PASCO AirLink PS-3200 Reference Manual

Reference Guide

®

Micro USB

port

ON button

Micro USB Cable

End viewTop

view

Bluetooth status LED

Battery status LED

Device ID

Power: Rechargeable Battery
Connection:

OR

USB Cable

Battery status LED

Micro USB

cable

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PASCO AirLink

PS-3200

®

Hardware

Included Equipment Quantity Included Equipment Quantity

PASCO AirLink

®

(PS-3200)

1 Micro USB Cable (1 meter) 1

Introduction

The PASCO AirLink is a combination wireless and USB device that connects to a computer or tablet device through
Bluetooth SMART, and can also connect to a computer with a USB cable (included). The AirLink is powered with a
rechargeable battery and it has a single port that accepts any PASPORT sensor or adapter. Since each AirLink has a
unique device identification code, more than one AirLink can be connected to a computer or tablet device at the same time.
The PASCO AirLink can be used to do any experiment that involves a PASCO sensor.

If the AirLink is plugged into a USB charger, it can still be used to collect data wirelessly using Bluetooth SMART.

Initial Step: Charge the Battery

• Connect the Cable: Use the Micro USB Cable to connect the Micro

USB port on the PASCO AirLink to a USB port or USB charger (such
as the PS-3501 USB Charging Station). Charging begins
automatically. The battery status LED will shine yellow as the battery is
charging, and will shine green when the battery is charged. The battery
is partially charged at the factory. Initial charging time may be three
hours or longer depending on the power source and the condition of

800-772-8700 (US) [phone]
www.pasco.com [e-mail]

®

PASCO AirLink

®

PS-3200

the battery. The charger circuit inside the AirLink turns
itself off when the unit is fully charged.

ON/OFF Information

The AirLink turns ON when the Micro USB Cable is
connected. To turn the AirLink ON when the cable is not
connected, press and momentarily hold the ON button on
the end of the AirLink. The AirLink puts itself to sleep after
several minutes of inactivity if not connected. To turn the
AirLink off, press and hold the ON button for a moment until
the status LEDs stop blinking.

Data Collection Software

PASCO Capstone SPARKvue

• Mac OS X • Mac OS X

• Windows • Windows

• iOS

• Android

• Chromebook

Compatibility

Platform Bluetooth SMART Compatibility

iOS iPad 3 and later

SPARK Element All models

Android Android 4.3 and later

Chromebook Chrome OS (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)

Mac OS X Models introduced July 2011 or later*

Windows Windows 7 and later (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)

See Appendix A for more information about the PS-3500 Adapter and
Mac OS X models.

iPhone 4S and later
iPod touch 5 and later

LED Information

The Bluetooth and Battery Status LEDs operate as follows.

For a wireless Bluetooth connection:

Bluetooth
LED

Red blink Ready to pair Red blink Low power

Green blink Connected

Status

Battery
LED

Status

See the PASCO web site at www.pasco.com/software for help in
selecting the right PASCO software and to check the latest versions.

NOTE: PASCO Data Collection software automatically
detects a PASPORT sensor when you connect it to the
AirLink.

Software Help

See the SPARKvue Help or PASCO Capstone Help for
information about collecting, displaying, and analyzing
data.

• In SPARKvue, select the HELP button ( ) in any

screen including the Home Screen.

• In PASCO Capstone, select PASCO Capstone Help

from the Help menu, or press F1.

For a micro USB cable connection to a USB port:

Bluetooth LED Status Battery LED Status

OFF -- Yellow ON Charging

OFF -- Green ON Charged

For a micro USB cable connection to a USB charger:

Bluetooth
LED

Red blink Ready to pair Yellow ON Charging

Green blink Connected Green ON Charged

Status

Battery
LED

Status

2

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Introduction PS-3200

PASPORT Sensor

Sensor Plug

PASPORT
Input Port

Alignment tab

Connecting a PASPORT Sensor

Plug a PASPORT sensor or a PASPORT sensor plug into
the PASPORT input port on the front of the PASCO AirLink.
Match the groove on one side of the sensor or sensor plug
with the alignment tab on the bottom “lip” of the AirLink.

Connecting the PASCO AirLink to a Tablet or a Computer via Bluetooth

(NOTE: The following procedure also works while the
AirLink is connected to a USB charger through the micro
USB cable.)

Make sure that the PASCO AirLink is ON.

