Rain Bird Gold LINK 900 User manual

Rev 1.0 September 2015
Golf LINK900
OWNERS
MANUAL

1
September 2015
Contents
1. Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................2
2. Components .............................................................................................................................................................3
3. Radio Basics .............................................................................................................................................................4
a) Antennas: ............................................................................................................................................................4
b) Antenna Fie d Patterns: .....................................................................................................................................5
c) Antenna Cab es: .................................................................................................................................................6
d) Antenna Cab e Connectors................................................................................................................................6
e) Adapters: .............................................................................................................................................................7
e) Surge Protection:................................................................................................................................................7
4. Component Setup....................................................................................................................................................8
a) MIM-LINK / TWI-LINK Interface Connection to Centra Contro .................................................................8
1. Direct Connect ................................................................................................................................................8
2. Connection via MAXI
®
Remote Location Kit (MRLK).................................................................................8
b) LINK900 radio for MIM-LINK / TWI-LINK Insta ation & Programming......................................................8
c) LINK900 radio for fie d contro ers Insta ation & Programming................................................................12
d) Programming the PAR+ES Contro er............................................................................................................18
e) Using Sensors on a Go f LINK900 system.....................................................................................................18
5. Operation ........................................................................................................................................................22
6. Troub eshooting ..........................................................................................................................................24
a) Link Diagnostic screen .....................................................................................................................................24
1. Basic Troub eshooting .................................................................................................................................25
2. MIM / TWI Troub eshooting .......................................................................................................................26
3. PAR+ES Contro er Troub eshooting..........................................................................................................26
7. Appendix .........................................................................................................................................................29
a) Sensors on the LINK900 system ....................................................................................................................29
b) Changing the COM port used by a USB-to-Seria Adapter .........................................................................33

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September 2015
1. Introduction
Congratu ations on purchasing a Rain Bird
®
irrigation system with LINK900 advanced wire ess
communication techno ogy. LINK900 advanced wire ess communication techno ogy wi provide you with
robust communication between your Rain Bird
®
Go f Centra Contro MIM-LINK or TWI-LINK interface and
fie d contro ers for many years.
The LINK900 system uses custom designed Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) radios.
•Rapid y hops through 128 frequencies between 902-928 MHz
•High y resistant to narrowband interference
•Operating range of -40ºF (-40ºC) to 158ºF (70ºC)
•Signa can be repeated from one contro er to the next
•Uses Digita techno ogy
•No antenna height restriction in most areas

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September 2015
2. Components
Here are the main components needed for a Rain Bird
®
irrigation system with LINK900 wire ess
communications:
Centra Contro computer:
Interface(s):
MAXI
®
Interface Modu e (MIM-LINK) or Two-Wire Interface (TWI-LINK)
LINK900 radios:
PAR+ES (LINK) contro ers:
Standa one Repeater (optiona ):

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September 2015
3. Radio Basics
LINK900 wire ess communication works by broadcasting radio waves to communicate between the centra
contro and fie d contro ers. The LINK900 system uses custom designed Frequency Hopping Spread
Spectrum radios (FHSS).
Key Advantages:
-No FCC icense required for operation in USA.
-No antenna height restriction in most areas (check oca regu ations)
-Capabi ity to use fie d contro er radios as repeaters to re ay the signa
-FHSS is high y resistant to narrowband interference
-FHSS is difficu t to intercept
-FHSS can coexist in a frequency band with other broadcasts with minima interference
Signa strength is measured in decibe s (dB). Radios transmit with a certain amount of power (Wattage) and
signa reception is subject to oss of strength due to attenuation caused by impedance in the antenna
cab es, fittings, and the atmosphere itse f.
Radio transmission power is re ated to signa strength in the fo owing manner:
-Reducing the output wattage by ha f reduces the signa strength by 3dB
-Doub ing the output wattage increases the signa strength by 3dB
In Rain Bird
®
LINK900 wire ess communications, no true e ectronic signa boost is provided after the radios.
Antennas can be used to shape or focus more of the transmitted signa energy into the areas targeted. This
signa increase is termed as “Gain”. An antenna with a “dB gain” va ue does not provide more power, but
rather it modifies the shape of the transmitted signa . The higher the antenna gain, the narrower the usefu
signa beam width.
a) Antennas:
Rain Bird
®
LINK900 wire ess communications uses two distinct types of vertica y po arized
antennas. Omnidirectiona and Directiona (a so known as Yagi).
Omni-directional:
This is the most common antenna used. Each Rain Bird
®
Go f LINK900 radio/modem/antenna kit
(H49008 & H49004) comes with this type of antenna. Different types of Omni-directiona
antennas can be used on a LINK900 system.
Here are two examp es:
Standard PAR+ES Omni “shot g ass sty e” antenna, 3dB (GSP-TRA9023N)
High Gain 48” Omni antenna, 5dB (GSP-ODA-48)

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September 2015
Directional Antenna (Yagi :
The Yagi antenna is typica y used to focus the signa towards a sing e point and to minimize
interference to and from other radios.
Yagi Antenna, 6dB (GSP-YAGI-6)
b) Antenna Fie d Patterns:
Each type of antenna has a defined fie d pattern. This indicates how the radio waves are
transmitted from and received by the antenna. The fo owing are examp es of two common types
of patterns; Omni-directiona and Yagi.
Omni-directiona Antenna Fie d Pattern (Typica )
Yagi Antenna Fie d Pattern (Typica )

