Flann Microwave 624 User manual

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RS485CONTROLLED
SYSTEMATTENUATOR
MODEL624
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INSTRUMENTMANUAL
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Version1.2
December2020

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page2of13

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485
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Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page3of13
GENERALINFORMATION.........................................................................................4
WARRANTY..........................................................................................................................................4
DESIGNCHANGES................................................................................................................................4
SPECIFICATIONCHANGES....................................................................................................................4
REPAIRS...............................................................................................................................................4
GETTINGSTARTED...................................................................................................5
CONNECTORASSEMBLY......................................................................................................................5
ENVIRONMENTALCONSIDERATIONS.................................................................................................5
COMMUNICATIONSSET‐UP................................................................................................................6
SYSTEMFUNCTIONSANDFEATURES........................................................................7
POWER‐UPPROCEDURE......................................................................................................................7
INSTRUMENTERRORS.........................................................................................................................8
FIRMWAREUPGRADES........................................................................................................................8
RS485COMMANDSTRUCTURE................................................................................9
NOTATION...........................................................................................................................................9
QUERYCOMMANDS............................................................................................................................9
COMMANDSET...................................................................................................................................9
COMMANDEXAMPLES......................................................................................................................11
STATUSBYTE......................................................................................................................................11
COMMANDSUMMARY.....................................................................................................................12
REGULATORYINFORMATION.................................................................................13
DECLARATIONOFCONFORMITY.......................................................................................................13
WASTEELECTRICALANDELECTRONICEQUIPMENT(WEEE)REGULATIONS....................................13

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page4of13
GENERALINFORMATION
WARRANTY

FlannMicrowaveLtdwarrantseachproductofitsmanufacturetobefreefromdefectsinmaterialand
workmanship.Ourobligationunderthiswarrantyislimitedtoservicingoradjustinganyproducts
returnedtoouraddressforthatpurposeandtomakegoodatourfacilityanypartorpartsthereof
(powersupplies,transistors,integratedcircuits,batteries,diodesanddisplays)withinoneyearafter
makingdeliverytotheoriginalpurchaserandwhichinourexaminationshalldisclosetoour
satisfactiontohavebeenthusdefective.SuchreturnsmusthavepriorauthorizationfromFlann
MicrowaveLtdandmustbereturnedasperourdetailedinstructionswithtransportationcharges
prepaid.WarrantyreturnsorrepairsmustfirstbeauthorizedbyFlann.Flanndoesnotauthorizeany
thirdpartytoassumeforthemanyotherliabilityinconnectionwiththeoriginalsalethanthe
foregoing.Unauthorizedtamperingwithsealedscrewswillinvalidatethewarrantyandmayresultin
damagetotheproduct.
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DESIGNCHANGES
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FlannMicrowaveLtdreservestherighttomakechangesinthedesignofitsproductswithoutreference
andwithoutincurringanyobligationtomakethesamealterationsonproductspreviouslypurchased.
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SPECIFICATIONCHANGES
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FlannMicrowaveLtdreservestherighttochangeanyspecificationnotedhereinwithoutpriornotice.
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REPAIRS
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Whenwishingtoreturninstrumentsforrepairs,orforanyotherreason,pleasecontactthisCompany
forshippinginstructions.Toexpediterepairservice,itisimportanttoprovidetypenumber,serial
numberandadetaileddescriptionofthereason,includingallfaultsymptoms,forthereturnofthe
instrument.

FlannMicrowaveLtd
DunmereRoad
Bodmin
Cornwall
PL312QL
UnitedKingdom
Tel:+44(0)120877777
Fax:+44(0)120876426
Email:[email protected]
http://www.flann.com

InUSAcontact

FlannMicrowaveInc
OneBostonPlace
Suite2600
Boston
Massachusetts
MA02108‐4407
Tel:(617)6217034
Fax:(6175778234
Email[email protected]
http://www.flann.com

