Upconverter Vertex C-Band

Synthesized Converter System Operation and Maintenance Manual

This title strip goes in the outside spine of the binder. Trim strip to 1" width, just inside the dashed lines.



Supports Logic Firmware Version 1.2x and Ethernet Firmware Version 1.2x

Drawing Number 17466, Revision C, Oct. 29, 2007

ECR 8455 SMH

This manual applies to various models of VertexRSI Synthesized Up- and Downconverters.

EXPORT CONTROL WARNING - The disclosure of this document or its contents to non-U.S. persons, or the transmission of its contents outside the United States must be in compliance with U.S. Export Laws and Regulations. The bearer of this document is under obligation to know the applicable restrictions for the dissemination of its contents that relate to U.S. Export Laws and Regulations or any other U.S. government approvals.

Proprietary Notice Information contained in this manual is provided in order to enable users to install, operate and maintain their equipment. All such information, including but not limited to design concepts, block diagrams, schematics, parts lists, assembly drawings, wire lists, theory of operation, and other explanations is the exclusive property of General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies except for the rights expressly granted by contract. The contents of this manual, and any subsequent volumes which may become a part thereof may not be copied, reproduced or duplicated by any means, whether photographically, manually or by optical scanning, without express written permission of General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies.

Copyright 2007 by General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2120 Old Gatesburg Road State College, PA 16803 USA

Phone: (814) 238-2700 FAX: (814) 238-6589 www.gdsatcom.com

DMAN-17466 Rev. C Synthesized Converter

List of Effective Pages

The pages in this document are effective at the revision levels listed below. Pages in your document that are marked with a revision level earlier than that listed are obsolete. In future printings of this manual, pages may be marked with the latest applicable revision level of the document as a whole.

Page Rev.

Title Page/List of Effective Pages .............. C Table of Contents (i through iv) ................ C 1-1 through 1-4 ....................................... 2-1 through 2-14 ..................................... 3-1 through 3-26 ..................................... 3-27/3-28................................................ A 3-29 through 3-36 ................................... 3-37/3-38................................................ A 3-39 through 3-84 ................................... C 4-1 through 4-4 ....................................... 5-1 through 5-6 ....................................... 6-1/6-2.................................................... B 7-1/7-2.................................................... 8-1/8-2.................................................... A-1 through A-8....................................... B-1/B-2................................................... C C-1/C-2................................................... C Notes .......................................................


Table of Contents i

Table of Contents

Section 1 General Information .................................................................. 1-1 1.1 How to Use This Manual ............................................................................ 1-1 1.2 Safety Information...................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 General Introduction.................................................................................. 1-2 1.4 Purpose of Equipment ................................................................................ 1-2 1.5 Equipment and Accessories Supplied ......................................................... 1-2 1.6 Specifications............................................................................................. 1-2 1.7 Compliances .............................................................................................. 1-3

Section 2 Installation................................................................................ 2-1 2.1 General Introduction.................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 Inspection .................................................................................................. 2-1 2.3 Mechanical Installation .............................................................................. 2-1 2.4 Power Requirements................................................................................... 2-2 2.5 Electrical Interface ..................................................................................... 2-2

2.5.1 J1 Line Input ................................................................................ 2-2 2.5.2 J2 Network Interface ..................................................................... 2-2 2.5.3 J4 STARswitch Interface................................................................ 2-3 2.5.4 J3 Serial I/O ................................................................................. 2-3 2.5.5 J5 and J6 IF/RF Inputs/Outputs ................................................ 2-13 2.5.6 J7 Reference Input ...................................................................... 2-13

Section 3 Operation .................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 General Introduction.................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 RF Operation.............................................................................................. 3-1 3.3 Front Panel ................................................................................................ 3-1

3.3.1 Indicators ........................................................................................ 3-2 3.3.2 Action Buttons................................................................................. 3-3 3.3.3 Display Window and Menu Interface ................................................ 3-3 3.3.4 Menu Listing.................................................................................... 3-6 3.3.5 Status Screen .................................................................................. 3-9 3.3.6 Main Menu .................................................................................... 3-11 3.3.7 Error/Notification Messages........................................................... 3-12

3.4 Using Serial I/O ....................................................................................... 3-12 3.4.1 Interface ........................................................................................ 3-13 3.4.2 Protocol ......................................................................................... 3-13 3.4.3 Messages ....................................................................................... 3-20 3.4.4 Message Table................................................................................ 3-27


ii Table of Contents

3.4.5 Accessing Fault Information Using Serial I/O .................................3-35 3.4.6 List of Specific Fault and Warning Codes ........................................3-36

3.5 Network Interface......................................................................................3-39 3.6 Function Reference ...................................................................................3-42

3.6.1 Faults and Warnings ......................................................................3-42 3.6.2 Operational Controls ......................................................................3-47 3.6.3 Service Information.........................................................................3-58 3.6.4 Setup Faults/Warnings Menu.........................................................3-66 3.6.5 Setup Network................................................................................3-68 3.6.6 Setup Serial I/O .............................................................................3-71 3.6.7 External Reference Frequency.........................................................3-73 3.6.8 IF Frequency Band .........................................................................3-73 3.6.9 Reference Output............................................................................3-74 3.6.10 Remote Disables Local..................................................................3-74 3.6.11 Power-Up State ............................................................................3-75 3.6.12 Screen Password ..........................................................................3-76 3.6.13 Unlock .........................................................................................3-77 3.6.14 Local Lockout...............................................................................3-78 3.6.15 Factory Settings ...........................................................................3-80

3.7 Program Loading and Firmware Upgrades .................................................3-83

Section 4 Theory of Operation ...................................................................4-1 4.1 General Introduction...................................................................................4-1 4.2 Reference Module........................................................................................4-1 4.3 Synthesizer .................................................................................................4-1 4.4 Converter Module .......................................................................................4-1 4.5 Logic Board.................................................................................................4-1 4.6 Front Panel .................................................................................................4-2 4.7 Power Supply..............................................................................................4-2 4.8 Fan Power Supply .......................................................................................4-3

Section 5 Maintenance ..............................................................................5-1 5.1 General Introduction...................................................................................5-1 5.2 Recommended Equipment ..........................................................................5-1 5.3 Preventive Maintenance ..............................................................................5-2 5.4 Adjustments ...............................................................................................5-2

5.4.1 Reference Oscillator Adjustment .......................................................5-2 5.4.2 Power Supply Adjustment.................................................................5-2

5.5 Performance Verification .............................................................................5-3 5.6 Troubleshooting ..........................................................................................5-5


Table of Contents iii

Section 6 Drawings.................................................................................... 6-1 6.1 General Introduction.................................................................................. 6-1 6.2 Drawing Index............................................................................................ 6-1

Section 7 Warranty ................................................................................... 7-1 7.1 General Introduction.................................................................................. 7-1 7.2 Technical Support ...................................................................................... 7-1 7.3 Warranty.................................................................................................... 7-1 7.4 Return Procedures ..................................................................................... 7-2

Section 8 System Configuration ................................................................ 8-1 8.1 General Introduction.................................................................................. 8-1

Appendix A Legacy SIO Protocol............................................................... A-1

Appendix B Legacy Network Interface....................................................... B-1

Appendix C Glossary ................................................................................C-1


iv Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Figure 1-1. Synthesized Converter System........................................................1-3 Figure 2-1. A Typical RS-485 4-wire Bus ..........................................................2-6 Figure 2-2. Failsafe Biasing on an RS-485 4-Wire Network ...............................2-8 Figure 2-3. A Typical RS-485 2-wire Bus ..........................................................2-9 Figure 2-4. Failsafe Biasing on an RS-485 2-Wire Network .............................2-10 Figure 2-5. A Typical RS-422 Bus...................................................................2-11 Figure 3-1. Front Panel ....................................................................................3-2 Figure 3-2. Serial I/O Framing Protocol..........................................................3-14 Figure 3-3. Message Data Framing Protocol....................................................3-20 Figure 5-1. Location of Adjustments.................................................................5-3 Figure A-1. Serial Port Multipin Connectors on Logic Board............................. A-1

List of Tables Table 1-1 List of Equipment and Accessories Normally Supplied ....................1-3 Table 2-1 Fuse Ratings ..................................................................................2-2 Table 2-2 STARswitch Interface, J4................................................................2-3 Table 2-3 Standard Serial I/O Interface, J3 ...................................................2-5 Table 3-1 Menu Listing ..................................................................................3-7 Table 3-2 Instruction Codes.........................................................................3-26 Table 3-3 Standard Protocol Serial I/O Messages.........................................3-27 Table 3-4 Fault and Warning Codes .............................................................3-36 Table 3-5 SCR MIB Structure ......................................................................3-39 Table 5-1 Recommended Test Equipment.......................................................5-1 Table 6-1 Drawing Types ...............................................................................6-1 Table 6-2 Drawing Index................................................................................6-2 Table A-1 Legacy Serial I/O Interface, J3 ...................................................... A-2 Table A-2 Legacy Protocol Serial I/O Messages.............................................. A-5 Table B-1 Legacy Version 1.00 Ethernet Message Table .................................. B-1


General Information 1-1

Section 1 General Information

1.1 How to Use This Manual

This manual contains information on how to install, operate, and maintain the VertexRSI SCR series Synthesized Converter. Information is organized according to section, with numbered index tabs for convenience. Within each section, the pages, Figures, and Tables are numbered by section and by order of appearance within the section.

