Vega Absolute SI-13 User manual

www.vega-absolute.ru
LoRaWAN Device
VEGA SI-13
User manual

Vega SI-13 / User Manual
2Revision 13 - 23 September 2020
Document Information
Title LoRaWAN Device Vega SI-13
Document type Manual – Translation from Russian
Document number V02-SI13-01
Revision and date 13 - 23 September 2020
This document applies to the following products:
Product line
Product name
End devices Vega SI-13-232
Vega SI-13-485
Revision History
Revision Date Name Comments
01 23.03.2017 KEV Document creation date
02 14.04.2017 KEV Photos were added, minor edits
03 10.05.2017 KEV New photos of the appearance
04 29.05.2017 PKP A little change at the communication protocol
05 21.06.2017 KEV Technical characteristics were changed
06 05.09.2017 KEV Part “Vega LoRaWAN Configurator” was added, and some
additions at the communication protocol
07 23.10.2017 KEV Minor edits
08 04.05.2018 KEV
Edits concerning the field of application with meters with
pulse outputs, minor edits, new illustrations in the “Operation”
part
09 21.12.2018 KEV “Transparent mode operation” and “Marking” parts added,
device AppEui added in specification
10 21.05.2019 KEV Typo in communication protocol fixed in bit field decoding
table – bits 6 and 7
11 14.08.2019 KEV Typo on the 28th page in the ‘5’ packet description
12 06.07.2020 KEV Scheduled revision of the document, minor changes
13 23.09.2020 KEV Device logic changes, new mode for external devices
pooling, changes in the communication protocol

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................................................4
1 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION ............................................................................................................................................5
Device description ....................................................................................................................................................................5
Functional ...................................................................................................................................................................................5
Marking ........................................................................................................................................................................................5
2 SPECIFICATION ..........................................................................................................................................................................7
3 OPERATION.................................................................................................................................................................................8
Contacts ......................................................................................................................................................................................8
Indication ..................................................................................................................................................................................10
Initial startup.............................................................................................................................................................................11
Transparent mode operation................................................................................................................................................12
Independent pooling mode ..................................................................................................................................................12
Connecting via USB ................................................................................................................................................................13
4 VEGA LORAWAN CONFIGURATOR......................................................................................................................................14
Interface of the application ...................................................................................................................................................14
Connection to the device ......................................................................................................................................................15
“Device info” tab ......................................................................................................................................................................16
“LoRaWAN settings” tab .........................................................................................................................................................18
“Vega SI-13” tab .......................................................................................................................................................................22
5 COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL ...........................................................................................................................................25
Vega SI-13 modem transmits the following types of packets........................................................................................25
VEGA SI-13 modem receives packets of the following types ........................................................................................27
6 STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................29
7 CONTENT OF THE PACKAGE ................................................................................................................................................30
8 WARRANTY................................................................................................................................................................................31

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INTRODUCTION
This manual is designated for Vega SI-13-232 and Vega SI-13-485 modems (hereinafter
– the modem) manufactured by Vega-Absolute OOO and provides information on powering
and activation procedure, control commands and functions of the modem.
This manual is targeted at specialists familiar with installation work fundamentals for
electronic and electrical equipment.
To provide the stable radio between the gateway and the end device it is
recommend avoiding the device installation in the places which are barriers
for the radio signal getting through like a reinforced floors and walls, a
basement, an underground facilities and wells, a metal case etc.
The necessary stage for the network deploying including a big quantity of
end devices is a radio planning work with nature experiments
Vega-Absolute OOO reserves the right to make changes to the manual related to the
improvement of equipment and software, as well as to eliminate typos and inaccuracies,
without prior notice.
The current revision of the manual describes the functionality, characteristics and
protocol implemented in the latest firmware version of the device.

