Wood and Douglas ORION RADIO MODEM WITH I/O User manual

1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009 1
ORION RADIO MODEM WITH I/O
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
1892 1335
Figure 1 - Orion Radio Modem
Figure 2 - Orion Radio Modem - OEM PCB version

21892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009

1892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009 3
Contents
Contents ........................................................ 3
INTRODUCTION TO THE ORION AND ITS USES ........................ 5
FEATURE OVERVIEW ............................................. 5
Part One - the Orion Unit ................................................ 7
ORION MODES ................................................... 9
Mode U - Data Only ........................................................... 10
Mode R - Repeater ........................................................... 10
Mode I - Independent Telemetry .................................................10
Mode E - Externally-controlled Telemetry ..........................................12
Mode L - Data Logging ........................................................13
ADDRESSING ................................................... 14
ALARMS AND ALERTS ............................................ 16
Failsafe Feature ..............................................................17
SERIAL INTERFACE CONFIGURATION .............................. 19
AT commands ...............................................................19
Graphical User Interface (GUI) and SCADA ........................................19
TELEMETRY CONFIGURATION .................................... 20
Common Parameters (MI and ME) ...............................................20
Mode I Parameters ........................................................... 20
Mode E Parameters ..........................................................22
Mode L Parameters ...........................................................23
USER DATA CONFIGURATION ..................................... 24
Mode U Parameters ..........................................................24
More information about User Data queuing behaviour ................................24
REPEATER CONFIGURATION ...................................... 26
Mode R Parameters ..........................................................26
RADIO CONFIGURATION .......................................... 27
Interaction between Centre Frequency, Channel Number and Operating Frequency .........27
OVER-AIR PROTOCOL ............................................ 27
Protocol Selection ............................................................28
Symbol Rate ................................................................ 28
Hold-off Before Transmitting .................................................... 28
OPTIONS WHEN ORDERING ...................................... 29
OEM PCB version ............................................................29
Modem Only version .......................................................... 29
INSTALLATION .................................................. 30
Physical ....................................................................30
Connections .................................................................32
Earthing and Equipment Protection ...............................................34
INDICATIONS DURING OPERATION ................................. 35
TEST AND FAULT-FINDING FACILITIES .............................. 36
Get Information ..............................................................36
Send Test Signals ............................................................ 36
Restore Factory Settings .......................................................36
GUI Status Messages .........................................................37
Memory ....................................................................38
Part Two - the Graphical User Interface (GUI) .............................. 39
INTRODUCTION TO THE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI) .......... 41
Software Installation .......................................................... 41
Notes on GUI Operation .......................................................41
Passwording ................................................................41
CONNECTING THE GUI TO AN ORION ............................... 42
CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT .................................. 44
File Menu - load and save configurations to disk ....................................44

41892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009
Link Menu - load and save configurations to and from an Orion unit ...................... 44
Remote Menu - load and save configurations to a remote unit .......................... 45
SERIAL INTERFACE PARAMETERS ................................. 46
MODES, PROTOCOLS AND ADDRESSING ........................... 46
Orion Modes ................................................................46
Addressing ..................................................................47
Over-Air Protocols ............................................................47
TELEMETRY CONFIGURATION .................................... 47
Polling .....................................................................48
General Alarm Parameters ..................................................... 48
Analogue In/Out Configuration ...................................................49
Analogue Alarms .............................................................50
Digital Configuration ..........................................................50
Digital Alarms ...............................................................51
GENERAL PARAMETER CONFIGURATION ........................... 52
Factory-set Parameters ........................................................52
User-set Parameters ..........................................................52
Additional Logging Parameters ..................................................54
RADIO FREQUENCY ............................................. 55
RADIO PARAMETERS ............................................ 56
User Option .................................................................56
Radio Parameters ............................................................56
DATA LOGGING USING THE GUI ................................... 57
TROUBLESHOOTING AND MAINTENANCE ........................... 58
Firmware update ............................................................ 58
Re-programming with Factory settings ............................................58
Local Tests ................................................................. 58
Help .......................................................................60
Part Three - Appendices ............................................... 61
APPENDIX A: AT COMMAND REFERENCE ........................... 63
Entering Command Mode (+++) .................................................63
Command Syntax ............................................................ 64
Ending Command Mode (ATO) ..................................................65
A Note About Baud Rate ....................................................... 66
AT Commands and Parameters Reference ........................................ 67
APPENDIX B: OVER-AIR COMMAND CODES .......................... 75
Summary of Messages and Responses ...........................................75
Message Syntax .............................................................76
APPENDIX C: ATT? PARAMETER STRING STRUCTURE ................ 81
APPENDIX D: SERIAL TO USB ADAPTOR ............................ 85
Installing the Adaptor ..........................................................85
Connecting the Command Centre PC and the Orion ................................. 85
Checking Correct Operation ....................................................85
APPENDIX E: SPECIFICATIONS .................................... 86
APPENDIX F: DIN RAIL MOUNTING ACCESSORIES .................... 88