To locate information quickly, refer to the table of contents. To locate a figure or table, refer to the lists of figures and tables, which immediately follow the table of contents. To find a definition of an unfamiliar word or acronym, refer to the glossary of acronyms and terms at the end of the manual.

Section 7 contains warranty information and return procedures to be followed in the event that factory repair is required. Please refer to this section for information on how to contact the factory for service.

Safety information is summarized in the following section. Warnings, cautions or notes appear prior to dangerous procedures throughout the manual.

1.2 Safety Information

This equipment has been designed to minimize exposure of personnel to hazards, and is a safety class I device (provided with a protective earth terminal).

An uninterruptable safety earth ground must be provided from the main power source to the input wiring terminals through the power cord set.

WARNING Failure to ground the equipment as described will cause a potential shock hazard that could result in personal injury.

Servicing instructions are for use by service-trained personnel only. To avoid dangerous electric shock, do not perform any servicing unless qualified to do so. Do not replace components with the power cable connected to the


1-2 General Information

equipment. Capacitors within the equipment may still be charged even if the power cable has been disconnected. Discharge before touching.

WARNING Some adjustments described in this manual are performed with power applied while protective covers are removed. Always be careful not to come into contact with dangerous voltages while performing these procedures, and never work alone.

Do not operate this equipment in the presence of flammable gasses or fumes. Operation of any electrical equipment in such an environment is dangerous, and can cause explosions and/or fires.

1.3 General Introduction

This technical manual provides operation and service instructions for the VertexRSI Synthesized Converter. The Synthesized Converter consists of an up- or downconverter module, a reference module, a frequency synthesizer, a logic board assembly, a front panel assembly, a power supply, and a cooling fan, all housed in a 1U rack chassis.

1.4 Purpose of Equipment

The Synthesized Converter is a fully synthesized up- or downconverter featuring a modular architecture and a dual-conversion, non-inverting frequency plan. It incorporates extensive monitor and control functions that are accessible from the front panel as well as through a serial I/O interface.

1.5 Equipment and Accessories Supplied

The VertexRSI Synthesized Converter, illustrated in Figure 1-1, includes the items listed in Table 1-1.

1.6 Specifications

The electrical specifications of the Synthesized Converter are given in the test data sheet included in Section 8, System Configuration.


General Information 1-3

SCR series Synthesized Converter

Line Cord

RF

IF

MUTE

RF ON

GAIN MODIFY

SEL

PREV

MENU

RESETFAULT

WARNING

FAULT

SCR-XXXXXX-XX

Figure 1-1. Synthesized Converter System

Table 1-1 List of Equipment and Accessories Normally Supplied

Quantity Description 1 Synthesized Converter 1 AC Line Power Cord 1 Operation and Maintenance Manual

1.7 Compliances

This equipment complies with the following directives and is CE marked accordingly:

The EMC directive 89/336/EEC The Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC The equipment is designed for use in a Class A industrial environment.

Additionally, the equipment has been certified to meet the requirements of MIL-STD-461E for naval shipboard installation, below decks.


1-4 General Information


Installation 2-1

Section 2 Installation


To install the VertexRSI Synthesized Converter, use the information contained in this section.

Inspect the equipment before installation. See Inspection, Section 2.2.

For instructions on installing the equipment in a rack, see Mechanical Installation procedures in Section 2.3.

Power Requirements are described in Section 2.4. To connect external equipment, see Electrical Interface,

Section 2.4.

2.2 Inspection

Inspect the shipping container for damage. If it or its cushioning material are damaged, keep them until the contents of the shipment have been checked for complete-ness and the system has been checked electrically and mechanically.

Carefully unpack the shipping container. Check that all items in the list of Equipment and Accessories, Table 1-1, were received with the shipment. Also check the packing list in the shipping container for a list of additional items that may have been ordered.

If the system has been damaged in shipment, file a claim with the carrier. Keep all packaging materials for the carrier's inspection. If the contents are incomplete or there is evidence of improper packaging, notify VertexRSI immediately.

2.3 Mechanical Installation

The Synthesized Converter chassis is designed to be mounted in a 19" (482.6 mm) rack. See the system outline drawing in Section 6, Drawings. The equipment should be mounted on either chassis slides or brackets and securely fastened to the rack.


2-2 Installation

CAUTION Do not try to support the unit by its front panel. Always use rack slides or support rails. The front panel is not designed to support the weight of the unit.

2.4 Power Requirements

CAUTION Before plugging this unit into the AC line, verify that the correct fuses have been selected.

The Synthesized Converter operates from a single-phase, 90264 Vac, 47-63 Hz source. Connect the supplied power cord to the IEC-320 line input (J1). The power supplies are universal input, auto-ranging units.

Fuses should be selected to match the voltage in use according to Table 2-1.

Table 2-1 Fuse Ratings

Line Voltage Rating Size Type

100/120 Vac 2.0 A 5 mm x 20 mm GMA 208/220 Vac 1.0 A 5 mm x 20 mm GMA

2.5 Electrical Interface

Interfaces to the Synthesized Converter consist of an ac prime power input (J1), a network interface (J2), a serial I/O port (J3), a STARswitch interface (J4), RF/IF inputs and outputs (J5 and J6), and an external reference input (J7).

2.5.1 J1 Line Input

The Synthesized Converter operates from a 90264 Vac, 4763 Hz source. Connect the supplied power cord to the IEC-320 line input.

2.5.2 J2 Network Interface

The Ethernet network interface (RJ-45) allows control of a subset of firmware functions and features. The SNMP interface uses standard protocol serial I/O instruction and sub-instruction codes as an MIB address and supports DHCP or Static IP address assignment.


Installation 2-3

2.5.3 J4 STARswitch Interface

The STARswitch interface (J4, 15-position sub-D, female) supports the legacy STARswitch controller and the newer STARswitch II. Logic firmware in the converter automatically detects the presence and type of the STARswitch controller when the connection is made.

The STARswitch Redundancy Switch receives power from and is controlled by the alarms of the converters; status of the switches is also reported via the converters. There are no operator controls on the STARswitch itself. More detailed information is available in the STARswitch Redundancy Switchs manual. The pinout is given below.

Table 2-2 STARswitch Interface, J4 Pin Function 1 +15 Vdc (power to STARswitch) 2 Ground 4 Switch Alarm (input) 5 TXD/Rx - 6 RXD/Tx + 7 Ground 9 MS (MEM-SET) 10 M0 (MEM-0) 11 M1 (MEM-1) 12 M2 (MEM-2) 13 Status (Standby) 14 MV (MEM-IS-SET) 15 Converter Alarm (output)

Note: Pins 3 and 8 are not used. The Alarm output (pin 15) signals the converter alarm status to the STARswitch. The Switch Alarm input (pin 4) signals the STARswitch alarm status to the converter if it is used as a backup converter.

2.5.4 J3 Serial I/O

The Synthesized Converter is equipped with a serial port that allows remote monitoring of system functions.

NOTE The unit is normally configured at the factory to use the standard interface, as described in the following subsections. However, the unit can be configured to use a legacy inter-face, allowing compatibility with older, existing installations. The legacy interface is described in Appendix A.


