Utilicom LongRanger 2050 User manual

SPREAD SPECTRUM COMMUNICATIONS
U
TILI O
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LongRanger 2050
Operator’s Manual
PRELIMINARY
18 October 1999

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual ii
FCC Notice
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide rea-
sonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equip-
ment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio com-
munications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particu-
lar installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved in writing by Utilicom Inc. may void the
user’s authority to operate this equipment. Utilicom can not accept any financial or other
responsibilities that may be the result of your use of this information, including direct, indi-
rect, special, or consequential damages. There are no warranties extended or granted by
this document. Refer to separate warranty documents for product warranty coverage and
specifics.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................1
2 SPECIFICATIONS...............................................................................................................................2
3 INDOOR UNIT.....................................................................................................................................3
3.1 FRONT PANEL ..................................................................................................................................3
3.2 REAR PANEL....................................................................................................................................4
4 OUTDOOR UNIT.................................................................................................................................6
5 INITIAL INSTALLATION.................................................................................................................7
6 COMMANDS........................................................................................................................................8
6.1 COMMAND SYNTAX .........................................................................................................................9
6.2 RADIO CONFIGURATIONS...............................................................................................................10
6.3 EDIT CONFIGURATION COMMANDS ................................................................................................11
6.4 CONSOLE REDIRECTION COMMANDS.............................................................................................15
6.5 RADIO TEST AND MONITORING COMMANDS .................................................................................16
6.6 MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS........................................................................................................17

1INTRODUCTION
The LongRanger 2050 is a Spread Spectrum radio operating in the “Industrial Scientific and
Medical” (ISM) band from 2.400GHz to 2.4835 GHz. It provide a wireless, synchronous full
duplex, point to point communications at a variety of speeds up to 768 Kbps. Spread Spectrum
technology allows operation without a license with output power of up to 28 dBm.
The LongRanger 2050 architecture separates the radio into two distinct sections: an Indoor Unit
that interfaces with the user equipment, and a watertight Outdoor Unit, which is typically
mounted in close proximity to the antenna. The two units are connected with a single coaxial
cable, carrying the following signals:
1. DC voltage to power up the Outdoor Unit.
2. Reference frequency for the Outdoor Unit frequency synthesizer.
3. Encoded control signals to select the transmit/receive channels, calibration and built in test
functions of the outdoor unit.
4. Intermediate Frequency (transmit and receive))
The cable connecting the Indoor and Outdoor unit can be an inexpensive coaxial cable since the
Intermediate Frequency in the cable operates at 325 MHz.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 2
2SPECIFICATIONS
RF Specifications
RF Frequency Band 2.400GHz to 2.4835 GHz
RF Signal Bandwidth 13.8 MHz
RF Channels Center frequency programmable in 512 KHz steps
Transmitter Output Power Up to 28 dBm (programmable)
Modulation Type BPSK or QPSK (programmable), direct sequence spread spectrum
PN Code rate 9.216 Mchip/sec
PN Code Lengths 11, 15, 31 or 63 (programmable)
RF Data Rates (one way) 146 Kbps to 1676 Kbps (see table below)
Receiver Sensitivity (10-6 BER) -95 dBm (@ 146 Kpbs)
-84 dBm (@ 1676 Kbps)
Transmit/Receive Turnaround < 150 us
Data Interfaces
Command Port RS-232 (DE9 connector)
Primary Serial Data Port RS-232/EIA530/V.35 (DB25 connector)
Ethernet Port 10 BaseT
Echelon LONWORKS RJ-45 Connector
Diagnostic Port RS-232 (DE9 internal connector)
Power Requirements
Input Voltage +9 to +16 Volts DC (External AC adapter available)
Power Consumption 15 Watts maximum
Operating Temperature -40 to +70 Degrees C
Mechanical:
Indoor Unit Dimensions 6.8” wide x 2.3” high x 8.3” deep
Indoor Unit Weight 40 oz.
Up/Down Converter Dimensions 5.9” diameter x 1.75” high
Up/Down Converter Weight 48 oz.
One Way RF Data Rates (Kbps)
PN Code Length
11 15 31 63
BPSK 838 614 297 146
QPSK 1676 1229

