GE MDS 4710M Operating instructions

Installation and Operation Guide
GE MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B
AUGUST 2008
400 MHz Master Station Radio
for MPT 1411 Applications
MDS 4790M

QUICK START GUIDE
1. Install and connect the antenna system to the radio (page 10).
• Use an appropriate antenna aimed at the associated station.
• Use low-loss feedline suited for 400 MHz. Keep the feedline as short as possible.
2. Connect the backup battery, if equipped (page 14).
3. Connect the host computer to the DATA connector on the rear panel (page 17).
4. Verify proper input voltage level and connect power to the radio. Set the power switch(es) to
ON.
5. Observe front panel indicators for proper operation.
Invisible place holder
ACTIVE (green)—This transceiver board (A or B) is the selected unit.
STBY (yellow)—This transceiver board (A or B) is the standby unit (protected version only).
ALARM (red)—General fault not covered by the other alarm categories (RX ALR, TX ALR, I/O ALR).
RX ALR (red)—Difficulty receiving. May be due to an antenna problem, receiver fault, or other condi-
tion causing a low received signal level.
TX ALR (red)—Fault with the transmit circuitry.
I/O ALR (red)—The data rate or format of data at the data interface connector is incompatible with the
radio settings.

MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION......................................................................... 1
2.0 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ......................................................... 1
2.1 Network-Wide Diagnostics ...............................................................3
2.2 Redundant versus Non-redundant Operation ..................................3
2.3 Applications ......................................................................................3
Basic MAS Master Station Operation .................................................4
Repeater and Polling Remote Operation............................................4
2.4 Features ...........................................................................................5
2.5 Accessories ......................................................................................5
2.6 Model Number Codes ......................................................................6
2.7 Terms and Abbreviations ..................................................................6
3.0 INSTALLATION PLANNING........................................................ 8
3.1 General Requirements .....................................................................8
Site Selection......................................................................................8
A Word About Interference.................................................................9
3.2 Antenna and Feedline Selection ....................................................10
Antenna System ...............................................................................10
Feedline Selection............................................................................10
4.0 INSTALLATION PROCEDURES ................................................11
4.1 Unpacking and Inspection ..............................................................11
4.2 Mounting the Radio ........................................................................12
Rack Mounting..................................................................................12
Tabletop Mounting ............................................................................12
Remote Front Panel Mounting—Optional Configuration ..................12
4.3 Primary Power ................................................................................13
AC-Powered Units............................................................................13
DC-Powered Units............................................................................13
4.4 Battery Power .................................................................................14
Battery Connection...........................................................................15
Low Voltage Disconnect Feature......................................................15
Battery Reset Switch (SW1).............................................................16
4.5 Antenna System .............................................................................16
Antenna Installation..........................................................................16
Feedline Installation..........................................................................16
4.6 Interface Wiring Connections .........................................................17
Data Connector ................................................................................17
Diagnostics.......................................................................................19
Analog Orderwire..............................................................................19
Alarm Contacts and Battery Back-up Connections...........................19
4-Wire Audio Connector ...................................................................20

