Novatel OEM6 User manual

OEM6®Family
Installation and Operation
User Manual
OM-20000128 Rev 7 May 2014

2 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
OEM6 Family - Installation and Operation User Manual
Publication Number: OM-20000128
Revision Level: 7
Revision Date: May 2014
To download the latest firmware and/or software visit: www.novatel.com/support/firmware-downloads.
This manual reflects firmware version 6.500/OEM060500RN000
Warranty
NovAtel®Inc. warrants that its GNSS products are free from defects in materials and workmanship,
subject to the conditions set forth on our web site: www.novatel.com/products/warranty/.
OEM6®Card Receivers One (1) Year
FlexPak6™ One (1) Year
GPS Antenna Series One (1) Year
Cables and Accessories Ninety (90) Days
Software Warranty One (1) Year
Return Instructions
To return products, refer to the instructions found under the Return Policy Tab on the warranty page:
www.novatel.com/products/warranty/.
Proprietary Notice
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment
on the part of NovAtel Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a licence
agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with
the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as
specifically allowed in the license or non-disclosure agreement.
The information contained within this manual is believed to be true and correct at the time of publication.
OEM6, ALIGN, SPAN and NovAtel are registered trademarks of NovAtel Inc.
FlexPak6, GLIDE, OEMV-1, OEMV-2, OEMV-3, RT-20, NovAtel CORRECT and NovAtel Connect are
trademarks of NovAtel Inc.
All other brand names are trademarks of their respective holders.
Manufactured and protected under U.S. patents.
© Copyright 2014 NovAtel Inc. All rights reserved.
Unpublished rights reserved under International copyright laws.
#5,101,416 #6,184,822 B1
#5,390,207 #6,243,409 B1
#5,414,729 #6,445,354 B1
#5,495,499 #6,608,998 B1
#5,736,961 #6,664,923 B1
#5,809,064 #7,738,536

OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 3
Table of Contents
Notices 10
Customer Support 14
1 Introduction 15
1.1 Overview of the OEM6 Family of Cards and Enclosures ............................................................... 15
1.1.1 OEM6 Family Receiver Cards ..............................................................................................15
1.1.2 OEM6 Receiver Enclosure ...................................................................................................15
1.2 Related Documents and Information..............................................................................................15
1.2.1 OEM615 Receiver ................................................................................................................ 15
1.2.2 OEM617D Receiver..............................................................................................................16
1.2.3 OEM628 Receiver ................................................................................................................ 16
1.2.4 OEM638 Receiver ................................................................................................................ 17
1.3 OEM6 Receiver System Overview.................................................................................................18
1.3.1 OEM6 Family Card ...............................................................................................................19
1.3.2 Enclosure.............................................................................................................................. 19
1.3.3 GNSS Antenna ..................................................................................................................... 20
1.3.4 Power Supply ....................................................................................................................... 20
1.3.5 Optional External Frequency Reference ..............................................................................20
1.3.6 Data Communications Equipment ........................................................................................20
1.3.7 Onboard Memory .................................................................................................................20
1.4 OEM6 Enclosure ............................................................................................................................20
1.4.1 FlexPak6...............................................................................................................................21
2 Installation OEM6 Family Cards 22
2.1 Shipping Box ..................................................................................................................................22
2.2 Additional Equipment Required......................................................................................................22
2.3 Selecting a GNSS Antenna............................................................................................................22
2.3.1 Choosing a Coaxial Cable ....................................................................................................23
2.3.2 Mounting the GNSS Antenna ...............................................................................................23
2.3.3 Connecting the Antenna to the Receiver.............................................................................. 24
2.4 Power Supply Requirements..........................................................................................................24
2.5 Card Installation Overview .............................................................................................................25
2.5.1 Installing an OEM6 Family Card with Wiring Harness and Enclosure ..................................26
2.5.2 Applying Power to the Receiver ...........................................................................................30
2.5.3 Connecting Data Communications Equipment ..................................................................... 30
2.6 OEM638 Card Security ................................................................................................................. 35
2.6.1 Administration Password ......................................................................................................35
2.6.2 FTP Server and ICOM Port .................................................................................................35
2.7 Installing NovAtel PC Utilities.........................................................................................................35
3 Installation FlexPak6 36
3.1 Shipping Box ..................................................................................................................................36
3.2 Additional Equipment Required......................................................................................................36
3.3 Selecting a GNSS Antenna............................................................................................................36
3.3.1 Choosing a Coaxial Cable ....................................................................................................37
3.3.2 Mounting the GNSS Antenna ...............................................................................................37
3.3.3 FlexPak6 Alternative Power Source .....................................................................................39
3.3.4 Battery Backup .....................................................................................................................40
3.3.5 FlexPak6 Status Indicators and Connector Labels............................................................... 40
3.4 Installing NovAtel PC Utilities.........................................................................................................41
4 Operation OEM6 Cards and Enclosure 42
4.1 Communications with the Receiver................................................................................................ 42

