RT420

GPS-Based Time Reference

Reference Manual
 Reason Tecnologia S.A.
Rua Delminda Silveira, 855
88025-500 Florianopolis, SC
Brasil
Fone: (48) 2108-0300
Fax: (48) 2108-0310
http://www.reason.com.br

Reason International, Inc.

7101 W Highway 71
Austin, TX 78735
USA
Phone: (512) 615-0490
Fax: (512) 615-0491
http://www.reason-international.com

Reason Europe GmbH i. G.

Ascherslebener Strae 3
D-06333 Hettstedt
Deutschland
Telefon: +49 (0)3476 559345
Fax: +49 (0)3476 559286
http://www.reason-europe.com

Applicable models: P025-Axx/1 P025-Axx/2

P025-Axx/4 P025-Axx/5
P025-Axx/6 P025-Axx/7

Firmware version: 08Axx

Document Id: rt420-manual-en

Revision: 4.1

c 2008, 2009 Reason Tecnologia S.A.

All rights reserved.

Products developed by R EASON are continuously improved and the associated

technical documentation is frequently updated. Please make sure you have the
latest release of this document before proceeding. All specifications are subject
to change without prior notice.

Reason is committed to quality. Certifica-

tion to the CE and the ISO 9001:2000 qual-
ity standard are examples of this commit-
DIN EN ISO 9001 ment. We encourage and appreciate any
feedback and will use it to improve our prod-
ucts and services.
Contents

Contents i

1 Safety Instructions 1
1.1 General Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Passwords and Remote Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Safety Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Getting Started 3
2.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.4 Serial Number and Part Number Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.5 Powering-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

3 Specifications 7
3.1 GPS input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.2 IRIG-B000 optical input (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.3 Internal oscillator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.4 TTL-level electrical outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.5 Open-collector outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.6 Optical outputs (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.7 Amplitude-modulated outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.8 RS232 serial port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.9 Ethernet port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.10 L OCKED dry contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.11 Dimensions, weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.12 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.13 Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.14 Type tests (EMC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

i
ii CONTENTS

3.15 Type tests (safety) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3.16 Type tests (environmental) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.17 Type tests (mechanical) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4 Installation 11
4.1 Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.2 Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3 Power Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.4 Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4.5 Antenna Cable Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.6 Optical IRIG-B000 Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.7 Optical Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.8 TTL-level Electrical Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.9 Open Collector Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.10 Amplitude-Modulated Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.11 RS232 Serial Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.12 Ethernet Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.13 Locked Dry Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

5 Operation 21
5.1 Front Panel Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.2 Power-Up Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5.3 Power-Down Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

6 Configuration 23
6.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.2 Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.3 Running TELNET from Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.4 Running SSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.5 Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.6 Behavior during configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.7 Configuration Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

7 ASCII Commands 27
7.1 Command Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
7.2 Command History and Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
7.3 Command Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
 iii

8 Datagrams 53
8.1 ACEB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
8.2 GPZDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
8.3 MEINBERG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

9 Maintenance and Troubleshooting 57

9.1 Common Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
9.2 Forgotten Password or Unknown Network Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
9.3 CMOS Clock Battery Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
9.4 Returning a Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Part Numbers 61

Modbus Interface 63
Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Message Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Implemented Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Function 4 (Read Input Registers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Registers Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Summary of IRIG-B Standard 69

IRIG-B000 and IRIG-B120 Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
1 Safety Instructions

1.1 General Safety Instructions

Before attempting to install or use the equipment described in this manual, it is imperative that all DANGER
and CAUTION warnings are reviewed to help prevent personal injury, equipment damage and/or downtime.
This manual is intended for technically qualified personnel which has been trained or is knowledgeable in
instrumentation and automation fields.
This instruction manual is an integral part of the scope of delivery and provides basic instructions for
installation, configuration, operation and maintenance of the equipment here described. Shall additional
information be needed, please contact R EASON at the addresses provided at the beginning of this document.

1.2 Passwords and Remote Access

This equipment is delivered with factory-default passwords. This passwords should be changed by the user
as part of equipment installation and initial configuration. Failure to do so may result in unauthorized access
to the equipment.

1.3 Safety Symbols

The following symbols are located on different parts of the units housing and in this manual.

Paragraphs marked with this symbol contain information

which, if not properly followed, may cause damage to the
equipment and/or installation.
Paragraphs marked with this symbol contain information
which, if not properly followed, may cause personal in-
jury or even death.

Safety ground.

1
2 Getting Started

2.1 Overview

RT420 provides time, frequency and phase reference signals via configurable electrical, optical and logical
output ports. Time information is provided by a built-in GPS receiver or an external IRIG-B000 source.
Time information is shown on a display and output in a variety of formats including a DC-shift and
amplitude-modulated IRIG-B signal, RS232C serial datagrams, and several types of time pulses. Accu-
racy of the internal time-base is better than 100 ns (1 sigma).
The RT420 time reference is able to produce time information referred to UTC or to a local time-zone.
Support for Daylight Saving Time is also provided.
The unit is intended for 19-inch rack-mounting and can be powered from a wide range of AC and DC power
sources.

RT420 front and back views

2.2 Key Features

100 ns (1 sigma) maximum time deviation
Built-in NTP and SNTP servers using 10/100Base-T Ethernet port

3
2. G ETTING S TARTED

IRIG-B000 and IRIG-B120 time codes

100 pulses-per-second, 1 pulse-per-second, 1 pulse-per-minute signals
Freely configurable low frequency pulse generator from 1 pulse-every-two-seconds to 1 pulse-every-
24-hours
Pulse-on-time and pulse-on-date signals (daily repetition or not)
8 optical fiber outputs (optional)
8 TTL-level electrical outputs, normal or inverted polarity
3 open-collector outputs, normal or inverted polarity
2 IRIG-B120 outputs modulated in amplitude
RS232 serial port with PPS signal (normal or inverted polarity), freely configurable messages
Status monitoring using SNMP or Modbus
Locked dry contact for remote signalling
User-configurable rules for daylight-saving-time (DST)
Uses GPS satellites or external IRIG-B000 (optional) as time basis
Time delay compensation for antenna cables and optical-fiber cables
Configurable over Ethernet using SSH or TELNET protocols

2.3 Unpacking

Unpack the unit carefully and make sure that all accessories and cables are put aside so they will not be lost.
Check the contents against the packing list. If any of the contents listed are missing, please contact R EASON
immediately (see contact information at the beginning of this manual).
Examine the unit for any shipping damage. If the unit is damaged or fails to operate, notify the shipping
company without delay. Only the consignee (the person or company receiving the unit) can file a claim
against the carrier for shipping damage.
We recommend that you retain the original packing materials for use should you transport or ship the unit
in the future.

2.4 Serial Number and Part Number Location

The units serial number and part number are engraved on a small nameplate, located on the units right
side, near the M AINS terminal.

Serial number and part number location

For information about how to interpret the part number, refer to page 61.

4
 Powering-Up

2.5 Powering-Up

1. Be sure you are familiar with all appropriate DANGER and CAUTION warnings in this manual.
2. Refer to Chapter 4 for detailed mounting and wiring instructions. Do not operate the unit without the
safety ground connection in place.
3. Make sure the power switch at the back of the unit is in the O FF position.
4. [OPTIONAL] Connect a GPS antenna to the unit. Refer to section 4.4 for further information about
antenna positioning and requirements.
5. Connect power to the unit. The M AINS indicator on the units front panel will light immediately.
6. Power on the unit using the switch on the back panel.
7. A self-test will be executed, blinking all indicators except M AINS on the front panel twice.
8. The unit will now initialize the internal time-references, including the GPS receiver. This will take
up to one minute. Progress is indicated by successively lighting up the segments of the time display
on the front panel.