2-4 Installation

In the standard serial I/O (SIO) interface, connections exist for RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 (4-wire or 2-wire) circuits. Only one of these interfaces may be enabled at any time. To connect to the serial port, you need to know which interface type your system uses.

The various interface selections share some lines, so it is important to make sure the appropriate interface is selected. Selection of an interface is done using both the connector wiring and choices you make in the systems SIO setup menus. (See Section 3.6.6.)

For RS-422 and 485 interfaces, an AC termination is used that reduces the amount of current drawn when nothing is being transmitted or received.

Table 2-3 describes the available signals on the standard protocol serial I/O interface. J3 is a 9-position D female connector, and requires a 9-position D male mating connector. A solder-cup style connector and metal backshell are supplied with the Synthesized Converter for use in connecting to the serial I/O port, if desired. Any pins not used in the desired interface should be left unconnected.

No hardware or software handshaking is used for serial I/O. The Synthesized Converter will only transmit data if it is polled with an appropriate message. All serial communi-cations use 8 data bits, 1 start bit, 1 stop bit, and no parity. The baud rate can be set for 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14400, 19200, or 28800 baud.

2.5.4.1 RS-232

RS-232 is a specification that defines both the pin-out and electrical specifications for communicating serial data. VertexRSI equipment does conform to all RS-232 electrical specifications. The pin-out conforms to the DCE end of that specified in EIA/TIA-574, which is used on IBM PC-style computer 9-pin COM ports. Since the Synthesized Converter appears as the DCE end, it may be connected to an IBM PC-style computer via either a straight through 9-pin cable, or to a 25-pin COM port using a 9-pin-to-25-pin adapter (although only 3 lines are actually needed).


Installation 2-5

Table 2-3 Standard Serial I/O Interface, J3

12345

6789

9-pin D (F)

Pin Number Function Notes

RS-232 (EIA/TIA-574) (Full duplex, one unit on a bus) 5 3 2

Signal Ground Data In Data Out

Connect to DTE signal SG. Connect to DTE signal TD. Connect to DTE signal RD.

RS-485 4-wire (Full duplex, multiple units on a bus) 4 3

+

Data In

1 2

+

Data Out

High impedance when not transmitting data, to allow multiple units on a bus.

5 Ground

9

Termination Connect to pin 4 to terminate receiver. Terminate units on ends of bus.

RS-485 2-wire (Half duplex, bi-directional bus, multiple units on a bus) 4 & 1 3 & 2

+

Data I/O

Connect indicated pins together for RS-485 interface.

5 Ground

9

Termination

Connect to pin 4 to terminate RS-485 bus. Terminate units on ends of bus

RS-422 (Full duplex, one unit on a bus) 4 3

+

Data In

1 2

+

Data Out

Transmit driver on continuously.

5 Ground

9

Termination

Connect to pin 4 to terminate receiver. Terminate units on ends of bus.

Service Request 6 7 8

CLOSED on Alarm Common OPEN on Alarm

Form C contacts, rated for 65 Vdc, 0.15 A (resistive load). Relay shown in relaxed (Alarm/SvcReq) state.


2-6 Installation

The RS-232 electrical specification allows for full-duplex communication over a maximum of 50 feet of cable. One line is used for transmit data, the other for receive. Using lower baud rates or low capacitance cable can extend this distance. Only one driver is allowed on either the transmit data line or the receive data line, so communication is possible between only two devices (i.e., the host computer and the Synthesized Converter) on an RS-232 bus.

Only three of the RS-232 lines are used: Signal Ground, Transmit Data, and Receive Data. No hardware handshaking lines are used.

2.5.4.2 RS-485 (4 wire)

The RS-485 specification is an electrical specification only. It allows for full duplex communications over two differential pairs of wires (one pair for transmit data, the other for receive) or for half duplex communications over a single pair of wires. The full duplex mode of operation is referred to as RS-485 4-wire. In RS-485, the transmit drivers may be switched on and off, allowing more than one driver on a bus. See Figure 2-1.

Host Computer

V+

V-

Last Unit

4

3

1

2

5

9

Unit 2

4

3

1

2

5

9

Unit 1

4

3

1

2

5

9

V+

V-

Figure 2-1. A Typical RS-485 4-wire Bus

There is a common mode voltage specification for RS-485, so you must be sure that all equipment on the bus shares a


Installation 2-7

common ground through some path. Sometimes it is neces-sary to run a common ground line to all devices on the bus.

The Synthesized Converter uses an RS-485 pin-out compatible with that on some popular PC plug-in interface cards, and it can connect to them using a straight-through cable. Cable lengths up to 4000 feet are allowed.

2.5.4.2.1 Terminations

In Figure 2-1, note the terminations on the receivers for the host computer (first unit) and the last unit on the bus. No other unit (in this example Unit 1 or Unit 2) should be terminated.

The Synthesized Converter uses an AC style termination, consisting of a 120 resistor and a 0.01 F capacitor in series. The termination is enabled by connecting the TERMINATION pin (pin 9) to the RX+ input (pin 4).

For short cable runs, terminations may not be necessary.

2.5.4.2.2 Fail-safe Biasing

Since the RS-485 transmitter is turned off when no data is being sent (to support multiple units on the bus), the bus is left floating (i.e., un-driven, in a high impedance state) be-tween messages. During these times, the line is particularly sensitive to electromagnetic interference and may register as either a 1 or a 0. In other words, receiving UARTs on the line may see either random data or errors between legitimate messages. This can cause problems with certain equipment or software, so fail-safe biasing may be necessary.

A fail-safe biasing network is basically just a pull-up resistor on the + line and a pull-down resistor on the line. This forces the bus into a 1 (or MARK) state when nothing else is driving it. Typical fail-safe biasing circuits are shown in Figure 2-1, enclosed in dashed lines. See also Figure 2-2, below.


2-8 Installation

Rx +Tx -Tx +

Rx -GNDH

ost C

ompu

ter

RS-

485:

4In

terfa

ce

+ -Vs

R R

Power Supply

Figure 2-2. Failsafe Biasing on an RS-485 4-Wire Network

A voltage source (power supply) is needed to provide the pull-up voltage for the + line. As a general rule, the supply should be a dc supply of 5 to 12 volts, and the value of each resistor (in ohms) should be approximately

R = 2.5 x VS x RZ

where R = The resistance of the pull-up and pull-down resistors VS = The voltage of the power supply RZ = The resistance of the terminations (60 ohms for 2-wire, 120 ohms for 4-wire)

In an RS-485 (4-wire) system, it is usually not necessary for the transmit driver in the host computer to switch on and off, since it is the only driver on that pair of wires. In this case, no fail-safe biasing is necessary on the transmit output from the host computer.

The Synthesized Converter has an internal biasing network on its receiver inputs that guarantees a MARK state when the input is not connected.

2.5.4.3 RS-485 (2-wire)

With an RS-485 interface, you can connect the transmit and receive pairs together, and communicate in half duplex over


Installation 2-9

only one pair of wires. This mode of operation is called RS-485 (2-wire). See Figure 2-3.

There is a common mode voltage specification for RS-485, so you must be sure that all equipment on the bus shares a common ground through some path. Sometimes it is neces-sary to run a common ground line to all devices on the bus.

The Host Computer must switch its driver on to talk, and off to listen for a response. Timing for turning the transmitter on and off depends on the protocol you are using. The transmitter must be turned off before the earliest time the unit may generate a response.

Host Computer V+

V-

Last Unit

4

3

1

2

5

9

Unit 1

4

3

1

2

5

9

Unit 2

4

3

1

2

5

9

Figure 2-3. A Typical RS-485 2-wire Bus

To use RS-485 with this connector pin-out, one must connect pins 1 and 4 together to form the positive (+) side of the bus, and pins 2 and 3 to form the negative (-) side of the bus. Cable lengths up to 4000 feet are allowed.


In Figure 2-3, note the terminations on the receivers for the host computer (first unit) and the last unit on the bus. No other unit should be terminated.

The Synthesized Converter uses an AC style termination, consisting of a 120 resistor and a 0.01 F capacitor in


2-10 Installation

series. The termination is enabled by connecting the TERMINATION pin (pin 9) to the RX+ input (pin 4).


2.5.4.3.2 Fail-safe Biasing

Since nothing is driving the bus between messages, the bus is left floating in an un-driven, high impedance state, and may register as either a 1 or a 0 to any unit on the bus. This ambiguity may cause problems with equipment or software, so fail-safe biasing may be necessary.