ii MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B
4.7 Post Installation Checks .................................................................20
5.0 START-UP AND OPERATION...................................................21
5.1 Initial Startup ..................................................................................21
Normal Indications............................................................................21
Maximizing RSSI..............................................................................21
5.2 Front Panel Indicators ....................................................................21
LED Indicators..................................................................................22
Front Panel Display ..........................................................................23
6.0 DIAGNOSTICS AND CONTROL...............................................23
6.1 PC Connection ...............................................................................24
6.2 PC Command Summaries .............................................................24
Commands and Command Parameters...........................................25
6.3 Detailed Command Descriptions ....................................................28
ALARM .............................................................................................28
AMASK [0000 0000–FFFF FFFF] ....................................................30
ASENSE [HI/LO]...............................................................................31
BAUD [xxxxx abc].............................................................................31
BUFF [ON/OFF]................................................................................31
CKEY [ON/OFF] ...............................................................................32
CTS [0-255]......................................................................................32
DATAKEY [ON/OFF].........................................................................33
DATE [mmm dd yyyy].......................................................................33
DKEY................................................................................................33
DLINK [ON/OFF/xxxx]......................................................................33
DMGAP [xx]......................................................................................34
DTYPE [NODE/ROOT/GATE/PEER]................................................34
DUMP...............................................................................................34
EMP [ON/OFF] .................................................................................34
HREV................................................................................................35
INIT...................................................................................................35
KEY ..................................................................................................35
LOG [CLR]........................................................................................36
MODEL.............................................................................................36
MODEM [9600M, MPT1411].............................................................36
NMASK [0000 0000–FFFF FFFF] ....................................................36
OPT ..................................................................................................37
OWM [xxxxx] ....................................................................................37
OWN [xxxxx].....................................................................................37
PROG...............................................................................................37
PROGACT........................................................................................37
PTT [0-255].......................................................................................38
RADIO [A/B/AUTO]...........................................................................38
REPEATER [ON/OFF]......................................................................38
RSSI, RSSI!......................................................................................38
RTU [ON/OFF/0-80]..........................................................................39
RX [xxx] ............................................................................................39
RXMUTE ..........................................................................................39
RXLEVEL [–20 to +3] .......................................................................39

MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide iii
RXPAD [ON/OFF].............................................................................40
RXTOT [NONE, 1-1440]...................................................................40
SCD [0-255]......................................................................................40
SER..................................................................................................40
SHOW [DC/PWR/CURRENT/RADIO]..............................................40
SNR, SNR! .......................................................................................41
SREV................................................................................................41
STAT.................................................................................................41
TEMP................................................................................................42
TIME [hh:mm:ss] ..............................................................................43
TOT [ON/OFF, 1-255].......................................................................43
TX [xxxx]...........................................................................................43
TXGAIN [ON/OFF]............................................................................44
TXLEVEL [–20 to +3, AUTO]............................................................44
UNIT [10000–65000]........................................................................44
6.4 Configuration and Programming using the Front Panel .................44
Programming and Control Buttons ...................................................47
Navigating Through the Front Panel Screens ..................................47
Switching the Front Panel Display to Configuration Mode ...............48
Use of Control Buttons in Configuration Mode.................................48
Making Changes to Radio Functions................................................48
6.5 Screen Descriptions .......................................................................49
Group 1—Startup Screen and Menu Directory (page 53).................49
Group 2—Configuration Screens (page 53).....................................49
Group 3—Diagnostic Screens (page 61)..........................................49
Group 4—Event Log (page 62) ........................................................50
7.0 LOCAL & NETWORK-WIDE PROBLEM SOLVING.................. 63
7.1 Local Problem-Solving ...................................................................63
Problem-Solving with LED Indicators ...............................................63
Problem-Solving Using a Connected PC..........................................64
Problem-Solving Using the Front Panel Display...............................64
System Bench Testing Set-up ..........................................................65
7.2 Performing Network-Wide Radio Diagnostics ................................65
7.3 Replacing Assemblies ....................................................................67
Transceiver Board and Power Supply Assemblies...........................67
Front Panel.......................................................................................68
Internal Duplexer..............................................................................68
Antenna Switch Module....................................................................70
7.4 Cooling Fan Maintenance .............................................................71
8.0 TECHNICAL REFERENCE....................................................... 72
8.1 Technical Specifications ..........................................................72
8.2 RF Propagation Planning ...............................................................74
Fresnel Zone Clearance...................................................................74
Earth Curvature ................................................................................75
Fade Margins....................................................................................75
Calculating Path Loss.......................................................................75
8.3 Formulas for System Planning .......................................................76
Free Space Path Loss ......................................................................76

