Tait TBCB2X Users Manual

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TB9400 Base Station/Repeater

Installation and Operation Manual

MBC-00001-20 · Issue 20· November 2018

Contact Information

Tait Communications Corporate Head Office

Tait International Limited P.O. Box 1645 Christchurch New Zealand

For the address and telephone number of regional offices, refer to our website: www.taitradio.com

All information contained in this document is the property of Tait International Limited. All rights reserved. This document may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, stored, or reduced to any electronic medium or machinereadable form, without prior written permission from Tait International Limited.

The word TAIT and the TAIT logo are trademarks of Tait International Limited.

All trade names referenced are the service mark, trademark or registered trademark of the respective manufacturers.

Disclaimer

There are no warranties extended or granted by this document. Tait International Limited accepts no responsibility for damage arising from use of the information contained in the document or of the equipment and software it describes. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure that use of such information, equipment and software complies with the laws, rules and regulations of the applicable jurisdictions.

Enquiries and Comments

If you have any enquiries regarding this document, or any comments, suggestions and notifications of errors, please contact your regional Tait office.

US640974, US640977, US698339, US 702666, US7758996, US8902804, US9107231, US9504034, US9559967.

The AMBE+2™ voice coding Technology embodied in this product is protected by intellectual property rights including patent rights, copyrights and trade secrets of Digital Voice Systems, Inc. This voice coding Technology is licensed solely for use within this Communications Equipment. The user of this Technology is explicitly prohibited from attempting to decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Object Code, or in any other way convert the Object Code into a human-readable form.

Environmental Responsibilities

Tait International Limited is an environmentally responsible company which supports waste minimization, material recovery and restrictions in the use of hazardous materials.

The European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires that this product be disposed of separately from the general waste stream when its service life is over. For more information about how to dispose of your unwanted Tait product, visit the Tait WEEE website at

www.taitradio.com/weee. Please be environmentally

responsible and dispose through the original supplier, or contact Tait International Limited.

Tait International Limited also complies with the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) Directive in the European Union.

In China, we comply with the Measures for Administration of the Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products. We will comply with environmental requirements in other markets as they are introduced.

Updates of Manual and Equipment

In the interests of improving the performance, reliability or servicing of the equipment, Tait International Limited reserves the right to update the equipment or this document or both without prior notice.

Intellectual Property Rights

This product may be protected by one or more patents or designs of Tait International Limited together with their international equivalents, pending patent or design applications, and registered trade marks: NZ409837, NZ409838, NZ415277, NZ415278, NZ530819, NZ534475, NZ547713, NZ577009, NZ579051, NZ579364, NZ586889, NZ610563, NZ615954, NZ700387, NZ708662, NZ710766, NZ711325 , NZ726313, NZ593887, AU2015215962, AU339127, AU339391, AU2016259281, AU2016902579, EU000915475-0001, EU 0009154750002, GB2532863, US 14/834609 Div. no 1, US15/ 346518 Div.no 2, US15/350332, US15/387026 Div., US20150085799, US20160044572, US20160057051,

2 TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Contents

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Scope of Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Associated Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Publication Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1.2 Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

1.3 Mechanical Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.4 Frequency Bands and Sub-bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1.5 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1.6 Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1.7 Theory of Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

1.7.1 Signal Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1.7.2 Online and Offline Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1.7.3 Intermodule Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

1.7.4 Power Management and Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1.7.5 PMU Operation on DC Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

1.7.6 Front Panel Fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

2 General Safety and Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2.1 Personal Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2.1.1 Unpacking and Moving the Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2.1.2 Lethal Voltages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2.1.3 AC Power Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

2.1.4 Explosive Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

2.1.5 High Temperatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

2.1.6 LED Safety (EN60825-1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

2.1.7 Proximity to RF Transmissions / A proximité des émissions RF . . . . . 34

2.2 Equipment Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

2.2.1 Installation and Servicing Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

2.2.2 Preventing Damage to the PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

2.2.3 ESD Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

2.2.4 Anti-tampering Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2.3 Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2.3.1 Operating Temperature Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2.3.2 Humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2.3.3 Dust and Dirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

2.4 Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

2.4.1 Distress Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

2.4.2 Compliance Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

2.4.3 FCC Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

2.4.4 Unauthorized Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual 3 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

3.1 Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

3.2 Module Indicator LEDs and Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

3.2.1 Reciter and Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

3.2.2 PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

3.2.3 PMU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

4.1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4.1.1 Equipment Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4.1.2 Grounding and Lightning Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4.1.3 Equipment Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4.1.4 Ambient Temperature Sensor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4.1.5 Cabinet and Rack Ventilation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

4.2 Unpacking and Moving the Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

4.3 Identifying the Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

4.4 Initial Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

4.4.1 Confirming Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

4.4.2 Working with Configurations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

4.4.3 Customizing the Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

4.4.4 Recommended Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

4.4.5 Restricted Port Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

4.4.6 Changing the Root Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

4.4.7 Tuning the Reciter and Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

4.5 Installing the Base Station on Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

4.5.1 General Installation Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

4.5.2 Equipment Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

4.5.3 Mounting the Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

4.6 Connecting Up the Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

4.6.1 Connection Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

4.6.2 Connecting AC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

4.6.3 Connecting DC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

4.6.4 Connecting the Auxiliary DC Power Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

4.6.5 Connecting RF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

4.6.6 Connecting an External Frequency Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

4.6.7 Connecting a 1PPS Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

4.6.8 Ethernet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

4.6.9 Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

5 Working with Base Stations from Your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

5.1 PC Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

5.2 Connecting Your PC to the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

5.2.1 Logging In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

5.2.2 Setting the IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

5.2.3 Security Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

5.2.4 Local Connection to a Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

5.2.5 Troubleshooting Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

5.2.6 Finding a Lost or Forgotten IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

5.2.7 Setting Up Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

5.3 Working with the Web Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

4 TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

5.3.1 Monitoring Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

5.3.2 Troubleshooting Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

5.3.3 Viewing Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

5.3.4 Viewing the Base Station and Network Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

5.4 Basic Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

5.4.1 User Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

5.4.2 Taking the Base Station Offline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

5.4.3 Troubleshooting Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

5.4.4 Disabling the Front Panel Keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

5.4.5 Preparing to Download Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

5.4.6 Working with Configuration Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

5.4.7 Setting Up Custom Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

5.4.8 Subaudible Signaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

5.4.9 Checking for Interference on a Receive Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

5.4.10 Configuring Single Base Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

5.4.11 Configuring Receive-Only Base Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

5.4.12 Configuring Base Stations in a Channel Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

6 Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

7 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

8 Replacing Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

8.1 Saving the Base Station’s Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

8.2 Preliminary Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

8.3 Replacing a Reciter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

8.4 Replacing a Power Amplifier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

8.5 Replacing a Power Management Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

8.6 Replacing the Module Guide Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

8.7 Replacing the Subrack Interconnect Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

8.8 Final Reassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

Appendix A – Interface Pin Allocations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

System Interface Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Ethernet Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

PMU Auxiliary DC Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Appendix B – Inter-Module Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Dual 50W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

Single 50W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

100W Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Receive-only Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Appendix C – Identifying Front Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Tait Software License Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Simplified EU Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual 5 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Preface

Scope of Manual

This manual provides information on installing and operating the TB9400 base station. It is intended for use by experienced technicians familiar with installing and operating base station equipment. It also includes configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting information.

Except where stated otherwise, the information in this manual generally applies to both standard and receive-only base stations and reciters. When “reciter” is referred to, this generally applies also to the receiver (receive-only reciter). References to power amplifiers (PAs) and transmitting obviously do not apply to receive-only equipment.

Unless mentioned specifically, this manual will use the term “base station” to refer to both base station and repeater.

Document Conventions

The TB9400 base station has a web interface with an accordion menu on the left side of the screen. “Configure > Base Station > Channels” means click Configure in the top-level menu, then in the expanded Configure menu click Base Station, and finally click on the Channels tab on that page.

Within this manual, four types of alerts may be given to the reader. The following paragraphs illustrate each type of alert and its associated symbol.

Warning This alert is used when there is a hazardous situation

which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

Caution This alert is used when there is a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

Notice This alert is used to highlight information that is required to ensure procedures are performed correctly. Incorrectly performed procedures could result in equipment damage or malfunction.

This icon is used to draw your attention to information that may improve your understanding of the equipment or procedure.

6 Preface TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Associated Documentation

The following associated documentation for this product is available on the Tait support website.

■ TB9400 Specifications Manual (MBC-00002-xx)

■ TN9400 P25 Trunked Network Maintenance Manual (MNC-00001-xx)

■ TaitNet P25 Trunked Networks with TB9400 Base Stations System

Manual (MBA-00064-xx)

■ TaitNet Analog Conventional Networks with TB9400 Base Stations

System Manual (MND-00001-xx)

■ Safety and Compliance Information (MBA-00012-xx)

The characters xx represent the issue number of the documentation.

Technical notes are published from time to time to describe applications for Tait products, to provide technical details not included in manuals, and to offer solutions for any problems that arise. Technical notes are available in PDF format from the Tait support website. For more information contact your regional Tait office.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Preface 7 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Publication Records

Issue Publication Date Description

20 November 2018 General updates for the 2.55 release

Advice for configuring subaudible signaling.

19 July 2018 General updates for the 2.50 release

Addition of B2 band. Clarified that HH band is nominally 378 - 420. All frequencies can be used except for the range at 406 - 406.1 (exclusive). Updated type designators. Smaller updates throughout.

18 March 2018 General updates for the 2.45 release

Publication Record now shows most recent manual issue at top of table Added note about fill-in receiver to “8.4 Replacing a Power Amplifier” Clarified “Bands and Sub-Bands” table Updated section 5.2.4 “Connecting a Networked PC to a Base Station” Added site controller table to the “1.6. Licenses” section HH band is now released as 50W and receive only

17 November 2017 General updates for the 2.40 release.

Added definition of “integral voter” to Glossary on page 122 Added solution to Internet Explorer black screen in Connecting Your PC to

the Base Station on page 82.

Added notice regarding fan operation to Front Panel Fans on page 31. Added information on cancelling a firmware package to Subaudible

Signaling on page 99.

Updated information on downloading firmware packages Setting Up a

Central Package Server on page 97.

Added notice regarding the base station resetting to Setting the IP Address

on page 84.

Added new HH band information throughout.

16 July 2017 General updates for version 2.35 release.

General minor wording and content changes throughout Added P25 Conventional Simulcast Repeater to Features on page 10 Central voter and satellite licences listed as alternatives Licenses on

page 19.

Updated description for the ‘Digital Fixed Station’ Interface in Licenses on

page 19.

Updated the “Licenses and applicability” table for Central Voter, IP Networking Satellite, and Simulcast. Added new H3 band information throughout. Screenshots have been updated in various places.

8 Preface TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

1 Description

The Tait TB9400 base station is a robust state-of-the-art digital fixed station that combines Tait’s proven strengths in reliability, high performance and modular design with software-based configurability and operation, digital signal processing, and voice-over-IP technology.

The TB9400 operates as a transceiver in Project 25 trunked, trunked simulcast, and P25 conventional networks. It is capable of either P25 Phase 1 FDMA operation, or 6.25kHz equivalent P25 Phase 2 TDMA operation.

The TB9400 can also operate in an analog conventional simulcast or non-simulcast multi-site network.

The TB9400 combines industry-leading digital voice quality with rugged design specifications and intuitive user interfaces. These products are designed to meet the needs of the public safety and public service sectors.

The ability of the base station to link stations using standard Internet Protocol communications, and to add features through software options ensures that P25 systems designed with the TB9400 are scalable in both size and functionality.

Its Ethernet interface provides built-in network connectivity, allowing the TB9400 to join with other TB9400 base stations to form a channel group. This network supports voice-over-IP and remote management of all base stations via a web browser.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 9 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.1 Features

The following are some of the features of the base station:

■ Fully compliant with the P25 Common Air Interface. Can therefore

■ Supports P25 Phase 1 operation with either C4FM or LSM modulation

■ Supports P25 Phase 2 operation.

■ Analog conventional repeater operation.

■ Analog conventional simulcast operation on an IP backbone requiring

■ Integrated built-in voting facility. No external voter is needed.

■ Can be completely managed remotely from a PC running a web

■ An integrated wiring solution is provided for the system control bus and

■ Reciters (receiver/exciter modules) can be replaced without affecting

■ Rugged construction with generous heatsinks and fan-forced cooling

interoperate with any similarly compliant radios.

on the transmitter

no audio calibration or training.

browser: configuration, alarm monitoring, fault diagnosis, feature and firmware upgrades. Alarms can also be reported via SNMP traps, allowing integration with an SNMP-based network management system.

DC power connections to each module in the subrack.

the operation of other reciters in the same subrack.

for continuous operation from –22°F to +140°F (–30°C to +60°C).

10 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

1.2 Modules

The base station consists of a subrack with up to two transmit/receive channels, or up to four receive-only channels.

The single PMU (power management unit) supplies and manages power to the whole subrack (refer to “Theory of Operation” on page 22). One reciter and one PA (power amplifier) are needed for each transmit/receive channel. The PA is not required for a receive-only base station. There is also a front panel with user controls and fans. The modules are interconnected at the front of the subrack. External connections to the modules are located at the rear.

