Tait TB9400 User manual

TB9400 Base Station/Repeater
Installation and Operation Manual
MBC-00001-28 · Issue 28 · April 2022

2TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Contact Information
Tait Communications
Corporate Head Office
Tait International Limited
P.O. Box 1645
Christchurch
New Zealand
For the address and telephone number of regional
offices, refer to our website:
www.taitcommunications.com
Copyright and Trademarks
All information contained in this manual is the
property of Tait International 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 International Limited.
The words TAIT, TAITNET and the TAIT logo are
registered trademarks of Tait International Limited.
All trade names referenced are the service mark,
trademark or registered trademark of the
respective manufacturers.
By using a Tait product you are agreeing to be bound
by the terms of the Tait Software Licence
Agreement.Please read the Tait Software Licence
Agreement carefully before using this Tait product. If
you do not agree to the terms of the Tait Software
Licence Agreement, do not use the Tait Product. The
full agreement is available at
www.taitcommunications.com/our-resources/
legal#Tait_Software_Licence_Agreement.
Disclaimer
There are no warranties extended or granted by this
document. Tait International Limited accepts no
responsibility for damage arising from use of the
information contained in the document 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 document, or
any comments, suggestions and notifications of errors,
please contact your regional Tait office.
Updates of Manual and Equipment
In the interests of improving the performance,
reliability or servicing of the equipment, Tait
International Limited reserves the right to update the
equipment or this document or both without
prior notice.
Intellectual Property Rights
This product may also be made under license under one
or more of the following patents:
- US7203207, AU2004246135, CA2527142,
GB2418107, HK1082608, MY134526, US8306071
- US7339917, AU2004246136, CA2526926,
GB2418812, MY134217
- US7499441, AU2005262626, CA2570441,
GB2430333, JP4690397, NZ551231, KR100869043,
RU2351080, BRP10512052, MXPA06015241
- US 7200129, AU2005226531, CA2558551,
CN1930809, GB2429378, JP4351720, BRP10508671,
NZ549124, KR848483, RU2321952
Environmental Responsibilities
Tait International Limited is an
environmentally responsible company
which supports waste minimization,
material recovery and restrictions in the
use of hazardous materials.
The European Union’s Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Directive requires that this product be disposed of
separately from the general waste stream when its
service life is over. For more information about how to
dispose of your unwanted Tait product, visit the Tait
WEEE website at www.taitcommunications.com/our-
resources/compliance#WEEE. Please be
environmentally responsible and dispose through the
original supplier, or contact Tait International Limited.
Tait International Limited also complies with the
Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances
in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS)
Directive in the European Union.
We will comply with environmental requirements in
other markets as they are introduced.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual 3
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Scope of Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Associated Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Publication Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
1.1 Series 2 and Series 1 Reciters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.1.1 Identifying a Series 2 Reciter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.1.2 New Reciters and Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.1.3 Firmware Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2 Firmware Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2.1 Base Station Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.3 Firmware Application Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.3.1 P25/AS-IP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.3.2 DMR/MPT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.4 Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.5 Mechanical Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.6 Frequency Bands and Sub-bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.7 Licences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.7.1 Compatibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.7.2 Feature Licences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.8 Theory of Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.8.1 Signal Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.8.2 Online and Offline Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.8.3 Intermodule Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1.8.4 Power Management and Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
1.8.5 PMU Operation on DC Input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
1.8.6 Front Panel Fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2 General Safety and Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.1 Personal Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.1.1 Unpacking and Moving the Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.1.2 Lethal Voltages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.1.3 AC Power Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.1.4 Explosive Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.1.5 High Temperatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.1.6 LED Safety (EN60825-1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.1.7 Proximity to RF Transmissions / A proximité des émissions RF . . . . . 40
2.2 Equipment Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.1 Installation and Servicing Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.2 Preventing Damage to the PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.3 ESD Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.4 Anti-tampering Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

4TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
2.3 Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.3.1 Operating Temperature Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.3.2 Humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.3.3 Dust and Dirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.4 Regulatory Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4.1 Distress Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4.2 Compliance Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4.3 FCC Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4.4 Unauthorized Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.1 Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2 Module Indicator LEDs and Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.2.1 Reciter and Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
3.2.2 PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
3.2.3 PMU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.1.1 Equipment Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.1.2 Grounding and Lightning Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.1.3 Equipment Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.1.4 Ambient Temperature Sensor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.1.5 Cabinet and Rack Ventilation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
4.2 Unpacking and Moving the Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
4.3 Identifying the Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
4.4 Initial Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4.4.1 Confirming Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4.4.2 Working with Configurations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
4.4.3 Customizing the Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4.4.4 Recommended Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
4.4.5 Restricted Port Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.4.6 Changing the Root Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
4.4.7 Tuning the Reciter and Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.5 Installing the Base Station on Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.5.1 General Installation Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
4.5.2 Equipment Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
4.5.3 Mounting the Subrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.6 Connecting Up the Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4.6.1 Connection Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4.6.2 Connecting AC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
4.6.3 Connecting DC Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
4.6.4 Connecting the Auxiliary DC Power Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
4.6.5 Connecting RF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
4.6.6 Connecting an External Frequency Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
4.6.7 Connecting a 1PPS Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
4.6.8 Ethernet Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
4.6.9 Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
4.6.10 Setting Up Simplex Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual 5
© Tait International Limited April 2022
5 Working with Base Stations from Your PC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5.1 PC Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5.2 Connecting your PC to the Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5.2.1 Logging In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5.2.2 Setting the IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
5.2.3 Security Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
5.2.4 Local Connection to a Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
5.2.5 Troubleshooting Connection Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5.2.6 Finding a Lost or Forgotten IP Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
5.2.7 Setting Up Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5.3 Working with the Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
5.3.1 Monitoring Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
5.3.2 Troubleshooting Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
5.3.3 Viewing Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
5.3.4 Viewing the Base Station and Network Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
5.4 Basic Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.4.1 User Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.4.2 Taking the Base Station Offline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.4.3 Troubleshooting Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
5.4.4 Disabling the Front Panel Keypad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
5.4.5 Uploading New Audio Files for Announcement Tones . . . . . . . . . . . 101
5.4.6 Updating Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
5.4.7 Firmware upload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
5.4.8 Downloading Firmware from a Package Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
5.4.9 Activating New Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
5.4.10 Switching Application Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
5.4.11 Working with Configuration Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
5.4.12 Setting Up Custom Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
5.4.13 Subaudible Signaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
5.4.14 Checking for Interference on a Receive Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
5.4.15 Marshaling or Transmit Delay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
5.4.16 Uploading Firmware to the Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
5.4.17 SNMP Network Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
5.4.18 Configuring Single Base Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
5.4.19 Configuring Receive-Only Base Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
5.4.20 Configuring Base Stations in a Channel Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
6 Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
7 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
8 Replacing Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
8.1 Saving the Base Station Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
8.2 Preliminary Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
8.3 Replacing a Reciter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
8.4 Replacing a Power Amplifier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
8.5 Replacing a Power Management Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
8.6 Replacing the Module Guide Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
8.7 Replacing the Subrack Interconnect Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
8.8 Final Reassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

6TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Appendix A Interface Pin Allocations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
System Interface Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Ethernet Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
PMU Auxiliary DC Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Appendix B Inter-Module Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Dual 50W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Single 50W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
100W Base Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Appendix C Identifying Front Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Appendix D TB9400 Cable Kits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Cable Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Appendix E Testing with the TBA0STU Calibration Test Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
CTU Connections and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Available Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Appendix F Installing the Firmware Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Mongoose Installation Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Setting Up a Central Package Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Setting up a Temporary Package Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Simplified EU Declaration of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Preface 7
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Preface
Scope of Manual
This manual provides information on installing and operating the TB9400
base station. It is intended for use by experienced technicians familiar with
installing and operating base station equipment. It also includes
configuration, maintenance and troubleshooting information.
Except where stated otherwise, the information in this manual generally
applies to both standard and receive-only base stations and reciters.
When “reciter” is referred to, this generally applies also to the receiver
(receive-only reciter). References to power amplifiers (PAs) and trans-
mitting obviously do not apply to receive-only equipment.
Unless mentioned specifically, this manual will use the term “base station”
to refer to both base station and repeater.
Document Conventions
The TB9400 base station has a web interface (WebUI) with an accordion
menu on the left side of the screen. “Configure > Base Station > Channels”
means click Configure in the top-level menu, then in the expanded
Configure menu, click Base Station, and finally click on the Channels tab
on that page.
Within this manual, four types of alerts may be given to the reader. The
following paragraphs illustrate each type of alert and its associated symbol.
Warning This alert is used when there is a hazardous situation
which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
Caution This alert is used when there is a hazardous situation which,
if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.
Notice This alert is used to highlight information that is required to
ensure procedures are performed correctly. Incorrectly performed pro-
cedures could result in equipment damage or malfunction.
This icon is used to draw your attention to information that may
improve your understanding of the equipment or procedure.