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 3
3INDOOR UNIT
3.1 Front Panel
The LongRanger 2050 front panel is shown in the figure below. The front panel includes fifteen
Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) described in the following table.
Front Panel LED’s
LED Color Function
POWER Green Lights up when the unit power is applied to the power connector
LINK Green Indicates that the RF link and data link to the user Data Terminal
Equipment is active and operational.
ALARM Red When lit indicates that an alarm condition (link dropped) has
occurred. It can be cleared with a console command.
RADIO Tx Amber Lights up when the radio is transmitting over RF
RADIO Rx Green Lights up when the radio is receiving over RF
SERIAL Tx Amber Lights up when data is being output by the radio over the Data port
in the radio rear panel
SERIAL Rx Green Lights up when data is being received by the radio over the Data
port in the radio rear panel
ANTENNA A Green Indicates that the radio is currently utilizing the antenna A port in
the Outdoor Unit
ANTENNA B Green Indicates that the radio is currently utilizing the antenna B port in
the Outdoor Unit

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 4
3.2 Rear Panel
The LongRanger 2050 rear panel is shown in the figure below. It includes seven connectors
described in the following table
Indoor Unit Rear Panel Connectors
Connector Type Function
DATA PORT DB25
Female Data port to be connected to the Data Terminal Equipment. This port can be software configured to operate in RS-232,
EIA-530 or V.35 modes. The pin assignments are standard
Data Communication Equipment (DCE) shown in the
following table.
AUXILIARY
PORT DE9 Female The auxiliary port is used to configure and monitor the radio operation. It operates in RS-232 mode and is wired as a
standard DCE. This port should be connected to a terminal or
a PC running a terminal emulation mode. The baud rate
defaults to 9600 baud.
POWER Power jack to be connected to the external power supply.
ETHERNET RJ45
10 Base T Connection to an Ethernet LAN used for network management purposes.
SYNC BNC Synchronization signal to synchronize the RF transmissions
of collocated units.
OUTDOOR
UNIT TNC Intermediate Frequency and control signals to the Outdoor Unit. It must be connected through a coaxial cable to the
corresponding connector in the Outdoor Unit.
GND Chassis ground to be wired to the Earth ground.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 5
The Data Port connector pin assignments, for each of the programmable modes, is sjhown in the
following table:
Data Port Connector (DB25) Pin Assignments
Pin Assignment
Signal Name Abbr. RS-232 EIA 530 V.35 Direction
Protective Ground GND 1 1 1
Transmitted Data TD 2 (A) 2
(B) 14 (A) 2 (B) 14 DTE to radio
Received Data RD 3 (A) 3
(B) 16 (A) 3 (B) 16 radio to DTE
Request to Send RTS 4 (A) 4
(B) 19 4 DTE to radio
Clear to Send CTS 5 (A) 5
(B) 13 5 radio to DTE
Data Set Ready DSR 6 (A) 6
(B) 22 6 radio to DTE
Signal Ground SG 7 7 7
Carrier Detect CD 8 (A) 8
(B) 10 8 radio to DTE
Synchronous Transmit Clock STC 15 (A) 15
(B) 12 (A) 15 (B) 12 radio to DTE
Synchronous Receive Clock SRC 17 (A) 17
(B) 9 (A) 17 (B) 9 radio to DTE
Data Terminal Ready DTR 20 (A) 20
(B) 23 20 DTE to radio
Synchronous External Clock 24 (A) 24
(B) 11 (A) 24 (B) 11 DTE to radio