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INTRODUCTION TO THE ORION AND ITS USES
The Orion is a flexible unit designed to help you build point-to-point links and Base station-to-
multiple-Outstation networks, carrying serial user data, telemetry information, or both. In
simpler configurations, no additional equipment is required.
Each unit contains a modem and a transceiver, which can be ordered according to the
frequencies and range required.
The Orion’s particular feature is the provision of a small number of on-board analogue and
digital inputs and outputs in addition to serial data in/out. Where only serial data is required,
a model without these telemetry functions can be ordered.
Addressing allows one or more point-to-point links and networks to operate on the same
frequency, each Orion being able to handle both serial data communication and telemetry on
a time-sharing basis.
A repeater mode allows an Orion to relay data and telemetry messages for a group of units to
extend useful range.
In straightforward one-to-one (also known as back-to-back or mimic) and one-to-many
situations, the Orion can supervise polling, alarms etc. unaided. External control can be
added for more complex polling or SCADA (Supervisory, Control And Data Acquisition)
functions.
An Orion unit’s features and operating modes are user-programmable by using supplied
configuration software (a Graphical User Interface or GUI) running on a PC and covered in
Part Two of this manual; but it is also possible to configure the unit locally using AT
commands or remotely using special over-air commands, both listed in appendices in Part
Three of this manual.
FEATURE OVERVIEW
Figure 3 - Orion block diagram

61892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009
The Orion is a radio modem with on-board telemetry inputs and outputs. It also contains
supervisory software which supports links and addressed networks. It is available in a
number of different versions to suit different applications, and has many user-programmable
features, which may be locally or remotely set.
Figure 3 shows the Orion in block diagram form.
Summary of notable features and options:
vFive modes to support different ways of working
vFour digital inputs, which may be used as pulse counters
vPTT facility to assist testing
vFour digital outputs
vFour analogue inputs (current loop or voltage)*
vFour analogue outputs (current loop or voltage)*, any one of which may be used
as an RSSI (signal strength) output
vFailsafe levels can be applied to outputs on system failure
vAlert output - pull-down to 0V or floating relay contacts option
vTwo serial ports handling User Data, telemetry (I/O, SCADA) and AT
(configuration) commands
vSerial Port A can be soft-configured for RS232, RS422 or RS485; Serial Port
B is RS232.
vSampling mode transmits any binary data format
vUnidirectional or half-duplex link, choice of error correction
vChoice of frequency band and power
vAT command set, local or remote programming of most features
vOne-to-one or Base + Outstations configurations with addressing
vOutstations can be polled and/or volunteer data when thresholds are reached
(‘alarms’).
vGraphical User Interface (GUI) software supplied for configuration
*The four analogue ports can also be used to relay digital data if required,
depending on the application.

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Part One - the Orion Unit

81892 1335 - Orion Radio Modem Operating Instructions - v2.9 / Aug 2009

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ORION MODES
The Orion supports five modes of operation to enable you to build exactly the link or network
you want. They are:
vU - User Data only
vR - repeater
vI - independent (standalone) telemetry + User Data
vE - externally-controlled telemetry + User Data
vL - data logging
Depending on the mode you select, other features become available. Addressing is
available in all modes - see page 14.
This section (pages 10 to 13) describes the network topologies and features of each mode.
Further sections (pages 14 to 27) describe the corresponding features and parameters in
detail.
AT codes are shown in this Part of the manual only to pinpoint the precise command referred
to. The AT Command Reference is to be found on page 63 onwards.

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Mode U - Data Only
The Orion can be used as a high-performance data modem without using its built-in telemetry
capabilities, and can be ordered without telemetry hardware at a saving in cost. Mode U
supports half-duplex or simplex serial User Data communication via Serial Port A.
Typically, two modems will communicate half-duplex, but other topologies are possible:
vUsing the address facilities of the Orion, many such pairs may share a
frequency (on a time-sharing basis).
vMany modems may report data one at a time to a central modem provided
traffic is relatively light, or one modem may broadcast to all the others.
There is no concept of Base and Outstation because each modem initiates transmission
when it has data, rather than being polled. Addressing is described in detail on page 14
Depending on the throughput required and the level of errors which can be tolerated, different
over-air protocols may be selected. These are described on page 27.
Port A may be configured for various serial interfaces. See pages 19 (description) and 33
(connections).
Mode U parameters are covered on page 24, and radio configuration on page 27.
Contention can be dealt with / overcome by using a packet over-air protocol with
acknowledgements or by external equipment.
Mode R - Repeater
In order to extend the range of a link or network, an additional Orion (one per Group) can be
used as a repeater. Set to Mode R, it stores any message it receives for a member of its
Group and retransmits it without alteration. A duplicate message received by any unit is
recognised as such and ignored.
A repeater has an extremely limited range of behaviours, but can be programmed to raise
housekeeping alarms (page 16). It must belong to the same Group as it serves.
No telemetry or User Data input/output is available at the Repeater itself.
A repeater can be used in a network which uses any over-air protocol except Packet (TP),
but must be set for the same protocol as the units which it serves. Over-air protocols are
described on page 27.
Mode I- Independent Telemetry
The Orion has four digital inputs and outputs and four analogue inputs and outputs. Mode Iis
used where these inputs and outputs simply need to be relayed from one location to another,
and no external SCADA (Supervisory, Control And Data Acquisition) equipment is to be
used. User Data can still be carried in addition to the telemetry.
The simplest arrangement is a one-to-one link where inputs at one end are mimicked at the
other end and vice versa. Two ways of working are possible:
vEach unit volunteers any change in its inputs to the other spontaneously, and the
other replies with an acknowledgement