8 Preface TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Associated Documentation
The following associated documentation for this product is available on the
Tait Partner Portal website (https://partnerinfo.taitcommunications.com).
■TN9300 DMR Tier 2 Conventional Radio Network System Manual
(MNB-00005-xx)
■TN9300 DMR Tier 3 Trunked Radio Network System Manual
(MNB-00003-xx)
■Tait Core Networks Installation and Configuration Manual (MNB-
00012-xx)
■TB9400 Specifications Manual (MBC-00002-xx)
■TN9400 P25 Trunked Network Maintenance Manual (MNC-00001-xx)
■TaitNet P25 Trunked Networks with TB9400 Base Stations System
Manual (MBA-00064-xx)
■P25 and AS-IP Channel Group System Manual (MND-00002-xx)
■Safety and Compliance Information (MBA-00012-xx)
The characters xx represent the issue number of the documentation.
Technical notes are also 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. For more
information contact your regional Tait office.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Preface 9
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Publication Records
Issue Publication Date Description
28 April 2022 Updated for release 3.30
■Minor updates throughout
■Section 2.1.7 Proximity to RF Transmissions / A proximité des
émissions RF updated
■Section 3.2.1 Reciter and Receiver, LED behaviors updated
■Section 5.2.3 Security Certificates updated
■Section 8.6 Replacing the Module Guide Rails, spares kit information
added
■Appendix C Identifying Front Panels, part numbers updated
■Appendix D TB9400 Cable Kits updated
■Appendix E Testing with the TBA0STU Calibration Test Unit added
27 November 2021 Updated for release 3.25
■B1 band replaces B2 and B3
■Section 1.1 Series 2 and Series 1 Reciters added
■BNC goal post adaptor (part number 240-06913-00) added to
Section 4.6.6 Connecting an External Frequency Reference and
Section 4.6.7 Connecting a 1PPS Source
■Section 4.6.9 Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs table
updated
■Section 4.6.9 Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs updated
26 May 2021 General updates for the 3.20 release
Minor updates throughout
“Power Management Unit” on page 19 updated
Section 3.2.1 Reciter and Receiver updated
Section 5.4.13 Subaudible Signaling updated
25 November 2020 General updates for the 3.15 release
Minor updates throughout
Added RSSI output
24 June 2020 General updates for the 3.10 release
Minor updates throughout
Add Series 2 reciter information
Added DFSI Collective Channel content
23 November 2019 General updates for the 3.05 release
Minor updates throughout
DFSI collective channel content
Interoperability between P25/AS-IP and DMR/MPT firmware applications
Updated licences table to include DMR/MPT
Updated firmware upload section
22 July 2019 General updates for the 3.00 release
Added wideband license
Added section on uploading new audio files for announcement tones
Included content regarding ‘SNMP Network Management’
21 March 2019 General updates for the 2.60 release
Added “Connecting General Purpose Inputs and Outputs” section
Added “Appendix D” covering cable kits
SSH information included
Simplex content added
Added configuration content
Added content for uploading and downloading new firmware

10 Preface TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
20 December 2018 General updates for the 2.55 release
Advice for configuring subaudible signaling.
19 July 2018 General updates for the 2.50 release
Addition of B2 band.
Clarified that HH band is nominally 378 - 420. All frequencies can be used
except for the range at 406 - 406.1 (exclusive).
Updated type designators.
Smaller updates throughout.
18 March 2018 General updates for the 2.45 release
Publication Record now shows most recent manual issue at top of table
Added note about fill-in receiver to “8.4 Replacing a Power Amplifier”
Clarified “Bands and Sub-Bands” table
Updated section 5.2.4 “Connecting a Networked PC to a Base Station”
Added site controller table to the “1.6. Licenses” section
HH band is now released as 50W and receive only
17 November 2017 General updates for the 2.40 release.
Added definition of “integral voter” to “Glossary” on page 143
Added solution to Internet Explorer black screen in “Connecting your PC to
the Base Station” on page 86.
Added notice regarding fan operation to “Front Panel Fans” on page 37.
Added information on cancelling a firmware package to “Subaudible
Signaling” on page 108.
Added notice regarding the base station resetting to “Setting the IP
Address” on page 88.
Added new HH band information throughout.
Issue Publication Date Description