9. As soon as initialization is complete, the R EADY indicator will light up and the internal time will be
displayed on the front panel.
10. If an antenna is connected to the unit, the L OCKED indicator will start blinking after a few minutes,
indicating that the time produced by the unit is being derived from the GPS satellites. The L OCKED
indicator will stop blinking and stay on once full accuracy is achieved.1 A clear line-of-sight from
the antenna to at least 4 GPS satellites is required for the unit to enter the locked state.
11. Factory defaults for Ethernet port are listed below.

IP address 192.168.0.199
Network mask 255.255.255.0
Broadcast address 192.168.0.255
Gateway address 192.168.0.1
Password cond3e89

Should this parameters not be appropriate for the installation, use a cross-over Ethernet cable to
connect the unit to a computer and change the parameters as needed with the ETHER command
(refer to page 35 for further details).
12. Shall the unit fail to operate as described, carefully review the power and all signal connections. Refer
to Chapter 9 for further help on troubleshooting.
13. To switch the unit off, flip the power switch to the O FF position. The unit will record date, time,
satellite almanach and internal drift estimates in non-volatile memory so as to increase accuracy and
reduce locking time at the next power up. After recording is finished, all indicators except M AINS on
the front panel will be turned off.

1 This may take up to the 12 minutes if the unit has been moved over great distance since last powered off or if the unit has been

off for several weeks.

5
3 Specifications

3.1 GPS input

Signal GPS L1 (1575.42 MHz), C/A code

Number of channels 12
Antenna type active
Antenna power 3.3 V, max 100 mA
Input impedance 50
Connector type BNC (female)
Sensitivity -152 dBm (tracking)
-142 dBm (acquisition)

3.2 IRIG-B000 optical input (optional)

Signal IRIG-B000 (with IEEE C37.118 CF extensions)

Wavelength 820 nm
Fiber type 50/125 m, 62.5/125 m, 100/140 m or 200 m HCS
multimode
Connector type ST
Sensitivity 24 dBm

3.3 Internal oscillator

Drift (free run) < 1 ppm (106 )

Time error (free run) < 100 ms per day

3.4 TTL-level electrical outputs

Signals IRIG-B000 (with IEEE C37.118 CF extensions), 1PPS,

100PPS, 1PPM, low frequency pulses (from 1 pulse-
every-two-seconds to 1 pulse-every-24-hours), pulse-on-
time and pulse-on-date
High level voltage >4V
Low level voltage < 0.2 V
Maximum current 80 mA
Output impedance 15

7
3. S PECIFICATIONS

3.5 Open-collector outputs

Signals IRIG-B000 (with IEEE C37.118 CF extensions), 1PPS,

Maximum collector-emitter voltage
Maximum current
100PPS, 1PPM, low frequency pulses (from 1 pulse-
every-two-seconds to 1 pulse-every-24-hours), pulse on
time and pulse on date
150 V
200 mA

3.6 Optical outputs (optional)

Signal IRIG-B000 (with IEEE C37.118 CF extensions)

Wavelength 820 nm
Fiber type 50/125 m, 62.5/125 m, 100/140 m or 200 m HCS
multimode
Connector type ST
Output power (typical) 17.8 dBm (50/125 m)
14.0 dBm (62.5/125 m)
8.5 dBm (100/140 m)
5.7 dBm (200 m HCS)

3.7 Amplitude-modulated outputs

Signal IRIG-B120 (with IEEE C37.118 CF extensions)

No-load voltage 4 Vpp
Voltage with 50 load 3 Vpp
High/low amplitude ratio 3.33
Carrier frequency 1 kHz
Output impedance 15
Connector type BNC (female)

3.8 RS232 serial port

Signal level RS232

Bitrate 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 or 38400 bps
Databits 7 or 8
Stopbits 1 or 2
Parity none, even, odd
Connector type DB9 (male), DTE layout

3.9 Ethernet port

Data rate 10 / 100 Mbps

Connector type RJ 45
Protocols NTP, SNTP, SNMP, Modbus, SSH, TELNET

8
 L OCKED dry contact

3.10 L OCKED dry contact

Rating 300 mA @ 250 Vdc

1000 mA @ 125 Vdc

3.11 Dimensions, weight

Height 1U
Width (body) 430 mm (16.9 in)
Depth 180 mm (7.1 in)
Weight 2.7 kg (5.9 lbs)

3.12 Power

Rated operating voltage 100250 Vdc, 110240 Vac

Input voltage range 80275 Vdc, 88264 Vac
Frequency 50/60 Hz 3 Hz
Power consumption < 15 VA (AC)

3.13 Environmental

Temperature range (recommended) +5 . . . +55 C (+41 . . . +131 F)

Temperature range (tested) 25 . . . +70 C (13 . . . +158 F)
Enclosure protection IP40
Maximum altitude 2000 m (6560 ft)
Relative humidity 5 . . . 95%, noncondensing

9
3. S PECIFICATIONS

3.14 Type tests (EMC)

IEC 61000-4-2 Electrostatic discharge 6 kV (contact), 8 kV (air)

IEC 60255-22-2
IEC 61000-4-3 Radiated RF immunity 10 V/m
IEC 60255-22-3
IEC 61000-4-4 Burst 2 kV
IEC 60255-22-4
IEC 61000-4-5 Surge 2 kV (common mode)
IEC 60255-22-5 1 kV (diferential mode)
IEC 61000-4-6 Conducted RF immunity 10 V
IEC 60255-22-6
IEC 61000-4-8 Magnetic field immunity 30 A/m
IEC 61000-4-11 Voltage dips 0 % during 0.5 cycles, 0 and 180 degrees
0 % during 1 cycle
40 % during 10/12 cycles
70 % during 25/30 cycles
80 % during 250/300 cycles
IEC 60255-22-1 Burst 1 MHz 2.5 kV (common mode)
1 kV (differential mode)
IEC 60255-25 Conducted RF emission 0.15 MHz to 0.5 MHz: 79 dB / 66 dB
CISPR-22 0.5 MHz to 30 MHz: 73 dB / 60 dB
Radiated RF emission 30 MHz to 230 MHz: 40 dB
230 MHz to 1000 MHz: 47 dB

3.15 Type tests (safety)

IEC 60255-5 Dielectric test 2.8 kVDC @ 1 min

5 kV impulse
Insulation resistance > 100 M @ 500 VDC
IEC 61010-1 Safety tests

3.16 Type tests (environmental)

IEC 60068-2-1 Cold 25 C, 16 hours, 1 cycle

IEC 60068-2-2 Dry heat +70 C, 16 hourss, 1 cycle
IEC 60068-2-14 Change of temperature 25 C . . . +70 C, 9 hours, 2 cycles
IEC 60068-2-30 Damp heat +55 C, 95 %, 12+12 hours, 1 cycle

3.17 Type tests (mechanical)

IEC 60068-2-6 Vibration (sinusoidal) 0.035 mm, 0.5 g, 1 cycle on each axis
IEC 60255-21-1 1 g, 20 cycles on each axis
IEC 60068-2-27 Shock 15 g, 11 ms, 3 pulses on each face
IEC 60255-21-2

10
4 Installation

Please refer to the figure below throughout this chapter.

RT420 back view

4.1 Mounting

RT420 has been designed to be mounted in a standard 19-inch rack by means of four M6x15 screws. Allow
adequate clearance for all connections.
Do not bend the antenna cable excessively since this might alter its impedance, degrading the units perfor-
mance.

4.2 Environment

Temperatures inside the rack should not not exceed the limits stated in section 3.13. Appropriate heating or
cooling measures must be provided to guarantee that this requirement is met at all times.
Air humidity should respect the limits described in section 3.13.

4.3 Power Connection

The unit can be powered from DC or AC power within the limits specified in section 3.12.
All power connections should use insulated flexible cable with a 1.5 mm2 cross section attached to the
supplied header connector.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, pre-insulated pin terminals should be uses on the ends of the power
connections.