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1 DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
DEVICE DESCRIPTION
Vega SI-13 has two design options, varying by data exchange interface:
oVega SI-13-232 with RS-232 interface;
oVega SI-13 -485 with RS-485 interface.
Vega SI-13 modem is designed for counting of pulses incoming to 2 independent
inputs, further accumulating and transmitting of this information via the LoRaWAN protocol to
the gateway through wireless communication within 860-1000 MHz frequency band.
In addition, Vega SI-13 can be used as a security device - all inputs can be configured as
security inputs.
The modem can be used for any utilities’ meters and industrial equipment with RS-232
and RS-485 interfaces or pulse outputs, including water-, electricity-, and heat meters. Vega
SI-13 can work as a wireless modem in the transparent mode or pool meters by itself.
Equipment with NAMUR pulse output is not supported
De-bouncing logics with 5 msec time constant is integrated in the modem. The pulse
counting is carried out for frequencies up to 200 Hz.
The modem is powered by an 8…36 V external power supply.
FUNCTIONAL
Vega SI-13 modem is class C device (LoRaWAN classification) and has the following
features:
oOperation as LoRaWAN <-> RS-232 or LoRaWAN <-> RS-485 wireless modem
oIndependent polling of external equipment by custom commands
oADR support (Adaptive Data Rate)
oSending of confirmed packets (configurable)
oInputs can be switched to «security» mode for connection to external leakage
and safety sensors, etc.
oCommunication in case of security inputs actuation
oTemperature measurement
MARKING
Device marked with sticker that contain the next information:
oDevice model;

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oDevEUI;
oMonth and year of manufacture;
oQR-code containing DevEUI for automatized count.
Sticker located in three places – on device case, in factory certificate and on the packing
box.
Besides, there is an additional sticker located on the packing box and contains:
oInformation about firmware version;
oQR-code containing DevEUI and keys for device registration in network via
OTAA method.

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2 SPECIFICATION
Main
Double-contact digital inputs up to 2
Maximum input frequency
200 Hz
Security inputs up to 2
Interface
RS-232 or RS-485
USB-port
yes
Operating temperatures -40…+85 °С
Built-in temperature sensor
yes
LoRaWAN
LoRaWAN class C
Quantity of LoRaWAN channels 16
Frequency band RU868, EU868, IN865, AS923,
AU915, KR920, US915, KZ865,
custom (EU868 based)
Activation type ABP or OTAA
Communication period 1, 6, 12 or 24 hours
Type of the LoRaWAN antenna internal
Sensitivity -138 dBm
Radio coverage in restrained urban conditions up to 5 km
Radio coverage within line of sight up to 15 km
Transmitter power by default 25 mW (configurable)
Maximum transmitter power 25 mW
Power
External power supply
8…36 V
Case
Housing dimensions 95 х 50 х 45 mm
Ingress protection rating IP65
Mounting clamp fastening to the support,
DIN-rail, wall-mounting

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3 OPERATION
CONTACTS
When connecting a modem to external devices, consider the internal circuitry of its
pulse inputs shown below.
The modem has 10 contacts, see table below:
Contact
Description
-V Power -
+V
Power +
B RS-485 B
A
RS-485 A
Tx
RS-232 TX
Rx RS-232 RX
,
Signal ground
In1, In2 Pulse inputs 1 and 2
Ground “ ” contact is used for connecting of RS-232 or RS-485; ground “ ” is used
for connecting of pulse inputs 1 and 2.
The modem pulse inputs are used to connect circuits with the following types of NO
contacts:
- reed switch (Herkon);
- mechanical pushbutton;
- open-collector output.

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Equipment with NAMUR pulse output is not supported
Any input can be configured for work in the "Security" mode with special software
when connected to the modem via USB. In this case, the device does not count pulses at the
"Security" input, but only monitors its closure. Should the "Security" input close, the device is
activated and sends an alarm message to the network.

