Hermes User Manual
Handheld Iridium/GPS/NMEA Asset Tracker
Version 1.0.1
October 2019
18
Email
support@xeostech.com
Phone
(902) 444 7650
Fax
(902) 444 7651
Website
www.xeostech.com
Version No.
Date
Description
1.0
August 2019
Base document
1.0.1
October 2019
Minor edits
Shipped From
Contact Us
Version History
Regular checks for the latest manual are suggested. Be sure to check Xeos Technologies’ manuals
page to compare versions and download the latest version.
Hermes Manual 1.0.1
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Table of Contents
Shipped From .................................................................................................................................. 2
Contact Us ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Version History ................................................................................................................................ 2
General Description ........................................................................................................................ 5
Theory of Operation........................................................................................................................ 5
Preliminary Setup ............................................................................................................................ 6
Outside Diagram ......................................................................................................................... 6
Setting up your Iridium Account ................................................................................................ 6
Understanding Position Information ......................................................................................... 7
Iridium Doppler position........................................................................................................ 7
Global Positioning System ..................................................................................................... 8
Integrating Beacons with the Hermes ............................................................................................ 9
XeosOnline ................................................................................................................................. 9
Hermes Forwarder Setup ........................................................................................................... 9
Creating a Forwarder ............................................................................................................. 9
Deployment of the Hermes .......................................................................................................... 10
Testing the Installation ............................................................................................................. 10
Hermes Power-On ......................................................................................................................... 11
Hermes Display and Buttons ......................................................................................................... 11
Iridium ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Internal GPS .............................................................................................................................. 12
NMEA Output ........................................................................................................................... 12
Received Messages from Beacons ........................................................................................... 12
Battery Indicator ...................................................................................................................... 13
Messages from the Hermes .......................................................................................................... 14
Settings Summary Message ..................................................................................................... 14
Version (Type V) ....................................................................................................................... 14
Position ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Testing the Hermes .................................................................................................................. 16
Shutdown ...................................................................................................................................... 16
Pinout Diagram – Chogori NMEA/Charge Connector ................................................................... 17
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Hermes Manual 1.0.1
Appendix A: Cable Drawings ......................................................................................................... 18
Appendix B: Specifications ............................................................................................................ 19
Appendix C: Installing the RS-422 Driver ...................................................................................... 19
Warranty, Support and Limited Liability ....................................................................................... 20
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General Description
The Hermes is a handheld asset tracking beacon which continuously monitors for asset location
and reports and receives location via the Iridium satellite network. Hermes makes use of the bidirectional, global, real time Iridium Satellite Short Burst Data (SBD) network in combination with
GPS position location.
Inside the Hermes is a 9603 Iridium satellite Short Burst Data core radio transceiver, a specialized
low-power Xeos digital controller with GPS, Iridium & GPS antennas, and rechargeable Lithium
battery.
While the Hermes is intended for recovery of remote deployments, Xeos Technologies Inc. (Xeos)
manufactures other products for fixed location monitoring and remote tracking and surveillance.
See www.xeostech.com for details or call (902)-444-7650.
Theory of Operation
The Hermes is intended for the recovery of other Xeos products on deployment. Utilizing
XeosOnline’s message forwarding system, up to 10 devices can be set to forward location
information to the Hermes.
The internal GPS of the Hermes determines its own location, and derives the bearing and distance
between the Hermes and forwarded deployed assets. The most recent position of each deployed
asset is stored and can be cycled through on the display of the Hermes. The position of the
Hermes is also updated regularly to make bearing and distance as accurate as possible.
When coupled with a chart plotter and appropriate cable, the Hermes can output position data
of its own position or those of the tracked assets as a standard NMEA-0183 TLL message for
added tracking ability.
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MESSAGE SENDING ORDER OF OPERATION
5
1
Iridium antenna for receiving positions from
remote devices
2
Internal GPS antenna allows for bearing and
distance to remote devices
3
Daylight-readable LCD screen to display positions
and other information
4
Chogori connector to output NMEA sentences to
chart-plotter as well as charging internal battery
5
Menu navigation buttons to take actions and
move between devices
6
The Hermes’ Iridium IMEI as well as production
serial number are displayed on the front
Preliminary Setup
Outside Diagram
Shown below are key sections of the Hermes:
Setting up your Iridium Account
Hermes makes use of the Iridium satellite system’s (www.iridium.com) Short Burst Data (SBD)
service for the 9603 transceiver. This service is a global, two-way, real-time, email-based data
delivery service that has a maximum outbound (from Hermes) message size of 340 bytes and a
maximum inbound (to Hermes) message size of 270 bytes.
Hermes end users must set up an approved data delivery account with their preferred service
provider. Xeos is an Iridium VAR and can provide Iridium service if you wish.