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page5of13
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GETTINGSTARTED
CONNECTORASSEMBLY
TheModel624instrumentincorporatingtheRS485interfaceissuppliedwiththefollowingmating
connectorstoMIL‐C‐26482,tobeassembledasdetailedinTables1and2.
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6‐WaySocketPinAttenuatorSignal
ARXD+
BRXD‐
CTXD‐
DTXD+
EGround
FNotused
Table1:RS485Interface
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Note1:Cablescreenisnotconnectedattheattenuatorend;itwillrequireterminationtogroundatthe
controller.
Note2:For2‐wireinterfacecontrol,connectpinsAandD(RXD+andTXD+)togetherfortheDATA+line,and
BandC(RXD‐andTXD‐)togetherfortheDATA‐line.
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2‐WaySocketPinInput Specification
A+12Vsupply
12V±1V,max2.2W
B0Vsupply
Table2:PowerSupply
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ENVIRONMENTALCONSIDERATIONS
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Theattenuatorisdesignedtooperatein‘non‐hazardous’areas.Theenvironmentinwhichtheproductisto
beusediscommercial,lightindustrial,eitherindoorsorinaprotectedoutdoorenvironment.
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TheoperatingenvironmentmustconformtotheconditionsshowninTable3.Operationoutsidethese
rangescannotbeguaranteedandmayposedangerousimplicationstotheoperatororcausemechanicalor
electricalfailuretotheequipment.Thedevicewillgenerateheatduringoperation,anditisimportantto
maintainadequateventilationorcoolingatalltimes.
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EnvironmentalConditionRanges
Temperatureoperating+5°cto+35°c
Temperaturenon‐operating0°cto+40°c
Humidityoperating(max)85%withoutcondensation
Humiditynon‐operating(max)90%withoutcondensation
Table3:EnvironmentalConsiderations
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FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page6of13
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COMMUNICATIONSSET‐UP
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Whenconnectingtothecontrollingcomputer,eachcomputerI/OportisassignedadifferentCOMPort
number.Theseportnumberscanchangeeachtimethecomputerisstarted,soitisrecommendedthatthe
userinterrogateseachassignedCOMPorttoidentifytheonesthathaveModel624attenuatorsconnected.
Sendingthe*IDN?commandwillcausetheinstrumenttoreturnitsidentitystringincludingtheinstrument’s
serialnumber.RefertotheCommandSetsectionfordetailsofthe*IDN?command.
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Theinputbufferis50bytesmaximum.
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TheinterfaceusedisRS485,9600baudrate8n1.Either2or4wireissupported(seeTable1above).


FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page7of13
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SYSTEMFUNCTIONSANDFEATURES
POWER‐UPPROCEDURE
Whentheinstrumentisinitiallyconnectedtothepowersupplyitresetstothe50dBreferenceposition.This
actionmaybedisabledifrequired,howevertheinstrumentmustberesetassoonaspossibletoestablishthe
correctreferencealignment.Refertothe‘PONRST’and‘RESET’commands.

Theinstrumentcanbeprogrammedtoreturntothelastsettingpriortopowerbeingremoved.Refertothe
‘HOLDSET’command.

Theinstrumentissuppliedinvaluemode,coveringtherangeof0.0dBto50.0dB,withthesmallest
incrementalvaluebeing0.1dB.Itispossibletopositiontheinstrumentusingmotorstepsintherange0to
2410,givingincreasedresolutionatlowerattenuationsettings.Refertothe‘SSET’commandandTable4
below.Notethatthestepsarefromthereferencepositionof50.0dB.

Alsonotethatwhenchangingfrom‘steps’modeto‘value’mode,theattenuatorwillenterthereset
proceduretore‐synchronisetothereferenceposition.

AttenuationdBStepsAttenuationdBStepsAttenuationdBSteps
50.0033.0 149 16.0 562
49.0532.0 164 15.0 603
48.01131.0 179 14.0 647
47.01730.0 195 13.0 695
46.02329.0 212 12.0 746
45.03028.0 230 11.0 801
44.03727.0 249 10.0 861
43.04526.0 270 9.0 926
42.05225.0 291 8.0 997
41.06124.0 314 7.0 1075
40.07023.0 339 6.0 1162
39.07922.0 365 5.0 1260
38.08921.0 393 4.0 1371
37.010020.0 422 3.0 1501
36.011119.0 454 2.0 1661
35.012318.0 488 1.0 1875
34.013617.0 524 0.0 2410
Table4:Attenuation–StepsfromReference
Whenthehighattenuationsettingisactive,thisenablesacoarseattenuationsettingofapproximately85dB.
Refertothe‘HIGH’command.
In‘Steps’mode,itispossibletoenteranegativevalueupto‐180toachieveaveryapproximatehigh
attenuationvalue.Forexample,‐39stepsroughlyequatesto60dB.Theattenuationaccuracybeyond50dB
cannotbeguaranteed.

