Sagetech XPC-TR, XPS-TRB, XPS-TR, XPG-TR User Manual

DOC7010R01

7 July, 2014

2

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

Contents

Introduction 3

Transponder Certification 3

Equipment Safety 4

XP Transponder Fundamentals 4

Specifications 5

Serial Communication 6

ADS-B, GPS and Extended Squitter Functionality 6

Mutual Suppression Functionality 7

Transponder Installation 8

Transponder Mounting 8

Power 8

Thermal Management 9

Control Interface 9

GPS Interface 10

Antenna 10

GPS Antenna 12

Antenna Cable 12

Static Pressure 13

Appendix A: Contact Sagetech 14

Appendix B: Glossary 15

Appendix C: Electrical Connections 16

Transponder Interface Cable / Connectors 16

Transponder Main Connector Pin-out 16

Main Connector - Important Notes Error! Bookmark not defined.

Main Connector - Important Notes 18

Appendix D: Revision History 21

3

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

Part Number

Product Name

XPC-TR

Mode C Transponder

XPS-TR

Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out

XPG-TR

Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out and
Integrated GPS

XPS-TRB

Mode S Transponder with ADS-B In/Out

Introduction

Sagetech Corporation is dedicated to making integration of our XP family of transponders a straight­forward and simple exercise.

We want your experience with Sagetech to be unparalleled in product quality and customer service. If
you have questions, you can email or call us at:

[e-mail]

1 [phone]

We also are interested in your feedback (good or bad) on our products, documents, and customer
service.

This document provides basic information necessary for a user to install and use the Sagetech XP family
of transponders.

Sagetech XP Family of Transponders by Part Number

Unless otherwise specified, the information in this document applies to all Sagetech XP transponders.

Transponder Certification

The XP family of transponders is not currently TSO certified, although certification work by Sagetech is
underway. For information about the TSO certification timeline, contact Sagetech Corporation.

4

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

Equipment Safety

This product, like all microcontroller products, uses semiconductors that can be
damaged by electrostatic discharge (ESD). When handling, use standard ESD
practices to ensure the transponder is not damaged.

Important:

Whenever power is supplied to the transponder, a 50 ohm load must be provided
to the SMA connection. You can use an antenna or a commercially available 50
ohm load (for example, part number TS180M-10W available from RFMW.com).

XP Transponder Fundamentals

The Sagetech XPC-TR Mode C Transponder interacts with air traffic control (ATC) by transmitting and
receiving standard secondary surveillance radar pulses per ICAO requirements. The transponder replies
to requests from ATC with a squawk code and altitude data. Altitude data can be based on the
taspode’s integral, calibrated pressure sensor and encoder (termed a blind encoder) or one provided
external to the transponder.

The Sagetech XPS-TR Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out contains all the functionality of the Sagetech
XPC-TR Mode C Transponder. In addition, it provides Mode S replies (includes data such as ICAO1
address and call sign) and is capable of being selectively interrogated. Also, it adds Automatic
Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out capability. If configured with a GPS data source it can
broadcast aircraft position and other relevant data to the ATC system and surrounding aircraft.

The Sagetech XPG-TR Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out contains all the functionality of the Sagetech
XPS-TR Mode S Transponder except Mutual Suppression. In addition, the transponder is preconfigured
to use the installed GPS module with an internal GPS Antenna. A connector is provided to enable use of
an optional external antenna as a GPS receiving source.

The Sagetech XPS-TRB Mode S Transponder with ADS-B In/Out contains all the functionality of the
Sagetech XPS-TR Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out. In addition, it receives ADS-B traffic information
from the ATC system and surrounding aircraft and reports this data to the flight computer, which can
then communicate it to the user. Transponders with ADS-B In are useful for sense and avoid applications
as ADS-B In provides the user with surrounding traffic information within a nominal range of 120
nautical miles (NM).

A 24-bit address used to identify aircraft.

5

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

XPC-TR

XPS-TR

XPG-TR

XPS-TRB

Serial Communications / General

Operating Altitude

unrestricted

unrestricted

Unrestricted

unrestricted

Transmit Power

250 W nominal

250 W nominal

250 W nominal

250 W nominal

1030 Receive Sensitivity

-73 +/- 4 dBm

-73 +/- 4 dBm

-73 +/- 4dBm

-73 +/- 4 dBm

1090 ADS-B IN Sensitivity

N/A

N/A

N/A

-84 dBm

RF Impedance

Ω

Ω

Ω

Ω

Serial Com0 Control

Proprietary
protocol
RS-232, 57.6 Kb

Proprietary
protocol
RS-232, 57.6 Kb

Proprietary
protocol
RS-232, 57.6 Kb

Proprietary
protocol
RS-232, 57.6 Kb

Serial Com2 GPS Input

N/A

Accord NexNav,
NMEA RS-232, Adj
data rate

N/A

Accord NexNav,
NMEA RS-232,
Adj data rate

Serial Com1 ADS-B In Messages

N/A

N/A

N/A

Proprietary
protocol RS-232,
Adj data rate

Mutual Suppression

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Altitude Encoder

20,000 – 60,000 ft

20,000 – 60,000 ft

20,000 – 60,000 ft

20,000 – 60,000 ft

ADS-B Out (Extended Squitter)

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

ADS-B In (TIS-B)

No

No

No

Yes

Export Compliance

ECCN 7A994

ECCN 7A994

ECCN 7A994

ECCN 7A994

Power

Supply Voltage

10-32 V

10-32 V

10-32 V

10-32 V

Power Consumption (ON & ALT)

4 watts (typical) 11
watts (max)

7 watts (typical) 12
watts (max)

