TECHNICAL MANUAL

SAILOR SC4000 IRIDIUM

Introduction
Your Iridium equipment is a modular system that consists of a
transceiver unit, control handset unit, antenna unit and an optional
analogue PSTN telephone/PABX.
You can make and receive voice calls on the control handset and the
analogue PSTN telephone. You can connect up to four handsets
and one analogue PSTN telephone or PBX switchboard to the
system.
The system provides intercom for internal calls between any control
handsets and between the analogue telephone and a control
handset.
Via the data port on the transceiver, the unit can be used as a data
modem for dial-up data calls, Internet access, SMS and E-mail
messaging.

Please note
Any responsibility or liability for loss or damage in connection with
the use of this product and the accompanying documentation is
disclaimed. The information in this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, may contain
errors or inaccuracies, and represents no commitment whatsoever.
This agreement is governed by the laws of Denmark.
Doc. no.: M4150GB0

Issue: H/0514

IRIDIUM

Installation

Contents
1

Technical Specifications ................................................................................................................................... 2

Installation .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.1
2.2
2.3
2.3.1
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
2.14

Version Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Configuration of Single-Channel Unit .................................................................................................................. 4
Cable Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Scanbus Termination ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Where to Place the Satellite Transceiver Box ..................................................................................................... 7
How to Mount the Satellite Transceiver Box ........................................................................................................ 7
How to Put on the Finishing Cover ...................................................................................................................... 8
How to Insert the SIM Card .................................................................................................................................. 9
Optional SIM card Reader .................................................................................................................................... 9
How to Remove the Finishing Cover ................................................................................................................... 10
Installation of the Antenna ................................................................................................................................... 11
Analogue telephone ............................................................................................................................................. 13
Data Interface ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
External Ringer Interface ..................................................................................................................................... 14
Reset Button ......................................................................................................................................................... 14

Appendix A ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Spare Parts List .................................................................................................................................................... 17

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IRIDIUM

Installation

Technical Specifications

Space Segment
Satellites
Orbital planes
Orbit height
Inclination of the orbital planes
Orbital period
Spot beams

66 (Plus 6 in-Orbit backup satellites)

6
780 kilometres
86.4 degrees
100 minutes, 28 seconds
48 per satellite

Radio module
Frequency Range
Duplexing Method
Oscillator Stability
Input/Output Impedance

1616 MHz to 1626.5 MHz (L-Band)

TDD (Time Domain Duplex)
1.5 ppm
50

Multiplexing Method
Average Power during a transmit slot
Average Power during a frame
Receiver Sensitivity at 50 Ohm
Receiver Spurious Rejection at offsets > 1 MHz
Voice/Data Rate

TDMA/FDMA
(max) 7W
(typical) 0.6W
(typical) -118.5 dBm
(typical) 60 dB
2.4 kbit/s QPSK

Antenna

Link Margin

Helical, omni-directional 210

(3 dB beam width)
Fibreglass radome 96 mm
16 dB

Antenna Tracking Capability

Turn
Roll/pitch
Yaw

Omni-directional antenna
Up to 20 from horizontal position
Elevation > 8

Interface
Handset
Telephone/PABX
Data
Position information

600 / 4 wire RS485

270 +750 // 150nF / 2 wire
RS232 with hardware flow control
NMEA 0183

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IRIDIUM

Power supply
DC
AC (Optional)
Consumption

Environmental Conditions
Transceiver
Operating temperature
Storage temperature

Antenna
Temperature
Rel. humidity
Icing (survival only)
Precipitation
Wind (velocity)
Vibration
Weight
Transceiver :
Antenne:
Handset & cradle :

0514

Installation

10 32V DC
110-230V AC (External adaptor)
25 W during communication
8 W Stand by

-10 C to +55 C
-30 C to +70 C

EME -35 C to + 55 C
Up to 95% at 40 C
Up to 25 mm of ice
Up to 100 mm/hour
Up to 100 knots
IME: 2 50 Hz @ 1 g
EME: 4 33 Hz @ 1 g
2.7 kg
220 g
570 g

IRIDIUM

Installation

2
2.1

Installation
Version Overview

This manual covers the Transceiver Unit versions Mk2, Mk3 and Mk4.
The version can easily be determined by looking at the area around the SIM card reader. Also check the part number
on the type label located at the antenna connector.