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page8of13
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
INSTRUMENTERRORS
InstrumenterrorscanbeidentifiedbyinterrogatingtheStatusByte.Refertothe‘STATUS?’command
descriptionandtheStatusByteinterpretationlist,Table5.

FIRMWAREUPGRADES

UserswillbeabletoupgradetothelatestversionoftheModel624firmwareovertheRS485interfaceby
followingtheinstructionsgivenintheFlannMicrowaveLtdwebsite,www.flann.com.
Acopyofthelatestissueofthismanualwillalsobeavailablefordownload.

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page9of13
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
RS485COMMANDSTRUCTURE
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Thissectiondetailsthecommandsavailableandthevalidoperandsthatmayaccompanythem.


NOTATION

Uppercaseboldcharactersrepresenttheprogramcodes,whichmustappearexactlyaslisted.Programcode
commandsarenotcasesensitive,ieupperandlowercasecharactersareaccepted.Notethattheinputbuffer
is50bytesmaximum.

Charactersenclosedinthe{}bracketsarequalifiersattachedtotherootmnemonic.Aspacemaybeinserted
betweenitandtherootmnemonic.eg{ON|OFF}showsthateitherONorOFFcanbeattachedtotheroot
mnemonic.

Forexample,the‘PONRST’commandhasthreepossibleapplications:‐

1.PONRSTON‐ SwitchonthePower‐onReset
2.PONRSTOFF ‐ SwitchoffthePower‐onReset
3.PONRST?‐ QuerythepresentstateofthePower‐onReset

Eachprogramcommandmustbeterminatedwith\n(Hex0x0a)
Forexample:‘VSET45.3\n’


QUERYCOMMANDS
Forinstrumentstatecommands(identifiedwith‘Query:Valid’),appendthequestionmarkcharacter(?)
insteadofthe{ON|OFF}tointerrogatethestateofthefunctions.Theinstrumentrespondstothequerywith
a‘1’ora‘0’toindicateOnorOff,respectively.ForasettablefunctionsuchasVSETvalue,usingVSET?causes
theinstrumenttorespondbysendingthecurrentvalueofthatfunction.


COMMANDSET



VSET[value]
Switchestovaluemodeandsetsthemicrowaveinstrumenttovalue
Query: Valid,returnssetting
Value 0to50.0(dB)

SSET[value]
Switchestostepsmodeandsetsthemicrowaveinstrumenttovalue
Query: Valid,returnsnumberofstepsfromreference
Value  0to1410

ASET[value]
Switchestoanglemodeandsetsthemicrowaveinstrumenttovalue
Query:  Valid,returnsvaneangle
Value 0to86.776

ISETvalue
Setsthestoredincrementtovalue
Query: Valid,returnsstoreincrement
Value0to50.00(dB)ifinvaluemode,or0to1410ifinstepsmode,0to86.776ifinanglemode


FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page10 of13


INC
Increasethemicrowaveinstrumentsettingbythestoredincrement
Query: Invalid

DEC
Decreasemicrowaveinstrumentsettingbythestoredincrement
Query: Invalid

STOREvalue
Setsthestoredsettingtovalue
Query:  Valid,returnsstoredsetting
Value 0to50.0(dB)ifinvaluemode,or0to1410ifinstepsmode,0to86.776ifinanglemode

RECALL
Setstheinstrumenttothestoredsetting
Query: Invalid

HIGH{ON|OFF}
Setsthehighattenuationfeatureonoroff
Query: Valid,returns1foron,or0foroff

HOLDSET{ON|OFF}
Returnsthemicrowaveinstrumentstothepositionwhenpowerwasremoved
Query:  Valid,returns1foron,or0foroff

