Navia Maritime AS, Division Seatex DARPS/DPS General Maintenance

DARPS/DPS

General Maintenance & Troubleshooting

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Navia Maritime AS, Division Seatex DARPS/DPS General Maintenance

INTRODUCTION
This document aim at giving the student a general introduction to what might be the problem
if the absolute and/or relative position is invalid or degraded below stated limits. There are
several error sources:

The GPS antenna, antenna cable and / or connectors are damaged

The GPS receiver reports errors
Incorrect set up of interface parameters for the GPS receiver
Loose or improper connection of all kind of cables involved
The DGPS interface is set up incorrectly
The DGPS subscription time has expired
Wrong set up of UHF channel
The UHF transceiver and / or aerial is malfunctioning
Etc

During troubleshooting, the error symptom does not need to lead directly to the source of the
error. The problems that mostly occur, are that absolute and / or relative position is lost or
degraded. By stating some simple questions, its possible to start the sometimes-complicated
search for the error source!

[1] The dbviewer is a number of databases that can be opened to view whether data are
available or not or their current status.

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Navia Maritime AS, Division Seatex DARPS/DPS General Maintenance

1 GENERAL MAINTENANCE

This section involves hardware maintenance. That is preventive actions that can or should be
done to avoid equipment failure.

1.1 Maintaining the Hardware

The filter of the fan at the front or rear of the DARPS Hardware Platform should be kept free
from dust. Remember that smoking on the bridge, or in the instrument room, were the
equipment is mounted will make it necessary to dust of the fan protection mat more often.

The cables to GPS, UHF, HF, and Spotbeam / Inmarsat antennas should be observed for
mechanical damage from time to time. This is especially important outdoors to avoid water
penetration in the cables.

On the Spotbeam Demodulator, observe the signal level of the differential correction reception
on each loading. If the number of signal bars drops below three, this means that the signal
reception is week and might indicate that there are hardware problems with the antenna, cable,
or connectors.

Compare the GPS signal to noise readings SNR (found under MAIN MENU - DISPLAY
MODE DGPS SATDATA/CORR) for the GPS satellites and compare to the same readings
as they were taken down in Appendix A Signal to Noise Ratio for GPS Receiver during
installation. Significant drops in the SNR-values with respect to elevation, indicates GPS
signal reception problems.

Report to Seatex if there is observed problems on special fields especially noise problems that
might jam the GPS reception or the UHF link.

1.2 Protection of Outdoor Antenna Connectors

Wrap outdoor cable connections with waterproof self-vulcanising tape. To apply the tape peel
away protective plastic. Stretch tape to double length and start wrapping a bit down on the
cable. Wrap tape all over the connectors. Afterwards the tape should be sealed with electric
coating.
An alternate way of waterproofing is using heat shrinkable hose with glue. The hose should
cover the whole connector and part of the cable. Finally it should be sealed with electric
coating.

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2 TROUBLESHOOTING

If there has been detected an error in the GPS receiver/antenna, UHF link, DGPS corrections
receiver or GPS antenna cable, it is necessary to isolate the problem. In the following we have
asked some problem seeking questions as well as stated system report errors/status that should
indicate what the problem is if reduced system performance is observed.

2.1 The DARPS/DPS System Hangs

If the Window Display is frozen and there is no contact with the software, try to restart
DARPS using the CTRL+ALT+DEL or ON/OFF buttons (preferred action). If the system
starts up as normal after switching on, the problem might be just temporarily due to a hang up
of the software. However, if the system starts up but normal operational mode is not obtained,
the alternatives for troubleshooting as listed below should give you and indication of what the
problem is and what needs to be done in order to correct the malfunctioning.

2.2 No Relative & Absolute Position

2.2.1 Has the GPS Signal been Jammed out?

If the DARPS GPS antenna has been mounted too close to another GPS antenna, this might
cause position drop out due to jamming. The same can be seen when mounting the GPS
antenna too close to the Inmarsat antenna or the radar. Avoid improper installation of the GPS
antenna and mount the antenna a few meters from other GPS antennas and outside the beam
angle/reception direction of radars and other receiving/transmitting antennas.