11
4. I NSTALLATION

Pre-insulated pin terminals

The pin terminals should be completely inserted into the header connector supplied with the unit so that no
metallic parts are exposed. Refer to the figure below.

Header connector assembly

A safety ground lead shall be connected to the terminal marked with the protective earth symbol.
For better electromagnetic compatibility, ground the unit using a 10 mm (0.4 in) wide grounding strap to
connect the rear panel of the unit to a good ground point on the mounting rack.

AC Power Connection

Phase should be applied to terminal 1, neutral to terminal 2.

AC power connection

Installation of an external 10 A, category C, unipolar circuit-breaker near the unit is recommended. The
circuit breaker should have an interruption capacity of at least 25 kA and comply to IEC 60947-2.

12
 Antenna

DC Power Connection

Positive should be applied to terminal 1, negative to terminal 2.

DC power connection

Installation of an external 10 A, category C, bipolar circuit-breaker near the unit is recommended. The
circuit breaker should have an interruption capacity of at least 25 kA and comply to IEC 60947-2.

4.4 Antenna

A 3.3-Volt active GPS antenna (100 mA max) must be connected to the A NTENNA terminal if GPS satellites
are to be used as time reference. Refer to section 3.1 for additional information.
There is no need to connect an antenna if the unit is to be operated as a time repeater. In this case, the
optical IRIG-B000 shall be used (refer to section 4.6 for further information).

Antenna connector

The antenna must be mounted outdoors, in a vertical position, with an unobstructed view of the sky. The
antenna should be placed above the height of the building as much as possible. A partially obstructed sky
view will degrade the units performance.
The antenna should not be located under overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, or
where it can fall into such power lines or circuits.
An antenna mast or roof-mounting-kit and any supporting structure must be properly grounded to provide
protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges.
The antenna has to be connected to the unit using a coaxial cable with a 50 impedance. The antena cable
should be routed trough a conduit, shielded from rain and solar radiation. The conduit should not be shared
with any power cabling.
Cables with lengths ranging from 15 m (50 ft) to 100 m (328 ft) are available from R EASON. Contact

13
4. I NSTALLATION

R EASON for further information on using third-party antennas and cables.

4.5 Antenna Cable Effects

The GPS signal is attenuated before reaching the RT420 antenna input. If the attenuation is excessive, the
signal strength may not be sufficient to lock to the GPS satellites.
The GPS signal is also slightly delayed. If the ultimate time accuracy is desired, this delay should be
compensated inside the unit.

Attenuation

GPS signal attenuation is a function of cable type and overall cable length. When using the active antenna
supplied by R EASON, total attenuation should not exceed 32 dB.
Total attenuation can be computed using

A = Au l

where Au is the attenuation per unit length for the given cable and l is the overall cable length.
The table below shows a few typical cable configurations and the associated total attenuation.

Cable Length RGC58 cable RGC8 cable

15 m (50 ft) 7 dB
25 m (82 ft) 12 dB
50 m (164 ft) 23 dB
75 m (246 ft) 12 dB
100 m (328 ft) 17 dB
125 m (410 ft) 21 dB
150 m (492 ft) 25 dB

Propagation Delay

The cable delays the GPS signal. If the ultimate time accuracy is desired, this delay has be compensated
inside the unit.
Typically, the delay introduced by coaxial cables is in the magnitude of 4 ns/m (1.2 ns/ft) of cable length.
The exact delay can be computed by

1
T = l
CKv

where C = 3 108 m/s is the light speed, Kv = 0.8 to 0.85 is a constant which depends on the cable and l
is the cable length in meters.
The table below summarizes some typical delays introduced by coaxial cables

14
 Optical IRIG-B000 Input

Cable Length Typical Delay

15 m (50 ft) 60 ns
25 m (82 ft) 100 ns
50 m (164 ft) 200 ns
75 m (246 ft) 300 ns
100 m (328 ft) 400 ns
125 m (410 ft) 500 ns
150 m (492 ft) 600 ns

Delays of up to 10 s can be compensated with the DELAY ASCII command (see page 32).

4.6 Optical IRIG-B000 Input

The IRIG-B000 optical input should be used when the unit is operated as a time repeater.
There is no need to use this input if the unit is to be operated using GPS sattelites in which case the
A NTENNA input should be used instead (refer to section 4.4 for further information).
The optical IRIG-B000 is not available on all RT420 models. Please refer to the units part number to find
out if the model you are using supports this feature. Further information on how to interpret the part number
can be found on page 61.

Optical IRIG-B000 input

For correct operation, the IRIG-B000 signal applied to this input should use the Control Field extensions as
defined in the IEEE C37.118 Standard. Particularly, the time-offset information is needed to convert local
time to UTC.

Propagation Delay

The optical fiber cable used to carry the IRIG-B000 signal to the RT420 introduces a significant delay. If
the ultimate time accuracy is desired, this delay has be compensated inside the unit.
Typically, the delay introduced by multimode optical fiber cables is in the magnitude of 5 to 6 ns/m (1.5 to
1.8 ns/ft).
The following table summarizes some typical optical cable delays

15
4. I NSTALLATION

Optical Fiber Length Typical Delay

100 m (328 ft) 500 . . . 600 ns
250 m (820 ft) 1.25 . . . 1.50 s
500 m (1640 ft) 2.50 . . . 3.00 s
750 m (2460 ft) 3.75 . . . 4.50 s
1000 m (3280 ft) 5.00 . . . 6.00 s
1250 m (4100 ft) 6.25 . . . 7.50 s
1500 m (4920 ft) 7.50 . . . 9.00 s

Delays of up to 10 s can be compensated with the DELAY ASCII command (see page 32).

4.7 Optical Outputs

The optical outputs are not available on all RT420 configurations. Please refer to the units part number to
find out if the model you are using supports this feature. Further information on how to interpret the part
number can be found on page 61.

Optical outputs

The signal present at this outputs is IRIG-B000 with CF extensions according to the IEEE C37.118 Stan-
dard.

4.8 TTL-level Electrical Outputs

Length of cables connected to this outputs should not exceed 5 m (16 ft). Refer to section 3.4 for signal
levels and maximum load information.

TTL-level electrical outputs

The type of signal at each output can be configured with the OUTPUT command (page 40). Options include
IRIG-B000, 1PPS, 1PPM, 100PPS, a custom-defined low frequency, pulse-on-time and pulse-on-date.

16
 Open Collector Outputs

The polarity of the signal at each output can be individually configured with the POLARITY command
(page 42).
For the 1PPS, 1PPM, custom-defined low-frequency, pulse-on-time and pulse-on-date signals, the width of
the pulse can be configured with the WIDTH command (page 51).

4.9 Open Collector Outputs

Length of cables connected to this outputs should not exceed 5 m (16 ft). Refer to section 3.5 for signal
levels and maximum load information.

Open-collector outputs

The type of signal at each output can be configured with the OUTPUT command (page 40). Options include
IRIG-B000, 1PPS, 1PPM, 100PPS, a custom-defined low frequency, pulse-on-time and pulse-on-date.
The polarity of the signal at each output can be individually configured with the POLARITY command
(page 42).
For the 1PPS, 1PPM, custom-defined low-frequency, pulse-on-time and pulse-on-date signals, the width of
the pulse can be configured with the WIDTH command (page 51).
The open-collector outputs are unfused and require an external resistor to limit the current that circulates
through the transistors.
The resistors value can be computed by

Vc
Rc
0.2

where Vc is the voltage being switched by the transistor.

The power rating of the resistor has to be adequate for the voltage and current applied and can be computed
by

Vc2
Pc 1.2
Rc

Do not connect the open-collector outputs without limiting the current with an external resistor. Failure to
do so will result in damage to this outputs.

17
4. I NSTALLATION

4.10 Amplitude-Modulated Outputs

Use coaxial cables with an impedance of 50 and BNC on this outputs. Refer to section 3.7 for signal
levels.