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 11
© Tait International Limited April 2022
1 Description
The Tait TB9400 base station is a robust, state-of-the-art digital fixed
station that combines Tait’s proven strengths in reliability, high
performance and modular design with firmware-based configurability and
operation, digital signal processing, and Voice over IP (VoIP) technology.
The TB9400 combines industry-leading digital voice quality with rugged
design specifications and intuitive user interfaces. These products are
designed to meet the needs of the public safety and public service sectors,
and professional radio users.
The ability of the base station to link stations using standard Internet
Protocol communications, and to add features through firmware options,
ensures that DMR and P25 systems designed with the TB9400 are scalable
in both size and functionality.
The base station’s Ethernet interface provides built-in network
connectivity, which allows it to join with other base stations to form a
channel group. This network supports VoIP and remote management of all
base stations via a web browser.
The TB9400 operates as the following:
■An IP connected transceiver in trunked DMR or MPT networks
■An IP connected transceiver in trunked simulcast radio networks
■An IP connected transceiver in non-simulcast multi-site networks
■An IP connected transceiver in digital conventional simulcast networks
■An IP connected repeater in DMR conventional networks
■An analog 600 Ohm connected repeater in an analog conventional
network with CTCSS or DCS subaudible signaling
■An IP connected transceiver in P25 trunked networks
■An IP connected repeater in P25 conventional networks
■P25 Phase 1 FDMA, or 6.25kHz equivalent P25 Phase 2 TDMA
■An IP connected transceiver in analog conventional simulcast networks

12 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
1.1 Series 2 and Series 1 Reciters
Ongoing product improvements have meant that the processor in the reciter
control board has been upgraded with a SMARC (Smart Mobility
ARChitecture) module that provides faster start up times, as well as
capacity for future upgrades.
Due to this hardware change, series 2 reciters require version 3.10 or later
firmware, and cannot be downgraded to earlier firmware. Version 3.10 was
released on 31 July 2020 and production was changed over to series 2
during August 2020.
Series 1 control boards are now out of production.
1.1.1 Identifying a Series 2 Reciter
Series 2 reciters can be identified by the label on the back of the reciter.
Together with the type code and serial number is this graphic indicating
that this is a series 2 reciter:
The WebUI Monitor > Modules > Module Details tab also lists the
hardware version of the reciter:
1.1.2 New Reciters and Repairs
Tait only provides new and replacement series 2 reciters. There is no
further production of series 1 reciters. Repairs needing a new control board
will also use a series 2 control board.

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 13
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Using Series 2
Reciters in an
Existing Channel
Group
If you are adding a new or replacement reciter, Tait strongly recommend
that all the existing series 1 reciters be upgraded to version 3.10 or later, so
that all the reciters in the channel group have the same firmware version.
Failure to do so may lead to problems with channel group operation.
Reciter Repairs
Needing a
Replacement
Control Board
Series 1 reciter repairs needing a new control board will be returned as
series 2 reciters running version 3.10 or later firmware. Returned
equipment will include a notification sticker that this reciter is now series
2 and warns of possible channel group compatibility issues with reciters in
the network running older firmware.
1.1.3 Firmware Information
Series 2 reciters can only run on version 3.10 and later firmware. There are
now separate firmware packages for series 1 and series 2 reciters as they
run different processors.
Upgrading from a PC using Mongoose as the local feed server from version
3.05 or earlier will display 2 versions for version 3.10 and later. The
version ending in ‘-02’ is series 2 reciter firmware:
Attempting to download -02 firmware to a series 1 reciter will fail, with a
status of ‘Error’ within a few seconds.
Upgrading from a PC using Mongoose as the local feed server with a reciter
running version 3.10 will select the correct firmware package for the reciter
automatically. The list of firmware presented in the lower section is filtered
by the P25/AS-IP, DMR/MPT or All radio buttons at the top of the Tools >
Firmware > Upload/Download tab WebUI page.
If you are using the direct firmware upload option, the series 1 firmware
file has the suffix .tbc and series 2 has the suffix .tbc02. File selection
has a filter for the correct file extension.
Uploading the incorrect firmware version for the series of reciter will fail
with the message ‘Information Failed Configuration’ in the Direct upload
section.
1.2 Firmware Applications
The TB9400 is interoperable with both TB7300 and TB9300 base stations,
and therefore operates in both P25/AS-IP and DMR/MPT networks.