A fail-safe biasing network is basically just a pull-up resistor on the + line and a pull-down resistor on the line. This forces the bus into a 1 (or MARK) state when nothing else is driving it. Typical fail-safe biasing circuits are shown in Figure 2-3, enclosed in dashed lines. See also Figure 2-4, below.

Data -

Data +

GNDHos

t Com

pute

r

RS-

485:

2In

terfa

ce

+ -Vs

R R

Power Supply

Figure 2-4. Failsafe Biasing on an RS-485 2-Wire Network

A voltage source (power supply) is needed to provide the pull-up voltage for the + line. As a general rule, the supply should be a dc supply of 5 to 12 volts, and the value of each resistor (in ohms) should be approximately

R = 2.5 x VS x RZ


Installation 2-11

where R = The resistance of the pull-up and pull-down resistors VS = The voltage of the power supply RZ = The resistance of the terminations (60 ohms for 2-wire, 120 ohms for 4-wire)

The Synthesized Converter has an internal biasing network on its receiver inputs that guarantees a MARK state when the input is not connected.

2.5.4.4 RS-422

The RS-422 specification is an electrical specification only. It is very similar to RS-485 (4-wire) in that it allows for full duplex communication over two differential pairs of wires; one pair for transmit data, the other for receive. See Figure 2-5. Unlike RS-485, however, RS-422 drivers are on all the time, so only one of them is allowed on either pair of lines. This avoids the problems of fail-safe biasing involved with RS-485, but limits communication to only one device and the host computer.

Host Computer Unit

4

3

1

2

5

9

Figure 2-5. A Typical RS-422 Bus

There is a common mode voltage specification for RS-422, so you must be sure that all equipment on the bus shares a common ground through some path. Sometimes it is necessary to run a common ground line to both devices on the bus.

The Synthesized Converter uses an RS-422 pin-out compatible with that on some popular PC plug-in RS-422 interface cards, and it can connect to them using a straight-through cable. Cable lengths up to 4000 feet are allowed when using an RS-422 interface.


2-12 Installation


In Figure 2-5, note the terminations on the receivers for the Host Computer and the Unit (Synthesized Converter).

The Synthesized Converter uses an AC style termination, consisting of a 120 resistor and a 0.01 F capacitor in series. The termination is enabled by connecting the TERMINATION pin (pin 9) to the RX+ input (pin 4).


2.5.4.5 Service Request

The Standard protocol serial I/O interface includes a programmable Form C relay output that can be utilized as a Service Request interrupt, to alert the host status monitor-ing system that a fault or warning condition exists. When a fault or warning condition occurs, the Service Request is switched to its fault state. It remains there until either all fault and warning conditions have been cleared via serial I/O, or a serial I/O Acknowledge Service Request command is issued.

The status monitoring system can poll the unit to determine what the condition is and can reset the Service Request relay contact until another condition occurs. The pinout for the Service Request is identified in Table 2-3.

When the serial protocol is set for Legacy, the Form C relay on the serial I/O connector (and the open-collector output on the legacy serial connector) will act as a Summary Fault indicator instead. Refer to Appendix A for more information on using the legacy SIO protocol.

2.5.4.6 Making the Connection

Follow the steps below to connect the Synthesized Converter serial I/O connector to your remote host system.

Note To maintain CE compliance, use shielded cables on all data lines. For D sub type connectors, attach the cable shield to a metal backshell.

1. Determine which pins on the serial I/O port you will use. Figure out the required connections between the Synthesized Converter and remote host system.


Installation 2-13

2. Use the supplied 9-position D male connector, or a compatible one, to fabricate an interface cable to connect between the Synthesized Converter serial I/O port and the host system. For best EMC performance, use shielded cable, and terminate the shield on the metal backshells of the connectors.

3. Connect the Synthesized Converter end of the cable to J3. Mechanically secure the connector flange to J3 with appropriate hardware.

4. Select your desired interface using the systems SIO setup menus; i.e., from the Main Menu, select Set (Setup) then Ser (serial I/O). See Section 3.6.6.

2.5.5 J5 and J6 IF/RF Inputs/Outputs

J5 is the 70 MHz or 140 MHz IF output (downconverter models) or IF input (upconverter models). J5 is a Type BNC female connector on all models.

J6 is the L-, C-, or Ku-band RF input (downconverter models) or RF output (upconverter models). J6 is either a Type N female (L-, C-band) or Type SMA female (Ku-band).

2.5.6 J7 Reference Input

Connect an external 5 MHz or 10 MHz reference to the Reference Input, J7 (Type BNC female). When connected, and external reference operating mode is selected, the internal 10 MHz reference oscillator is phase-locked to the external 5 MHz or 10 MHz signal. This connector may be left open if operation from only the internal free-running reference is desired.


2-14 Installation


Operation 3-1

Section 3 Operation


This section describes basic operation of the VertexRSI Synthesized Converter.

To obtain information about the RF operation of the system, refer to RF Operation in Section 3.2.

To use front panel controls, refer to Front Panel Controls in Section 3.3.

To use serial I/O to control and monitor the system, refer to Using Serial I/O in Section 3.4.

To use the network interface to control and monitor the system, refer to Network Interface in Section 3.5.

For more details on how the controls, measurements and settings affect the systems RF performance, see Function Reference, Section 3.6.

If you need to load or upgrade the firmware program, refer to Program Loading and Firmware Upgrades in Section 3.7.

3.2 RF Operation

Before operating the Synthesized Converter, ensure that the installation procedures in Section 2 have been completed and that all interconnecting power and RF connections are in place.

The RF operation of the Synthesized Converter is straight-forward and consists of connecting the system RX/TX cables to the appropriate rear panel connectors. Care should be taken to ensure that the input signals do not overdrive the converter and degrade the signal quality.

3.3 Front Panel

The front panel, shown in Figure 3-1, contains indicator lights, buttons for common control actions, MODIFY data buttons, MENU navigation buttons, and a text display window.


3-2 Operation

RF ON

MUTE

MENUGAINSEL

MODIFY

PREV

RESET

WARNING

FAULT

FAULT

RF On, MuteIndicators andAction Buttons

GainAdjust

Buttons

Control Menu andStatus MessageDisplay Window

Modify Data(INC, DEC)

Buttons

MenuNavigation

Buttons

Warning, FaultIndicators and

Fault Reset Button

RF

IF

SCR-XXXXX-XX

IF and RFSamplePorts

Figure 3-1. Front Panel

3.3.1 Indicators

Four indicator lights present critical status information quickly. These indicators are described below.

RF ON (Green): The RF ON indicator is lit if the system is on (i.e., generating RF output). It is unlit if the system is off for any reason (e.g., Mute or RF Inhibit).

MUTE (Amber): This indicator is lit if the Mute Control is set to Mute. It is unlit if the Mute Control is set to Operate.

WARNING (Amber): The WARNING indicator is lit if a warning condition is detected in the system. A warning indicates a condition that should be corrected to insure normal operation of the system.

FAULT (Red): The FAULT indicator is lit if a fault condition is detected in the system. Faults are problems detected within the system that could potentially affect RF output. Faults can occur in the primary RF path and in digital circuitry monitoring the RF path. Failures of digital circuitry are reported as faults because they may hide problems in the RF path.

All lamps will be illuminated during a power-up or micro-processor reset, for as long as the splash screen is displayed. The splash screen displays the name and version of the firmware and a copyright notice. It is displayed for approxi-mately 4 seconds after a power-up or microprocessor reset.

If the microprocessor fails, hardware timeout circuitry on the front panel board will turn off all indicators, and illuminate only the FAULT indicator.


Operation 3-3

3.3.2 Action Buttons

Five buttons on the front panel can cause immediate actions to occur. This eliminates the need to navigate through menus to perform these common tasks.

If the system is currently muted, pressing this button will normally turn RF output on. However, this button will not turn on a unit that is disabled or shutdown due to a fault. Pressing this button when RF output is already on will have no effect. If the front panel is locked or the system is in Remote mode with Remote Disables Local active, pressing this button will have no effect.

If RF output is currently on, pressing this button will normally immediately mute the system, turning RF output off. Pressing this button when the system is already muted will have no effect. If the front panel is locked or the system is in Remote mode with Remote Disables Local active, pressing this button will have no effect.