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 6
4OUTDOOR UNIT
The Outdoor Unit is a 6 inch diameter round unit with four connectors along its side. The unit is
environmentally sealed and it is intended to be mounted in close proximity to the antenna. Figure
2 shows the outline of the outdoor unit and identifies the four connectors. The unit is typically
mounted with the TNC connector pointing down as shown in the figure.
Outdoor Unit Connectors
Connector Type Use
Antenna A N 2.4 GHz RF connection to the primary antenna. When a single
antenna is used, antenna A is the default.
Indoor Unit TNC Intermediate Frequency and control signals. This must be
connected to an indoor unit using a coaxial cable
Antenna B N 2.4 GHz RF connection to an alternate antenna.
Test BNC Test connector to be used as an antenna alignment aid

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 7
5INITIAL INSTALLATION
The LongRanger 2050 units are shipped pre-configured to operate in synchronous mode at 384
Kbps with internal timing (clocks supplied by the radios). It is recommended to perform the
initial check out on the bench before a field installation. For initial check out perform the
following steps:
1. Connect the Indoor units Auxiliary Port to a terminal, or a PC running a terminal emulation
program. Configure the terminal settings as follows:
Baud rate: 9600
Parity: none
Word length: 8 bits
2. Connect each indoor unit Data Port to the appropriate Data Terminal Equipment.
3. Connect each Indoor Unit to the respective Outdoor Unit using a coaxial cable with male
TNC connectors at both ends.
4. Connect the Outdoor Units Antenna A port (N type connector) to an appropriate 2.4 GHz
band antenna using a coaxial cable.
5. Connect the Indoor Unit power connector to the external power supply. Make sure that the
power supply is rated for the appropriate voltage (110 or 220 Vac).
6. Connect the power supplies to the power outlet.
7. After initial power up, the units output the prompt “local>” to the respective terminals. Set
one radio to the default “factory-master” configuration by typing the following command:
local> apply fm
8. Set the second radio to the default “factory-slave” configuration by typing the following
command:
local> apply fs
9. If there is an RF path between the two units, the RADIO LED’s in both indoor units will light
up indicating that they have established an RF link.
10. The terminal at each end can be used to further modify the radios operating parameters and
monitor the link performance. The following section describes the command language used to
perform those functions.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 8
6COMMANDS
The auxiliary port in the back panel (asynchronous RS-232) is used for issuing configuration
commands and monitor the radio status and performance.
Both the local radio and the remote radio may be configured or monitored. The prompt will read
“local>” or “remote>” to indicate which unit is being configured. Of course, configuring the
remote unit is only possible if an RF link is established.
The “help” command provides a list of all the commands available. To get more detailed help for
a specific command, type “help command-name”. A sample output of the help command, listing
all commands, is shown in the figure below:
The radio keeps a history of several of the previously issued commands. Those commands can be
viewed by pressing the up-arrow and down-arrow keys on the keyboard. Any of those previously
issued commands can then be edited and reentered by pressing the <Carriage Return> key.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 9
6.1 Command syntax
The command interpreter in the LongRanger 2050 is designed to accommodate both a novice as
well as an expert operator. All commands and parameters have descriptive names so that they are
easily remembered and their meaning is clear. In order to be descriptive however, those
commands are sometimes long. As the operator becomes familiar with the command language,
typing the complete words could become cumbersome. The LongRanger command interpreter
recognizes any abbreviations to commands and parameter names, as long as they are
unambiguous. If an ambiguous command is entered, the radio will output all possible choices.
Commands have the following generic form:
command parameter=value parameter=value
Following is a brief list of syntax rules:
•Words (for commands, parameters, or values) can be abbreviated to a point where they are
unambiguous.
•Some commands or parameters consist of compound words separated by an hyphen. With
compound words, the hyphen is optional. Additionally each word in a compound word can
be abbreviated separately. For example, the following are all valid abbreviations for the
command “data-port”: “data”, “datap” d-p” “dp”.
•The parameter and value lists are context sensitive, i.e., in order to solve ambiguities the
command interpreter only considers parameters valid for current command, or values valid
for the current parameter.
•Arguments (parameter/value pairs) can be listed in any order.
•Even though parameters can be listed in any order, there is a “natural” order known by the
command interpreter. This allows the user to specify parameter values without having to type
the parameter names. For example the command
>copy-configuration source=factory-master dest=current
can be entered as (using abbreviation rules as well):
>copy fm cur
•Using the preceding rule, for commands that have a single argument, the “parameter name”
part of the argument is always optional, i.e., you can enter:
>command value
•Not all parameters associated with a command need to be specified. Depending on the
command, when a parameter is omitted it either assumes a default value or keeps the last
value assigned to that parameter.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 10
6.2 Radio Configurations
A “radio configuration” consists of a set of programmable parameters that define the radio
operation with regard to a variety of operating modes. The radio holds five configuration sets at
all times, identified as “current”, alternate”, “working-copy”, “factory-master”, and “factory-
slave”.
The “current” configuration is the set of parameters currently being used. This configuration can
be modified by the operator and is stored in non-volatile memory. On power up the radio reverts
to this configuration.
The “alternate” configuration is a second set of configuration parameters also stored in non-
volatile memory. It is useful for trying out different parameters in the current configuration but
still keeping a known working configuration intact.
The “factory-master” and “factory-slave” are preset configurations that can not be modified by
the operator. They configure two radios in a compatible mode, one as a master and the other as a
slave. They are often useful as a starting point to create a customized configuration.
The “working-copy” configuration is a temporary copy where all the edits are performed. This
configuration is not in non-volatile memory. On power up the working-copy configuration is set
to the “current” configuration.
In order to modify the radio operating parameters, the desired configuration must first be copied
into the “working copy” area. All the edits are performed on this working copy. When the edit is
complete, the working copy can be written to the “current” or “alternate” configurations. When
this is executed, the software performs a number of consistency checks to verify that the
configuration is “legal.”
The commands to manipulate the different configurations are described below
copy-configuration source=xxx destination=xxx
Copies the configuration specified as the source into the one specified as the destination.
Examples:
local> copy-configuration source=factory-master destination=alternate
local> copy fm alt
swap-configuration source=xxx destination=xxx
Swaps the configurations specified as the source and the destination.
Example:
local> swap current alternate
local> sw c a