4 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Table of Contents
4.1.1 Serial Ports........................................................................................................................... 43
4.1.2 Communicating with a Remote Terminal ............................................................................. 44
4.1.3 Communicating with a Computer ......................................................................................... 44
4.2 Getting Started .............................................................................................................................. 44
4.2.1 Starting the Receiver............................................................................................................ 45
4.2.2 Communicating with the Receiver Using NovAtel Connect ................................................. 45
4.3 Transmitting and Receiving Corrections........................................................................................ 47
4.3.1 Base Station Configuration .................................................................................................. 48
4.3.2 Rover Station Configuration ................................................................................................. 49
4.3.3 ALIGN®Heading Master and Remote Configurations ......................................................... 50
4.3.4 PDP and GLIDE™Configurations ........................................................................................ 51
4.4 Steadyline...................................................................................................................................... 51
4.4.1 Maintain................................................................................................................................ 51
4.4.2 Transition ............................................................................................................................. 52
4.4.3 Prefer Accuracy.................................................................................................................... 52
4.4.4 UAL ...................................................................................................................................... 53
4.5 Configuration Notes....................................................................................................................... 54
4.5.1 Enabling SBAS Positioning .................................................................................................. 55
4.5.2 Enabling L-Band................................................................................................................... 55
4.6 Transferring Time Between Receivers .......................................................................................... 57
4.6.1 GPS to Receiver Time Synchronization............................................................................... 57
4.6.2 Time Definitions ................................................................................................................... 58
4.6.3 Procedures to Transfer Time ...............................................................................................59
4.7 Additional Features and Information (Card and Enclosure) .......................................................... 62
4.7.1 Universal Serial Bus (USB) .................................................................................................. 62
4.7.2 CAN Bus .............................................................................................................................. 63
4.7.3 Strobes................................................................................................................................. 63
4.7.4 Status Indicator .................................................................................................................... 64
4.7.5 External Oscillator ................................................................................................................ 64
4.7.6 Antenna LNA Power............................................................................................................. 64
4.7.7 Ethernet................................................................................................................................ 65
4.8 Logging and Retrieving Data Overview ......................................................................................... 65
4.8.1 Onboard Memory ................................................................................................................. 66
4.8.2 Remote Logging Initiation .................................................................................................... 66
4.8.3 Manual Retrieval of Logged Data......................................................................................... 66
4.8.4 Remote Retrieval of Logged Data........................................................................................ 66
4.8.5 Naming Logs ........................................................................................................................ 66
4.8.6 Manual Log File Naming ...................................................................................................... 67
4.8.7 Stop Logging ........................................................................................................................ 67
4.8.8 Reading Data and Post-Processing ..................................................................................... 67
4.8.9 Pass-Through Logging......................................................................................................... 67
5 Built-In Status Tests 68
5.1 Overview........................................................................................................................................ 68
5.2 Receiver Status Word.................................................................................................................... 68
5.3 Error Strobe Signal ........................................................................................................................ 69
5.4 RXSTATUSEVENT Log ................................................................................................................ 69
5.5 RXSTATUS Log ............................................................................................................................ 69
5.5.1 Overview .............................................................................................................................. 69
5.5.2 Error Word............................................................................................................................ 70
5.5.3 Status Code Arrays .............................................................................................................. 70
5.5.4 Receiver Status Code .......................................................................................................... 71
5.5.5 Auxiliary Status Codes ......................................................................................................... 71
5.5.6 Set and Clear Mask for all Status Code Arrays.................................................................... 71
5.6 Status LED .................................................................................................................................... 71