Modules come in different variants depending, for example, on the RF band or the supply voltage.

Each module is inserted into the 4U subrack from the front and is secured at the front with a metal clamp. Both clamp and module are easily removed for rapid module replacement. The modules are secured laterally with plastic guides that clip into the top and bottom of the subrack. These guides can be easily repositioned to change the configuration of a subrack. The heavier modules are also secured laterally by metal tabs at the rear of the subrack.

The following provides a brief description of the available modules.

Subrack The 4U subrack is made of passivated steel and is designed to fit into a

standard 19 inch rack or cabinet. The subrack is fitted with an interconnect board that connects the system control bus and power to the modules and front panel. The position of a module in the subrack is defined by the socket on the subrack interconnect board to which the module is connected by the system control bus.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 11 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Front Panel

The front panel is mounted onto the subrack with two quick-release fasteners. It incorporates the indicator LEDs, four-line LCD display, user controls, ambient temperature sensor and cooling fans.

The indicator LEDS allow some monitoring of the operational status of the base station. The user controls and display allow the technician to configure the IP address of each module. Refer to “Front Panel” on page 38 for more information.

The base stations have different front panel ducting arrangements depending on PA type and power. Front panels may not be interchangeable.

The microphone input and speaker are not used in this release of the TB9400.

Reciter The reciter module comprises the receiver, exciter and digital control

circuitry. The reciter provides the Ethernet interface and system inputs and outputs.

Receiver modules (receive-only reciters) are not fitted with the transmit circuitry or front panel SMA connectors, and are physically unable to transmit.

reciter receiver

12 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Power Amplifier

The PA amplifies the RF output from the reciter and is available in 50W and 100W models.

The 50W model mounts vertically in the subrack, while the 100W model mounts horizontally as it has a wider heatsink. The 100W PA is also fitted with an airflow duct.

50W PA 100W PA

Both models are designed to operate on the 28VDC output provided by the PMU. PAs are not required in a receive-only base station.

Power Management Unit

The PMU provides the 28VDC power supply for the modules in the subrack. It can operate on 120/230VAC 50/60Hz nominal, and 12, 24 or 48VDC nominal. The input voltage can be AC, DC, or both AC and DC, depending on the model. The PMU also has an auxiliary DC output of 13.65VDC, 27.3VDC, or

54.6VDC, depending on the model.

AC and DC PMU shown

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 13 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.3 Mechanical Assembly

This section illustrates the main mechanical components of the base station.

Figure 1.1 below shows the configuration for a typical dual 50W base

station. The subrack has six slots, numbered from right to left as viewed from the front of the subrack. The PMU occupies slots 5 and 6, with the reciter and PA pairs to the right of it in slots 1 to 4. Each PA is mounted vertically with its heatsink facing its associated reciter. The PMU and each reciter/PA pair have their own cooling fans.

The front panel can be easily removed from the subrack by undoing two quick-release fasteners. Refer to “Replacing Modules” on page 105 for more details.

Figure 1.1 Mechanical assembly - dual 50W base station with front panel

front panel

subrack

PMU

PA 2

reciter 2

cable retaining clip

PA 1

reciter 1

module retaining clamp

subrack interconnect board

plastic guide rail

subrack interconnect board retaining clamp

front panel fastener

14 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Figure 1.2 below shows the configuration for a typical single 50W base

station. The PMU again occupies slots 5 and 6, with the reciter in slot 1 and PA in slot 2. The PA is mounted vertically with its heatsink facing the reciter. The PMU and the reciter/PA pair have their own cooling fans.

Figure 1.2 Mechanical assembly - single 50W base station

PMU

50W PA

reciter

subrack

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 15 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Figure 1.3 below shows the configuration for a typical 100 W base station.

The PMU occupies slots 5 and 6, with the PA directly beside it in slots 3 and 4. The reciter occupies slot 1. Unlike the 50W PAs, the 100W PA is mounted horizontally with the heatsink facing upwards. It is also fitted with an airflow duct to channel the airflow from the cooling fan through the heatsink fins.

Figure 1.3 Mechanical assembly - single 100W base station

PMU

airflow duct

reciter

subrack

cable retaining clip

16 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

1.4 Frequency Bands and Sub-bands

Much of the circuitry in the base station is common to all frequency bands, and is therefore covered by a single description in this manual. In some cases the descriptions refer to specific bands or sub-bands, and these are identified with the letters listed in the following table.

Frequency Identification Frequency Band and Sub-band 50W 100W Receive-only

B band B2 = 136MHz to 156MHz

B3 = 148MHz to 174MHz

H band HH = 378MHz to 420MHz

H1 = 400MHz to 440 MHz H2 = 440MHz to 480 MHz H3 = 470MHz to 520 MHz

K band K4 = 762 MHz to 870MHz

a. The actual frequency coverage in this band is:

Transmit: 762MHz to 776 MHz, and 850 MHz to 870 MHz Receive: 794MHz to 824MHz

In Brazil, for K band, the TB9400 is considered to be configured as a base station with retransmission of received signals.

✓ ✓

✓✓ ✓

✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓

✓

✓ ✓

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 17 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.5 Applications

The TB9400 operates in P25 trunked networks (Phase 1 or Phase 2), P25 conventional networks and analog conventional networks. It operates as a stand-alone repeater/base station, or as part of a channel group, providing receiver voting and simulcast transmission. All air interfaces and system types support simulcast operation.

In P25 Phase 2 operation, a single TB9400 base station can provide two traffic channels, since each radio frequency (physical channel) provides two logical channels (timeslots). However, it can provide only one control channel, since control channels are still P25 Phase 1.

In a trunked simulcast network, the transmitters in the channel group are synchronized and transmit simultaneously on the same frequency. Each transmitter needs a highly accurate 1PPS pulse and an external frequency reference, so that it can time transmissions with the required accuracy. Also required is an NTP source that is derived from the same source as the 1PPS signal. This will ensure a common timestamp in logs across all units in the system. An external frequency reference, along with an NTP source and 1PPS signal derived from the same GPS source, are also essential for all reciters for P25 Phase 2 operation.

In a P25 conventional network, the TB9400 operates as a single or wide area conventional repeater, with receiver voting and optional simulcast.

Dispatch connection is via two distinct interfaces:

■ P25 standard DFSI connection (up to three connections simultaneously)

■ Tait P25 Console Gateway, supporting conversion between P25 and

analog consoles with MDC1200 signalling

In an analog conventional network it can operate as a repeater with CTCSS

The base station can also operate as part of an analog conventional simulcast network and is fully IP-connected. The base station also features an internally integrated voter, and therefore requires no external voter.

The base station can be provided as a receive-only variant in systems that need sites to enhance the receive coverage. The receiver module in a receive-only base station is physically unable to transmit.

For more information on these applications, refer to the Help and appropriate Tait System Manual.

or DCS subaudible signaling.

1. Private Line (PL).

18 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

1.6 Licenses

Some operational functions of the base station are controlled by licenses. These functions will not work unless you purchase the appropriate feature license and enable the feature set controlled by that license. The feature sets currently available are listed below.

Base stations can operate in distinct network tiers according to the feature licences on the base station.

The compatibility rules are defined in the following table:

P25 Access Trunking Operation Compatible Not operate Not operate

P25 Express6 Trunking Operation Compatible Compatible Not operate

Site controller

Access Express6 Full system

P25 Trunking Operation Compatible Compatible Compatible

Base station

Analog Air Interface (TBAS041 - Default Licence)

P25 Common Air Interface (TBAS050)

P25 Trunking Operation (TBAS056)

Digital Fixed Station Interface (TBAS060)

Central Voter (TBAS061)

The central voter and satellite licences listed below are alternatives.

This is the licence that accompanies the base station. A base station with this license can operate as a repeater in an analog conventional network.

Allows a base station to transmit and receive P25 Phase 1 C4FM digital voice transmissions.

Allows a base station to become a trunking master, functioning as an interface between the trunking site controller and the channel group. Allows a base station (master or satellite) to have a TCCP connection (control or status) to a trunking site controller.

Allows the base station to integrate with dispatch consoles supporting DFSI (Digital Fixed Station Interface).

P25 and analog. This feature allows a base station to act as a central voter.

Simulcast (TBAS062)

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 19 © Tait International Limited November 2018

This feature is required in base stations that have transmitters and belong to a P25 Phase 1 simulcast or analog simulcast network in the central voter of a simulcast channel.

1. Not needed for receive-only base stations.

. It is also required

P25 Trunking Failsoft (TBAS063)

Linear Simulcast Modulation (TBAS065)

P25 Phase 2 Trunking (TBAS066)

P25 Phase 2 Simulcast (TBAS069)

Allows trunked channels that become isolated from a site controller to perform simple conventional operation and to interface to a digital dispatch system. If a trunked channel consists of several base stations in a channel group, only the central voter (normally the master) needs this license. It is then able to become the failsoft repeater for that channel group.

P25 only. Allows the base station to transmit using the LSM modulation

scheme

. This scheme allows increased site separation in simulcast

networks. Also requires the Simulcast license (TBAS062).

This feature allows the base station to operate in trunking mode using two-slot TDMA as defined by the P25 Phase 2 standards.

This feature is required in base stations that have transmitters and belong

to a P25 Phase 2 simulcast network of a P25 Phase 2 simulcast channel

. It is also required in the central voter

. Also requires the P25 Phase 2 Trunking (TBAS066) and Simulcast (TBAS062) licenses. Tait also recommends adding the Linear Simulcast Modulation (TBAS065) license as it provides improved RF performance.

P25 Access Trunking Operation (TBAS070)

IP Networking Satellite (TBAS071)

P25 Express6 Trunking Operation (TBAS072)

Enables single site P25 trunking.

All system types and all air interface types. This feature allows a base station to be part of a channel group without requiring the Central Voter (TBAS061) license.

Enables P25 trunking with up to 6 sites.

2. The central voter in a simulcast channel needs the respective Phase 1 or Phase 2 simulcast license. Normally, a transceiver member of a simulcast channel will have a simulcast license, so this constraint should not be an issue.

20 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Table 1.1 Licenses and applicability

Licence Name Air Interface System Type

TBAS041 Analog Air Interface Analog Conventional

TBAS060 Digital Fixed Station Interface Analog & P25 Phase 1 Conventional

TBAS061 Central Voter Analog & P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked, Conventional

TBAS071 IP Networking Satellite Analog & P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked, Conventional

TBAS062 Simulcast Analog & P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked, Conventional

TBAS050 P25 Common Air Interface P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked, Conventional

TBAS065 Linear Simulcast Modulation P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked, Conventional

TBAS056 P25 Trunking Operation P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked

TBAS063 P25 Trunking Failsoft P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked

TBAS066 P25 Phase 2 Trunking P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked

TBAS070 P25 Access Trunking Operation P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked

TBAS072 P25 Express6 Trunking Operation P25 Phase 1 & 2 Trunked

TBAS069 P25 Phase 2 Simulcast P25 Phase 2 Trunked

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 21 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.7 Theory of Operation

The reciter receives RF signals from its RF input and sends RF from its RF output to the PA, along with a PA key signal. The PA sends an RF feedback signal to the reciter for linearization and power control purposes. The reciter also receives signals from, and sends signals to, the system interface, the Ethernet interface, and the front panel (see Figure 1.4).

A system control bus interconnects the modules and carries alarm and control signaling between the reciter and the other modules (refer to

“Intermodule Communications” on page 25 for more details).

The Ethernet interface carries voice over IP and also allows maintainer access via a web browser.

Figure 1.4 Base station high-level diagram

RF To

Antenna

AC Input

DC Input

A receive-only base station has a receiver instead of a reciter, and does not have a PA.

PMU

28VDC

System Control Bus

RF+PAKey

RF Feedback

RF From

Antenna

1PPS

Reciter

Front Panel

External Reference Frequency

System Input and Output

Ethernet Interface to Network

22 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

The reciter carries out signal processing and has overall control of the base station. Its circuit boards are shown in Figure 1.5.

Figure 1.5 Reciter boards

RF Input

RF Output

RF Input

(feedback from PA)

Receiver

Board

Transmit Forward

Board

Transmit

Reverse

Board

Reciter

Control

Board

Front Panel

System Input and Output

Ethernet Interface to Network

Maintainer Access

The receiver board contains all the receiver circuitry, while the exciter circuitry is located on the transmit forward board.

The reciter control board converts information between analog and digital and controls the maintainer’s access via the front panel. It performs the air interface signal processing for digital P25 operation, gives the base station an identity as a network element, and provides the physical connections for the Ethernet and system interfaces.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 23 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.7.1 Signal Paths

Figure 1.6 gives an overview of signal paths within the reciter.