2.2.2 Does other Objects Block the GPS Antenna?

If the signal from the GPS satellites are blocked or partly blocked by other objects, this might
cause the number of GPS satellites to drop below the minimum number of satellites required
and thus the position can not be computed. In a troubleshooting situation its always wise to
check the physical installation. The rule of thumb is to mount the GPS antenna high up in the
mast.

2.2.3 How can I Monitor whether GPS Data are Received or not?

(MS-DOS): For the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system under the menu ENGINEERING
MODE and SERIAL PORT its possible to monitor I/O data. By selecting INPUT under
SERIAL PORT and then go to PORT NUMBER (for that serial port set-up for reception of
GPS data), received data can be monitored. Its not always easy to verify whether the received
data are useful or not. The GPS data are received in the binary format but if the data are
frequently received in partition or blocks every 1-3 second, that indicates a valid data
reception.

(WIN-NT): In the new Windows NT-based DARPS/DPS system start dbviewer [1] and open
database GpsMeasure_0. If the database is empty, this means that GPS data is not received
into the system.

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2.2.4 The "ERROR: 0000 000000000" Text Line Reports Elements Different from
Zero

(MS-DOS): If the text: "ERROR: 000000000000 000000000000000000000000" appears in

the bottom left corner of the screen on the MS-DOS based DARPS system, this indicates that
the software has contact with the GPS receiver and the self-test from the receiver reports no
errors. On the reverse, if one or more of the elements in the ERROR text line is different from
0, the GPS receiver reports that an error is found during self-test. If such an error message is
found the whole row of zeros and numbers shall be written down. Fax or e-mail the
information to Seatex for evaluation.

2.2.5 The "ERROR: 0000 000000000" Text Line does not Appear

(MS-DOS): If the GPS receiver for some reason is not able to compute a position, the MS-
DOS based DARPS/DPS software after start-up will keep waiting until a GPS position is
calculated. When the program is waiting for initial position the following text is displayed on
the screen:

WAITING FOR INITIAL POSITION FROM GPS RECEIVER

If the error text "ERROR: 000000000000 000000000000000000000000" in the lower part of

the screen does not appear after approximately 1 minute, it indicates that the DARPS/DPS
software has no contact with the GPS receiver. To bypass this hang situation and enter the
operational pages in DARPS/DPS software, press the F5 key once. In the INITIAL SET UP
page you will find the current baud rate setting for the port connected to the GPS receiver. If
the port settings are incorrect, the software is not able to detect the GPS receiver.

SYSTEM MODE DARPS

GPS RECEIVER TYPE ASHTECH SENSOR
SIMULATION FILE OFF
PORT 1: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N RTCM CORR
PORT 2: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N UHF LINK SHT
PORT 3: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N Starfix
PORT 4: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N EXT OUTPUT
PORT 5: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N EXT OUTPUT
PORT 6: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N DP COMM
PORT 7: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N GPS RECEIVER
PORT 8: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N SPARE
INITIAL POSITION 59 40 25.82N 9 38 32.96 E
INITIAL ALTITUDE (msl) 44.5M
AUTO RESTART YES

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Check that the Port set-up for interface of the GPS receiver is set-up with a baud rate of 9600
baud. In this example, PORT 7: BAUDRATE/FORMAT is set to a BAUDRATE of 9600 8
1 N baud and the FORMAT is GPS RECEIVER.

2.2.6 The com port Settings are OK but the "ERROR: 0000 000000000" Text Line
does Still not Appear

(MS-DOS): If the communication port settings in the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS software
are correct and the error text line (ERROR: 000000000000 000000000000000000000000)
does not appear, most probably this means that something is wrong with the GPS receiver
itself. You can then check the status of the GPS receiver. The GPS receiver is mounted inside
the DARPS HW unit and has two led indicators. The red indicator lit red every time the GPS
receiver receives data subsequently followed by a green lit for each GPS satellite it receives
signal from. If the red lit is continuously red, most probably this means that something is
wrong with the GPS receiver. If the red light is blinking without any green lights in between,
this indicates that the GPS receiver is OK but no data is received from the antenna. If you
have confirmed that the receiver is not tracking any satellites, you need to check the GPS
antenna / antenna cables and connectors.