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September 2015
c) Antenna Cab es:
Cab e se ection is very important as too much signa oss can affect the overa communication
performance. In genera , ower oss cab es tend to be arger in diameter and ess f exib e. LMR
type cab es are more weather resistant than RG type cab es, but RG type cab es tend to be much
more f exib e. Here is a tab e showing examp es of signa oss in dB based on the type of cab e:
On y 50 Ohm cab e may be used with LINK900 systems. P ease note that the frequency being
used wi a so affect the cab e oss. Norma y, higher frequencies have a higher oss potentia .
This tab e is for the 900MHz range of frequencies.
d) Antenna Cab e Connectors
There are a wide variety of cab e terminations avai ab e for 50 Ohm antenna cab e. Four
different cab e terminations are common in LINK900 systems: N, TNC, SMA and NMO. Other
terminations may a so be encountered, especia y if custom antennas or other devices are used.

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September 2015
e) Adapters:
In some cases, adapters may be required to accommodate the different antenna and cab e
terminations used. However, the use of adapters shou d be minimized, as each adapter causes a
signa oss of ~0.25dB. Rain Bird recommends using cab es made with the proper connector
types to minimize the use of adapters. The LINK900 radio is terminated with an SMA Fema e
connector and requires an SMA Ma e cab e end connection. The Standa one Repeater is
terminated with a TNC Fema e connector and requires a TNC Ma e cab e end connection. Here
are some adapter examp es
e) Surge Protection:
Surge protection shou d be used on a externa antenna insta ations such as at the MIM-LINK /
TWI-LINK centra contro interface. There is no need for surge protection at a fie d contro er
ocation if the standard antenna inc uded in the Rain Bird
®
LINK900 radio/modem/antenna kits
(H49008 & H49004) is used. Where used, the surge protection MUST be rated for 900MHz
operation and MUST be grounded with a bare copper wire and a ground rod or p ate. Rain Bird
recommends the Rain Bird
®
Po yphaser (HA1100) for surge protection of externa antenna
insta ations in LINK900 systems.
Adapter, TNC Male to N-Female
Barrel Adapter, N-Female to N-Female
Rain Bird
®
Polyphaser (HA1100
N-Female by N-Female
Two Polyphaser setup with proper grounding

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September 2015
4. Component Setup
Proper insta ation of a components is key to having a robust system. This section wi cover in detai a the
steps needed to proper y setup LINK900 wire ess communication for your Rain Bird
®
Go f irrigation system.
a) MIM-LINK / TWI-LINK Interface Connection to Centra Contro
There are two options for connecting the centra contro interface (MIM-Link or TWI-Link) to the
centra contro computer: direct seria connection or via a MAXI
®
Remote Location Kit.
1. Direct Connect
For the direct connection when the interface is ocated near the centra computer, just
connect the interface to the computer using the supp ied cab e.
2. Connection via MAXI
®
Remote Location Kit (MRLK)
When the interface is remote y ocated away from the centra computer, a MAXI
®
Remote Location Kit (p/n HA1000) is required.
b) LINK900 radio for MIM-LINK / TWI-LINK Insta ation & Programming
To insta the LINK900 radio/modem kit (H49001) in the MIM-LINK / TWI-LINK interface, on y
two cab es need to be connected. A 9-pin seria ribbon cab e connects the LINK900 radio and the
Output Board ocated in the back of the interface. The second cab e is the antenna cab e (SMA
connector) which must be connected to an externa antenna (not inc uded in H49001).
Ribbon cab e
Antenna cab e
The pictures above show two different ways to mount the LINK900 radio inside the interface.

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September 2015
Programming:
The LINK900 radios supp ied with H49001, H49004, and H49008 are identica and
interchangeab e. However, the programming in them wi vary depending on the function of the
radio. The LINK900 radio ocated at the MIM / TWI wi a ways be programmed as the Master
(M) radio.
LINK900 radios are programmed using the GE MDS E ement Manager app ication which runs on
Microsoft Windows OS computers. The software can be down oaded at this address:
https://www.gedigita energy.com/communications/MDS/software.asp?directory=Too box
The programming cab e (GSP-MDS-PRGCBL) is a so needed, which is composed of a proprietary
cab e and 9-Pin to RJ-11 adapter.
Connect the cab e to the radio using the RJ-11 connector and connect the seria adapter to the
computer. P ease note that if the computer does not have a seria port and a USB-to-Seria
adapter is used, the COM port used by the adapter must be se ected in MDS E ement Manager.
See Appendix section “7b” for he p.
WARNING: A ways ensure that an antenna is connected to the LINK900 radio before the radio
is powered-up, or damage to the radio may occur.
The LINK900 radio must be powered before a connection can be estab ished. The radio receives
power from the MIM/TWI via the 9 pin ribbon cab e. Programming the radio is comp eted via
the Configuration menu in the GE MDS E ement Manager app ication.
Start the GE MDS E ement Manager app ication. Confirm Device Type is set to TransNet. Under
Seria Connections, se ect the COM port that the programming cab e is connected to. Confirm
the Settings (9600, 8, N, 1). To connect to the radio, se ect Connect Seria to begin
communicating with the LINK900 radio.