Tekron TCG 01 User manual

TCG 01
TIME CODE GENERATOR
User Manual
9th Edition

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Page 2 of 49

TCG-01
Time Code Generator
User Manual
9th Edition
February 2007
This document supports all TCG-01 with firmware revision D1—D8
R
Revision History:
R4 For 0, A-B TCG-01
R5 For 0, A-B and C4-C7 TCG-01
R6 All C and D up to D1 version TCG-01
R7 All C and D up to D1 version TCG-01
R8 All C and D up to D4 version TCG-01
R9 (This document) For D up to and including D8 version TCG-01

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
2 INSTALLATION ......................................................................................................2
2.1 Packing list..................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Mounting ....................................................................................................................................... 2
3 OPERATION ............................................................................................................3
4 FRONT PANEL........................................................................................................3
4.1 LCD Display ................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 Front Panel LED Indicators: ...................................................................................................... 6
5 CONNECTIONS......................................................................................................7
5.1 P1: Power Input .......................................................................................................................... 7
5.2 Ant: Antenna connector (SMA plug)..................................................................................... 7
5.3 P2, P3: Outputs............................................................................................................................. 8
5.4 P4: RS232 I/O (Serial port plus programmable output) ................................................ 9
5.5 Earth stud.....................................................................................................................................10
5.6 P5: BNC output .........................................................................................................................10
5.7 P6: Event Recording Inputs or External Sync Input........................................................ 11
5.8 P7: Sync Relay .............................................................................................................................11
5.9 P8: NTS – network time-server (optional).........................................................................12
6 SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................13
6.1 Dimensions .................................................................................................................................. 13
6.2 Identification............................................................................................................................... 13
6.3 Programmable outputs (P2, P3, P4-pin1) .........................................................................13
6.4 Isolation & Protection ..............................................................................................................14
7 FACTORY HARDWARE OPTIONS...................................................................15
7.1 TCG 01 High Voltage Output Option .................................................................................15
7.2 Power Supply Options .............................................................................................................16
7.3 Lightning Protection Option .................................................................................................16
7.4 Multi-port Hub Option............................................................................................................ 16
8 TCG 01 CONFIGURATION SOFTWARE.........................................................17
8.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 17
8.2 Local Time Settings................................................................................................................... 18
8.3 General Options .........................................................................................................................18
8.4 Programmable Outputs........................................................................................................... 20
8.5 IRIG-B Options ........................................................................................................................... 22

TCG 01 User Manual
9th Edition: February 2007
8.6 Local/UTC Selection ................................................................................................................. 22
8.7 Network Time Server Configuration................................................................................... 23
8.8 Visible Satellites......................................................................................................................... 23
APPENDIX A ANTENNA DETAILS ........................................................................25
A.1 Antenna Cable Specification ................................................................................................. 25
A.2 Antenna Specification ............................................................................................................. 26
A.3 Antenna Assembly.................................................................................................................... 26
APPENDIX B LIGHTNING PROTECTION OPTION...........................................28
B.1 General ......................................................................................................................................... 28
B.2 LPK01 Kit Contents...................................................................................................................28
B.3 Installation................................................................................................................................... 29
B.4 Disclaimer .................................................................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX C EVENT TIME-TAGGING OPTION ................................................32
C.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 32
C.2 TCG 01 Command / Response Message structure ......................................................... 33
C.3 TCG 01 Commands related to Event Time Tagging ...................................................... 33
APPENDIX D NETWORK TIME SERVER OPTION .............................................36
D.1 Configuration Requirements................................................................................................. 36
D.2 Methods for Accessing Set-Up Mode ................................................................................ 36
D.3 Using Telnet to access Set-Up Mode.................................................................................. 37
D.4 NTS Set-Up Mode Menu ........................................................................................................ 38
D.5 Time Server Operation ............................................................................................................ 40
APPENDIX E SERIAL OUTPUT STRINGS.............................................................42
E.1 NGTS Time Code O/P on P4.................................................................................................. 42
E.2 IRIG J-17 Time Code O/P on P4 ........................................................................................... 42
E.3 String-A Time Code O/P on P4 ............................................................................................ 43
E.4 String-B Time Code O/P on P4............................................................................................. 43
E.5 String-C Time Code O/P on P4............................................................................................. 44
E.6 String-D Time Code O/P on P4 ............................................................................................ 44
E.7 String-E Time Code O/P on P4 ............................................................................................. 45
E.8 String-F Time Code O/P on P4 ............................................................................................. 45
E.9 NMEA ZDA Time Code O/P on P4....................................................................................... 46
E.10 NMEA RMC Time Code O/P on P4...................................................................................... 47
WARRANTY STATEMENT..........................................................................................48

