Encom iPULSE R User Manual Download Page 121

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USER MANUAL

ENCOM PULSE Link

For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2.2.6

Page 121

Signal Strength Panel

The

Signal Strength

panel allows you to monitor the received signal strengths between two radios. It

can also be used to adjust the output power of the radios, allowing you to pick the optimum balance
between power consumption and wireless connection reliability.

The following screen shot shows the

Signal Strength

panel.

Refer to the following topics for information on the

Signal Strength

panel.

Signal Strength Toolbar

Signal Strength Meter

Using the Signal Strength Panel

Summary of Contents for iPULSE R

Page 1: ...Toll Free 1 800 617 3487 Worldwide 403 230 1122 Fax 403 276 9575 Web www encomwireless com ENCOM PULSE Link USER MANUAL For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc ...

Page 2: ......

Page 3: ...ies Radio 24 Setting the 5000 Series Radio Product Code 28 User Interface 29 Menu Bar 30 File Menu Functions 30 Exit 31 Radio Menu Functions 31 Upgrade 32 Upgrading a PULSE Radio 36 Upgrading an iPULSE Radio 40 Upgrading a 5000 Series Radio 45 Recover 46 Recovering a PULSE Radio 56 Recovering a 5000 Series Radio 64 Restore to Factory Defaults 65 Tools Menu Functions 65 Demo Mode 68 Help Menu Funct...

Page 4: ...ength Meter 124 Using the Signal Strength Panel 126 Poll Test Panel 127 Poll Test Toolbar 128 Poll Test Report 131 Spectrum Scan Panel 132 Spectrum Scan Toolbar 133 Spectrum Scan Graph 135 iPULSE Radios Form 137 Changing the IP Address of an iPULSE Radio 139 Resettting an iPULSE Radio 141 Refreshing the iPULSE Radio List 142 View ing or Changing the Settings of an iPULSE Radio Chapter 4 PULSE Radi...

Page 5: ...ation issues This guide contains instructions suggestions and information that will help you set up your radios and achieve optimal performance of your equipment Compatible ENCOM Radios The following ENCOM radios are compatible with the ENCOM PULSE Link software ENCOM 900 MHz Serial Radios Radio Model Description iPULSE R 900 MHz rack mount serial radio with Ethernet interface iPULSE S 900 MHz she...

Page 6: ...ety of computers from netbooks that can be used by field personnel to high powered multi monitor workstations used in the network operations center In order to run ENCOM PULSE Link your computer must meet the following minimum requirements Windows XP SP3 Vista Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating system Microsoft NET Framework 4 2 GB RAM 1 GB free hard drive space Video card with a minimum 1024 x 720 ...

Page 7: ...s com downloads software 2 Enter the requested information and make sure that you select Pulse Link in the Software Required field Then click on the Send button 3 A confirmation email will be sent to the email address you entered in the registration page 4 Follow the instructions in the email you received to download the ENCOM PULSE Link setup program to your computer If you have trouble downloadi...

Page 8: ...eges to install the application Please contact your IT department if you are unable to install PULSE Link due to account restrictions After downloading ENCOM PULSE Link 1 Double click the EncomPulseLinkSetupVx x x msi file to start the installation process where x x x is the PULSE Link version number 2 The ENCOM PULSE Link Setup Wizard will appear and will guide you through the installation of the...

Page 9: ...the folder on your computer where you would like ENCOM PULSE Link to be installed You can also instruct the setup wizard to install PULSE Link for all users or the currently logged in user Note that in both cases you need to have administrator privileges in order to successfully install the application Click Next to proceed ...

Page 10: ...tcuts simply provide alternate means to access the application If this is the first time that you install ENCOM PULSE Link ensure that the Install Encom Serial USB Driver option is checked The setup program will pre install the appropriate driver files on your computer and the driver will be automatically installed when you connect to a 900 MHz serial radio with the USB cable Leaving this option c...

Page 11: ...a Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 11 5 The final confirmation page is shown Click Next to proceed 6 ENCOM PULSE Link will be installed on your computer Enter the appropriate administrator account credentials if you are prompted to do so ...

Page 12: ...c For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 12 7 If you checked the Install Encom Serial USB Driver option the driver installation wizard will be displayed Click Next to proceed 8 The driver license page is shown Select the I accept this EULAoption and click Next to proceed ...

Page 13: ...on 2 2 6 Page 13 9 The ENCOM Serial USB drivers will be installed on your computer During the installation process you may be prompted for permission to install the drivers Answer Yes or OK to all prompts 10 When the driver installation is completed click Finish to exit the driver installation wizard ...

Page 14: ... PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 14 11 Finally click Close to exit the PULSE Link installation wizard 12 ENCOM PULSE Link is now installed on your computer ...

Page 15: ...LSE Link by double clicking the desktop icon If you requested that a PULSE Link shortcut be installed in the QuickLaunch panel you can start PULSE Link by clicking on the QuickLaunch icon Connecting to a Radio ENCOM PULSE Link supports two families of 900 MHz serial radios ENCOM PULSE radios configured via USB interface ENCOM iPULSE radios configured via Ehthernet interface ENCOM 5000 series adapt...

Page 16: ...ount power adapter and then connect the radio to your computer with the included USB cable 4 ENCOM PULSE Link will detect the radio and attempt to communicate with it 5 When PULSE Link is able to communicate with the radio it will automatically retrieve its configuration settings Note that when the status bar is red you should not disconnect the USB cable from the radio nor should you remove power...