Table of Contents
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 5
6 Ethernet Configuration 73
6.1 Required Hardware ........................................................................................................................73
6.2 Static IP Address Configuration .....................................................................................................73
6.2.1 Static IP Address Configuration—Receiver .......................................................................... 75
6.2.2 Static IP Address Configuration—Windows XP with SP3 ....................................................76
6.2.3 Static IP Address Configuration—Windows 7 ......................................................................76
6.2.4 Confirming Ethernet Setup ...................................................................................................78
6.3 Dynamic IP Address Configuration ................................................................................................ 78
6.4 Base/Rover Configuration through Ethernet Connectivity..............................................................81
6.5 Large COM Port Data Throughput ................................................................................................. 83
6.6 NTRIP Configuration ......................................................................................................................83
7 Troubleshooting 85
7.1 Examining the RXSTATUS Log .....................................................................................................86
7.2 Examining the AUX1 Status Word .................................................................................................88
8 NovAtel Firmware and Software 89
8.1 Firmware Updates and Model Upgrades .......................................................................................89
8.1.1 Firmware Updates ................................................................................................................89
8.1.2 Model Upgrades ...................................................................................................................90
8.2 Authorization Code.........................................................................................................................90
8.3 Updating or Upgrading Using the WinLoad Utility..........................................................................91
8.3.1 Transferring Firmware Files..................................................................................................91
8.3.2 Using the WinLoad Utility ..................................................................................................... 92
8.4 Updating Using SoftLoad Commands............................................................................................93
8.4.1 SoftLoad Commands and Logs ............................................................................................93
8.4.2 Working With S-Records ......................................................................................................94
8.4.3 Sending Firmware Data........................................................................................................95
8.4.4 SoftLoad Update Method...................................................................................................... 96
8.4.5 Firmware Update Using FTP or USB Mass Storage Device ................................................98
8.4.6 SoftLoad Direct Commands and Logs.................................................................................. 98
8.4.7 SoftLoad Direct Update Method ...........................................................................................98
8.4.8 SoftLoad Errors ....................................................................................................................99
8.5 Upgrading Using the AUTH Command ..........................................................................................99
8.5.1 Upgrade Procedure ..............................................................................................................99
A OEM615 Technical Specifications 100
OEM615 Receiver ...........................................................................................................................100
Physical Description ...................................................................................................................101
Logic-Level I/O ...........................................................................................................................109
CAN Interface .............................................................................................................................110
USB Interface .............................................................................................................................111
B OEM617D Technical Specifications 112
OEM617D Receiver .........................................................................................................................112
Physical Description ...................................................................................................................113
Logic-Level I/O ...........................................................................................................................119
CAN Interface .............................................................................................................................120
USB Interface .............................................................................................................................121
C OEM628 Technical Specifications 122
OEM628 Receiver ............................................................................................................................122
Physical Description ...................................................................................................................123
CMOS Level I/O ......................................................................................................................... 131
CAN Interface .............................................................................................................................132
USB Interface .............................................................................................................................133

6 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Table of Contents
Ethernet Port .............................................................................................................................. 134
D FlexPak6 Technical Specifications 137
FlexPak6 .......................................................................................................................................... 137
FlexPak6 Cables ........................................................................................................................ 140
E OEM638 Technical Specifications 145
OEM638 Receiver ........................................................................................................................... 145
Physical Description ................................................................................................................... 146
Power Supply ............................................................................................................................. 163
Antenna Power Output ............................................................................................................... 163
Logic-Level I/O ........................................................................................................................... 163
Communication Ports ................................................................................................................. 165
CAN Interfaces ........................................................................................................................... 165
USB Interfaces ........................................................................................................................... 167
Ethernet Port .............................................................................................................................. 168
System Performance ................................................................................................................. 170
F Accessories and Replacement Parts 171
FlexPak6 ........................................................................................................................................... 171
Accessories ...................................................................................................................................... 171
Manufacturers’ Part Numbers ........................................................................................................... 172
G Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Practices 173
Overview ........................................................................................................................................... 173
Handling ESD Sensitive Devices ...................................................................................................... 173
Prime Static Accumulators ............................................................................................................... 174
Handling Printed Circuit Boards ....................................................................................................... 174

OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 7
Tables
1 FlexPak6 Features ............................................................................................................................... 21
2 Voltage Input Requirement for OEM6 Family Cards ............................................................................ 25
3 OEM6 Card Default Serial Port Configurations .................................................................................... 31
4 Fuse/Holder Recommendations-12 V System ..................................................................................... 39
5 FlexPak6 Status Indicators and Connector Labels ...............................................................................40
6 FlexPak6 Default Serial Port Configuration .......................................................................................... 41
7 Serial Ports Supported ......................................................................................................................... 43
8 Available USB Signals on Receivers .................................................................................................... 62
9 Troubleshooting Based on Symptoms .................................................................................................. 85
10 Resolving a Receiver Error Word ......................................................................................................... 86
11 Resolving an Error in the Receiver Status Word .................................................................................. 87
12 Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word ....................................................................................... 88
13 OEM615 Strobes ................................................................................................................................ 107
14 OEM615 Strobe Electrical Specification ............................................................................................. 107
15 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 110
16 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 111
17 Bill of Materials ................................................................................................................................... 111
18 OEM617D Strobes ............................................................................................................................. 117
19 OEM617D Strobe Electrical Specification .......................................................................................... 117
20 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 120
21 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 121
22 Bill of Materials ................................................................................................................................... 121
23 OEM628 Strobes ................................................................................................................................ 129
24 OEM628 Strobe Electrical Specifications ........................................................................................... 129
25 ESD Critical Components ................................................................................................................... 132
26 CAN Critical Components ................................................................................................................... 133
27 USB Critical Components ................................................................................................................... 134
28 Ethernet Transformer Characteristics ................................................................................................. 136
29 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 136
30 FlexPak6 Port Pin-Out Descriptions .................................................................................................. 138
31 FlexPak6 I/O Port Pin-Out Descriptions ............................................................................................. 139
32 I/O Breakout Cable Wiring. ................................................................................................................. 140
33 I/O Strobe Port Cable Wiring .............................................................................................................. 141
34 Null Modem Cable Wiring ................................................................................................................... 143
35 OEM638 Strobes ................................................................................................................................ 151
36 OEM638 Strobe Electrical Specifications ........................................................................................... 152
37 J4101 Expansion Header Pinout and Signal Description (even numbered pins) ............................... 159
38 3.3V CMOS Electrical Characteristics (-40 to 85°C) .......................................................................... 162
39 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 164
40 Bill of Materials (critical components) ................................................................................................. 166
41 Bill of Materials ................................................................................................................................... 168
42 Recommended Ethernet Transformer Characteristics ....................................................................... 170
43 Bill of Materials (Critical Components Only) ....................................................................................... 170
44 Static-Accumulating Materials ............................................................................................................ 174

OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 8
Figures
1 OEM615 Receiver Board ...................................................................................................................... 16
2 OEM617D Receiver Board ................................................................................................................... 16
3 OEM628 Receiver Board ...................................................................................................................... 17
4 OEM638 Receiver Board ...................................................................................................................... 17
5 OEM615, OEM617D and OEM628 Receiver System .......................................................................... 18
6 OEM638 Receiver System ................................................................................................................... 19
7 FlexPak6 ............................................................................................................................................... 21
8 OEM615 Connector and Indicator Locations ........................................................................................ 28
9 OEM617D Connectors and Indicators .................................................................................................. 29
10 OEM628 Connector and Indicator Locations ........................................................................................ 29
11 OEM638 Connector and Indicator Locations ........................................................................................ 30
12 COM3 and USB Multiplexed on OEM615 and OEM617D .................................................................... 32
13 OEM628 COM3 Multiplexed with EVENT2 and USERGPIO ............................................................... 33
14 OEM638 Multiplexed Pin Options ......................................................................................................... 34
15 FlexPak6 Installation ............................................................................................................................ 38
16 FlexPak6 Connectors ........................................................................................................................... 40
17 Basic OEM6 Family Card Connection Interfaces (example) ................................................................ 42
18 Basic Differential Setup ........................................................................................................................ 47
1 Steadyline Maintain .............................................................................................................................. 52
2 Steadyline Transition ............................................................................................................................ 52
3 Steadyline Prefer Accuracy .................................................................................................................. 52
4 Steadyline UAL- Warning Limit Example .............................................................................................. 53
5 Steadyline UAL - Out of Bounds Example ............................................................................................ 54
19 Transfer COARSE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver ....................................................... 59
20 Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver .............................................................. 60
21 Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Warm Clock Receiver ............................................................ 61
22 1 PPS Alignment .................................................................................................................................. 61
23 Location of Receiver Status Word ........................................................................................................ 69
24 Reading the Bits in the Receiver Status Word ..................................................................................... 69
25 Location of Receiver Error Word .......................................................................................................... 70
26 Reading the Bits in the Receiver Error Word ........................................................................................ 70
27 Status LED Flash Sequence Example ................................................................................................. 72
28 Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—OEM628 and OEM638 .................................................... 74
29 Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—FlexPak6 ......................................................................... 75
30 Dynamic IP Address Configuration through a DHCP Server—OEM628 and OEM638 ........................ 79
31 Dynamic IP Address Configuration through a DHCP Server—FlexPak6 ............................................. 79
32 Base/Rover Ethernet Setup—OEM628 and OEM638 .......................................................................... 81
33 Base/Rover Ethernet Setup—FlexPak6 ............................................................................................... 82
34 NTRIP System ...................................................................................................................................... 83
35 WinLoad’s Open Window ..................................................................................................................... 92
36 Open File in WinLoad ........................................................................................................................... 92
37 COM Port Setup ................................................................................................................................... 92
38 Searching for Card ............................................................................................................................... 93
39 Authorization Code Window ................................................................................................................. 93
40 Upgrade Process Complete ................................................................................................................. 93
41 OEM615 Board Dimensions ............................................................................................................... 101
42 OEM615 Keep-Out Zone .................................................................................................................... 102
43 OEM615V Board Dimensions ............................................................................................................. 103
44 OEM615V Keep-Out Zone ................................................................................................................. 104
45 Top-view, P1101 Main Connector 20-Pin Header .............................................................................. 108
46 OEM615 ESD Protection for EVENT and PPS Strobes Schematic ................................................... 109
47 OEM615 PV LED Drive Buffer Schematic .......................................................................................... 110
48 OEM615 CAN Transceiver Implementation Schematic ...................................................................... 110
49 OEM615 USB Implementation Schematic .......................................................................................... 111