NOTE! In order not to disclaim the warranty, always contact Seatex before opening the unit.

(WIN-NT): In the new Windows NT-based DARPS/DPS system, the Satellites in Sight
display window shows the number of GPS satellites being tracked by the system. If no GPS
satellites are being displayed in green colour, this means that the system is not tracking
satellites. Turn off the system and wait a few minutes before switching it back on again. If the
same occurs, then something might be wrong with the GPS receiver, antenna / antenna cable.
The status of the GPS receiver can be checked as stated above.

2.2.7 How to Check the GPS Receiver Using a Voltmeter

Disconnect the antenna cable at the rear side of the DARPS/DPS hardware unit. Measure the
current output on the GPS antenna connector. The current output measured should be
approximately 4.8 5.0 V and indicates that the GPS receiver is OK. Check the GPS antenna
and/or the cable/connectors.

2.2.8 The "ERROR: 0000 000000000" Text Line Appears & Disappears but SVS
Shows 0

(MS-DOS): In this case the system goes through a normal start up procedure, which means
that the text: "ERROR: 000000000000 000000000000000000000000" appears and disappears.
However, if the number of SVS as displayed on the top of the Main Display Window
continuous to show 0 instead of the number of tracked GPS satellites (that should show a
number typically between 5 and 11), this means that the GPS receiver does not accept the GPS
data. Go to DISPLAY MODE and DGPS SATDATA/CORR. This menu shows how
many GPS satellites are being tracked by the system. If none are highlighted in inverse mode,

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the GPS receiver needs to be reset. Go to the "GPS RECEIVER SET-UP" menu, under the
"MAIN MENU". The following sub-menu comes up:

GPS RECEIVER SET UP

READ ERROR
RESET SENSOR

Go to "RESET SENSOR" and toggle with space bar to "ACTIVATE": Then "ENTER". It
will now take approximately 5 to 15 minutes before the GPS receiver is back on the air again.
Read out the error message again. Now the system should start up as normal.

2.2.9 The "ERROR: 0000 000000000" Text Line Appears and Remains

(MS-DOS): If the text: "ERROR: 000000000000 000000000000000000000000" appears in

the bottom left corner and remains, this means that the software has found the GPS receiver
and the receiver reports that no errors have been found during the self-test. To bypass this
hang situation and enter the operational pages in DARPS/DPS software, press the F5 key
once. Go to DISPLAY MODE and DGPS SATDATA/CORR. This menu shows how
many GPS satellites are being tracked by the system. If nothing is displayed in this display
window, it means that no GPS satellites are received. Most probably this means that
something is wrong with the reception of GPS data (broken antenna/antenna cable).

2.2.10 Are there problems with the GPS antenna / antenna cables and connectors?

Disconnect the GPS antenna cable at the rear side of the DARPS main unit. Measure the
impedance between the centre pin and shields in the cable (with the antenna connected). The
most common antenna used in the DARPS system is the Trimble Compact Dome antenna that
has impedance of approximately 840 . The new GPS PRO, AERO L1, and Ashtech Marine
4 antenna does not have certain impedance that can be measured.
If you have a Trimble Compact Dome antenna is the impedance OK (It can vary with 5 %)?

YES: The antenna cable with antenna is okay.

NO: Continue to next point.

Disconnect the antenna in the other end of the cable. Now the Ohm reading between the centre
and the shelf should be infinite if there is no short-circuiting of the cable.
Is it okay?

YES: Continue to next point.

NO: The cable is broken, check the cable and connectors for any mechanical
damage or water damage.

Make a short-circuiting in the opposite end of the cable and measure the resistance. Now the
reading should be approximate 0 Ohm.
Is it okay?

