Pickering eBIRST Series User manual

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eBIRST USER MANUAL
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Issue 3.4 May 2019
User Manual
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eBIRST USER MANUAL
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Page (II) REED RELAY MODULE 40-110/115/120/125
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© COPYRIGHT (2019) PICKERING INTERFACES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, translated or stored in any form, or by
any means without the written permission of Pickering Interfaces.
Technical details contained within this publication are subject to change without notice.
ISO 9001
Reg No. FM38792

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REED RELAY MODULE 40-110/115/120/125
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TECHNICAL SUPPORT
For Technical Support please contact Pickering Interfaces either by phone, the website or via e-mail.
WARRANTY
All products manufactured by Pickering Interfaces are warranted against defective materials and workmanship for a period of
three years, excluding programmable power supplies, from the date of delivery to the original purchaser. Any product found to be
defective within this period will, at the discretion of Pickering Interfaces be repaired or replaced.
Products serviced and repaired outside of the warranty period are warranted for ninety days.
Extended warranty and service are available. Please contact Pickering Interfaces by phone, the website or via e-mail.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Pickering Interfaces operates under an environmental management system similar to ISO 14001.
Pickering Interfaces strives to full all relevant environmental laws and regulations and reduce wastes and releases to the
environment. Pickering Interfaces aims to design and operate products in a way that protects the environment and the health and
safety of its employees, customers and the public. Pickering Interfaces endeavours to develop and manufacture products that can
be produced, distributed, used and recycled, or disposed of, in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information
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Germany
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Sweden
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
USA
Tel: (West) [phone]
Tel: (East) [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Czech Republic
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
France
Tel [phone]
E-mail [email protected]
Pickering Interfaces Headquarters
Stephenson Road Clacton-on-Sea CO15 4NL United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
E-Mail: [email protected]
China
Tel: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]

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WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS
WARNING - HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS SYMBOL
This product is not specically designed for use in hazardous environments, for example in explosive
atmospheres. If the product is to be used in hazardous environments we recommend that the user
ensures suitable protective measures are taken.
!
WARNING - DANGER OF ELECTRIC SHOCK SYMBOL
This module may contain hazardous voltages. Before removing the module from the rack remove all
supplies and disconnect user I/O signals.
Unused slots in the PXI/LXI chassis are populated with blanking plates to prevent access to user
I/O signals that may be present. Blanking panels are available to order from Pickering in a variety
of slot widths. If the product is not used in this manner for example by using an extender card then
additional care must be taken to avoid contact with exposed signals.
CAUTION - HANDLING OF ELECTROSTATIC-SENSITIVE DEVICES SYMBOL
Certain semiconductor devices used in this equipment are liable to damage due to static voltage.
Observe the following precautions when handling these devices in their unterminated state, or
sub-assemblies containing these devices:
1. Persons removing sub-assemblies from equipment using these devices must be earthed by a
wrist strap and a resistor at the point provided on the equipment.
2. Soldering irons used during the repair operations must be low voltage types with earthed tips and
isolated from the mains voltage by a double insulated transformer.
3. Outer clothing worn must be unable to generate static charges.
4. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) tted with these devices must be stored and transported in
anti-static bags.
CAUTION - PRODUCT DOCUMENTATION SYMBOL
Suitably qualied & trained users should ensure that the accompanying documentation is fully read
and understood before attempting to install or operate the product.
!
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
All cleaning and servicing requires the equipment to be isolated and disconnected from the power source and user I/O
signals (refer to the Maintenance Section).
• Appropriate manual handling procedures should be followed as dictated by the weight of the individual module or
the combined weight of the modules & chassis.
• Should a fault occur with the module or chassis, immediately isolate and disconnect the incoming power to the
chassis and the user I/O signals.
• Ensure the equipment is installed, operated and maintained by trained and authorised personnel.
• For suitably equipped products in the event of an emergency press the red “emergency stop” button situated on
the front of the unit.