Table of Contents
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 9
50 OEM617D Board Dimensions ............................................................................................................ 113
51 OEM617D Keep-Out Zone ................................................................................................................. 114
52 Top-view, P1101 Main Connector 20-Pin Header .............................................................................. 118
53 OEM617D ESD Protection for EVENT and PPS Strobes Schematic ................................................. 119
54 OEM617D PV LED Drive Buffer Schematic ....................................................................................... 120
55 OEM617D CAN Transceiver Implementation Schematic ................................................................... 120
56 OEM617D USB Implementation Schematic ....................................................................................... 121
57 OEM628 Board Dimensions ............................................................................................................... 123
58 OEM628 Keep-Out Zone .................................................................................................................... 124
59 OEM628V Board Dimensions ............................................................................................................. 125
60 OEM628V Keep-Out Zone ................................................................................................................. 126
61 Top-view, P1500 Main Connector 24-Pin Header .............................................................................. 130
62 Top-view, P1502 Expansion 16-Pin Header ....................................................................................... 131
63 OEM628 ESD Protection for EVENT and PPS Strobes Schematic ................................................... 132
64 OEM628 LED Drive Buffer for ERROR and PV Signals Schematic ................................................... 132
65 OEM628 CAN Transceiver Implementation Schematic ...................................................................... 133
66 OEM628 USB Implementation Schematic .......................................................................................... 134
67 Ethernet Reference Schematic .......................................................................................................... 135
68 Ethernet LED Buffer Schematic .......................................................................................................... 136
69 FlexPak6 Dimensions ......................................................................................................................... 138
70 I/O Breakout Cable ............................................................................................................................. 140
71 I/O DB-HD15 Strobe Port Cable ......................................................................................................... 141
72 Straight Through Serial Cable ............................................................................................................ 142
73 Null Modem Cable .............................................................................................................................. 143
74 12 V Power Accessory Cable ............................................................................................................. 144
75 OEM638 Dimensions .......................................................................................................................... 146
76 OEM638 and OEM638V Keep-Out Zone ........................................................................................... 147
77 J4001 Main Header Pinout and Signal Description ............................................................................ 153
78 J3201 Ethernet Header Pinout and Signal Description ...................................................................... 156
79 J4101 Expansion Header Pinout and Signal Description (odd numbered pins) ................................. 157
80 Example - ESD Protection for Strobes (optional buffering for PPS) ................................................... 164
81 Example - LED Drive Buffer for PV and ERROR Signals ................................................................... 164
82 Example - CAN Protection and Filtering Circuit .................................................................................. 166
83 Example - Connecting HSUSB0 to a Micro-B Type USB Connector ................................................. 167
84 Example – Connecting HSUSB1 or HSUSB2 to a Micro-AB Type USB Connector ........................... 168
85 Example - Ethernet Reference Schematic ......................................................................................... 169

10 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Notices
The following notices apply, as appropriate, to the OEM6 family products including the OEM615, OEM617D,
OEM628 and OEM638 as well as the FlexPak6.
FCC Notices
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is 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.
The FlexPak6 has been tested and found to comply with the radiated and conducted emission limits for a
Class B digital device. The Class B limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation.
The equipment listed generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is
no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver
• Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help
Industry Canada
FlexPak6 Class B digital apparatus comply with Canadian ICES-003.
FlexPak6 appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
CE Marking
The FlexPak6 carries the CE mark.
Emissions
OEM6 family products have been designed and tested to meet regulatory emission limits. Emission levels may
be higher for OEM6 family card level operation than for integrated enclosure level products, like the FlexPak6,
using an OEM6 family card.
The OEM615, 628 and 638 cards emission status is Class B. The OEM617D is Class A.

Changes or modifications to this equipment, not expressly approved by NovAtel Inc., could
result in violation of FCC, Industry Canada and CE Marking rules and void the user’s
authority to operate this equipment.

To maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device, you must use properly
shielded interface cables (such as Belden #9539 or equivalent) when using the serial data
ports, and double-shielded cables (such as Belden #9945 or equivalent) when using the I/O
strobe port.

