Tait TB9100 User manual

MBA-00002-05
Issue 5
May 2006
TB9100 base station
Installation and
Operation Manual

TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual 2
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
Contact Information
Tait Radio Communications
Corporate Head Office
Tait Electronics Ltd
P.O. Box 1645
Christchurch
New Zealand
For the address and telephone number of regional
offices, refer to the TaitWorld website:
Website: http://www.taitworld.com
Technical Support
For assistance with specific technical issues, contact
Technical Support:
E-mail: [e-mail]
Website: http://support.taitworld.com
Copyright and Trademarks
All information contained in this manual is the property
of Tait Electronics Limited. All rights reserved.
This manual may not, in whole or in part, be copied,
photocopied, reproduced, translated, stored, or reduced
to any electronic medium or machine-readable form,
without prior written permission from Tait Electronics
Limited.
The word TAIT and the TAIT logo are trademarks of
Tait Electronics Limited.
All trade names referenced are the service mark,
trademark or registered trademark of the respective
manufacturers.
Disclaimer
There are no warranties extended or granted by this
manual. Tait Electronics Limited accepts no
responsibility for damage arising from use of the
information contained in the manual or of the
equipment and software it describes. It is the
responsibility of the user to ensure that use of such
information, equipment and software complies with the
laws, rules and regulations of the applicable
jurisdictions.
Enquiries and Comments
If you have any enquiries regarding this manual, or any
comments, suggestions and notifications of errors,
please contact Technical Support.
Updates of Manual and Equipment
In the interests of improving the performance, reliability
or servicing of the equipment, Tait Electronics Limited
reserves the right to update the equipment or this
manual or both without prior notice.
Intellectual Property Rights
This product may be protected by one or more patents
of Tait Electronics Limited together with their
international equivalents, pending patent applications
and registered trade marks: NZ335198, NZ335704,
NZ338097, NZ507555, NZ507556, NZ508054,
NZ508340, NZ508806, NZ508807, NZ509242,
NZ509640, NZ509959, NZ510496, NZ511155,
NZ511421, NZ516280/519742, NZ519118,
NZ519344, NZ520650/537902, NZ521450,
NZ524509, NZ524537, NZ524630, NZ530819,
NZ534475, NZ534692, NZ535471, NZ536945,
NZ537434, NZ534369, NZ522236, NZ524378,
AU2003281477, AU2002235062, AU2004216984,
CA2439018, EU03784706.8, EU02701829.0,
EU04714053.8, GB23865476, GB2386010,
GB0516094.0, GB0516092.4, US09/847322, US60/
613748, US60/539617, US10/520827, US10/468740,
US5,745,840, US10/520827.
This product may also made under license under one or
more of the following U.S. Patents: 4,590,473 4,636,791
5,148,482 5,185,796 5,271,017 5,377,229.
The IMBE™ voice coding Technology embodied in this
product is protected by intellectual property rights
including patent rights, copyrights and trade secrets of
Digital Voice Systems, Inc. This voice coding
Technology is licensed solely for use within this
Communications Equipment. The user of this
Technology is explicitly prohibited from attempting to
decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble the Object
Code, or in any other way convert the Object Code into
a human-readable form. Protected by U.S. Patents
5,870,405 5,826,222 5,754,974 5,701,390 5,715,365
5,649,050 5,630,011 5,581,656 5,517,511 5,491,772
5,247,579 5,226,084 and 5,195,166.
To Our European Customers
Tait Electronics Limited is an
environmentally responsible company
which supports waste minimization
and material recovery. The European
Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment Directive requires that this
product be disposed of separately from the general waste
stream when its service life is over. Please be
environmentally responsible and dispose through the
original supplier, your local municipal waste “separate
collection” service, or contact Tait Electronics Limited.

TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual 3
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Scope of Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Associated Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Publication Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2 Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Reciter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Power Amplifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Power Management Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.3 Frequency Bands and Sub-bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.4 Theory of Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Typical Base Station System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
12V PA Base Station System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Power Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Power Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Front Panel Fan Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Run and Standby Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Dual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Signal Voting and Switching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.5 Base Station Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Base Station/Repeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Base Station/Repeater for External Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Receive-only Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Analog Gateway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.6 Base Station Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Repeater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Line-Connected Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
TaitNet P25 Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2 General Safety and Regulatory Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.1 General Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Personal Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Equipment Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.2 Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Distress Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

4TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
FCC Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Unauthorized Modifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Health, Safety and Electromagnetic Compatibility in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4.1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Equipment Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Grounding and Lightning Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Equipment Ventilation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Ambient Air Temperature Sensor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Cabinet and Rack Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4.2 Installing and Setting up the CSS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Setting up CSS Access Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Minimum PC Hardware Requirements for Running CSS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
4.3 Unpacking the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
4.4 Setting Up on the Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Confirming Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Tuning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Connecting to a Calibration and Test Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Setting the Base Station IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Finding a Lost or Forgotten IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Customizing the Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
4.5 Installing the Base Station on Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Equipment Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Mounting the Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
4.6 Connecting Up the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Base Station Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Control Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Power Supply Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Auxiliary DC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
RF Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
External Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Coaxial Relay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
System Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
5 Base Station Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
5.1 Operating Controls and LED Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Reciter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
PMU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
5.2 Monitoring the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
5.3 Control Panel Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Speaker Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Microphone Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
5.4 Monitoring Front Panel Fan Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
7 Replacing Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.1 Saving the Base Station’s Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.2 Preliminary Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
7.3 Replacing the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
7.4 Replacing the Reciter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
7.5 Replacing the Power Amplifier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
7.6 Replacing the Power Management Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
7.7 Replacing the Front Panel Fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
7.8 Replacing the Module Guide Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
7.9 Replacing the Subrack Interconnect Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
7.10 Final Reassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
8 Technical Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
8.1 Mechanical Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
8.2 Reciter Module Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Signal Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Input Signal Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Output Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Switching and Voting Priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Signaling messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Re-voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
8.3 PA Module Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
8.4 PMU Module Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
PMU Operation on DC Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
8.5 Control Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
8.6 System Control Bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Appendix A – Interface Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123
Serial Interface Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Analog Interface Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Digital Interface Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
PMU Auxiliary DC Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
DC Input to 12V PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Microphone Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Appendix B – Inter-Module Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
5 or 50W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
100W Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
12V PA Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

6TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual 7
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
Preface
Scope of Manual
Welcome to the TB9100 base station Installation and Operation Manual.
This manual is intended for use by experienced technicians familiar with
installing and operating base station equipment. It includes a technical
description of the base station, maintenance and troubleshooting
information.
Document Conventions
“File > Open”means “click File on the menu bar, then click Open on the
list of commands that pops up”. “Monitor > Module Details > Reciter”
means “click the Monitor icon on the toolbar, then in the navigation pane
find the Module Details group, and select Reciter from it”.
Within this manual, four types of alerts are given to the reader: Warning,
Caution, Important and Note. The following paragraphs illustrate each type
of alert and its associated symbol.
Warning!! This alert is used when there is a potential risk
of death or serious injury.
Caution This alert is used when there is a risk of minor or
moderate injury to people.
Important This alert is used to warn about the risk of equipment dam-
age or malfunction.
Note This alert is used to highlight information that is required to
ensure procedures are performed correctly.
Associated Documentation
TB9100 Reciter Service Manual (MBA-00017-xx).
TB9100 Specifications Manual (MBA-00014-xx).
TB9100 Customer Service Software User’s Manual (MBA-00003-xx) and
online Help.

8TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
TB9100 Calibration Software User’s Manual (MBA-00004-xx) and online
Help.
TBA0STU/TBA0STP Calibration and Test Unit Operation Manual
(MBA-00013-xx).
TaitNet P25 Network Installation Guide (MBA-00018-xx).
Technical notes are published from time to time to describe applications for
Tait products, to provide technical details not included in manuals, and to
offer solutions for any problems that arise.
All available TB9100 product documentation is provided on the CD
supplied with the base station1. Updates may also be published on the Tait
support website.
Publication Record
1. Technical notes are only available in PDF format from the Tait support
website. Consult your nearest Tait Dealer or Customer Service Organiza-
tion for more information.
Issue Publication Date Description
1 July 2004 First release
2 January 2005 General updates; new photographs;
Appendix C added
3 March 2005 General updates; Appendix D added
4 August 2005 General updates for version 1.2
release; Appendix D removed
5 May 2006 General updates for version 2.1 release

