SCADA18

How is an MDS-based Wireless Radio Configured?

This FAQ is meant to assist the new user in setting up the MDS-based Wireless radios with a minimal investment of time. It will first describe the physical connections to a radio as well as the status LED's. It will then discuss how to communicate with it using the free TransNET Configuration software. Lastly, it will describe how to configure the unit in order to quickly set up a communications link with other radios.

The MDS (Microwave Data Systems) TransNET spread-spectrum radio core is capable of hopping rapidly between many channels in a specified pattern. This allows the unit to minimise interference from other radio equipment and natural sources, as those tend to stay fixed on one frequency. Every radio in a system will use the same hopping pattern, staying locked in communication as long as the signal to noise ratio is sufficient. The radio is available either integrated with a SCADAPack controller or in a stand-alone package which is DIN-rail mountable. It currently may only be ordered in the 900 MHz frequency band.

For more detailed instructions please refer to MDS's manual, "3946B-TNET_OEM-web.pdf". This manual is available from MDS on their website at http://www.microwavedata.com/app/support/technical/documentation.asp or by calling 1-585-242-9600.

Radio Connections and LED's

Antenna port: Is located on the left side of the case. It uses an SMB male connector. The connector is small and delicate. A short jumper cable is needed to avoid stressing the SMB connector, and is available from Control Microsystems. For protection on this port, a lightning arrestor (eg Poyphaser) is suggested. It is usually placed between the jumper cable and the heavier run of coax cable going to the antenna.

PWR IN: Is a grey screw-terminal connector. It may be removed by pulling upwards while rocking it left-right. Only the leftmost two terminals are used, pin 1 for (+) and pin 2 for (-). Power requirements are 9 to 30 volts DC, at a current load of 510mA at 13.8V while transmitting.

COM: Is an RS-232 port using an RJ45 connector. It is the primary communication port. Plug one end of the supplied short blue cable into COM, and the other end into the desired port of the SCADAPack. If you don't have this cable, or are connecting your radio to another device, you will need to build a 3 wire null modem cable. Do not use a cable with pin 1 connected (pin 9 on a DB9), as many SCADAPack controllers use that pin to supply +5 volts for other devices. See the following pinout diagram.

COM Port		SCADAPack	DB9 (programming, diagnostics)
4	--- GND ---	4	5
5	--- RXD ---	6	3
6	--- TXD ---	5	2

(RJ45 pins are numbered 1 to 8, left to right, when looking at the radio's connector)

DIAG: Is a second RS-232 port, also using an RJ45 connector. It is used to program the radio and to gather diagnostic information about the system, typically from a laptop computer. A null cable is required to connect to DIAG. (RXD and TXD swapped) A cable may be ordered from us (part 297217) which has an RJ45 male connector on one end and a DB9 female on the other..

There are four status LED's on a stand-alone radio - RXD, TXD, DCD and STAT/GP. If the radio is mounted in the cover of a SCADAPack there are only two LED's, DCD and STAT/GP. In this case, use the RXD and TXD provided on the SCADAPack's com port.

RXD is Receive Data, which flashes as data is received by the radio and sent out to the COM port.
TXD is Transmit Data, which flashes when the radio is transmitting data coming in the COM port.
DCD is Data Carrier Detect, which is on continuously when the radio is sending/receiving sync frames.
STAT/GP is Status - General Purpose. It is on constantly under normal conditions, but flashes rapidly when a fault is detected.

Radio Programming Software

There are two ways to program the 5908 MDS radio. One method is to use a terminal program such as Hyperterminal. If required the MDS manual covers this method. The preferred method is to use MDS's free TransNET Configuration software package. In both cases the programming computer must first be connected to the radio's DIAG port by a null cable.

TransNET Configuration Software

This software is free, and may be downloaded from https://www.microwavedata.com/app/login/login.asp?requestedpid=58&reason=login&querystring=&return=%2Fapp%2Fsupport%2Fdownloads%2F. It is a Windows-based program which allows you to connect to a radio, automatically upload and view settings, and write configuration changes to the radio. You may save the current configuration as a text file for later use, or open a saved file and write it to the radio. There is also a terminal built right into the software, to allow the user to enter commands that are less often used, and that as a result have not been included in the graphical interface.