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 11
open-configuration source=xxx
Copies the specified configuration into the “working-copy” so that it can be edited. If the
source parameter is not specified it defaults to “current”
Example:
local> open alternate
save-configuration destination=xxx
Copies the “working-copy” parameters into the specified configuration
Example:
local> save alternate
apply-configuration source=xxx
Copies the specified configuration into the “current” configuration. If the parameter is not
specified it defaults to the “working-copy”
Example:
local> apply fm
display-configuration source=xxx
Displays all the parameters of the specified configuration
Example:
local> display fac-slave
local> dis fs
6.3 Edit configuration commands
This set of commands modifies the parameters in the “working copy” configuration set. For this
set of commands, when a parameter is omitted, it keeps the last value assigned to that parameter.
data-port
speed=value
Sets the data rate of the synchronous data port in bits per second. Valid values are: 64000,
128000, 192000, 256000, 384000, 512000, 768000.
physical-interface=rs-232 or eia-530 or v.35
Sets the electrical interface of the DB25 data port. The possible values are: rs-232, eia-530
or v.35
clock-source=value

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 12
Specifies the clock source to be used to clock in the transmit data line (pins 2,14), and to
clock out the receive data line (pins 3, 16). It can be specified as one of four values:
internal: The transmit and receive clocks are generated by the local radio. The transmit
clock is output on pins 15 and 12, and the receive clock on pins 17 and 9.
external: The transmit and receive clocks are supplied by the DTE on pins 24 and 11. The
radio drives the transmit and receive clock lines (pins 15,12 and 17,9), with a clock
signal locked to the externally supplied clock.
remote: The transmit and receive clocks are locked to the clock in the remote radio. The
transmit clock is output on pins 15 and 12, and the receive clock on pins 17 and 9.
hybrid: The transmit clock is supplied by the DTE on pins 24 and 11. The receive clock is
locked to the transmit clock of the remote radio.
In a typical link, one radio will have the clock source set to remote and the other radio to
either internal or external. This guarantees that there is a single clock source providing the
timing reference for the links in both directions, therefore avoiding clock slippage.
transmit-clock-polarity=non-invert or invert
Allows to invert the polarity of the transmit clock being output on pins 15 and 12.
receive-clock-polarity=non-invert or invert
Allows to invert the polarity of the receive clock being output on pins 17 and 9.
auxiliary-port
speed=valuer
Sets the data rate of the asynchronous auxiliary port in bits per second. Valid values are all
the common baud rates from 300 to 115200.
data-bits=7 or 8
Sets the number of data bits per character. Valid values are 7 or 8.
parity= none, even or odd
Sets the parity mode in the auxiliary port to none, even or odd.
stop-bits=1 or 2
Sets the number of stop bits to 1 or 2.
rf-receive
channel=number

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 13
Sets the radio frequency channel for RF receive. The valid channel numbers range from 5
to 50. Channel 5 corresponds to 2407.78 MHz and channel 50 to 2476.90 MHz. Channels
are spaced 1536 KHz apar (see table below).
pn-code=number
Selects one of the pre-programmed pseudo-noise spreading codes from 1 to 6. The number
of different spreading codes available depends on the spreading code length specified with
the rf-speed command as follows:
PN code length 63 31 15 11
Number of codes 6 6 2 1
antenna=a or b
Selects the antenna port in the Outdoor Unit to be used during RF receive.
address=number
Specifies the radio local address for the RF link. Its value can range from 0 to 65536. The
address value can be entered in hexadecimal format by preceding it with 0x. If the address
is specified as all ones (0xFFFF), the radio will accept all RF packets irrespective of the
packet address.
rf-transmit
channel=number
Sets the radio frequency channel for RF receive. The valid channel numbers range from 5
to 50. Channel 5 corresponds to 2407.78 MHz and channel 50 to 2476.90 MHz. Channels