TB9100 Installation and Operation Manual Description 9
© Tait Electronics Limited May 2006
1 Description
The Tait TB9100 base station/repeater is a robust state-of-the-art digital
fixed station that combines Tait’s proven strengths in reliability, high
performance and modular design with software-based configurability and
operation, digital signal processing and voice-over-IP technology. The
TB9100 is designed for operation in a conventional Project 25 radio
network and can be configured as a repeater or as a line-connected base
station.
The ability to interoperate in both analog FM and digital P25 modes, to link
stations using standard Internet Protocol communications, and to add
features such as encryption through software options ensures that P25
systems designed with the TB9100 are scalable in both size and functionality.
The TB9100 combines industry-leading digital voice quality with rugged
design specifications and intuitive user interfaces. This product has been
designed to meet the demanding needs of the public safety and public
service sectors.
The TB9100 RF interface is dual-mode analog/digital, allowing users of
APCO P25 or analog radios to communicate via the network.
Its digital line provides built-in network connectivity, allowing the TB9100
to join with other TB9100s to form a TaitNet P25 network. This network
supports voice over IP and remote management of all TB9100s.
Its analog line allows the direct connection of third party dispatch systems.
1.1 Features
The following are some of the features of the TB9100 base station:
■Fully compliant with the Project 25 Common Air Interface. Can
therefore interoperate with any similarly compliant radios.
■Dual mode. Comprehensive analog and digital features ensure

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interoperability with analog or digital technology. The TB9100 can
switch seamlessly between analog FM and digital P25 communications
on a per-call basis.
■Integrated built-in voting facility. In a TaitNet P25 network, TB9100
base stations use distributed voting to compare the received signals,
selecting the best quality signal for transmission through the system. No
external voter is needed.
■Can be completely managed remotely from a PC running the Tait
Customer Service Software: configuration, alarm monitoring, fault
diagnosis, feature and firmware upgrades.
■Rugged construction with generous heatsinks and fan-forced cooling for
continuous operation from –30°C to +60°C (–22°F to +140°F).
1.2 Modules
The TB9100 base station consists of several modules in a subrack: a power
management unit (PMU) to supply and manage power to the subrack, a
reciter (receiver and exciter), a power amplifier (PA), a front panel with fans,
and a control panel. The modules are interconnected at the front of the
subrack. External connections to the modules are located at the rear.
Modules come in different variants depending for example on the RF band
or the supply voltage. Many of them are common to the TB8100.
Applications such as a receive-only base station do not need them all.
Each module is inserted into the TB9100 4U subrack from the front and is
secured at the front with a metal clamp. Both clamp and module are easily
removed for rapid module replacement. The modules are secured laterally
with plastic guides that clip into the top and bottom of the subrack. These
guides can be easily repositioned to change the configuration of a subrack.
The heavier modules are also secured laterally by metal tabs at the rear of the
subrack.
The following provides a brief description of the available modules.

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Reciter
The reciter module comprises the
receiver, exciter and digital control
circuitry. It also incorporates the
network board, which provides the
connection to the digital and analog
lines and to the general purpose digital
inputs and outputs.
Power Amplifier
The power amplifier amplifies the RF output from the reciter and is available
in 5W, 50W and 100W models.
The 5W and 50W models mount vertically in the subrack, while the 100W
model mounts horizontally as it has a wider heatsink. The 100W PA is also
fitted with an airflow duct.
All three models are designed to operate on the 28VDC output provided by
the TB9100 power management unit. In addition, variants of the 5W and
50W models are available for operation on 12VDC. These two 12V PAs are
fitted with an internal boost regulator board, which converts the 12V
nominal DC input to a 28VDC output to power the PA circuit boards. The
boost regulator board also provides a 12VDC output to power the reciter.
5/50W PA 100W PA

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Power Management Unit
The PMU provides the 28VDC
power supply for the modules in the
TB9100. The input voltage can be
AC, DC or both AC and DC,
depending on the model. An auxiliary
DC output is also available when the
optional power supply board is fitted.
This board is available with an output
of 13.65VDC, 27.3VDC, or
54.6VDC.
Front Panel
The TB9100 front panel is mounted onto the subrack with two
quick-release fasteners. It incorporates the cooling fans for the PA and
PMU.
Control Panel
The TB9100 control panel is
mounted onto the subrack and is
accessible through an opening in the
front panel. The control panel
provides the user with hardware
controls for direct control of the base
station.
AC and DC PMU shown