Page 17: ...lutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 17 6 After the radio s configuration settings have been retrieved the radio is shown as being on line 7 The radio configuration panel is displayed At this point you can use ENCOM PULSE Link to manage your radio ...

Page 18: ...r computer 2 The Status Bar at the top right hand corner of the application s window will prompt you to connect to a radio 3 Power the iPULSE radio with the provided wall mount power adapter and then connect the radio to your computer using an Ethernet cable 4 Click the Search for iPULSE radios button at the left of the status bar 5 The iPULSE Radios form is displayed While this form is visible PU...

Page 19: ...e the radio s IP address In order to connect to a radio that is unreachable you will have to change it s IP address to a compatible value Refer to the Changing the IP Address of an iPULSE Radio topic for more information 7 To connect to a radio select the radio item in the radio list and then click the Select button Alternatively you can double click the left mouse button on the radio item in the ...

Page 20: ...ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 20 10 The radio configuration panel is displayed At this point you can use ENCOM PULSE Link to manage your radio ...

Page 21: ...Status Bar at the top right hand corner of the application s window will prompt you to connect to a radio 3 Power the 5000 series radio with the provided wall mount power adapter and then connect the radio to your computer using a serial or serial to USB adapter cable 4 Click the Connect to serial device button at the left of the status bar 5 The Connect to device serial port form is displayed 6 S...

Page 22: ...from the radio nor should you remove power from the radio Doing so could prevent the radio from being able to communicate properly over the serial port or the FSK port for FSK radios If this happens you may have to use PULSE Link again to restore the radio s configuration 9 If a product code has not yet been assigned to the 5000 series adapter card you will be prompted to do so Refer to the Settin...

Page 23: ...ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 23 11 The radio configuration panel is displayed At this point you can use ENCOM PULSE Link to manage your radio ...

Page 24: ... series adapter card has been installed you will be prompted to assign a product type to the adapter card To following steps describe the process of assigned the product type 1 Run the ENCOM PULSE Link application on your computer 2 Connect to the 5000 series radio using a serial or serial to USB cable 3 After the radio is discovered you will be prompted to assign a product type 4 Click the Yes bu...

Page 25: ...rsion 2 2 6 Page 25 5 The Set product type wizard will be displayed 6 Select the model associated with your 5000 series radio The model name is normally found on the front of the radio Make sure that you choose the correct model otherwise the radio may not operate properly 7 Press Next to continue ...

Page 26: ...012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 26 The wizard will display a progress bar while the radio is configured 8 After the radio is configured the wizard will display the following report ...

Page 27: ...M PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 27 9 Click Finish to return to the main window 10 PULSE Link will retrieve the radio s new configuration and show the radio as being on line 11 The radio configuration panel is displayed At this point you can use ENCOM PULSE Link to manage your radio ...

Page 28: ...Bar at the top of the window that allows you to access the application s less frequently used features A Status Bar that displays the current state of the application An Options List that allows you to choose the task you want to carry out A Workspace that contains the user interface associated with the currently selected option Depending on the type of radio connected to PULSE Link one of more of...

Page 29: ...M PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 29 Menu Bar The main menu bar provides access to the less frequently used ENCOM PULSE Link functions The following options are available File Menu Exit Radio Menu Upgrade Recover Restore to Factory Defaults Tools Menu Demo Mode Help Menu Topics About ...

Page 30: ...USER MANUAL ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 30 File Menu Functions Exit Select Exit from the File menu to shut down ENCOM PULSE Link ...

Page 31: ... Functions Upgrade Select Upgrade from the Radio menu to upgrade or downgrade the radio s firmware The upgrade processes for PULSE and iPULSE radios are significantly different Refer to the appropriate topic for the type of radio you are upgrading Upgrading a PULSE Radio Upgrading an iPULSE Radio Upgrading a 5000 Series Radio ...

Page 32: ...e 32 Upgrading a PULSE Radio To upgrade a PULSE radio s firmware 1 Make sure that the radio is powered and then connect it to your computer via the USB cable 2 Wait until PULSE Link has retrieved the radio s configuration settings 3 Select Upgrade from the Radio menu The Firmware upgrade wizard form is displayed ...

Page 33: ...ess Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 33 4 Check the I have read and understand the preceding warning option and then click Next to continue The wizard will display a list of all firmware available for upgrading or downgrading ...

Page 34: ...ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 34 5 Select the firmware version you want to upgrade or downgrade to Unless instructed to do so you should always upgrade to the latest firmware version Click Next to continue The wizard will display a progress bar while the radio is upgraded ...

Page 35: ...m Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 35 6 When the upgrade process is complete the wizard will display the following report 7 Your radio is now upgraded and ready to use Click Finish to return to the main window ...

Page 36: ...For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 36 Upgrading an iPULSE Radio To upgrade an iPULSE radio s firmware 1 Connect to the iPULSE radio as described in the Connecting to an iPULSE Radio topic 2 Select Upgrade from the Radio menu The Firmware upgrade wizard form is displayed ...

Page 37: ...r ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 37 3 Check the I have read and understand the preceding warning option and then click Next to continue The wizard will display a list of all firmware available for upgrading Note that downgrading is not currently allowed for iPULSE radios ...