Figure 1.6 Reciter signal paths

Receive RF Interface

Demodulator

P25

Modem

ControlADC DDC

Transmit RF Interface

(feedback from PA)

DAC

ADC

Cartesian

Loop

Modulator

Baseband

Audio

G.711

Protocol

Stack

Reciter Control Board

RTP

UDP

Ethernet Interface

Digital P25 signals from the receive RF interface pass through the digital receiver and P25 modem to the control software in the control processor. The control software passes the signal through the Ethernet interface to the site controller (P25 trunked networks), to the console gateway (conventional networks), or for a satellite, to the central voter in a simulcast system.

Input to the Ethernet interface can be from the site controller (P25 trunked networks), from the console gateway (conventional networks), or from the central voter in a simulcast system. These inputs are processed by the control processor and passed through the P25 modem to the transmitter. If the base station is itself a central voter, this input can also be a received signal, which is voted on and sent back through the Ethernet interface to the site controller.

1.7.2 Online and Offline Modes

The base station normally operates in Online mode, but you can put it into Offline mode via its web interface.

Online Mode In Online mode, the base station is in service and performs its normal

functions of transmitting and receiving radio signals.

24 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Offline Mode

Offline mode allows a maintenance engineer to carry out tasks that can not be done while the base station is in service - such as activating firmware or running diagnostic tests.

1.7.3 Intermodule Communications

A system control bus and a subrack interconnect board link the modules in the subrack and carry alarm and control signaling between the reciter and the other modules, as shown in Figure 1.7.

Specific configuration settings for dual base stations are described in

“Recommended Configuration Settings” on page 58.

Figure 1.7 Intermodule communication paths

PMU

I C Current

Source

Reciter 1

RS-485

PA 1

RS-485IC

Fan

FanFan

Fan 3:

PMU

Fan 1:

Reciter 1/

PA 1

User

Controls

Fan 2:

Reciter 2/

PA 2

Front Panel

Subrack Interconnect Board

Reciter 2

RS-485RS-485 Fan

PA 2

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 25 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.7.4 Power Management and Distribution

The PMU manages the supply of power to ensure uninterrupted operation of the base station. A range of parameters is monitored and these can trigger alarms that are sent to the reciter. Alarms can be monitored via the web interface and reported via SNMP traps; they are also recorded in the reciter’s internal log file.

AC to DC Changeover

When the PMU has an AC and a DC module, the base station can be powered by either the AC (mains) or the DC (battery) supply. The base station will default to the AC supply if both supplies are provided. If the AC supply becomes unavailable, a seamless changeover from the AC to DC supply takes place, providing that the battery voltage is above the configured minimum startup voltage. You can use a web browser to check whether the base station is running on battery or mains power.

DC Operation When the base station is running off the DC supply and the battery voltage

falls below the configured minimum, the base station will enter battery protection mode to protect the battery and base station equipment. The standby power supply card maintains the power to the PMU microprocessor, while the rest of the PMU is shut down. When the battery voltage rises to the configured startup setting, power is resumed to the DC supply. Refer to “PMU Operation on DC Input” on page 28 for more detailed information.

Auxiliary Power Control

Distribution Figure 1.8 shows how power is distributed to modules in the subrack. The

The output from the auxiliary power supply board can be used to power other site equipment. The maximum output is 40W.

28VDC output from the PMU is fed directly to the PA in a single base station, or directly to PA 1 in a dual base station, and to the other modules via the subrack interconnect board. Power to the reciters and front panel is current-limited by self-resetting fuses on the subrack board.

The AC converter has a series switch which breaks the phase input to the converter. The DC input, however, has much higher current ratings. Its switch does not disconnect power from the DC converter itself, but disables the converter by switching off its control circuitry.

The outputs from both the AC and DC high power converters are added together and fed to the modules via the high-current outputs. The auxiliary output is also tapped off this summed output.

26 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Figure 1.8 Subrack power distribution

Single

Dual

DC AC

Aux. DC 28V

PMU

28V

PA Reciter

DC AC

PMU

28V

Subrack

Board

Front

Panel

Subrack

Board

Receive-only

PA 1 PA 2 Reciter 1

DC AC

Aux. DC 28V

PMU

Receiver 1

Receiver 3

Subrack

Board

Reciter 2

Receiver 4Receiver 2

Front Panel

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 27 © Tait International Limited November 2018

1.7.5 PMU Operation on DC Input

The operation of the PMU on DC input is controlled by three sets of parameters:

■ user-programmable alarms

■ user-programmable startup and shutdown limits

■ battery protection limits

The voltage range for each of these parameters is provided in Table 1.2 on

page 29. Figure 1.9 on page 30 illustrates how these parameters interact,

and how they control the operation of the PMU over a range of DC input voltages.

Alarms User-programmable alarms can be set for low or high battery voltage

(Configure > Alarms > Thresholds). The alarms will be triggered when the set voltage levels are reached. These limits are subject to the tolerances of the battery protection circuitry, as stated in “Battery Protection (Fail-safe) Limits” in Table 1.2.

Startup and Shutdown Limits

Battery Protection Limits

The user-programmable startup and shutdown limits allow for adjustable startup and shutdown voltages (Configure > Base Station > Miscellaneous). These limits can be adjusted for different numbers of battery cells, or for the particular requirements of the base station operation. Once the limits are reached, the PMU will shut down. These limits are subject to the tolerances of the battery protection circuitry, as stated in “Battery Protection (Fail-safe) Limits” in Table 1.2.

Notice It is possible to set the startup voltage of the base station below the nominal voltage of the battery. Continuing to use a battery for extended periods when it is below its nominal voltage will severely shorten its service life. For more information on battery management, we recommend that you consult the battery manufacturer.

The battery protection limits are set in hardware at the factory, and cannot be adjusted by the user. These limits will not be reached under normal operation conditions, but are provided as “fail-safe” measures to protect the battery from deep discharge. They also remove the need for low-voltage disconnect modules.

28 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Table 1.2 PMU DC voltage limits

Parameter

User-programmable Alarms

Low Battery Voltage High Battery Voltage

User-programmable Limits

Startup Voltage (after shutdown) Shutdown Voltage

Battery Protection (Fail-safe) Limits

Startup Voltage Undervoltage Shutdown Overvoltage Shutdown Overvoltage Shutdown Reset

a. The information in this table is extracted from the Specifications Manual. Refer to the latest issue of this manual

for the most up-to-date and complete PMU specifications.

b. Using the base station’s web interface.

Voltage Range

12V PMU 24V PMU 48 V PMU

10V to 14V 14V to 17.5V

10.9V to 15V ± 0.3 V 10V to 13.5V ± 0.3 V

10.8V +0.2 V

9.5V +0.3 V

18.1V +

17.1V +

0.3V

20V to 28V 28V to 35V

21.8V to 30V ±0.5V 20V to 27V ±0.5V

21.6V + 19V +0.5V

36.2V +

34.2V +

0.5V

40V to 56V 56V to 70V

43.6V to 60V ±1V 40V to 54V ±1V

43.2V + 38V +1V

72.4V +

68.4V +

1V 1V

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 29 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Figure 1.9 PMU alarm thresholds and voltage limits when operating on DC

Time

DC Input Voltage

Overvoltage Shutdown (HW)

Overvoltage Shutdown Reset (HW)

High Battery Voltage Alarm (SW Alarm)

Startup Voltage (SW)

Startup Voltage (HW)

Shutdown Voltage (SW)

Undervoltage Shutdown (HW)

Low Battery Voltage Alarm (SW Alarm)

30s delay 30s delay 30s delay

Run

Hardware Behaviour

Stop

Run

Software Control &

Hardware Combined

Stop

Software Alarm

Off

Active

Software Alarm

(Low Battery Voltage)

Off

Active

(High Battery Voltage)

30 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

1.7.6 Front Panel Fans

The front panel is equipped with three fans. One fan is for the PMU, and the other two are for the reciter/PA pairs in a 50W base station, or for the PA and reciter in a 100W base station, or for the receivers in a receive-only base station (refer to “Appendix C – Identifying Front Panels” on

page 121). Front panel fans do not operate continuously, but are switched

on and off as needed. The PMU and PA control their own fan. Reciters request the front panel to turn on their fan. The reciter in slot 1can also carry out a fan test on all three fans.

Front panel fans are 3-wire fans (power, ground, and rotation detect). The reciter can monitor whether the fans are rotating and generate an alarm if any of the fans fail.

The fans turn on for the duration of time the base station takes to boot from power up. The fans also turn on for a few seconds after the front panel is refitted to a base station that is powered up.

Configuring Fan Control

The operation of the PA fan is configurable via the web interface; you can specify the threshold temperature at which the fan will be turned on, and set the fan to operate only when the PA is transmitting.

Notice If a fan is not operational, the fan alarm will only be raised when the fan is turned on, not at system start-up. To avoid discovering a fan fault after leaving the site, Tait recommends running a diagnostics fan test.

The PMU fan has fixed on/off thresholds and a defined set of duty cycles based on the PMU temperature and load current, as described in the following table.

PMU Temperature Current Fan Duty Cycle

<149°F (65°C) < 4 A

4A–6A 6A–8A 8A–12A 12A–14A ≥15A

>149°F (65°C) –– always on

always off 2 minutes on, 8 minutes off 2 minutes on, 5 minutes off 3 minutes on, 3 minutes off 4 minutes on, 1 minute off always on

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 31 © Tait International Limited November 2018

2 General Safety and Regulatory

Information

This chapter provides general information on safety precautions for operating the base station.

2.1 Personal Safety

2.1.1 Unpacking and Moving the Equipment

To prevent personal injury and equipment damage, we recommend that two people unpack and move the equipment.

Caution A subrack complete with modules can weigh up to 55lb (25kg), or up to 62lb (28kg) complete with packaging. We recommend that you have another person help you unpack and move the equipment. The TBAA03-16 carrying handles will make it easier to move the equipment once it has been unpacked. If necessary, remove the modules from the subrack before moving it (refer to “Replacing Modules” on

page 105). In all cases follow safe lifting practices.

2.1.2 Lethal Voltages

Warning The PMU contains voltages that may be lethal. Refer

to the ratings label on the rear of the module.

The equipment must be installed so that the rear of the PMU is located in a service access area which is accessible only by qualified personnel. The PMU must be connected to the mains supply source by qualified personnel in accordance with local and national regulations.

Disconnect the mains IEC connector and wait for five minutes for the internal voltages to self-discharge before dismantling. The AC power on/off switch does not isolate the PMU from the mains. It breaks only the phase circuit, not the neutral.

The PMU should be serviced only by qualified technicians. There are no user-replaceable parts inside. If the PMU is damaged and does not function properly, stop the module safely and contact your regional Tait office immediately.

All servicing should be carried out only when the PMU is powered through a mains isolating transformer of sufficient rating.

32 General Safety and Regulatory Information TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

2.1.3 AC Power Connection

English (en) The PMU must be connected to a grounded mains

Norsk (no) Apparatet må tilkoples jordet stikkontakt.

Suomi (fi) Laite on liitettävä suojamaadoitus-koskettimilla

Svenska (sv) Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag.

2.1.4 Explosive Environments

socket-outlet.

varustettuun pistorasiaan.

Warning

caps or in an explosive atmosphere. Operating the equipment in these environments is a definite safety hazard.

Do not operate the equipment near electrical blasting

2.1.5 High Temperatures

Take care when handling a PMU or PA which has been operating recently. Under extreme operating conditions (+140°F [+60°C] ambient air temperature) or high duty cycles, the external surfaces of the PMU and PA can reach temperatures of up to +176°F (+80°C).

2.1.6 LED Safety (EN 60825-1)

This equipment contains Class 1 LED Products.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual General Safety and Regulatory Information 33 © Tait International Limited November 2018

2.1.7 Proximity to RF Transmissions / A proximité des émissions RF

To comply with the RF Field Limits for Devices Used by the General

Public for (Uncontrolled Environment)

, a safe separation distance of at

least 12 feet (3.6 metres) from the antenna system should be maintained.

This figure is calculated for a typical installation, employing one 100W base station transmitter. Other configurations, including installations at multi-transmitter sites, must be installed so that they comply with the relevant RF exposure standards.

a. Reference Standards

Health Canada’s Safety Code 6: Limits of Human Exposure to

Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Energy in the Frequency Range from 3kHz to 300GHz

USA Federal Communications Commission OET bulletin 65 (47CFR 1.1310) IEEE C95.1 2005: Standard for Safety Levels with Respect to Human

Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields, 3kHz to 300GHz

Pour respecter les limites imposées au champ RF au niveau des équipements utilisés par le grand public (environnement non contrôlé)

une distance de séparation de sécurité d’au moins 3.6 mètres du bloc d’antenne devrait être observée.

Ce nombre est calculé pour une installation typique, ayant un émetteur de station de base de 100W. D’autres configurations, incluant les installations ayant des sites de plusieurs émetteurs, doivent être installées de façon à se conformer aux normes pertinentes des expositions RF.

a. Normes de référence

Code de sécurité 6 de Santé Canada: Limites d'exposition humaine à

l’énergie électromagnétique radioélectrique dans la gamme de fréquences de 3kHz à 300GHz

Commission fédérale des communications (FCC) des Etats Unis d’Amérique bulletin OET numéro 65 (47CFR 1.1310) IEEE C95.1 2005: Norme pour les niveaux de sécurité compatibles avec

l'exposition des personnes aux champs électromagnétiques de radiofréquence 3kHz à 300GHz

34 General Safety and Regulatory Information TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

2.2 Equipment Safety

2.2.1 Installation and Servicing Personnel

The equipment should be installed and serviced only by qualified personnel.