• For SPARKvue, select the Bluetooth icon. In
the Wireless Devices list. In the list, the
sensors are sorted in order of proximity.
Select the correct address that matches the XXX-XXX
Device ID number found on the AirLink. Select Done.
Select a measurement from the list. A graph of the
selected measurement versus time opens. Select the
Start button to begin collecting data.

• For PASCO Capstone, select Hardware Setup in the
Tools palette. In Hardware Setup, the sensors are
sorted in order of proximity. Select the desired device
that matches the XXX-XXX Device ID number on the
AirLink. Close the Hardware Setup window. Select a
display in the main window or from the “Display”
palette. In the display, use the <Select Measurement>
menu to pick a measurement to be shown. Select

Record to begin recording data.

Connecting the PASCO AirLink to a Computer with the Micro USB Cable

Connect the micro end of the included Micro USB Cable
into the micro USB port on the end of the AirLink. Connect
the other end of the Micro USB Cable to a USB port on the
computer, or into a powered USB hub connected to the
computer.

• In the SPARKvue Home Screen, select a measurement
from the list under the sensor’s name. A graph of the
measurement versus time opens. Select the Start
button.

• In PASCO Capstone, select a display in the main
window or from the “Displays” palette. In the display,
use the <Select Measurement> menus to pick the
measurement to be shown. Select Record to begin
collecting data.

Related Products

The PS-3200 PASCO AirLink is designed to be used with
any PASPORT sensor. For information, see the PASCO
Web site at

www.pasco.com/sensors/

Note that the AirLink can also be used with a PASCO
ScienceWorkshop sensor. These sensors have different

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3

®

PASCO AirLink

ScienceWorkshop

Analog Sensor Plug

ScienceWorkshop

Digital Sensor Plug

ScienceWorkshop

Analog Sensor

PS-2159 Digital

Adapter

PS-2158 Analog

Adapter

®

PS-3200

connectors depending on whether they are digital or
analog.

Use the PS-2158 PASPORT Analog Adapter to connect a
ScienceWorkshop analog sensor or sensor plug to the
AirLink.

Use the PS-2159 PASPORT Digital Adapter to connect a
ScienceWorkshop digital sensor to the AirLink.

case with a high power sensor, AirLink would support of full
day of use before needing to recharge.

Maximizing Battery Life

Two factors that affect battery life are the storage tempera­ture and the number of charge cycles. Therefore, avoid
storing the AirLink in very cold or very hot environments.
Because of the long battery usage time for the AirLink, the
number of charge cycles is reduced, which lengthens bat­tery life.

Troubleshooting the PASCO AirLink

• If the PASCO AirLink loses Bluetooth connection and

will not reconnect, try cycling the ON button. Press and
briefly hold the button until the status LEDs blink in
sequence, and then release the button. Start the
AirLink in the usual way.

• If the AirLink stops communicating with the computer

software or tablet application, try restarting the
software or application. If the problem remains, press
and hold the ON button for 10 seconds and then
release. Start the AirLink in the usual way.

About the Battery

The PASCO AirLink's battery is partially charged at the
factory. If the battery status LED blinks red, use the micro
USB cable to connect the AirLink to a USB port or a USB
charger.

Battery Usage

Battery life is very important to making the sensor simple
and always ready to use, so all of the PASCO wireless
products are designed for long battery life. For example,
the AirLink turns itself off after a few minutes of inactivity to
conserve battery life..

The battery life of the AirLink varies depending on the
power demand of the connected sensor and the sampling
rate. The battery life between charges ranges between 11
hours for high power sensors to more than 70 hours for low
power sensors, with continuous sampling at a rate of one
sample per second.

• Turn Bluetooth off and then turn it back on. Restart the

AirLink.

Technical Support

For assistance with any PASCO product, contact PASCO
at:

Address: PASCO scientific

10101 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95747-7100

Phone: [phone] (worldwide)

800-772-8700 (U.S.)

Web: www.pasco.com

Email: [e-mail]

The Reference Guide will be updated periodically. For the
latest revision of this Reference Guide, visit the PASCO
Web site at

www.pasco.com/manuals/

Enter the product number, PS-3200, in the text window.

Replacement Parts

In typical classroom/lab use, this would translate to a bat­tery life between charges ranging from one to four weeks or
more, because full-day continuous sampling at this sam­pling rate would be unusual. Even in the most extreme

4

For information about possible replacement parts, contact
Technical Support:

USB Cable, Micro-to-USB A

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Technical Support PS-3200

Limited Warranty

For a description of the product warranty, see the PASCO catalog or visit
the PASCO Web site at www.pasco.com/legal/.