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YES: The antenna cable is okay. Continue to next point.

NO: The cable is broken, check the cable and connectors for any mechanical
damage or water damage.

Hopefully you have now solved the problem, if not you should contact Seatex for assistance.

2.2.11 Are there too Few GPS Satellites Available?

Totally there are some 26 to 28 GPS satellites orbiting the earth. However, the GPS satellites
are not evenly distributed around the earth and from time to time between 5 and 11 satellites
can be seen from the same location. If one or two satellites for limited time periods report
unhealthy status or are partly blocked by other objects, this could cause a situation where
positions can not be calculated. Its therefore important from time to time to check if there are
a sufficient number of GPS satellites available at your location.

You should also check that that the elevation mask is set correctly. If e.g. elevation is set to 30
degrees, this will reject satellites with a low elevation to be tracked by the system resulting in
degraded position accuracy.

There are several programs available for simulation of availability of GPS satellites. Go to
www\\: trimble.com and the Sat in View program. Now you can check how many
satellites that theoretical are available in your geographical area.

On the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system, go to DISPLAY MODE and DGPS

SATDATA/CORR. This menu shows how many GPS satellites are being tracked (their
numbers are highlighted) by the system. On the new Windows based DARPS/DPS system the
Satellites in Sight display window shows the same information. Also the GpsMeasure_0
database shows how many satellites the system is tracking.Green satellites are being tracked
while red satellites are not being tracked by the system.

Is the number of tracked GPS satellites in accordance with the theoretical number of available
satellites?

2.2.12 Does Damage in External Interfaced Equipment Prevent Reception of GPS Data?

Damage in external equipment has caused problems for the reception of GPS data. To check if
this is the problem, switch OFF the power on the external equipment or disconnect all cables
between the external equipment and the DARPS/DPS system. Restart and observe.

NOTE:
Before disconnecting any cables between external equipment and DARPS/DPS, they should
be marked distinct to avoid problems when reassembling the equipment.

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2.3 Degraded Position Accuracy

If the position is degraded due to the GPS receiver is tracking a minimum number of satellites
the following situation might be present:

A minimum number of GPS satellites from the GPS constellation are available and/or their
geometric distribution on the sky does not allow computation of a good position.

The sky is partly blocked for reception of the GPS signals resulting in poor position accuracy.

The GPS antenna and/or cables/connectors are damaged such that only satellites with a strong
signal are received resulting in poor positioning.

How can I find out how many GPS satellites can be tracked from the GPS constellation?

There are several programs available for simulation of available satellites and their Geometric
Dilution of Precision (which is a number indicating possible position accuracy or satellite
distribution on the sky). Go to www\\: trimble.com and the Sat in View program and
check how many satellites that theoretical are available where you are. If the number of GPS
satellites as well as PDOP number indicates poor positioning (low number of GPS satellites
and high PDOP value), you have to wait for additional satellites to arise.

2.3.1 Are Objects Blocking the GPS Signal Reception?

Check the physical installation of the GPS antenna. If parts of the sky are blocked for
reception of signal by obstructions, it might not be possible to compute a position because too
few satellites are available. If this is the situation, move the GPS antenna to a better location.

2.3.2 Has the GPS Antenna or Antenna Cable been damaged?

(MS-DOS): During installation of the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system, the Signal-to-
Noise Ratio (SNR) on the received signal is written down in the table below (can be found in
the DARPS & DPS Users Manual under Appendix F). The SNR-value indicates whether the
signal is good or bad. If the signal is good, the SNR-values in general show high numbers. By
comparing these values, an indication of the strength of the signal reception is found.

SV El Az SNR

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Expected values:

Elevation SNR
5-15 20-40
15-45 35-90
45-90 80-130

If the current SNR-values are acceptable, the GPS receiver, GPS antenna, and
cable/connectors are most likely OK. If these values are not acceptable, which can be seen if
their SNR-values are significant lower than the stated once (when satellite elevation has been
taken into consideration), most probably something is wrong with the GPS antenna and
cable/connectors.