Amplitude-modulated outputs

Signal at this outputs is IRIG-B120 with CF extensions according to the IEEE C37.118 Standard.

4.11 RS232 Serial Port

This is a DB9 male connector with a DTE pin-layout.

RS232 serial port

The bitrate and format (number of data bits, parity, number of stop bits) of the characters sent out of this
port can be configured with the SERIAL command (page 44).
Several built-in datagrams can be selected with the DATAGRAM command (page 30) or a custom-defined
one can be configured with the ASCII-DATAGRAM command (page 29).
A one pulse-per-second pin is also provided. Polarity of the PPS signal can be configured with the PO-
LARITY command (page 42) and the pulse width can be adjusted with the WIDTH command (page 51).

18
 Ethernet Port

4.12 Ethernet Port

Connect a CAT5 cable with an RJ45 connector to the Ethernet port. The L INK led indicates that the cable
is live and the ACTIVITY led blinks when there is a data exchange.

Ethernet port

Use the ETHER command (page 35) to configure the IP address, the network mask and the broadcast and
gateway addresses.

4.13 Locked Dry Contact

This dry contact can be used for remotely signaling the L OCKED state of the unit.
Length of cables connected to this terminals should not exceed 5 m (16 ft). Refer to section 3.10 for
information on load switching limitations.

Locked dry contact

19
5 Operation

5.1 Front Panel Indicators

RT420 front panel

The RT420s front panel has a time display, three green status indicators and three red alarm indicators.

Time Display

The time display always shows local time in a 24 hour format. If no valid time is available the display will
show ::. This situation occurs during the units initialization, during a configuration session or if the
internal CMOS clock battery is exhausted.
The time display might also briefly display :: when locking to GPS satellites or an external IRIG-B000
time reference if a time-step occurs.

Status Indicators (Green)

These section comprises three indicators.

The M AINS indicator is lit whenever power is applied to the unit, even when it is switched off.
The R EADY indicator is lit as soon as the unit has completed its internal initialization.
The L OCKED indicator is lit when the unit has locked to an external time-reference (GPS satellites or
IRIG-B000 optical input). It blinks while downloading almanach data from GPS satellites.1 It goes off
soon after the external reference is lost. There is a L OCKED dry contact on the units back panel that closes
once full accuracy is achieved.

Alarm Indicators (Red)

These section also comprises three indicators.

The A NTENNA S HORT indicator lits up if the power consumption on the A NTENNA connector exceeds
150 mA. This is normally associated with a short-circuit on the antenna itself, one of the connectors or the
1 This is only noticed if the unit has been moved over great distance since last powered off or if it has been off for several weeks.

21
5. O PERATION

coaxial cable leading up to the antenna. This indicator is blanked out when the IRIG-B000 optical input is
used as a time reference.
The A NTENNA O PEN indicator lits up when no current is drawn from the A NTENNA connector on the
units back panel. This is the case when no antenna is connected or if the cable leading up to the antenna is
broken. This indicator is blanked out when the IRIG-B000 optical input is used as a time reference.
The A LARM indicator lits up during power-up when the internal CMOS clock battery is exhausted. Refer
to Chapter 9 for instructions on replacing the battery. As a workaround until the battery is replaced, the
command DATE can be used to allow the initialization to proceed.

5.2 Power-Up Sequence

The M AINS indicator is lit as soon as power is applied to the unit. After switching the unit on, a brief
self-test will be executed, blinking all indicators (except M AINS) on the front panel twice.
The unit will now initialize the internal time-references, including the GPS receiver. This will take up to
one minute. Progress is indicated by successively lighting up the segments of the time display on the front
panel.
As soon as initialization is complete, the R EADY indicator will lit up and the internal time will be displayed
on the front panel.
If the initialization fails, the time display will show Error. In this case, refer to Chapter 9 for further
help.
If the internal CMOS clock battery is exhausted, the A LARM indicator will lit up and the time display will
show ::. The unit will only proceed on the power-up sequence after date and time are manually entered
with the DATE command. Refer to Chapter 9 for instructions on how to replace the battery.
If an antenna is connected to the unit, the L OCKED indicator will start blinking after a few minutes, indicat-
ing that the time produced by the unit is being derived from the GPS satellites. The L OCKED indicator will
stop blinking and stay on once full accuracy is achieved. This may take up to the 12 minutes if the unit has
been moved over great distance since last power off or if the unit has been off for a very long time. A clear
line-of-sight from the antenna to at least 4 GPS satellites is required for the unit to enter the locked state.
Alternatively, the L OCKED indicator will lit soon after a valid signal is applied to the IRIG-B000 optical
input and the TIME-REFERENCE IRIGB command is issued to the unit.

5.3 Power-Down Sequence

After the power switch is turned to the OFF position, the unit will record date, time, satellite almanach
and internal drift estimates in non-volatile memory so as to increase accuracy and reduce locking time at
the next power up.
After recording is finished, all indicators except M AINS on the front panel will be turned off.

22
6 Configuration

6.1 Overview

Configuration is performed using the Ethernet port. Factory defaults for this port are:

IP address 192.168.0.199
Network mask 255.255.255.0
Broadcast address 192.168.0.255
Gateway address 192.168.0.1
Password cond3e89

6.2 Protocols

The ASCII commands described in this chapter can be used over the SSH protocol (Secure SHell protocol)
(port 22) or over the TELNET protocol (port 23).
If there is a choice, the SSH protocol should be used since it is much more secure than the TELNET
protocol.
The TELNET protocol can be disabled with the TELNET OFF ASCII command (refer to page 46 for
further details).

6.3 Running TELNET from Windows

Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, or XP

To access Microsoft Telnet from Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
or Windows XP, click S TART,RUN, then type

telnet ip

where ip is the ip address of the RT420 you want to access. Then press E NTER.
Some setups of Microsoft Windows may prohibit users from running the telnet command. Check with your
system administrator if you are unable to open the program.

Windows Vista

By default, Telnet is not installed with Windows Vista. It can be installed by following the steps below.

23
6. C ONFIGURATION

1. Click the Start button, click Control panel, click Programs, and then click Turn Windows features
on or off. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or
provide confirmation.
2. In the Windows Features dialog box, select the Telnet Client check box.
3. Click OK. The installation might take several minutes.

6.4 Running SSH

SSH clients are built-in in Linux, Unix and MacOS.

P U TTY is a free, open source SSH client for Windows, Linux, and Unix. T ERAT ERM is another free SSH
client for Windows.
Please contact R EASON for help in selecting and installing a SSH client for Windows.

6.5 Authentication

The equipment configuration is protected by a username and a password. The factory default settings are:

username configuration
password cond3e89

The password can (and should) be changed with PASSWD ASCII command (refer to page 41 for further
details).
The default password can be restored by pressing and holding the RST button for at least 2 seconds. The
RST button is located on the units back panel, near the Ethernet port. To reach the button, use a small
screwdriver, a paper clip straightened out or similar object with a diameter less than 1 mm (0.04 in).
Please note that, apart from restoring the default password, the RST button will also reset the network
configuration (IP address, network mask, broadcast and gateway addresses) and also re-enable the TELNET
protocol.
After passing authentication, the user will be greeted with a message stating the date and time of the last
configuration session and the IP address of the computer from where it was started.

Last login: Fri Feb 8 10:13:11 2008 from 192.168.0.23

Type HELP for help.