Page 38: ... Page 38 4 Select the firmware version you want to upgrade to Unless instructed to do so you should always upgrade to the latest firmware version Click Next to continue The wizard will display an activity bar while the radio is upgraded Note that it can can take up to 5 minutes to complete a firmware upgrade ...

Page 39: ...m Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 39 5 When the upgrade process is complete the wizard will display the following report 6 Your radio is now upgraded and ready to use Click Finish to return to the main window ...

Page 40: ...n installed 1 Make sure that the radio is powered and then connect it to your computer via a serial or serial to USB cable 2 Click the Connect to serial device button at the left of the status bar 3 The Connect to device serial port form is displayed 4 Select the communications port to which the radio is connected and then click the Connect button 5 Wait until PULSE Link has retrieved the radio s ...

Page 41: ...USER MANUAL ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 41 6 Select Upgrade from the Radio menu The Firmware upgrade wizard form is displayed ...

Page 42: ...ess Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 42 7 Check the I have read and understand the preceding warning option and then click Next to continue The wizard will display a list of all firmware available for upgrading or downgrading ...

Page 43: ...ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 43 8 Select the firmware version you want to upgrade or downgrade to Unless instructed to do so you should always upgrade to the latest firmware version Click Next to continue The wizard will display a progress bar while the radio is upgraded ...

Page 44: ...m Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 44 9 When the upgrade process is complete the wizard will display the following report 10 Your radio is now upgraded and ready to use Click Finish to return to the main window ...

Page 45: ... If this occurs the application will cycle through all possible combination of baud rates and serial settings in an attempt to communicate with it Recovering the radio may fix this issue if it occurs Note that it is not possible to recover an iPULSE radio if a firmware upgrade fails If the radio no longer works after a firmware upgrade it will have to be sent back to ENCOM for repair Refer to the ...

Page 46: ...overing a PULSE Radio To recover a PULSE radio 1 Make sure that the radio is powered and then connect it to your computer via the USB cable 2 Select Recover from the Radio menu The Radio recovery wizard form is displayed 3 Check the I have read and understand the preceding warning option and then click Next to continue ...

Page 47: ... 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 47 The wizard will display the type of products that are supported by PULSE Link 4 Select the PULSE radio option then then click Next to continue ...

Page 48: ...y the list of PULSE radios that are supported by PULSE Link When an upgrade fails the radio loses its identity In order to recover it you must select the appropriate model from the list The model name is normally found on the front panel of the radio Make sure that you choose the correct model otherwise the radio may not operate properly ...

Page 49: ...E Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 49 5 Select the appropriate radio model and press Next to continue The wizard will prompt you to disconnect all cables from the radio ...

Page 50: ...5 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 50 6 After you have disconnected both cables press Next A countdown timer will be displayed The radio must be powered off for at least 60 seconds before proceeding ...

Page 51: ...USER MANUAL ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 51 7 When the timer expires the wizard will prompt you to plug in the USB cable ...

Page 52: ... PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 52 8 Plug in the USB cable A second countdown timer will be displayed Again wait until the timer expires before proceeding ...

Page 53: ...USER MANUAL ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 53 9 When the timer expires the wizard will prompt you to plug in the power cable ...

Page 54: ...015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 54 10 Plug in the power cable The recovery process will start automatically The wizard will display a progress bar while the radio is loaded with the firmware ...

Page 55: ... is complete the wizard will display the following report 12 Your radio is now recovered and ready to use Click Finish to return to the main window If you recover a radio that contains an ECN 900 radio module you will be asked to repeat steps 5 to 10 The latest available version of the radio firmware will be installed when a radio is recovered ...

Page 56: ...e 56 Recovering a 5000 Series Radio To recover a 5000 series radio in which a 5000 series adapter card has been installed 1 Make sure that the radio is powered and then connect it to your computer via a serial or serial to USB cable 2 Select Recover from the Radio menu The Radio recovery wizard form is displayed ...

Page 57: ...LSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 57 3 Check the I have read and understand the preceding warning option and then click Next to continue The wizard will display the type of products that are supported by PULSE Link 4 Select the 5000 Series Adapter Board option then then click Next to continue ...

Page 58: ...he list of 5000 series radios that are supported by PULSE Link When an upgrade fails the radio loses its identity In order to recover it you must select the appropriate model from the list The model name is normally found on the front panel of the radio Make sure that you choose the correct model otherwise the radio may not operate properly ...

Page 59: ...k 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 59 5 Select the appropriate radio model and press Next to continue The wizard will display the list of serial ports available on your computer ...

Page 60: ... 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 60 6 Select the serial port to which the radio is connected and press Next to continue The wizard will prompt you to unplug the power cable from the radio ...

Page 61: ...LSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 61 7 After you have disconnected the power cable press Next The wizard will prompt you to plug the power cable back in the radio ...

Page 62: ...ULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 62 8 After you have plugged the power cable back in press Next The radio should be detected and the recovery process will start ...

Page 63: ...k Version 2 2 6 Page 63 9 When the recovery process is complete the wizard will display the following report 10 Your radio is now recovered and ready to use Click Finish to return to the main window The latest available version of the radio firmware will be installed when a radio is recovered ...

Page 64: ...ult state The status indicator will display a message while the radio s configuration settings are being reset Note that when the status bar is red you should not disconnect the USB serial or Ethernet cable from the radio nor should you remove power from the radio When restoring an iPULSE radio to factory defaults the existing IP address network mask and default gateway settings will not be distur...

