ELPRO ERRTS ALERT2 Instruction sheet

Revision 0.5
ERT-A2 Configuration Manual

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
ii
General Notices
ELPRO products are designed to be used in industrial environments by experienced industrial engineering
personnel with adequate knowledge of safety design considerations.
ELPRO products use communications channels that are subject to noise and interference. The products are
designed to operate in the presence of noise and interference, but in an extreme case noise and interference
can cause product operation delays or operation failure. Like all industrial electronic products, ELPRO products
can fail in a variety of modes due to misuse, age, or malfunction. We recommend that users and designers
design systems using design techniques intended to prevent personal injury or damage during product
operation and provide failure tolerant systems to prevent personal injury or damage in the event of product
failure. Designers must warn users of the equipment or systems if adequate protection against failure has not
been included in the system design. Designers must include this Important Notice in operating procedures and
system manuals.
These products should not be used in non-industrial applications, or life-support systems, without first
consulting ELPRO.
The ERT-A2 modules operate standards based protocols to communicate. If your system is not adequately
secured, third parties may be able to gain access to your data via the radio link. Before deploying a system,
make sure that you have carefully considered the security aspects of your installation.
Follow instructions
Read this entire manual and all other publications pertaining to the work to be performed before installing,
operating, or servicing this equipment. Practice all plant and safety instructions and precautions. Failure to
follow the instructions can cause personal injury and/or property damage.
Proper use
Any unauthorized modifications to or use of this equipment outside its specified mechanical, electrical, or
other operating limits may cause personal injury and/or property damage, including damage to the
equipment. Any such unauthorized modifications: (1) constitute “misuse” and/or “negligence” within the
meaning of the product warranty, thereby excluding warranty coverage for any resulting damage; and (2)
invalidate product certifications or listings.
Product disposal
When your product reaches the end of its useful life, it is important to take care in the disposal of the product
to minimize the impact on the environment.
General instructions
The product housing is made of die-cast aluminium and may be recycled through regular metal
reclamation operators in your area.
The product circuit board should be disposed according to your country’s regulations for
disposing electronics equipment.
Europe
In Europe, you can return the product to the place of purchase to have the product disposed in
accordance with EU WEEE legislation.
Deployment of ELPRO products in customer environment
There is increasing concern regarding cybersecurity across industries, where companies are steadily integrating
field devices into enterprise-wide information systems. This is why ELPRO has incorporated secure
development life cycle in their product development to ensure that cybersecurity is addressed at all levels of
development and commissioning of our products.

