JRC AlphaWind AlphaLine Series User manual

AlphaWind
Wind Repeater
Installation and Operation Manual
www.jrc.am

2 | Contents
Contents
I Preface..........................................................................................................4
I.1 Revision History........................................................................................................................................................4
I.2 Glossary.................................................................................................................................................................... 4
I.2.1 Definitions.........................................................................................................................................................4
I.2.2 Abbreviations....................................................................................................................................................5
I.3 Norms and Standards...............................................................................................................................................6
II Warnings and Cautions.............................................................................7
II.1 Warranty...................................................................................................................................................................8
II.2 Storage.....................................................................................................................................................................8
III Introduction................................................................................................9
1 Installation Instructions...........................................................................10
1.1 Mechanical Installation...........................................................................................................................................10
1.1.1 Supplied Parts...............................................................................................................................................10
1.1.2 Dimensions....................................................................................................................................................10
1.1.3 Mounting Instrument......................................................................................................................................10
1.1.4 Fitting Instrument Mounting Frame...............................................................................................................11
1.1.5 Fitting Instrument Water Seal.......................................................................................................................11
1.1.6 Instrument Electric Connections................................................................................................................... 13
1.1.7 Cable.............................................................................................................................................................13
1.1.8 Cable Preparation......................................................................................................................................... 13
1.1.8.1 Cable Preparation Sending Sides........................................................................................................13
1.1.8.2 Cable Preparation Receiving Sides.....................................................................................................14
1.1.9 Grounding Instrument....................................................................................................................................14
1.1.10 Instrument Power Supply............................................................................................................................15
1.1.11 Serial Interfaces.......................................................................................................................................... 16
1.1.12 Serial Connection........................................................................................................................................17
1.1.13 Relay........................................................................................................................................................... 18
1.1.14 Connecting Serial Ports..............................................................................................................................19
1.1.15 Connecting Dimmer.....................................................................................................................................20
1.2 Software Installation...............................................................................................................................................21
1.2.1 Selecting Active Software.............................................................................................................................21
1.2.1.1 Software Applications...........................................................................................................................21
1.2.2 Software Updates..........................................................................................................................................22
1.2.3 Watchdog Protection.....................................................................................................................................22
2 Operation...................................................................................................23
2.1 Power..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
2.2 Main Screen...........................................................................................................................................................23
2.2.1 True Wind versus Relative Wind..................................................................................................................24
2.3 Menu Handling.......................................................................................................................................................24
2.3.1 Default Values AlphaLine Instrument........................................................................................................... 26
2.4 Alert Handling.........................................................................................................................................................27
2.5 Settings...................................................................................................................................................................31
2.5.1 Generic Settings............................................................................................................................................31

3 | Contents
2.5.1.1 Generic Settings Menu........................................................................................................................ 31
2.5.1.2 Touch Screen Calibration (TOUCH CAL)............................................................................................32
2.5.1.3 Cleaning Display ( CLEAN MODE )....................................................................................................33
2.5.1.4 Change Theme (THEME).................................................................................................................... 34
2.5.1.5 Change Date and Time (DATE/TIME).................................................................................................34
2.5.1.6 About the AlphaLine instrument (ABOUT)...........................................................................................36
2.5.1.7 Change Range Settings (RANGE SCALE)..........................................................................................37
2.5.1.8 Unit Selection (UNITS).........................................................................................................................38
2.5.1.9 Wind Settings (WIND SET)..................................................................................................................38
2.5.2 Advanced Settings........................................................................................................................................ 39
2.5.2.1 Advanced Settings Menu (ADV SET)..................................................................................................39
2.5.2.2 Central Dimming (CNTRL DIM)...........................................................................................................41
2.5.2.3 Ethernet Configuration (ETH CONFIG)............................................................................................... 42
2.5.2.4 Serial Port Configuration (UART CONFIG)......................................................................................... 43
2.5.2.5 NMEA Filter (NMEA FILTER)..............................................................................................................44
2.5.2.6 Serial Port Monitor (SERIAL MON).....................................................................................................44
2.5.2.7 Factory Reset (RESET).......................................................................................................................46
2.5.2.8 Log (LOG)............................................................................................................................................ 47
2.5.2.9 NMEA Talker (NMEA TALKER)...........................................................................................................48
2.5.2.10 Wind Settings (WIND SET)................................................................................................................49
2.5.2.11 NMEA Settings ( NMEA SET )..........................................................................................................49
3 Maintenance..............................................................................................51
4 Appendix A................................................................................................52
4.1 Hardware Specifications.........................................................................................................................................53
4.1.1 Specifications MFM.......................................................................................................................................53
4.1.2 Specifications MFL........................................................................................................................................54
4.1.3 Available Accessories................................................................................................................................... 54
4.2 Software Specifications..........................................................................................................................................55
4.2.1 Supported NMEA Sentences IEC 61162......................................................................................................55
4.2.2 Alert List........................................................................................................................................................55
4.3 Mechanical Drawings.............................................................................................................................................56
4.3.1 Mechanical Drawing MFM............................................................................................................................ 56
4.3.2 Mechanical Drawing MFL............................................................................................................................. 57
4.4 Electric Diagrams...................................................................................................................................................58
4.4.1 Cable Diagram AlphaWind............................................................................................................................58
4.4.2 Connection Diagram AlphaWind...................................................................................................................59
4.5 Schematics.............................................................................................................................................................61
4.5.1 Schematics AlphaLine MF Display Unit........................................................................................................62
4.5.2 Schematics AlphaLine Instrument.................................................................................................................63