Page 65: ...ions Demo Mode Demo mode allows you to use the ENCOM PULSE Link application without being connected to a physical radio It is useful for learning and evaluation purposes To activate demo mode 1 Make sure that ENCOM PULSE Link is NOT connected a radio 2 Select Demo Mode from the Tools menu The Select device to demo form is displayed ...

Page 66: ...rsion 2 2 6 Page 66 3 Select the type of device you want to demo and then click the Next button The list of available device models is displayed 4 Select the radio model you want to demo and press OK to continue ENCOM PULSE Link will simulate the operation of acquiring the settings from the radio ...

Page 67: ... displayed in the application s main window 5 At this point you can carry out any function that can be used with a physical radio ENCOM PULSE Link will simulate the operations you carry out to mimic physical radios as closely as possible including the amount of time it takes to perform the various tasks 6 To exit demo mode select Demo Mode from the Tools menu again ...

Page 68: ...Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 68 Help Menu Functions Topics Select Topics from the Help menu to display the ENCOM PULSE Link on line help About Select About from the Help menu to display information about the ENCOM PULSE Link application ...

Page 69: ...form that allows you to search for and select an iPULSE device See the Search for iPULSE Devices Button topic for more information Detect USB devices button Resumes the detection of USB based PULSE devices See Detect USB Devices Button topic for more information Connect to serial device button Allows you to connect to a serial port based device such as a 5000 series radio in which a 5000 series ad...

Page 70: ...5 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 70 Status information panel Provides feedback on the current state of the ENCOM PULSE Link application See the Status Information Panel topic for more information ...

Page 71: ...the iPULSE Radios form The iPULSE Radios form displays the iPULSE radios that are active on your local network To load the configuration associated a specific radio perform one of the following Click the left mouse button on a radio that is available and then click the Select button Double click the left mouse button on a radio that is available Refer to the Connecting to an iPULSE Radio topic for...

Page 72: ...at the left of the status information panel to re enable the process that detects USB based PULSE radios When an iPULSE radio configuration is loaded into the PULSE Link application the process that detects USB based PULSE radios is disabled When you are done working with iPULSE radios and wish to connect to a USB based PULSE radio simply click on the Detect USB devices button ...

Page 73: ... to connect to a serial port based radio When you click on the Connect to serial device button the Connect to device serial port form is displayed Select the serial communications port to which the radio is connected and then click the Connect button ENCOM PULSE Link will then connect to the radio and load its configuration Refer to the Connecting to a 5000 Series Radio topic for detailed informat...

Page 74: ...nected to a PULSE radio click the USB Serial Port Settings button You can also do this while PULSE Link is searching for the communication settings of a PULSE radio that is plugged into the USB port The USB Serial Port Settings form is displayed 2 Change the settings to match your radio s currently configured serial port settings and then click OK 3 ENCOM PULSE Link will attempt to use the specifi...

Page 75: ...port for FSK radios If this happens you may have to use PULSE Link to restore the radio s configuration The following table describes the messages that can be displayed in the status panel Message Description Attempting to communicate at 1200 baud 8N1 Displayed when the application is attempting to communicate with the radio Connect to radio using USB or Ethernet cable Displayed if there is no rad...

Page 76: ... for iPULSE devices button select the radio in the iPulse Radios form click the Load button to load the radio s configuration and then try again Contact your ENCOM customer service representative if the problem persists Demo mode The application is currently running in demo mode Getting radio settings please wait Displayed while the application is getting the settings from the radio Do not disconn...

Page 77: ...wait Displayed while the radio s configuration is being restored to factory defaults Do not disconnect the radio while the application is in this state Searching for iPULSE radios The iPULSE Radios form is currently active and ENCOM PULSE Link is searching for iPULSE radios on the local network Updating radio settings please wait Displayed while the application is updating the radio settings Do no...

Page 78: ...ist The options list allows you to access the various functions of ENCOM PULSE Link Click on the desired option to display the associated user interface in the PULSE Link workspace area Refer to the following topics for information on each of the options Settings Panel Signal Strength Panel Poll Test Panel Spectrum Scan Panel ...

Page 79: ...nel The Settings panel shows the configuration settings of the serial radio that is currently connected to your computer The configuration settings are logically grouped using a tabbed interface The following topics describe the settings found in each tab Identification Tab Wireless Tab Network Tab Serial Port Tab Advanced Tab ...

Page 80: ...he Identification tab Identification Field Name Description Radio name Enter a name used to identify the radio up to a maximum of 15 characters for PULSE radios and 50 characters for iPULSE radios New firmware available Indicates that new radio firmware is available Click on this link to display the Firmware upgrade wizard This indicator is not displayed if the radio s firmware is up to date Note ...

Page 81: ...roduct code Internal code used to identify the serial radio model ESN The electronic serial number that uniquely identifies the radio module Ethernet tab Displays information associated with the radio s Ethernet interface for iPULSE radios only Field Name Description Firmware code Internal code used to identify the Ethernet interface firmware Firmware version Version of the Ethernet interface firm...

Page 82: ...eless module embedded in the radio Bootloader version Version of the radio s bootloader firmware Firmware code Internal code used to identify the radio firmware Firmware version Version of the radio s application firmware Firmware date The date at which the radio s application firmware was released Firmware time The time at which the radio s application firmware was released ...