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INDICATION
There is one red LED on the terminal board. The indication is only used when the
device is activated in the LoRaWAN network.
LED signal
Meaning
Series of short flashings Linking to the network
One long flashing
The device connected to the
network and is in active mode
Three long flashings
Linking to the network is
unsuccessful or the device
switched to the «Storage» mode
In case the device fails to connect the network, it automatically switches to
the "Storage" mode

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INITIAL STARTUP
Vega SI-13 supports two activation methods in the LoRaWAN network - ABP and OTAA.
Select one of the methods using “Vega LoRaWAN Configurator” application (See part 4).
1. ABP.
After pressing the start button, the device immediately starts working in the
"Active" mode.
2. OTAA.
After pressing the start button, the device makes three attempts to connect to
the network within the set frequency band. After the activation in the LoRaWAN network is
confirmed, the device sends a signal (LED flashing for 3 seconds) and switches to the "Active"
mode. If all attempts fail, the modem switches to the “Storage” mode.
Hold the start button pressed (min. 5 seconds) to switch the device from the "Active"
mode back to the "Storage" mode.
When switching to the "Storage" mode, all readings from the pulse inputs
accumulated in the device memory are reset

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TRANSPARENT MODE OPERATION
For enable using modem in conjunction with various software systems dispatching of
meters and industrial equipment, there is an ability to operating in a transparent mode. In this
mode, the modem operates as a simple communication channel between the LoRaWAN
network server and connected external device. SI-13 can receive data from the LoRaWAN
network for external devices and transfer them to the RS-232/RS-485 interface without any
processing. If the external device responds to the request, the modem sends the received
data back to the network, also without processing, as one or more packets.
Thus, in transparent mode, the modem does not form a request and does not process
the response from the metering device. The duty to form requests and analyze the responses
lies entirely on the external application that works with SI-13 through the LoRaWAN network.
To provide device operation in the transparent mode it is necessary to install
“LoRa2TCP” application downloading on the iotvega.com. There is a manual about initial
setting of the transparent mode on the device page.
INDEPENDENT POOLING MODE
Vega SI-13 can operate in the mode of an independent pooling of any connected
through RS interface devices. You need to create and set up the required commands and
suspected responses in the «Vega LoRaWAN Configurator» application. After that, the
modem pools the connected device with the specified period from 1 to 65535 seconds.
When the modem receives one of the suspected responses, it may send a packet into the
LoRaWAN network. See details in part 4.
Since requests and responses are configured manually, the Vega SI-13 modem can poll
any connected devices using any protocol via the RS-232 or RS-485 interface.

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CONNECTING VIA USB
The modem can be adjusted with the "Vega LoRaWAN Configurator" application (See
part 4).
Before connecting the device to the computer for the first time, you must install the
driver for the COM port
stsw-stm32102
, which can be downloaded from iotvega.com. After
running the executable file
VCP_V1.4.0_Setup.exe
, the installer window will appear:
In this window, you need to click
Next
, then
Install
, and then the installation will begin.
When the installation is completed successfully, the following screen appears:
After pressing
Finish,
the driver is ready for operation, - it is possible to connect the
modem via USB.

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4 VEGA LORAWAN CONFIGURATOR
The "Vega LoRaWAN Configurator" application (hereinafter referred to as the
configurator) is intended for setting up the device via USB.
The configurator has two modes of operation - "Simple" and "Expert". In the "Simple"
mode, only basic settings are available. In the "Expert" mode, the basic settings, advanced
settings, and the ability to check the coverage area of the signal from the gateways are
available. Next, the work of the application is considered in the “Expert” mode.
INTERFACE OF THE APPLICATION
The "Vega LoRaWAN Configurator" application does not require the special installation.
When the executable file is launched, the window for working with the application appears.
The left side menu allows you to switch between the “Simple” and “Expert” operating
modes, select a device model, connect to, or disconnect from a device.