2.2

Mk2

Mk3

Mk4

814120xx

824120xx

834120xx

Configuration of Single-Channel Unit

Iridium
Antenna Unit
Transceiver
Unit

Control
Handset

Control
Handset

Max. cable loss 3dB

GPS

Phone
PABX

5
Connection
Box

DTE

L1
L2
10 - 32V DC

L1 + L2 < 100 metres

35423E

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IRIDIUM

2.3

Installation

Cable 2
Phone
Cable connector type: RJ 11

Cable Overview

Cable 1
Scanbus
Cable: 9*0.22 mm2
Cable connector type:
Transceiver
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
shield

Description
NC
data+
dataAF+
AFGND
+24V DC
RX_AF+
RX_AFGND

Transceiver
1
2
3
4

shielded
shield connected to ground
9 pole sub-d male
Handset
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
shield

Colour
white
brown
green
yellow
grey
pink
blue
red

Twisted
pairs
Twisted
pairs
Twisted
pairs
Twisted
pairs

Description
NC
phone1+
phone1NC

Cable 3
Data
Cable: 9*0.22 mm2
Cable connector type:
Transceiver
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
shield

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

shielded
shield connected to ground
9 pole sub-d male

Description
DCD
received data
transmitted data
data terminal ready
serial GND
data set ready
request to send
clear to send
RI
GND

10

Cable 4
Power supply
Pin no.
1
2
3
4

Description
10-32V DC
0V DC
NC
GND

Colour
red
black
white
green

36088

Front view
4

36662A
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IRIDIUM

Installation

Cable 5
Description of connections to T-connection H4196
(optional accessory)
The wire terminal blocks are connected in parallel.

2.3.1 Scanbus Termination

The scanbus connecting the transceiver and the control
units, has to be terminated. Only the first and last unit on
the bus shall have the termination in ON position.

V60

C27

C29

C212
R151

V66

R200

V68

C14

C28

R39

V51

R131

R139

C129
R192

R191
R189

V53
V46

V52

V32

R190
C117

R137

C50

R81
R184

R138

C63

C184

R144

C183

R140

C166
C180

R141

V41

N7

R175

V2

S1

V4
V7

R210

V47

R142

R36

R178
R203

R172

C43

R230

R44

C54

C8

C15

C10

R31
R30
R242
R248

R233
R234

D3

C7

D26

D2

S4

S5

R247
R27

C165

V6
V5

R16

X10

R18
R20
R21

R61
C198

R49

R245
R244
R239
R240

R15

X6

D18
Z15

C90

R48

R231
R232

R217

C19

R63

D15

C20

C163

R56

R237

External Ringer
PC Rx (RS232)
PC Tx (RS232)
NC*
GND (RS232)
NC*
NMEA+
NMEANC*
GND

C92

D5

C18

C30

C195

C44

C88

MK4

NC*
PC Rx (RS232)
PC Tx (RS232)
NC*
GND (RS232)
NC*
NMEA+
NMEANC*
GND

C42

R64

Mk2 & Mk3

C164

R33

X2

C89

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
shield

Description

V71

D17

C24

R55

Transceiver

V1

R26
C102

R11

C23

Cable 6
GPS input
Cable: 9*0.22 mm2
shielded
shield connected to ground
Cable connector type:
9 pole sub-d male