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
iii
There is no protection method that is completely secure. Industrial Control Systems continue to be the target
for attacks. The complexities of these attacks make it very difficult to have a complete secure system. A
defence mechanism that is effective today may not be effective tomorrow as the ways and means of cyber-
attacks constantly change. Therefore, it’s critical that our customers remain aware of changes in cybersecurity
and continue to work to prevent any potential vulnerability of their products and systems in their
environment.
At ELPRO we are focusing on helping our customers deploy and maintain our solutions in a secure
environment. We continue to evaluate cybersecurity updates that we become aware of and provide the
necessary communication on our website as soon as possible.
Product Notices
󱛺ATTENTION
INCORRECT TERMINATION OF SUPPLY WIRES MAY CAUSE INTERNAL DAMAGE AND WILL VOID
THE WARRANTY. TO ENSURE THAT YOUR 415U-2 WIRELESS I/O AND GATEWAY ENJOYS A LONG
LIFE, CHECK THIS USER MANUAL TO VERIFY THAT ALL CONNECTIONS ARE TERMINATED
CORRECTLY BEFORE TURNING ON POWER FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Safety notices
Exposure to RF energy is an important safety consideration. The FCC has adopted a safety standard for human
exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic energy emitted by FCC regulated equipment as a result of its
actions in Docket 93-62 and OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01.
󱛺CAUTION
TO COMPLY WITH FCC RF EXPOSURE REQUIREMENTS IN SECTION 1.1310 OF THE FCC RULES,
ANTENNAS USED WITH THIS DEVICE MUST BE INSTALLED TO PROVIDE A SEPARATION DISTANCE
OF AT LEAST 20 CM FROM ALL PERSONS TO SATISFY RF EXPOSURE COMPLIANCE.
DO NOT OPERATE THE TRANSMITTER WHEN ANYONE IS WITHIN 20 CM OF THE ANTENNA.
ENSURE THAT THE ANTENNA IS CORRECTLY INSTALLED IN ORDER TO SATISFY THIS SAFETY
REQUIREMENT.
Avoid
•Operating the transmitter unless all RF connectors are secure and any open connectors are properly
terminated
•Operating the equipment near electrical blasting caps or in an explosive atmosphere
󱛻󱛼󱛽Note: All equipment must be properly grounded for safe operations. All equipment should be serviced
only by a qualified technician.
FCC notice
Part 15.21—The grantee is not responsible for any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance. Such modifications could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
Part 15.105(b)—This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
iv
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
•Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
•Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
•Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected
•Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
Part 90—This device has been type accepted for operation by the FCC in accordance with Part 90 of the FCC
rules (47CFR Part 90). See the label on the unit for the specific FCC ID and any other certification designations.
󱛻󱛼󱛽Note: This device should only be connected to PCs that are covered by either a FCC DoC or are FCC
certified.
Manufacturer
Band
Model number
Description
Coax kit
Net
Gain
ELPRO
148-
174MHz
ANTB000300
VHF Dipole Whip 3dB Antenna c/w
5M Coax N type Connector
N/A
0 dB
ELPRO
148-
174MHz
ANTUDP150-C
48-174Mhz Aerial Dipole with N Type
Female
CCTAIL-SMA-M
2 dB
ELPRO
148-
174MHz
ANTB000100
VHF 3 dBd collinear 5dBi N Type
Female connector
CCTAIL-SMA-M
5 dB
ELPRO
148-
174MHz
ANTB000100
VHF 3 dBd collinear 5dBi N Type
Female connector
CC5-RG213
4.8 dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTUDP400-C
Dipole Antenna 2dB gain with
100mm RG58 cable and 'N' Type
Female connector
CCTAIL-SMA-M
1.8dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTUDP400-C
Dipole Antenna 2dB gain with
100mm RG58 cable and 'N' Type
Female connector
CC3-N
1.1dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTBU3-400
Antenna 3dB Collinear with 'N' Type
Female Connector
CC10-N
1.9 dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTBU6-400
Antenna 6dB Collinear with 'N' Type
Female Connector
CC10-N
4.9 dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTYU3-400
400Mhz Aerial 3 element 6dBi YAGI
with 'N' Type Female connector
CC10-N
2.7 dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
ANTYU6-400
400Mhz Aerial 6 element 9dBi YAGI
with 'N' Type Female connector
CC10-N
5.7 dB
ELPRO
340-
540MHz
YU16/400
400Mhz Aerial 16 element YAGI
15dBi with 'N' Type Female
connector
CC20-N
8.4 dB

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
v
Contents
General Notices................................................................................................................................... ii
Follow instructions.................................................................................................................................. ii
Proper use............................................................................................................................................... ii
Product disposal...................................................................................................................................... ii
General instructions................................................................................................................................ ii
Europe..................................................................................................................................................... ii
Deployment of ELPRO products in customer environment.................................................................... ii
Product Notices...................................................................................................................................... iii
󱛻󱛼󱛽ATTENTION................................................................................................................................... iii
Safety notices......................................................................................................................................... iii
󱛻󱛼󱛽CAUTION....................................................................................................................................... iii
Avoid ...................................................................................................................................................... iii
FCC notice .............................................................................................................................................. iii
ERT-A2 Overview.....................................................................................................................................1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................1
Operation............................................................................................................................................1
Networking..........................................................................................................................................2
Ordering Guide........................................................................................................................................3
Model Overview..................................................................................................................................3
Accessories..........................................................................................................................................5
Installation ..............................................................................................................................................7
Enclosure.............................................................................................................................................7
Rain Tree/Standpipe Install.............................................................................................................8
Installation ..........................................................................................................................................8
Grounding .......................................................................................................................................8
Sensor Input Connections.................................................................................................................10
Digital or Pulsed inputs .................................................................................................................10
Analog inputs ................................................................................................................................10
SDI-12 Sensor Input.......................................................................................................................11
Connections (Milspec) ......................................................................................................................11
Rain (Digital)..................................................................................................................................11
River Digital (Digital/Pulse) ...........................................................................................................11
River (Analog)................................................................................................................................12
Solar (Ext Supply) ..........................................................................................................................12