14 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
1.2.1 Base Station Features
The following are lists of base station features available in both P25/AS-IP
and DMR/MPT firmware and non-specific applications:
P25/AS-IP ■Fully compliant with the P25 Common Air Interface. Can therefore
interoperate with any similarly compliant radios.
■Supports P25 Phase 1 operation with either C4FM or LSM modulation
on the transmitter
■Supports P25 Phase 2 operation
■Supports simulcast operation with P25 phase 1
■Analog conventional repeater operation
■Analog conventional simulcast operation on an IP backbone requiring
no audio calibration or training
■Integrated built-in voting facility, no external voter is needed
■Simplex operation with antenna delay
DMR/MPT ■Fully compliant with the DMR conventional (Tier 2) and trunked
(Tier 3) standards. They can therefore interoperate with any similarly
compliant radios.
■Analog conventional repeater operation
■MPT operation as a control or traffic channel transceiver in an MPT-IP
network, including standalone operation
■Digital simulcast operation
■Support for an analog, 600 Ohm connected repeater in an analog
conventional network with CTCSS or DCS subaudible signaling
■Simplex operation with antenna delay
Simplex operation applies to analog conventional operation only. DMR
operation does not support simplex.
Non-Application
Specific ■Configuration, alarm monitoring, fault diagnosis, syslog capture, and
feature and firmware upgrades can be managed remotely from a PC
running a web browser. Alarms can be reported via SNMP traps,
allowing integration with an SNMP-based network management
system.
■An integrated wiring solution is provided for the system control bus and
DC power connections to each module in the subrack
■Reciters (receiver/exciter modules) can be replaced without affecting
the operation of other reciters in the same subrack
■Rugged construction with generous heatsinks and fan-forced cooling
for continuous operation from – 30° C to + 60° C (– 22° F to + 140° F)

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 15
© Tait International Limited April 2022
1.3 Firmware Application Details
1.3.1 P25/AS-IP
The TB9400 is designed for operation as a transceiver in P25 trunked and
trunked simulcast (Phase 1 or Phase 2), P25 conventional networks and
analog conventional networks. It operates as a stand-alone base station, or
as part of a channel group, providing receiver voting and simulcast
transmission. All air interfaces and system types support simulcast
operation.
In a trunked simulcast network, the transmitters in the channel group are
synchronized and transmit simultaneously on the same frequency. Each
transmitter needs a highly accurate 1PPS pulse and an external frequency
reference, so that it can time transmissions with the required accuracy. Also
required is an NTP source that is derived from the same source as the 1PPS
signal. This will ensure a common timestamp in logs across all units in the
system. An external frequency reference, along with an NTP source and
1PPS signal derived from the same GPS source, are also essential for all
reciters for P25 Phase 2 operation.
Dispatch connection is via three distinct interfaces:
■P25 standard DFSI connection (up to three connections simultaneously)
■Analog line
■Tait P25 Console Gateway, supporting conversion between P25 and
analog consoles with MDC1200 signaling
In an analog conventional network, the base station can operate as a
repeater with CTCSS or DCS subaudible signaling.
The base station can also operate as part of an analog conventional
simulcast network and is fully IP-connected. The base station also features
an internally integrated voter, and therefore requires no external voter.
The base station can be provided as a receive-only variant in systems that
need sites to enhance the receive coverage. The receiver module in a
receive-only base station is physically unable to transmit.
With P25/AS-IP operation, channel groups can comprise a mixture of
base station types. TB9400 and TB7300 base stations are fully compat-
ible and have identical timing in simulcast operation.