>

6.6 Behavior during configuration

The following events will occur during the configuration:

TTL-level, open collector and optical outputs stop sending data at the next second roll-over
the RS232 serial port will stop sending datagrams after the current one has been sent
the internal NTP server will stop responding to connection attempts
front panel time display will show ::
the L OCKED relay will open, the L OCKED indicator on the front panel goes out

24
 Configuration Sequence

the R EADY indicator on the front panel stays lit

The following actions will take place after ending the configuration session with the EXIT command
(page 36)

TTL-level, open collector and optical outputs start sending data at the next second roll-over
the RS232 serial port starts sending datagrams
the internal NTP server accepts connections
front panel time display shows actual local time
the L OCKED relay will close and the L OCKED indicator on the front panel will lit as soon as the
required conditions are met

6.7 Configuration Sequence

This section describes the steps required to configure a RT420. It is suggested that the configuration be
performed in the sequence described below.
The configuration uses the ASCII commands described in Chapter 7.

1. Communication
a) Use the ETHER command (page 35) to set the required IP address, network mask, broadcast
and gateway addresses.
b) Decide if the TELNET protocol is required. If it is not required, it should be disabled for safety
reasons with the TELNET OFF command (page 46).
c) Change the factory-default password with the PASSWD command (page 41).
2. Time Zone and Daylight Saving Time
a) Use the TZ command (page 49) to set the timezone.
b) Decide if Daylight Saving Time rules should be enabled and use the DST command (page 34)
to configure them. DST rules are disabled by default.
3. Time Reference
a) The unis is set by default to use GPS satellites as a time reference. In this case no action from
the user is required since this is the default. If the unit is being operated as a time repeater use
the TIME-REFERENCE IRIGB command (page 47) to select the IRIG-B000 optical input.
b) The best possible accuracy is obtained when using the DELAY command (page 32) to specify
the cable delay (antenna cable or optical fiber) to be internally compensated. Typical propaga-
tion delay times for antenna cables and optical fibers are listed on pages 14 and 15 respectively.
4. TTL-level outputs
a) Decide which signal is desired at each of the TTL-level outputs and use the OUTPUT command
(page 40) to select it.
b) If a pulse-on-time or a pulse-on-date is desired, use the TMARK and DMARK commands
(respectively described on pages 48 and 33) to configure the unit accordingly.
c) If a low-frequency pulse is desired, use the PPX command (page 43) to select the required
frequency.
d) Use the POLARITY command (page 42) if needed.
e) Adjust the pulse width with the WIDTH command (page 51) if needed.

25
6. C ONFIGURATION

5. Open-collector outputs
a) Decide which signal is desired at each of the open-collector outputs and use the OUTPUT
command (page 40) to select it.
b) If a pulse-on-time or a pulse-on-date is desired, use the TMARK and DMARK commands
(respectively described on pages 48 and 33) to configure the unit accordingly.
c) If a low-frequency pulse is desired, use the PPX command (page 43) to select the required
frequency.
d) Use the POLARITY command (page 42) if needed.
e) Adjust the pulse width with the WIDTH command (page 51) if needed.
6. RS232 serial port
a) Select one of the built-in datagrams with the DATAGRAM command (page 30). If none of
the built-in datagrams is adequate for the application, use the ASCII-DATAGRAM command
(page 29) to define a datagram and then issue the DATAGRAM ASCII command.
b) Use the SERIAL command (page 44 to configure bitrate, number of data bits, parity and num-
ber of stop-bits.
c) Use the HOLD command (page 37) to configure at which precise time after (or before) the
second rollover the message will be sent.
d) If the PPS pin on the serial port is used, its polarity and pulse width can be configured with the
POLARITY and WIDTH commands (respectively pages 42 and 51).

26
7 ASCII Commands

7.1 Command Format

ASCII commands must be all uppercase or all lowercase. Mixed upper and lowercase commands are not
recognized.
If an ASCII command is entered without any parameters, a short usage message will be returned followed
by the current configuration for that command. When using parameters, all of them must be entered in the
specified sequence.
If an invalid or out-of-range parameter is entered, a Invalid parameter: followed by the offending text will
be issued.
Similarly, if an unknown command is entered, a command not found message will be issued.

7.2 Command History and Editing

Durign a configuration session, the last commands issued by the user can be retrieved with the up and
down keys.
Once retrieved, a command can be edited by moving the cursor with the left and right keys and inserting
and deleting new characters as appropriate.

27
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

7.3 Command Reference

ASCII-DATAGRAM ASCII datagram definition

DATAGRAM selection of datagram to be sent over serial port
DATE adjusts date and time of internal CMOS clock
DELAY cable delay compensation
DMARK configures date and time for pulse-on-date
DST Daylight-Saving-Time rules configuration
ETHER network parameters configuration
EXIT closes configuration session
HELP lists all available commands with a short description
HOLD configures hold-time for serial port messages
NTP-OFFSET adjusts the time reported by the NTP server
OUTPUT configures signal present at TTL-level and open collector outputs
PASSWD password change
POLARITY configuration of TTL-level and open collector outputs polarity
PPX low frequency generator configuration
SERIAL RS232 serial port parameters
SHOW shows current configuration
TELNET enables / disables TELNET protocol
TMARK configures time for pulse-on-time
TIME-REFERENCE selects GPS or IRIGB time reference
TZ timezone configuration
VERSION reports firmware version
WIDTH configuration of TTL-level and open collector outputs pulse width

28
 Command Reference

ASCII-DATAGRAM

Description

Allows the definition of the ASCII datagram which will be sent out of the RS232 serial port
once per second.

Syntax

ASCII-DATAGRAM string
Where string is the definition of the datagram comprising literal characters and escape-
sequences for time and date-related parameters.
Below is a list of the escape-sequences and the values returned.

Escape-sequence Values Description

%H 00 . . . 23 hours
%M 00 . . . 59 minutes
%S 00 . . . 59 seconds
%j 001 . . . 366 day-of-year
%d 01 . . . 31 day-of-month
%m 01 . . . 12 month
%y 00 . . . 99 year (two last digits)
%Y 2000 . . . 2099 year (four digits)
%u 1 ...7 day-of-week (1 = Monday)
%w 0 ...6 day-of-week (0 = Sunday)
%s S or DST (S if Daylight-Saving-Time, otherwise)
%o or # status ( if locked, # otherwise)
%O or * status ( if locked, * otherwise)
%Q or ? status ( if locked, ? otherwise)
%1 <SOH> start-of-header (ASCII 01)
%2 <STX> start-of-text (ASCII 02)
%3 <ETX> end-of-text (ASCII 03)
%4 <LF> line feed (ASCII 10)
%5 <CR> carriage return (ASCII 13)
%x checksum type 1
%% % % character (ASCII 37)

is the blank space character (ASCII 32).

Checksum type 1 consists two hexadecimal characters representing the XOR operation of all
characters between a $ and * (the $ and the * are not included in the checksum). Useful
for NMEA-type datagrams.

Example

ASCII-DATAGRAM Day:%d;Mes:%m;Year:%Y;Hour:%H;Minute:%M;Second:%S;;%3

29
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

DATAGRAM

Description

Selects which datagram will be sent out of the RS232 serial port. The choices are any of
the built-in datagrams (refer to Chapter 8) or the custom defined ASCII-datagram (refer to
command ASCII-DATAGRAM).

Syntax

DATAGRAM type
type ASCII selects datagram defined by ASCII-DATAGRAM
ACEB selects built-in ACEB datagram
GPZDA selects built-in GPZDA datagram
MEINBERG selects built-in Meinberg datagram

Example

DATAGRAM ASCII
DATAGRAM GPZDA

30
 Command Reference

DATE

Description

This ASCII command sets date and time on the internal CMOS clock.
This command only has to be issued if the date and time information in the CMOS clock has
been corrupted by, for example, a weak battery.
Date and time should be informed in local time, as specified by the TZ and DST commands.

Syntax

DATE yyyy-mmm-dd hh:mm:ss

yyyy 2000 . . . 2099 year
mmm Jan . . . Dec month
dd 01 . . . 31 day
hh 00 . . . 23 hour
mm 00 . . . 59 minute
ss 00 . . . 59 second

Example

DATE 2008-Feb-19 14:53:15

31
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

DELAY

Description

Selects cable delay compensation. The command can be used to compensate GPS antenna
cable propagation delays and IRIG-B000 optical fiber propagation delays.