Pressing either button once will display the gain setting screen. Additional presses normally will each increase or decrease system gain by 0.1 dB, and pressing and holding either button will cause gain to change rapidly. However, if the front panel is locked or the system is in Remote mode with Remote Disables Local active, pressing these buttons will only display the gain, but will not change it.

Pressing this button normally issues a Fault Reset command. A Fault Reset command will clear Faults or Warnings, and certain other fault events, such as a Spurious Reset, or Illegal Op-code. If the front panel is locked or the system is in Remote mode with Remote Disables Local active, pressing this button will have no effect.

3.3.3 Display Window and Menu Interface

The display window presents measurements, controls and settings of the system in several screens arranged into menus. Buttons are used to navigate through the menus and screens and to change settings on screens containing controls.

The top line of every menu will show a title or important piece of information related to the content of the screen. The

RF ON

MUTE

GAIN

FAULTRESET


3-4 Operation

bottom line will generally contain your choices, or data that is editable on that screen.

A pair of heavy brackets [ ] appears on the bottom line if there is more than one choice. The brackets can be moved left or right with the left or right MENU buttons. Pressing the SEL button will select or activate the item chosen. If the item chosen is a number, pressing a MODIFY button ( or ) will change it.

Some screens display measurements only and have no editable data. In this case, no selection brackets will appear, and the MODIFY buttons and will not function.

Left or right arrowheads and appear on the bottom line of screens that have more choices or data than will fit on the line. In this case, pressing the left or right MENU buttons will scroll the screen to show the extra data.

The following sections describe the use of the menus, screens and buttons in general. In some screens, the behavior of the buttons or selection brackets may vary. Read the specific section describing the screens for more information.

3.3.3.1 Menu Navigation Buttons

The front panel contains four Menu Buttons for navigating the menus. All buttons have an auto-repeat function that activates if you press and hold the button for more than about 0.6 seconds.

Functions of the four Menu Buttons are described below.

This button moves the selection brackets [ ] left on the menu line. If there is a left arrowhead on the left side of the screen, this button will scroll the display to show further choices or data to the left of current position.

This button moves the selection brackets [ ] right on the menu line. If there is a right arrowhead on the right side of the screen, this button will scroll the display to show further choices or data to the right of the current position.

This button takes you up one level in the menu hierarchy. It will take you back to the menu you were in before you entered the current screen. From the Main Menu, for example, this will take you back to the Status Screen.

PREV

MENU

PREV

SEL


Operation 3-5

This button selects or activates the current menu item indicated by the selection brackets [ ]. The action taken depends upon the type of current menu item as follows:

ANOTHER MENU: You will be taken to the new screen and presented with a new list of choices or data.

COMMAND: The indicated command will be executed when you press SEL . Some commands are protected by another screen that reads Press SEL to . You then have the choice of pressing SEL if you really wish to execute the command, or pressing PREV to go back to the menu.

DATA ITEM: Pressing SEL will have no effect when the data displayed represents measurements or status information that cannot be changed by the user.

However, when the display represents numeric data that can be changed, pressing SEL will take you into numeric entry mode for the currently selected value.

When numeric entry mode is begun, the displayed value will be right-padded with spaces (if necessary) so that the field is large enough to accept the most lengthy value. The current value will be displayed in the field. The selection brackets will be placed on the left-most character position.

Each digit in the value can be changed by pressing the MODIFY buttons ( or ). Note that if you increment a digit beyond 9 it will wrap-around to 0, and vice-versa when decrementing; but when a leading digit is 0, it will be displayed as a blank space.

If the value can accept signed values, the first character position will toggle between + and when you press the MODIFY buttons.

As you finish entering each digit, you can press the left or right MENU button to move to the next adjacent position. A decimal point, if any, will be skipped.

PREV will exit numeric entry mode without changing the value of the setting or control. It can be used as an escape key. SEL normally accepts the value you have entered, sets the setting or control to that value, and exits numeric entry mode. However, if the entered value is out

SEL


3-6 Operation

of range, it will NOT be set, and the original value will be displayed again.

While digits are entered in numeric entry mode, the field will continue to display all unedited digits of the original value.

3.3.3.2 Modify Buttons

Two buttons on the front panel are used to modify system settings:

Increments or decrements the value of numeric entry data (by one resolution step). If pressed while on a multiple-choice item, the selection will change to the next or previous choice. Pressing and holding either of these buttons will change the data rapidly. These buttons have no effect when the data displayed represents measurements or status information that cannot be changed by the user.

3.3.4 Menu Listing

Table 3-1 shows the entire menu structure available from the front panel. Some screens and menu choices listed will appear only under certain conditions, such as when certain options are installed or selected, or in particular applications (e.g., STARswitch installations), as noted below:

The Unlock screen (Unlk) appears only if a screen pass-word is enabled, or if Local Lockout is in effect.

The STARswitch-related menus and screens appear only when the converter is installed in a STARswitch system.

The [Atten] screen to set simulated attenuators appears only if the legacy SIO protocol has been selected.

The IF Band Switch and Reference Output setup menus appear only if the converter is equipped with these optional features.

MODIFY


Operation 3-7

Table 3-1 Menu Listing

Status Screen (3.3.5)

Main Menu (3.3.6)

Unlk (3.6.13) * Enter Password

Flt (3.6.1) ....... Fault Menu

Active (3.6.1.1) ... Info (3.6.1.2) (if available) Log (3.6.1.4) Reset (3.6.1.5)

Oper (3.6.2) .. Operate Menu Ref (3.6.2.1) ....... Ref: ref_mode Sw: sw_pos Ext: status Internal External Freq (3.6.2.4) ..... In Frq: frequency range (downconverter models); or

Out Frq: frequency range (upconverter models)

frequency MHz (3.6.2.5) ........... (Adjust center frequency, within range) Gain (3.6.2.7) ...... Gain gain range (3.6.2.6) gain control dB ........................ (Adjust gain, within range) Atten ........................................ (Set simulated attenuators 1 and/or 2) StSw (3.6.2.8) ..... StSw Mode: STARswitch mode Aut (Auto mode) OnL (On-Line mode) Sby (Standby mode) OffLn......................................... Press SEL to Force Off-Line Mem (3.6.2.9) ..... Memory number: gain, frequency Edit ........................................... Edit Memory number (Adjust gain and frequency values stored in memory n.) Set ............................................ (Store the converters current gain and frequency values in memory n.) Rcl ............................................ (Recall and use gain and frequency values from memory n.) Ctl (3.6.2.10) ...... Control Mode control_mode Remote Local Mute (3.6.2.11) ... RF: mute_status Mute Operate

Srvc (3.6.3) ... Service Menu PS (3.6.3.1) Ref (3.6.3.2) Synth (3.6.3.3) Conv (3.6.3.4) StSw (3.6.3.8) Timer (3.6.3.9) Reset (3.6.3.10) .. Press SEL to reset Processor Ver ...................... Firmware Version SCR (3.6.3.11) ......................... SCRack (c) 2005 SCR logic firmware version and mask number (if any) Ethernet (3.6.3.12) ................... Ethernet (c) 2005 Ethernet controller version

Set ................. Setup Menu FltWrn (3.6.4) ...... Set Faults/Warnings PwrUp (3.6.4.1) ....................... PwrUp Warn status Disable Enable Loc (3.6.4.2) ............................ LocWarn status Disable Enable ExtRef (3.6.4.3) ....................... Ext Ref Flt status Disable Enable Net (3.6.5) .......... Setup Network Mode (3.6.5.1) .......................... Network Mode mode Static DHCP IP Address (3.6.5.2) ................. Network IP Address: IP Address (4 parts)

* This selection appears only if a screen password is enabled, or a serial I/O Local Lockout is in effect.