To use TransNET Configuration, first open the program and connect a null cable to the DIAG port. Click on the CommPort menu, then click on Setup, or simply press the Setup... button. Select the com port used by your programming computer (typically com1, but may be different if a USB-Serial converter is used), then click OK. Then Click on CommPort and select Port Open, or press the Connect... button.

The terminal screen will display all of the parameters being uploaded, and all of the configuration screens will be populated. If the connection is not successful check your cable and port settings, and ensure that the port is not in use by other software. Click on each of the five tabs and check to see how the radio is configured. Note that context-sensitive help is available by clicking on any parameter name for which a question mark appears if pointing at it with the mouse.

If you wish to change any parameters, click in the data entry box. A window will pop up. Type in the new desired value or press Yes or No as required, then hit Enter. Typically it is not necessary to type the whole configuration string as shown, just the actual parameters. For example, to change Power Level you do not need to type "PWR 20 dBm", just "20." Once Enter has been pressed, the new value (if of the correct form) is immediately written to the radio.

Once the radio's configuration has been read and any necessary changes made, click on the Special menu, then select Open Configuration Store/Restore Window. Note that the Current Settings column is populated with all of the radio's actual parameters. Click the Save Current Settings To A File button to save the configuration to a file. The default location is My Documents, and the file type is text (*.txt). When done click on Close Window.

To program a radio with a previously saved configuration, click on the Special menu, then select Open Configuration Store/Restore Window. Click on the Open A Configuration File button, select the desired text file, then click Open. Note that the Settings In File "filename.txt" column is now populated with the saved parameters. Press the Check All button to select every parameter for writing, or select individual parameters as needed. Press the Program Selected Settings To The Radio button. When done all of the check marks will be cleared. Click on Close Window when done.

Radio Configuration

This section will presume that you are using the MDS TransNET Configuration software, and have already connected to the radio. For more specific instructions, read MDS's "3946B-TNET_OEM-web.pdf" document. Set all parameters as they are shown on the screen capture images, unless otherwise noted.

Information section.

Unit Address: By default this is set to the last four digits of the unit's serial number. If it is desired to change this value, use a number from 10000 to 65000.
Owner's Name: Enter the desired company name or other text.
Owner's Message: Enter the desired message.

Radio Settings 1 tab.

Radio Mode: Select MODE M - Master radio
Select MODE R - Remote radio
Select MODE X - Extension radio (repeater)

Baud Rate: Select the baud rate that will be used between the radio and the controller to which it is connected by serial port. This is NOT the over-the-air rate. Each radio may be set to a different rate, so long as it matches the attached device.

Power Level: Set to 20 for bench testing. May be adjusted depending on the distance between the master and slave. 30 equals full output of 1 watt, and 20 equals 100 milliwatts.

Radio Settings 2 tab.

Leave all parameters on this tab alone.

Network Settings tab.

Network Address: Enter a value between 1 and 65000. It must be the same in ALL radios in the system.
Data Buffering: Ensure this parameter is ON if using the Modbus protocol. It ensures that a message is sent out the serial port without any delay between bytes. Modbus cannot tolerate delays within a message.

Store And Forward Settings tab.

Store and Forward: Used ONLY in the Master radio, affecting all other radios in the system. SAF is turned on only if Extension radios (repeaters) are required.
Extension Address: Only required in the Master, and in radios being used as Extensions (repeaters). Leave it set to 0 in the Master, and to a unique value between 1 and 31 in each Extension.
Primary Extension Addr: If no Extensions are used in the system, leave set at 0. This tells the radio to communicate with the Master, whose XADDR value is also 0. If an Extension is in use and this radio is to communicate with it rather than the Master, put in that Extension's XADDR value.

Network Wide Diagnostics tab.

DTYPE: Sets the radio up to be either a remote NODE for diagnostics purposes, or the ROOT location. Only one site should be set to ROOT. This is the location where the diagnostics software is to be run, and does not have to be the Master site.