Syntax

DELAY nanoseconds
nanoseconds 0 to 10000 ns (50 ns steps)

Example

DELAY 1400
DELAY 200

32
 Command Reference

DMARK

Description

Sets date and time for pulse-on-date.

Syntax

DMARK yyyy-mmm-dd hh:mm:ss

yyyy 2000 . . . 2099 year
mmm Jan . . . Dec month
dd 01 . . . 31 day
hh 00 . . . 23 hour
mm 00 . . . 59 minute
ss 00 . . . 59 second

Example

DMARK 2008-Mar-01 12:53:45

33
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

DST

Description

Configures Daylight-Saving-Time rules. Can also be used to turn DST rules off.

Syntax

DST BEGIN hh:mm wday month END hh:mm wday month

hh:mm 00:00 . . . 23:59 time of DST start / end

wday firstSun first Sunday
secondSat second Saturday
lastFri last Friday
month Jan . . . Dec month

DST OFF

Example

DST OFF
DST BEGIN 00:00 lastSat Oct END 01:00 thirdSat Feb

34
 Command Reference

ETHER

Description

Configures network parameters

Syntax

ETHER ip mask broadcast gateway

ip IP address
mask network mask
broadcast broadcast address
gateway gateway address

Example

ETHER 192.168.20.170 255.255.255.0 192.168.20.255 192.168.20.1

35
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

EXIT

Description

Closes configuration session. New configuration is applied and the units resumes generating
time, frequency and phase signals.

Syntax

EXIT

Example

EXIT

36
 Command Reference

HOLD

Description

Configures hold time for the serial datagram. Time is relative to the second-rollover and can
be positive (message is sent later than the second rollover) or negative (message is sent earlier
than the second rollover).

Syntax

HOLD ms
ms -999 . . . 999 hold time in milliseconds

Example

HOLD 200
HOLD -120

37
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

HELP

Description

Prints list of all available ASCII commands.

Syntax

HELP

Example

HELP

38
 Command Reference

NTP-OFFSET

Description

Allows correction of values reported by the NTP server.

Normally not needed, but can be used to compensate for systemic time differences.

Syntax

NTP-OFFSET milliseconds

Example

NTP-OFFSET 5

39
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

OUTPUT

Description

Selects the signal to be output at the TTL-level and open collector outputs.
Factory default is a IRIG-B000 signal for the TTL-level outputs and no signal at the open
collector outputs.

Syntax

OUTPUT output signal

output TTL1 . . . TTL8 TTL-level outputs
OC1 . . . OC3 open collector outputs
signal OFF no signal
IRIGB IRIG-B000 signal
100PPS 100 Hz square-wave
1PPS 1 pulse-per-second
1PPM 1 pulse-per-minute
PPX low frequency pulse generator (refer to PPX ASCII command)
TMARK pulse-on-time, repeated daily (refer to TMARK ASCII com-
mand)
DMARK pulse-on-date, never repeated (refer to DMARK ASCII com-
mand)

Example

OUTPUT TTL1 1PPS

OUTPUT TTL2 1PPM
OUTPUT TTL3 PPX
OUTPUT OC1 TMARK

40
 Command Reference

PASSWD

Description

Changes the access password. The new password has to be informed twice and is not shown
during input.

Syntax

PASSWD

Example

PASSWD 3478bc

41
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

POLARITY

Description

Selects the polarity of signals at TTL-level, open-collector outputs and at the PPS-pin of the
RS232 serial port.
Factory default in normal (ie not-inverted) polarity at all outputs.

Syntax

POLARITY output polarity

output TTL1 . . . TTL8 TTL-level outputs
OC1 . . . OC3 open-collector outputs
SERIAL PPS pin at RS232 serial port
polarity + normal polarity
- inverted polarity

Example

POLARITY TTL1 -
POLARITY SERIAL -
POLARITY OC2 +

42
 Command Reference

PPX

Description

Configuration of low frequency pulse generator. Values accepted range from one pulse every-
two-seconds to one pulse every-twenty-four-hours.

Syntax

PPX interval
interval 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 10s, 12s, 15s, 60s
2m, 3m, 4m, 5m, 6m, 10m, 12m, 15m, 60m
2h, 3h, 4h, 6h, 8h, 12h, 24h

Example

PPX 5s
PPX 60m

43
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

SERIAL

Description

Configuration of bitrate and format (number of data bits, parity, number of stop bits) for data
sent out of the RS232 serial port.

Syntax

SERIAL speed data parity stop

speed 1200 . . . 38400
data 7 or 8 data bits
parity none (N), even (E) or odd (O)
stop 1 or 2 stop bits

Example

SERIAL 19200 8 N 1
SERIAL 1200 7 E 2

44
 Command Reference

SHOW

Description

Prints unit current configuration.

Syntax

SHOW

Example

SHOW

45
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

TELNET

Description

Enables / disables the TELNET protocol.

Factory default is enabled.

Syntax

TELNET status
status ON enables TELNET protocol
OFF disables TELNET protocol

Example

TELNET OFF
TELNET ON

46
 Command Reference

TIME-REFERENCE

Description

Selects time reference (GPS satellites or external IRIG-B000).

Syntax

TIME-REFERENCE source
source GPS GPS satellites
IRIGB IRIG-B000 optical input

Example

TIME-REFERENCE GPS
TIME-REFERENCE IRIGB

47
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

TMARK

Description

Sets time for pulse-on-time. Pulse is repeated daily at the same time.

Syntax

TMARK hh:mm:ss
hh 00 . . . 23 hour
mm 00 . . . 59 minute
ss 00 . . . 59 second

Example

TMARK 18:53:46

48
 Command Reference

TZ

Description

Configures the timezone to be used when converting UTC time to local time. Note that half-
hour time zones are supported.

Syntax

TZ hh:mm
hh -12 . . . 12 hours
mm 00 or 30 minutes

Example

TZ -03:00
TZ -04:30
TZ 01:00

49
7. ASCII C OMMANDS

VERSION

Description

Prints version of installed firmware.

Might be required when contacting product support.

Syntax

VERSION

Example

VERSION

50
 Command Reference

WIDTH

Description

Adjusts the pulse width for the 1PPS, 1PPM, PPX, TMARK and DMARK signals on the TTL-
level, open-collector outputs and the PPS pin on the RS232 serial port
Factory default is 200 ms.

Syntax

WIDTH ms
ms 10 . . . 990 ms 10 ms steps

Example

WIDTH 250
WIDTH 500

51
8 Datagrams

This chapter describes the built-in datagrams in alphabetical order.

If the datagram needed is not described on the following pages, use the ASCII-DATAGRAM to define your
own datagram or contact R EASON for further support.
Please note that the datagrams definition comprises only the message itself and the frequency at which it is
sent.
The bitrate and format of the characters can be configured using the SERIAL ASCII command (refer to
page 44 for further information).
The position of the on-time-mark characters can be configured using the HOLD ASCII command (refer to
page 37 for further information).

53
8. DATAGRAMS

8.1 ACEB

Comprises 13 bytes, sent once per minute at second 02.

Byte Description Possible Values

1 Delimiter 0xFF
2 Header 0x01
3 Status 0x00 (locked) or 0x01 (not locked)
4 Start of transmission 0x02
5 Day of week BCD 01 (Monday) . . . BCD 07 (Sunday)
6 Year BCD 00 . . . 99
7 Month BCD 01 . . . 12
8 Day of month BCD 01 . . . 31
9 Hour BCD 00 . . . 23
10 Minute BCD 00 . . . 59
11 Second BCD 02
12 End of transmission 0x03
13 Synchro byte 0x16

54
 GPZDA

8.2 GPZDA

Comprises 32 characters, sent once per second.