4 | Preface
I Preface
The Alphatron Marine AlphaLine instrument range was designed for navigation and control of ships and is based on
generic hardware and software, allowing for many different applications.
• Thoroughly read this instruction manual before installation and operation of the equipment.
• We recommend to keep this manual nearby the equipment to ensure ready access to it.
I.1 Revision History
Revision No. Software Version Description Date
V1.0 R1_015 First issue 17 June 2015
V1.0.1 R1_015 Textual changes 23 July 2015
V1.0.2 R1_015 Textual changes 01 September 2015
V1.0.3 R1_029 Textual changes 02 March 2016
V1.0.6 R1_035 Textual changes 06 June 2016
I.2 Glossary
The glossary contains a list of definitions and a list of abbreviations.
I.2.1 Definitions
The meaning of standard definitions as used in this manual are explained in Table 1: Definitions on page 4.
Redundant A device that is equipped with multiple part of the same type, for example a double
power supply. This equipment will continue to function when one of the redundant part
fails.
Heading users Navigation equipment that uses heading/course information for functioning.
Hardware The physical parts of the AlphaLine instrument.
LEDs Light-emitting diodes. These are used for signaling statuses of hardware and software
signals to the user.
Central alarm system /
Bridge watch monitoring System that is connected to all vital systems on a ship and that is able to give a centralized indication of the (alarm)status of all connected systems.
NMEA protocol Protocol standard for transmitting and receiving of asynchronous serial data sentences.
Talker Device which transmits data. This is usually called transmitter or TX.
Listener Device which receives data. This is usually called receiver or RX.
ISO GND Isolated Ground. This is a ground connection to be used for reference signal. It is
different from EARTH and should normally not be connected to EARTH.
Grounding point/stud Point on the chassis of the AlphaLine instrument which should be connected to the ship's
mass.
Printed Circuit Board A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect
electronic components using conductive pathways, or traces, etched from copper sheets,
laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.
(Galvanic) isolated Electrical separation of two circuits. There is no current flowing directly from one circuit
to another. Electrical energy and/or information can still be exchanged between the
sections by other means, such as by induction or by optical means (like transformers or
opto couplers).

5 | Preface
CAN bus Controller Area Network. This is a network based serial bus system used for exchanging
information. It is the advanced version of RS485/422 serial buses.
Reverse polarity protection This is a part of the power supply hardware that prevents any damage to the equipment
when the power supply is connected to the wrong polarity.
ROT signal Rate Of Turn (ROT) signal indicates the course change of a ship in degrees per minute.
This signal can be analog using voltage or current, or can be an NMEA data signal.
Heading/bearing repeaters Navigation type of instruments displaying the heading/course of a ship.
Baud rate This is the transmission speed of serial interfaces in characters per second.
Transmitting interval The frequency at which complete NMEA sentences are being transmitted in number of
times per second.
Factory setting Instrument setting for backlight color, language, number of connected apparatus, etc. as
configured as a new instrument by the factory.
Flash memory Non-volatile type of memory. This type of memory retains its contents even when the
instrument is turned off.
Firmware (Embedded) software inside the processors of the AlphaLine instrument.
Compass safe distance The minimum distances to equipment that will not cause an unacceptable deviation of
the ship's standard and steering compasses.
Table 1: Definitions
I.2.2 Abbreviations
Abbreviations as used in this manual are explained in Table 2: Abbreviations on page 5.
A Ampere
ARD AlphaLine Repeater Display
CAN Controller Area Network
DC Direct Current
DP Dynamic Position
ECDIS Electronic Chart Display Information System
GPS Global Positioning System
I/O Inputs and Outputs
I.S. Inter Switch
LED Light-Emitting Diode
mA Milliampere
mm Millimeter
NC Normally Closed
NMEA National Marine Electronics Association
NO Normally Open
OA Operational Alarm
TAP Type Approval Program
PCB Printed Circuit Board

6 | Preface
RCU Remote Control Unit
ROT Rate Of Turn
VAC Volts Alternating Current
VDC Volts Direct Current
VDR Voyage Data Recorder
W Watt
Table 2: Abbreviations
I.3 Norms and Standards
The AlphaWind complies with the applicable standards, norms and regulations:
• IEC 60945 (2002) including IEC 60945 Corrigendum 1 (2008)
• Standard DNV 2.4
• IEC 61162 series
• IEC 62288 (2014)