Notices
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 11
WEEE
If you purchased your OEM6 family product in Europe, please return it to your dealer or supplier at the end of
life. The objectives of the European Community's environment policy are, in particular, to preserve, protect and
improve the quality of the environment, protect human health and utilise natural resources prudently and
rationally. Sustainable development advocates the reduction of wasteful consumption of natural resources and
the prevention of pollution. Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is a regulated area. Where the
generation of waste cannot be avoided, it should be reused or recovered for its material or energy. WEEE
products may be recognized by their wheeled bin label ( ). 1
RoHS
The OEM6 family and FlexPak6 are compliant with the European Union (EU) Restriction of Hazardous
Substances (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU.
REACH
NovAtel strives to comply with the EU Directive EC 1907/2006 on chemicals and their safe use as per the
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH) for its products,
including the OEM6 family products. Since REACH SVHC lists are updated occasionally, please contact
NovAtel Customer Support if you require further information.
Ethernet Port
Lightning Protection Installation and Grounding Procedure
What is the hazard?
A lightning strike into the ground causes an increase in the earth's potential which results in a high voltage
potential between the center conductor and shield of the coaxial cable. This high voltage develops because the
voltage surge induced onto the center conductor lags in time behind the voltage surge induced onto the shield.
Hazard Impact
A lightning strike causes the ground potential in the area to rise to dangerous levels resulting in harm to
personnel or destruction of electronic equipment in an unprotected environment. It also conducts a portion of
the strike energy down the inner conductor of the coax cable to the connected equipment.
Actions to Mitigate Lightning Hazards
1. Do not install antennas or antenna coaxial cables outside the building during a lightning storm.
2. It is not possible to avoid over voltages caused by lightning, but a lightning protection device may be used
to shunt a large portion of the transient energy to the building ground, reducing the over voltage condition
as quickly as possible.
3. Primary lightning protection must be provided by the operator/customer according to local building codes
as part of the extra building installation.
1.See http://www.novatel.com/products/weee-and-rohs/ for more information.

The Ethernet ports are Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) circuits only and are suitable for
connection within a building only. Do not connect them to Telephone Network Voltage
(TNV) circuits.

Only qualified personnel, such as electricians mandated by the governing body in the
country of installation, may install lightning protection devices.

12 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Notices
4. To ensure compliance with clause 7 "Connection to Cable Distribution Systems" of EN 60950-1, Safety for
Information Technology Equipment, a secondary lightning protection device must be used for in-building
equipment installations with external antennas. The following device has been approved by NovAtel Inc.:
Polyphaser - Surge Arrestor DGXZ+24NFNF-A
If this device is not chosen as the primary lightning protection device, the device chosen must meet the
following requirements:
• UL listed, or equivalent, in country of installation (for example, TUV, VDE and so on) for lightning
surge protection
• The primary device must be capable of limiting an incoming surge to 10 kV
5. The shield of the coaxial cable entering the building should be connected at a grounding plate at the
building's entrance. The lightning protection devices should have their chassis grounded to the same
ground near to the building's entrance.
6. The primary and secondary lightning protections should be as close to the building's entrance as possible.
Where feasible, mount onto the grounding plate itself (refer to the figure below).
Ref # Description Ref # Description
1 Primary lightning protection device 4 GNSS Receiver
2 Secondary lightning protection device 5 To ground
3 External antenna 6 Grounding plate or grounding point at the
building’s entrance
6
12
5
555
4
3

Notices
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 13
These installation instructions are the minimum requirements for receiver and antenna installations. Where
applicable, follow the electrical codes for the country of installation. Examples of country codes include:
• USA National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
• Canada Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22)
• UK British Standards Institute (BSI 7671)
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:

Acceptable choices for earth grounds, for central buildings, are:
• Grounded interior metal cold water pipe within five feet (1.5 m) of the point where it
enters the building
• Grounded metallic service raceway
• Grounded electrical service equipment enclosure
• Eight-foot grounding rod driven into the ground (only if bonded to the central
building ground by #6, or heavier, bonding wire)

Information that supplements or clarifies text.

A caution that actions, operation or configuration may lead to incorrect or improper use of
the hardware.