3-8 Operation

Table 3-1 Menu Listing (Continued) Setup Network Menu (continued) NetMask (3.6.5.3)..................... Network NetMask: IP Mask (4 parts) Gateway (3.6.5.4)..................... Network Gateway: Gateway IP Address (4 parts) Ser (3.6.6) .......... Setup Serial IO Prot (3.6.6.1) ............................ SIO Protocol: protocol Std Legacy Intfc (3.6.6.2) ........................... SIO Intfc RS232 RS485:4 RS485:2 RS422 Baud (3.6.6.3) ......................... SIO Baud Rate 300 1200 2400 4800 9600 14400 19200 28800 Adr (3.6.6.4) ............................ SIO Address (Set address, 0 to 255) ExtRef (3.6.7) ..... ExtRef Freq 5MHZ 10MHZ IF (3.6.8) ............. IF Band: IF band center frequency (IF Band 1 Center Frequency) (IF Band 2 Center Frequency) RefOut (3.6.9) .... Ref Out: Reference Output Off On R/L (3.6.10) ........ Rem Disables Loc status No Yes PwrUp (3.6.11) ... Power-Up state Mute Oper Prev Passw (3.6.12) ... Password status Disbl Enbl Set ........................................... Set Password (Set six-digit password) Fact (3.6.15) ...... FACTORY ONLY! Synth (3.6.15.1) ...................... Setup Synth Prot (3.6.15.1.1) .... Synth Protocol: protocol BCD BIN Nbits (3.6.15.1.2) .. Bit Lenth: number of bits 20Bit 21Bit 22Bit Fbase (3.6.15.1.3) Synth Base Freq: (adjust frequency in MHz) Step (3.6.15.1.4) ... Synth Step: step size 1KHz 125KHz Limits (3.6.15.2) .................... Factory Limits +15V ...................... (Set low and high limits.) +5V ........................ (Set low and high limits.) -15V ....................... (Set low and high limits.) Vfan ....................... (Set low limit.) Dflt ......................... Press SEL to restore Factory Limits.


Operation 3-9

In this manual, selection of a particular menu is generally described in the abbreviated form Menu | Submenu . For example, select Set | FltWrn | PwrUp appearing in the manual text means: Select the Setup menu, then the Fault/Warning menu, then the PowerUp menu.

See the sections listed by each screen for more details.

3.3.5 Status Screen

In normal operation, the Status Screen is constantly shown. This is the default screen, which is displayed after the unit is first powered up, or after a microprocessor reset. It shows general information about the operation, mode settings, and detected faults (if any). This screen normally displays the systems RF status and control mode on the top line, and operating frequency and gain on the second line. It is displayed whenever one of the following events occurs:

The system is powered on. A microprocessor reset occurs (and self-tests pass). The PREV button is pressed in the Main Menu. No buttons are pressed for five minutes. Pressing any MODIFY or MENU button while the Status Screen is showing will take you to the Main Menu. From there you can access various sub-menus.

3.3.5.1 Current Active Fault or Warning

If a fault or warning occurs, either the amber WARNING indicator or the red FAULT indicator on the front panel will be lit, and the top line of the Status Screen will display a short message identifying the fault or warning.

3.3.5.2 RF Status

The first line of the Status Screen normally shows the current RF status and control mode. The RF status indicator identifies whether the Synthesized Converters RF path is ON or OFF. If RF is OFF, it also indicates the reason. The following paragraphs describe the possible RF Status messages.

RF ON The Synthesized Converter is on and ready to carry a signal. This is the normal operating condition.


3-10 Operation

NOTE On any unit in a STARswitch system, the RF Status will be replaced with the System Status, if the RF Status is RF ON. See Section 3.6.3.8 for details.

If RF is OFF because the Mute Control is set to Mute, one of the following RF Status messages will appear:

MUTE-LOC The Mute Control has been set to Mute from the front panel.

MUTE-SER The Mute Control has been set to Mute via the serial port.

MUTE-PWRUP The Mute Control has been set to Mute by the Power-Up State setting when the converter was powered on. (See Section 3.6.11.)

MUTE-? The Mute Control has been set to Mute for an unknown reason.

If RF is OFF, but the Mute Control has not been set to Mute, one of the following messages will be displayed for RF Status:

OFF-PWRFL The RF is off due to a power failure of the converter module. OFF-DISC The RF is off because the converter module is disconnected. OFF-PWRUP The RF is off after the converter has been powered up, but before the proper Mute Control setting has been determined.

INH-FREQCH The RF is inhibited (off) while the frequency is being changed.

INH-UNLOCK The RF is inhibited (off) because the Converter module's PLO is unlocked.

INH-SYNTH RF is inhibited (off) because a problem was detected with the synthesizer.

INH-REF RF is inhibited (off) because a problem was detected with the reference.

OFF-? RF is off for an unknown reason. ?RF RF status cannot be determined due to hardware failure.

You can use serial I/O message 20 (Unit Status) or 16 10 (RF Status) to obtain current RF status information; see


Operation 3-11

Section 3.4.4 and Table 3-3. (RF Status is closely related to Mute Status; see Section 3.6.2.12.)

3.3.5.3 Control Mode

The Control Mode displayed in the Status Screen indicates whether the Synthesized Converter can or cannot be controlled by serial I/O or through the network interface. It has two values: Remote or Local.

Briefly, in Remote mode, the Synthesized Converter can be controlled via serial I/O or the network. In Local mode, the Synthesized Converter can be controlled only from the front panel. Serial I/O and network messages can be used to request settings, status, and measurements, but will be unable to change anything.

See Section 3.6.2.10 for more information about setting and using this control.

3.3.5.4 Frequency and Gain

The frequency shown on the second line of the status screen represents the center of the bandwidth of the RF output (for upconverters) or RF input (for downconverters), displayed as a floating point number in MHz, with a resolution of either 0.001 MHz (1 kHz), or 0.125 MHz (125 kHz), based on the 1/125 kHz step-size setting for the synthesizer. You can adjust this frequency with the Oper | Freq menu; see Section 3.6.2.5.

The gain shown on the second line of the status screen is an absolute gain setting in dB. Note that the gain is not actually measured; the firmware will strive to achieve the gain setting as accurately as possible, but the actual gain may be different than the value shown. You can adjust this setting with the front panel GAIN or buttons, or with the Oper | Gain menu (see Section 3.6.2.7).

3.3.6 Main Menu

Pressing any MODIFY or MENU button while the Status Screen is showing takes you to the Main Menu, from which you can access all settings, measurements, and controls. The top line displays the label Main Menu and the second line lists the sub-menus you can access, as follows:


3-12 Operation

[Unlk] goes to the Unlock Screen.* [Flt] goes to the Fault Menu. [Oper] goes to the Operate Menu. [Srvc] goes to the Service Menu. [Set] goes to the Setup Menu. * The [Unlk] choice appears only if local controls are locked,

either because Screen Password Enable is set to ENABLED (see 3.6.12), or because Local Lockout is ON (see 3.6.14).

Refer to Section 3.6, Function Reference, and more specifically to the sections identified in Table 3-1, Menu Listing, for details.

3.3.7 Error/Notification Messages

An error/notification message is a special screen that briefly shows a message to the user when he attempts an action that is blocked by the current User Mode Settings, or when it is advisable to alert the operator of certain conditions. The message will be shown for about 0.7 seconds, or until another key is pressed, whichever happens first. Error/ notification messages include:

*** REMOTE *** User attempted a change in Remote Mode, with Remote Disables Local set to Yes.

*** PASSWORD *** User attempted a change with Screen Passwords enabled, without entering an Unlock Password.

** LOCAL LOCKOUT ** User attempted a change after a serial Local Lockout command was issued, without entering an Unlock Password.

CHANGE *SW BACKUP Reminder to change the memory on the UNIT MEMORY backup unit in a legacy STARswitch system, when the gain or the frequency are adjusted.

* Switch Offline * Acknowledgement that a Force Offline command has been issued on a unit in a STARswitch system (without this, there is no visual indication).

3.4 Using Serial I/O (Standard Protocol)

The Synthesized Converter is equipped with a serial port that allows remote monitoring and control of virtually all functions of the unit. Use of the serial port requires knowledge of electrical interface standards (RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485) and of how serial communication operates.


Operation 3-13

NOTE The following subsections describe the standard SIO protocol interface. The legacy interface is described in Appendix A of this manual.

All VertexRSI equipment uses a polled binary protocol. You must either write or obtain software that will communicate with this equipment in order to make use of the serial features. The protocol used is described below.

Note You cannot monitor or control this equipment with HyperTerminal or any other terminal emulation program.

3.4.1 Interface

The interface supports RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 (4-wire or 2-wire) connections. Only one of these interfaces may be enabled at any time. Pin-outs for all three interfaces are shown in Table 2-3. Further details of these interfaces are given in Section 2.5.4. The various interface selections share some lines, so it is important to make sure the appropriate interface is selected on the equipment.

