Rhotheta RT-800 Manual

Installation and Configuration Manual
R
RT T- -8 80 00 0
Wideband Precision Direction Finder
RHOTHETA Elektronik GmbH

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 2 of 32
Edited by:
RHOTHETA Elektronik GmbH
Kemmelpark
Dr.-Ingeborg-Haeckel-Str. 2
82418 Murnau
Germany
Tel.: [phone] - 0
Fax: [phone] - 15
Internet: www.rhotheta.de
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Copyright © RHOTHETA Elektronik GmbH
All rights reserved
-Issue: 2017/11/7 [Rev 1.05.b]
-Display Control Unit: Software ≥[Rev 2.00]
-Document-ID: 12-9-1-0003-3-4-61
Note
The manufacturer reserve the right to make modifications at any time and without previous
information of the here described product.

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 3 of 32

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 4 of 32
Content
1Antenna Installation Considerations ............................................................................. 6
1.1 General Information ................................................................................................................................6
1.2 Installation Recommendation .................................................................................................................7
1.3 Line of Sight and Fresnel Zone ..............................................................................................................8
1.4 Reduced Bearing Accuracy Caused by Reflections...............................................................................9
1.5 Lightning Protection ..............................................................................................................................10
1.6 North Alignment ....................................................................................................................................11
1.7 Antenna Connection .............................................................................................................................11
2Interfaces........................................................................................................................ 12
2.1 Overview...............................................................................................................................................12
2.2 Device Ports .........................................................................................................................................13
2.2.1 Antenna Unit Port (Connecting Cable DCU AU).................................................................13
2.2.2 GPS / RS422 Port....................................................................................................................14
2.2.3 Fuse F3....................................................................................................................................14
2.3 Remote Control and IP-Audio Encoder Ports.......................................................................................15
2.4 Power Supply........................................................................................................................................16
2.5 Service & Maintenance Ports ...............................................................................................................17
2.5.1 Power Supply and Optional Connections ................................................................................17
2.5.2 NMEA Bus (RS 232) ................................................................................................................18
2.5.3 Test / Program .........................................................................................................................19
3Configuration ................................................................................................................. 20
3.1 Configuration Considerations of “Menu – Setup” .................................................................................20
3.1.1 Menu Interface .........................................................................................................................20
3.1.2 Menu System ...........................................................................................................................22
3.2 Configuration of Remote Control over IP .............................................................................................23
3.2.1 Introduction / Concept..............................................................................................................23
3.2.2 IP Network settings & Web Console connection to configure the device................................23
3.3 Configuration of Audio over IP (streaming into LAN) ...........................................................................26
3.3.1 Introduction / Concept..............................................................................................................26
3.3.2 IP Network settings & Web Console connection to configure the device................................26
3.4 Configuration of Audio Exstreamer (streaming from LAN) ...................................................................29
3.4.1 Configuration of Exstreamer at Remote Site ...........................................................................30
3.5 Example of complete Network Scenario...............................................................................................31
4Appendix ........................................................................................................................ 32
4.1 List of abbreviation................................................................................................................................32

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 5 of 32
List of figures
Fig. 1 Antenna Mounting...........................................................................................................7
Fig. 2 Line of Sight and Fresnel Zone.......................................................................................8
Fig. 3 Illustration of Reflections at fixed locations.....................................................................9
Fig. 4 North Marking of Antenna Unit .....................................................................................11
Fig. 5 Overview of Interfaces..................................................................................................12
Fig. 6 Connecting cable DCUAU ........................................................................................13
Fig. 7 NMEA-Talkmode Settings ............................................................................................20
Fig. 8 NMEA-Baudrate Settings..............................................................................................21
Fig. 9 System – Audio Line Output Setting............................................................................. 22
Fig. 10 System – Antenna Offset Settings.............................................................................. 22
Fig. 11 Remote Control LAN connector.................................................................................. 23
Fig. 12 Audio streaming to LAN connector .............................................................................26
Fig. 13 BARIX Exstreamer 100...............................................................................................29
Fig. 14 Example of complete Network scenario......................................................................31

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 6 of 32
1 Antenna Installation Considerations
1.1 General Information
For static bearing applications like e.g. VTS (vessel traffic service), a high bearing accuracy is
demanded, with small tolerable bearing errors. For this purpose the antenna unit possibly has
to be calibrated in order to compensate minor unbalances in rotation, but especially the
antenna position at the installation site has to be chosen properly for bearing purposes.
In case of perturbing site conditions resp. restrictions caused by the building or the
environment, the bearing accuracy might be disturbed. This physical effect generally is valid
for all bearing systems.

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 7 of 32
1.2 Installation Recommendation
The quality of the bearing results depends largely on the position of the antenna. So, an
antenna position has to be found, where the transmitter´s wavefield can reach the bearing
antenna as undisturbed as possible.
In order to obtain very good bearing results, no metallic resp. RF-conducting obstacles may
be around the antenna unit (in an angle of ± 45° towards the horizontal).
The only exception is a correctly installed Lightning Protection Rod, optional available by
RHOTHETA.
Fig. 1 Antenna Mounting
Objects being in the “restricted area” will disturb the arriving wave field. Reflections will arise
which might decrease bearing accuracy.

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 8 of 32
1.3 Line of Sight and Fresnel Zone
There must be a direct line of sight between the transmitter (ship) and the antenna unit.
Furthermore the Fresnel Zone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_zone) must be free of any
obstacles.
Fig. 2 Line of Sight and Fresnel Zone
In case of obstacles within the Fresnel zone, the direct RF-signal will be weakened and
possibly reflections will be more noticeable.

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 9 of 32
1.4 Reduced Bearing Accuracy Caused by Reflections
Big natural reflectors in the antenna unit’s surrounding are especially critical! (e. g. mountains
in the back-side of the antenna, sharp rocky coasts or forests) Especially if the directly
arriving wave field is very weak due to a remote transmitter, high mountains can cause
reflections by receiving the signal better (due to their height) and therefore also causing
stronger reflections.
Fig. 3 Illustration of Reflections at fixed locations

RHOTHETA Installation and Configuration Manual RT-800
Page 10 of 32
1.5 Lightning Protection
When installing the RT-800 (AU) at fixed coastal locations, precautions must be taken
regarding lightning protection.
For this reason RHOTHETA Elektronik GmbH offers an optional Lightning Protection Rod
(LPR).
The Lightning Protection Rod for precision direction finders is designed to protect direction
finders from RHOTHETA against the effects of direct lightning strokes into a direction finder
system.
Normal lightning protection rods are simple metallic structures which have a large influence
on the direction finding accuracy of a direction finder due to reflecting radio waves, so as any
other metallic structure in proximity of the direction finder. The practical limits are in
contradiction to the requirements of an efficient lightning protection system.
The RHOTHETA Lightning Protection Rod uses special technologies to reduce those
reflections. This reduces the effects of the protection rod to an acceptable level, but will not
completely avoid any influence.
For detailed advice on mounting the Lightning Protection Rod please refer to the Installation
Manual of Lightning Protection Rod!