna or signal generator and
receiver being used (50 ohms), and whose line loss does not exceed 10.0 dB. If the limit is exceeded, excessive
signal degradation will occur and the receiver may not be able to meet its performance specifications. NovAtel
offers a variety of coaxial cables to meet your interconnection requirements, including:
• 5, 15, or 30 m RF cables with TNC male connectors on both ends (NovAtel part numbers C006, C016
and C032 respectively)
Your local NovAtel dealer can advise you about your specific configuration. Should your application require
the use of cable longer than 30 m you will find the application note RF Equipment Selection and Installation at
our website, www.novatel.com
, or you may obtain it from NovAtel Customer Service directly.
High-quality coaxial cables should be used because a mismatch in impedance, possible with lower quality
cable, produces reflections in the cable that increase signal loss. Though it is possible to use other high-quality
RF cables, the performance specifications of the EuroPak-15a receivers are warranted only when used with
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 23
Chapter 2 Installation
NovAtel-supplied accessories.
2.1.3 Power Supply Requirements
This section contains information on the requirements for the input power to the receiver. See Appendix A,
Technical Specifications starting on Page 110 for more power supply specifications.
WARNING: If the voltage supplied is below the minimum specification, the receiver will suspend
operation. If the voltage supplied is above the maximum specification, the receiver may
be permanently damaged, voiding your warranty.
The receiver is designed to prevent internal damage when subjected to a reverse polarity power connection. It
also provides protection from short over voltage events. It is recommended that appropriate fuses or current
limiting be incorporated as a safety precaution on all power lines used. Use a sufficient gauge of wire to ensure
that the voltage at the connector is within the receiver’s requirements.
2.1.3.1 EuroPak-15a Enclosure
The EuroPak-15a is supplied with a 12 V power adapter with a built-in slow-blow fuse for use with a standard
12 VDC power outlet.
If a different supply is desired, the input range required is +9 to +18 VDC. The type of connector required to
mate with the receiver’s power connector is a 4-pin LEMO socket connector labelled PWR. The supply should
be capable of 15 W. See Appendix D, Replacement Parts starting on Page 126 for the LEMO connector part
number.
2.2 Installation Overview
Once you have selected the appropriate equipment, complete the following steps to set up and begin using your
NovAtel receiver.
1. Mount the antenna or signal generator to a secure, stable structure, see Section 2.2.1 on Page 25.
2. Connect the antenna or signal generator to the receiver with an RF cable, using the information
given in Section 2.2.2 on Page 25.
3. Apply power to the receiver, as described in Section 2.2.3 on Page 26.
4. Connect the receiver to a PC or other data communications equipment by following the
information given in Section 2.2.4 on Page 26.
Figure 3 on the next page shows a typical set up for an enclosed receiver.
24 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Installation Chapter 2
1
2
5
4
7
6
Figure 3: Typical Receiver Installation
Reference Description
1 Receiver
2 Antenna or Signal Generator
3RF Cable
412V Power Cable
5 12V Power Cable with Optional AC Adapter or Aircraft Power Conditione r
6 Null Modem Data Cable
7 Data Communications Equipment
2.2.1 Mounting the Antenna or Signal Generator
When installing an antenna or signal generator system:
• Mount the antenna on a secure, stable structure capable of safe operation in the specific
environment
Also, if mounting an antenna:
• Choose an antenna location that has a clear view of the sky so that each satellite above the horizon
can be tracked without obstruction
2.2.2 Connecting the Antenna or Signal Generator to the Receiver
Connect the antenna or signal generator to the receiver using high-quality coaxial cable, as discussed in Section
2.1.2 on Page 23.
The EuroPak-15a provides a TNC female connector, which can be connected to the antenna or signal generator
directly with any of NovAtel’s coaxial cables.
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 25
Chapter 2 Installation
2.2.3 Applying Power to the Receiver
Connect the power supply to the PWR port of the EuroPak-15a receiver.
2.2.4 Connecting Data Communications Equipment
In order to communicate with the receiver by sending commands and obtaining logs, a connection to some
form of data communications equipment is required. The default configuration available for each of the
receiver types is given in the table below. Consult NovAtel Customer Service for more details on factory
configuration. See Appendix A, Technical Specifications starting on Page 110 for data connection details.
Table 1: Default Serial Port Configurations
Receiver COM1 COM2
EuroPak-15a RS-232 RS-232
Each port supports some, or all, of the following signals:
• Clear To Send (CTS)
• Transmitted Data (TXD)
• Request To Send (RTS)
• Received Data (RXD)
The EuroPak-15a enclosure is Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) so that TXD and RTS are outputs while RXD
and CTS are inputs. A null modem cable is required to connect to another DTE like a terminal or a PC.
2.3 Additional Features and Information
This section contains information on the additional features of the EuroPak-15a receivers, which may affect the
overall design of your receiver system.