Selection of an interface is done using both the connector wiring and an interface selection set via the front panel of the equipment. See Sections 2.5.4 and 3.6.6.

All data is transmitted and received with 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, 1 start bit, no parity, and no software handshaking. The baud rate is selected from the front panel using the Setup Menu.

3.4.2 Protocol

The serial I/O framing protocol, illustrated in Figure 3-2, is used for communications between a host and a unit. This is a polling protocol, meaning that units answer ONLY when they receive a correctly formatted message from the host. Since the units do not transmit until polled, you must interrogate the units to determine if there are any faults. Or, you may use the provided summary alarm contacts to alert your system, then poll for status.


3-14 Operation

The same framing protocol is used for all messages to and from a unit. A message from a unit in response to one from the host is referred to as a reply.

ACK

6 bits01STX02

COUNTnn

ADDRESSaa . . .

14444244443MESSAGE DATA2

CHKSUMcc

ETX03

Byte 1 Byte 2 Byte 3 Byte 4 Byte nn-2 Byte nn-1 Byte nn

14444444442444444443FRAMING HEADER

14444444244444443FRAMING FOOTER

End Body32A

1 The most significant bit of Byte 4 is reserved, and should always be 0. 2 The message data can be of any length from 1 byte (6 bits of Byte 4) to 250 bytes (249 if End Body byte is used).

Bytes having the values 02 and 03 may not appear in the message data. 3 End Body byte (2A) is optional, and is included for compatibility with version 1 of this protocol.

Figure 3-2. Serial I/O Framing Protocol

3.4.2.1 STX/ETX

All message frames start with the framing byte STX (02) and end with the framing byte ETX (03). No byte in the message data can have a value of 02 or 03, or message framing will be reset!

3.4.2.2 Count

The second byte of the message frame is the count of all bytes in the entire message, including the STX and ETX bytes.

The protocols framing determines that the smallest message possible is 6 bytes.

3.4.2.3 Address

The third byte of the message frame is the address. Any unit whose address setting matches this byte will accept the message.

An address of 00 is used to send a command or control message to all units on the bus.

A reply, if any, will contain the units set address.


Operation 3-15

3.4.2.4 ACK Response Flag

Bit 6 (with bit 0 being the least significant bit, and bit 7 the most significant bit) of the fourth byte in a message frame is used to request an ACK (acknowledge) response. This bit will never be set in a reply.

If a unit returns an ACK response, it will be sent quickly following receipt of the last byte of the host message, if possible. See Section 3.4.2.8.3 for specifications.

An ACK response will be returned ONLY if both of the following conditions are true:

1. The address of the host message matches that of the unit. (In other words, a unit will send an ACK response to a message addressed to 0 only if its own address is set to 0.)

2. The message is not REJECTED for any of the reasons described under Section 3.4.2.7.1.

An ACK response is a correctly framed message, with the least significant 6 bits of Byte 4 equal to the value 3F.

Example, ACK response from unit address 1: 02 06 01 3F 40 03

3.4.2.5 Message Data

The actual content of the message starts with the least significant 6 bits of Byte 4, and can be of any length up to 250 bytes (including Byte 4). An optional End Body byte may be placed in the message footer (at the end of the Message Data), in which case the maximum length of the message data itself is 249 bytes.

The optional End Body byte is used for compatibility with version 1 of this protocol, in which the End Body byte was required if the message data contained more bytes than Byte 4. Units determine whether or not to send this byte as follows:

A setting in the unit will determine whether replies should contain an End Body byte. Units will be shipped from the factory defaulting to use the End Body byte.

If the unit receives a message with more bytes in the message data than Byte 4, but not containing an End Body byte, the setting will be changed to NOT use the End Body byte in replies.


3-16 Operation

If the unit receives a message WITH an End Body byte, the setting will be changed to use the End Body byte in replies.

Messages will always be accepted by units, with or without the End Body byte.

The least significant 6 bits of Byte 4 are not allowed to be equal to 02, 03, or 3F and no value in the message data can be equal to 02 or 03. The least significant 6 bits of Byte 4 are normally an instruction code.

3.4.2.6 Checksum

The checksum is the arithmetic sum of all the bytes starting with the address, and ending with the byte preceding the checksum. The sum is truncated to the least significant byte.

The checksum is the second to last byte of a message frame.

3.4.2.7 Message Handling

3.4.2.7.1 Rejected Messages

Messages will be rejected if any of the following are true:

The message does not start with an STX (02). A communications (framing) error occurs on any byte. The message COUNT (nn) is less than 6. The last byte of the message, as determined by the

COUNT is not an ETX (03). The message ADDRESS does not match the units

address, and is not 00. The fourth byte of the message contains a 1 in the most

significant bit.

The low six bits of the fourth byte are equal to 3F. A byte equal to 02 or 03 is received anywhere in the

MESSAGE DATA.

The message checksum (CHKSUM) is not equal to the low byte of the arithmetic sum of bytes 3 (ADDRESS) through nn-2 (where nn is the COUNT).


Operation 3-17

The receive buffer has become full, causing the unit to miss bytes of the message.

If a message is rejected because of any of these conditions, no ACK response will be returned, if requested in Byte 4 of the message. (As mentioned previously, an ACK response will also not be sent if the global address (00) is used, and the unit address is set to something other than 00.) The unit will immediately begin watching the data stream for the next STX (02) byte AS SOON AS one of the listed problems is detected. A message may also be rejected at a higher level if something is wrong with the MESSAGE DATA itself (e.g., illegal instruction code), but in this case an ACK response will still be sent. Refer to the specific messages in Section 3.4.4 for details of the message format.

3.4.2.7.2 Framing Synchronization

A unit not currently receiving a message watches the message stream for an STX (02) byte. Upon receiving that byte, the unit begins looking for the rest of the message.

If a byte value of 02 or 03 is received for the message count, or anywhere in the message data, the unit assumes that it is the start of a new message (if 02 is received), or the end of the message (if 03 is received), and rejects the original message.

The STX byte value (02) can legally appear as either an address (Byte 3) or a checksum (next-to-last byte) in a message. This has the potential for causing mis-synchron-ization if a unit starts up in the middle of a message. But this is not likely, for the following reasons:

Should a unit detect a valid address of 02 as being the STX byte, it will interpret the following byte (Byte 4) as being the message count, and attempt to receive the address, message data, checksum and ETX from the bytes that follow. In this case, the ETX (03) from the actual message will terminate this false message, and the interpreted byte count, unit address, message data or checksum will most likely be invalid and will be rejected.

Should a unit detect a valid checksum of 02 as being the STX byte, it will interpret the immediately following ETX byte (03) as the byte count of the message. Because a byte


3-18 Operation

count of 3 is not valid (all messages must have at least 6 bytes), the unit will abort receiving the message, and start looking for the STX again.

If you wish to guarantee that all listening units are synchronized, send a string of 3 ETX (03) bytes. This will terminate all units receive sequences, after which they will start looking for the STX (02) byte again.

3.4.2.7.3 Address

A means is provided on every unit to set its address. In any interface bus in which messages are received by more than one unit, each unit should be assigned a unique address that is not equal to 00.

3.4.2.8 Timing Issues

3.4.2.8.1 Inter-character spacing

There is no maximum specification on inter-character spacing in messages in either direction. Bytes in messages to units may be spaced as far apart as you wish. However, be aware that if you are using a half-duplex interface and a unit is ready to send an ACK response or reply, it will be watching the receive data stream for an idle period to send its message.

Generally, there will be no spacing between characters in replies generated by units, but this is not guaranteed.

3.4.2.8.2 Inter-message spacing

There is no requirement to provide any space between messages. However the following points should be considered if message spacing becomes too short.

The receive data buffer of the unit may become full if too many messages are received at once. If this happens, subsequent messages will be rejected until the receive buffer has room. The receive buffer size may vary with software version, so there is no definite size specification available.

When using a half duplex interface (such as RS-485), ACK responses or replies will be held until the line is idle for a specified time (see next section). Therefore, an idle time


Operation 3-19

should be provided for any message that expects an ACK response or a reply.

If an ACK response is requested on every message, the host will know if a message was rejected (for ANY reason) because it will not receive the quick ACK response.