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Subrack
The TB9100 4U subrack is made of passivated steel and is designed to fit
into a standard 19 inch rack or cabinet.
1.3 Frequency Bands and Sub-bands
Much of the circuitry in the TB9100 base station is common to both
frequency bands, and is therefore covered by a single description in this
manual. Where the circuitry differs between VHF and UHF, separate
descriptions are provided for each frequency band. In some cases the
descriptions refer to specific VHF or UHF bands or sub-bands, and these are
identified with the letters listed in the following table.
Frequency
Identification Frequency Band and Sub-band
VHF
B band B1 = 136MHz to 174MHz
B2 = 136MHz to 156MHz
B3 = 148MHz to 174MHz
UHF
H band H0 = 400MHz to 520MHz
H1 = 400MHz to 440MHz
H2 = 440MHz to 480MHz
H3 = 470MHz to 520MHz
K band K4 = 762MHz to 870MHza
a. The actual frequency coverage in this band is:
Transmit: 762MHz to 776MHz, and 850MHz to 870MHz
Receive: 792MHz to 824MHz

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1.4 Theory of Operation
Typical Base Station System
A typical TB9100 base station (shown in Figure 1.1) has a PMU that
supplies power to the modules in the subrack.
A system control bus interconnects the modules and carries alarm and
control signaling between the reciter and the other modules (shown in
Figure 1.2). The reciter receives RF signals from its RF input and sends RF
from its RF output to the PA, along with a PA key signal. The reciter also
receives signals from and sends signals to the analog line, the digital line, and
the control panel.
The control panel speaker and microphone enable the base station
maintainer to communicate with the dispatcher or with subscriber unit
radios. As well as voice over IP, the digital line carries communications
between the CSS and the base station.
Figure 1.1 Base station system communication paths

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The signal processing and the overall base station control is carried out by
the reciter, which comprises an RF, a digital, and a network board, as shown
in Figure 1.3.
The RF board contains the receiver and exciter circuitry.
The digital board is responsible for the digital conversion of analog
information and for controlling the maintainer’s access via the control panel.
It performs the air interface signal processing for both analog FM and digital
P25 modes.
Figure 1.2 Base station high-level diagram
Reciter
PMU PA
RF To
Antenna
RF From
Antenna
External Reference
Frequency (if used)
AC I/P
DC I/P
28VDC
(high current)
System Control Bus
Microphone
I/P
TaitNet Digital
Network
Speaker
O/P
RF +
PA Key
28VDC (low current)
Analog Line
(4-wire E&M)
Digital
Line
RS-232 +
Digital I/O
Control
Panel
Figure 1.3 Reciter boards
RF I/P
RF O/P
Digital Line
RS-232 +
Digital I/O
Analog Line
RF
Board
Digital
Board
Network
Board
Control
Panel
Maintainer Access

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The network board acts as the link between the digital circuitry and the
TaitNet digital network, and gives the base station an identity as a network
element. It also provides the physical connections for the digital, analog and
RS-232 serial interfaces.
For more detailed information, see “Technical Description”on page 91.
12V PA Base Station System
The TB9100 platform also supports the operation of a 12V PA base station.
Figure 1.4 shows the main communication paths in a 12V PA base station
system. The 12V PA base station system does not require a PMU, as the DC
input is connected directly to the 12V PA. An internal boost regulator board
converts the 12V nominal DC input to a 28VDC output to power the PA
circuit boards. The boost regulator board also provides a 12VDC output to
power the reciter.
12V PA base stations use a different subrack interconnect board from base
stations with a PMU, which provides the I2C current source normally
provided by the PMU.
Note The 12V PA base station subrack interconnect board has a set of
switches which must be set according to the base station configu-
ration. Refer to “Replacing the Subrack Interconnect Board”on
page 86 for details of the switch settings.
Because there is no PMU, it is recommended that the “No PMU detected”
alarm be disabled for 12V PA base stations.

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Power Management
TB9100 base stations with a PMU manage the supply of power to ensure
uninterrupted operation of the base station. A range of parameters is
monitored and can trigger alarms that are sent via the reciter to the CSS and
a syslog collector.
AC to DC
Changeover When the PMU has an AC and a DC module, the TB9100 can be powered
by either the AC (mains) or the DC (battery) supply. The base station will
default to the AC supply if both supplies are provided. If the AC supply
becomes unavailable, a seamless changeover from the AC to DC supply takes
place, providing that the battery voltage is above the configured minimum.
You can use the CSS to monitor whether the base station is running on
battery or mains power.
DC Operation When the base station is running off the DC supply and the battery voltage
falls below the configured minimum, the base station will enter PMU
Shutdown mode to protect the battery and base station equipment. A
standby power supply card is required to maintain the power to the PMU
microprocessor, while the rest of the PMU is shut down.
Figure 1.4 12V PA base station system communication paths