Page 83: ...reless tab for a typical serial radio The following tables describe the settings found in each group in the Wireless tab Radio Mode Field Name Description Operating mode Specify the role of the radio in the network Role Description Master The master radio normally has a direct wired connection to a controller The master broadcasts data to the repeater and remote radios that make up the rest of the...

Page 84: ...mploy a frequency hopping method of transmitting data The radio s carrier frequency changes periodically according to one of 64 pseudo random sequences In order for two radios to communicate with each other they must be assigned the same hop pattern In a network with no repeaters all radios must be assigned the same primary hop pattern In a network with repeaters the master and the radios that com...

Page 85: ...s assigned a network address of 0 The remaining repeaters and remotes are assigned addresses between 1 and 254 Radio Settings Field Name Description Output power Select the power at which the radio will transmit ENCOM 900 MHz serial radios have very sensitive receivers that can operate at very low signal levels It is recommended that the lowest power output necessary for a reliable connection be u...

Page 86: ... you should use a large number with randomly assigned digits AES encryption If enabled industry standard 128 bit AES encryption is applied to the communication between the radios This provides the best network security possible for PULSE devices although there may be a decrease in network performance This option is only available if the radio contains an ENC 901 or newer radio module AES key The s...

Page 87: ...n Obtain an IP address automatically DHCP Select this option if a DHCP server is available on your radio network and you want the DHCP server to assign an IP address to the radio Using the DHCP option is not recommended for radios installed in the field The IP address assigned to the radio could change or the DHCP server could fail and become unavailable Both of these issues could cause loss of co...

Page 88: ...s that are outside of their local LAN or VLAN This is an Internet Protocol version 4 IPv4 address specified in dotted notation as shown in the following example Note that the default gateway s IP address must be in the same subnet as the radio s IP address Serial Port Mode Field Name Description Serial Mode This option sets the protocol used by the iPULSE radio to communicate with other devices co...

Page 89: ...P Client Mode The radio initiates and maintains a connection to a radio configured as a TCP server The connection acts as a virtual wire between two iPULSE networks See the TCP Client Mode topic for more information TCP Client Server Mode The radio can initiate a connection to or accept a connection request from another radio or computer that is configured in TCP Client or TCP Server mode See the ...

Page 90: ...ics for information on the configuration parameters associated with each option Login Credentials Field Name Description User name The user name used to login to the radio The default user name is admin Password The password used to login to the radio The default password is admin Confirm password The password used to login to the radio This must match the value entered in the Password field in or...

Page 91: ... making the solution ideal for polling applications The following diagram shows a typical context in which an iPULSE radio configured as a P MP Master is used In this scenario serial data from the application running on the computer is sent to an existing PULSE radio PULSE radio 1 that relays the data to iPULSE radio 1 iPULSE radio 1 configured as a P MP Master encapsulates this data in UDP packet...

Page 92: ...n the following example Set the Multicast IP address setting of the P MP remote radios to this value Valid multicast addresses are in the range of 224 0 0 0 to 239 255 255 255 The default address is 224 1 1 3 Multicast port Enter the port to which the multicast UDP packets will be sent Set the Multicast port setting of the P MP remote radios to this value The default multicast port is 20001 Listen...

Page 93: ... UDP packets making the solution ideal for polling applications The following diagram shows a typical context in which iPULSE radios configured as a P MP Remotes are used In this scenario data coming from the serial devices in PULSE radio networks 2 and 3 are sent to iPULSE radio 2 and 3 respectively iPULSE radio 2 and 3 are configured to relay this data encapsulated in UDP packets to iPULSE radio...

Page 94: ...to which data received from the P MP Remote radio s associated PULSE radio network will be sent Set this value to the Listening port setting of the P MP Master radio The default listening port is 20011 Multicast IP address Enter the multicast address that the P MP Remote radio listens to This is an Internet Protocol version 4 IPv4 address specified in dotted notation as shown in the following exam...

Page 95: ... a computer needs access to the serial devices in PULSE radio networks 1 and 2 The computer is connected to the iPULSE radios via their Ethernet ports iPULSE radio 1 provides access to PULSE radio network 1 and iPULSE radio 2 provides access to PULSE radio network 2 The iPULSE radios are always listening for connection requests from a TCP client The application running on the computer initiates se...

Page 96: ...er the TCP port on which the radio will listen for incoming connection requests The default listening port is 20011 In connection timeout Enter the maximum amount of time in seconds to keep a connection active while it is idle no data is being transferred If this timeout is exceeded the connection is dropped The default in connection timeout is 300 seconds ...

Page 97: ...red as TCP Clients are used In this scenario the radios configured as TCP client radios iPULSE radio 2 and iPULSE radio 3 establish a connection to the radio configured as a TCP Server iPULSE radio 1 when data is received from their respective PULSE radio networks When the connection is established any data received from the client PULSE radio networks is passed on to the TCP Server that forwards ...

Page 98: ...ernet Protocol version 4 IPv4 address specified in dotted notation as shown in the following example Remote server port Enter the TCP port to which the data received from the client PULSE radio network will be sent Set this value to the Listening port setting of the TCP Server radio The default server port is 20011 Out connection timeout Enter the maximum amount of time in seconds to keep the conn...

