This page describes the device driver and the device window for the ND-SatCom 350/700W TWT amplifiers. Actually the NDSatCom-TWTA driver is available which covers the 300/700 Watts 14 and 18 GHz variants of the amplifier.
Device window pages
The following table shows which device window pages are available with this individual device type. Tool-bar functions not mentioned here are described at the general description of device windows .
--- The operational parameters (BEAM-ON/STANDBY, RF ON/OFF)
--- Displays meter readings like output power and TWT specific measurements.
--- The faults page.
--- The device info page.
--- The maintenance page. The configuration parameters described below are set at this page.Configuration parameters
At the maintenance page of the device window there are a couple of configuration parameters which must be set to make the software talk to the Amplifier.
| parameter | description |
|---|---|
| address | The device address (decimal) as set at the device's front panel. |
| checkLimits | Turns the amplifier's built in power limit check off or on. When turned on, the amplifier generates a fault if the output power is outside the limits set below. |
| lowLimit | The low output power limit. |
| highLimit | The high output power limit. |
| helixAdvWarning | Sets the advanced helix current warning level. Not monitored if 0 |
| logGainChanges | Defines if gain changes are logged in the event database even when LogParameterChanges and LogDetectedChanges are switched ON. It is intended to be en/disabled by an external UPC. |
| deviceComment | An optional text entered here appears as an addition to the tooltip which is shown while the mouse is placed over a device icon in the GUI. The "\n" character sequence is translated into a newline character, splitting the text into multiple lines. |
| Serial | Remember to set the line parameters for the serial interface connected to the TWTA. It is recommended to operate the amplifier at 9600,N,8,1 . |
Communication protocol / Interface type
This device driver requires the Miteq-MOD95 protocol. When controlling an in-door unit or an out-door unit through the front panel, usually a RS232 interface is used (this is the factory setting of the front panel). The devices can however jumpered for RS485 usage inside on the microprocessor control panel. The out-door unit always uses a RS485 interface.
(*) Only one Jumper of the group should be closed
Installation
Before you can operate the amplifier with the sat-nms software, you must prepare the unit to match the interface parameters expected by the software. At the front panel, use the "SF" special functions to set the unit to 9600 baud / no parity. The device address must match the value set at the configuration parameters above.
Variables defined by this device driver
| name | type | flags | range |
|---|---|---|---|
| info.driver | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| lowLevel.cmd | TEXT | StringRange | |
| lowLevel.reply | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| faults.99 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Communication) |
| faults.commstat | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| info.type | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| info.port | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| info.frame | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| info.revision | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| info.heatElapsed | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 100000) |
| info.tx.beamElapsed | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 100000) |
| info.signal.on | CHOICE | R/O | EnumRange R/O (OFF ON) |
| firstRun | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| config.powerDisplayMode | CHOICE | SAVE SETUP | EnumRange (GAIN ATTN) |
| config.checkLimits | CHOICE | SETUP | EnumRange (OFF ON) |
| config.lowLimit | INTEGER | SETUP | IntegerRange (0 .. 1000) |
| config.highLimit | INTEGER | SETUP | IntegerRange (0 .. 1000) |
| config.linearizer | FLOAT | SETUP | DoubleRange (0.0 .. 20.0) |
| config.helixAdvWarning | FLOAT | SAVE SETUP | DoubleRange (0.0 .. 0.0) |
| config.logGainChanges | CHOICE | SAVE SETUP | EnumRange (ON OFF) |
| config.deviceComment | TEXT | SAVE SETUP | StringRange |
| tx.on | CHOICE | EnumRange (OFF ON) | |
| tx.beam | CHOICE | EnumRange (OFF STANDBY ON) | |
| tx.gain | FLOAT | DoubleRange (0.0 .. 20.0) | |
| tx.attn | FLOAT | DoubleRange (0.0 .. 20.0) | |
| reset | TEXT | NOPRESET | StringRange |
| state | TEXT | R/O | StringRange R/O |
| tx.measuredLevel | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (-100.0 .. 40.0) |
| tx.measuredLevel2 | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (-100.0 .. 40.0) |
| tx.requestedLevel | FLOAT | SAVE | DoubleRange (-100.0 .. 40.0) |
| meas.input | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (-100.0 .. 100.0) |
| meas.fwdPwr | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 1000) |
| meas.refPwr | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 1000) |
| meas.iHelix | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (0.0 .. 100.0) |
| meas.uHelix | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (0.00 .. 100.00) |
| meas.iHeater | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 10000) |
| meas.temp | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (0.0 .. 999.9) |
| internal.dummy | FLOAT | R/O | DoubleRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.summ | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.bsl | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.lcl | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.sta2 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.sec1 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.sec2 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.flt1 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.flt2 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.flt3 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| internal.flt4 | INTEGER | R/O | IntegerRange R/O (0 .. 0) |
| faults.01 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Remote access) |
| faults.02 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Standby timeout) |
| faults.03 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (EEPROM) |
| faults.05 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (High RF (alarm)) |
| faults.06 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Low RF (alarm)) |
| faults.07 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (High RF) |
| faults.08 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Low RF) |
| faults.10 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (External interlock) |
| faults.11 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Internal interlock) |
| faults.12 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (External RF inhibit) |
| faults.14 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Helix avg. over current) |
| faults.15 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Heater over current) |
| faults.16 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Power supply arc trip) |
| faults.17 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Reflected RF) |
| faults.18 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (RF-in overdrive) |
| faults.19 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Power supply) |
| faults.20 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Power supply thermal) |
| faults.21 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (TWT thermal) |
| faults.22 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Low airflow) |
| faults.23 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Helix advance warning) |
| faults.25 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Summary) |
| faults.26 | ALARM | R/O | AlarmFlagRange R/O (Standby) |