MODE?
Outputsthecurrentoperatingmode
Query: Valid,returnseither0forvaluemodeor1forstepsmodeor2foranglemode

PONRST{ON|OFF}
Enablesordisablesthepower‐onreset
Query: Valid,returns1foron,or0foroff

PRECISION{ON|OFF}
Enablesordisablestheprecisionsettingfeature
Query: Valid,returns1foron,or0foroff

Note:WhenON,thisfeaturegiveshigherattenuationaccuracyandrepeatabilitybyalwaysdrivingtothe
requiredpositionfromthesamedirection.Theattenuationvaluewillgohigherthantherequiredsetting
momentarilyduringpositioningfromthe0dBdirection.Thisappliestoallmodes(angle,stepsandvalue).

PWRSTAT?
Outputsthepower‐upstatistics
Query: Valid,returnsastringof50charactersmaximum

RESET
Resynchronisetheinstrument
Query:  Invalid

*IDN?
Outputsthefullinstrumentidentitystring
Query: Valid,returnstheidentitystringoftheinstrumentincludingtheserialnumber

STATUS?
Requestthevalueofthestatusregister
Query: Valid,returnthestatusregistervalue,avaluefrom0to255

FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page11 of13


COMMANDEXAMPLES
RESET;VSET?   resettheinstrumentandreturnavalueof50.0
VSET23.4   positionto23.4dB
VSET?   returnthevalue23.4
SSET453   switchtostepsmodeandpositionto453
SSET?   returnthevalue453
ISET10   store10steps
INC   move+10steps
DEC   move‐10steps
VSET23.6;ISET7;INC;VSET?  Positionto23.6dB,store7dB,increment7dB,returnvalueis30.6
DEC;VSET?   decrement7dB,returnvalueis23.6
INC;INC;INC   increment7dBthreetimes,positionisnow44.6dB

Note:‘Query’referstotheadditionof‘?’afterthecommand.Forexample,‘VSET25’willmovetheinstrument
toasettingof25dB,and‘VSET?’willreturnthesettingvalue(‘25’inthiscase)becauseitisa‘Valid’
command.Dataisonlysentbytheinstrumentwhen‘?’isusedwithacommand.

Commandsmustbeseparatedbyasemicolon.Acommandstringmustbeterminatedbyanewline‘\n’
(0x0a).
STATUSBYTE

BitValueError
01EEPROMerror–failuretoreadorwritetotheEEPROM
12Outofrangerequest–incorrectvaluerequested
24Poweron–apower‐onhasoccurredsincethelastreadoftheregister
38Commanderror–incorrectsyntaxinacommandline
416Executionerror–failuretoachievesetting
532Notused
664ErrorE2–noencoderoutputfound
7128ErrorE1–encoderindexnotfound

Table5:StatusByteinterpretation

Note:ThevalueoftheStatusRegisterwillreturntozeroafterbeingread.


FlannMicrowave ModelRS485

Model624(R485)Attenuatorv1.2 December2020 Page12 of13


COMMANDSUMMARY

CommandSuffixActionQuery
INC  Increasesettingbystoredincrement 
DEC  Decreasesettingbystoredincrement 
VSETValueSwitchestovaluemodeandsetstovalue
SSETValueSwitchestostepsmodeandsetstovalue
ASETValueSwitchestoanglemodeandsetstovalue
ISETValueStoresincrementinthepresentoperatingmode
RESET  Reinitialisetheinstrumentontheactivechannel 
MODE?  Outputsthecurrentoperatingmode
HIGHON/OFFEnableordisablethehighattenuationfeature
PRECISIONON/OFFEnableordisabletheprecisionsettingfeature
RECALL  Returnstheinstrumenttothestoredsetting(seebelow) 
STOREValueStoreasettingdeterminedbyvalue(modedependent)
*IDN?  Returnstheinstrumentidentitystring
STATUS?  ReturnstheStatusRegistervaluefrom0to255
PONRSTON/OFFEnableordisablepower‐onreset
PWRSTAT?  Outputsthepower‐upstatistics
HOLDSETON/OFFReturninstrumenttolastpower‐oncondition

Table6:CommandSummary












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