Hemisphere GPS Crescent A100 User manual

C OPYRIGHT N OTICE
Hemisphere GPS (Satloc LLC) Precision GPS Applications
© Copyright Hemisphere GPS (Satloc LLC) (2006). All rights reserved.
No part of this manual may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval
system or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without
the prior written permission of Hemisphere GPS (Satloc LLC).
T RADEMARKS
Hemisphere GPS and the Hemisphere GPS logo, Satloc and the Satloc logo, and CSI
Wireless and the CSI Wireless logo are trademarks of Hemisphere GPS (Satloc LLC), CSI
Wireless, Inc. and CSI Wireless LLC. Other trademarks are the properties of their
respective owners.
N OTICE TO C USTOMERS
Contact your local dealer for technical assistance. To find the authorized dealer near you,
call or write us at:
Hemishpere GPS
7650 E. Redfield Road, Suite B
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Telephone number:
Fax number:
E-mail address:
[phone]
[phone]
[email protected]

Crescent A100 User Guide
i
1: Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
RS232 Serial Port 3
LED 3
Radar-Simulated Pulse Output 3
CAN 4
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cable Interface 6
Extension Power/Data Cable 7
Crescent A100 Placement 7
Mounting the Crescent A100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Powering the Crescent A100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Connecting the Crescent A100 to External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Environmental Considerations 18
2: GPS Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
GPS Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
GPS Operation 20
Differential Operation 21
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
A: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

ii
B: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
D: Crescent A100 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
E: Surface Mount Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

1: I NSTALLATION
Features
Installation
Mounting the Crescent A100
Powering the Crescent A100
Connecting Crescent A100 to External Devices

2
1: Installation
I NTRODUCTION
Congratulations on buying Hemisphere GPS’ new Crescent A100.
The Crescent A100 is a smart antenna that tracks GPS and SBAS
(WAAS and EGNOS) signals. The Crescent A100 provides sub-
meter performance with50 centimeter accuracy 95% of the time.
This chapter provides information on the following:
• Features
• Installation
• Mounting the Crescent A100
• Powering the Crescent A100
• Connecting the Crescent A100 to external devices

Crescent A100 User Guide
3
F EATURES
The Crescent A100 has several new features that will enhance your
product’s performance. The main features are:
• 2 RS232 serial ports
•LED
• Radar-simulated pulse output
• CAN communication
RS232 Serial Port
The RS232 serial is used for NMEA 0183, Hemisphere GPS interface
protocol, RTCM SC-104 and upgrading firmware. See the general
GPS technical reference at www.hemispheregps.com for more
detailed information.
LED
The Crescent A100 uses one tri-colored LED:
• Red indicates the power is on
• Amber indicates a GPS lock
• Flashing green indicates DGPS is being acquired
• Green indicates a DGPS solution
Radar-Simulated Pulse Output
The radar-simulated pulse output provides accurate ground speed.
The Crescent A100 uses pin 12 for the speed out pin. Pin 12 will
output a square wave with a 50% duty cycle. The frequency of the

4
1: Installation
square wave varies directly with speed. 94 Hz represents a speed
of 1 meter per second, or a 28.65 pulse per foot traveled.
CAN
The Crescent A100 features Controller Area Network (CAN) to
handle communication between CAN-based devices.
The Crescent A100 supports a selection of NMEA 2000 messages
that can be broadcast on a CAN bus. Table 1-1 provides a listing of
the NMEA 2000 commands that are used.
Note: Pin 12 does not have any form of isolation or surge
protection. You are STRONGLY encouraged to incorporate
some form of isolation circuitry into your supporting
hardware if you wish to utilize the Speed Radar Pulse
output.
Table 1-1: NMEA 2000 commands
PGN 129029 GNSSPositionData
PGN 129025 GNSSPositionRapidupdate
PGN 129026 NMEACogSogData

Crescent A100 User Guide
5
I NSTALLATION
The Crescent A100 is a smart antenna that tracks GPS and SBAS
(WAAS and EGNOS). It utilizes Hemisphere GPS’ exclusive
COAST™technology during differential outages. The Crescent
A100 is also capable of using Hemisphere GPS’ e-Dif®and L-Dif®
technology. Figure 1-1 provides a front view of the deutsche
connector receptacle’s numbering.
Figure 1-1. Deutsche connector receptacle numbering
Table 1-2 provides the Deutsche connector’s pin-outs.
Table 1-2: Deutsche connector’s pin-outs
Pin-Out Function
1 Manual mark in
2TxB
3RxB
4CANhigh
5
10
8
12
7
6
9
1
2
11
3
4