iv MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B
Fresnel Zone Boundary....................................................................76
Theoretical Signal Strength ..............................................................76
Probability of System Fading............................................................76
8.4 Frequency Reference Chart ...........................................................77
8.5 dBm-Volts-watts Conversion Chart ................................................80
Copyright Notice
This Installation and Operation Guide and all software described herein
are protected by copyright: 2008 GE MDS, LLC. All rights reserved.
GE MDS reserves its right to correct any errors and omissions.
Operational Safety Notices
The radio equipment described in this guide emits radio frequency
energy. Although the power level is low, the concentrated energy from
a directional antenna may pose a health hazard. Do not allow people to
come in close proximity to the front of the antenna when the transmitter
is operating.
This manual is intended to guide a professional installer to install,
operate and perform basic system maintenance on the described radio.
ISO 9001 Registration
GE MDS' adherence to this internationally accepted quality system stan-
dard provides one of the strongest assurances of product and service
quality available.
GE MDS Quality Policy Statement
We, the employees of GE MDS, are committed to achieving total cus-
tomer satisfaction in everything we do.
Total Customer Satisfaction in:
• Conception, design, manufacture and marketing of our products.
• Services and support we provide to our internal and external
customers.
Total Customer Satisfaction Achieved Through:
• Processes that are well documented and minimize variations.
• Partnering with suppliers who are committed to providing quality and
service.
• Measuring our performance against customer expectations and
industry leaders.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and employee involvement.
RF Exposure

MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide v
Environmental Information
The manufacture of this equipment has required the extraction and use
of natural resources. Improper disposal may contaminate the environ-
ment and present a health risk due to hazardous substances contained
within. To avoid dissemination of these substances into our environ-
ment, and to limit the demand on natural resources, we encourage you
tousetheappropriate recycling systems fordisposal.Thesesystems 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.
Notice
While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of
this manual, product improvements may result in minor differences
between the manual and the product shipped to you. If you have addi-
tional questions or need an exact specification for a product, please con-
tactourCustomerService Team using theinformationatthebackofthis
guide. In addition, manual updates can often be found on the GE MDS
Web site at www.GEmds.com.

vi MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B

MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This guide presents installation and operating instructionsfor the MDS 4790M
master station (scanner) radio. It begins with an overall description of the
radio’s features and is followed by the steps required to install the radio and
place it into normal operation.
Additionally, the guide contains troubleshooting tips for resolving system
difficulties that may be encountered. After you install the radio, we
recommend keeping this guide near the radio for future reference.
2.0 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The MDS 4790M master station (Figure 1) is a full duplex radio designed to
operate with MDS 4710 remote (outstation) transceivers in the fixed telemetry
and telecontrol radio services bands of 457.5 to 458.5 MHz and 463.0 to
464.0 MHz. It is designed for compliance with the United Kingdom’s MPT
1411 specifications for radio performance and frequency assignment criteria.
Typical applications include utility Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA), distribution automation, online transactional processing and other
point-to-multipoint applications. The radio is available in either a redundant
configuration or a non-redundant configuration. Refer to Section 2.2,
Redundant versus Non-redundant Operation, beginning on page 3 for further
description.
The radio uses microprocessor control and Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
technology to provide highly reliable data communications even under adverse
conditions. DSP adapts to differences between components from unit to unit,
and ensures consistent and repeatable performance in ambient temperatures
from –30 to +60 degrees Celsius. The use of Digital Signal Processing
eliminatesthe variationsinmodem operation thatcandegrade the performance
of analog circuits.
The radio is designed for trouble-free operation with data equipment provided
by other manufacturers, including Remote Terminal Units (RTUs), flow
computers, automatic banking machines, programmable logic controllers
(PLCs), and others.
NOTE: Some features may not be available on all radios, based on the
options purchased. Consult the factory for information on feature
upgrades or available accessories.

2 MDS 4790M (MPT 1411) I/O Guide MDS 05-3628A01, Rev. B
Invisible place holder
Figure 1. MDS 4790M Master Station
All assemblies, including the duplexer and power supply, are contained in the
radio’s compact (2RU high) enclosure. The radio’s compact size allows it to fit
into most existing systems, in either tabletop or rack mounting arrangements.
Connectors are provided on the rear panel for easy connection of power,
antenna, data, alarm and diagnostic functions.