R85

X4

R12

C21

C85

R14

D6

V21

S3

C91

C60
C59

D14

N16

C34

R17

R 9

R209

V3

R80
V44

C69

V37

R143

C116

R193

R194

C126
R206

C185

R177

R182
R208

X12

C56

R133
V43

R246
N6

V30
N10

V36

C112

N11

R174
R170

R148

C104
R179

C143

R207

V65

C75

C206

C138

V40

C216

C159

R147

R165

R204
C142

D7

D16

V35

R215

R145

C33

R171

R7

D9

C1

R216
C84

C128

V77
V13

V42

R213

R214

C120
C132

C9

C154

C2

R45

R25

R136

R101

R98

R6

C199

C162

R96

R83

R40
C41

C131
Z4
C196

C22

C51
R42

V67
R211

D12

C135

V38

V39

C66

C211

C141

R57

R5

R130

C140

L7

D8

R24
C39

R188

V50

V54
T1
R212

C73

C5

R46

C127

V64

C153

D4

C4

R53

C38

R32

T2

V63

C119
C151

C152

C157

R110

V28

C197

C65

C213

C133

C227

V80

C168

C98

R8

R47

R60

C130

R51

V15
V20

C97
Z41

D10

C40

R50
V17

C37

C96
Z39

C134

36090

R55

C160

C146

R79

N9

C36

R52

R58

R41

C95
Z38

C179

C118

R22

C139

C52

S3

D1

C194

R109

C94

C231

V62

R135

C134

Z36

R219

C137

Z6

Z37

R221

R105

C219

Z3

C136

R134

R196

R35
C149

S6

C16

C76

X5

R218

C236

N14

V14

R59
C93

R37

V48
C233

C145

V61

R199

R220

Z2

V75

V16
C228

C234

C220

V19

R54
Z42

Z35

Z40

L5

R195

V56

C110

R118

C35

R38

C147

C74

N8

C106
R183
R119

C144

V55

C200
R152

R13

C72

C177
N5

N13

C224

C217

C3

C210

C103

C68

R43

C99

C223

C86

R99

R97

C101

C109

R123

C115
C111

C218

C32

R100

C17

R124

C155

C62
C113

R185

R4

C114

C13

C193
C105
R3

R103

C107

C172

C171

C67

R120

R224

R166

C61

R10

N1

R1

C150

C226

R121
C108

R108

R168

C225

R169

C156

C158

R88

R106

C12

R107

R167

C125

R2

C31

R225

N15

C57

R104

C192
N2

R125
C11
C170

R92

R155

R62

R93

C100

Z13

C6

N12

R117
C204

R87

C182

R89

R28

C176

R116

C161

R115

R29

C205

C181
C173

C190
C55

R112

R156

R86

R94
R91

C178

C188
R149

C49

V81

R19
R162

C174
R114

R150
R90

C167

V79

C191

C53

C186

V76

R113

C48
C189
C148

C187

C77
C78

V82

C169

Z10

Z9
Z11

Z12
C124

C121

C122

C26

C229

N4

X3

S2
R236
V34

L4

C64
C209

R84

C175

V78

Z16

R154

V27

V74

Z14

T3
C123

V45
R34

R77

C230

F1

X7

X9

V49

V57

V11

V31

Z8

R23

C25

C232

R197

C207

C208

V26
R78

V33
R128

R235

V12

R66
X8

R198

The termination in the transceiver unit is done by setting

the jumper S3, located near the scanbus terminal on the
PCB (see figure below). As default, the jumper S3 is set
ON.

38638A

The termination in the control unit is located on the PCB

in the cradle as jumper S1 (see figure below). As default
the jumper S1 is set ON.

