Black Box Network Router MDR210A 485 User Manual

MDR210A-485  
900 MHz. Frequency Hopping RS-485 Master/Slave auto-sensing  
radio interface.  
 
Description  
The MDR210A-485 uses an embedded 100-milliwatt, frequency-hopping  
wireless modem that provides communication between a local RS485 network  
and a remote network of RS485 connected devices. The MDR210A-485 will  
automatically sense the direction of data flow and switch the RS485 and Radio  
devices accordingly. The MDR210A-485 can be placed in a network of RS485  
devices and appear as a slave repeater of remote RS485 devices or it can be  
placed in a network of one or many RS485 slaves and act as the RS485 repeater  
of a remote master. The radio operates within the 900 MHz ISM Band under  
Part 15 of the FCC Rules and Regulations.  
The MDR210A-485 operates at 19200 Baud at either odd parity or no parity.  
Dipswitches select parity and one of 7 radio networks. Radios operating together  
must have the same radio network address (1-7 set by switches labeled A0-A2).  
Select a different radio network address to prevent interference from nearby  
networks that are not sharing information. The default radio network for Rooftop  
applications is 5. The user may choose another network address (1-7) if desired.  
While all radios in a network must have the same network address, they do not  
have to have the same parity. The parity is local to the RS485 serial port on the  
MDR210A-485 only. Parity information is not transmitted or received.  
Radio network selection 0 (A0, A1, A2 all set to 0) selects a special network  
setup. When network address setting 0 is selected, the pre-programmed radio  
network parameters are used. These parameters are user and application  
specific and must be set at the factory for specific OEM applications.  
The MDR210A-485 can also be used as a general purpose RS485 half duplex  
radio interface operating at 19200 Baud at either odd or no parity (dip switch  
selectable).  
PARAMETER  
Supply Voltage  
Supply Current  
Baud Rate  
MIN  
6.0  
70  
-
TYP  
12  
-
MAX  
24  
200  
-
UNITS  
Volts  
mA  
19200  
Baud  
PIN  
1
2
SIGNAL  
TR-  
TR+  
DESCRIPTION  
RS485 transmit/receive negative I/O  
RS485 transmit/receive positive I/O  
Common  
3
GND  
3
 
Features  
·res  
RS485 Master/Slave auto-sensing radio interface.  
·
Built in 900MHz frequency hopping radio for long-range  
wireless interface.  
·
·
·
Provides remote capability to RS485 Modbus networks.  
Automatically senses Master or Slave data flow.  
Multiple radios allow many remote RS485 networks to coexist  
logically.  
·
·
·
·
·
·
Provides means to connect legacy RS485 devices to wireless.  
Range Indoor: 600’ to 1300’  
Range Outdoor: 7mi. with dipole, >20 mi. w/high gain antenna.  
LED power and activity indicator.  
Configuration parameters set by dipswitch.  
Low power, 6-24 VDC at 200 milliamp transmitting, 70 milliamp  
receiving.  
·
Astron AXH900RP SMA R Reverse Polarity SMA 6.5”  
Antenna.  
General  
MDR210A-485  
Frequency Range  
Type  
902 to 928 MHz., unlicensed ISM Band  
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum Transceiver  
Direct FM  
Frequency Control  
Transport Protocol  
Channel Capacity  
Serial Data Interface  
Transparent networking  
Hops through 25 channels. Up to 65,000 network identifiers.  
Asynchronous RS232 levels. CMOS (TTL) Signals, 5V, 3.3V Tolerant  
Configurable from 2400-57600 bps  
Serial Interface Baud  
Rate  
Data Throughput  
9600 bps  
Network Topology  
Point – multipoint, point-to-point multi-drop transparent networking  
Performance  
Channel Data Rate  
Transmit Power Output  
Rx Sensitivity  
10k or 20k bps respectively (vary with data rate)  
100mW  
-110dBm or –107dBm Respectively  
Range*  
Indoor: 600’ to 1500’ Outdoor: 7 mi. with dipole, over 20 mi. with high gain antenna  
70 dB at pager and cellular phone frequencies  
Interface Rejection  
*Range calculations are for 9600 baud line of sight. Actual range will vary based upon specific antenna selection and  
environment  
4
 