2.2.2 Preventing Damage to the PA

The base station has been designed to operate safely under a wide range of antenna loading conditions. Transmitting into a low VSWR will maximize the power delivered to the antenna.

Notice Do not remove the load from the PA while it is transmitting.

Load transients (switching or removing the load) can damage the PA output stage. See “Connecting RF” on page 76 for recommendations.

2.2.3 ESD Precautions

Notice This equipment contains devices which are susceptible to

damage from static charges. You must handle these devices carefully and according to the procedures described in the manufacturers’ data books.

We recommend you purchase an antistatic bench kit from a reputable manufacturer and install and test it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Figure 2.1 shows a typical antistatic bench set-up.

You can obtain further information on antistatic precautions and the dangers of electrostatic discharge (ESD) from standards such as ANSI/ ESD S20.20-1999 or BS EN 100015-4 1994.

Figure 2.1 Typical antistatic bench set-up

common point ground (building ground or mains ground)

dissipative rubber bench mat

conductive wrist strap

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual General Safety and Regulatory Information 35 © Tait International Limited November 2018

2.2.4 Anti-tampering Devices

All network elements should be physically secured, where possible. This includes the use of locked cabinets and the use of seals on connectors.

All network connectors should be sealed with the stick-on type of seal. The purpose of the seals is to detect unauthorized tampering. The seal should reveal if any of the connectors have been unplugged or if any unauthorized equipment has been plugged in.

The seals must be difficult to remove without breaking, and must bridge between the cable and equipment side (plug and socket) of the connection.

Seals must cover any unused network sockets. This includes the Ethernet connector on the rear panel, any spare switch ports, and the console port on the router and switch.

The seals must be difficult to reproduce. A sticker initialed or signed by the technician should satisfy this.

Seals must be replaced if they need to be disturbed during maintenance.

2.3 Environmental Conditions

2.3.1 Operating Temperature Range

The operating temperature range of the equipment is –22°F to +140°F (–30°C to +60°C) ambient temperature. Ambient temperature is defined as the temperature of the air at the intake to the cooling fans.

2.3.2 Humidity

The humidity should not exceed 95% relative humidity through the specified operating temperature range.

2.3.3 Dust and Dirt

For uncontrolled environments, the level of airborne particulates must not exceed 100µg/m

36 General Safety and Regulatory Information TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

2.4 Regulatory Information

2.4.1 Distress Frequencies

The 406 to 406.1MHz frequency range is reserved worldwide for use by Distress Beacons. Do not program transmitters to operate in this frequency range.

2.4.2 Compliance Standards

This equipment has been tested and approved to various national and international standards. Refer to the latest issue of the Specifications Manual for a complete list of these standards.

2.4.3 FCC Compliance

This equipment complies with:

■ CFR Title 47 Part 15 Class B (except PMU):

Radiated and conducted emissions, and electromagnetic susceptibility specifications of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules for the United States.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions: a. This device may not cause harmful interference, and b. This device must accept any interference received, including

interference that may cause undesired operation.

■ CFR Title 47 Part 15 Class A (PMU only):

Radiated and conducted emissions, and electromagnetic susceptibility specifications of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules for the United States.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions: a. This device may not cause harmful interference, and b. This device must accept any interference received, including

interference that may cause undesired operation.

2.4.4 Unauthorized Modifications

Any modifications you make to this equipment which are not authorized by Tait may invalidate your compliance authority’s approval to operate the equipment.

The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV interference caused by unauthorized modifications to this equipment. Such modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual General Safety and Regulatory Information 37 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3 Operation

This section describes the user controls and indicator LEDs on the front panel and on the base station modules.

3.1 Front Panel

The user controls and indicator LEDs on the front panel are shown in

Figure 3.1. They allow some manual control over the base station and

monitoring of its operational status.

Notice If there is more than one reciter in a subrack, inputs from all reciters are summed to drive the front panel LEDs.

Figure 3.1 Operating controls on the control panel

b c

speaker

microphone connector

power LED

alarm LED

Speaker and Microphone Connector

Power LED The green power LED is lit when power is supplied to the subrack.

Alarm LED The red alarm LED will flash at a rate of 2 to 5Hz when an alarm has been

The speaker and microphone connector are not currently used.

generated by any of the base station modules. It will continue to flash until the alarm is canceled or the fault is fixed. Note that only those alarms which are enabled using the web interface will cause this LED to flash.

receive LED

transmit LED

keypad

display

38 Operation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

LED Description

Flashing One or more faults are present.

On (steady) A base station is in Offline mode, and no faults are present.

Off A base station is in Online mode, and no faults are present.

Receive LED

The amber receive LED indicates whether the base station is receiving a valid RF signal (on one or both logical channels in P25 Phase 2 operation).

LED Description

On (steady) A base station is receiving a valid RF signal.

Off A base station is not receiving a valid RF signal.

Transmit LED The amber transmit LED is lit while the transmitter is transmitting.

Keypad The keypad is used to navigate the base station’s menus, enter text, and to

adjust the contrast of the display. The complete list of menu items is provided in “Menu Map” on page 41.

If required, the keypad can be disabled in the web interface to prevent access to the base station via the front panel menus (see “Subaudible

Signaling” on page 99).

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Operation 39 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Key Name Function

Display

left and right arrow keys

scroll keys

home

return ■ Returns to the previous menu.

■ Move the cursor to the left or right when entering text. Moving the

cursor beyond the end of a line will return it to the other end of the same line.

■ Decrease or increase the contrast in the Display Contrast screen.

■ Scroll up and down through a list of menu items.

■ Scroll up and down through the list of available characters when

entering text.

■ Increase or decrease the contrast in the Display Contrast screen.

■ Selects the highlighted menu item.

■ Confirms any adjustments made and exits to the previous menu.

■ When setting the IP address, moves the cursor down one line. When all

the IP addresses are confirmed, exits to the previous menu.

■ Returns to the home screen from any other menu.

■ Moves the cursor up one line in the IP address screen. When the top

line is reached, pressing again returns to the previous menu.

The display is used in conjunction with the keypad to access the base station’s menus. It allows the technician to configure the IP address of each reciter (refer to “Setting the IP Address” on page 84), and to set the contrast of the display (see below).

After the base station is powered up, the display shows “Please wait...” while the base station is starting up, followed by the home screen when the start-up process is complete. The home screen shows four lines of userdefined text, which can be entered via the web interface (Identity > Identity > Base Station Identity).

From the home screen press an arrow key, a scroll key or OK to go to the base station menu. The display returns to the home screen from any other screen 30 seconds after the last key press. Press any key to turn on the backlight. The backlight turns off 30 seconds after the last key press.

If the keypad has been disabled, pressing an arrow key, a scroll key or OK will cause the display to show “Keypad Disabled”.

Set the display contrast as follows:

1. From the base station menu select Modules > Front Panel > Contrast.

2. To increase the contrast, press the right arrow or scroll up key. To decrease the contrast, press the left arrow or scroll down key.

When the contrast is set to the required level, press OK to save the changes and exit the menu.

40 Operation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Menu Map

Home Screen

The menu map below shows the menu items available in this release of the base station.

Notice The menu map shown is for a single base station. The menu

items available in your base station will depend on which modules are present in the subrack, and whether the keypad has been disabled (refer to “Subaudible Signaling” on page 99).

Base Station

Modules

Reciter 1 Front Panel

Reciter 1

View Reciter 1 Address Edit Reciter 1 Address

Front Panel

Contrast

View Reciter 1 Address

IP: 172.025.198.043 MASK: 255.255.000.000 GW: 172.025.002.251

Edit Reciter 1 Address

IP: 172.025.198.043

MASK: 255.255.000.000 GW: 172.025.002.251

Contrast

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Operation 41 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3.2 Module Indicator LEDs and Switches

Additional status information is displayed by LEDs in individual modules. The PMU also has switches that let you turn the AC and DC modules off.

3.2.1 Reciter and Receiver

Front View The indicator LEDs on the front of the reciter or receiver are visible

through a slot in its front panel.

Figure 3.2 Indicator LEDs on the front of the reciter and receiver

Reciter Receiver

indicator LEDs

These LEDs provide the following information about the state of the reciter or receiver:

■ steady green - the reciter or receiver is powered up

■ flashing red - one or more alarms have been generated; you can use the

web interface to find out more details about the alarms.

42 Operation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Rear View

Figure 3.3 Indicator LEDs on the rear of the reciter and receiver

The indicator LEDs on the rear of the reciter and receiver are on the Ethernet connector.

10Base-T Ethernet Connector LED (green)

100Base-T Ethernet Connector LED (amber)

10Base-T Ethernet Connector LED (green)

100Base-T Ethernet Connector LED (amber)

These LEDs provide the following information about the state of the reciter and receiver:

The green ethernet connector LED will flash if the connection is running at 10 Mbits/s and data is being transmitted across the Ethernet interface.

The amber ethernet connector LED will flash if the connection is running at 100 Mbits/s. It will be steady amber if the Ethernet interface is connected.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Operation 43 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3.2.2 PA

The indicator LEDs on the PA are visible through a slot in its front panel.

Figure 3.4 Indicator LEDs on the PA

50W PA 100W PA

indicator LEDs

Indicator LEDs These LEDs provide the following information about the state of the PA:

■ steady green - the PA is powered up

■ flashing green - the PA has no application firmware loaded or activated;

you can use the web interface to download or activate the firmware; also see “Subaudible Signaling” on page 99

■ flashing red - one or more alarms have been generated; you can use the

web interface to find out more details about the alarms.

The alarm LED will flash whenever an alarm is generated, whether or not this alarm has been disabled via the web interface.

44 Operation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

3.2.3 PMU

The only controls on the PMU are the on/off switches on the rear panel for the AC and DC modules, and the indicator LEDs visible through a slot in its front panel.

Figure 3.5 Operating controls on the PMU

rear view

AC module on/off switch

DC module on/off switch

AC Module On/Off Switch

DC Module On/Off Switch

front view

indicator LEDs

Warning The AC and DC module on/off switches do not totally

isolate the internal circuitry of the PMU from the AC or DC power supplies. You must disconnect the AC and DC supplies from the PMU before dismantling or carrying out any maintenance.

This switch turns the AC input to the PMU on and off. Note that this switch breaks only the phase circuit, not the neutral.

The red button remains “out” whether on or off.

This switch turns the DC output from the PMU on and off. Note that this switch does not disconnect power from the DC converter itself. It disables the converter by switching off its control circuitry. Even when the DC converter is off, the DC input is still connected to its power circuitry.

The switch is recessed to prevent the DC module being accidentally switched off.

Indicator LEDs These LEDs provide the following information about the state of the PMU:

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Operation 45 © Tait International Limited November 2018

■ steady green - the PMU is powered up

■ flashing green - the PMU has no application firmware loaded or

activated; you can use the web interface to download or activate the firmware; also see “Subaudible Signaling” on page 99

■ flashing red - one or more alarms have been generated; you can use the

web interface to find out more details about the alarms

■ flashing red and green - the PMU is in battery protection mode; check

that the battery voltage is above the configured minimum startup voltage; also check that the minimum startup voltage is configured correctly.

The alarm LED will flash whenever an alarm is generated, whether or not this alarm has been disabled via the web interface.

46 Operation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4Installation

This chapter provides information on the site requirements for your TB9400 equipment and also describes how to install the base station in a standard 19 inch rack or cabinet.

If this is your first time installing a TB9400 base station, we recommend that you read the entire chapter before beginning the actual installation.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 47 © Tait International Limited November 2018

4.1 Before You Begin

4.1.1 Equipment Security

The security of your base station equipment is a high priority. If the site is not fully secure, the base station should at least be locked in a secure, ventilated cabinet to prevent unauthorized access.

4.1.2 Grounding and Lightning Protection

Electrical Ground The base station modules are grounded by physical contact between the

module case and the subrack. To ensure a good ground connection you must tighten each module retaining clamp securely (refer to “Final

Reassembly” on page 115 for the correct torque).

A threaded grounding connector is provided on the rear of the subrack for connection to the site ground point (refer to “Connecting Up the Base

Station” on page 70 for more details).

Lightning Ground It is extremely important for the security of the site and its equipment that

you take adequate precautions against lightning strike. Because it is outside the scope of this manual to provide comprehensive information on this subject, we recommend that you conform to your country’s standards organization or regulatory body.

4.1.3 Equipment Ventilation

Always ensure there is adequate ventilation around the base station (refer to “Cabinet and Rack Ventilation” on page 49).

Notice Do not operate it in a sealed cabinet. You must keep the ambient temperature within the specified range, and we strongly recommended that you ensure that the cooling airflow is not restricted.

