Onset HOBOnode User manual

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 2 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Contacting Onset
For support, please contact the company that you bought the products from: Onset
Computer Corporation or an Onset Authorized Dealer.
Onset Computer Corporation
470 MacArthur Blvd.
Bourne, MA 02532
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 3450
Pocasset, MA 02559-3450
Phone: 1-800-LOGGERS (1-800-564-4377) or 508-759-9500
Fax: [phone]
Hours of Operation: 8AM to 5PM ET, Monday through Friday
E-mail: [email protected]
Main Onset Web site: www.onsetcomp.com
Copyrights and Trademarks
© 2009 Onset Computer Corporation. All rights reserved. Onset, HOBO, and HOBOware are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Onset Computer Corporation for its data logger
products and configuration/interface software. Microsoft, Windows, and Vista are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Document #: MAN-HOBOnode-UG
Part#: D-12473-A

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 3 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Contents
Chapter One:About the HOBOnode System ..............6
Overview ............................................................................................ 6
Benefits .................................................................................... 6
Uses......................................................................................... 6
Standards ................................................................................. 6
Components .............................................................................. 6
Battery Options.......................................................................... 7
Accessories ............................................................................... 7
Theory of Operation ............................................................................. 8
Standard................................................................................... 8
Communications Protocol ............................................................ 8
Network ID................................................................................ 8
Packets..................................................................................... 8
Lost Node ................................................................................. 8
Sending Commands.................................................................... 9
Maximum Endpoints ................................................................... 9
HOBOnode Viewer Utility System Requirements.......................................10
Topologies .........................................................................................11
HOBOnode Viewer...............................................................................12
Chapter Two:Setup and Test ....................................13
Summary of Setup Tasks .....................................................................13
Running the HOBOnode Viewer Configuration Wizard ...............................14
Insert HOBOnode Receiver into Base......................................................16
Setting Up the HOBOnode Receiver........................................................17
Connect the HOBOnode Receiver to a Computer ............................17
Set HOBOnode Network ID for Receiver........................................18
Activating HOBOnodes .........................................................................19
Setup and Activate HOBOnode Repeaters ...............................................20
Linking Nodes to the HOBOnode Receiver ...............................................27
Adding Labels to Nodes........................................................................28
Configuring Alarms..............................................................................29
Verify Proper Operation........................................................................30
View Node Information...............................................................30

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 4 - HOBOnode Wireless System
View Plots ................................................................................30
Chapter Three:Deploying the System.......................31
Guidelines..........................................................................................32
Line of Sight Restrictions ............................................................32
Chapter Four:Monitoring Your System .....................33
Viewing Device Status................................................................33
Chapter Five:Working with Data ..............................34
Viewing Data ......................................................................................34
Exporting Data ...................................................................................35
Chapter Six:View Options.........................................36
HOBOnode Network Tab .............................................................36
Plot by Node Tab.......................................................................38
Plot by Measurement Tab ...........................................................39
Data Search Tab .......................................................................40
Chapter Seven:Maintenance.....................................41
De-activating a HOBOnode ...................................................................41
Moving a HOBOnode............................................................................41
Installing Lithium Batteries ...................................................................42
Chapter Eight:Troubleshooting ................................43
Viewing Receiver Status .............................................................43
Viewing Network Statistics..........................................................43
Problems/Resolutions.................................................................45
Chapter Nine:HOBOnode Viewer Reference .............46
File Menu .................................................................................46
Network Menu ....................................................................................47
Plotting Menu .....................................................................................49
View Menu .........................................................................................50
Chapter Ten:Specifications.......................................52
Chapter Eleven:Compliance......................................54

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 5 - HOBOnode Wireless System
FCC Part 15 Compliance .......................................................................54
FCC Compliance ........................................................................54
Canada ....................................................................................54
FCC Declaration of Conformity.....................................................54
Maximum Allowed Antenna Gain..................................................54