are spaced 1536 KHz apar (see table below).
pn-code=number
Selects one of the pre-programmed pseudo-noise spreading codes from 1 to 6. The number
of different spreading codes available depends on the spreading code length specified with
the rf-speed command as follows:
PN code length 63 31 15 11
Number of codes 6 6 2 1
antenna=a or b
Selects the antenna port in the Outdoor Unit to be used during RF transmissions
address=number

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 14
Specifies the destination address inserted in each packet. Its value can range from 0 to
65536. The address value can be entered in hexadecimal format by preceding it with 0x.
The address value of all ones (0xFFFF) is interpreted as a broadcast address and will be
accepted by all radios.
power=number
Specifies the transmit output power in dBm. The number entered can range from 0 to 28
dBm in steps of two (if an odd value is specified, it will be accepted but the power level
will be 1 dB less than specified).
rf-both
This command allows to modify the parameters that are common to the RF transmit and
receive with a single command. The valid parameters are: channel, pn-code, antenna, and
address. Refer to the previous two commands for a description of each parameter.
rf-speed
There is normally no need for the user to change the rf-speed parameters. As long as the
automatic rf-speed mode is turned ON, the radio will adjust the spreading code length and the
modulation values to provide adequate RF bandwidth for the desired user data rate.
pn-length=number
Specifies the spreading code length to be used in the spreading process. The valid numbers
are 11, 15, 31 or 63.
modulation=bpsk or qpsk
Specifies the modulation type to be used in the RF process. The combination of the PN
code length and the modulation type result in specific data rates over RF.
secondary-speed=value
Reserves the specified data rate for the secondary data transmitted over RF. The secondary
data is used to monitor and configure the remote unit. The default value of 1200 bits per
second is adequate for that purpose.
automatic=1 or 0 (on or off)
When turned on, the RF speed parameters (pn code length and modulation) are
automatically adjusted by the radio to provide enough RF throughput for the full duplex
data rate specified for the data port.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 15
tdd
synchronization=master or slave
For a radio link to work in Time Division Duplex, one radio needs to be configured as a
master and the other radio as a slave. The slave radio synchronizes its RF transmissions to
the timing of the master radio.
cycle-time=value
Specifies the length of the time division duplex cycle in milliseconds. A cycle consists of a
transmission of a packet followed by a reception. The end to end delay of the synchronous
data is approximately ¾ of the cycle time. Valid values range from 8 to 40.
loopback
mode=value
Specifies a loopback mode used for testing. Valid values are the following:
off: loopback is turned off. This is the normal operation
input-data: the Transmit Data input in pins 2 and 14 is looped back out as receive data
(pins 3, 16).
base-unit: The transmit data is looped back internally in the indoor unit, after the
spreading operation. The data is output as the receive data (pins 3 and 16).
output-data: The receive data output in pins 3, 16 is looped back as input transmit data.
The data driven by the DTE into pins 2 and 14 is ignored.
6.4 Console Redirection Commands
In an operating radio link, it is possible to monitor and configure the remote radio from the other
end of the link. The command prompt indicates which radio the commands will be directed to
(“local>” or “remote>”). The commands “local” and “remote” can be used to change that status:
remote
This command can be issued when the current prompt reads “local>”. If there is a link
established with the remote radio the prompt will change to “remote>” and any subsequent
commands will be directed to the remote radio. If there is no link established to the remote
radio, the command will timeout and the “local>” prompt reappears.
local
This command can be issued when the current prompt reads “remote>”. The prompt will
change to “local>”, and any subsequent commands will be interpreted by the local radio.