Notice The cooling fans are mounted on the front panel and will only operate when the panel is fitted correctly to the front of the subrack. To ensure adequate airflow through the base station, do not operate it for more than a few minutes with the front panel removed (e.g. for servicing purposes).

4.1.4 Ambient Temperature Sensor

The ambient temperature reading for the base station is provided by the temperature sensor located on the front panel circuit board.

48 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.1.5 Cabinet and Rack Ventilation

The cooling airflow for the subrack enters through the front panel and exits at the rear. For optimum thermal performance, the heated air that passes through a base station must never be allowed to re-enter the air intakes on the front panel. Any space at the front of the cabinet not occupied by equipment should be covered by a blanking panel. Refer to Figure 4.1 on

page 50.

Equipment installation should observe the following guidelines:

■ The recommended maximum number of subracks in a 38U cabinet is

five as shown in Figure 4.1 on page 50.

■ Any space at the front of the cabinet not occupied by equipment should

be covered by a blanking panel. Refer to Figure 4.1 on page 50.

■ Subrack placement in the cabinet should include a 2U gap at the top of

the cabinet.

■ To allow enough cooling airflow through a cabinet-mounted base

station, the cabinet should allow for 50 cu.ft/min for each subrack (0.024 cu.m/s).

■ To ensure adequate ventilation, the cabinet should have a vent at the top

with an area of approximately 23in area of ventilation per subrack at the rear of the cabinet behind each subrack.

■ The maximum ambient temperature at the base station front panels must

not exceed +140°F (+60°C).

(150cm2) per subrack, or a similar

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 49 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Figure 4.1 Typical cabinet ventilation requirements

8in (20cm)

side view front view

top view

≥7in (≥17.5cm)

ventilation slots

blanking panels

50 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

airflow entry

airflow exit path

4.2 Unpacking and Moving the Subrack

The subrack is packed in a strong corrugated cardboard carton with top and bottom foam cushions. To prevent personal injury and damage to the equipment, we recommend that two people unpack and move the subrack. To remove the subrack from the carton, follow the procedure illustrated in

Figure 4.2.

page 105). In all cases follow safe lifting practices.

Figure 4.2 Unpacking the subrack

1. Cut the tape securing the flaps at the top of the carton and fold them flat against the sides

2. Rotate the carton carefully onto its side ensuring that none of the flaps is trapped underneath.

c and then onto its top d,

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 51 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3. Slide the carton upwards over the foam cushions and lift it away e. Remove the cushion from the bottom of the subrack

4. Rotate the subrack and cushion carefully over the rear of the subrack

g so that it is the right way up with the cushion on top h. Remove

the cushion from the top of the subrack

Disposal of Packaging

If you do not need to keep the packaging, we recommend that you recycle it according to your local recycling methods. The foam cushions are CFCand HCFC-free and may be burnt in a suitable waste-to-energy combustion facility, or compacted in landfill.

52 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.3 Identifying the Equipment

You can identify the model and hardware configuration of the TB9400 modules by referring to the product code printed on labels at the rear of each module. The meaning of each character in the product code is explained in the tables below.

This explanation of product codes is not intended to suggest that any combination of features is necessarily available in any one product. Consult your regional Tait office for more information regarding the availability of specific models and options.

Reciter and Receiver Product Codes

PA Product Codes

Product Code Description

T01-0110X

T01-0110X-X

T01-0110X-XX

T01-0110X-XXX

T01-0110X-XXXX

a. The actual frequency coverage in this band is:

Product Code Description

-XXXX 3 = reciter 4 = receiver

XXX Frequency Band

C = 136MHz to 156MHz D = 148MHz to 174MHz J = 378MHz to 420MHz K = 400MHz to 440MHz L = 440MHz to 480MHz M =470MHz to 520MHz N = 762MHz to 870MHz

XX A = standard

X A = default

A = default

Transmit: 762MHz to 776MHz and 850MHz to 870MHz Receive: 792MHz to 824MHz

Tait Band Identifier

B2 band B3 band HH band H1 band H2 band H3 band K4 band

T01-01121-X

T01-01121-XX

T01-01121-XXXX A = default

T01-01121-XXXX

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 53 © Tait International Limited November 2018

XXX Frequency Band

C = 136MHz to 156MHz D = 148MHz to 174MHz J = 378MHz to 420MHz K = 400MHz to 440MHz L = 440MHz to 480MHz M =470MHz to 520MHz N = 762MHz to 870MHz

XX A = 50W

B = 100W

A = default B = no internal Isolator

A = default

Tait Band Identifier

B2 band B3 band HH band H1 band H2 band

H3 band K4 band

a. The actual frequency coverage in this band when used with a K-band

TB9400 reciter is 762MHz to 776MHz and 850MHZ to 870MHz.

PMU Product Codes

Product Code Description

TBAX

XXX-XXXX 3 = PMU

TBA3X

XX-XXXX 0 = default

TBA3XX

TBA3XXX

TBA3XXX-XXXX 0 = standby power supply card not fitted

TBA3XXX-XXXX 0 = auxiliary power supply board not fitted

TBA3XXX-XXXX 0 = default

TBA3XXX-XXXX

X-XXXX 0 = AC module not fitted

A = AC module fitted

-XXXX 0 = DC module not fitted 1 = 12V DC module fitted 2 = 24V DC module fitted 4 = 48V DC module fitted

1 = 12VDC standby power supply card fitted 2 = 24VDC standby power supply card fitted 4 = 48VDC standby power supply card fitted

1 = 12VDC auxiliary power supply board fitted 2 = 24VDC auxiliary power supply board fitted 4 = 48VDC auxiliary power supply board fitted

0 = default

54 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.4 Initial Setting Up

Before putting the base station into service, you may want to carry out some basic functional testing, configuration, and tuning (if required). This section provides an overview of these procedures:

■ checking that the base station powers up correctly

■ checking the basic functionality of the base station by using the tests

available in the web interface

■ customizing the configuration for the intended installation and

verifying that the configuration is correct

■ changing the root password

■ tuning the base station (if required).

4.4.1 Confirming Operation

Notice Make sure that the RF output is connected to a suitable atten-

uator or dummy load. Do not remove the load while the PA is transmitting as this may damage the PA output stage.

Applying Power 1. Apply power by turning on the PMU.

2. Check that the base station powers up correctly:

■ The front panel display will show “Please wait...” while the base

station starts up (this may take up to two minutes). When the startup process is complete, the display will show the home screen.

■ The cooling fans in the front panel will run at full speed for a few

seconds, then run at low speed while the base station starts up, and then assume standard operation. One or more fans may operate, depending on the temperature of the modules.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 55 © Tait International Limited November 2018

Functional Tests

The following table provides an overview of the tests available using the web interface. Refer to the Help for full details of these tests.

Test Notes Menu

receiver operation requires a suitable RF source Diagnose > RF Interface > Receiver

transmitter operation requires connection to the

network

synchronized transmit checks the simulcast operation of

a channel group or the transmitters in it

ping checks the IP connection to

another device with an IP address

NTP query checks if the NTP-based time

synchronization is working

PMU mains failure requires a DC backup supply Diagnose > Subsystems > PMU Control

fan operation checks the operation of each fan

individually

Diagnose > RF Interface > Transmitter

Diagnose > RF Interface > Synchronized Transmit

Diagnose > Connection > Network

Tests

Diagnose > Subsystems > Fan Tests

56 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.4.2 Working with Configurations

The Web UI page Tools > Files > Configuration allows you to manage your base station configuration.

You can do the following:

■ Back up a configuration. This stores a snapshot of the base station’s

current configuration. It is advisable to back up the current configuration before making significant configuration changes.

■ Upload a configuration. This copies a configuration from your

computer to the base station. You can develop a master configuration and upload it to all the base stations in the network.

■ Download a configuration. This copies the selected configuration to

your computer so that you can store it.

■ Restore a configuration. This activates the selected configuration after

making it compatible with the current software. You can restore configurations that have been backed up on the base station.

Users should be aware that the following parameters are not restored on a base station when a configuration is restored:

■ Keypad enabled

■ Secure shell enabled

■ Receiver number

■ Host name

■ Default channel

■ Operating mode

■ Front panel text lines 1 through 4

■ IP address

■ Subnet mask

■ Gateway address

■ Link speed

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 57 © Tait International Limited November 2018

4.4.3 Customizing the Configuration

The following steps provide an overview of the process used to configure the base station with the settings it needs. Refer to the Help for detailed information.

1. Log in to the base station (refer to “Connecting Your PC to the Base

Station” on page 82 for more details).

2. Select Configure. The base station has many different settings that can be configured before it is put into operation, such as:

■ channel configurations

■ alarm control and SNMP agent

■ network interfaces

■ channel groups and quality of service

■ channel and signaling profiles

■ CWID

■ miscellaneous items such as minimum battery voltages, fan

control, NTP and package servers.

3. Make the changes needed in each form and click Save. All changes made in the form will be applied when, and only when, the form is saved.

Notice Before making changes, you should save the configuration to your PC or network. This provides a baseline which can be restored to the base station if the configuration information becomes lost or corrupted. You should also back up the configuration before downgrading to a different software release. Note that if you downgrade and then upgrade software, configuration values for new features will disable the feature.

4.4.4 Recommended Configuration Settings

In a dual base station only base station 1 communicates directly with the PMU and front panel. Therefore the following configuration settings are recommended for dual base station operation:

■ Disable the “PMU not detected” alarm on base station 2 (Configure >

Alarms > Control > PMU).

■ Disable the “FP not detected” alarm on base station 2 (Configure >

Alarms > Control > Front panel).

4.4.5 Restricted Port Numbers

Certain configuration settings in the base station’s web interface require you to enter a port number (for example, the trunking interface and channel groups).

58 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Two ranges of port numbers are unavailable for use with the base station. The web interface will prevent you from entering a number from these ranges, as explained below.

Restricted Port Numbers Details

0 – 1023 The “well-known ports”, commonly used by other

12000 – 14999 Reserved for internal use in the base station.

4.4.6 Changing the Root Password

Notice The following procedure can be carried out only if secure

shell access (SSH) is enabled. Secure shell access to the base station is disabled by default from version 1.40 onwards. To enable SSH, select Tools > Settings > Secure shell and click Start.

devices in a network. Using a port number in this range could cause compatibility problems with other devices.

Using a port number in this range could cause the base station to malfunction.

The root password to the Linux operating system of the reciter is a possible security risk. The equipment is delivered with a default password that is well known. Knowledge of the password could be used to render the equipment inoperable, for example by deleting files. If you are concerned about the security risk that this poses, change the password. If Tait provides support services, they may need to know the password.

Notice If you change the password and then lose it, the equipment must be returned to Tait. Make sure that you store the password securely and do not lose it.

The serial port uses the same password.

To change the root password, follow these steps:

1. Log in from your PC to the base station using SSH client software

such as PuTTY. The username is “root” and the default password is “k1w1”.

2. At the # prompt, enter the command “passwd”.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

4. Record the password in a secure location.

Tait networks are deployed with default weak passwords. For security, Tait strongly recommends changing the default password where applicable.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 59 © Tait International Limited November 2018

4.4.7 Tuning the Reciter and Receiver

The following table indicates which bands are manually tuned and which are electronically tuned:

Band Manual Electronic

B2 ✓ x

B3 ✓ x

HH x ✓

H1 ✓ x

H2 ✓ x

H3 ✓ x

K4 x ✓

In this section “reciter” also applies to the receiver module (receiveonly reciter).

B-Band Before the base station is installed on site, you may need to tune the

receiver front end. The receiver front end requires tuning if the receive frequency is shifted more than 2MHz away from the previously set frequency, or the RSSI level of the new frequency is more than 1dB lower than the RSSI level of the previously set frequency.

The base station receiver signal level diagnostic (Diagnose > RF Interface > Signal Level) offers the ability to verify that the configured receiver frequency aligns with the receiver tuning.

When the frequency sweep is set to “Use calibrated noise source”, the resulting curve represents the receiver front end response, and provides a quick visual check of whether the receiver is optimally tuned. A well tuned receiver should have the maximum response at the operating frequency. See the online help for more details.

The receiver in the B3-band reciter covers the 148 to 174MHz frequency band. This is split into two sub-bands: 148 to 159MHz and 159to174MHz.

Each sub-band has its own helical filter (shown in Figure 4.3 below) which is electronically switched in or out of circuit depending on the frequency programmed into the reciter. The bandwidth of these helical filters is approximately ±1.5MHz.

60 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Figure 4.3 Identifying the B-band receiver front end helical filters

B2: 146 to 156MHz B3: 159 to 174MHz

B2: 136 to 146 MHz B3: 148 to 159 MHz

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 61 © Tait International Limited November 2018

To check the RSSI level and tune the receiver front end (if required), follow these steps:

1. Remove the reciter from the subrack and reconnect the system control bus cable to power up the module.

Tait can provide extender cables (TBC Reciter Power Cables) to enable tuning with a subrack or from a bench power supply. To order these, the part number is T01-01150-0001.