8 watts (typical) 14
watts (max)

Power Consumption (STBY)

< 1 watt

< 1 watt

< 1 watt

< 1 watt

Certification Plan – TSO and Certification Efforts On-Going

Minimum Operational

RTCA DO-181E,
RTCA DO-260B

RTCA DO-181E,
RTCA DO-260B

Performance Standards

SAE AS8003

SAE AS8003

FAA

TSO-C112e Level
2els, Class 1, TSO­C166b Class B0,
TSO-C88b

TSO-C112e Level
2els, Class 1,
TSO-C166b Class
A0, TSO-C88b

EASA

ETSO-2C112b,
ETSO-C166a,
ETSO-C88a

ETSO-2C112b,
ETSO-C166a,
ETSO-C88a

FCC

FCC part 87, Part 15

FCC part 87, Part 15
Software

DO-178B level C

DO-178B level C

Complex Hardware

DO-254 level C

DO-254 level C

Environmental Testing

DO-160G

DO-160G

Physical/ Environmental

Specifications

6

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

XPC-TR

XPS-TR

XPG-TR

XPS-TRB

Dimensions

89 x 46 x 18 mm
(3.5 x 1.8 x 0.7 in)

89 x 46 x 18 mm
(3.5 x 1.8 x 0.7 in)

97 x 46 x 25 mm
(3.8 x 1.8 x 1.0 in)

89 x 46 x 18 mm
(3.5 x 1.8 x 0.7 in)

Mass

98 g (3.45 oz)

98 g (3.45 oz)

147 g (5.2 oz)

100 g (3.53 oz)

Operating Temperature

-20 to 70 °C (-4 to
158 °F)

-20 to 70 °C (-4 to
158 °F)

-20 to 55°C (-4 to
131 °F)

-20 to 70 °C (-4 to
158 °F)

Storage Temperature

-55 to 85 °C (-67 to
185 °F)

-55 to 85 °C (-67 to
185 °F)

-20 to 85 °C (-4 to
185°F)

-55 to 85 °C (-67 to
185 °F)

Humidity

Max: 95% non­condensing

Max: 95% non­condensing

Max: 95% non­condensing

Max: 95% non­condensing

Serial Communication

Sagetech XP transponders are controlled through a straightforward communication system via a serial
interface (RS-232). Many flight computers support the proprietary Sagetech XP Transponder protocol
allowing plug-and-play integration with the Sagetech XP family of transponders. If you have a
proprietary flight computer, data link, or other method of controlling the transponder, please contact
Sagetech for the Sagetech XP Serial Communication Document.

ESD protection (at 2kV HBM or better) is provided on the main RS-232 interface pins

ADS-B, GPS and Extended Squitter Functionality

ADS-B is a itial opoet of the FAA’s NetGe iitiatie to epad aispae apait ad ake it
more efficient while maintaining or improving safety. By augmenting or – in some cases – replacing
expensive ground-based surveillance radars, ADS-B promises to reduce air traffic control costs while
concurrently enhancing controller and pilot situational awareness.

ADS-B equipment is built to meet one of two sets of US government standards, DO-260B or DO-282B. By
the year 2020 all aircraft operating in the airspaces listed below will be required to carry equipment that
broadcasts ADS-B surveillance data. The ADS-B Out variants of the XPS transponders, once TSO
Authorized, are intended to meet all requirements defined for NextGen transponders.

XP transponders with ADS-B Out support a message type known as the extended squitter (ES). The ES is
a periodic message transmitted automatically, without the transponder first being interrogated. This
message typically provides identification, position, velocity, status, and other aircraft data.

GPS data is provided to the transmitter from the avionics system integrator in one of two ways:

a) GPS serial data stream on XP serial interface Com2. The data format is either NMEA or a

proprietary format from a NexNav Mini GPS (a TSO-C145c compliant solution).

Note: The XPG-TR streams GPS data from Com2 using the internal GPS module and
antenna. It may be configured to use an alternate source on Com0.

7

XP Transponders User Guide Rev 1.3

b) GPS data is incorporated into the command and control protocol packets on XP serial interface

Com0. For more information, see the Sagetech XP Transponder Serial Communication
Document.

Note: Sagetech recommends using the external Accord Technology NexNav Mini
receiver. It is the smallest TSO-C145c Class Beta-1 receiver we have identified.

Note: Do not implement both external GPS data to Com2 and flight computer GPS
data to Com0 at the same time. The GPS Source byte of the Installation Message
controls which interface is used. For more information, see the Sagetech XP
Transponder Serial Communication Document.

If no GPS source is connected to the transponder or if the GPS data is determined to be unreliable, the
ES messages are still transmitted, but without GPS-based position data.

Mutual Suppression Functionality

The Sagetech transponders include a mutual suppression line designed to coordinate transmission of

potetiall oflitig sigals. Whe the XP taspode’s Mutual “uppessio lie is pulled do it

stops transmitting until the mutual suppression line re-opens. The transponder starts transmitting again
within 15 microseconds of the end of the mutual suppression pull-down condition. Sagetech
recommends use of an open collector transistor circuit able to sink 1 mA to drive this interface. Interface
must be able to pull this line below 400 mV to ensure transponder is fully suppressed. When not
suppressed the transponder weakly pulls up the Mutual Suppress line to the input supply voltage (with
range between 10 to 32 V). No pull-up resistor is required on customer hardware.

Leave the Mutual Suppression pin unconnected if not used.

XPG-TR does not have Mutual Suppression functionality.

Electrical connections to the transponder, including the Mutual Suppression signal, are defined in detail
in Appendix C of this document.