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When the battery voltage rises to the configured startup setting, power is
resumed to the DC supply.
Auxiliary Power
Control If the PMU is fitted with an auxiliary power supply unit, its output can be
used to power other site equipment or to recharge the DC battery supply
when the base station is running off the AC supply. You will need to
configure it to suit your requirements.
Power Distribution
This section details how the input power feed is distributed throughout the
base station system to power its various sub-systems. The high level block
diagrams in Figure 1.5 on page 19 show the power distribution paths in base
station systems.
The TB9100 can receive input power from either the AC or DC input.
Internal seamless switching between the AC or DC input ensures there are
no power interruptions should a changeover occur between the two inputs.
The base station will default to the AC input if both AC and DC inputs are
provided.
The AC converter has a series switch which isolates the mains input from
the converter. The DC input, however, has much higher current ratings, and
supports an on/off switch on the converter only.
The outputs from both the AC and DC high power converters are added
together and fed to the PA via the PA1 and PA2 outputs. The auxiliary
output is also tapped off this summed output.
Base stations fitted with a 12V PA do not require a PMU. In this case the
DC input is connected directly to the PA, where it is fed to the internal
boost regulator board. This board provides a 12VDC output for the reciter
and a 28VDC output for the PA circuit boards.
The reciter input power feed is distributed to all internal reciter boards.
Local regulation ensures that noise and common mode interface signals are
kept to a minimum between sub-assemblies. Various power supplies in the
reciter further power and isolate critical sub-sections.
The reciter also powers the control panel, via a backpower protection diode.
The system control bus is used to route power from the reciter to the control
panel. When a reciter is powered and plugged into the control bus, if a
control panel is connected there will always be a reciter present to drive the
control bus functions.

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Front Panel Fan Operation
The TB9100 base station is equipped with three fans. One fan is for the
PMU, one fan is for the PA, and the third fan is for the reciter. This section
deals with the PMU and PA fans. For information on reciter fan operation,
refer to “Reciter Fan Operation”on page 95.
The PMU and PA cooling fans are located in the front panel of the base
station. The fans do not operate continuously but are switched on and off as
needed by the reciter firmware.
When the base station powers up, the fans turn on: the PMU fan runs first,
followed by the PA fan (the reciter fan will also power up, after the PA fan).
Each fan will run for about 5 seconds before switching off.
Fans used in the TB9100 must have the correct wiring: power and ground
(2-wire fans), or power, ground, and rotation detect (3-wire fans). Both fans
in the subrack must be of the same type. If 3-wire fans are fitted, the reciter
can monitor whether the fans are rotating and generate an alarm if the fan
fails.
Configuring Fan
Control The operation of the PA fan is configurable via the CSS: you can specify the
threshold temperature at which the fan will be turned on, and set the fan to
operate only when the PA is transmitting.
Figure 1.5 TB9100 power distribution high level block diagram

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The PMU fan has fixed on/off thresholds and a defined set of duty cycles
based on the PMU temperature, as follows:
Run and Standby Modes
The TB9100 normally operates in Run mode, but you can use the CSS to
put it in Standby mode.
Run mode In Run mode, the base station performs its normal functions.
Standby mode When you program the base station or run invasive diagnostic tests, the base
station must be in Standby mode. This takes the base station out of service.
However, the control panel is still effective; you can use it to send and
receive over the air and across the analog line and to receive from the digital
line.
Dual Mode
The TB9100 base station can handle analog FM calls as well as digital P25
calls. It is a dual-mode base station. However, it can be configured to always
operate in one mode. For example, if only digital P25 radios use the base
station, the base station can ignore analog FM calls. Note that at any one
time, the base station can only handle one call, either analog FM or digital
P25. It cannot receive in one mode and simultaneously transmit in the other.
Analog FM mode In Analog FM mode, the base station can receive and transmit over the RF
interface using analog FM modulation. Analog FM speech is sent and
received on the digital line using the G.711 format.
Digital P25 mode In digital P25 mode, the base station can receive and transmit over the RF
interface using digital P25 modulation. Digital speech is in the IMBE
(Improved Multi-Band Excitation) format.
Dual mode
configuration Dual mode is configured not for the base station as a whole, but for the
inputs at a particular interface. The mode of outputs is not configurable; it
can always be either analog FM or digital P25, depending on the input.
When the base station receives an input on an interface, it operates in the
mode of that input.
PMU Temperature Duty Cycle
<149°F (65°C) Increases with increasing current draw
149-167°F (65-75°C) On two minutes, off one minute
>167°F (75°C) Always on