Page 99: ...ities of data The following diagram shows a typical context in which two iPULSE radios configured in TCP Client Server mode are used In this scenario either of the TCP Client Server radios can establish a connection to the other radio when data is received from their respective PULSE radio networks When a connection is established any data received by either of the iPULSE radios is passed on to th...

Page 100: ...tting of the other TCP Client Server radio The default server port is 20011 Out connection timeout Enter the maximum amount of time in seconds to keep the connection initiated by this radio active while it is idle no data is being transferred If this timeout is exceeded the connection is dropped The default in connection timeout is 60 seconds Listening port Enter the TCP port on which the radio wi...

Page 101: ... iPULSE radio at a specific IP address and to a specific UDP port Any data sent by the application to the virtual COM port is automatically passed on to the PULSE radio network by the iPULSE radio Conversely any data received from the PULSE radio network is forwarded to the virtual COM port by the iPULSE radio The following table describes the settings associated with the VCOM UDP mode Field Name ...

Page 102: ... modify the radio s controller port settings Due to differences in the physical interface radios that have an FSK interface will have different port settings than radios that have an RS 232 style interface Refer to the following topics for more information on the port settings of the radio your are using FSK Radio Settings RS 232 Radio Settings iPULSE Radio Settings ...

Page 103: ...he following tables describe the settings found in each group in the Serial Port tab Communication Settings Field Name Description Mode The mode in which the physical port operates One of the following options can be used Mode Description FSK 2 wire A single pair of wires is used for both transmitting and receiving characters Supports half duplex operation FSK 4 wire One pair of wires is used to t...

Page 104: ...gs Field Name Description Buffer mode This option controls how the radio handles data received from the device attached to the FSK connector Mode Description High throughput The radio automatically selects the best packet size based on the Character timeout setting Data may be delayed but the best use is made of the available wireless bandwidth Quick turn around Data is transmitted as soon as it i...

Page 105: ...FSK connector Mode Description Key on data The carrier is only turned on when data is being transmitted to the device attached to the FSK connector The Carrier on delay T1 and Carrier off delay T2 times are used to frame the data being transmitted Continuous key The carrier is always on This option is only available when the port mode is set to FSK 4 wire Carrier on delay T1 The amount of time in ...

Page 106: ... the Serial Port tab Communication Settings Field Name Description Mode The mode in which the physical port operates Baud rate The signaling rate to use when communicating with the device connected to the serial port Data bits The number of data bits to use when communicating with the device connected to the serial port Parity The type of parity to use when communicating with the device connected ...

Page 107: ...ntrols how the radio handles data received from the serial port Mode Description High throughput The radio automatically selects the best packet size based on the Character timeout setting Data may be delayed but the best use is made of the available wireless bandwidth Quick turn around Data is transmitted as soon as it is received from the device connected to the serial port Character timeout The...

Page 108: ... active The radio s DCD line is always asserted The Carrier on delay T1 and Carrier off delay T2 times are used to prevent fragmentation of messages The frequency hopping technology used by PULSE radios can lead to fragmentation of messages small delays are introduced between the characters of a message Some devices such as older traffic controllers cannot tolerate these delays The Always on T1 T2...

Page 109: ...e optional Carrier off delay T2 can be used to prevent subsequent messages from being sent too quickly On when synchronized The radio s DCD line is asserted when the radio is able to communicate with the master If the radio is configured as a master this mode is ignored and the DCD line is always asserted On when outputting data The radio s DCD line is only asserted when data is being transmitted ...

Page 110: ...cation Settings Field Name Description Mode The mode in which the physical port operates Baud rate The signaling rate to use when communicating with the device connected to the serial port Data bits The number of data bits to use when communicating with the device connected to the serial port iPULSE radios only support 8 data bits Parity The type of parity to use when communicating with the device...

Page 111: ...ughput The radio automatically selects the best packet size based on the Character timeout setting Data may be delayed but the best use is made of the available wireless bandwidth Quick turn around Data is transmitted as soon as it is received from the device connected to the serial port Character timeout The maximum amount of time in milliseconds to wait before wirelessly transmitting the data re...

Page 112: ...elays in getting the data to the destination devices You may need to experiment with your system in order to determine the optimum value The default value is 1024 characters Character timeout The maximum amount of time to wait for another character before the characters received by the Ethernet interface are automatically sent to the serial port and radio network A large large timeout is typically...

Page 113: ...eless link ENCOM serial radios support a wireless link rate of 76 8 kbps kilobits per second Hopping interval This option specifies the rate at which the radio hops from one frequency to another within the configured hop pattern This option is only shown when the radio is operating as a master Remotes will automatically follow the master radio s hopping interval Packet size The optimum packet size...

Page 114: ...emote or repeater radios is acknowledged by the master so there is no need to blindly retransmit it When an acknowledgement is received the retries stop Roaming If enabled a remote repeater radio will attempt to find a master repeater radio that is using the same network address and security key that is assigned to the remote repeater If found the remote repeater will automatically switch its hop ...

Page 115: ...tion In between the sync packet transmission both the master and associated repeater and remote radios will turn off most of the their internal circuitry to save power There is no major performance penalty when operating in low current mode Network latency and throughput can be maintained at a level close to that of the normal operating mode When the Low current mode option is selected for a maste...

Page 116: ...than three seconds the radio will turn off most of its internal circuitry to save power The radio will wake up when the RTS line is asserted Data transmission will start after the remote has been able to connect to a master or repeater As long as the amount of data to be transmitted is less than the radio s buffer size 255 bytes no data should be lost While the radio is asleep it will not be able ...