9XSTREAM-192/96 Radio  
Introduction  
The 9XSTREAM-192/96 radio is a 100-milliwatt frequency hopping wireless modem that  
communicates with other equipment using a standard 19200 or 9600-baud asynchronous serial  
data stream. The radio is half-duplex and can sustain a continuous data stream at the specified  
data rate. The 9XSTREAM operates within the 900 MHz ISM Band under Part 15 of the FCC  
Rules and Regulations.  
IMPORTANT: The 9XSTREAM radio has been certified as a module by the FCC for integration  
into OEM products without further certification being necessary (as per FCC section 2.1091.) The  
OEM must satisfy the following requirements in order to comply with FCC regulations:  
The system integrator must ensure that the external label provided with this device is placed on  
the outside of the final product.  
In order to comply with the FCC RF exposure requirements, the 9XSTREAM may be used only  
with approved antennas that have been tested with this radio and a minimum separation distance  
of 20 cm must be maintained from the antenna to any near by persons. The OEM must also  
include a statement in the final product manual, informing users of the requirement to maintain 20  
cm separation from the antenna to any near by persons. If the OEM integrates the 9XStream into  
their final product, where the final product utilizes a non-approved antenna or is classified as a  
portable device per FCC Section 2.1093 (less than 20 cm separation distance between the  
antenna to any near by persons,) the OEM is responsible for obtaining a separate authorization  
on the final product.  
The 9XSTREAM radio requires a regulated 5-volt, 200mA supply for operation. Any voltage  
higher than 5.5 volts will damage the radio.  
Approved Antennas  
Mfr Model  
Dimensions  
Freq  
Gain Type  
Connector  
Astron AXQ900 PTL  
Astron AXH900RP SMA R 902-928  
MaxStream 900CDAN  
902-928  
2dBi Omni  
2dBi Omni  
2dBi Omni  
MMCX 3”  
Reverse Polarity SMA 6.5”  
Integrated 3”  
902-928  
External Label:  
This device contains transmitter module  
FCC ID:OUR9XTREAM. The enclosed  
device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.  
Operation is subject to the following two  
conditions: (1) This device may not cause  
harmful interference, and (2) this device  
must accept any interference received,  
including interference that may cause  
undesired operation.  
5
 
9XStream Frequency Hopping Data Radio  
FCC Compliance Warning:  
Changes or modifications to the 9XStream Data Radio not expressly approved by MaxStream,  
Inc. could  
void the user’s authority to operate this product.  
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital  
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable  
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,  
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with  
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no  
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause  
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the  
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of  
the following measures:  
? R?eorient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
? I?ncrease the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
? C?onnect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.  
? C?onsult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.  
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two  
conditions:  
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired  
operation.  
6
 
Antenna  
Antenna Connector MMCX Female  
Antenna Impedance 50 Ohms unbalanced  
Approved Antennas Integral wire antenna (factory installed)  
Astron AXQ9PRLMMCX – 1/4 wave flexible whip  
Astron AXH900 RP SMAR – 1/2 wave flexible whip, SMA  
Serial Port Scanning  
The Scan Function is provided to assist the user when they are unsure which  
communication port the MDR210A-485 is attached to or what baud rate it has been set  
to. The Scan Function will attempt to communicate with the MDR210A-485 over every  
port installed on the PC at every allowed baud rate. While this is not a fast process, it  
does allow the recovery of a device whose configuration is unknown. If the Scan  
Function is unable to determine the port which the MDR210A-485 is attached to, the user  
will be notified. The user should then ensure that no other application has the  
communication port in use before re-attempting the Scan.  
Application Fields  
COM Port - Specifies which PC communication port the MDR210A-485 to be  
configured is attached.  
Scan - The scan function iterates each available PC communication port looking for an  
attached MDR210A-485. If an MDR210A-485 is found, its COM Port and current Baud  
Rate values are provided.  
Network ID - All communicating MDR210A-485s must be programmed to the same  
Network ID. The valid values are from hexadecimal 1 to FFF.  
Hop Table - All communicating MDR210A-485s must be programmed to the same Hop  
Table. The valid values are 0 to 6. Independent networks in the same vicinity should use  
different Hop Tables to minimize packet collisions.  
Baud Rate - This is the desired communication Baud Rate between the host and the  
MDR210A-485.  
Setup - Send the currently selected values to the MDR210A-485 attached to the specified  
communication port.  
Close - Exits the Application.  
Networks  
There are seven available networks (Hop Tables). Each network utilizes a different  
pseudo-random hopping sequence to navigate through the shared hopping channels. In  
the event that two modules from different networks collide on a channel (because they  
7
 