Setting up service requires the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Each
9603 has a unique IMEI number that must be registered with a preferred service provider. Xeos
will make these numbers available when the product is delivered.
Each IMEI number is capable of being associated with up to five (5) unique email addresses. This
may vary between service providers. When registering your IMEI number, please provide the
service provider with the temporary Xeos testing account email address. You may contact Xeos
for this email. Setting up this email address allows for better technical support during the initial
learning period for the product.
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sbdservice@sbd.iridium.com
All messages from Iridium devices come from this address.
MOMSN: 5866
Mobile Originating Message Serial Number; each individual
message has its own incrementing serial number. A mobile
originating message is one that comes from the Iridium
device.
MTMSN: 0
Mobile Terminating Message Serial Number; like the MOMSN,
messages to Iridium devices (like commands) also have an
incrementing serial number. Since the message in the
example is from an Iridium device, the MT number is zero.
Time of Session (UTC)
The time the message arrived at the Iridium Gateway
Session Status
Each message will have a code determined by how well the
message was received; codes 00, 01 and 02 are acceptable
Understanding Position Information
There are two types of position information which will be sent via the Iridium Gateway.
Iridium Doppler position
The Iridium Gateway calculates the Iridium transceivers’ position on earth when it receives a
transmission, using Doppler technology. As a result, it is often very inaccurate. This location is
only visible to users getting emails directly from the device, as opposed to emails forwarded by
XeosOnline. An example of a “raw” Iridium message via email is below and will always have the
IMEI of the device in the subject line, regardless of its name on XeosOnline.
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and will always have their code name (ex. Transfer OK) next to
this number.
Message Size (bytes)
The size of the actual message sent by the Iridium device,
which is in the attachment in the email.
*Unit Location
The Doppler position of the device as estimated by Iridium’s
network. It is NOT the GPS position measured by the device.
*CEPradius = 2
The numerical value of how accurate the above position is;
with a value of 2, This means that using the Lat/Long that the
body has supplied, Iridium is 80% confident (always 80%) that
the device sending the message is within a circle, 2 kilometers
in radius, with the Lat/Long given as the center of that circle.
The higher the CEPradius value, the larger the circle and
therefore the less accurate that position.
*These items can be enabled/disabled by your Iridium provider if desired.
Global Positioning System
Location information generated by the device itself is embedded in the SBD attachment sent via
the Iridium Gateway and can only be seen through the XeosOnline system or situations where
the position information is sent in a plain-text format (XeosOnline message forwarder or using
the $msgenable command). This position information is accurate to within several feet of the
true position.
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Integrating Beacons with the Hermes
The Hermes is designed to receive messages from Xeos beacons through the use of XeosOnline’s
forwarder system. Therefore, all beacons intended to be used with the Hermes must be activated
on the Iridium network and set to send messages to XeosOnline by the Iridium provider. The
Hermes must also be activated on the Iridium network to receive messages.
XeosOnline
The connection between devices is entirely controlled on XeosOnline. A maximum of ten devices
can be set via the forwarder system to send position messages to the Hermes at one time.
Forwarders can be created via the Admin tab on the top-right of the page on XeosOnline.
Hermes Forwarder Setup
Creating a Forwarder
1. To create a forwarder, click on
2. The Forwarder dialog will appear
3. Forwarder Type will present several options from a drop-down menu.
a. Choose Hermes Forwarder
4. Name: Give the Forwarder a meaningful name
5. Description: Record any additional details about the Forwarder (optional)
6. Limit: Leave at no limit (default)
7. Click Save
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Adding Devices and Targets to Forwarders
Once a Forwarder has been created, devices and targets can be added.
1. Select a Forwarder from the list
2. Click and the Source Devices tab will appear. Select the devices you wish to forward
3. Click again, the target to receive messages is available. The Hermes IMEI is entered
here.
4. Click and you will be prompted to save the additions to your forwarder.
Additionally, the Test Forwarder button will send a test message to the Hermes to be received
by the device, confirming its Iridium connectivity.
Deployment of the Hermes
The Hermes contains GPS and Iridium antennas, as well as a rechargeable lithium battery. No
external equipment is required for use, but is recommended for longer deployments and
searches:
A combination NMEA/Charge cable for output and recharging via wall outlet
A device to receive NMEA messages from the Hermes for chart-plotting
An RS-422 converter if sending NMEA strings to a computer
To deploy the Hermes, ensure that the top of the device, which is where the antennas are
located, has a clear view of the sky. Outside on the deck of a boat would be sufficient.
Testing the Installation
Test the installation by checking the destinations to which the Iridium account is sending
notifications. XeosOnline will display the last known position of the Hermes as well as the
timestamp of the GPS position. As beacon positions are sent, Hermes will receive and display
those positions, and overwrite previous positions as they are received.