A warning that actions, operation or configuration may result in regulatory noncompliance,
safety issues or equipment damage.
615
Specific to the OEM615 card
Specific to the OEM617D card
628
Specific to the OEM628 card
638
Specific to the OEM638 card
FPk6
Specific to the FlexPak6 enclosure
617D

OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 14
Customer Support
NovAtel Knowledge Base
If a technical issue occurs, visit the NovAtel support website at www.novatel.com/support/ and search for
general information about GNSS and other technologies, information about NovAtel hardware, software,
installation and operation issues.
Before Contacting Customer Support
Before contacting NovAtel Customer Support about a firmware problem, perform the following steps:
1. Log the following data to a file on a computer for 15 minutes:
RXSTATUSB once
RAWEPHEMB onchanged
RANGEB ontime 1
BESTPOSB ontime 1
RXCONFIGA once
VERSIONB once
2. Send the data file to NovAtel Customer Support, using either the NovAtel FTP site at ftp://ftp.novatel.ca/ or
through the [email protected] e-mail address.
3. Also issue a FRESET command to the receiver to clear any unknown settings.
If a hardware problem is encountered, send a list of the troubleshooting steps taken and the results.
Contact Information
Contact NovAtel Customer Support using one of the following methods:

Note how the receiver is configured before sending the FRESET command by log-
ging RXCONFIGA once to recall settings. The FRESET command erases all user
settings and performs a factory reset.
Call the NovAtel Hotline at 1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. and Canada) or [phone] (international)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
website: www.novatel.com
Write: NovAtel Inc.
Customer Support Department
1120 - 68 Avenue NE
Calgary, AB
Canada, T2E 8S5

OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 15
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Overview of the OEM6 Family of Cards and Enclosures
The OEM6 family offers Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and integrated L-Band
capability. The OEM6 family supports existing and planned GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou and Galileo
frequencies and is capable of full code and Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning. OEM6 boards are
designed for flexibility of integration and configuration. NovAtel enclosures are compact and lightweight
and easy to integrate.
For further information about OEM6 receiver boards, refer to the product brochures at www.novatel.com/
products/gnss-receivers/.
1.1.1 OEM6 Family Receiver Cards
• OEM615
• OEM617D
• OEM628
• OEM638
Refer to 1.2.1 OEM615 Receiver on page 15, 1.2.2 OEM617D Receiver on page 16, 1.2.3 OEM628
Receiver on page 16 and 1.2.4 OEM638 Receiver on page 17 for details.
1.1.2 OEM6 Receiver Enclosure
•FlexPak6
Refer to 1.4.1 FlexPak6 on page 21 for details.
1.2 Related Documents and Information
After the OEM6 hardware is operational, the OEM6 Family Firmware and Reference Manual
(OM-20000129) becomes the primary source for command and log information. Each receiver has a
specific set of features, such as L-Band or GLONASS support, so some commands and logs may not be
supported by your model. Refer also to our web site www.novatel.com/support/ for the latest
documentation.
This manual does not cover OEM6 service and repair. Contact a local NovAtel dealer for service or repair
inquiries (refer to Customer Support on page 14 for contact details).
1.2.1 OEM615 Receiver
The OEM615 has the same form and fit as NovAtel’s OEMV-1™ receivers, with the following additional
features:
• Dual-frequency: L1, L2 and L2C for GPS
and GLONASS
• Smallest form factor
• Multi-constellation: E1 for Galileo and B1
for BeiDou
• Low power consumption
• UART LVTTL and USB communications
port
• GLIDE, RT-2 and ALIGN positioning
options

16 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Chapter 1 Introduction
Figure 1: OEM615 Receiver Board
OEM615 technical specifications are provided in Appendix A on page 100.
1.2.2 OEM617D Receiver
The OEM617D has the same form and fit as NovAtel’s OEMV-1™ receivers, with the following additional
features:
Figure 2: OEM617D Receiver Board
OEM617D technical specifications are provided in Appendix B on page 112.
1.2.3 OEM628 Receiver
The OEM628 has the same form and fit as NovAtel’s OEMV-2™ receivers, with the following additional
features:
• Dual antenna, dual-frequency: L1, L2
and L2C for GPS and GLONASS
• Smallest form factor
• Multi-constellation: E1 for Galileo and B1
and B2 for BeiDou
• Low power consumption
• Primary and Secondary antennas, UART
LVTTL and USB communications port
• RTK with precise ALIGN
heading+pitch/roll
• Triple-frequency/Multi-constellation: GPS
L1, L2, L2C, L5; GLONASS L1, L2;
Galileo E1, E5a, E5b, AltBOC; BeiDou
B1, B2
• UART RS-232/RS-422 and LVTTL, USB
and Ethernet communications port
• L-Band capability (TerraStar) • GLIDE, RT-2 and ALIGN positioning
options