Page 117: ...s configuration to a profile file for use as a template in configuring other radios To export a radio s configuration 1 Click on the Export button at the bottom of the Settings panel The Save radio configuration to profile file form is displayed 2 Specify the name of the file you want to save the radio s configuration settings to and then click Save to save the settings By default ENCOM PULSE Link...

Page 118: ...the settings from one radio to another This can be used to provision new radios quickly and ensure that they are compatible with other radios in the network To configure a radio using a saved profile file 1 Click on the Import button at the bottom of the Settings panel The following menu is displayed The Custom Profile item allows you to choose a profile file that you created using the Export butt...

Page 119: ...he radio settings will be updated to reflect the contents of the profile file 5 Note that importing the profile will only update the settings in the PULSE Link Settings panel To update the radio you must save the configuration to the radio using the Save button You can only import profiles that were exported from a radio that is of the same family as the radio you are importing into In other words...

Page 120: ...ttom of the Settings panel 2 The Status Panel will indicate that the settings are being saved to the radio 3 After the settings has been saved the application will go back to the idle state Reset Button The Reset function allows you to reset any changes you have made in the Settings panel To reset the changes 1 Click on the Reset button at the bottom of the Settings panel 2 The content of the Sett...

Page 121: ...al strengths between two radios It can also be used to adjust the output power of the radios allowing you to pick the optimum balance between power consumption and wireless connection reliability The following screen shot shows the Signal Strength panel Refer to the following topics for information on the Signal Strength panel Signal Strength Toolbar Signal Strength Meter Using the Signal Strength...

Page 122: ...t Click the Start button to start a signal strength monitoring session Stop Click the Stop button to stop an active signal strength monitoring session Start radio address Specify the Unit Address of the first radio to monitor The Unit Address is configured in the Wireless tab of the Settings panel End radio address Specify the Unit Address of the second radio to monitor In order for the results to...

Page 123: ... from the end radio The End Radio meter will show the signal strength of the signal received from the start radio Meter The meter shows the current received signal strength in dBm the power ratio in decibels referenced to one milliwatt Output mW Shows the current power level setting of the associated radio You can use the slider to change the power level of the radio A change in the start radio s ...

Page 124: ...mote radios because the distance between the master and the remote is too great for a reliable connection The three radios have been provisioned with the settings shown in the following table Radio Setting Value Master Primary hop pattern 0 Network address 0 Unit address 0 Security key 0 Repeater Primary hop pattern 0 Repeater hop pattern 1 Network address 0 Unit address 1 Security key 0 Remote Pr...

Page 125: ...signal strength between the radios you would run two tests Test Start radio address End radio address Master to Repeater 0 1 Repeater to Remote 1 2 There is no reason to test the signal strength between the master and the remote since they are not directly connected In both cases try to adjust the output power level of each radio so that the received signal strength for the other radio is between ...

Page 126: ...l allows you to verify the reliability of the network by periodically sending packets from the master to one or more radios in the network and verifying that the packets were received by the radios The following screen shot shows the Poll Test panel Refer to the following topics for information on the Poll Test panel Poll Test Toolbar Poll Test Report ...

Page 127: ...session Reset Click the Reset button to reset the statistics during a poll test session Packet size Set the size of the packets that will be sent to the radios from the master On of the following options can be selected Option Packet Size Short 3 bytes Medium 64 bytes Long 128 bytes Remote radio addresses Specify one or more Unit Addresses to identify the radios that are to participate in the poll...

Page 128: ...Column Name Description State The state column shows the current state of the poll test for the associated radio The following table describes the colors used Color State The radio has not yet been polled The master radio s state is always gray since it is not polled as it is actually doing the polling The radio has responded at least 90 of the poll messages sent to it The radio has responded to a...

Page 129: ...hat is currently being polled Network This column displays the network topology of the radios that are participating in the poll test When the poll test is first started all radios are displayed at the same level in the network column As the radios respond to their polls ENCOM PULSE Link is able to determine their names operating modes and the radios to which they report The radio icons and names ...

Page 130: ...column Icon Description The radio is a master The radio is a remote The radio is a repeater The radio has not yet responded to the poll test Address The radio s unit address Total The total number of packets sent to the radio during the poll test session Successful The number of packets to which the radio responded Percent The percentage of packets to which the radio responded ...

Page 131: ...radio The following screen shot shows the Spectrum Scan panel The spectrum scan function is useful for site surveys to determine if a location is suitable for installing a radio If the spectrum scan indicates that there is a large quantity of 900 MHz traffic in the area it would be wise to install the radio in a different location Refer to the following topics for information on the Spectrum Scan ...

Page 132: ...top an active spectrum scan session Copy Click the Copy button to take a snapshot of the current spectrum scan graph The snapshot is placed in the Windows clipboard in graphical format and can be pasted in any application that accepts bitmaps such as Microsoft Paint Microsoft Word etc Show Peak Click the Show Peak button to display the aggregate of all spectrum readings obtained from the radio Thi...

Page 133: ...e Spectrum Scan graph shows the result of the spectrum scan carried out by the radio When a spectrum scan session is active the radio is continuously polled for information regarding the 900 MHz traffic that is in the vicinity of the radio Blue bars in the graph are periodically updated to show the current traffic encountered by the radio ...

