ThinkRF R5700 User Manual
ThinkRF R5700
Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer
with GNSS
User Guide
Version 1.0
December 2018
Document no. 75-0037-181220
Copyright © 2018 ThinkRF Corporation, All rights reserved.
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
Important notice
The information in this
guide is furnished for
informational use only
and is subject to change
without notice. ThinkRF
Corporation assumes no
responsibility or liability
for any errors or
inaccuracies that may
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are trademarks of
ThinkRF Corporation.
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trademarks of their
respective companies or
owners:
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ThinkRF Corp
390 March Road
Kanata, ON K2K 0G7
(613) 369-5104
HARDWARE WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Read this warranty carefully before you use the product.
R5700 Real-Time Spectrum Analyzers with GNSS are warranted for workmanship
and materials for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment as identified by
the Customer’s packing slip or carrier waybill. ThinkRF reserves the right to void the
warranty on any equipment that has been altered or damaged due to Customer
negligence, unauthorized repair, misuse of equipment, evidence of physical or
environmental damage, transportation abuse or removal of any ThinkRF
identification labels or serial numbers.
It will remain the responsibility of the Customer, having obtained a Return Material
Authorization (RMA) and shipping instructions from ThinkRF, to return, at the
Customer's expense, the defective unit to ThinkRF’s repair facilities. ThinkRF will
incur shipping charges for the return of warranty repaired equipment. The RMA
number can be secured by calling ThinkRF Customer Service and Support (1-613369-5104). If the product does not fall within ThinkRF’s warranty period or the
product is found to be functioning as designed, then under the terms of ThinkRF’s
warranty policy, all costs of repairs and shipping will be charged directly to the
Customer. ThinkRF will warrant repaired units for a period of 90 days from date of
shipment from ThinkRF to the Customer. If the remaining period on the original
hardware warranty is greater than 30 days, then ThinkRF will honor this remaining
warranty period.
THINKRF EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES AND
CONDITIONS, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT
LIMITATION, WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS OR REPRESENTATIONS OF
WORKMANSHIP, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
DURABILITY, OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE HARDWARE OR LICENSED
SOFTWARE WILL BE ERROR FREE. IN NO EVENT WILL THINKRF BE LIABLE
FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.
USE OF PRODUCTS IN HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES
THINKRF PRODUCTS ARE INTENDED FOR STANDARD INDOOR COMMERCIAL
USE. WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE NETWORK DESIGN ENGINEERING, THEY
MUST NOT BE USED FOR ANY “HIGH RISK ACTIVITY”, as described in this
paragraph. Customer acknowledges and agrees that the products supplied
hereunder are not fault-tolerant and are not designed, manufactured or intended for
use or resale as on-line control equipment in hazardous environments requiring fail
safe performance including but not limited to the operation of nuclear facilities,
aircraft navigation or communication systems, air traffic control, direct life support
machines, or weapons systems, in which the failure of products could lead directly to
death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage, all of which are
examples of “High Risk Activity”. THINKRF AND ITS SUPPLIERS EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIM ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR HIGH
RISK ACTIVITIES.
GNU General Public License
This device contains free firmware: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This
program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more
details. GNU General Public License is available at http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
Table of Contents
Preface ........................................................................................................................... 5
Audience ........................................................................................................................ 5
Conventions ................................................................................................ ................... 5
Obtaining the Latest Documentation and Software ......................................................... 5
Document Feedback ...................................................................................................... 6
Obtaining Technical Assistance ...................................................................................... 6
Overview of the ThinkRF R5700 ................................................................................... 7
Getting Familiar with the ThinkRF R5700 ....................................................................... 8
Installing the ThinkRF R5700 ................................ ................................ ..................... 10
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage ..................................................................10
Unpacking the Box ........................................................................................................ 11
Connecting the Antennae, Ethernet and Power Cables ................................................. 11
Choosing the Mount Location for the R5700 ..................................................................12
Connecting to the ThinkRF R5700 ................................ ................................ ............. 13
Determining Your Network Topology and IP Address Allocation .....................................13
Connecting Directly to the R5700 ..................................................................................14
Connecting to the R5700 across a Network ...................................................................16
Using the ThinkRF R5700 Administration Console .................................................. 18
Viewing Device Status ...................................................................................................18
Configuring R5700 Time Synchronization ......................................................................19
Configuring the R5700 IP Address .................................................................................20
Updating the R5700 Firmware .......................................................................................21
Customizing R5700 Calibration Settings ........................................................................22
Restarting the R5700 .....................................................................................................25
Using the ThinkRF R5700 USB Console ................................................................... 26
Installing USB drivers ....................................................................................................26
Connecting to the USB Console ....................................................................................26
Configuring the R5700 IP Address .................................................................................28
Using the GNSS Module ............................................................................................. 29
Configuring the ThinkRF R5700 GNSS Module .............................................................29
Selecting the GNSS 10MHz Reference Source .............................................................29
Getting Real-Time Geolocation Data .............................................................................30
Resetting the ThinkRF R5700 to Factory Settings ................................................... 32
Status Indicator LEDs ................................................................................................. 33
Power (PWR) Indicator LED ..........................................................................................33
Status (STS) Indicator LED ................................................................ ...........................33
Reference (REF) Clock Source LED .............................................................................34
LOCK Indicator LED ......................................................................................................34
LINK Status LED ...........................................................................................................35
ACT Indicator LED .........................................................................................................35
Hardware Reference .................................................................................................... 36
System Specifications ...................................................................................................36
SMA Connectors ...........................................................................................................36
Ethernet RJ-45 Port Pinout ................................ ............................................................ 37
GPIO Port Pinout ...........................................................................................................38
USB Console Port Pinout ..............................................................................................38
RJ-45 Straight-Through Ethernet Cable .........................................................................39
RJ-45 Crossover Ethernet Cable ...................................................................................39
Operational Considerations and Maintenance ...............................................................40
ThinkRF R5700 Real-Time Signal Analyzer User Guide 5
Preface
This section describes the audience for, the organization of, and conventions used in this
document. It also identifies related documentation and explains how to access electronic
documentation.