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Section 1 - Introduction ..................................................... 1.1
General Description of eBIRST Parts ......................... 1.1
Getting Started.............................................................. 1.4
Section 2 - eBIRST Tool Technical Specication ............ 2.1
Section 3 - Software Installation ....................................... 3.1
USB Driver Installation................................................. 3.1
Application Program Installation ................................ 3.3
Updating The Application Program ............................ 3.4
Section 4 - Software Description ...................................... 4.1
Application Header....................................................... 4.2
Module Page ................................................................. 4.3
Tools Page..................................................................... 4.4
Test Page....................................................................... 4.6
Report Page .................................................................. 4.7
Settings Page................................................................ 4.8
Section 5 - Usage Examples.............................................. 5.1
Introduction................................................................... 5.1
Testing a PXI Module With The eBIRST Tool ............. 5.2
How To Test a PXI RF Module in an LXI Chassis....... 5.3
How To Test a PXI Module in an LXI Chassis ............ 5.4
Testing a PXI Module With 2 or More Connectors..... 5.5
Testing a PXI Module In Simulation Mode.................. 5.6
How Partially Test the Module..................................... 5.7
How To Generate a Test Report .................................. 5.7
How To Compare/Restore Test Denition File........... 5.7
How To Identify Supported Switch Modules.............. 5.7
How To Restore Factory Settings ............................... 5.8
Using the Command line tool...................................... 5.9
Section 6 - Test Results Analysis...................................... 6.1
Relay States ................................................................... 6.1
Using Admin Mode & Creating an Engine Report ...... 6.2
Utilities Page and eBIRST Tool Verication ................ 6.3
Section 7 - Maintenance..................................................... 7.1
Verication Procedure ................................................. 7.2
Basic eBIRST Tool Test................................................ 7.3
MUX Test ....................................................................... 7.3
Test Results For eBIRST Tool ..................................... 7.4
Verication Fixture Validation Test ............................. 7.5
Thru Path Test on Verication Fixture........................ 7.5
Test Results For Verication Fixture .......................... 7.9
CONTENTS

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
The eBIRST tool set allows automated testing of Pickering Interfaces switching systems. The eBIRST tools measure
resistance of set paths at the user connection in the open and closed state using four-wire measurements. Based
on the results, the tool identies the relays that may be causing problems and provides a graphical output to
indicate their location. The eBIRST tools are designed primarily to nd defective relays, in a very small number of
circumstances they may indicate failures that are caused by other factors such as a defective relay controls. In these
circumstances eBIRST is a signicant aid in identifying the origin of these faults.
General Description of eBIRST parts
eBIRST Tool
The eBIRST Tool connects directly to a switching system to be tested or connects via an adapter, it is important
that the user makes sure the tool and any required adapter matches the target connector on the switching system.
Adapters are used where the switching system does not use the 200-way LFH, 78-way D-type or 50-way D-type
connectors. This includes RF switching systems based on SMB coaxial conenctors.
The eBIRST tool has a USB port which connects to the control computer.
In some applications two tools are required to test a switching system because there may be inputs on one connector
and outputs on another so a through path measurement will require two connectors to be supported. To facilitate the
testing of this type of system, on the rear of the eBIRST tool is an M-S port for connecting to another eBIRST tool
in the Master-Slave (M-S) mode.
The rear of the tool also has three LEDs:
• M-S indication LED illuminates on the slave tool only in Master-Slave mode.
• Identication LED ashes when a command to identify is sent.
• Power LED indicates the presence of supply voltage (eBIRST power is provided by the USB port).
Figure 1.1 - Features of the 78-way D-type eBIRST Tool
Master-Slave Port
Master-Slave Indicator Identification Indicator
Power Indicator
USB Port Connection to
Switching System

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eBIRST Adapters for other Connectors
For applications in testing switching systems with other connectors, such as the DIN 41612 160-way connector,
adapters are available which convert from one of the three available eBIRST tools.
Figure 1.2 - USB Cable
USB Cable
A USB cable connects the control computer to the eBIRST tool. The cable is tted with USB connector type A for the
computer and a Micro-B for the eBIRST tool.
Figure 1.3 - Example Cable Based Adapter - 200-way LFH to 96-way SCSI connector
Figure 1.4 - Example PCB Based Adapter - 200-way LFH to 160-way DIN 41612 connector