2. Log in to the reciter and select Monitor > Interfaces > RF Interface. For information on connecting directly to the reciter, refer to “Local

Connection to a Base Station” on page 85.

3. Feed a signal at the currently tuned receive frequency and at a level of –80dBm into the reciter’s RF input. Check that the RSSI reading on the RF Interface page is –80dBm ±1dB.

4. Set the reciter to the new receive frequency.

5. Change the RF input signal to the new receive frequency at –80dBm. Check that the RSSI reading is – 80dBm ±1 dB. If it is, the receiver front end does not require tuning. If it is not, go to the next step.

6. Using the Johanson tuning tool the new frequency (as shown in Figure 4.3) to obtain a peak RSSI reading. This reading should be within 1dB of the reading at the previous frequency.

Adjust the center resonator of the filter first, followed by the two outer resonators (in any order). Each resonator should require approximately the same amount of adjustment when tuning.

A change in frequency of 5MHz requires approximately one turn of the tuning slug. If tuning to a lower frequency, turn the slug clockwise; for a higher frequency, turn the slug anti-clockwise.

7. Change the RF input signal and the reciter’s receive frequency to

0.5MHz above and below the required frequency and check that the RSSI reading does not drop by more than 0.5dB from the reading at the required frequency.

8. Recalibrate the RSSI at the new frequency (Calibrate > Reciter > RSSI).

If you wish to confirm the accuracy of the tuning procedure, carry out a sensitivity measurement at the new frequency.

, adjust the correct helical filter for

1. Included in the TBA0ST2 tool kit. Also available separately as part number 937-00013-00.

62 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

H-Band

Before the base station is installed on site, you may need to tune the receiver front end. The receiver front end requires tuning if the receive frequency is shifted more than 5MHz away from the previously set frequency, or the RSSI level of the new frequency is more than 1dB lower than the RSSI level of the previously set frequency.

Tait can provide extender cables (TBC Reciter Power Cables) to enable tuning with a subrack or from a bench power supply. To order these, the part number is T01-01150-0001.

The receiver in the H-band reciter covers one of the following frequency sub-bands, depending on the model:

■ H1 - 400 to 440MHz

■ H2 - 440 to 480MHz

Each sub-band uses the same helical filter (shown in Figure 4.4 below). The bandwidth of the helical filter is approximately ±5MHz.

The HH-band variant has no helical filter, so does not require tuning.

Figure 4.4 Identifying the H-band receiver front end helical filter

H-band helical filter

To check the RSSI level and tune the receiver front end (if required), follow these steps.

1. Remove the reciter from the subrack and reconnect the system

control bus cable to power up the reciter.

2. Log in to the reciter and select Monitor > Interfaces > RF Interface.

For information on connecting directly to the reciter, refer to “Local

Connection to a Base Station” on page 85.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Installation 63 © Tait International Limited November 2018

3. Feed a signal at the currently tuned receive frequency and at a level of –80dBm into the reciter’s RF input. Check that the RSSI reading on the RF Interface page is –80dBm ±1dB. Note this reading.

4. Set the reciter to the new receive frequency.

6. Using the Johanson tuning tool frequency (as shown in Figure 4.4) to obtain a peak RSSI reading. This reading should be within 1dB of the reading at the previous frequency.

Adjust the center resonator of the filter first, followed by the two outer resonators (in any order). Each resonator should require approximately the same amount of adjustment when tuning.

If tuning to a lower frequency, adjust the slug in (clockwise); for a higher frequency, adjust the slug out (counterclockwise).

, adjust the helical filter for the new

7. Change the RF input signal and the reciter’s receive frequency to 2MHz above and below the required frequency and check that the RSSI reading does not drop by more than 0.5dB from the reading at the required frequency.

8. Re-calibrate the RSSI at the new frequency (Calibrate > Reciter > RSSI).

If you wish to confirm the accuracy of the tuning procedure, carry out a sensitivity measurement at the new frequency.

K-Band The K-band reciter does not require tuning.

1. Included in the TBA0ST2 tool kit. Also available separately as part number 937-00013-00.

64 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.5 Installing the Base Station on Site

4.5.1 General Installation Advice

When installing base stations, it is very important to observe good site engineering rules. This is especially true when the channels are combined into a single antenna.

If at all possible, the RF planner should avoid frequency plans in which the Rx to Tx spacing is an exact multiple of the trunked channel spacing, thus forcing Tx intermodulation products to fall outside the Rx channels.

Cables and antennas should be of high quality construction. Solid shield heliax type cables are best, but if braided shield cables must be used for short distances, their braids must be silver-plated.

When the outputs of more than one transmitter are combined, their voltages add, and the resulting peak envelope power is not simply the sum of their powers, but is equal to the power of one of them multiplied by the square of the number of sources. Cables, components, and hardware must be rated to withstand the peak envelope power.

During the commissioning process, all transmitters should be activated together using a diagnostic test tone, while the receiver RSSI is monitored. There should be no perceptible increase in RSSI while the transmitters are active.

Base stations may require an external frequency reference, a 1PPS signal, and an NTP source, depending on the frequency band and type of radio system.

The following general rules apply:

■ Base stations operating at or above 700MHz require an external

frequency reference to meet the frequency accuracy requirements for transmitters and receivers.

■ Simulcast transmitters require an external frequency reference and a

1PPS signal so that transmissions can be timed with the required accuracy. They also require an NTP source. Both the 1PPS and NTP signals must be derived from a source that is GPS-disciplined. This will ensure a common timestamp in logs across all units in the system.

■ P25 Phase 2 base stations require an external frequency reference and a

1PPS signal for site alignment of transmitters and receivers. They also require an NTP source to ensure correct, long-term Phase 2 alignment.

The requirements for P25 Phase 1 systems are described in more detail below. Also see “Connecting an External Frequency Reference” on

page 77 and “Connecting a 1PPS Source” on page 78.

P25 Phase 1

The requirements for an external frequency reference and a 1PPS signal are set out in the following table.

Transmit and Receive Receive Only

Band System

B band H band

K band Non-simulcast

Non-simulcast

Simulcast

External

Reference

✘✘✘✘

✔✔✘ ✘

✔✘✔✘

✔✔✔✘

1PPS

External

Reference

1PPS

An NTP source is also strongly recommended for P25 Phase 1 non-simulcast systems. This will ensure log timestamps are synchronized, which will assist the diagnosis of faults.

Synchronization requirements are more stringent with the introduction of simulcast and with TDMA in Phase 2. See Technical Note TN-2411a Providing Synchronization to Tait Networks.

4.5.2 Equipment Required

It is beyond the scope of this manual to list every piece of equipment that an installation technician should carry. However, the following tools are specifically required for installing the base station:

■ Pozidriv PZ3 screwdriver for the M6 screws used in the DC input

terminals on the PMU; M6 (0.25in) screws are also used to secure the subrack to the cabinet in factory-assembled systems

■ Pozidriv PZ2 screwdriver for the M4 screws used to secure the module

retaining clamps, and for the fasteners used to secure the front panel to the subrack

■ 8mm AF spanner for the SMA connectors, and the subrack ground

connector.

You can also obtain the TBA0ST2 tool kit from your regional Tait office. It contains the basic tools needed to install, tune, and service the base station.

66 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.5.3 Mounting the Subrack

Caution A subrack complete with modules can weigh up to 55lb

(25kg), or up to 62lb (28kg) complete with packaging. We recommend that you have another person help you unpack and move the equipment. The TBAA03-16 carrying handles will make it easier to move the equipment once it has been unpacked. If necessary, remove the modules from the subrack before moving it (refer to “Replacing Modules” on

page 105). In all cases follow safe lifting practices.

Figure 4.5 Subrack mounting points

front view

rear view

main mounting holes - front

1. Remove the front panel, as described in “Preliminary Disassembly”

on page 106.

2. Fit the subrack into the cabinet or rack and secure it firmly with an

M6 (0.25in) screw, flat and spring washer in each of the four main mounting holes

b, as shown in Figure 4.5.

auxiliary mounting holes - rear

If you need extra mounting security, additional mounting holes provided at the rear of the subrack for auxiliary support brackets.

c are

Figure 4.6 below gives the dimensions of the subrack and its mounting

holes.

Figure 4.6 Subrack dimensions

14.8 in

(375.5 mm)

17 in (432 mm)

6.96 in

(176.8 mm)

4 in

(101.6 mm)

19 in (482.6 mm)

18.3 in (465.1 mm)

0.42 in (10.6 mm)

0.26 in

(6.6 mm)

14.7 in (373.5 mm)

14.37 in (365 mm)

5.25 in

(133.4 mm)

68 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

Auxiliary Support Bracket

TBAA03-13 auxiliary support brackets can be fitted to the rear of the subrack to provide additional mounting security. Figure 4.7 shows a standard TBAA03-13 bracket are not using the Tait cabinet, you may have to make your own brackets to suit your installation.

Figure 4.7 Auxiliary support bracket

b fitted in a typical Tait cabinet c. If you

Notice Yo u must fit the auxiliary support brackets if you intend to transport a cabinet fitted with a fully built-up base station.

We also recommend that you fit the brackets under the following conditions:

■ when the installation is in an area prone to earthquakes

■ when third party equipment is installed hard up underneath the base

station subrack.

General Cabling We recommend that you try to route all cables to and from the base station

along the side of the cabinet so the cooling airflow is not restricted.

DC Power Cabling

DC power cables should be well supported so that the terminals on the PMU and on the ends of the cables do not have to support the full weight of the cables.

Figure 4.8 shows two recommended methods of securing these cables to

prevent straining either set of terminals.

We recommend that you fit the supplied covers to the DC terminals to protect against accidental shorts.

Figure 4.8 DC power cabling

4.6 Connecting Up the Base Station

This section provides information relevant to the task of connecting up the various inputs and outputs of the base station.

secure the cables to the cabinet to support their weight

70 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.6.1 Connection Overview

The connections at the rear of a 100W base station are identified in

Figure 4.9. External connections are all located at the rear of the subrack.

Figure 4.9 100W base station inputs and outputs

bcd

Reciter 1 PMU

serial RS-232 connector

1PPS input

external reference frequency input

RF input

RF output

–VDC input

fgh

ij1)1!

+VDC input

auxiliary DC output

AC mains input

Ethernet interface connector

subrack ground connector

system interface connector

a. Factory use only.

Figure 4.10 50 W base station inputs and outputs

bcd

PA 1Reciter 1 PMU

serial RS-232 connector

1PPS input

external reference frequency input

RF input

RF output

–VDC input

fgh

ij1)1!

PA 2Reciter 2

+VDC input

auxiliary DC output

AC mains input

Ethernet interface connector

subrack ground connector

system interface connector

a. Factory use only.

72 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.6.2 Connecting AC Power

The PMU is designed to accept a mains input of 88 to 264VAC at 45 to 65Hz. A standard 3-wire grounded socket outlet must be used to supply the AC power. The socket outlet must be installed near the equipment and must be easily accessible. This outlet should be connected to an AC power supply capable of providing at least 600 W. The requirements of two typical AC supplies are given in the following table.

Nominal Supply Current Requirement

115 VAC 8 A 10 A

230VAC 4A 6A

a. The actual current consumption of the base station will be lower than these re-

quirements (refer to the Specifications Manual for more information).

Your base station should come supplied with a power supply cord to connect the male IEC connector on the PMU to the local AC supply. The pins of the IEC connector on the PMU are identified at right.

Circuit Breaker/Fuse

Rating

phase

ground

neutral

rear view

4.6.3 Connecting DC Power

The PMU is designed to accept a nominal 12VDC, 24VDC or 48VDC input (depending on the model) with negative or positive ground. There is a minimum DC startup threshold to prevent damaging a battery which has little capacity left.

You must connect the DC supply from the battery to the PMU via a fuse or DC-rated circuit breaker with the appropriate rating, as shown in the table below. The circuit breaker must have a contact separation of 3mm, an interrupt capacity of 1000A or more, and an inrush current capability of at least 500A for a minimum of 3.5ms.

Notice The inrush current is not affected by the state of the DC module on/off switch on the PMU. This switch does not disconnect power from the DC converter itself. It disables the converter by switching off its control circuitry. Even when the DC converter is off, the DC input is still connected to its power circuitry.

The DC input leads should be of a suitable gauge to ensure less than 3% voltage drop at maximum load over the required length of lead.

Nominal Supply Volta ge

12VDC 10VDC to 16.8VDC 60A 2 AWG / 35mm

24VDC 20VDC to 33.6VDC 30A 5 AWG / 16mm

48VDC 40VDC to 60VDC 15A 8AWG / 8mm

a. The actual current consumption of the base station will be lower than these re-

quirements (refer to the Specifications Manual for more information).

b. For a length of 5ft to 6.5ft (1.5 m to 2 m) (typical).

Input Voltage Range

Circuit Breaker/ Fuse Rating

Recommended Wire Gauge

Terminate and insulate the DC input leads to protect them from accidentally shorting to the subrack if the PMU is removed before the leads are disconnected. Protective covers for the DC terminals are supplied with each PMU. We recommend a screw torque of 18– 20lbf·in (2–2.25N ·m).