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 16
When changing radio operating parameters that break the link, you must always “apply” the
changes to the remote radio first. For example, changing the link to another channel, can be
performed with the following sequence:
local> remote
remote> open (opens the “current” configuration)
remote> rf-both channel=30
remote> apply
(The “apply” command above breaks the link. The local radio will now timeout and revert to the
local mode).
local> open
local> rf-both channel=30
local> apply
The link is now reestablished on channel 30. Note that the three commands issued to the local
radio are identical to the ones issued to the remote. Those commands can be accessed through the
up-arrow key as an alternative to retyping them.
6.5 Radio Test and Monitoring Commands
rssi channel=number
This command monitors and reports, twice a second, the Received Signal Strength on the
specified channel. If the channel is not specified, it defaults to the current receive channel.
Press any key to revert back to normal operation. While monitoring the RSSI, the RF link to
the remote radio is not maintained. In order to monitor the RSSI on the current channel,
without breaking the link, use the command “monitor-link”
monitor-link
This command reports, twice a second, the current transmit power and receive signal strength
for each of the Outbound and Inbound links.
spectrum-analysis
display=graph or table
test-oscillator=0 or 1 (off or on)
dwell-time=0..1000
This command performs a scan of all the channels in the band, dwelling on each channel for
the specified amount of time (defaults to 20 milliseconds). While on each channel it

LongRanger 2050 Operator’s Manual 17
measures the RSSI for that channel and stores its peak valuel. It then displays the data
collected in a graphical or table formats (defaults to “graph”).
The Outdoor Unit contains a test oscillator that may be turned on during this test. Running
the spectrum analysis with the test oscillator on is useful to check the health of the local
radio.
ber-test
This command performs two functions:
1. The data from the DTE being input at the data port is replaced with a 511 Bit Error Rate
pattern which is transmitted over RF.
2. The data being received over RF and output to the DTE through the data port is checked
to match the 511 Bit Error Rate pattern. The radio outputs a line, twice a second, with
the results of this check.
In order to test a two way link using this command, you must first set the remote radio in
loopback mode by performing the following steps:
local> remote
remote> open
remote> loopback output-data
remote> apply
remote> local
local> ber-test
At the end of the test, remember to turn off the loopback mode in the remote radio.
6.6 Miscellaneous commands
version
Displays the radio model and software version.
history
Displays the previous commands entered through the console port.
help [command-name]
If no command is specified, displays the complete list of commands. If a command is
specified it displays the valid parameter and corresponding values for that specific command.