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The buttons "Export settings" and "Import settings" allow you to save a set of settings to
a file and then load them from a file.
The buttons "Get settings" and "Apply settings" are needed to display the current device
settings in the program and to save the changed settings in the device memory, respectively.
The application window contains three tabs – Device info, LoRaWAN settings and
device settings.
The language selection menu is in the upper right corner.
CONNECTION TO THE DEVICE
For the connection to the device, perform the following steps:
1. Connect the USB cable to the device.
2. Start the "Vega LoRaWAN Configurator" application.
3. Click the "Connect" button in the menu on the left.
The application automatically recognizes the type of device, and the device selection
menu becomes inactive.

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To read the settings from the device, you need to click the "Get settings" button, until
this point the application will display the default settings or from the last connected device.
After making the necessary changes to the settings, you should click the "Apply
settings" button and only then disconnect from the device with the "Disconnect" button.
“DEVICE INFO” TAB
The "Device info" tab displays information about the device, its status, and also the data
needed to register the device in the LoRaWAN network.
ABP info
- displays the data necessary to register the device in the LoRaWAN network
with ABP method (Activation By Personalization).
OTAA info
- the data required to register the device in the LoRaWAN network with
OTAA method (Over The Air Activation) is displayed.
Key management
(not displayed in the "Simple" mode) - allows you to change the
factory keys to register the device on the network, and reset the keys back to the factory
settings.
Device info
- the configurator reads information about the device model, its firmware
and automatically corrects the device's time when connected to it.
Update firmware
- allows you to select the firmware file from your computer's hard
drive and load it into the device. The device will automatically disconnect from the
configurator when the download is complete. The current version of the device firmware can
be downloaded from iotvega.com.
Network info
- shows whether the device connecting to the LoRaWAN network and its
network address.

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Join network button
- launch the LoRaWAN network connection procedure with the
previously selected ABP or OTAA method. If the device is already connected to the network,
reconnection procedure will occur.
Link check
(not displayed in the "Simple" mode) - when pressed, the device sends a
special signal to the LoRaWAN network, in response to which the network informs it of the
number of gateways that received this signal and the signal quality. This button only works
when the device is connected to the network.
Device output
(not displayed in the "Simple" mode) - monitoring the device status, all
events in real time are displayed.

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“LORAWAN SETTINGS” TAB
The "LoRaWAN Settings" tab allows you to configure various parameters of the LoRa
network.
Region - allows you to select one of installed frequency plans or specify a custom
frequency plan. Custom frequency plan is EU-868 based.
In the device frequency plan, only those channels are active by default, on which
sending requests for connection to the network (join channels). The remaining channels (that
the device should use) can be transferring by the LoRaWAN network server during the device
activation procedure (only OTAA).
If you select "Custom" in the "Region" field, you must manually specify the frequencies
that the device will use. To do this, click the "Edit" button, the channel frequency editing
window will appear:

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This frequency band allows you to set up to 16 channels, as well as the frequency and
speed of the second receiving window.
The first three channels and the second receiving window
parameters are mandatory. Without these parameters the custom
frequency band will be considered empty
Activation type – selecting ABP or OTAA device activation method.
Confirmed uplinks – when you choose "confirmed", the device will retry sending the
packet until it receives the server confirmation, or until the "Uplink number of transmission" is
over (see below).
ADR – this option activates the Adaptive Data Rate algorithm for automatic control of
the data transfer rate from the LoRaWAN network side. The higher the quality of the signal
received by the network, the higher the speed will be installed on the device. This option is
recommended only on permanently installed devices.
RX1 offset (not displayed in the "Simple" mode) – specifies the time between end of
packet transmission and first receiving window opening. The second receiving window
always opens after 1 second after the first.

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Join accept delay 1 (not displayed in the "Simple" mode) – sets the time that the device
will open the first receiving window to receive confirmation for the join request from the
LoRaWAN network. The second window always opens after 1 second after the first.
Uplink number of transmission (not displayed in the "Simple" mode) – if the
"Confirmed uplinks" function is disabled, the device will simply send each packet as many
times as specified in this setting. If "Confirmed uplinks" is enabled, the device will send packets
until it receives a confirmation or until it sends as many packets as specified in this setting.