S1

ON
OFF

* Do only connect a standard RS232 terminal cable. If only

NMEA needed, then do not connect to other pins than 7
and 8.
38637

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IRIDIUM

Installation

When configuring a system only including a transceiver

unit and one control unit, no changes in the default
termination is needed. If the system includes more than
one control unit, it is needed to remove some of the default
terminations. Below two examples of scanbus termination
is given, when the system includes several control units.
Transceiver Unit
Control Unit

Connecting more control units

When connecting more than one control unit the extension
number for each control unit must be set prior to operation.
The control units must have different extension numbers.
Connect one control unit at a time and set the extension
number according to the Instruction manual.
Set extension:
Enter MENU, enter SETUP, Choose EXTENSION and
enter a number from 1 to 9999. Press ok to store the
setting.
Terminated

Terminated
Connection
Box

38635

Transceiver Unit
Control Unit
Terminated

Terminated

Connection
Box

38636

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IRIDIUM

Installation

2.4

Where to Place the Satellite

Transceiver Box

Mount the satellite transceiver box in a place where it is

sheltered from the wind, protected from the salty and
humid sea atmosphere. The temperature must not exceed 55 C.
To ensure that the SIM card is easily accessible, do not
place the satellite transceiver box higher than 1.5 m
above the floor.

2.5

First tighten three of the screws. The wall surface should

be plane. If there is a discrepancy in planeness exceeding
1 mm, level the discrepancy up by shims or washers
under the fourth screw before this is tightened.

How to Mount the Satellite

Transceiver Box

Fix the satellite transceiver box to the wall using the four
screws included in the package. The screws are positioned as shown below:

2.6

How to Put on the Finishing Cover

When the satellite transceiver box has been mounted on

the wall, put on the finishing cover.
The small lid in the finishing cover should be shut. Press
the hooks inside the finishing cover down on the two thin
edges of the satellite transceiver box. While pressing, let
the two plastic spears inside the finishing cover into the
two square holes of the satellite transceiver box.

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IRIDIUM

Installation

Lift the SIM card holder so that the slot points upwards.

Press hard on the spots shown in the picture below until

a loud click is heard.

e
Insert the SIM card in the slot. Make sure that the cut-off
corner of the card is placed as shown in the picture.

e
When putting on the finishing cover, do not use any tools
only your hands.

2.7

How to Insert the SIM Card

First, open the small lid in the finishing cover protecting

the SIM card reader. Then go through each of the following steps:
Unlock the SIM card holder by pushing the lock with your
finger nail.

Push the SIM card holder back down, and lock it by

pushing the lock with a finger nail.

Finally, shut the lid again.

0514

IRIDIUM

Installation

2.8

Optional SIM card Reader

Only direct accessible on Mk3 units produced from August

16, 2003. On older units the L-Band transceiver must be
dismounted in order to install the SIM card.
This additional SIM card reader can be used as a master
SIM card, thus allowing the crew to place individual cards
in the primary SIM card reader on the front.
The primary SIM card reader on the front has highest
priority and will thus disable the card in the optional card
reader when a card is inserted.
The optional card reader is ideal for Ship Security and
Alert installations, where a permanent SIM card is required.

2.9

How to Remove the Finishing Cover

You may need to dismount the satellite transceiver box

from the wall, e.g. in connection with service.
For access to the mounting screws, the finishing cover
can be removed from the satellite transceiver box as
follows:

c
d
e
f

Put a screwdriver into the slot in the printed circuit

board beside the SIM card reader, and press gently
to unhook the plastic spear.
While pressing with the screwdriver, lift up the
same side of the finishing cover slightly to loosen it.
Repeat this procedure on the other side of the
finishing cover.
You can now detach the finishing cover from the
satellite transceiver box by pulling it gently upwards.

c
d

e
f

Remove the lid by removing the 2 umbraco screws. After

inserting the card put the lid back on.

10

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IRIDIUM

Installation

2.10 Installation of the Antenna

One of the advantages of this equipment is the easy-tohandle, lightweight and rugged antenna. Because the
IRIDIUM system is characterised by a good link margin,
the antenna is a passive quadrifillar helix type, requiring
no external power supply and consisting of only nonmoving
parts.
The following figures show the antenna and the two
different mounting accessories available:
The mounting bracket in fig. 1 can be used in two different
ways - mounted on either a rail or a pole.

