6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB • • • • • • • • • • • Selectable Host Baud Rate 1200bps – 38.4Kbps USB or RS232 Cable Replacement Range up to 150 Metres European Operation 433 or 868MHz Narrow Band RF RF Data Rates to 100 kbps One to Many, Many to One 12V or USB Power Conforms to ETSI 300-220 Requires no radio licence to operate ABS enclosure Description The RF Solutions STORM radio Modem is a simple to use and very versatile device. It can operate as a one to one cable replacement link, in multiple master/slave arrangements or in broadcast modes. The Small modem come in an ABS enclosure with external antenna and easily achieves a range of 150m. Multiple connection options allow it connect to a PC or act as an M2M link via USB or RS232 with power though the data cable or via an external 12V DC supply. Operation Modes One-to-One operation; for point to point data communication Broadcast Mode ; where a single master address many Storm Modem Modems concurrently. (using many Storm Modem Modems set to the same address), One-to-Many; A network consisting a master and many slaves (the receivers all have the same address) Many-to-One; where the transmitters all send to a single receiver address. Because each Storm Modem can contain a unique address, multiple Storm Modem networks can co-exist in the same area. Ordering Information Part Number Description STORM-433F Modem RS232, 433MHz 150Metres PSU-CAB666 Serial cable and power supply (pin 9 on serial cable powers the modem) DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 1 6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB Connections and Set-up USB Connector The Storm Modem interfaces to the host computer via a USB Type A connector. RS232 Connector The RF Modem interfaces to the host computer via an RS232 connection using a standard DB9 connector with pin out as shown in the diagram below. PC Serial Port DTE (DB25) RF STORM M odem (DB9F) 8 1 3 2 2 3 20 4 7 5 6 PC Serial Port DTE (DB9) RF STORM Modem (DB9F) 1 1 2 2 Tx 3 3 Rx 4 4 DTR 5 5 GND 6 6 7 7 8 8 CTS 9 9 POWER Tx Rx DTR GND 6 4 7 RTS 5 8 CTS 22 9 POWER RTS Power supply For USB comms, power is automatically obtained from the USB connection. (No external power required) For RS232 comms external power is required. Power is provided by either J6 (as shown above) or by a special serial cable RFS part number PSU-M433UK The PSU-M433UK power supply and serial cable supplies pin 9 of the 9 way Sub D connector with 12 Volts DC. Serial Data Data Bits: Parity: Stop Bits: Flow Control: 8 None 1 None Open Open Host Baud Rate 4,800 Open Fitted 9,600 Fitted Open 19,200 Fitted Fitted 38,400 OPT 1 OPT 2 (Factory Setting 19,200Kbps) Status LED’s The RF Modem circuit board has three LED’s, representing the following signals: • PWR – Power on • Tx – Transmitting data • Rx – Receiving data DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 2 6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB Configuration The configuration of the STORM modem may be changed by placing it in Configuration mode, then sending a set of configuration data bytes to the module on the Tx pin. To place the STORM modem in Configuration mode the user needs to send “+++” (three plus characters) within the 10mS timeout for each character. The STORM responds by returning it’s current set of Configuration data bytes. The STORM Modem is now on Configuration mode. To exit Configuration mode the user needs to send “---“ (three minus characters) within the 10mS timeout for each character. The STORM will not return a response. The STORM is now in data mode. Byte 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Name Description MSB Destination Address LSB MSB STORM Address RF Channel 9 Tx Power 10 11 Tx data packet size Rx data packet size LSB 100 kHz step offset from 422.4MHz 0 = -10dBm 1 = -2dBm 2 = +6dBm 3 = +10dBm 3 – 31 bytes 3 – 31 bytes Default Supplied Value 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 7E hex 107 (433.1MHz) 0 (-10dBm) 30 bytes 30 bytes The RF Channel is calculated as: 433 MHz working frequency: Config value (decimal) = (desired RF frequency - 422.4MHz) * 10 868 MHz working frequency: Config value (decimal) = [(desired RF frequency / 2) - 422.4MHz] * 10 Please Note, the calculated value must be converted into hexadecimal format. While the STORM is in configuration mode it will send the current configuration back to the host each time a data packet is received. To retrieve the current configuration without changing any options the host can send a single byte to the modem and wait for the response. It is not necessary to send all configuration bytes to the modem, but all data sent must be valid. For example to change the destination address the host may just send four bytes. Configuration data excluded from the end of the data stream