7 | Warnings and Cautions
II Warnings and Cautions
The signal words WARNING and CAUTION used in this manual indicate the degree of hazard that may be encountered
by the user. These words are defined as:
• WARNING
• A WARNING indicates potential risk of injury or death to users of the product.
• CAUTION
• A CAUTION indicates potential risk of damage to equipment.
To safely install and operate this instrument, so as not to adversely affect the warranty, the following
WARNINGS and CAUTIONS must be adhered to.
• WARNING
• Do not disassemble or modify the equipment. Failure to observe this instruction may cause a fire, electric
shock, or equipment failure.
• WARNING
• Do not insert or remove the power cord or operate switches with a wet hand. Otherwise, you may suffer an
electrical shock.
• WARNING
• Operate the equipment only at the power supply voltage of 24 VDC. Failure to observe this instruction can
cause a fire, electric shock, or equipment failure
• WARNING
• Do not scratch, damage, modify, heat, pull, excessively bend, or heavily load the power supply cable. It may
cause a fire, or electric shock.
• WARNING
• Immediately turn off the power and disconnect the power supply cable if the equipment is generating any
smoke or odor, or is overheated. Immediately inform your local service agent of the symptom to have it
repaired. Prolonged equipment operation under such a condition can cause a fire or electric shock.
• WARNING
• Do not place a vessel containing liquid on the equipment. It may cause a fire, electrical shock, or a failure to
the equipment if knocked over.
• CAUTION
• Any modification to this equipment without prior written permission from ALPHATRON MARINE will void the
warranty.
• CAUTION
• Installation of this product shall only be done by a certified installation company approved by either
ALPHATRON MARINE or by an official ALPHATRON MARINE distributor. Acting otherwise will void the
warranty.
• CAUTION
• This product must be installed in accordance with the installation methods described in this manual. Acting
otherwise will void the warranty.
• CAUTION
• This product contains no operator serviceable parts. Service and repair shall only be carried out by personnel
trained and certified by ALPHATRON MARINE.
• CAUTION
• Do not allow the instrument to fall or immerse into water. The equipment can be damaged.
• CAUTION
• When unplugging the instrument, be sure to remove the cord terminal correctly. If the cord is pulled, the cord
may get damaged resulting in a fire or an electrical shock.

8 | Warnings and Cautions
• CAUTION
• If the instruments are not stored as described, it will void the warranty.
• CAUTION
• When cleaning the surface, do not use any organic solvent such as thinner or benzine. Otherwise, the paint
and markings on the surface may get damaged. For cleaning the surface, remove the dust and debris and
wipe with a clean dry cloth.
II.1 Warranty
Non-compliance with the installation, operation and maintenance requirements may void the warranty. Read Warnings
and Cautions on page 7.
Contact the Alphatron dealer regarding the terms of the warranty.
II.2 Storage
The AlphaLine range of instruments are sensitive to humidity, temperature fluctuations and aggressive substances. Store
them appropriately.
• CAUTION
• If the instruments are not stored as described, it will void the warranty.

9 | Introduction
III Introduction
Each type in this navigation and control instrument product range consists of a display unit and, if applicable, one or
more external remote I/O modules.
The following display sizes are available for your AlphaLine instrument:
AlphaLine MFM 6.5 inch display LCD orientation vertical
AlphaLine MFL 8.4 inch display LCD orientation horizontal
The AlphaWind for sea-going vessels shows relative and true wind information. Wind information can be obtained from
any IEC 61162-1 compatible wind sensor.

10 | Installation Instructions
1 Installation Instructions
Installation follows a generic method and is applicable to the complete range of AlphaLine instruments. This chapter
describes the installation into a console.
1.1 Mechanical Installation
• CAUTION
• This product must be installed in accordance with the installation methods described in this manual. Acting
otherwise will void the warranty.
The Location Class/Category of the AlphaLine instrument is: EXPOSED (may be used outside), but only if installed with
the optional sealing kit and according the installation instructions as mentioned in Mounting Instrument on page 10.
1.1.1 Supplied Parts
The AlphaWind is supplied complete with the following parts.
• Display unit.
• Mounting frame with 2 sets of screws for fixing to either steel or wood.
• 3 x Phoenix connectors for power supply and signals.
• USB stick with manual.
• Mounting template.
• Grounding lug.
1.1.2 Dimensions
Carefully check the applicable drawing(s) of the instrument. See Mechanical Drawings on page 56.
1.1.3 Mounting Instrument
The display unit can only be flush mounted. Carefully consider the location and angle of the display unit for maximum
visibility. Make sure that there is enough space to connect cables. The display unit can be installed horizontally, vertically
or under an angle, see Figure 1: Flush mounting on page 10.
Note For outdoor fitting, use appropriate sealing arrangement.
Figure 1: Flush mounting