$GPZDA,hhmmss.0,DD,MM,YYYY,,*CC<CR><LF>

where
Parameter Possible Values Description Remarks
hh 00 . . . 23 hours
mm 00 . . . 59 minutes
ss 00 . . . 59 seconds
ddd 001 . . . 366 day-of-year
DD 01 . . . 31 day-of-month
MM 01 . . . 12 month
YYYY 2000 . . . 2099 year (4 digits)

Character ASCII ASCII Description

(decimal) (hexadecimal)
<LF> 10 0A line feed
<CR> 13 0D carriage return

Parameter Description Possible Values

CC checksum two hexadecimal digits representing the result of the
exclusive OR of all character between $ e *
($ and * not included in the computation)

55
8. DATAGRAMS

8.3 MEINBERG

Comprises 32 characters, sent once per second.

<STX>D:DD.MM.YY;T:w;U:hh.mm.ss;uv <ETX>

where
Parameter Possible Values Description Remarks
hh 00 . . . 23 hours
mm 00 . . . 59 minutes
ss 00 . . . 59 seconds
DD 01 . . . 31 day-of-month
MM 01 . . . 12 month
YY 00 . . . 99 year (2 digits)
w 1 ...7 day-of-week 1 means Monday

Character ASCII ASCII Description

(decimal) (hexadecimal)
<STX> 02 02 start-of-datagram
<ETX> 03 03 end-of-datagram
32 20 blank space

Parameter Description Possible Values

u status if locked, #otherwise
v status if locked, * otherwise

56
9 Maintenance and Troubleshooting

9.1 Common Problems

A LARM indicator lit

Possible causes Solution

CMOS clock backup battery is empty Replace CMOS clock battery

A NTENNA O PEN indicator lit

Possible causes Solution

No antenna connected Connect antenna
Antenna cable defect Replace antenna cable

A NTENNA S HORT indicator lit

Possible causes Solution

Deffective antenna cable Replace antenna cable
Wrong antenna connected Use only active GPS antenna (3.3 Vdc,
100 mA max)

Time Display shows ::

Possible causes Solution

Configuration session in progress Close the configuration session with the
EXIT command

57
9. M AINTENANCE AND T ROUBLESHOOTING

Time step Normal behavior, no action required if it

occurs briefly when locking to GPS or
IRIG-B000 time reference

L OCKED indicator off

Possible causes Solution

Configuration session in progress
No reachable satellites (if using GPS input)
No IRIG-B000 signal at the optical input
(if using IRIG-B000 input)
Close the configuration session with the
EXIT command
Check antenna location, refer to section 4.4
for details
Check cable and signal type, refer to sec-
tion 4.6 for details

L OCKED indicator blinking

Possible causes Solution

Almanach being downloaded from satellite
Normal behavior, no action required. The
L OCKED indicator will stop blinking after
the download is complete (approximately
12 minutes). Occurs only if the unit has
been moved over great distance since last
powered off or has been off for several
weeks.

9.2 Forgotten Password or Unknown Network Parameters

Press and hold the RST button on the back of the unit for at least 2 seconds with a paper clip. The unit
will revert to the following factory default values.

IP address 192.168.0.199
Network mask 255.255.255.0
Broadcast address 192.168.0.255
Gateway address 192.168.0.1
Password cond3e89
TELNET protocol enabled

58
 CMOS Clock Battery Replacement

9.3 CMOS Clock Battery Replacement

1. Switch the unit off and disconnect it from the power source.
2. Open the unit by removing the six Philips-headed screws that hold the top cover in place. Two of the
screws are located at the units top, two on the right side and the remaining two on the left side.
3. Replace the battery with a 3 V Lithium battery, model CR2032 or equivalent. The battery can only
be inserted in one way (with the postive pole towards the units back panel).
4. Re-assemble the units top cover using the previously removed screws.
5. Re-connet power to the unit and switch it on.
6. The unit will stop after initialization, showing :: on the time display. The A LARM indicator on
the front panel will be on.
7. Use the DATE command to set the date and time.

9.4 Returning a Unit

To request equipment repair service, call R EASON or representative to check out shipment options and
receive a technical assistance reference code.
The equipment shall be packed in its original package or a suitable package to protect against impacts and
moisture.
Send equipment to address supplied including the senders identification and the technical assistance refer-
ence code on the outside of the package.

59
Part Numbers

P025-A 2 2 / 2
IRIG-B000 input
No IRIG-B000 input 0
IRIG-B000 optical input 1
Number of optical outputs

0 to 8 *
Hardware revision code

1 to 9 *

61
Modbus Interface

Implementation

The Modbus implementation follows the OPEN MODBUS/TCP Specification from Schneider Electric
(29th March 1999).
Connections are accepted at TCP port 502. All data is big-endian (most significant byte first).

Message Format

Bytes Contents Remarks

0-1 transaction identifier from request, normaly 0
2-3 protocol identifier always0
4-5 number of remaining bytes in message from byte 7 onwards
6 unit identifier unit only responds to identifier 1

Implemented Functions

The unit only supports Modbus function 4 (read input registers).

All other functions will return the following

Bytes Contents Remarks

7 8Xh number of requested funtion with most significant bit set to 1
8 exception code 1 unimplemented function

63
M ODBUS I NTERFACE

Function 4 (Read Input Registers)

Only one register can be read at a time.

Request

Bytes Contents Remarks

7 04h function code
8-9 address of the register to be read
10-11 number of consecutive registers to read always 1

Response

Bytes Contents Remarks

7 04h function code
8 number of bytes in response always 2 (single register)
9-10 contents of register

Exception

Bytes Contents Remarks

7 84h
8 exception code 2 address not valid or number of registers different from one

64
 Registers Map

Registers Map

Status

Register Address Type Min Max Interpretation

Locked 010 RO 0 1 1 if Locked
Alarm 011 RO 0 1 if Alarm
Antenna Open 012 RO 0 1 1 if Antenna cable open
Antenna Short 013 RO 0 1 1 if Antenna cable short-circuited
Satellite Count 014 RO 0 12 number of satellites used

Local Time

Register Address Type Min Max

Year 020 RO 1969 2070
Month 021 RO 1 12
Day Of Month 022 RO 1 31
Hours 023 RO 0 23
Minutes 024 RO 0 59
Seconds 025 RO 0 59

UTC Time

Register Address Type Min Max

Year 030 RO 1969 2070
Month 031 RO 1 12
Day Of Month 032 RO 1 31
Hours 033 RO 0 23
Minutes 034 RO 0 59
Seconds 035 RO 0 59

Time Zone & Time Offset

Register Address Type Min Max Scale Factor

Time Offset 040 RO -24 24 0.5
Time Zone 041 RO -24 24 0.5

Daylight Saving Time

Register Address Type Min Max Interpretation

DST 042 RO 0 1 1 if DST
0 if Standard Time
DST Pending 043 RO 0 1 1 during the minute that preceeds
DST activation / deactivation

65
M ODBUS I NTERFACE

Position

Register Address Type Min Max Scale Factor Units

Latitude South 050 RO 0 1 0 if Northern Hemisphere
1 if Southern Hemisphere
Latitude Degrees 051 RO 0 90 degrees
Latitude Minutes 052 RO 0 59 minutes of arc
Latitude Seconds 053 RO 0 5900 0.01 seconds of arc
Longitude West 054 RO 0 1 0 if Eastern Hemisphere
1 if Westhern Hemisphere
Longitude Degrees 055 RO 0 180 degrees
Longitude Minutes 056 RO 0 59 minutes of arc
Longitude Seconds 057 RO 0 5900 0.01 seconds of arc
Altitude 058 RO 0 65535 meters