6
1: Installation
Cable Interface
The cable options include:
•DB9serial
•Speed
•CAN
•Power
Additional extension cables may be purchased, as necessary, for other
installations. This allows the Crescent A100 to be quickly and easily
moved form one installation to another. If an extension cable is
damaged in the field, it can be replaced without returning the complete
Crescent A100 system.
Other power cables are available as accessories to fit a wide variety
of applications. See Appendix E for a list of Crescent A100
accessories.
5 Signal Ground
6TxA
7OnePPS
8RxA
9CANlow
10 Power in (12 V)
11 Power ground
12 Speed out
Table 1-2: Deutsche connector’s pin-outs
Pin-Out Function

Crescent A100 User Guide
7
Extension Power/Data Cable
The Crescent A100 system is quickly installed with one of the
various extension cables. The location of the extension cable
should be made with the following requirements in mind:
• Power leads at the “Y” end must reach a power source.
• The data connector communication port must reach to
connect to a data storage device or guidance system.
When choosing a route for the Crescent A100 extension cable:
• Avoid running cables in areas of excessive heat
• Keep cables away from corrosive chemicals
• Do not run the extension cable through door or window
jams
• Keep the cables away from rotating machinery
• Do not bend excessively or crimp the cables
• Avoid placing tension on the cables
• Remove unwanted slack from the extension cable at the
receiver end
• Secure along the cable route using plastic wraps
Crescent A100 Placement
Placement of the Crescent A100 is crucial to the system’s
operation. The GPS engine inside the Crescent A100 computes a
position based upon measurements from each satellite to the
Warning:
Improperly installed cables near machinery can be
dangerous.

8
1: Installation
internal GPS antenna unit. Mount the Crescent A100 on your point
of interest. When choosing a location to mount the antenna, please
make certain that there is an unobstructed view of the sky
available to the Crescent A100 smart antenna. This will ensure that
GPS satellites are not masked by obstructions, which can
potentially reduce system performance. To place the Crescent
A100:
1. Mount the Crescent A100 on, or as close to, the center of your
point of measurement.
2. Position the Crescent A100 as high as possible.
Figure 1-2 on page 9 shows the ideal location to place the
Crescent A100 on a vehicle.

Crescent A100 User Guide
9
Figure 1-2. Crescent A100 placement on a vehicle

10
1: Installation
M OUNTING THE C RESCENT A100
The Crescent A100 can be mounted in several ways:
•Magneticmount
• Surface mount
• Pole mount
Magnetic Mount
The magnetic mount can be screwed into the bottom of the
Crescent A100 and mounts to metal surfaces. A metal disc and
foam adhesive are included with each magnetic mount. Use the
foam adhesive to bond the metal disc to the desired mounting
location if there are no metal surfaces. To use the metal disc and
foam adhesive:
1. Clean and dry the mounting surface on the vehicle.
2. Remove the backing from one side of the foam adhesive and
press the metal plate onto the mounting surface on the
vehicle.
3. Remove the backing from the other side of the foam adhesive
4. Press the metal plate onto the mounting surface on the
vehicle.
5. Apply firm pressure to ensure good adhesion.

Crescent A100 User Guide
11
6. Place the Crescent A100 on top of the metal disc. (See Figure
1-3 for the magnetic mounted Crescent A100.)
Figure 1-3. Magnetic mounted Crescent A100
Surface Mount
As an alternative to the magnetic mount, the Crescent A100 is
easily attached to the surface with four machine screws
(no. 8-32). To surface mount the Crescent A100:
1. Photocopy, or remove, Appendix E and use its line drawing as a
template to plan the mounting hole locations.
2. Mark the mounting hole centers, as necessary, on the
mounting surface.
3. Place the Crescent A100 antenna over the marks to ensure
that the planned hole centers agree with the true hole centers,
then adjust.
4. Use a center punch on the hole centers in order to guide the
drill bit.
5. Drill the mounting holes with a 3/16 inch bit appropriate for the
surface mount.

12
1: Installation
6. Place the Crescent A100 over the mounting holes and insert
the mounting screws through the bottom of the mounting
surface and into the antenna.
Pole Mount
The center thread of the Crescent A100 is 5/8 inches for
compatibility with a survey pole (not included).
Warning:
Install the Crescent A100 only hand-tight. Damage
resulting from overtightening the Crescent A100 is not
covered by warranty.