74 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.6.4 Connecting the Auxiliary DC Power Output

The PMU can provide an auxiliary DC output from the auxiliary power supply board. This board is available with an output of 13.65VDC,

27.3VDC, or 54.6VDC (depending on the model), and is current limited to 3A, 1.5A or 750mA respectively. This power supply is permanently on as soon as the base station has finished powering up, and is available on the auxiliary output connector on the rear panel.

You can connect multiple auxiliary power supply boards in parallel for redundancy purposes, or to provide an output greater than 40W. Although no active current sharing is used, auxiliary boards connected in parallel will current-share before reaching their power limit. The failure (or switching off) of one auxiliary board will not load any other paralleled auxiliary boards in the circuit.

The auxiliary power supply turns off briefly when the PMU restarts after a firmware upgrade. This interruption may also cause any ancillary equipment powered from the auxiliary supply to restart. If this is a problem for your system, we recommend connecting auxiliary power supply boards in parallel to ensure an uninterrupted power supply for the ancillary equipment.

Auxiliary DC Power Output Cabling

Network elements are supplied with a connector, as shown in Figure 4.11. You can use this to connect the PMU’s auxiliary DC power output to another device (refer to “PMU Auxiliary DC Output” on page 116 for the pin allocations).

Contact your regional Tait office for details on the full range of wiring kits available.

Figure 4.11 Auxiliary DC power connector

Phoenix MVSTBR2.5HC/2-ST/5.08 female

4.6.5 Connecting RF

Notice Do not remove the load from the PA while it is transmitting

as this may damage the PA output stage. Before disconnecting any RF cables, put the base station into Offline mode to prevent any transmissions.

The RF input to the base station is via the marked BNC connector on the rear panel of the reciter. The RF output is via the N-type connector on the rear panel of the PA (refer to Figure 4.9 on page 71).

Recommendations for Installing the PA

We recommend the following installation procedures, which should protect the PA from damage under all but the most extreme operating conditions.

1. Do not connect the PA directly to the antenna. Fit an isolator or duplexer between the PA and the load. Fit the isolator as close as possible to the RF output connector on the PA. Do not connect any switching equipment between the isolator and the PA, unless the switch cannot operate while there is RF present (i.e. the base station is transmitting).

2. Fit a surge suppressor to the antenna cabling where it enters the building.

3. Inspect all cables and equipment connected to the base station for defects.

Ice on the antenna, or a broken antenna, is unlikely to cause damage to the PA .

Explanation The circuit design of the PA protects the circuitry from high VSWR. This

makes it difficult to damage the RF power device by keying the PA into a mismatched load, or if the load deteriorates over even a short period of time (milliseconds).

However, it is possible to damage the device if all the following conditions happen at the same time:

■ there is a step change in the PA load (for example, the load is removed)

■ the PA is transmitting

■ the feed line loss between the PA and the mismatch is <1dB.

The effect of such conditions is variable: some devices will not be destroyed, and some may fail after repeated load interruptions.

76 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.6.6 Connecting an External Frequency Reference

Notice An external reference is required for simulcast operation.

For K4 band, the internal frequency reference accuracy is inadequate, and an external reference must be used. An external reference is also required for simulcast and P25 Phase 2. The external reference frequency can be 10MHz or 12.8MHz, with an input level of 300mV automatically detects the frequency of the external reference and configures itself accordingly. The stability of this reference should be as shown below. For more details, see Technical Note TN-2411b Providing Synchronization to Tait Networks.

to 5Vpp. The reciter

Multicast P25 Phase 1

P25 Phase 1

P25 Phase 2

Simulcast P25 Phase 1

P25 Phase 2

B and H bands K4 band

All bands

All bands 10 parts per billion

not required 100 parts per billion

100 parts per billion

If an external reference is required, enable the “external reference absent” alarm (Configure > Alarms > Control).

Use a 50Ω coaxial cable (RG58 or RG223) to connect the external reference to the base station’s external reference frequency input. You can daisy-chain up to eight base stations using F-junctions. The maximum overall cable length is 30m. Terminate the last connection (including single base stations) with a 50Ω load.

Figure 4.12 Daisy-chaining an external frequency reference input

maximum overall cable length is 30m

maximum of eight base station loads on one frequency reference output

50Ω termination (also needed for single base stations)

4.6.7 Connecting a 1PPS Source

A 1PPS signal is required for simulcast and P25 Phase 2 base stations. Use

coaxial cable (RG58 or RG223) to connect the source to the base

a 50Ω station’s 1PPS input. You can daisy-chain up to eight base stations using Fjunctions. We recommend that the cable length between the first and last load is kept to a minimum. This will reduce any propagation variation between base stations. The maximum overall cable length is 30m. Terminate the last connection (including single base stations) with a 50 Ω resistor, otherwise reflections of the 1PPS pulse may occur.

Notice If 1PPS is used then 1PPS and NTP must both be derived from the same time base. Normally this will be a GPS disciplined source.

Figure 4.13 Daisy-chaining a 1 PPS input

The longest length of cable must be between the source and the first base station

use short lengths of cable between each base station

maximum of eight base station loads on one 1PPS output

50Ω termination (also needed for single base stations)

78 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

4.6.8 Ethernet Connection

The RJ-45 socket on the reciter’s rear panel provides the 10-BASE-T or 100-BASE-T Ethernet connection to the other devices in the network. Use a Cat-5 cable to connect this socket to the Tait Network via a router or switch.

The Web UI allows you to set the Ethernet port speed auto-negotiation to 10/100 Mbit/s or to negotiate a maximum 10 Mbit/s. Tait recommends that you keep the port speed at the factory default setting of 10 Mbit/s. The reciter hardware and software are scaled to meet the performance requirements of processing multiple voice streams along with supervisory control and management communications. 10 Mbit/s is ample for those requirements. The 10/100 Mbit/s setting is provided for compatibility reasons, but it is possible under high traffic conditions at 100 Mbit/s for traffic arriving at the reciter at the full rate within a small timing window to overflow internal buffers and therefore suffer packet loss. If you set the port speed to 100 Mbit/s and observe QoS lost packet alarms, then review your Ethernet port speed settings.

With the port speed at 10 Mbit/s it is particularly important to set the voice QoS on the reciter port of your site router or switch to a strict priority queue policy - which is the same policy that you should also be setting for your site link ports. The default QoS settings restrict the voice bandwidth to 1/ 25th of the port speed which is smaller than the required bandwidth for typical systems at 10 Mbit/s.

If necessary, refer to “Ethernet Connector” on page 116 for a list of Ethernet connection pin allocations.

4.6.9 Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs

General purpose inputs and outputs are connected via the DB-25 connector on the rear panel of the base station.

The pin allocations for the DB-25 connector are given in the following table: Note that not all pins are used in this release of the base station.

Pin Signal Name Signal Type Notes

3 reserved for future use

1) 2#

external view

11 digital in 1 input 5V TTL logic

12 digital in 2

13 +5.2VDC output power output maximum current 200mA

14 digital in 3 input 5V TTL logic

15 digital in 4

16 digital in 5

17 digital in 6

18 digital in 7

19 digital in 8

20 digital in 9 isolated keying input

21 digital in 10

22 digital in 11 isolated gate output

23 digital in 12

24 not used reserved for future use

25 ground ground

active state configurable (active high vs active low)

■

80 Installation TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

5 Working with Base Stations from Your

The web browser on your PC provides a window into the TB9400 base station. Use it to connect to the base station so that you can monitor, configure, diagnose, and calibrate it (if required).

This section describes the following:

■ Connecting to the base station, including initially setting things up

■ Working with base station web pages

■ Carrying out basic tasks

This section provides an overview of some aspects of the web interface. Refer to the Help for detailed instructions.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Working with Base Stations from Your PC 81 © Tait International Limited November 2018

5.1 PC Recommendations

We recommend the following PC hardware and software for connecting to a TB9400 base station:

■ SVGA Monitor (1024 x 768 minimum).

■ Network connection.

■ The base station works with recent versions of most modern browsers.

Refer to the Release Notes for more information on currently supported browsers.

5.2 Connecting Your PC to the Base Station

You connect to a base station using your web browser. You can view multiple base stations at once by using multiple browser windows or tabs. Base stations have a web-based interface that provides the pages you view. Up to ten users may be logged in to a base station at once.

When loading the web user interface with Internet Explorer, the web page may go blank. To fix this, refresh the page with the ‘F5’ key.

The base station has three different user access levels: Administrator, Maintainer, and Monitor. Passwords can be defined for each level. This is done using the base station’s web interface (Tools > Tools > User Administration). Refer to the base station Help for more information on setting user access levels.

Connections to the base station can be authenticated by a remote (i.e. centralized) service. Refer to “Setting Up Authentication” on page 87 and the base station Help for more information.

82 Working with Base Stations from Your PC TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

5.2.1 Logging In

1. Enter the base station’s URL into your browser using a secure con-

2. A security warning appears when you connect for the first time.

3. The login screen appears.

nection ( https://). To find out the base station’s IP address, on the front panel select Modules > Reciter 1 (or 2) > View Reciter 1 (or 2) Address. To set the IP address, refer to “Setting the IP Address” on

page 84.

Notice If access to this menu has been disabled, you cannot use the front panel to find out the IP address. Make sure that you store the IP address securely and do not lose it.

Proceed anyway (refer to “Security Certificates” on page 85).

4. Enter your user name and password. When connecting for the first time, enter the user name “admin” and password “tbc_admin”.

5. Click Login.

Notice After logging in we recommend that you change the password and username for your own security (refer to “Working with the

Web Interface” on page 88). Make sure that you store your passwords

and usernames securely and do not lose them. They may be needed by Tait support personnel if assistance is required. Tait cannot retrieve forgotten passwords.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Working with Base Stations from Your PC 83 © Tait International Limited November 2018

5.2.2 Setting the IP Address

Before the base station is installed on site, you need to provide it with its proper IP address. Make sure that you do not lose this address. A quick way to set the base station’s IP address is to use the front panel, as described below.

Notice If access to this menu on the front panel has been disabled, log in to the base station and set the IP address using the web interface (Identity > Identity > Network Identity).

Notice If the base station is online when changing the IP address, it is possible that the base station will restart. Tait recommends that all configuration changes are made after taking the base station offline.

1. Use the front panel display to enter the IP address, subnet mask and gateway specified for this base station by the IP addressing plan for the network. From the base station menu select Modules > Reciter 1 (or 2) > Edit Reciter 1 (or 2) Address. If the home screen is showing, press an arrow key, a scroll key or OK to clear it.

Notice In this screen each octet in the address lines has provision for three characters. If an octet in the address has less than three characters, enter one or two leading zeroes so that each position is filled, even though the zeroes are not part of the address. For example, enter

172.25.163.47 as 172.025.163.047. Leading zeroes are removed when the address is programmed into the base station.

2. Set each address as described below. Use the left and right arrow keys to move the cursor across each line in the Addresses screen. Use the scroll keys to scroll through the available numbers for each position in a line.

a. Set the IP address and press OK. This moves the cursor to the

next line. To move the cursor back to the previous line, press the

return key. b. Set the Mask address and press OK. c. Set the Gateway address and press OK. d. The display shows “Setting Reciter 1 (or 2) address Please

wait...” while the base station confirms that the addresses are cor-

rect. When this process has finished, the display will show

“

SUCCEEDED” or “FAILED” as appropriate. Press OK to return to

the previous menu.

3. If the process failed, try entering the address again. If it still fails, try the following:

■ enter the address through the web interface

■ check that the IP address you are trying to enter is not already in

use by another device on the same subnet.

84 Working with Base Stations from Your PC TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual

5.2.3 Security Certificates

You can upload your own security certificates to the base station (Tools > Settings > Web certificate). If you have installed and configured the appropriate Certification Authority software, you can issue security certificates for all base stations. After uploading the certificates to the base stations, you can configure all maintainers’ web browsers to accept security certificates from your own Certification Authority.

Before you have uploaded a security certificate to the base station, it will raise a security warning when your browser connects to it for the first time. The base station creates a self-signed certificate when the reciter’s firmware is installed. Your browser raises a security warning because the security certificate was not issued by a trusted Certification Authority. The browser has a way of letting you override or bypass the security warning.

5.2.4 Local Connection to a Base Station

Using a computer on site normally requires the computer to have an IP address that is compatible with the sub-netting and routing used by the communications network. Additionally, you may need to connect to a reciter after removing it from service. In either case, you may have to change your computer IP address configuration.

To connect the base station to your computer, ensure that your computer is part of the same subnet as the base station, or has a route to it. Refer to your operating system provider's help for further information on how to do this.

Base stations leave the factory with default IP address: 192.168.1.2, Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0. If your base station will still not connect to your PC, contact your local Tait dealer.

You may need to temporarily disconnect a networked PC from its LAN in order to establish a direct connection with the base station. A physical connection is needed as well as an alternate or temporary IP address and subnet mask.