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
vi
Serial (Serial / SDI-12) ...................................................................................................................13
Connections (Terminals) ...................................................................................................................13
Rain (Digital)..................................................................................................................................14
River Digital (Quadrature or Incremental)....................................................................................14
River (Analog)................................................................................................................................14
Solar (Ext Supply) ..........................................................................................................................14
Serial (Serial / SDI-12) ...................................................................................................................15
System Design.......................................................................................................................................16
Unit type overview............................................................................................................................16
Field Station ......................................................................................................................................16
Repeater Station ...............................................................................................................................17
Base Receiver Station........................................................................................................................18
Repeater Station –Full Duplex High Capacity...................................................................................18
Repeater Station –Multi-Frequency or A1 Migration......................................................................19
Unit Configuration ................................................................................................................................21
Connecting to Menu .........................................................................................................................21
Configuration Quick Start Guide.......................................................................................................23
Quick setup ALERT2 ......................................................................................................................24
Quick Setup ALERT (Version 1)......................................................................................................24
Communications Configuration ........................................................................................................24
Integrated Radio Communications Configuration ........................................................................24
Cellular Communications Setup....................................................................................................26
4G/LTE Primary Communications Operation................................................................................28
RS-232 Reporting ..........................................................................................................................29
RS232 Serial Manu ........................................................................................................................29
Configuration ALERT Quick Setup.....................................................................................................29
Sensor Inputs Configuration .............................................................................................................32
Discrete/Digital Input setup..............................................................................................................34
SDI-12 Smart Sensor Configuration ..................................................................................................37
Diagnostics............................................................................................................................................39
Configuration Menu Items................................................................................................................39
Set factory defaults...........................................................................................................................40
OK LED Red Status Internal register bits decoder.............................................................................40
Radio Firmware Update....................................................................................................................41
Cellular Modem Force Update Messaging........................................................................................41
Firmware upgrade.............................................................................................................................43

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual
Revision 1.0
vii
Data log File download .....................................................................................................................43
General Specifications...........................................................................................................................44
Communications Channel Specifications..........................................................................................46
C1, C3 or C4 Condor Radio - Internal............................................................................................46
4G/LTE Cellular Integrated Gateway Router.................................................................................47
External Satellite Iridium Short Data Bust Modem - Integrated...................................................47
Accessories........................................................................................................................................48