The fitting in fig. 2 can be used at the top of a tube. Please

note that it is necessary to mount the cable, and seal this
connection securely before the antenna and fitting are
mounted on the tube.

Important!
To comply with FCC RF exposure regulations, the antenna
must be installed in a location providing a minimum RF
Radiation Safety Distance of 0.61m (2 feet).

Pipe clamp

Antenna
Four M4 washers
Angle mounting bracket
Four M4 serrated lock washers
Four M4x10
Four M8 lock nuts and M8 washers

Pipe clamp

Antenna
Four M4 washers
Angle mounting bracket
Four M4 serrated lock washers
Four M4x10

Two M8 U-bolts

Two M8 U-bolts

2" pipe

Four M8 lock nuts and M8 washers

2" pipe

206mm

96mm

2" pipe

36623B

Fig. 1
Antenna cable
Below, please find a table of cables that can be provided by your dealer:

Cable type

Part no.

RG 214/U
SUCOFEED 1/2" HF
SUCOFEED 1/2"

E62.415
77.518
77.519

CABLE
Maximum
length/ 3 dB
loss
8m
19 m
30 m

SUCOFEED 7/8"

77.520

50 m

Fig. 2

CONNECTOR

10.8 mm
13.4 mm
16.0 mm

Minimum
bending
radius
54 mm
35 mm
125 mm

27.8 mm

220 mm

Outer
diameter

Conn.
type
N
N
N
N

Part no.
MALE E62.147
MALE 79.002
MALE 79.001
MALE 79.003 &
FEMALE 79.004

Important!
It is important that the antenna cable used has a maximum loss of 3dB @ 1.6GHz between antenna and transceiver.
This antenna cable must be in one piece. Neglecting this will reduce the overall receiving/transmitting performance
at sea. If installation is not carried out in accordance with these guidelines, it will void the warranty of the product.
11

IRIDIUM

Installation

Precautions
In order to avoid interference or any other kind of
disturbances from other systems on board, there are a
few precautions to take note of:

Radars
According to any installation guide for radars it is of vital
importance that any other units are kept outside the
radiation beam of the radar. Please consult the illustration
down below, showing what area to avoid:

Inmarsat equipment
The operating frequency bands of the iridium and Inmarsat
systems are neighbours, and it is not in any way by any
technical solution possible to completely separate these
bands. This means that interference from Inmarsat can
be expected, especially if the antennas are placed near
each other. The distance between the antennas Should
be as far as possible.

Unobstructed view until

10 below the horizon

Avoid interference
e.g. from the radar

10

10

10

36622A

GPS
Tests have shown that only in case very old GPS equipment
is used, a user may expect a minor influence on the GPS
originated from the Iridium equipment. This can be avoided
by ensuring a distance of at least 1 m between the two
antennas.

12

If in any way the user experiences trouble using Iridium

because of Inmarsat, a filter can be provided as an option.
This filter is placed in a suitable place between the
antenna and the transceiver. The filter is a passive type
not requiring external power. Please contact your dealer
for further information.

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IRIDIUM

Installation

The table below shows the distance to other Inmarsat

equipment, with and without use of filter.
9505 ISU Protection Distance
No Filter
No Filter
No Filter
No Filter
No Filter
With Filter
With Filter
With Filter
With Filter
With Filter

Main Lobe Side Lobe Back-Lobe

(Metres) (Metres) (Metres)
14
4
4
Inmarsat (Mini-M)
25
4
4
Inmarsat (Std-M)
84
20
20
Inmarsat A
70
16
16
Inmarsat B
14
14
14
Inmarsat C
1
1
4
4
1

1
1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1
1

Inmarsat (Mini-M)
Inmarsat (Std-M)
Inmarsat A
Inmarsat B
Inmarsat C

2.11 Analogue telephone

The PSTN interface on the transceiver unit converts the
wireless Iridium network into an ordinary telephone line.
You can connect a standard analogue PSTN telephone
directly to this interface for crew calling or as an office
phone.
With a PABX you can add more telephone lines for
multiple phones ie. office network.