(WIN-NT): In the new Windows NT-based software, the GpsMeasure_0 and the GpsSatPV_0
database shows the SNR-values as well as azimuth and elevation for satellites being tracked
by the system.

2.3.3 Are the DGPS Reference Stations too far Away?

Another problem resulting in degraded position accuracy is applying improper DGPS

corrections. In general the nearest DGPS reference stations should be used and the optimum is
interface of more than one reference station. When using reference stations thousands of km
away, the number of common GPS satellites between the user and the reference station
decreases. When the number of common satellites decreases, the satellite geometry becomes
poor and positions accuracy decreases.

(MS-DOS): In the MS-DOS based system, the distance to the used reference stations can be
found under MAIN MENU, DISPLAY MODE and MULTIREF CORR INFO.
(WIN-NT): In the Windows NT-based system this information can be found in database
RefStationsInUse_0.

Also the ionosphere becomes more and more different at the reference station and the user as
the distance increases. This reduces the validity of the GPS corrections resulting in poor
positioning.

2.3.4 Are the DGPS Corrections Missing?

If the DGPS corrections are missing, the accuracy of the positioning will be purely based on
GPS resulting in about 20-meter position accuracy. In the next chapter, missing DGPS
corrections are discussed.

(WIN-NT): In the Windows NT-based system, the database GpsRefTable_0 shows

information about all DGPS reference stations received by the system.

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2.4 Missing DGPS Corrections

2.4.1 Are the DGPS Corrections Missing?

If the DGPS corrections are missing, position accuracy reverts to standard GPS accuracy. If
the degraded position accuracy can be related to the DGPS correction reception actions as
discussed below should be taken.

2.4.2 Is Something Wrong with the DGPS Cable and/or Connectors?

If something is wrong with the Spotbeam antenna cable, this can be checked using the same
routines for ohm readings as stated for checking the GPS cable.

2.4.3 Can Fugro Demodulators be swapped?

As a general rule the answer is NO. If you have one demodulator connected to a Spotbeam
antenna and a second demodulator connected to the Inmarsat antenna, they should not be
interchanged since the demodulator connected to the Spotbeam antenna outputs 12V. If they
are swapped, this might damage the Inmarsat antenna or terminal!

2.4.4 Missing Corrections from an Inmarsat Satellite?

Turn power on the demodulator OFF and then ON again.

On the demodulator under Receiver Subscription Status Menu check that you have a valid
subscription for reception of differential corrections. For more details, see the 3000L DGPS
Receiver Product Family Operators Manual.

Check that the Inmarsat terminal and the demodulator is tracking the same satellite (AOR-E,
AOR-W, IOR, or POR). Compare the frequency settings. On the demodulator, go to
CHANNEL SELECTION and see which satellite the demodulator is tracking. The actual
frequency the satellite is tracking can be viewed under CURRENT READINGS MENU and
Actual Frequency.

NOTE! Remember that if you have changed from tracking the AOR-E satellite to tracking the
AOR-W satellite on the Inmarsat terminal, the frequency the demodulator is set up with also
needs to be changed to the AOR-W satellite. The AOR-E and the IOR satellite is on the same
frequency and the demodulator will not be affected by switching between these two satellites.

Check the cabling between the Inmarsat terminal and the demodulator.

Check the serial port cable between the demodulator and DARPS/DPS Unit.

(MS-DOS): Check the communication port settings, baud rates, and message format on both
the demodulator (Fugro) under USER SETTINGS and the DARPS/DPS system (DARPS)
under INITIAL SET UP. The settings should be in accordance with the example below:

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System Com Port Parameter Baud rate Format Parameter Format Code
Fugro DATAPORT 9600 Detector Mode RAW
DARPS PORT n: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N Starfix

Or

System Com Port Parameter Baud rate Format Parameter Format Code
Fugro DATAPORT 9600 Detector Mode RTCM
DARPS PORT n: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N RTCM CORR

Or

System Com Port Parameter Baud rate Format Parameter Format Code
Fugro DATAPORT or (AUX PORT*) 9600 Detector Mode VBS
DARPS PORT n: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N RTCM VBS

* Used when vessel position is input to the Demodulator from DARPS.