Copyright

This PASCO scientific Reference Guide is copyrighted with all rights
reserved. Permission is granted to non-profit educational institutions for
reproduction of any part of this manual, providing the reproductions are
used only in their laboratories and classrooms, and are not sold for profit.
Reproduction under any other circumstances, without the written consent
of PASCO scientific, is prohibited.

Trademarks

PASCO, PASCO scientific, PASCO Capstone, PASPORT, and SPARKvue
are trademarks or registered trademarks of PASCO scientific, in the
United States and/or in other countries. All other brands, products, or
service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of, and are
used to identify, products or services of their respective owners. For more
information visit www.pasco.com/legal.

FCC Statement

This Class A digital device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.

CE Statement

This device has been tested and found to comply with the essential
requirements and other relevant provisions of the applicable EU
Directives.

Product End of Life Disposal Instructions:

This electronic product is subject to disposal and recycling regulations that
vary by country and region. It is your responsibility to recycle your
electronic equipment per your local environmental laws and regulations to
ensure that it will be recycled in a manner that protects human health and
the environment. To find out where you can drop off your waste equipment
for recycling, please contact your local waste recycle/disposal service, or
the place where you purchased the product.

The European Union WEEE (Waste Electronic and
Electrical Equipment) symbol (to the right) and on the
product or its packaging indicates that this product
must not be disposed of in a standard waste
container.

Battery Disposal Instructions:

Batteries contain chemicals that, if released, may affect the environment
and human health. Batteries should be collected separately for recycling,
and recycled at a local hazardous material disposal location adhering to
your country and local government regulations. To find out where you can
drop off your waste battery for recycling, please contact your local waste
disposal service, or the product representative.

The Lithium Polymer (Li-Poly) rechargeable battery used in this product is
marked with the International symbols to indicate the need for the
separate collection and recycling of batteries.

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PASCO AirLink

PS-3500 USB
Bluetooth 4.0

Adapter

®

PS-3200

Appendix: Compatibility

Check the PASCO Web page at

www.pasco.com/compatibility

for the latest information on Bluetooth SMART
compatibility.

Platform Bluetooth SMART Compatibility

iOS iPad 3 and later

iPhone 4S and later
iPod touch 5 and later

SPARK Element All models

Android Android 4.3 and later

Chromebook Chrome OS (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)

Mac OS X

Windows Windows 7 and later (requires PS-3500 Adapter*)

1

*The PS-3500 USB Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter,
when connected to a USB port, allows up
to three Bluetooth SMART devices, such
as this PASCO wireless device, to connect
to Windows computers, Chromebooks,
and older Macintosh computers.

Models introduced July 2011 or later

updated in 2012. The Mac Pro that debuted in December
2013 has Bluetooth SMART support.

Exception: Before you upgrade to El Capitan (Mac OS X

10.11.x), if you have a Macintosh with LMP version “0x4”
that requires the PS-3500 USB Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter,
please contact PASCO Technical Support for further
instructions.

What is Bluetooth SMART

®

?

Bluetooth SMART (also known as Bluetooth Low Energy or
Version 4.0 of the Bluetooth specification) is the latest
protocol of the proprietary open wireless technology
standard created by telecoms vendor Ericsson in 1994. It is
the power- and application-friendly version of Bluetooth
that was built for the Internet of Things (IoT).

Note: The PS-3500 USB Bluetooth 4,0
Adapter is the only adapter we can
currently recommend. Many other Bluetooth 4.0 adapters
are available but this adapter has a specific design that
enables in-app pairing of Bluetooth SMART sensors.

1

To check the Mac computer’s Bluetooth compatibility, do

the following:

• Click the

 (Apple) Menu.

• Select About This Mac

• Click the More Info... button.

• Click the System Report... button.

• Select Bluetooth from the sidebar on the left,

underneath Hardware.

• Scan down the list of information until you find “LMP

Version”.

• If your Mac is equipped with Bluetooth SMART, the
LMP Version will show 0x6. (Anything lower than 0x6
means an older version of Bluetooth. Your device will
need the PS-3500 USB Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter.)

1

The Mac Mini and MacBook Air were updated with

Bluetooth SMART support in 2011. The MacBook Pro was

6

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