Introduction Chapter 1
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 17
Figure 3: OEM628 Receiver Board
OEM628 technical specifications are provided in Appendix C on page 122.
1.2.4 OEM638 Receiver
The OEM638 has the same form and fit as NovAtel’s OEMV-3™ receivers, with the following additional
features:
Figure 4: OEM638 Receiver Board
OEM638 technical specifications are provided in Appendix E on page 145.
• Triple-frequency/Multi-constellation: GPS
L1, L2, L2C, L5; GLONASS L1, L2;
Galileo E1, E5a, E5b, AltBOC; BeiDou
B1, B2
• UART RS-232/RS-422 and LVTTL, USB
device and host and Ethernet
communications port
• L-Band capability (TerraStar) • Onboard data storage

18 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.3 OEM6 Receiver System Overview
In addition to the NovAtel OEM6 receiver board, an OEM6 receiver system requires the following:
• Enclosure and wiring harness
• Power supply
• Data communications equipment
• GNSS antenna (and optional Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) power supply)
The overall OEM6 receiver systems are illustrated in Figure 5, OEM615, OEM617D and OEM628
Receiver System on Page 18, Figure 6, OEM638 Receiver System on Page 19 and described in the
sections that follow.
Figure 5: OEM615, OEM617D and OEM628 Receiver System

Introduction Chapter 1
OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7 19
Figure 6: OEM638 Receiver System
1.3.1 OEM6 Family Card
NovAtel’s OEM6 family cards consist of a Radio Frequency (RF) section and a digital section.
Radio Frequency (RF) Section
The receiver obtains filtered, amplified GNSS signals from the antenna. The RF section down converts
the incoming RF signals to Intermediate Frequency (IF) signals which are processed by the digital
section. The RF section also supplies power to the active antenna LNA through the coaxial cable. The
RF section has been designed to reject common sources of interference.
Digital Section
The heart of the digital section is NovAtel’s MINOS6 ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The
digital section digitizes and processes the IF signals to obtain a GNSS solution (position, velocity and
time). It also processes the system I/O, shown in Figure 5, OEM615, OEM617D and OEM628 Receiver
System on Page 18 and Figure 6, OEM638 Receiver System on Page 19.
1.3.2 Enclosure
An enclosure is necessary to protect the OEM6 family card from environmental extremes and high levels
of RF interference.
Antenna
LNA
RF
Section
MINOS6
ASIC
MINOS6
ASIC
OEM638 Board
Enclosure
Processor FPGA
SD Card or
BT/Wi-Fi
Onboard
Storage
(4 GB)
I/O
Optional LNA
Power Supply
Optional External
Frequency Reference
(OEM638)
Power Supply
(3.3 V
or 4.5 V-36 V)
SDIO Interface
COM1
COM2
COM3
COM4
COM5
COM6/IMU
Transceiver
Transceiver
Transceiver
Event Output (x7)
Event Input (x4)
USB0 Device (High Speed)
USB1 Host Only
(High Speed)
USB2
CAN Communications 1
CAN Communications 2
User IO (x22)
General Purpose
Analog Input
10/100
Ethernet
SPI Interface (x2)
Magnetics
I2C (or IIC) Interface (x2)

20 OEM6 Family Installation and Operation User Manual Rev 7
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.3.3 GNSS Antenna
The antenna converts electromagnetic signals transmitted by GNSS satellites into electrical signals that
can be used by the receiver. An active GNSS antenna is normally required for optimal receiver
performance. NovAtel’s active GNSS antennas provide precise phase centers and robust enclosures
(refer to our web site www.novatel.com/antennas).
Optional LNA Power Supply
The receiver can supply power for the antenna LNA. If the antenna is not compatible with the OEM6
power supply, an external LNA supply may be required. See Antenna LNA Power on page 64 for more
information.
1.3.4 Power Supply
A power supply capable of delivering the minimum receiver operating voltage and power is required. See
Table 2, Voltage Input Requirement for OEM6 Family Cards on page 25 and Appendix A, Appendix
B,Appendix C and Appendix E for details.
1.3.5 Optional External Frequency Reference
When applications require greater precision than the OEM628 or OEM638 internal clock, connect the
OEM628 or OEM638 to an external high stability oscillator. See External Oscillator on page 64 for more
information.
1.3.6 Data Communications Equipment
A computer or other data communications device is necessary to communicate with the receiver and to
receive and store the data that the receiver provides.
1.3.7 Onboard Memory
The OEM638 has 4 gigabytes of onboard memory for data logging. Refer to Section 4.8, Logging and
Retrieving Data Overview for details.
1.4 OEM6 Enclosure
The OEM628 is also housed in an enclosure to provide a complete receiver solution.
The FlexPak6 enclosure offers protection against environmental conditions, in addition to the easy to use
interface to the card’s data, power and status signals.
615
An external LNA power supply is required for the OEM615 and OEM617D cards.
617D
615
The OEM615 and OEM617D do not offer external oscillator capabilities.
617D
638