9.40 Anacom-Protection-Switch

This page describes the device driver and the device window for the Anacom 1:1 protection switch.

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 .

• --- This is the main page to control the protection switch. The actual A/B position of the TX- and RX- switch is displayed separately, also the FIXED/AUTO state. Automatic protection is enabled if a switch shows "AUTO". Pressing the A/B buttons forces a switch to this position, reverting it to "FIXED" state. Press "AUTO" to re-enable automatic protection after you have selected the switch position.
• --- 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 Anacom protection switch.

Communication protocol / Interface type

This device driver uses the Anacom-Packet protocol. It requires the switch to be controlled via an RS485 (4-wire RS422 mode) interface. Operating the switch at the RS232 interface is principally possible, too, but then the transceivers controlled by the switch cannot be operated by the software. The "DIGIPEAT" mode of the switch is not supported.

Installation

Preparing a protection switch and the two transceivers for the usage with the sat-nms software is a little bit tricky, but with the description given below it should be no problem. To understand the following, consider that the protection switch and the two transceivers are controlled via a common RS485/RS422 bus. This requires the units to be set to the same baud rate, but to individual addresses. The description below uses the recommended addresses 0101 for transceiver A, 0102 for transceiver "B" and 0103 for the protection switch.

Preparing the transceivers is no problem, as they have a separate RS232 interface and they usually come with an RS232 cable you can use to program the transceivers before you connect them to the switch.

1. Program the transceiver "A" to the address "0101", as described on the help page for this device. Keep the transceiver disconnected from the protection switch for this procedure.
2. Repeat this for transceiver "B", however use the address "0102" fur this unit.
3. Connect the transceivers and the protection switch (i.e. your complete feed / outdoor equipment) and connect it to the M&C computer which already must be prepared to operate a redundant Anacom transceiver pair.
4. With everything connected and powered up, perform the following steps at the M&C user interface:
   • At the maintenance page of the protection switch' device window, set the device address "FFFF" and a line speed of 38400,N,8,1. After some seconds the protection switch should clear it's communication fault.
   • At the field "low level command" enter " R " to get the serial number of the switch. It will reply something like "R 123456 FFFF". Now enter " R 123456 0103 " (you have to replace "123456" by the serial number actually reported by the device). The communication fault appears again.
   • Change the device address to "0103", this makes the communication fault disappear.
   • Enter at the "low level command" entry field " BAUDRATE 9600 ".
   • Change the BAUDRATE at the M&C computer to 9600, too.
   • Enter the low level command " DIGIPEAT OFF ".
   • Finally enter the low level command " SAVE " to store the settings in the switch permanently.
5. Finish the setup by entering the device addresses of the transceivers at the maintenance page of their device windows.

The protection switch and the transceivers are now programmed to work with the sat-nms software.

Variables defined by this device driver