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1
Field to show if a new position on any device is available
2
Show status of the Hermes’ internal GPS
3
Show Hermes’ Iridium connection status and strength
4
Important information for a page is displayed in the main section
5
Action that will be taken if button 1 is pressed
6
Battery status/health indicator
7
Displays if NMEA is being output from the connector
8
Action that will be taken if button 3 is pressed
Hermes Power-On
The Hermes is powered on by holding in the farthest right interaction button for several seconds.
While this button is depressed, the screen will prompt the user to hold that position until the
device is on. This screen displays the Hermes’ firmware and hardware revisions as well.
Hermes Display and Buttons
The Hermes uses a daylight-readable LCD screen for display of beacon location, the Hermes’ own
location and status and navigation of the interface.
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Iridium
Iridium is a critical feature of the Hermes; without a connection to the Iridium network, the
Hermes’ position data cannot be transmitted out, and positions of other beacons cannot be
received.
The Hermes’ Iridium modem is always in an active state. The LCD displays the Iridium signal
strength on the top of the screen. If there is an exclamation point, the Iridium modem is not
connected to the Iridium network.
Pictured: Iridium Strength Bars; no signal, not registered, low signal, full signal
Internal GPS
While the Hermes will function with its own GPS inoperable, the internal GPS can be used to
acquire a bearing and distance between the Hermes and the device currently displayed on the
LCD.
The display will show the Lat/Long in decimal degrees of the Hermes on the “My Location” page.
When the GPS has a position for this screen, GPS will be displayed at the top of the screen.
The Hermes’ internal GPS updates every 30 seconds, and transmit its most recent position over
Iridium every 30 minutes. If the Hermes has not acquired an updated fix after 15 minutes, the
GPS logo will appear as a strikeout.
Pictured: Hermes GPS has not been updated, Hermes GPS has a current position
NMEA Output
The Hermes has the ability to output NMEA-0183 TLL (Target Latitude and Longitude) signals
from its bottom Chogori connector to a connected chart-plotter.
If the Hermes is not connected to the chart-plotter when a new position arrives, pressing the
NMEA button while viewing the position on-screen will output the appropriate string of that
position from the port. At that time, an N will momentarily appear on the screen between the
Iridium and battery symbols on the display.
If a new position from a beacon arrives while connected to the chart-plotter, the position is
immediately pushed from the NMEA port.
Received Messages from Beacons
As messages are received from remote devices, the Hermes will update the NMEA index for that
particular device to display the time and location of the most recent position. If a new position
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Hermes Manual 1.0.1
Remote Position Readout
64723984757662
The 15-digit number of the remote device being tracked
My Name
The name given to the device on XeosOnline
LAT
The latitude of the position of the remote device in decimal degrees
LON
The longitude of the position of the remote device in decimal degrees
01/08/19
10:29:59
Day/Month/Year, Hour/Minute/Second of position received
HDG
Heading between the Hermes and remote device in degrees in relation
to True North
RNG
Range; distance between Hermes position and remote device in
meters/km
NEW/Stale
These messages appear if a position is being seen for the first time (NEW)
or if the position is older than 10 minutes (Stale)
NMEA Index
Each device is assigned an NMEA index which stays with the device as
new positions arrive
1/1
Shows what page is being displayed out of all devices
arrives, an asterisk (*) will appear in the top-left corner of the screen until the new position is
viewed.
New positions are marked *NEW* in the display when viewed. Consequently, positions from
devices that are older than 10 minutes are marked *Stale* in the same location.
Battery Indicator
The Hermes will display the overall level of charge in its internal battery when in use, descending
as the device discharges.
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Version Readout
08010000
Timestamp in UTC (Month/Day/Hour)
V
Type of message (Version)
Firmware Version
Product; Major, minor, build of firmware
Hardware Revision
Hardware revision, set during assembly
Serial
The unit’s serial number
GPS Version
Firmware version of GPS chip
Iridium Version
Firmware version of Iridium modem
Reset Count
The number of resets since firmware was uploaded
Current
Cause of last power off
Previous
Cause of previous power off, not used in Hermes
Additionally, the Hermes will display in the same location if the battery is receiving power
externally for charging.
If at any point the battery charging enters into a fault state, the battery icon displays an
appropriate indicator.
Pictured: Hermes battery before charge reading, partial charge, when charging, when a charging fault has occurred.
Messages from the Hermes
There are several messages sent from the Hermes to XeosOnline, depending on setup and
conditions. Below are examples of the most common Mobile Originating messages.
Settings Summary Message
On startup, the Hermes will send a summary of timers and a short list of GPS and Iridium settings.
These settings do not need to be manipulated in most use-cases.