(WIN-NT): In the Windows NT-based system the settings should be as follows:

System Com Port Parameter Baud rate Format Parameter Format Code
Fugro DATAPORT 9600 Detector Mode RAW
DARPS DCLNKx TYPE 9600 n 8 1 nh SCF

Or

System Com Port Parameter Baud rate Format Parameter Format Code
Fugro DATAPORT 9600 Detector Mode RTCM
DARPS DCLNKx TYPE 9600 n 8 1 nh RTCM

Under MAINTENANCE MENU its possible to check the data reception. Under
CHECKSUM STATUS the number of messages received since power On which have valid
(OK) checksum and the number invalid (BAD) are shown.

2.4.5 Missing Corrections from a Spotbeam Satellite?

Turn power on the demodulator OFF and then ON again.

On the demodulator under Receiver Subscription Status Menu check that you have a valid
subscription for reception of differential corrections. For more details, see the 3000L DGPS
Receiver Product Family Operators Manual.

Check if the demodulator is tuned in to the right frequency. Go to CHANNEL SELECTION

and see which satellite the demodulator is tracking. The actual frequency the satellite is
tracking can be viewed under CURRENT READINGS MENU and Actual Frequency.

Check the serial port cable between demodulator and DARPS/DPS Unit.

Check the communication port settings, message format, and baud rate set-up on both the
demodulator (USER SETTINGS) and the DARPS system under (INITIAL SET UP). The
settings should be in accordance with the examples above (both for the MS-DOS and WIN-
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NT based system).

If the demodulator is set up to output Single Station Position output (Detector Mode is set to
RTCM), go to REMOTE SITES and check that the demodulator is set up to output the
desired/selected reference stations.

Under MAINTENANCE MENU its possible to check the data reception. Under
CHECKSUM STATUS the number of messages received since power On which have valid
(OK) checksum and the number invalid (BAD) are shown.

2.5 Gyro Heading is Missing

In order for DARPS to be able to provide relative bearing and distance between a Shuttle
Tanker and a Storage Tanker, heading input is necessary. On the DARPS unit on board the
Storage Tanker (which equals a stand alone DPS system) or on a DPS unit, heading input is
necessary in order to compute relative positions between reference points on the vessel and
e.g. predefined geographical points on e.g. the seafloor. Normally, heading is either received
from the DP interface or from a stand-alone gyrocompass. If heading input to DARPS/DPS is
missing, the following needs to be done.

2.5.1 Missing Heading as Received from the DP System?

On the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system one of the communication Ports are set-up for
interface to the DP system and the communication port settings should be as for Port 6 below
(from the INITAIL SETUP page).

SYSTEM MODE DARPS

GPS RECEIVER TYPE ASHTECH SENSOR
SIMULATION FILE OFF
PORT 1: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N RTCM CORR
PORT 2: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N UHF LINK SHT
PORT 3: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N Starfix
PORT 4: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N EXT OUTPUT
PORT 5: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N EXT OUTPUT
PORT 6: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N DP COMM
PORT 7: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N GPS RECEIVER
PORT 8: BAUDRATE/FORMAT 9600 8 1 N SPARE
INITIAL POSITION 59 40 25.82N 9 38 32.96 E
INITIAL ALTITUDE (msl) 44.5M
AUTO RESTART YES

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If these settings are correct and heading is still missing, check that the corresponding settings
in the DP have the same baud rate settings as for Port 6 above. If heading is still not received,
check the physical interface and cabling (maybe this should be done first?). Its also possible
to monitor what is received on Port 6 on the DARPS/DPS system. Go to ENGINEERING
MODE and SERIAL PORT. Choose INPUT and then go to PORT NUMBER and choose 6.