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 6 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Chapter One: About the HOBOnode System
Overview
The HOBOnode wireless sensors are easy to deploy and move. There are no cables to run
through crops or building walls, you are not limited by cable length limits, and there is less
chance for loosing measurements from cable damage.
Benefits
•Solar recharging - can run for multiple years without having to replace batteries
•Real-time graphs
•Alarms sent to your e-mail account
•Data can be exported for use in other programs.
•Repeaters allow communication to sensors that are miles away
•Research-grade reliability and accuracy
•Small size makes them especially easy to deploy
•Operating range
Uses
The HOBOnode wireless system is ideal for:
•Crop and Irrigation Management
•Ag Research
•Ecology
•Greenhouse Management
•Building Management (outside temperature)
•Landscape Management
Standards
The HOBOnode Wireless System uses the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless data standard, in the 2.4
GHz ISM band, which is approved for worldwide use.
Components
The following components make up a HOBOnode Wireless System:
•W-TMB HOBOnode wireless temperature sensor
•W-SMC HOBOnode wireless soil moisture sensor
•W- RCVR-USB HOBOnode Receiver
•W-REPEATER HOBOnode Repeater (Optional)
•HOBOnode Viewer software – free download

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 7 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Battery Options
The HOBOnodes and HOBOnode Repeaters are shipped with re-chargeable Alkaline
batteries. You can also use Onset-supplied Lithium batteries for increased operating
temperature range (-40 C).
Accessories
•Lithium AAA - 2-pack (Part# HRB-LI-AAA)
•USB active extension cable – 16’ (Part# CABLE-USB-EXT)
•USB Extension Cable
•2-meter Tri-pod
•Replacement Batteries
•Guy Wire Kit

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 8 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Theory of Operation
Standard
The radio technology used for the HOBOnode Wireless System is a 802.15.4 radio running
in the 2.4Ghz spectrum. This is an ISM band technology and is legal to use in almost all
countries. The underlying communications protocol running on this radio technology is
Onset proprietary. This choice was made to both maximize battery life and minimize cost.
Communications Protocol
The HOBOnode Wireless System uses a time slot based communications protocol. The
system views time in 1/4 second per time slot with 1 minute before the timeslots repeat. All
HOBOnodes measure at the same timeslot, so even though your data reports arrive when
the device’s timeslot is active, the measurement time for all devices is common.
Network ID
Because it is possible to have more than on HOBOnode Network running in the same area it
is important that unique network IDs are assigned so that the networks can co-exist
peacefully. A unique network ID consists of two elements. The first element is an RF
channel; the second is a Unique ID (any number from 0 to 4095).
If two HOBOnode Networks are being configured, it is best to select different channels for
them to use. Although they can share a channel, there is a potential for interference. New
HOBOnodes and HOBOnode Repeaters come from the factory with a blank network ID. Once
a device is linked to a HOBOnode Receiver it will only respond to that HOBOnode Receiver.
The network ID can be cleared from a device if you need to change it.
Packets
In the simplest exchange, a HOBOnode is connected directly to a HOBOnode Receiver. In
this case, the HOBOnode will send a packet of up to 128 bytes to the Receiver. The
HOBOnode Receiver receives and verifies the packets validity (unique network ID, CRC et.),
sends a Reply packet to the device, and forwards the packet to HOBOnode Viewer (host
software).
This is made slightly more complicated by having a HOBOnode Repeater or a line of
HOBOnode Repeaters between a HOBOnode and the Receiver. It is essentially the same
operation as above except it is repeated on each hop. You can only chain HOBOnode
Repeaters to a depth of 4 hops. This is because there is only 1/4 second to get the packet
and reply done between all the devices in the chain. For reliability purposes, packet/ reply
exchanges are retried between nodes.
Lost Node
A device becomes lost when it has not had a successful packet/reply exchange 4 times in a
row. By default, the HOBOnode Receiver will automatically search for lost nodes every 4
minutes.

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 9 - HOBOnode Wireless System
Sending Commands
Commands sent to devices must be carried in the reply packet generated in the
packet/reply exchange. This means a command can only move down 1 hop in the network
each minute. So, a command to a device that is 4 hops down in the network may take up to
4 minutes to reach the device. The main commands are Start Manual Search, Stop Manual
Search and Auto Search.
Maximum Endpoints
There is a limit of 50 endpoints (HOBOnodes plus HOBOnode Repeaters) per system. This is
to preserve the battery life of the HOBOnode Repeaters. Many wireless systems suffer from
having to have repeaters on wall power. The Onset system does not require this due to
reasonable system limitations coupled with a design that took battery life into account.

OnsetComputerCorporation
User’s Guide DRAFT - 10 - HOBOnode Wireless System
HOBOnode Viewer Utility System Requirements
Operating Systems
•Windows XP SP2 or SP3
•Windows Vista
•Microsoft .NET 3.5
Minimum HW
•Pentium3 CPU 2Ghz or greater
•1 Gigabyte of RAM or greater
•100 Megabytes free disk space
•USB Full Speed Port
•Direct Internet access for alarms