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5.2.5 Troubleshooting Connection Problems

If the attempt to connect to a base station failed, consider these possible causes.

1. Your PC is part of your organization’s LAN and does not belong to the same subnet as the base station. Give the PC a suitable IP address and subnet mask as described in “Local Connection to a Base Sta-

tion” on page 85.

2. You are attempting to connect to the wrong IP address. Check that the IP address is correct.

Notice You can quickly check the base station’s IP address via the front panel, as long as access to this menu has not been disabled.

3. The link to the base station is down. Use ping to check.

4. A connection error may occur if your PC is using the organisation’s web proxy, but the base station doesn’t have a valid gateway address allowing it to send responses back to that proxy. Users should ensure that all network parameters are correct (IP address, network mask and gateway address). You may have to bypass the proxy in your organization’s LAN to access the Tait Network. Ask your system administrator to give you access.

5. JavaScript may be disabled in your browser. If JavaScript is disabled, your browser will be unable to connect to the base station. Note that modern browsers normally have JavaScript enabled by default.

5.2.6 Finding a Lost or Forgotten IP Address

Use the following procedure if an IP address has been lost or forgotten.

1. Mount the reciter in a TB9400 subrack and fit the front panel. Power up the subrack.

2. On the front panel display select Modules > Reciter 1 (or 2) > View Reciter 1 (or 2) Address.

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5.2.7 Setting Up Authentication

Connections to the base station can be authenticated by a remote (i.e. centralized) service (Tools > Settings > Authentication). Two remote authentication protocols are supported: LDAP and RADIUS.

Notice Only people experienced with the AAA architecture and authentication protocols should make changes on this page.

Moving logins to a centralized server can provide enhanced security for a number of reasons, such as:

■ less work is required to manage password-controlled access to all base

stations in a network; you no longer need to change the password in each base station individually

■ previously used passwords may be excluded from re-use

■ access can be denied after a set number of incorrect passwords is

entered

■ passwords can be set to expire on a certain date

■ remote access to base stations can be globally enabled and disabled as

required for technical staff during the commissioning process.

Once the centralized server logins are set up, we recommend that only one local administrator login is left on the base station for emergency use (e.g. when the connection to the server is lost). The password for this emergency login should be kept secret.

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5.3 Working with the Web Interface

This section provides an overview of the web interface. Refer to the Help for detailed instructions.

When you connect to a base station, the browser displays a page like the following.

Accordion menu

Status bar

Alarm status. Click System Status to go to the Alarms screen.

Model and name of base station

Type of system

Mode (online or offline). Click Mode to go to the screen where you can change mode.

Click your user name to change your password and user settings

Click to disconnect

The accordion menu on the left gives you access to the various pages. Click a top level item (such as Configure) to open up its menu. Click on a menu item to display its page, then click on the appropriate tab on that page to display the required information. Click the + icon ( ) on a menu item to expand the menu tree and the – icon ( ) to collapse it again.

Using a browser window size smaller than 1024 x 768 may cause some pages to display incorrectly.

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5.3.1 Monitoring Operation

Using the monitoring pages, you can see how the base station is currently operating. For example, you can see the status of its RF interface (Monitor > Interfaces > Trunked RF).

If the base station is part of a simulcast network, you can monitor the simulcast timing of the transmitter and the central voter (Monitor > Synchronization). When connected to the central voter, the browser can monitor its timing.

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5.3.2 Troubleshooting Alarms

If the Alarm status on the status bar displays red, one or more alarms have been triggered, and the Alarms menu automatically expands to display the alarm(s). Click Help and navigate to the description of that alarm

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5.3.3 Viewing Configuration Settings

The base station has many configuration settings that personalize it for its particular role in the network. Some settings, such as those for alarm thresholds (Configure > Alarms > Thresholds), always apply.

Others are channel-based so that they can be dynamically changed. To view these, you first need to know the channel on which the base station is operating. To see the channel number and profiles the base station is using, select Monitor > Interfaces > Conventional RF.

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Channels can be edited from Configure > Base Station > Channels. To bring up the edit screen below, select a channel in the table and then click the Edit button.

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Channel and signaling settings are grouped together in profiles. The RF monitoring page (see above) shows the channel profile and signaling profile the channel uses. To view the channel profile settings, select Configure > RF Interface > Channel Profiles and select the profile you wish to review or edit.

Proceed in a similar way to view signaling profile and channel group settings.

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5.3.4 Viewing the Base Station and Network Identity

Each base station in a network has a unique base station and network identity.

Select Identity > Identity and then Base Station or Network to view details such as name, receiver number, default channel and network addresses. Note that the Host name field has a maximum of 63 characters, and may use the characters a–z, 0–9, dot and hyphen. You cannot use spaces.

The Link speed configuration option enables the Ethernet port speed autonegotiation to 10/100 MBits/s or to negotiate a maximum of 10 Mbits/s. Under high traffic conditions it is possible for traffic arriving at the reciter at the full rate (100 Mbits/s) within a small timing window to overflow internal buffers and therefore suffer packet loss. To minimize this cause of packet loss a setting of 10 Mbits/s is recommended.

Enter here the four lines of information you want to appear on the home screen on the front panel display.

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5.4 Basic Tasks

5.4.1 User Settings

Click on your user name in the top right corner of the page to change your password. Note that this information is stored in the base station, not in your browser.

5.4.2 Taking the Base Station Offline

You may need to take the base station offline in order to carry out diagnostic tests or to take it out of service if a fault develops.

1. Click Mode on the status bar (or Select Tools > Tools > Base Sta-

tion).

2. Under Control, select Offline. Click Offline to confirm the change.

In the Status area, the Mode display changes first to “Changing”, and then to “Offline” ( ).

5.4.3 Troubleshooting Alarms

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5.4.4 Disabling the Front Panel Keypad

You can disable the front panel keypad to prevent access to the base station via the front panel menus. Select Configure > Base Station > Miscellaneous and in the Front Panel area clear the Keypad enabled check box.

Notice If you disable the front panel keypad, you cannot use it to find out the base station’s IP address. Make sure that you store the IP address securely and do not lose it.

5.4.5 Preparing to Download Firmware

New versions of base station firmware are remotely downloaded to base stations from a package server (web server application). You can set up a single computer to be the central package server for all the base stations on your network, using a web server of your choice. Tait also provides the Mongoose with a temporary package server, such as a laptop.

web server as part of the base station firmware package for use

Installing the Firmware Package

The base station firmware package can be downloaded as a zip file from the Tait support website.

If you click ‘Cancel’ while downloading a firmware package, it takes approximately 20 seconds for the cancellation to take effect and for the base station to respond.

This procedure describes using the Mongoose web server.

The installation procedure copies files into a folder and adds items to the Windows Start menu (Start > Programs > Tait Applications > TB9400). From the Start menu you can then access the Help, licenses, manuals and release notes for each firmware package, and also start Mongoose.

You do not have to install Mongoose to make it work, because it is a self-contained executable file. Once started, it will run in the background until stopped, or the computer is shut down. Mongoose must also run from the same folder as the firmware files.

If you are downloading a base station package zip file:

1. Save the zip file to a suitable location on the hard drive of the package server computer.

2. Extract the zip file, then navigate to the root folder and double-click TB9400.msi to run the Windows installer.

1. Mongoose runs on Windows only.

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Notice Tait recommends that the maximum length of the path to the location of the extracted files is 100 characters. Using a longer path may cause the files to be extracted incorrectly.

Setting Up a Central Package Server

Setting up a Temporary Package Server

It is beyond the scope of this manual to describe the exact procedure for setting up a central package server for any particular network. Tait expects that each customer will configure their own package server according to the requirements for their network.

However, you do need to configure each base station with the IP address and port of the package server computer.

1. Log in to the base station and select Configure > Base Station >

Miscellaneous.

2. Under Package server, enter the IP address and port number of the

package server.

3. Download the firmware as described in the Help.

If you want to use a laptop as a temporary package server, you can temporarily override the package server IP address and port in each base station.

1. Run Mongoose on the package server (Start > Programs >

Tait Applications > TB9400 > Mongoose).

2. Windows Firewall may raise a Security Alert about allowing

Mongoose to access your network or the internet. a. In Windows 7 allow access to private networks. b. In Windows XP click Unblock.

3. Log in to the base station and select Tools > Firmware > Download.

4. Under Package server, enter the IP address of the laptop. The default

port number is 8080.

5. Download the firmware as described in the Help.

6. If you have trouble with any of the above procedures, please

consider the following points:

■ The firmware download process uses the HTTP protocol. If you

are using a laptop from outside the radio communications network, make sure that HTTP traffic can get through the firewall.

■ If Mongoose fails to start, it may already be running, or another

application may be using port 8080.

■ If the error message “Could not find index file” appears when

listing packages, Windows security may be silently blocking access for Mongoose. Turn off the laptop’s WiFi and temporarily disable its firewall, then try again.

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5.4.6 Working with Configuration Files

At any time, you can save the current configuration settings as a file (Tools > Files > Configuration > Backup configuration). This is stored in the base station, but we recommend that you download it and store it on your computer as an off-site backup. The base station identity and network identity are not saved as part of the configuration file.

The following parameters are not restored on a base station when a configuration is restored:

■ Keypad enabled

■ Host name

■ Default channel

■ Operating mode

■ Front panel text lines 1 through 4

■ IP address

■ Subnet mask

■ Gateway address

■ Link speed

■ SSH enabled

You may want to develop a master configuration and upload it to all base stations in the network. The master configuration can contain all the different channel configurations and can be common to all base stations. The base station identity selects the default channel.

Base stations are delivered with a default configuration which provides a safe set of values. We recommend that you download it and store it on your computer as a backup before changing and saving any configuration settings.

You can also generate a report containing all the base station’s configuration settings (Tools > Files > Configuration > Configuration report), which can be saved as a text file. We recommend that you do this when the base station is commissioned. This report can be useful later if there is a problem with the base station. Comparing the original report with the later one may highlight changes in configuration that are causing a problem.

5.4.7 Setting Up Custom Alarms

Each of the base station’s 12 digital inputs can be used to raise a custom alarm when the input goes high or low. The Custom Alarms form (Configure > Alarms > Custom Alarms) allows you to assign a name to each custom alarm.

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The active state of the inputs (active high vs active low) is configured on (Configure > Base Station > Programmable I/O)

Custom alarms are reported via the web interface and SNMP traps.

Custom alarms provide a warning when an external event activates a digital input. You can rename any of the available alarms to provide a more meaningful name, such as “Door open”.

5.4.8 Subaudible Signaling

The purpose of CTCSS and DCS signaling (PL and DPL) is to reject transmissions from radios that do not belong on the network. It is possible for digital signals such as DMR to cause falsing with some codes. If possible, you should avoid the following subaudible codes:

Subaudible Type Code Values

CTCSS (PL) 131.8 Hz

199.5 Hz

233.6 Hz

DCS (DPL) 356

431 723

5.4.9 Checking for Interference on a Receive Channel

You can use the Signal Level page (Diagnose > RF Interface > Signal Level) to look for sources of interference across a range of receive frequencies.

The chart on this page has two lines. One shows the current RSSI measurement for the selected frequency. The second shows a historical trace of peak RSSI readings on that frequency.

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5.4.10 Configuring Single Base Stations

It is possible to operate the base station as a single base station (for example, trunked, non simulcast, or as a conventional single repeater). The following explains the special considerations when configuring single base stations.

Channel Group Membership

Although single base stations are not actually part of a channel group, their channel configurations (Configure > Base Station > Channels) must still select a channel group (Configure > Channel Group > Channel Groups). Once a channel group has been selected, the following parameters need to be configured.

Channel Group IP Address

Set the channel group to ‘disabled’. Specify 127.0.0.1 as the channel group IP address. This is the base station’s localhost address and stops it from attempting to send voice packets to other base stations.

Marshaling Duration

Single base station operation should not require marshaling. Channel group and simulcast operation have no meaning for a single transceiver. Interactions within the software, however, mean that control channel operation and transmit tail operation both depend on the configured value. It is recommended to leave the marshaling duration at the value of 40ms for single base station operation.

Trunking Interface Single base stations need a control connection to their site controller.

A single base station interfaces to the site controller in the same way as the master base station in a trunked channel group. Select Configure > Network Interfaces > Trunking to configure this.

5.4.11 Configuring Receive-Only Base Stations

You can program a receiver with the same configuration as a reciter. This will keep the number of required configuration files to a minimum and, if possible, re-use existing configuration files.

Transmit information for the receiver will be displayed in the web interface, but this can be ignored. Also, some polled SNMP parameters, such as Tx NAC, will return the correct transmitter configuration data, but none of these parameters is used by the receiver.

5.4.12 Configuring Base Stations in a Channel Group

You can configure the way the base station behaves in its channel group. Also, qualified network engineers can change DSCP assignments so that routers and switches provide a different quality of service to different types of IP packets. For more information on designing and configuring simulcast channel groups, refer to

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Tait TBCB2X Users Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual