GE MDS TransNEXT NET9L User manual

MDS™TransNEXT
MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual, Rev. A
December 2023
Technical Manual
Technical Manual`

ii MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK................................................................................................................4
RF REGULATORY INFORMATION.............................................................................................................4
SAFETY REGULATORY INFORMATION ...................................................................................................9
1.0 PRODUCT OVERVIEW AND APPLICATIONS .............................................................................10
1.1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................10
ABOUT THIS MANUAL ...............................................................................................................................10
2.0 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION.............................................................................................................12
2.1 KEY FEATURES..............................................................................................................................12
2.2 TYPICAL APPLICATIONS..................................................................................................................12
2.3 TRANSNEXT CONNECTORS AND INDICATORS.................................................................................14
2.4 GROUNDING CONSIDERATIONS.......................................................................................................19
2.5 MOUNTING OPTIONS......................................................................................................................19
OPTIONAL DIN RAIL MOUNTING ................................................................................................................20
2.6 ANTENNA PLANNING AND INSTALLATION..........................................................................................20
2.7 INITIAL SETTINGS OVERVIEW..........................................................................................................21
SETTING BASIC PARAMETERS—FIRST STEPS.............................................................................................21
3.0 DEVICE MANAGEMENT................................................................................................................22
3.1 USING THE WEB USER INTERFACE..................................................................................................22
3.2 USING THE COMMAND LINE INTERFACE (CLI)..................................................................................28
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN USB, SERIAL AND SSH ........................................................................................28
ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION—SSH....................................................................................................28
ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION—USB....................................................................................................29
ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION—SERIAL INTERFACE .................................................................................29
CLI OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................30
3.3 DEVICE CONFIGURATION................................................................................................................32
OVERVIEW...............................................................................................................................................32
RADIO SETTINGS ......................................................................................................................................34
OWNER SETTINGS ....................................................................................................................................37
SYSTEM SETTINGS ...................................................................................................................................37
DISPLAY SETTINGS ...................................................................................................................................38
ETH SETTINGS .........................................................................................................................................38
COM1 SETTINGS .....................................................................................................................................39
IPPL SETTINGS .........................................................................................................................................41
DLINK SETTINGS.......................................................................................................................................42
PASSWORD SETTINGS...............................................................................................................................43
3.4 SYSTEM HEALTH AND STATUS........................................................................................................44
SHOW COMMAND .....................................................................................................................................44
EVENT LOGGING ......................................................................................................................................44
SNAPSHOTS AND SYSTEM RECOVERY ........................................................................................................45
3.5 FIRMWARE REPROGRAMMING.........................................................................................................45
LOCAL DEVICE REPROGRAMMING ..............................................................................................................45
OVER-THE-AIR REPROGRAMMING..............................................................................................................48

iii MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
4.0 TECHNICAL REFERENCE ............................................................................................................50
4.1 AWORD ABOUT RADIO INTERFERENCE ..........................................................................................50
4.2 TROUBLESHOOTING .......................................................................................................................51
LED STATUS INDICATORS.........................................................................................................................51
EVENT LOG .............................................................................................................................................51
SETUP MODE...........................................................................................................................................51
4.3 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..........................................................................................................53
5.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS.........................................................................56
6.0 APPENDIX A –ELECTRONIC INK DISPLAY................................................................................59
6.1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................59
6.2 STATUS PAGE................................................................................................................................59
6.3 ANTENNA ALIGNMENT PAGE...........................................................................................................59
6.4 SPECTRUM ANALYZER PAGE..........................................................................................................60
7.0 APPENDIX B –OPERATING FREQUENCIES..............................................................................62
8.0 APPENDIX C–LICENSES .............................................................................................................63
8.1 OPEN SOURCE LICENSE DECLARATION...........................................................................................63
9.0 APPENDIX D –COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION................................................................64
10.0 APPENDIX E –ALARM CODES....................................................................................................65

4 MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
Copyright and Trademark
This manual and all software described herein is protected by Copyright: 2023 GE MDS LLC. All rights
reserved. GE MDS LLC reserves its right to correct any errors and omissions in this publication.
RF Regulatory Information
RF Exposure Notice (English and French)
Concentrated energy from a directional antenna may pose a health hazard to humans.
Do not allow people to come closer to the antenna than the distances listed in the
table below when the transmitter is operating. More information on RF exposure can
be found online at the following website:
www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins
Concentré d'énergie à partir d'une antenne directionnelle peut poser un risque pour
la santé humaine. Ne pas permettre aux gens de se rapprocher de l'antenne que les
distances indiquées dans le tableau ci-dessous lorsque l'émetteur est en marche. Plus
d'informations sur l'exposition aux RF peut être trouvé en ligne à l'adresse suivante:
www.fcc.gov/oet/info/documents/bulletins
Antennas must not be co-located. All transmission antennas must be at least 20 cm apart to comply with
FCC co-location rules.
TransNEXT Minimum RF Safety Distance
TransNEXT
Model
Minimum Safety Distance
from Antenna
operating with a 10dBd (12.15dBi) antenna and so
configured for the maximum allowable EiRP of +36dBm
NET9L
34 cm
NET9S
34 cm
l’exposition aux RF
RF Exposure

MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual 5
Approved Antennas
This product has been approved for use with the antennas listed in Table 1-1, below:
Table 1-1. Approved Antennas for TransNEXT
Professional installation is required. The installation site must conform to 15.247/RSS-247 Conducted
and Radiated Power limits. Proper feedline selection and/or radio power setpoints must be set
accordingly for use with each antenna type as detailed in Table 1-2.
Table 1-2. Feedline losses and radio power setpoints for ERP and Conducted Power compliance for
TransNEXT installations.

6 MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
FCC Part 15 Notice and Industry Canada RSS Notices
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules for a Class A digital device. Operation of this device
subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation. Any unauthorized modification or changes to this device without the express
approval of the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate this device. Furthermore,
this device is intended to be used only when installed in accordance with the instructions outlined
in this guide. Failure to comply with these instructions may void the user’s authority to operate
this device.
(a) Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may only operate using an antenna of a type
and maximum (or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce potential
radio interference to other users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent
isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is not more than that necessary for successful communication.
(b) The radio transmitters described herein (IC ID: 101D-NET9L and 101D-NET9S) have been approved
by Industry Canada to operate with the antenna types listed in Table 1-1 with the maximum
permissible gain and required antenna impedance for each antenna type indicated. Antenna types not
included in this list, having a gain greater than the maximum gain indicated for that type, are strictly
prohibited for use with this device.
Cet appareil est conforme à la Partie 15 des règlements de la FCC et Industrie Canada exempts de licence
standard RSS (s). Son utilisation est soumise à deux conditions:
(1) ce dispositif ne peut causer des interférences,
(2) cet appareil doit accepter toute interférence pouvant causer un mauvais fonctionnement du
dispositif.
(a) En vertu des règlements d'Industrie Canada, cet émetteur radio ne peut fonctionner avec une antenne
d'un type et un maximum (ou moins) approuvés pour gagner de l'émetteur par Industrie Canada. Pour
réduire le risque d'interférence aux autres utilisateurs, le type d'antenne et son gain doivent être
choisies de façon que la puissance isotrope rayonnée équivalente (PIRE) ne dépasse pas ce qui est
nécessaire pour une communication réussie.
(b) Les émetteurs radio décrits ici (IC ID : 101D-NET9L et 101D-NET9S) ont été approuvés par
Industrie Canada pour fonctionner avec les types d'antennes répertoriés dans le tableau (Table 1-1)
avec le gain maximum autorisé et l'impédance d'antenne requise pour chaque type d'antenne indiqué.
Les types d'antennes non inclus dans cette liste, ayant un gain supérieur au gain maximum indiqué
pour ce type, sont strictement interdits pour une utilisation avec cet appareil.
IEEE-1613 Compliance
The TransNEXT is IEEE-1613 compliant provided that unshielded cables are <= 2 meters in length.
Operational Safety Notices
The TransNEXT may not be used in an environment where radio frequency equipment is prohibited or
restricted in its use. This typically includes aircrafts, airports, hospitals, and other sensitive electronic
areas.

MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual 7
Do not operate RF devices in an environment that may be susceptible to radio interference resulting in
danger, specifically:
•Areas where prohibited by law - Follow any special rules and regulations and obey all signs and
notices. Do not use the TransNEXT when you suspect that it may cause interference or danger.
•Near Medical and life support equipment - Do not use the TransNEXT in any area where medical
equipment, or life support equipment may be located, or near any equipment that may be susceptible
to any form of radio interference.
•All cables and conductors making connections to the units need to be rated at 85 °C or higher.
•Use Copper Conductors Only
•Use 18 AWG wire
NOTE The TransNEXT does not support Voice Communications.
Regulatory Limitations
Some product options including hardware and software configuration settings may be restricted based on
applicable region-specific regulatory constraints.
FCC / IC IDs
As of the printing date, the following identifiers are assigned to the models listed below.
Model
FCC ID
IC ID
NET9L
E5MDS-NET9L
101D-NET9L
NET9S
E5MDS-NET9S
101D-NET9S
Country-Specific Installation Data
Refer to APPENDIX D –Country Specific Information at the back of this manual for important notices
regarding installation in specific countries.
Servicing Precautions
No user-serviceable parts are contained inside this equipment. Opening of the unit by unauthorized
personnel voids the warranty. All servicing must be performed by an authorized repair facility.
When servicing energized equipment, be sure to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
During internal service, situations could arise where objects accidentally contact or short circuit
components and the appropriate PPE would alleviate or decrease the severity of potential injury. When
servicing equipment, all workplace regulations and other applicable standards for live electrical work
should be followed to ensure personal safety.

8 MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
Manual Revision and Accuracy
This manual was updated to cover a specific version of firmware code. Accordingly, some screens and
features may differ from the actual unit you are working with. While every reasonable effort has been
made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, product improvements may also result in minor
differences between the manual and the product shipped to you. If you have additional questions or need
an exact specification for a product, please contact GE MDS using the information at the back of this
guide. In addition, manual updates can be found on our website at www.gemds.com .
Environmental Information
The manufacture of this equipment has required the extraction and use of natural resources. Improper
disposal may contaminate the environment and present a health risk due to hazardous substances
contained within. To avoid dissemination of these substances into our environment, and to limit the
demand on natural resources, we encourage you to use the appropriate recycling systems for disposal.
These systems will reuse or recycle most of the materials found in this equipment in a sound way. Please
contact GE MDS or your supplier for more information on the proper disposal of this equipment.
Cyber Security Policy
As part of GE’s commitment to product safety, quality and reliability and to reduce risk exposure for GE
and our customers, the “GE Product Cyber Security Standard” (the Policy) outlines the requirements that
GE Business Units must meet. The Policy, requires each GE Business Unit to implement reasonable,
industry-specific measures designed to protect all GE products and services, including all relevant
components and services sourced from third parties, from cyber security threats throughout their
supported life cycle.

MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual 9
Safety Regulatory Information
CSA/us C1D2 Safety Notice
This product is approved for use in Class 1, Division 2, Groups A, B, C & D Hazardous Locations. Such
locations are defined in Article 500 of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publication
NFPA 70, otherwise known as the National Electrical Code. The transceiver has been recognized for use
in these hazardous locations by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) which also issues the US mark
of approval (CSA/US). The CSA Certification is in accordance with CSA STD C22.2 No. 213-M1987.
For Class I, Division 2, the product shall be installed in a tool secured enclosure providing a suitable
degree of protection against deterioration of the equipment that would adversely affect its suitability for
use in the hazardous locations area and to avoid USB-C diagnostic port /connectors from being accessible
during normal operation. The antenna port shall be used with a passive antenna only. The final installation
is subject to acceptance of CSA International or the local inspection authority having jurisdiction.
WARNING –EXPLOSION HAZARD. DO NOT REMOVE OR REPLACE WHILE CIRCUIT IS LIVE
UNLESS THE AREA IS FREE OF IGNITIBLE CONCENTRATIONS
WARNING –EXPLOSION HAZARD. DO NOT CONNECT OR DISCONNECT WHEN ENERGIZED
AVERTISSEMENT –RISQUE D'EXPLOSION. NE PAS RETIRER OU REMPLACER LORSQUE LE
CIRCUIT EST SOUS TENSION À MOINS QUE LA ZONE NE SOIT EXEMPTE DE
CONCENTRATIONS INFLAMMABLES
AVERTISSEMENT –RISQUE D'EXPLOSION. NE PAS CONNECTER OU DÉCONNECTER
LORSQU'IL EST SOUS TENSION

10 MDS TransNEXT Technical Manual MDS 05-7280A01, Rev. A
1.0 Product Overview and Applications
1.1 Introduction
This manual describes the MDS TransNEXT ™. The TransNEXT is the successor to the MDS
TransNET™900 MHz unlicensed radio. Setting the standard for reliable, long-range wireless serial data
transmission utilizing proven Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, the next
generation TransNEXT is backwards-compatible with its predecessor, TransNET. The TransNEXT’ s
backwards compatibility enables the continued use of legacy serial networks while also adding new
capabilities to migrate networks with secure Ethernet connectivity.
Figure 1-1. TransNET Lite
(model NXT9L)
Figure 1-2. Figure 1-3. TransNET Standard with Display
(model NXT9S)
Information on other GE MDS products can be found by visiting our website at www.gemds.com.
About This Manual
This manual is intended for systems engineers, network administrators and others responsible for
planning, commissioning, installing, using and troubleshooting the wireless system. Electronic copies of
all user documentation are available free of charge at www.gemds.com
Software Command Notations
The product is designed for software control via a connected PC. To show the names of software
commands, keyboard entries, or other information displayed on a PC screen, a bolded font is used
throughout the manual. In some cases italics or non-bolded sections may be used to distinguish fixed
syntax from portions of a command where the user must supply specific data.