3.4.2.8.3 ACK Responses

If requested, an ACK response will be generated as quickly as possible following receipt of the original message. With a full duplex interface, if the unit is already transmitting when it becomes time to send an ACK response, it will send the ACK as soon as it finishes transmitting the existing message. When using a half-duplex interface, a delay of 1 byte time is introduced to allow time for the host to switch from transmitting to receiving. The line must be idle during this time. Another delay of 1 byte time is always introduced when the transmitter is turned on.

The timing of the ACK response (after the end of the host message) is as follows:

FULL DUPLEX interface: MINIMUM: 1 BYTE TIME

MAXIMUM: (1 BYTE TIME + 1 millisecond), or as soon as the transmitter is done sending a message

HALF DUPLEX interface: MINIMUM: 2 BYTE TIMES with idle line

MAXIMUM: (2 BYTE TIMES + 1 millisecond) with idle line

NOTE: If the half duplex line is not idle, the unit simply waits for the line to be idle for 1 BYTE TIME, then generates the ACK response.

3.4.2.8.4 Replies

If a message generates a reply, that reply should start no more than 100 ms after the original host message. With a full duplex interface, if the unit is already transmitting when it becomes time to send a reply, it will send it as soon as the transmitter is finished. If a message generates a reply and an ACK response, the ACK response will always be first (according to ACK Response specifications), followed by the reply, within its specified time frame.


3-20 Operation

The MINIMUM time for a reply (with no ACK response) is the same as the MINIMUM specification for an ACK response above, depending on the interface.

3.4.3 Messages

Serial I/O messages are normally sent using the serial I/O Message Framing Protocol. This protocol imposes the following restrictions on the message content.

The message data must contain at least 1 byte, and at most 249 bytes.

The first byte is limited to a six-bit value ranging from 00 to 3E, excluding the values 02 and 03.

No byte in the message body can be 02 or 03. In this protocol, illustrated in Figure 3-3, the first byte of the message data is referred to as the instruction code, which ranges in value from 00 to 20. Normally if there is a reply, it will contain the same instruction code as the host message.

If further data is included, it follows the instruction code and is referred to as the message body.

Some instruction codes require a sub-instruction. If required, the sub-instruction is sent as the first byte of the message body. If there is a reply, the reply will contain the same sub-instruction.

. . .

1444442444443FRAMING HEADER

InstructionCode (6 bits)

Message body(optional) . . .

1444444442444444443FRAMING FOOTER

End Body2A

MESSAGE DATA64444447444444

Sub-Instruction(optional)

Data Value(s)(optional)

Figure 3-3. Message Data Framing Protocol


Operation 3-21

Data values, if required, are sent in the message body following the instruction code or the sub-instruction (if it is present).

3.4.3.1 Message Types

The message type is determined by the instruction code.

The message type determines:

Whether or not a reply will be sent. Whether or not the reply (if any) contains data. There are three general types of message: Status, Control/Configuration, and Command.

3.4.3.1.1 Status Messages

Status messages request data without affecting any controls or settings. A response message containing the requested data in the message body will be generated by the unit.

Normally status messages may be used regardless of the operational mode of the unit.

3.4.3.1.2 Control/Configuration Messages

Control messages set the value of an operational control on the unit, whose value can be either set or queried. Controls usually correspond to some important feature, such as the gain of an amplifier.

To set the value of a control, a message is sent containing the desired value. To determine if the control was actually set to the desired value, another message should be set to query the value of the control.

To query the value of the control, a message is sent without any setting value (although some messages do require other data values, which should be sent). A reply will be generated containing the current value of the control.

Configuration messages are identical to control messages in their behavior, but the data in them corresponds to some setting, that is usually only used once when the system is set up.

Units in Local Mode will not obey control or configuration messages to set values. There may be other conditions under


3-22 Operation

which certain messages will not be obeyed. Refer to specific messages in Section 3.4.4 for details. Normally the value of any control or setting may be queried regardless of the operational mode of the unit.

3.4.3.1.3 Command Messages

Command messages cause the device to perform some action or function that cant necessarily be evaluated. Commands may (but do not have to) contain data in the message body.

Command messages are also used for controls that may take a significant amount of time to change. There will be another status message that can be used to determine the value of such controls.

Units in Local Mode will not obey command messages. There may be other conditions under which certain messages will not be obeyed. Refer to specific messages in Section 3.4.4 for details.

3.4.3.2 Data Values

Data values are used in the message body to transfer measurements, settings, and other information. Data values are normally represented as ASCII characters, to conform to the limitations imposed by the framing protocol.

Where more than one data value is sent, they are usually separated by some delimiter such as a comma (, ASCII code 2C). The following are descriptions of the most commonly used types of data:

3.4.3.2.1 Analog Value

An analog value represents a numeric measurement, control, or setting such as currents, voltages, gain, etc. Analog values are formatted as an ASCII string containing the numeric value. Analog data can be a floating-point value (e.g. 3.12), or an integer value (e.g. 14). The data can be signed (preceded by a + or -) or unsigned (no sign character preceding).

The ASCII characters recognized are digits 0 9, the decimal point (.), and a sign (+ or -). Only one decimal point may appear, and the sign, if any, must appear at the


Operation 3-23

beginning of the string. Exponential notation (X.XXXE+YY) is not used. Any other character will terminate the number.

Over-range and under-range values are preceded by a > or


3-24 Operation

3.4.3.2.3 Bit Flag Value

Groups of flags representing simple YES/NO or TRUE/FALSE data are represented as bits in a single byte. Bit flag values are transferred in the least significant six bits of a byte, with the most significant two bits being 0 and 1 (bit 7 is 0).

In cases where more than 6 bit flag values are needed, more bytes are sent, with no delimiters between them. However, bit flag values will be separated from other data values by a comma (,, ASCII code 2C). The following symbols are used to represent a byte of bit data in the message body:

01blb50blb3blb2blb1blb0

where

lbx is a label that identifies the function of each bit;

0 represents bits that are not used, and will always be set to 0;

1 represents bits that are not used, and will always be set to 1.

The list will be followed by brief descriptions of each bits meaning.

3.4.3.2.4 String Value

Text data, such as the version and mask number, is represented simply as a string of ASCII characters.

In cases where more than one string value is needed, the text values will be delimited. Refer to specific messages in Section 3.4.4 for details on which messages use which delimiters.

The following symbol will be used to represent string data in the message body:

label

where label is text identifying the function of the string value.

Note that the quotation marks are shown above to identify a string value, and are NOT actually present in the message body.


Operation 3-25

3.4.3.2.5 Protocol Symbols

Certain symbols are used in protocol documents to represent different types of data values. In addition, other notations have other meanings:

[ ] Brackets enclose segments of the message body that may or may not be present. The brackets may be nested.

... Ellipses represent that more than one of the same value may be present in the message body.

3.4.3.3 Programming Compatibility

The contents of any message are subject to change as features and improvements are made to the product line. Therefore, changes to the protocol may be necessary. Wherever possible, the changes will be made in such a way as to maintain compatibility with existing systems, provided the following rules are followed:

Make no assumptions as to the range or step size of any analog value.

EXAMPLE: If a gain setting can currently be controlled from 0 to 20 dB in 0.1 dB steps, the range may be extended to 30 dB in the future, or the step size may be changed to 0.05 dB.

Allow for extra data values to be returned at the end of any message or at the end of a group of enumerated or bit values delimited from other values.

It is not necessary to predict the meanings of such values, but their presence must be tolerated. The original values will be left in the same positions and order in the message body, new ones will be added to the end.

EXAMPLE: If a message currently returns 3 Analog Values, a fourth may be added to support a new feature in the future.

Allow for extra codes (not currently documented) in enumerated values.

Again, it is not necessary to predict the possible meanings of such codes, but code values other than those listed should be tolerated. The meanings of existing codes will be left unchanged.


3-26 Operation

EXAMPLE: An enumerated control currently has settings for OFF (30) and ON (31). In the future, a third choice may be added, called STANDBY (32). OFF and ON will retain their same values (30) and (31), and STANDBY will use a new code value (32).

Make no assumptions about the presence of hardware or options in a particular model.

There are messages that can be used to determine the number of power supplies, current stages, etc., and the presence or absence of various pieces of hardware. Use these messages, if necessary, to prevent problems with your software should something be added or removed in a future product release.

EXAMPLE: A message returns three voltage measurements for a module (under the existing firmware release). At some point in the future, other internal voltage measure-ments may be added that will also be reported in that message.

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