Specification of the Iridium system PSTN connection:

The interface handles the following tasks:

generates DC current to the phone/PABX in both idle
and active mode
generates ringing voltage
detects call requests from a phone/PABX
detects DTMF tones from a phone/PABX
outputs 12 or 16kHz billing tone for a PABX

Line Voltage:
Line current (source):
Line impedance:

Important: Do not connect the transceiver to a PSTN

telephone line on land.

0514

RJ11 connection:
1. NC
2. TIP
3. RING
4. NC
48V DC
24 mA
270 + 750 // 150 nF (this
impedance also covers 600 )

Ringing voltage:

60V RMS, 90 Vpp (square

wave)
Ringing sequence:
0.6 sec On, 4 sec Off
Ringing frequency:
30 Hz
Ringing drive capability: 1400 @ 30 Hz (= 5 normal
ring units)

13

IRIDIUM

Installation

Note: Some analogue phone line impedance may differ

from the commonly used standards. If the ringing volume
is too low, the ringing voltage can be changed to gain
higher output.
The selector switch is located under the finishing cover.

Iridium
Satellite network

Iridium
Antenna Unit
Transceiver
Unit

Open
60V RMS

Pin 1+2
75V RMS

Pin 2+3
90V RMS

Max. cable
loss 3dB

Trunk line analogue

Iridium
Antenna Unit
Transceiver
Unit

Max. cable
loss 3dB

PABX

PSTN NET

PABX with analogue trunk line

39890

14

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IRIDIUM

Installation

2.12 Data Interface

2.14 Reset Button

The Iridium transceiver unit can be used as a 2.4kbps

data modem.
Connect a PC via a serial COM port to the 9 pole data
connector using a standard serial data cable. The data
interface is a full RS232 interface with hardware flow
control.

The reset button is placed next to the SIM card reader.

Pushing this button will halt the power supply and remove
power from the transceiver unit. When releasing the
button, the power will come back and thereby make a
power reset of the transceiver unit.

With the SMS/Email client installed on a PC you can

receive and send Iridium SMS and short emails from the
PC. The SMS/Email client is included in the transceiver
package.
To use the transceiver as a data modem a dedicated
modem software driver is needed. Please contact your
Iridium Service Provider, who can supply you with the
Iridium Data Interface software.

2.13 External Ringer Interface

The external ringer output pin in the Service/NMEA port
can control an optional ringer or a lamp. This is very useful
in noisy environments or when there is a need for ringing
indication at more locations.
The output is an open collector output and can pull down
a signal of max 32V DC and a power dissipation of max
1.25W. The output is pulsing at 0.5 Hz whenever there is
an incoming call. When the call is answered the output will
stop pulsing.
Power Supply
Isolated from Main

X5
Pin 1
Alarm Switch
Max 32V DC
Max 1.25W

Alarm Horn/
Sirene

39820

0514

15

Installation

16

IRIDIUM

0514

IRIDIUM

Installation

Appendix A
Spare Parts List
Mk2
81412000
Itemnumber
Item
Power cable
TNC/N adaptor
79.005
Coax cable with TNC male N female
N.A.
ID kit
Fuse
Scanbus male 9p Sub-D
Scanbus female 9p Sub-D
Housing 9p Sub-D
Handset spiral cable
Connection box H4196

Mk3
82412000

Mk4
83412000

Itemnumber

Itemnumber

56.140
79.005

N.A.

56.181*
49.310
45.669
78.758
78.765
78.745
56.102
80419610

56.181

*) 56.181 introduced in production August 16, 2004. Replacing TNC/N adaptor 79.005.

0225

17

Thrane & Thrane A/S

info@thrane.com

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