Onset HOBOnode User manual

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2HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
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
CopyrightsandTrademarks
©2009–2012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#:12473‐K

3HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Contents
Chapter1:AbouttheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystem.....................................................................5
Overview...................................................................................................................................................5
Components..............................................................................................................................................5
Topologies.................................................................................................................................................7
TheoryofOperation..................................................................................................................................8
HOBOnodeViewerUtilitySystemRequirements.....................................................................................8
HOBOnodeViewer....................................................................................................................................9
Chapter2:Setup......................................................................................................................................10
SummaryofTasks...................................................................................................................................10
RunningtheHOBOnodeViewerUtilitySetupWizard............................................................................10
SettingUptheHOBOnodeReceiver.......................................................................................................12
ActivatingHOBOnodes............................................................................................................................15
ActivatingandSettingUpHOBOnodeRepeaters...................................................................................15
LinkingNodestotheHOBOnodeReceiver..............................................................................................23
AddingLabelstoNodes...........................................................................................................................24
ConfiguringAlarms..................................................................................................................................24
VerifyingProperOperation.....................................................................................................................26
Chapter3:DeployingtheSystem.............................................................................................................28
Overview.................................................................................................................................................28
DeployingHOBOnodeTemperatureSensors..........................................................................................30
DeployingtheHOBOnodeSoilMoistureSensor.....................................................................................31
Chapter4:WorkingwithData..................................................................................................................33
ViewingData...........................................................................................................................................33
ViewingtheHOBOnodeNetwork...........................................................................................................34
ViewingDatabyNode.............................................................................................................................35
ViewingDatabyMeasurementType......................................................................................................36
ViewingDeviceStatus.............................................................................................................................36
ExportingData........................................................................................................................................36
PrintingPlotstoPDFFiles.......................................................................................................................37
Chapter5:Maintenance..........................................................................................................................39
DeactivatingandClearingaHOBOnode.................................................................................................39
MovingaHOBOnode..............................................................................................................................39
VerifyingAccuracyoftheHOBOnodeSoilMoistureSensor...................................................................39
InstallingLithiumBatteries.....................................................................................................................39
Chapter6:Troubleshooting.....................................................................................................................41
Debugging...............................................................................................................................................41
ViewingReceiverStatus..........................................................................................................................41
ViewingNetworkStatistics.....................................................................................................................41
Problems/Resolutions.............................................................................................................................42

4HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Chapter7:HOBOnodeViewerReference.................................................................................................43
FileMenu................................................................................................................................................43
NetworkMenu........................................................................................................................................44
PlottingMenu.........................................................................................................................................45
ViewMenu..............................................................................................................................................45
DataSearchWindow...............................................................................................................................47
Appendix1:Specifications.......................................................................................................................48
TemperatureAccuracy/ResolutionChart...............................................................................................49
Appendix2:Compliance..........................................................................................................................50
FCCPart15Compliance..........................................................................................................................50
Canada....................................................................................................................................................50
Appendix3:EmailConfiguration..............................................................................................................51
SMTPSettings.........................................................................................................................................51
SendinganAlarmtoaCellPhone...........................................................................................................52

5HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Chapter1:
AbouttheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystem
Overview
HOBOnodewirelesssensorsmonitortemperatureandsoilmoistureconditionsandtransmitthedatabacktoyour
computer.Theyenableyoutoviewcurrentconditionsthrougharemotesensor,receivealarmnotifications,andlogdata
onyourPCwithouthavingtoruncablesthroughthefield.
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSensorsareeasytodeployandmove.Therearenocablestorunthroughcropsorwalls,
youarenotlimitedbyphysicalcablelengthlimits,andthereislesschanceforlosingmeasurementsfromcabledamage.
Benefits
Integratedsolarrechargingallowsthesystemtorunformultipleyearswithoutreplacingbatteries
Real‐timedatagraphs
Notificationoftrippedalarmscanbesenttoyouremailaccountorcellphone(viaemail)
Datacanbeexportedforuseinotherprograms
HOBOnodeRepeatersreduceLineofSiterestrictions
Research‐gradereliabilityandaccuracy
Smallsizeforeasydeployment
Wideoperatingrange
Uses
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemisidealfor:
CropandIrrigationManagement
AgriculturalResearch
Ecology
GreenhouseManagement
BuildingManagement(outsidetemperature)
LandscapeManagement
Components
ThefollowingcomponentsmakeupaHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystem:
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessReceiver(Part#W‐RCVR‐USB)
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessTemperatureSensor(Part#W‐TMB)
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSoilMoistureSensor(Part#W‐SMC)
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessRepeater(Part#W‐REPEATER)
HOBOnodeViewerUtility(freedownload)

6HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessTemperatureSensor
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessTemperatureSensorcanbeusedinair,soil,orwater.Thesensorisdesignedtolastat
leastoneyearinwateraswarmas+50°C(+122°F).Ifthesensoriscontinuallyexposedtowaterformorethanayear,itwill
eventuallydrift.Exposuretowaterabove+50°C(+122°F)isnotrecommendedandmaysignificantlyreducethelifeofthe
sensor.
HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSoilMoistureSensor
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSoilMoistureSensormeasuresthedielectricconstantofsoilinordertodetermineits
volumetricwatercontent.Thedielectricconstantofwaterismuchhigherthanthatofairorsoilminerals,whichmakesita
sensitivemeasureofthewatercontent.Duringoperation,valuesof0to0.5m3/m3arephysicallypossible.
BatteryOptions
TheHOBOnodesandHOBOnodeRepeatersareshippedwithrechargeablealkalinebatteriesthatgetrechargedbythe
internalsolarpanel.UseOnset‐suppliedlithiumbatteriesforincreasedoperatingtemperaturerangedownto‐40°C(‐40°F)
andwhenusinginapplicationswithelevatedtemperatures.Lithiumbatteriesarenotrechargeable.
Accessories
LithiumAAA‐2‐pack(Part#HRB‐LI‐AAA)
USBactiveextensioncable–16ft(Part#CABLE‐USB‐EXT)
2‐meterTripodKit(Part#M‐TPB‐KIT)
Replacementbatteries
Replacementdesiccant(Part#DESICCANT2)
RadiationShield(Part#RS3)(optionalforHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessTemperatureSensor)

7HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Topologies
ThefollowingillustrationshowsasampledeploymentofaHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystem.

8HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
TheoryofOperation
Standard
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemusestheIEEE802.15.4wirelessdatastandardinthe2.4Ghzspectrum.Thisisan
ISMbandtechnology,whichislicense‐freeworldwide.Thisradiotechnologywaschosentomaximizebatterylifeand
minimizecost.
CommunicationsProtocol
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemusesatimeslotbasedcommunicationsprotocol.Eachnodeisassignedaslot
whenitisfoundbytheHOBOnodeReceiver.AllHOBOnodeSensorstaketheirmeasurementsatthesametimeatthestart
oftheoneminutecycleandthentransmittheirdataduringtheirassignedtimeslot.
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:anRF
channel,and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totheReceiver.TheHOBOnodeReceiverreceivesandverifiesthepacket’svalidity(uniquenetworkID,CRCet.),
sendsaReplypackettothedevice,andforwardsthepackettoHOBOnodeViewer(hostsoftware).Forreliabilitypurposes,
packet/replyexchangesareretriedbetweennodesfourtimes.
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onceperhour.
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onehopthroughaHOBOnodeRepeaterinthenetworkeachminute.So,acommandtoadevice
thatisfourhopsdowninthenetworkmaytakeuptofourminutestoreachthedevice.ThemaincommandsareStart
ManualSearch,StopManualSearchandAutoSearch.
Standards
TheHOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemusestheIEEE802.15.4wirelessdatastandard,inthe2.4GHzISMband,whichis
license‐freeforworldwideuse.
HOBOnodeViewerUtilitySystemRequirements
OperatingSystems
Windows®XPSP2orSP3
WindowsVista®
Windows7
Microsoft®.NET3.5

9HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
MinimumHardware
Pentium3®CPU2Ghzorgreater
1GigabyteofRAMorgreater
32‐bitor64‐bitCPU
100Megabytesfreediskspace
USBPort
DirectInternetaccessforalarms
HOBOnodeViewer
TheillustrationbelowshowstheHOBOnodeViewermainwindow.Formoredetailsonwindowsandfunctionality,see
HOBOnodeViewerReference.

10HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Chapter2:Setup
Youshouldsetupyoursystemandverifyproperoperationintheofficebeforeyoudeployanycomponentsinthefield.
SummaryofTasks
InitialSetup
Performthefollowingstepsinalaborofficeenvironmentbeforedeployingthesystem.
1. DownloadOnset’sHOBOnodeViewerUtilitysoftware.
YouuseHOBOnodeViewertosetupyourHOBOnodenetworkandmonitoryourHOBOnodes.TheHOBOnode
ViewerisonlysupportedforWindows.
NOTE:HOBOnodeViewerrequiresMicrosoft.NETFramework(version3.5)installed.Ifyoudonothave.NET
installed,itwillautomaticallybedownloadedwithHOBOnodeViewer.
Youwillhavetorestartyourcomputeraftertheinstallationiscomplete.
NOTE:ForinstallationonWindowsVistaorWindows7,right‐clicktheinstallerandselectRunasadministrator.
2. RuntheHOBOnodeViewerUtilitySetupWizard.
3. SetUpandConnecttheHOBOnodeReceiver.
4. ActivateHOBOnodes.
5. ActivateandSetUpHOBOnodeRepeaters.
6. LinknodestotheHOBOnodeReceiver.
7. AddLabelstoNodes(Optional).
8. ConfigureAlarms.
9. VerifyProperOperation.
Deployment
Performthefollowingstepsafteryouhaveperformedtheinitialsetupinanofficeorlabenvironment.
10. DeploySystem.
11. Re‐linkHOBOnodesandHOBOnodeRepeaters.PerformanAutoSearchfromHOBOnodeViewertore‐linkall
devices.
RunningtheHOBOnodeViewerUtilitySetupWizard
1. RuntheHOBOnodeViewerUtilitySetupWizardandfollowtheprompts.
NOTE:ToruntheapplicationonWindowsVistaorWindows7,right‐clickontheHOBOnodeViewerUtility.exeand
selectRunasadministrator.
ForVistaPro,youcanruntheapplicationasinVistaHome,oryoucandisableUserAccessControlsfromthe
ControlPanel>SecurityCenter.

11HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
2. IntheGeneralInformationpane,makesureyouselectyourdesiredunits.Onceyouselecttheunitstheycannot
bechangedsomakesureyouselectthecorrectone.
3. ClickNexttoproceed.TheAlarm/EmailConfigurationdialogappears.
4. Configureemailsettings.
Ifyouwanttohavealarmnotificationssenttoyouremailaddress,youmustentertheaddress(oraddresses)and
configuretheSMTPSettings.
IntheRecipientAddressesbox,entertheemailaddressesforanyaccountsthatyouwanttoreceivealarm
notifications.Tohaveatextmessagesenttoyourcellphone,entertheemailaddressofyourcellphonenumber.
Askyourcellproviderfortheformat(thisisoftenavailableonline).Note:IfyouclickSendTestEmail,onlythefirst
emailaddressintheRecipientAddresseslistwillreceiveatestmessage.
YoumustconfiguretheSMTPSettingstoallowmailtogetfromtheHOBOnodeNetworktoyouremailaccount.
SeeSMTPSettingsfordetails.
CheckSkipandconfigurelaterifyouwanttobypassthisscreen.Toconfigurealarmnotificationlater,gotoFile>
Setuptore‐runtheSetupWizard.
5. ClickNexttoproceed.TheCompleteSetupdialogappears.
6. IfyouwantHOBOnodeViewertolauncheachtimeyoustartyourcomputer,checktheRunatstartupbox.

12HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
7. ClickFinishtocompletetheinstallation.
SettingUptheHOBOnodeReceiver
InstalltheAntenna
ConnecttheantennatotheHOBOnodeReceiver.IMPORTANT:Besuretoinstallthesealingwasher,rubbersidein,ontothe
connectorasshownbelow.
InsertHOBOnodeReceiverintoBase
1. SlidethefrontendoftheHOBOnodeReceiverintothebasefirst(theendwiththeantenna).
2. SlidetheHOBOnodeReceiverallthewayintothebaseuntilthetabonthecapmeetsthegrooveinthebase.

13HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
ConnecttheHOBOnodeReceivertoaComputer
ConnecttheHOBOnodeReceivertoaPC.A16ftextensioncableisavailableforpurchase(Part#CABLE‐USB‐EXT).Youcan
connectuptofiveextensioncablesforatotalof80ft.
IMPORTANT:YoucanonlyconnectoneHOBOnodeReceivertoacomputer.IfyouhavemultipleHOBOnodeNetworks,
eachonemustberunfromaseparatecomputer.
MakesureyoudonotplugtheHOBOnodeReceiverintoaUSBportthatmaybeshutdownduetoyourpowersettings.
OnsetrecommendsthatyoudonotenableoptionssuchasTurnoffHardDisks,Hibernation,orShutDownonyour
computer.IfyouconnectthereceivertoaUSBportonyourmonitor,donotenabletheshutdownoptiononyourmonitor.
IftheHOBOnodeReceiveriswithoutpowerformorethanthreedays,youwillneedtoperformamanualsearchtore‐link
toHOBOnodesandHOBOnodeRepeaters.
WhentheReceiverhasconnected,theReceiverinformationwillappearintheDeviceTableandtheReceivericonwill
appearintheConfigurationTree.Thismaytakeuptotwominutes.

14HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
SetHOBOnodeNetworkIDforReceiver
BeforeyouactivateHOBOnodes,youshouldsettheHOBOnodeNetworkIDfortheHOBOnodeReceivertomakeyour
HOBOnodeNetworkuniquefromanyotherHOBOnodeorwirelessnetworksthatmaybeinthearea.
NOTE:ThisisforyourHOBOnodenetworkonly.Ifthereisanotherwirelessnetworkinthearea,chooseanRFChannel
differentthanthosealreadyinuse(RFChannelsonlyapplyto802.15.4devices).
1. Right‐clickontheReceivericonintheNetworkTree.
2. SelectSendCommand>SetNetworkID.
3. IntheSetNetworkIDwindow,selectanRFChannel(11‐25)andUniqueId(0‐4095)tomakeyournetworkunique
fromanyothersthatmaybeinthearea.
Ifyouexperienceanyconnectionproblems,tryassigningadifferentRFChannel.
IfyouaresettingupmorethanoneHOBOnodenetwork,useuniqueRFChannelsforeach.

15HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
4. ClickOK.
ActivatingHOBOnodes
YoumustactivateyourHOBOnodessothattheycanbelinkedtotheHOBOnodeReceiver.Onceyouhaveactivateda
HOBOnode(orHOBOnodeRepeater),youwillnothavetoreactivateitunlessyoudeactivateitoryouchangetheNetwork
IDoftheHOBOnodeReceiver.
NOTE:IfyouarereplacingtheAlkalinebatterieswithOnset‐suppliedLithiumbatteries,seeInstallingLithiumBatteriesin
theMaintenancesection.
BEFOREYOUBEGIN:RemovetheHOBOnodefromthebase.
1. Removetherubberspacerfromthegroovebetweenthecaseandthecap.
2. RemovethecaponthecasebytwistingitcounterclockwiseandslidethePCboardpartiallyoutofthecase.
NOTE:Ifthedesiccantpackfallsoutwhenyouremovethecap,makesureyoureplaceit.
3. LocatethebrownSet/Clearbuttonontheboardandholditdownfortwoseconds.ThethreeLEDswillflashbriefly
toindicatethatthedeviceisactivated.Ifthenodedoesnotactivate,thenitmayhavealreadybeenactivated.To
clearthenode,holddownthebuttonforfiveseconds,thentrytheactivationprocedureagain.
4. SlidethePCboardbackintothecaseandturnthecapclockwisetosecure.WhenslidingthePCboardintothe
case,aligntheedgeoftheboardwiththegroovesinthesideofthecasesothattheboardslidesallthewayback
intoposition.
5. Reinstalltherubberspacer,aligningthetabwiththeridgeonthetopofthecase.
ActivatingandSettingUpHOBOnodeRepeaters
NOTE:IfyouarereplacingtheAlkalinebatterieswithOnset‐suppliedLithiumbatteries,seeInstallingLithiumBatteriesin
theMaintenancesection.

16HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
ActivateHOBOnodeRepeaters
YoumustactivateyourHOBOnodeRepeater(s)sothattheycanbelinkedtotheHOBOnodeReceiver.Onceyouhave
activatedaHOBOnodeRepeater(orHOBOnode),youwillnothavetoreactivateitunlessyoudeactivateitoryouchange
theNetworkIDoftheHOBOnodeReceiver
1. Thecoverisnotattachedwhentheunitisshipped.Removetherubberbandsandremovethecover.Beforeyou
permanentlyattachthecover,youshouldgreaseitusingthesilicongreasepacketthatcomeswiththeHOBOnode
Repeater.
2. Removethedesiccantpouch.
3. PushandholdtheSet/Clearbuttonfor2seconds.ThethreeLEDswillflashbrieflytoindicatethatthedeviceis
activated.Iftherepeaterdoesnotactivate,thenitmayhavealreadybeenactivated.Tocleartherepeater,hold
downthebuttonforfiveseconds,thentrytheactivationprocedureagain.
4. Removethedesiccantpackfromthepouch,andplacethedesiccantpackinsidethecase,underthePCboard.
SetUpHOBOnodeRepeaters
FollowthesestepstosetupaHOBOnodeRepeaterandantennas.
Components:
HOBOnodeRepeater
GreaseTube
MountingKit
Omni‐DirectionalAntenna
DirectionalAntenna
Onset2‐meterTripod(Part#M‐TPB‐KIT)(optional)
GroundingKit(requiredforopenfieldsitespronetolightning)
ChargeDissipationTerminal(recommendedforsitespronetolightning)

17HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide

18HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
AssemblingtheTripod
1. Unfoldthelegsonthebaseuntilthelegbracesarehorizontal.
2. Screwtheboltslooselyintotheholesinthetri‐clamps.
3. Slidethelowermastthroughthetri‐clamps.
4. Slidetheuppermastintothelowermast.Makesurethenotchontheuppermastlinesupwiththegrooveinthe
lowermast.
5. Tightenthetri‐clampbolts.
6. AttachU‐boltandtighten.
7. Ifyouareinstallingthetripodinawindylocationorinloosesoil,youshoulduseaGuyWireKittosecurethetri‐
pod(Part#M‐SKB).

19HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
MounttheOmni‐DirectionalAntenna
Beforeyoubegin:
Removeallpartsfromthebox
RemovetheboltsandwashersfromtheU‐bolts.
AssembleDirectionalAntenna
TheDirectionalAntennaisinthewhiteboxlabeledAntenna‐8.ThisantennaconnectstheHOBOnodeRepeatertothe
HOBOnodeReceiver.WhentheHOBOnodeRepeaterisdeployed,theantennashouldbepointingasdirectlyatthe
HOBOnodeReceiveraspossibletooptimizetheconnection.YoumayfindithelpfultouseaGPSlocationsystemifthe
HOBOnodeRepeaterislocatedagreatdistancefromtheHOBOnodeReceiver.
Parts:
ReflectorGrid(twohalves)
SmallReflectorandsixbolts(insmallwhitebox)
MountingHardware(inbubblewrap)
RequiredTools:
5/16”wrench

20HOBOnodeOutdoorWirelessSystemUser’sGuide
Followthestepsintheillustrationbelowtoassembletheantenna.
MountDirectionalAntennatoTripod(orPole)