GPS Channels
Register Address Type Min Max Scale Factor Units / Interpretation
Channel 1 Status 060 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 1 Sat Number 061 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 1 Signal Level 062 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 1 Sat Elevation 063 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 1 Sat Azimuth 064 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 2 Status 070 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 2 Sat Number 071 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 2 Signal Level 072 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 2 Sat Elevation 073 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 2 Sat Azimuth 074 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 3 Status 080 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 3 Sat Number 081 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 3 Signal Level 082 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 3 Sat Elevation 083 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 3 Sat Azimuth 084 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 4 Status 090 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 4 Sat Number 091 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 4 Signal Level 092 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 4 Sat Elevation 093 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 4 Sat Azimuth 094 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 5 Status 100 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite

66
 Registers Map

2: searching for satellite

Channel 5 Sat Number 101 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 5 Signal Level 102 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 5 Sat Elevation 103 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 5 Sat Azimuth 104 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 6 Status 110 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 6 Sat Number 111 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 6 Signal Level 112 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 6 Sat Elevation 113 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 6 Sat Azimuth 114 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 7 Status 120 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 7 Sat Number 121 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 7 Signal Level 122 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 7 Sat Elevation 123 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 7 Sat Azimuth 124 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 8 Status 130 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 8 Sat Number 131 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 8 Signal Level 132 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 8 Sat Elevation 133 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 8 Sat Azimuth 134 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 9 Status 140 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 9 Sat Number 141 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 9 Signal Level 142 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 9 Sat Elevation 143 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 9 Sat Azimuth 144 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 10 Status 150 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 10 Sat Number 151 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 10 Signal Level 152 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 10 Sat Elevation 153 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 10 Sat Azimuth 154 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 11 Status 160 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 11 Sat Number 161 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 11 Signal Level 162 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz

67
M ODBUS I NTERFACE

Channel 11 Sat Elevation 163 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees

Channel 11 Sat Azimuth 164 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees
Channel 12 Status 170 RO 0 2 0: channel not in use
1: locked to satellite
2: searching for satellite
Channel 12 Sat Number 171 RO 0 32 0: channel not in use
1 to 32: satellite number
Channel 12 Signal Level 172 RO 0 65535 0.01 dB-Hz
Channel 12 Sat Elevation 173 RO 0 900 0.1 degrees
Channel 12 Sat Azimuth 174 RO 0 3600 0.1 degrees

Obs. Repetir o conjunto de registradores Channel01 para Channel02 a Channel12 onde os endereos iniciais
devem ser, respectivamente, 070 e 170.

68
Summary of IRIG-B Standard

IRIG-B000 and IRIG-B120 Contents

Bit Time Contents Description
0 Pr reference bit (Pr )
1 Pr + 10 ms seconds 1 seconds (0 . . . 59 or 60)
2 Pr + 20 ms seconds 2
3 Pr + 30 ms seconds 4
4 Pr + 40 ms seconds 8
5 Pr + 50 ms index bit (0)
6 Pr + 60 ms seconds 10
7 Pr + 70 ms seconds 20
8 Pr + 80 ms seconds 40
9 Pr + 90 ms position identifier 1 (P1 )
10 Pr + 100 ms minutes 1 minutes (0 . . . 59)
11 Pr + 110 ms minutes 2
12 Pr + 120 ms minutes 4
13 Pr + 130 ms minutes 8
14 Pr + 140 ms index bit (0)
15 Pr + 150 ms minutes 10
16 Pr + 160 ms minutes 20
17 Pr + 170 ms minutes 40
18 Pr + 180 ms index bit (0)
19 Pr + 190 ms position identifier 2 (P2 )
20 Pr + 200 ms hours 1 hours (0 . . . 23)
21 Pr + 210 ms hours 2
22 Pr + 220 ms hours 4
23 Pr + 230 ms hours 8
24 Pr + 240 ms index bit (0)
25 Pr + 250 ms hours 10
26 Pr + 260 ms hours 20
27 Pr + 270 ms index bit (0)
28 Pr + 280 ms index bit (0)
29 Pr + 290 ms position identifier 3 (P3 )
30 Pr + 300 ms days 1 day-of-year (1 . . . 365 or 366)
31 Pr + 310 ms days 2
32 Pr + 320 ms days 4
33 Pr + 330 ms days 8
34 Pr + 340 ms index bit (0)
35 Pr + 350 ms days 10
36 Pr + 360 ms days 20

69
S UMMARY OF IRIG-B S TANDARD

37 Pr + 370 ms days 40
38 Pr + 380 ms days 80
39 Pr + 390 ms position identifier 4 (P4 )
40 Pr + 400 ms days 100
41 Pr + 410 ms days 200
42 Pr + 420 ms index bit (0)
43 Pr + 430 ms index bit (0)
44 Pr + 440 ms index bit (0)
45 Pr + 450 ms index bit (0)
46 Pr + 460 ms index bit (0)
47 Pr + 470 ms index bit (0)
48 Pr + 480 ms index bit (0)
49 Pr + 490 ms position identifier 5 (P5 )
50 Pr + 500 ms year 1 last two digits of year (00 . . . 99)
51 Pr + 510 ms year 2
52 Pr + 520 ms year 4
53 Pr + 530 ms year 8
54 Pr + 540 ms index bit (0)
55 Pr + 550 ms year 10
56 Pr + 560 ms year 20
57 Pr + 570 ms year 40
58 Pr + 580 ms year 80
59 Pr + 590 ms position identifier 6 (P6 )
60 Pr + 600 ms index bit (0)
61 Pr + 610 ms index bit (0)
62 Pr + 620 ms Daylight Saving Pending (DSP) 1 during the minute that precedes
start or end of DST
63 Pr + 630 ms Daylight Saving Time (DST) 1 during DST
64 Pr + 640 ms Time Offset Sign (0=+, 1=-) sign of difference between local time and UTC
(minus to the west of Greenwich)
65 Pr + 650 ms Time Offset 1 difference between local time and UTC
66 Pr + 660 ms Time Offset 2 (-12 . . . +12)
67 Pr + 670 ms Time Offset 4
68 Pr + 680 ms Time Offset 8
69 Pr + 690 ms position identifier 7 (P7 )
70 Pr + 700 ms Time Offset /2
71 Pr + 710 ms Time Quality 0000 (0) : locked
72 Pr + 720 ms Time Quality 1111 (F) : no-time
73 Pr + 730 ms Time Quality 1011 (B) : never locked
74 Pr + 740 ms Time Quality 0100 (4) : free-wheeling
75 Pr + 750 ms Parity (odd) modulo 2 sum of all preceding data bits
Bits 75-99 are not included in the sum
76 Pr + 760 ms index bit (0)
77 Pr + 770 ms index bit (0)
78 Pr + 780 ms index bit (0)
79 Pr + 790 ms position identifier 8 (P8 )
80 Pr + 800 ms time-of-day 1 straight binary seconds
81 Pr + 810 ms time-of-day 2 (0 . . . 86399 or 86400)
82 Pr + 820 ms time-of-day 4
83 Pr + 830 ms time-of-day 8

70
 IRIG-B000 and IRIG-B120 Contents

84 Pr + 840 ms time-of-day 16
85 Pr + 850 ms time-of-day 32
86 Pr + 860 ms time-of-day 64
87 Pr + 870 ms time-of-day 128
88 Pr + 880 ms time-of-day 256
89 Pr + 890 ms position identifier 9 (P9 )
90 Pr + 900 ms time-of-day 512
91 Pr + 910 ms time-of-day 1024
92 Pr + 920 ms time-of-day 2048
93 Pr + 930 ms time-of-day 4096
94 Pr + 940 ms time-of-day 8192
95 Pr + 950 ms time-of-day 16384
96 Pr + 960 ms time-of-day 32768
97 Pr + 970 ms time-of-day 65536
98 Pr + 980 ms index bit (0)
99 Pr + 990 ms position identifier 0 (P0 )

71