Version (Type V)
The $ver command will return a summary of both firmware and hardware versions:
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Message Log Readout
Timestamp
Date and time in UTC of the latest position reading
BatteryV: 11.91
Loaded voltage of the power supply; minimum battery voltage
observed during the previous Iridium transmission
44.714272
Latitude of fix, decimal degrees
-63.604870
Longitude of fix, decimal degrees
Voltage Unloaded: 12.06
Unloaded voltage of power supply; battery voltage data from
measurement taken just prior to the turning on of the Iridium
modem
Location Log Readout
Timestamp
Date and time in UTC of this specific position reading
44.714400
Latitude of fix, decimal degrees
-63.604902
Longitude of fix, decimal degrees
Alarm: False
Indicates if the device has determined if it is in an alarm state
Bearing
Direction of movement determined by device
Speed (km/h)
Speed measurement in kilometers per hour
Speed (knots)
Speed measurement in knots
Altitude
Not used
SNR
SNR (Signal-to-noise ratio) of GPS Fix, higher is better (>37 is good)
Position
Typical position messages are sent in compressed binary format (Message Type 10) to save on
data usage and are parsed in XeosOnline, placing its full contents in the Message and Location
Logs.
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Testing the Hermes
1. Once the Hermes firmware has been updated, please test its ability to transmit.
2. Make sure the Hermes has an active Iridium account. Xeos can setup an account for you
if you do not currently have one. Ensure you have access to one of the email addresses
to which messages are sent.
3. Place the Hermes outside in a location where it has a clear view of the sky and connect
it to an external power source.
4. Check the email account to see if a transmission has been received. If no message is
received within 20 minutes, please check operating manual to ensure it is setup as
required.
5. If no message is received, please contact Xeos for assistance in troubleshooting.
6. DO NOT redeploy the Hermes until you have confirmed Iridium transmission.
Shutdown
The last page of the Hermes screen will prompt the user to shut down the device. If this is not
desired, the NEXT button will cycle back to the first page.
If the Hermes is to be shut off, the OFF option will be used. A second confirmation page will be
displayed to ensure the choice to turn off is intentional, with YES being on the opposite button.
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Pin
Purpose
1
Ground (-)
2
Tx -
3
Tx +
4
No Connection
5
External Positive (Charge)
6
No Connection
Pinout Diagram – Chogori NMEA/Charge Connector
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Appendix A: Cable Drawings
A-05-082: Hermes Charge/NMEA
18
Appendix B: Specifications
Mechanical
Connector
Chogori
IP Rating
IP-67
Power Supply
Internal Lithium Ion 18650 battery
GPS Hardware
Xeos Technologies 48 channel GPS (SiRFStarIV)
GPS Antenna
Integrated
Iridium Hardware
9603 Iridium modem
Iridium Antenna
Maxtena Helicore Iridium antenna
Dimensions (Length, Width, Height)
3.2" x 1.2" x 4.6"
Weight
270g
Operating Frequency
1616 – 1626.5 MHz
Operating Temperature
-20° C to 40° C
Electrical
Supply Input
3.6V nominal, at max charge 4.2V
Battery Capacity
3Ah
Charging Current (12V)
200 - 250mA
The Hermes uses ChibiOS Real-Time Operating System (RTOS). For more information,
visit www.chibios.org
Appendix C: Installing the RS-422 Driver
1. Navigate to the following link for the Virtual COM Port Drivers for the FTDI Chip
2. Choose the appropriate version of the driver for the operating system used
3. After installing, plug in the RS-422 cable
4. Enter the computer’s device manager or equivalent and confirm the cable is registered
as connected.
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Warranty, Support and Limited Liability
Xeos Technologies Inc. warranties the Hermes to be free of defects in material or manufacturing
for a period of one year following delivery. Liability is limited to repair or replacement of the
defective part and will be done free of charge.
LIMITED WARRANTY: Xeos Technologies Inc. warrants that the product will perform substantially
in accordance with the accompanying written materials for a period of one year from the date of
receipt.
CUSTOMER REMEDIES: Xeos Technologies Inc. entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be
at Xeos Technologies Inc. option, either (a) return of the price paid or (b) repair or replacement
of the product that does not meet Xeos Technologies Inc. Limited Warranty and that is returned
to Xeos Technologies Inc. with a copy of your receipt. This Limited Warranty is void if failure of
the product has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication. Any replacement product will
be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or ninety (90) days, whichever is
longer.
NO OTHER WARRANTIES: Xeos Technologies Inc. disclaims all other warranties, either express or
implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular purpose, with respect to the product or the accompanying written materials. This
limited warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have others, which vary from state to
state.
NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES: In no event shall Xeos Technologies Inc. or its
suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss
of equipment, for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or
other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use this Xeos Technologies Inc.
product, even if Xeos Technologies Inc. has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
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