16 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
For more information on these applications, refer to the Help and
appropriate Tait System Manual. See “Associated Documentation”.
1.3.2 DMR/MPT
In a DMR conventional network, the base station can operate as a stand-
alone repeater, or as a member of a multi-site system (under the supervision
of a DMR conventional channel controller). Since DMR provides two
concurrent logical channels (timeslots) for each radio frequency (physical
channel), the same frequency can be accessed simultaneously, one in each
timeslot. Base stations on different sites can be linked together to form
channel groups. A base station can support two channel groups, one in each
timeslot.
In a DMR trunked network, the base station can operate as a traffic channel
or a control channel. With two logical channels for each radio frequency, a
single base station can provide two traffic channels, two control channels,
or both a traffic channel and a control channel.
In an MPT network, the base station operates as a control channel or as a
traffic channel. The base station operates with a trunking node or in
fallback operation. MPT fallback provides trunking and conventional
operation.
In analog operation, the base station operates as a conventional repeater
with CTCSS or DCS subaudible signaling.
With DMR/MPT operation, channel groups can comprise a mixture of
base station types. TB9400, TB7300 and TB9300 base stations are fully
compatible and have identical timing in simulcast operation.
For more information, refer to the DMR System Manual (MNB-00010-xx).

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 17
© Tait International Limited April 2022
1.4 Modules
The base station consists of a subrack with up to two transmit/receive
channels, or up to four receive-only channels.
The single PMU (power management unit) supplies and manages power to
the whole subrack (refer to “Theory of Operation” on page 28). One reciter
and one PA (power amplifier) are needed for each transmit/receive channel.
There is also a front panel with user controls and fans. The modules are
interconnected at the front of the subrack. External connections to the
modules are located at the rear.
Modules come in variants depending, for example, on the RF band or the
supply voltage.
Each module is inserted into the 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 sections provide brief descriptions of the base station
modules.
Subrack The 4U subrack is made of passivated steel and is designed to fit into a
standard 19 inch rack or cabinet. The subrack is fitted with an interconnect
board that connects the system control bus and power to the modules and
front panel. A module’s position in the subrack is defined by the associated
interconnect board socket, which connects the module to the system
control bus.

18 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Front Panel The front panel is mounted onto the subrack with two quick-release
fasteners. It incorporates the indicator LEDs, four-line LCD display, user
controls, an ambient temperature sensor, and cooling fans.
The indicator LEDS allow some monitoring of the operational status of the
base station. The user controls and display allow the technician to
configure the IP address of each module. Refer to “Front Panel” on page 44
for more information.
The base stations have different front panel ducting arrangements
depending on PA type and power. Front panels may not be interchange-
able.
The microphone input and speaker are not currently used.
Reciter The reciter module comprises the receiver, exciter and digital control
circuitry. The reciter provides the Ethernet interface and system inputs and
outputs.
Receiver modules (receive-only reciters) are not fitted with the transmit
circuitry or front panel SMA connectors, and are physically unable to
transmit.
reciter receiver

TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual Description 19
© Tait International Limited April 2022
Power Amplifier The PA amplifies the RF output from the reciter and is available in 50W
and 100W models.
The 50W model mounts 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.
Both models are designed to operate on the 28VDC output provided by the
PMU. PAs are not required in a receive-only base station.
PowerManagement
Unit The PMU provides the 28VDC
power supply for the modules in the
subrack. It can operate on
120/230VAC 50/60Hz nominal, and
12, 24 or 48VDC nominal. The input
voltage can be AC, DC, or both AC
and DC, depending on the model. The
PMU also has an auxiliary DC output
of 13.65VDC, 27.3VDC, or
54.6VDC, depending on the model.
Notice Note that, from December 2020, new PMUs change to differ-
ent CPU and firmware from previously. The new PMU hardware is
identified as v1.01. The new PMU design is functionally identical to the
previous hardware v1.00. The new PMU firmware version is 1.00.00,
but to remain compatible with older base station firmware, reports ver-
sion 3.16. PMU versioning is summarized in the table below:
50W PA 100W PA
PMU Hardware PMU Firmware Reported as (bs fw 3.10 and
earlier)
Reported as
(bs fw 3.15 and
later)
1.00 3.16 3.16 3.16
1.01 1.00.00 3.16 (for
compatibility) 1.00.00
AC and DC PMU shown

20 Description TB9400 Installation and Operation Manual
© Tait International Limited April 2022
To identify the hardware version of the PMU, refer to the compliance
label located at the rear of the module, which will contain the following
text: PMU HW x.xx, where x.xx is either 1.00 or 1.01 (modules sent in
for repair needing a replacement control board will have an additional
label applied to the rear containing the hardware ID).