2.3.1 Strobes
A set of inputs and outputs that provide status and synchronization signals are given on the EuroPak-15a. These
signals are referred to as strobes. As shown in Table 2 on Page 27, not all strobe signals are provided on all
receivers. However, for those products for which strobes are available, you may want to design your
installation to include support for these signals.
The EuroPak-15a enclosure provides strobe signals at its I/O port, as described in Table 54 on Page 114.
Strobe signals include an input and several outputs as described below:
• Mark Input (Event1) A pulse on this input triggers certain logs to be generated.
(see Section 4.2.2, Log Triggers on Page 34).
• Measure Output (MSR) Falling edge is synchronized with internal GPS
measurements.
• Pulse Per Second Output (PPS) A pulse for which the falling edge is synchronized with GPS
time.
• Position Valid Output (PV) High when good GPS position and time solution.
• Error Output (ERROR) High when a receiver hardware failure is detected.
See Appendix A, Technical Specifications starting on Page 110, for further inf ormation on the strobe signal
characteristics.
26 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
Installation Chapter 2
Table 2: Available Strobe Signals on the EuroPak-15a
Signal EVENT1 MSR PPS PV
EuroPak-15a I/O port,
pin 4
I/O port,
pin 3
I/O port,
pin 2
I/O port,
pin 5
ERROR
I/O port,
pin 8
STATUS
_RED
Not
available
Not
available
The ground return pin for these signals is Pin 9.
2.3.2 Status Indicators
The EuroPak-15a receivers have LED indicators that provide the status of the receiver. The EuroPak-15a
provides the status indicators shown in Table 3.
Table 3: EuroPak- 15 a Status Indicators
Indicator Indicato r Color Status
COM1
COM2
PWR Red The receiver is powered
Green Data is being transmitted from COM1
Red Data is being received on COM1
Green Data is being transmitted from COM3
Red Data is being received on COM3
2.3.3 External Oscillator
You may connect an external oscillator to a EuroPak-15a model, without an internal oven-controlled
crystal oscillator (OCXO) as explained in this section. On the EuroPak-15aT model, the OSC port is for
output from the internal OCXO only, and therefore this section does not apply to it.
STATUS
_GREEN
For certain applications requiring greater precision than what is possible using the on-board 20 MHz, voltagecontrolled, temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (VCTCXO), you may wish to connect the EuroPak-15a
to an external, high-stability oscillator. The external oscillator can be either 5 MHz or 10 MHz.
If you do not use the EXTERNALCLOCK command to specify a clock type, see Page 54, it s default is
DISABLED. This means the external clock input is off and the board is using the on-board VCTCXO.
Installation consists of connecting a cable from the external oscillator to the EuroPak-15a’s external oscillator
input connector.
The BNC external oscillator port, labelled OSC, is used for input signals on the EuroPak-15a and for output
signals on the EuroPak-15aT. See Figure 2 on Page 20.
Once the external oscillator has been installed, the EXTERNALCLOCK command, see Page 54, must be
issued to define the clock model (for example, cesium, rubidium or ovenized crystal). If the input clock rate is
5 MHz, the EXTERNALCLOCK command must be issued to change the 10 MHz default rate.
2.3.4 Mounting Bracket
Along with the EuroPak-15a enclosure, mounting kits have been provided to facilitate mounting the receivers
to a surface. To install the mounting bracket provided with the EuroPak-15a, refer to the instructions provided
with the mounting kit. Page 119 provides the dimension information for the bracket.
The mounting kits are not designed for use in high-dynamics/vibration environments. Contact NovAtel,
see Page 14, if your application requires the EuroPak-15a to be mounted in these types of environments.
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 27
Chapter 3 Operation
Before operating the EuroPak-15a for the first time, ensure that you have followed the installation instructions
in Chapter 2. From here on, it will be assumed that testing and operation of the EuroPak- 15a will be perform ed
while using a personal computer (PC), which allows the greatest ease and versatility.
3.1 Pre-Start Check List
Before turning on power to the EuroPak-15a, ensure that all of the following conditions have been met:
• T he an tenna or signal generator is properly installed, powered, and connected
• T he PC is pro perly connected using a serial cable, and its communications protocol has been
configured to match that of the EuroPak-15a
Supply power to the EuroPak-15a only after all of the above checks have been made. Note that the warm-up
process may take several minutes, depending on ambient temperature.
3.2 Start-Up
The EuroPak-15a’s firmware resides in non-volatile memory . After supplying power to the unit, wait a moment
for self-boot, and the EuroPak-15a will be ready for command input.