Audience
This document is written for technical people who have basic understanding, familiarity
and experience with network test and measurement equipment.
Conventions
The following conventions and notations are used in this document:
Note: This symbol means take note. Notes contain helpful suggestions or references to
additional information and material.
Caution: This symbol means be careful. In this situation, you might do something that
could result in equipment damage or loss of data.
Warning: This symbol means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily
injury. Before you work on any equipment, be aware of the hazards involved with
electrical circuitry and be familiar with the standard practices for preventing accidents.
Obtaining the Latest Documentation and Software
Please visit the ThinkRF website at https://www.thinkrf.com/documentation/ to obtain the
latest R57000 documentation. Latest software and firmware releases are also available
on the ThinkRF website at https://www.thinkrf.com/download-updates/.
Preface
6 ThinkRF R5700 Real Time Signal Analyzer User Guide
Document Feedback
Please send your comments about this document or any ThinkRF documentation to
support@thinkrf.com. We appreciate your feedback.
Obtaining Technical Assistance
The ThinkRF Support website provides online documents for resolving technical issues
with ThinkRF products. Visit https://www.thinkrf.com/documentation/ for more information.
For all customers who hold a valid end-user license, ThinkRF provides technical
assistance 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time, Monday to Friday. Contact us at
support@thinkrf.com or by calling +1.613.369.5104.
Before contacting support, please have the following information available:
• R5700 serial number (located on the identification label on the R5700 device’s
underside)
• The product version
• The firmware version running on the R5700
• Versions of ThinkRF software you are using, potentially including the API libraries
to third-party applications
• Operating system and version on your PC
ThinkRF R5700 Real-Time Signal Analyzer User Guide 7
Overview of the ThinkRF R5700
The R5700 Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA) with Global Navigation Satellite
System (GNSS) is a high-performance software-defined RF receiver, digitizer and
analyzer with integrated GNSS technology to offer location and time information in one
package.
It is designed for stand-alone, remote, distributed, and/or embedded real-time spectrum
analysis, monitoring and intelligence applications.
ThinkRF has patented software-defined RF receiver technology that provides industry
leading combined sensitivity, tuning range, instantaneous bandwidth and scan rate.
Additionally, the R5700 provides real-time sophisticated triggering, search and loss-less
capture of signals of interest using an integrated patented digital signal processing
engine.
The R5700 is ideal for monitoring, management and surveillance of transmitters, whether
they are in-building or spread across a geographic area. Applications include but are not
limited to spectrum analysis, 5G wireless technology, research, test and measurement,
spectrum monitoring and OEM integration. When the GNSS module is enabled, GNSS
position and time information is sent to users through VRT context packets roughly every
second.
In addition to the two internal and external 10 MHz reference clock sources, the GNSS
module also provides a third 10MHz reference clock source option for synchronized time-
stamps on VRT packets.
Overview of the ThinkRF R5700
8 ThinkRF R5700 Real Time Signal Analyzer User Guide
The R5700 Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer provides Gigabit Ethernet for stand-alone,
remote and distributed applications. ThinkRF supports a rich set of industry-leading
standard protocols and APIs, enabling the R5700 to easily integrate into your new or
existing applications.
Standard protocols include the Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments
(SCPI) protocol for controlling and obtaining status from the R5700 and the VITA 49
Radio Transport (VRT) protocol for digitized data and its associated context information.
APIs are provided for interfacing and performing data acquisition and spectral analysis
with Python™, C/C++, MATLAB® and LabVIEW®.