In the new Windows NT-based DARPS/DPS system, heading as received from the DP system
can be found in the database Attitude_12. The DP interface can be set-up as shown below:

[dpinterface]
DPIO_1 com8 9600 n 8 1 nh
OUTPUTMODE_1 0
OUTPUTINTV_1 1000
NMEA_OUTPUT_1 DPGGA
DPINTERFCONSOLE_1 0
! 0:event-driven 1:timer-driven
! output interval between datagrams in ms
! sequence GNS(GGA),GST,DPGGA,VTG,ZDA
! Console mode - 0: no console, 1: console, 2: Show NMEA

DPIO_1 is the internal labelling of the serial line interface and means that the DP is interfaced
through communication port 8 with baud rate settings as displayed. All communication ports
set-up for transmission of position data to the DP can receive heading on the same serial line
connection. As for the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system, check that these settings are in
accordance with corresponding settings in the DP system.

2.5.2 Missing Heading as Received from an External Gyrocompass?

The same procedure as stated above but instead of choosing DP COM as the interface data
format on the MS-DOS based DARPS/DPS system, the data format should be GYRO. Baud
rate settings in DARPS/DPS should be in accordance with corresponding settings in the gyro.

In the new Windows NT-based DARPS/DPS system, the Gyro interface can be set-up as
shown below:

!--------------------- GYRO INTERFACE AND DECODING ----------------------------*

! Stuff for GYRO interface & decoding
! Comm parameters: nh:no handshake, sh:software handshake, hh:hardware handshake
! GYROIO_x TYPE options:
! NMEA_HDT = NMEA heading format
! LR22_BCD = Robertson LR22 BCD format
! GYROINTERFCONSOLE : Enable gyro console window if set to 1
[Gyro]
GYRO_SENSOR_1 com7 9600 n 8 1 nh
GYROIO_1 TYPE NMEA_HDT
GYROINTERFCONSOLE_1 0

This interface of gyro heading shows that heading is received through communication port 7
with data rate settings as shown (9600 n 8 1 nh). The data format is stated through the
GYROIO_1 TYPE variable and is the NMEA_HDT data format. As for the MS-DOS based
DARPS/DPS system, check that the baud rate settings are in accordance with corresponding
settings in the gyro.

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2.6 UHF LINK PROBLEMS

Mainly the problem is detected by the Shuttle Tanker, which observes that relative data is
missing. Often this is related to UHF link problems. If no data is received from the UHF link,
check the following:

2.6.1 UHF Link Previous Model

This previous UHF transceiver model had the UHF switch knob physically available on the
front of the unit.

On the Shuttle tanker Check that the UHF switch is set in correct position in accordance to the
expected reception.

If this is OK, the UHF link has to be checked more thoroughly. Contact Seatex for advice.

2.6.2 UHF LINK New Model

PWR TXD RXD

UHF Transceiver Module SEATEX

Red Yellow Green

2.6.2.1 Does the Unit have Power?

Check that the power diode lights red on the front. If not check that the power switch on the
back of the unit is turned on. If the power is on, check the fuses on the back of the unit by
opening the lid with a flat head screwdriver. If the fuses are broken replace them. But at the
same time you need to open the unit and visually inspect that there are no burned or broken
components inside the unit before power is switched on again.

2.6.2.2 The DARPS Frequencies

Channel Frequency
1 459.500
2 459.525
3 469.500
4 469.525

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2.6.2.3 On the Storage Tanker

UHF Aerial
Is Relative Data
being broadcasted?

UHF
Transceiver Is Relative Data being
transmitted to the UHF Aerial?

DARPS Unit
Is Relative Data being
sent to the UHF Transceiver?

The figure shows the DARPS components on the Storage Tanker.

2.6.2.3.1 Is Relative Data sent to the UHF Transceiver?

From the INITIAL SET UP page you can find out which Port that has been set up for UHF
communication. Go to ENGINEERING MODE and SERIAL PORT and check if data is sent
from the DARPS unit to the UHF transceiver (on the Storage Tanker side). If Ok, you have to
check the output from the UHF transceiver to the aerial system.