hop in a different sequence) the two modules will jump to separate channels on the next  
hop. Using networks, multiple module pairs can operate in the same vicinity with  
minimal interference from each other. The network parameter is user-definable using the  
MDR210A-485 Set-up Hop Table.  
Module Address  
Module Addresses provide another level of addressing among the MDR210A-485  
modules. Each module in a network can be configured with a 16-bit Module Address to  
establish selective communications within a network. This address is set to 65535 values  
using the MDR210A-485 Set-up Hop Table command.  
All modules with the same Module Address can transmit and receive data among  
themselves. Any modules on a network with different Module Addresses will still detect  
and listen to the data in order to maintain network synchronization. However, they will  
not send the data to their serial ports if their Module Addresses do not match the Module  
Addresses of the transmitter.  
Data Validity  
The first data packet transmitted contains all bytes that accumulated in the data buffer  
while the header (see Figure 2a below) was being sent. After the first data packet is sent,  
another header will be sent if data is available in the buffer. The header is followed by  
another data packet. The second data packet (and all subsequent data packets) will  
consist of data that accumulated in the buffer while the previous data packet and header  
were being sent (see Figure 2a). The size of each data packet can vary up to 64 bytes.  
This progression can be seen in Figure 2b.  
Sent Data:  
Data  
Data  
Header  
Packet 1  
Header  
Packet 2  
Header  
Collect  
Data for  
Packet 1  
Collect Data for Packet 2  
Collect Date for Packet 3  
Group Data into Packets:  
8
 
Figure 2a – Generation of Data Packets  
Data Validity (Cont.)  
Header  
Data from Buffer  
Data  
CRC  
No Data  
To Idle Mode  
Figure 2b – Transmit Mode Description  
To verify data integrity, a 16-bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is computed for the  
transmitted data and attached to the end of each data packet before transmission. The  
receiver will then compute the CRC on all incoming data. Any received data that has an  
invalid CRC is discarded.  
Glossary  
Data Buffer – Collects incoming serial data prior to over-the-air data transmission. The  
data buffer can hold up to 132 bytes at a given time.  
9
 
Data Packets – A grouping of data to be sent over-the-air. Each data packet contains a  
header and data that is collected from the data buffer. The size of the packets varies up to  
64 bytes depending on how many bytes of data are in the data buffer.  
Glossary (cont.)  
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) – Method employed by the MDR210A-  
485 module which involves transmitting data over several different channels in a specific  
channel hopping sequence known by the transmitter and the receiver(s).  
Half-duplex – A mode for radio operations. Radios that operate in half-duplex are able  
to either transmit data or receive data at a given time, but cannot do both simultaneously.  
When one module is transmitting, all modules within range listen to the transmission and  
will only transmit when the transmission is complete.  
Module Addresses – Provides a layer of addressing among modules. Modules with the  
same Module Addresses can communicate together.  
Networks – Provides a layer above Module Addresses for communicating between  
modules. Each network has a unique hopping sequence that allows modules on the same  
network to remain synchronized together.  
RS-232 logic – Standard logic levels implemented in devices using the RS-232  
communication protocol.  
Sensitivity – A measurement specification that describes how weak a signal can be  
(in dBm) and still be detected by the receiver.  
Serial Data – Data that enters the MDR210A-485 module through its serial port.  
Start bit – A low UART signal to signify the beginning of an eight-bit data sequence.  
Stop bit – The last bit in a UART data sequence. The stop bit is high and indicates the  
end of an eight-bit data sequence.  
Synchronization – Synchronization is used to ensure that the transmitter and receiver are  
communicating properly with each other and following the same channel hopping  
sequence.  
Transmission Latency – Time required to send a packet of data. This value is  
dependent on the number of bytes being sent and the baud rate of the module.  
Transmit Mode – Mode of operation in which over-the-air data can be transmitted from  
a module to other modules.  
10  
 
Application Notes  
Why does Sensitivity Matter?  
Receiver sensitivity is the lowest power level at which the receiver can detect a wave and  
demodulate data. Sensitivity is purely a receiver specification and is independent of the  
transmitter. As the wave propagates away from the transmitter, it attenuates as the  
distance increases. Lowering the sensitivity on the receiver (making it more negative)  
will allow the radio to detect weaker signals, and thus increase the transmission range.  
Sensitivity is vitally important since even slight differences in receiver sensitivity can  
account for large discrepancies in the range. To better understand this relationship, the  
following example is provided.  
Example:  
Compare the MDR210A-485 module (with –110dBm sensitivity) to a commercial radio  
receiver with a sensitivity of –90 dBm. The Friis transmission formula can be used to  
calculate received power (or signal strength) at any receiver location under line-of-sight  
conditions. This formula is given by  
P( t ) x G( t ) x G( r ) x l²  
P( r ) =  
F( s ) x 4 pr ²  
P(r) = received power (mW)  
P(t) = transmitted power (mW)  
G(t) = gain of transmit antenna (linear)  
G(r) = gain of receive antenna (linear)  
F(s) = fading margin (linear)  
l = wavelength (meters)  
r = distance between Transmitter and Receiver (meters)  
The following values were used to compare the range limitations of these modules:  
P(t) = 100mW  
G(t) and G(r) = 2dB, or 1.585 linear  
l = 0.333 meters  
F(s) = 21dB, or 125.89 (experimentally determined.  
The table below demonstrates the power received at the receiver over the specified range  
between the TX and RX antennas, assuming line of sight conditions.  
11  
 
Application Notes (cont.)  
Detectable  
Detectable by  
by  
Range  
Received  
(meters)  
Power  
MDR210A-485 Commercial  
Radio  
100  
500  
-68.526 dBm  
-82.506 dBm  
-88.526 dBm  
-92.048 dBm  
-102.506 dBm  
-106.588 dBm  
-108.526 dBm  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
YES  
NO  
NO  
NO  
1000  
3000  
5000  
8000  
10000  
11265  
NO  
(7miles) -109.559 dBm  
12000 -110.805 dBm  
YES  
NO  
NO  
NO  
Since the range doubles every 6dB, the 20dB sensitivity difference in radios corresponds  
to 2^(20/6) = 10.08 times the range using the MDR210A-485 radio!  
12  
 
Appendix A – Specifications  
General  
Frequency Range  
902 to 928 MHz, unlicensed ISM Band  
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum  
Transceiver  
Type  
Frequency Control  
Transport Protocol  
Direct FM  
Transparent Networking  
Hops through 25 channels. Up to 65,000  
NetIDs.  
Channel Capacity  
Serial Data Interface  
Serial Interface Baud Rate  
Data Throughput  
Asynchronous RS-232 levels  
?????  
?????  
Performance  
10k or 20k bps Respectively (vary with data  
rate)  
100mW  
Channel Data Rate  
Transmit Power Output  
Rx Sensitivity  
-110 or –107 dBm Respectively  
Indoor: 600' to 1500' Outdoor: 7mi. With dipole,  
over 20 mi. with high gain antenna  
Range*  
Interference Rejection  
70 dB at pager and cellular phone frequencies  
Power Requirements  
Supply Voltage  
5 VDC +/-0.3V  
Current Consumption  
Tx - 170 mA nominal, Rx - 50 mA nominal  
Physical Properties  
Board Size  
Weight  
1.6” x 2.7” x .35” (4.06 x 6.86 x .89)cm  
8 oz. (24g)  
Connectors  
Operating Temperature  
Operating Humidity  
11 pin 0.1” spaced male berg type header  
-40° to 85° C  
10% to 90% (non-condensing)  
Antennas  
Antenna Connector  
Approved Antennas  
MMCX Female  
????  
*Range calculations are for 9600 baud radio line of sight. Actual range will vary based upon specific board integration,  
antenna selection, environment and the OEM’s device.  
Antenna  
Antenna Connector MMCX Female  
Antenna Impedance 50 Ohms unbalanced  
Approved Antennas Integral wire antenna (factory installed)  
Astron AXQ9PRLMMCX – 1/4 wave flexible whip  
Astron AXH900 RP SMAR – 1/2 wave flexible whip, SMA  
13  
 
FCC Compliance Warning:  
Warning: This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.  
Operation is subject to the following conditions:  
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
2. This device must accept any interference received, including  
interference that may cause undesired operation.  
14  
 

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