The initial start-up indicator to let you know that the EuroPak-15a's main serial port is ready to communicate:
• Your PC will display the following prompt, indicating you are connected through the COM1 port:
[COM1]
The receiver has 4 modes of operation including power-up mode:
•Power-Up
• Operational
•Fault
• Maintenance
The EuroPak-15a is in power-up mode after receiving a reset signal. While in this mode, everything is disabled
except for the clock generators and microprocessor interface. During this mode, Firmware (FW) is transferred
from Flash to RAM, the 32-bit CRC is verified on the FW load and the Initiated Built In Test (IBIT) is
exercised to determine whether the receiver is usable. This mode ends when the functional blocks of the
receiver have been enabled, initialized and the IBIT has been successfully executed.
The EuroPak-15a is in operational mode following power-up mode and before a fault is discovered by the
Continuous Built In Test (CBIT) and goes into fault mode when the device outputs are affected by one or more
faults preventing its use.
The EuroPak-15a is in maintenance mode when it is loading firmware. Maintenance mode can only be entered
via the Power-up mode.
Once you are connected, commands can be entered as explained in Section 3.3, Communicating with the
EuroPak-15a on Page 29.
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Operation Chapter 3
3.3 Communicating with the EuroPak-15a
Communication with the receiver consists of issuing commands through the com munication ports from an
external serial communications device. This could be either a PC or laptop that is directly connected to the
receiver serial port using a null modem cable.
The commands and logs used by the EuroPak-15a, as well as the fields within them, follow specific formats,
which are discussed in Chapter 4. The valid commands, which are used to control the operation and data
logging of the EuroPak-15a, are specified in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 provides details on the data logs that can be
requested from the EuroPak-15a. It is to your advantage to become thoroughly familiar with Chapters 4
through 6 of this manual to ensure maximum utilization of the EuroPak-15a's capabilities.
3.4 Getting Started
Included with your receiver are NovAtel’s GPSolution (Aviation) and Convert programs. GPSolution
(Aviation) is a Microsoft Windows-based GUI which allows you to access the receiver's many features without
the need for communications protocol or to write special software. The Convert utility is a Windows-based
utility that allows you to convert between file formats, and strips unwanted records for data file compilation.
See the EuroPak-15a Quick Start Guide for more information on their installation.
You must install the Aviation version of the PC Utilities provided on your CD. It is only this version,
GPSolution (Aviation), of GPSolution that works with the EuroPak-15a receiver.
3.4.1 Starting the Receiver
The receiver’s software resides in read-only memory. When first powered, it undergoes a complete self-test. If
an error condition is detected during a self-test, the self-test status word changes. This self-test status word can
be viewed in the header of any data output log. See also Chapter 8, Built-In Status Test starting on Page 107.
3.4.2 Communicating with the Receiver Using GPSolution (Aviation)
Launch the GPSolution (Aviation) program and select Device | Open from its main menu. The Open dialog
appears. The example below shows an Open dialog with a possible configurations already set up. Your
configurations may be different or you may have none at all. In that case, the Available device configs window
would be empty.
EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5 29
Chapter 3 Operation
Refer to GPSolution (Aviation)’s Help file by selecting Help | Contents from the main menu to see Help for
windows and their descriptions. Ensure you can see the Console and ASCII Messages windows by selecting
them under View in the main menu.
When the receiver is first turned on, no data is transmitted from the COM ports except for the port prompt. The
Console window displays a port name:
[COM1] if connected to COM1 port,
or
[COM3] if connected to COM3 port
Any of the above prompts indicate that the receiver is ready and waiting for command input.
If you find that GPSolution (Aviation) is unable to locate your EuroPak-15a receiver, it may be that you
have previously used the SAVECONFIG command. In this case, try using a different COM port to
communicate to the receiver. Once communication has been established, issue a FRESET STANDARD
command. You should now be able to use your original communication port again.
WARNING!: Ensure all other windows are closed in GPSolution (Aviation) when entering the
SAVECONFIG command in the Console window.
Commands are typed at the interfacing computing device’s keypad or keyboard, and executed after issuing a
carriage return command which is usually the same as pressing the <Enter> key.
An example of a response to an input command is the FIX POSITION command. It can be entered like this:
[COM2] fix position 51.11635 -114.0383 1048.2 [carriage return]
<OK
where
[COM2] is the port prompt, the bolded type is the command you enter from you keypad or
keyboard and [carriage return] indicates that you should press the <Enter> key.
The above example illustrates command input to the base receiver’s COM2 port which sets the position of the
base station receiver for differential operation. Confirmation that the command was actually accepted is the
appearance of <OK.
If a command is entered incorrectly, the receiver responds with:
<I
NVALID MESSAGE ID (or a more detailed message)
WARNING!: Ensure the Control Panel’s Power Settings on your PC are not set to go into Hibernate
or Standby modes. Data will be lost if one of these modes occurs during a logging session.
30 EuroPak-15a Receiver User Manual Rev 5
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