will be unchanged. The STORM modem will accept a short configuration when a 10ms timeout after the last byte sent to the module expires. This allows for the host to easily change the destination address of the RF data packet, thus enabling one STORM to send individual data to several different recipient modules. A destination address of 00000000 will reset the STORM to the default settings shown above. RF data packets received by the STORM with the embedded destination address which matches the STORM address will be accepted, processed and passed to the host, all of the RF data packets will be ignored. When configuring the destination or STORM address an incorrect number of bytes for an address will leave the current address unchanged. An invalid Transmitter Power or Packet Size setting will leave the current setting unchanged. DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 3 6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB Operational notes RF data packets received by the Storm Modem with an embedded destination address which matches the Storm Modem address will be accepted, processed and passed to the host, all other RF data packets will be ignored. The size of RF data packets is set during configuration. If fewer bytes are received by the Storm Modem than the preset size, then after 10ms from the last byte received from the host, the RF packet will be processed and transmitted anyway, (the data is expanded to meet the preset packet size). The RF data packet size must be set the same for transmitter and receiver; otherwise the received packets will be discarded. In order to optimise data rate, in a point-to-point configuration where data is mostly being sent in one direction, the packet size for one data direction can be set to the maximum size, however the reverse direction may be set to a smaller packet size, to implement an acknowledge reply for example. The Storm Modem contains an on-board data buffer equal to two data packets. Therefore if RTS is asserted (then the host is unable to receive data) the Storm Modem will store a max of two data packets (2 x 31 bytes), all further data packets received will be discarded. Each Storm Modem has its own preset address. This is set during configuration. Any data received is examined and the address header embedded within the data packet is compared with the Storm Modem address. Only data received with matching address will be processed and output to the host, all other data will be discarded. DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 4 6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB STORM Configuration Utility The STORM modem can be easily configured using the STORM Configuration Utility available from the RF Solutions Website. DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 5 6 ‘STORM’ RADIO MODEM RS232 / USB 1.1 Technical Specifications Absolute Maximum Ratings Operating temperature: Storage temperature: Supply Voltage Data input -10 0 C to +70 0 C -40 0 C to +100 0 C 11.1 to 25.6V ±15V (RS232 serial levels) Electrical Characteristics Min. DC Levels Supply voltage Supply current (Transmit mode) Supply current (Receive mode) Supply current (Standby mode) Typ. 11.1 11 Max. 12 Units 25.6 45 V mA mA uA 1 440.0 MHz dBm dBm kHz kbps 2 12.5 125 RF Working frequency Receiver sensitivity Transmitter RF power out Frequency deviation GFSK Manchester encoded data rate 430.0 433.1 -100 +10 +/- 50 100 Dynamic Timing Power up to stable receiver data out Power up to full RF out Standby to Receive mode Standby to Transmit mode Notes 30 30 1 1 mS mS mS mS CTS timing With a standard buffer size of 30 bytes, CTS is asserted 41uS after the buffer is full. In cases where less than 20 bytes are sent CTS is asserted after a timeout of 10mS. otes 1. Supply voltage should have <10mV ripple. 2. The application operating frequency must be chosen to comply with the Short Range device regulation in the area of operation. For more information or general enquiries, please contact R. F. Solutions Ltd., Unit 21, Cliffe Industrial Estate, South Street, Lewes, E Sussex, BN8 6JL. England Tel +44 (0)1273 898 000 Fax +44 (0)1273 480 661 Email [email protected] http://www.rfsolutions.co.uk th WEE Disposal: Products supplied from 15 August 2005 that have reached the end of their life may be returned at the customers cost to be processed within WEEE regulations. Please clearly labelled “WEEE” Information contained in this document is believed to be accurate, however no representation or warranty is given and R.F. Solutions Ltd. assumes no liability with respect to the accuracy of such information. Use of R.F.Solutions as critical components in life support systems is not authorised except with express written approval from R.F.Solutions Ltd. DS Storm-b May 08 ©2008 Reg. No. 227 4001, ENGLAND Page 6