Crescent A100 User Guide
13
P OWERING THE C RESCENT A100
To power the Crescent A100:
Connect the Crescent to a 12 volt DC source with a power
connector. Choosing the right power connector will depend on
your specific installation requirements.
The power cable with the cigarette lighter adapter is ideal for
use in a vehicle. Other power cables are available as
accessories to fit a wide variety of applications. See
Appendix D for a list of Crescent A100 accessories.
The Crescent A100 accepts an input voltage between 7 and 36
VDC via the cable. For best performance, the supplied power
should be continuous and clean. Refer to Table B-1: Power
specifications in the Appendix for power requirements.
The Crescent A100 features reverse polarity protection to
prevent excessive damage if the power leads are accidentally
reversed.
Note: We suggest that a weather-tight connection and
connector be used if the connection will be located outside.
Warning:
Be careful not to provide a voltage higher than the input
range. This will damage the antenna.
Warning:
Do not apply a voltage higher than 36 VDC. This will
damage the receiver and void the warranty.

14
1: Installation
With the application of power, the Crescent A100 will
automatically proceed through an internal start-up sequence,
however it will be ready to communicate immediately.
Note: The first start-up can take from 5 to 15 minutes
depending on your location. This may vary depending where
you are in the world.
Note: The Crescent A100 can take up to five minutes for a
full ionoshperic map to be received from SBAS. Optimum
accuracy will be obtained once the Crescent A100 is
processing corrected positions using complete ionospheric
information.

Crescent A100 User Guide
15
C ONNECTING THE C RESCENT A100
TO E XTERNAL D EVICES
The serial ports of the Crescent A100 operates at the RS-232C
interface level to communicate with external data loggers,
navigation systems and other devices. The serial ports are
accessible via the extension cable that features a DB9 female data
connector. The serial ports are also used for firmware updates.
Figure 1-4 displays the numbering for the extension cable’s DB-9
socket connector (female). The associated numbering for the plug
connector (male) is a mirror reflection of the scheme shown in
figure 1-4.
Figure 1-4. DB-9 socket numbering
Table 1-3, on page 16, provides the pin configuration for
communication through the serial ports.
Note: For successful communication, the baud rate of the
Crescent A100 serial ports must be set to match that of the
devices to which they are connected.
Note: Other pins on the serial ports may be active,
depending on the optional cable selected.

16
1: Installation
Factory parameters
Tables 1-4 to 1-6 identify the default Crescent A100 configuration.
Table 1-3: Extension cable pin-out, DB-9
Pin number Description
2 Transmit Crescent A100 NMEA 0183, binary
and RTCM
3 Receive Crescent A100 NMEA 0183, binary
and RTCM input
5 Signal ground
Table 1-4: DGPS
Application 1 SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS, etc.)
Application 2 e-Dif (unsubscribed)
Table 1-5: Serial port settings
Serial port Baud
Rate Data bits Parity Stop bit Interface level
Serial port
A and B 4800 9600
19200
57600
8 None 1 RS-232C
Table 1-6: GPS message output options
GPS message Update
rate Max DGPS age Elevation mask
Hemisphere GPS Binary
NMEA 0183
NMEA 2000 (CAN)
From
1 Hz to
20 Hz
259,200
seconds 5°

Crescent A100 User Guide
17
The CAN port will automatically output the NMEA 2000 messages
according to Table 1-7.
Custom Configuring the Crescent A100
All aspects of the Crescent A100 may be configured through the
serial port with the use of Hemisphere GPS commands. The user
can configure the following items:
• Selecting one of the two on-board applications
• Selecting the baud rate
• Choosing which NMEA 0183 data message to output on the
dual serial ports and the update rate of each message
Table 1-7: NMEA 2000 commands
NMEA 2000 message Updates rates
GNNSPositionData 1 Hz
GNNSPositionRapidUpdate 20 Hz with updates based on the
subscribed rate (i.e. every other
message will be a copy of the
previous on a 10 Hz receiever)
NMEACogSogData 20 Hz with updates based on the
subscribed rates (i.e. every other
messages will be a copy of the
previous on a 10 Hz receiver)
Note: The changes you make to the Crescent A100 will not
be saved to the memory for subsequent power-up unless a
save command is issued.
Note: Contact your local Hemisphere GPS dealer for more
information regarding the use of Hemisphere GPS
commands and customized configuration.