Page 134: ... all spectrum readings obtained from the radio in light blue The example shows a very noisy environment You should avoid locating the radio in places where there is continuous activity across the 900 MHz spectrum It is okay if the background activity is sporadic or is clustered in a small range of the spectrum It is also okay if the background activity is very low level less than 90 dBm ...

Page 135: ...LSE radio with the provided wall mount power adapter and then connect it to your computer using an Ethernet cable 3 Click the Search for iPULSE radios button at the left of the status bar 4 The iPULSE Radios form is displayed While this form is visible PULSE Link is actively searching for iPULSE radios It will detect and list all iPULSE radios that are connected to your local network It will NOT d...

Page 136: ...ndicates that you must change the radio s IP address In order to connect to a radio that is unreachable you will have to change it s IP address to a compatible value Refer to the Changing the IP Address of an iPULSE Radio topic for information on changing the radio s IP address Refer to the following topics for more information on the functions available in the iPULSE Radios form Changing the IP A...

Page 137: ...please contact your IT department for assistance Alternatively you can use DHCP to assign an IP address to the radio Select the Obtain an IP address automatically option and then click the OK button to save the network settings to the radio Note that this option only works if a DHCP server is active on your local network Using the DHCP option is not recommended for radios installed in the field Th...

Page 138: ...Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 138 4 After the IP address has been successfully changed the indicator is shown at the left of the radio s MAC Address and the Status column indicates that the radio is available ...

Page 139: ... If this happens you may be able to restore communications by resetting the radio To reset an ENCOM iPULSE radio 1 Select the appropriate radio in the iPULSE Radios form and then click the Reset Device button You will be prompted for permission to reset the radio Click the Yes button to proceed 2 While the radio is being reset a indicator is shown at the left of the radio s MAC Address and the Sta...

Page 140: ...t be able to communicate with the radio In that case a indicator is shown at the left of the radio s MAC Address and the Status column indicates that the radio is unreachable If this occurs change the radio s IP address to a compatible one using the Change IP Address button 4 If your computer s network address is compatible with the radio s IP address the indicator is shown at the left of the radi...

Page 141: ...s for later deployment the list can become cluttered with radios that are no longer present When a radio is no longer present a indicator is shown at the left of radio s MAC Address and the Status column indicates that the radio is offline To remove the radios that are no longer present click the Refresh List button The list is cleared and only the radio or radios that are currently connected your...

Page 142: ...iPULSE Radios form 2 Click the Select button Alternatively you can double click the left mouse button on the item in the radio list 3 The status indicator will briefly display a message while the radio s configuration settings are retrieved Note that when the status bar is red you should not disconnect the Ethernet cable from the radio nor should you remove power from the radio 4 After the radio s...

Page 143: ...ENCOM PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 143 5 The radio configuration panel is displayed At this point you can use ENCOM PULSE Link to manage your radio ...

Page 144: ...dios found in the network For the sake of simplicity only the master controller connected to the PULSE Master radio is shown It is assumed that local controllers are connected to the remaining radios in the system In order for the radios to be able to communicate with each other they following configuration parameters must be set to the same value for all radios Settings Tab Name Setting Name Valu...

Page 145: ...with it must be assigned the same Primary hop pattern The radios that communicate directly with a repeater are assigned a Primary hop pattern that matches the repeater s Repeater hop pattern If the Primary hop pattern for a repeater is odd its Repeater hop pattern should be set to an even value and vice versa Odd and even hop patterns hop on different sets of frequencies and will not interfere wit...

Page 146: ...M PULSE Link 2012 2015 Encom Wireless Data Solutions Inc For ENCOM PULSE Link Version 2 2 6 Page 146 PULSE Remote 5 Configuration PULSE Repeater 6 Configuration PULSE Remote 7 Configuration PULSE Remote 8 Configuration ...

Page 147: ...r the PULSE Master radio The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Master Wireless Primary hop pattern 1 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 0 Wireless Se...

Page 148: ...E Remote radio with unit address 1 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Remote Wireless Primary hop pattern 1 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 1 W...

Page 149: ...E Remote radio with unit address 2 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Remote Wireless Primary hop pattern 1 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 2 W...

Page 150: ...d for the PULSE Repeater radio with unit address 3 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Repeater Wireless Primary hop pattern 1 Wireless Repeater hop pattern 2 Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 3 Wireless Secur...

Page 151: ...d for the PULSE Repeater radio with unit address 4 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Repeater Wireless Primary hop pattern 1 Wireless Repeater hop pattern 4 Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 4 Wireless Secur...

Page 152: ...E Remote radio with unit address 5 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Remote Wireless Primary hop pattern 2 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 5 W...

Page 153: ...d for the PULSE Repeater radio with unit address 6 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Repeater Wireless Primary hop pattern 4 Wireless Repeater hop pattern 3 Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 6 Wireless Secur...

Page 154: ...E Remote radio with unit address 7 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Remote Wireless Primary hop pattern 3 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 7 W...

Page 155: ...E Remote radio with unit address 8 The other settings do not affect the wireless network operation and are not discussed in this example Settings Tab Name Setting Name Value for this example Wireless Repeater in system Yes Wireless Operating Mode Remote Wireless Primary hop pattern 3 Wireless Repeater hop pattern Not used can be set to any value Wireless Network address 0 Wireless Unit address 8 W...

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