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual Revision 1.0
1
ERT-A2 Overview
Introduction
The ERT-A2 (ERTA2) battery powered wireless environmental monitoring unit is designed to provide
reliable monitoring of environmental measurements in critical applications such as flood warning
and other disaster management applications.
Input sensors to monitor environmental conditions such as rainfall, river heights, wind speed, wind
direction, air temperature, humidity can be connected directly to the ERTA2 unit which will sample
these inputs and on a detected change of value send over VHF/UHF radio, cellular or satellite
networks.
The ERTA2 is a compact and highly integrated unit which includes the capability to sample sensor
inputs, manage battery power consumption, power supplies, MPPT smart solar regulator and one or
two communication channels. All this functionality in enclosed in a weatherproof IP66 enclosure
which can easily be installed directly outdoors, in a flood warning tree (standpipe) or in another
enclosure with other monitoring equipment.
Communications protocol used in the ERTA2 is ALERT2 which is an international industry standard
for flood warning and disaster management applications. ALERT2 offers benefits of allowing very
large numbers of field sensors to be support, very high level of data transmission reliability with data
encoding and forward error correction, and flexible sensor data types/engineering units.
Cyber Security has been a strong consideration in the design of the ERTA2 unit. Features have been
incorporated into the ERTA2 to provide effective device security. ELPRO continues to provide
additional security features to the product as they become available in new additionas of the ALERT2
protocol
The ELPRO ERTA2 unit provides an extremely versatile and feature packed unit allowing standalone
installations with the addition of only sensor connections and possibly a battery charging source
such as solar panel.
Operation
The ERTA2 unit is designed with features to allow the minimum power consumption to maximise the
operational battery life.
In normal operation the ERTA2 will be switching between sleep and awake modes to allow it to
sample sensor and internal inputs to detect changes. If nothing has changed then it goes back to
sleep. If there is a change then it will wake fully to send the changes over the communications
channel.
To conserve the units power consumption the frequency of communications transmissions should
be kept to a minimum. Sensor digital and analog inputs have a sensitivity value that can be
configured that is the threshold of change before a communications transmission will be triggered.
There is also a configurable paralysis time which will limit the frequency of transmissions. This is
configured value in seconds to wait before transmitting again.
The ERTA2 includes a wide range of internal diagnostics and internal inputs that can be configured to
send as ALERT2 messages. Internal inputs include battery voltage, power supply/solar voltage,
received signal strength (RSSI), internal temperature and internal status bits.

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual Revision 1.0
2
Networking
Up to two internal communication channels are available. Primary channel supports VHF/UHF radio,
4G/LTE cellular or satellite networks. The secondary channel provides a redundancy mode and
supports cellular 4G/LTE and satellite.
Operational mode of the ERTA2 unit can be configured to either Field Station, Repeater or Base
Receiver when using primary VHF/UHF radio. The unit is also able to operate as a field station using
4G/LTE Cellular or Satellite primary radio.
Figure 3: Example: Typical system diagram with mix of ALERT2 and legacy ALERT1 equipment.
ALERT2 protocol can be configured for Field Station, Repeater or Base Receiver modes. Legacy
ALERT (ALERT1) can be configured for only Field Station and Base Receiver modes of use.
Field Station is typically used for flood warning gauge sites or any other environmental monitoring
site and is the lowest power consumption configuration.
Repeater units will store and forward communication messages from other Field Stations and/or
Repeaters to increase the maximum transmission distance. Repeaters units include ability to
configure station address whitelist/blacklist filtering to limit communications traffic in the network.
Base Receiver collects all the network communication messages directly from Field stations or
Repeaters and transports them to the Decoder-Gateway which provides protocol or media
conversion as required to data collection network.
Primary 5W
VHF/UHF/
Cell IIOT
Secondary
25W RF PA
/Cell/Sat
Communication
Options
A2 VHF
Repeater or
Base Rx’er
Internal
RS232 A2
Redundant Comms
Gateway
Internal
Cell/Sat
Figure 2: ERTA2 provides options for primary and
secondary communications
Figure 1: Redundancy available using secondary
communications with 4G/LTE Cellular or Satellite
networks

ERT-A2 ALERT2 Configuration Manual Revision 1.0
3
Figure 4: ERTA2 Receiver and 115U-2-A2 Decoder-Gateway including connectivity to include ALERT1 data conversion to
ALERT2 or industrial protocols Modbus/DNP3.
For more information on configuration of modes and features described above see relevant sections
of this user manual below or refer to ELPRO web site for additional application notes.
Ordering Guide
Model Overview
The ERT-A2 can be delivered as several different models and/or options. To identify the correct
model and options that you have, first locate the compliance label, which is located inside the unit
on the side opposite to the battery (if fitted).
The compliance label will look like the sample below but may have difference due to sales
region/model.
The standard ERT-A2 will supports ALERT2 operation as a field station, repeater or receiver base
station receiver through software configuration.