2.6.2.3.2 Does the UHF Transceiver Output Relative Data to the UHF Aerial?

Check that the TX diode lights green approximately every one to two seconds when there is
a shuttle tanker loading or prior to connection. If OK, this indicates that data are sent to the
aerial system. If the Shuttle Tanker does still not receive relative data, check cables and
interfaces connections.

2.6.2.3.3 Is Relative Data Transmitted from the UHF Aerial?

In order to check the UHF aerial transmission of data from the Storage Unit, a second radio
needs to be used to check that data can be received on the actual channel. If data can be
received, most probably something is wrong with the reception on the Shuttle Tanker.

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Navia Maritime AS, Division Seatex DARPS/DPS General Maintenance

2.6.2.4 On a Shuttle Tanker

Is Relative Data being

received on the UHF Aerial?

Is Relative Data being sent to

the UHF Transceiver?
UHF Aerial

Is Relative Data being sent to

UHF the DARPS Unit?
Transceiver

DARPS Unit

The figure shows the DARPS components on the Shuttle Tanker.

2.6.2.4.1 Is Relative Data Received to the DARPS Unit?

(MS-DOS): From the INITIAL SET UP page you can find out which Port that has been set up
for UHF communication. Go to ENGINEERING MODE and SERIAL PORT and check if
data is received into the DARPS unit from the UHF transceiver (on the Shuttle Tanker side). If
no data is received, something is either wrong with the aerial system or the UHF transceiver.

(WIN-NT): On the Windows NT-based system, the database DarpsSlaveAttID21_0 contains

heading, roll, pitch, and offset vector information as they appear on the Master after being
received from the Slave on the UHF transmission link. The DarpsSlaveGpsID21_0 database
contains GPS information sent from the Slave and received by the Master system using the
UHF link.

2.6.2.4.2 How is Relative Data between Shuttle Tanker and Storage Tanker being
calculated?

(MS-DOS): On the MS-DOS based system you can monitor both the reception of relative data
and how they are computed in the menu MAIN MENU, DISPLAY MODE and TRACKING
RANGE DATA and TRACKING SATDATA. If there are few common satellites highlighted
for the relative computation, this indicates problems solving relative distance and bearing.
Check elevation mask angle and also whether there could be objects shielding for the satellite
reception.

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Navia Maritime AS, Division Seatex DARPS/DPS General Maintenance

(WIN-NT): On the Windows NT-based system the DarpsStatus_0 database contains

communication details and calculations of distance to target between Master and Slave. The
database RelativePosition_0 contains information about how the relative data is computed.

2.6.2.4.3 Does the UHF Transceiver Receive Relative Data?

(MS-DOS): On a shuttle tanker system in operation, check that the RX diode lights yellow
approximately every two seconds. If not, try to set the correct channel manually under the sub
menu UHF CHANNEL under ENGINEERING MODE. NOTE! This can only be done if the
Storage Tanker is selected by the DARPS and not being automatically set-up from the DP
system. If the channel was set correctly, check that the serial port cable between the UHF
TRANSCEIVER module and the DARPS unit is OK. If the cable is damaged there will be a
problem setting the frequency of the transceiver.

2.6.2.4.4 Is Relative Data Received on the Aerial?

In order to check the UHF aerial reception of data from the Storage Unit, a second radio needs
to be used to check that data can be received on the actual channel. If data are not received,
something is wrong either with the aerial or the cable connection between the aerial and the
UHF transceiver.

2.6.2.5 Is the UHF data missing as the on-board UHF communication is in use?

It is a known problem that the DARPS UHF link can be jammed out by the on board UHF link
used for communication between the Storage Tanker and the Shuttle Tanker. If the UHF link
is not stable, check if there is a correlation between the simultaneously use of these two UHF
links.

2.6.2.6 Is the UHF Link Down due to Physical Blocking of the Signal?

The UHF link is sensitive to signal dampening and multipath effects. If a crane/derrick or
another object is partly blocking the signal this will cause multipath to the signal and might
lead to drop outs resulting in loss of relative data. The optimum is therefore to have direct line
of sight between the two UHF antennas.

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