TCG 01 User Manual
9th Edition: February 2007
Page 1 of 49
1INTRODUCTION
TCG 01 Time Code Generators produce precision time code signals, serial strings and
pulses for use in synchronising industrial control and SCADA equipment. They are ideally
suited to providing time synchronisation simultaneously to many different devices, such
as Remote telemetry Units (RTUs), Protection Relays and other Intelligent Electronic
Devices (IEDs) used in electrical sub-stations and industrial control installations.
The TCG 01 features one AM Modulated IRIG-B output, three programmable outputs
and a serial port which is user-configurable to output serial strings and report events for
units fitted with event recording capability. Factory options include an embedded
Network Time Server, and a choice of output connectors: BNC, 2-pin plug, or ST Fibre.
Non-fibre outputs that can be ordered are TTL, RS422, or high voltage switching.
All TCG 01 units feature a front panel display, giving visual feedback about the time data
being generated on the outputs. LED indicators provide “at a glance” status information.
F
Figure 1 – TCG-01 Front Panel
The optimised receiver/antenna system used by TCG 01 obtains time with similar to
atomic clock precision from the GPS satellite constellation. The result is output timing
accuracy similar to that normally seen only in laboratory instruments.
However, unlike laboratory instruments, TCG 01 is suited for hostile electromagnetic
environments such as sub-stations and electrical switchyards. Each output of the TCG 01
is isolated from every other output, so that attached wiring can feed out to operating
areas in different earth potential zones without compromising the overall site earthing
security. Further isolation protects the internal electronics, and transient suppression
devices protect i/o from both longitudinal and transverse high voltage events.
TCG-01 occupies less than half the width of a 1U rack space. It is supplied complete with
all hardware and software required for installation, including rack-mount kit, connectors,
30m lead-in antenna cable, and antenna.

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Page 2 of 49
2INSTALLATION
2.1 Packing list
Each TCG 01 kit is shipped with the following:
xTCG 01 Time code generator
xUser Manual – this document
xGPS Antenna optimised for stationary applications, with pedestal for pipe mount
xAntenna lead-in cable fitted with matching connectors
x19” Rack mounting Plate & fasteners
xMatching plug-in connectors
xRS232 Interface cable
xConfiguration Software
2.2 Mounting
The clock is designed to be mounted in a 19” rack, but may be used on a bench. The
unit is attached to the rack mount plate via the four screws shipped installed in the four
corners of the front panel.
G
GPS Antenna:
Detailed antenna mounting instructions are contained in Appendix A on
page 25. The antenna should be located in a position with as clear a view of the sky as
possible, over as wide an angle as possible.
The antenna should also be mounted in a
“lightning-protected zone” as far as is possible.
In practice, this means ensuring that
there is at least one other earth-bonded structure located in the same rooftop area (e.g.
another antenna, or a lightning rod) that reaches significantly higher than the top of the
GPS antenna. The GPS Antenna should be mounted so that it lies within a 45-degree
angle “skirt” from the top of the other earth-bonded structure. The GPS antenna mount
itself should also be securely bonded directly to the building protection earth – and
not
connected via any of the other earthed structures.
A lightning protection kit is available for installation in the antenna lead-in cable for
additional protection of the equipment. (See section 7.3 on page 16 for details.)
All TCG 01 antenna installations should follow the guidelines above.

TCG 01 User Manual
9th Edition: February 2007
Page 3 of 49
3OPERATION
Connect the antenna lead and the antenna (with a good view of the sky). Then connect
the power source to P
P1
.
Check the label on the base for voltage requirements before switching on!
The time required that will achieve tracking and synchronisation given a good “view” of
the sky is typically within a minute. Although reactivating a unit that was previously
synchronised 1000’s of km away from the present position will take longer but not more
than 45 minutes.
4FRONT PANEL
Figure 2 – TCG 01 Front Panel
TCG01featurestwoLEDindicatorsonthefront panel, together with a 2-line by 16-
character LCD display. The display is optimised for viewing straight on, or from below, as
the clock is a lightweight device, normally mounted at eye level or higher in an
equipment bay.
LCD DISPLAY:
The display unit updates every second, displaying day, date, time, and time
offset from UTC. It also provides more information on the GPS receiver
operation. A recessed push-button located on the front panel between the
two indicator LED’s is used to switch between display pages.
SYN LED:
This LED operates in parallel with the Sync Relay, and is active at all times
when the unit is operating with time code outputs accurately tracking the
GPS time signals.
GPS LED:
Flashing cadences indicate the status of the GPS receiver.

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Page 4 of 49
4.1 LCD Display
The LCD display shows a copyright message, along with the serial number and revision
level of the unit for approximately 10 seconds following power-up, (Figure 3[a]). The
display then automatically changes to the operating default, (Figure 3[b]). The user may
cycle between all four of the screens by pushing the recessed pushbutton on the front
panel between the LED indicators. The display examples below all show the same instant
in time.
[a] Start Up (Clock ID) [b] Operating Default
[c] Local Time [d] UTC Time
F
Figure 3 – LCD display screens
The top line of screen [b] shows the UTC offset in hours and minutes and the local date.
The local day-of-year and time-of-day are on the bottom line.
The rightmost bottom three characters provide satellite tracking information. “UTC”
denotes UTC time (similar to GMT) while “LST” denotes Local Standard Time. If daylight
savings time is active, “LST” in screen [c] changes to “LDT”, denoting Local Daylight Time.
Screen [b] shows that the clock is operating with a local time offset of 12 hours ahead of
UTC. The local date is 17th March 2003, and the local time is 11:16:53 in the morning.
Screen [c] shows the same time and date, but also indicates that the time displayed is
Local Standard Time, and that the day is Monday.
Screen [d] shows the UTC time and date, which is 11:16:53 on the evening of Sunday 16
March 2003.
UTC+1200 17MAR03
076 11:16:53 87A
UTC:SUN 16 MAR03
075 23:16:53 87A
LST:MON 17 MAR03
076 11:16:53 87A
TEKRON TCG01-D:0
(C)2003 Sn02749