Applications can also be built within the PyRF development framework. PyRF is built on
the Python programming language and is open-source under BSD licensing. PyRF
handles the low-level details of real-time acquisition, signal processing and visualization,
and provides feature rich libraries, example applications and source code, all specific to
the requirements of signal analysis.
Getting Familiar with the ThinkRF R5700
This section provides information about the front and rear panels, connection ports and
identification label of the R5700 Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer.
Note: The type and placement of connectors and components on the panels and the
case may vary depending upon the product variant and version.
Front Panel
The front panel of the R5700 contains the power switch, status indicator LEDs, and the
input connector for the RF antenna port.
Overview of the ThinkRF R5700
ThinkRF R5700 Real-Time Signal Analyzer User Guide 9
Rear Panel
The rear panel of the R5700 contains the power input, 10 MHz reference clock I/O,
hardware reset button, input connector for the GNSS antenna, USB console (CNSL) port,
Ethernet port, and GPIO port.
Underside
The underside of the ThinkRF R5700 includes a label that identifies the device. The
information on the label may vary depending on your product variant and version. The
product “Version” number is important for identifying which firmware can be used to
update your product.
10 ThinkRF R5700 Real Time Signal Analyzer User Guide
Installing the ThinkRF R5700
Ensure that you read and understand the following information about safety and
electrostatic discharge before you unpack and install the R5700 device.
Warning: Only trained and qualified personnel should be allowed to install or replace this
equipment. Read the installation instructions before you connect the system to its power
source.
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is a single-event, rapid transfer of electrostatic charge
between two objects, such as an operator and a piece of electrical equipment. ESD can
occur when a high electrostatic field develops between two objects in close proximity.
ESD occurs when electronic components are improperly handled and is one of the major
causes of device failures in the semiconductor industry.
Electrostatic discharge is more likely to occur with the combination of synthetic fibers and
dry atmosphere. Always follow these steps to prevent ESD.
Warning: Never open the front or rear panels of the R5700 as personal injury may result
and opening the chassis will void the warranty. There are no user-serviceable parts
inside. Always contact ThinkRF support for service through the online support form at
http://www.thinkrf.com/support/.
Caution: To prevent ESD, wear an ESD-preventive wrist strap that you provide, ensuring
that it makes good skin contact.
Caution: Do not touch any exposed contact pins or connector shells of interface ports
that do not have a cable attached. If cables are connected at one end only, do not touch
the exposed pins at the unconnected end of the cable.
Installing the ThinkRF R5700
ThinkRF R5700 Real-Time Signal Analyzer User Guide 11
Unpacking the Box
This section lists the items that come with your R5700 analyzer. If any of the items are
missing or damaged, please contact your ThinkRF customer service representative.
The R5700 shipping box contains the following:
R5700 Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer
Power adapter and cable
Straight-through Ethernet cable
USB console cable
Receiver antenna
GNSS antenna and cable
Precautions & Quickstart Guide
Note: The receiver antenna is included for your convenience and only intended to
perform adequately across a limited frequency range.
Connecting the Antennae, Ethernet and Power Cables
Caution: Never connect a transmitter directly to the receiver with a cable.
Follow these steps to connect the receiver and GNSS antennae, the Ethernet cable, and
the power cable:
1. Screw the antenna on to the R5700 "RF IN" antenna input SMA connector on the
device’s front panel.
Carefully turn the antenna screw by hand until you encounter resistance. See the
System Specifications section for the maximum allowable input and cautions.
Caution: Do not over-tighten the antenna connector on the jack. Using a wrench, pliers
or even your hand to over-tighten the antenna can cause permanent damage to the
receiver. See the SMA Connectors section for the torque recommendations.
2. Screw the GNSS antenna on to the R5700 "GPS" antenna input SMA connector
on the device’s rear panel.
Carefully turn the antenna screw by hand until you encounter resistance. See the
System Specifications section for the maximum allowable input and cautions.
3. Connect one end of the Ethernet cable to the R5700's Ethernet port (on the rear
panel) and the other end to an Ethernet port on your router or PC.
Installing the ThinkRF R5700
12 ThinkRF R5700 Real Time Signal Analyzer User Guide
4. Connect the R5700 analyzer to its power adapter.
Warning: Use only the power adapter provided with the unit.
5. Plug the power adapter into a power outlet.
6. Push the power switch towards the power symbol to power the unit on.
Note: See the Using the ThinkRF R5700 Administration Console section for a
description of the R5700 status.
Choosing the Mount Location for the R5700
After you have connected the R5700 receiver and GNSS antennae, Ethernet Cable, and
power cable, you can select a location to mount the R5700 analyzer.
Caution: To prevent damage to the R5700 radio receiver, do not install or operate the
R5700 within 2 feet (60 cm) of devices that transmit more than +15 dBm power, such as
Wi-Fi access points.
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