Radio Modem General Setup Tips

This is a guide for setting up the Xtreme/104 Radio Modem for use with another Radio Modem. You will need to read through the Cirronet Configuration Manual that came with your Radio Modem’s CD, as well as the Connect Tech User’s manual before attempting to setup this device: https://connecttech.com/pdf/manual_RM-v.001.pdf

The Connect Tech guide has detailed instructions on how to configure the IRQ and Memory I/O settings for use with your system. This is usually the first thing to check when unable to open the port on a Radio Modem. Refer to KDB 305 for more troubleshooting.

Once you have installed the RM and powered on the system, install the driver (reboot is required in Windows). You will now need to open the COM port using an application like Hyperterminal, qtalk, minicom, etc… When you open the port, you are in “data” mode. You can see what is being received by the RM, or you can transmit data out of the RM. The other mode is “configuration” mode, this is what you will want to set first.

To enter configuration mode, open the port with these settings:

• 2400 bps, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, NO parity.
• Your application must also add carriage returns to new lines.

To do this in Hyperterminal

File → Properties → Settings → ASCII Setup → “Append Line Feeds to Incoming Line Ends” – this setting must be enabled.

QNX4:

Open the port in qtalk.  From another terminal, run a script like this:

# stty +icrnl </dev/ser#              //append carriage return to new lines
# stty -DTR </dev/ser#
# stty +DTR </dev/ser#             // you will need to toggle DTR in order to power on the Radio Modem.  Once you do this, you will see the WAK led turn on

QNX6:

QNX6 does not allow the toggling of modem signals with stty.
Please see page 7 of the manual regarding “J2 position 1” for another way of accessing the configuration mode.

Type this in:            :wit2410
This will bring up the Cirronet “banner” and it will look something like this:

Cirronet v1.39 WIT 910
Press ‘Enter’ and you should have this prompt:

>
From here, you can change and view all the parameters in Cirronet’s Firmware.

Common parameters that will need to be changed:

• sd    – Changes the baud rate
  NOTES:  Connect Tech uses an oscillator that is 4 times faster than expected by the Cirronet module.  This is why you must connect at 2400 bps, even though the Cirronet module is set to 9600 bps.  Once you change and save the baud rate setting, you will lose communication with the module.  Change the baud rate in your terminal application to get it back.  i.e. If you change the Cirronet to 115200 bps, change Hyperterminal to 28800 bps.
• wb – One radio needs to be a base, the other a remote.  Remotes cannot talk to remotes, and bases cannot talk to other bases.
• wn – Set Hopping Pattern – each radio needs to be on the same hopping pattern
• m> – saves all changes to memory
• z> – exits from configuration mode, back into data mode

Firmware: All of the radio modems need to have the same firmware on them in order to communicate.  The firmware rev. number can be found in the Banner displayed when opening the port, or written on the Cirronet module (should look like this 1.##)

Point to Multipoint (Broadcast Mode): If you want to use one base and multiple remotes, use this setting on the base station.

    wd3f

This will allow the transmitted data from the base to be received by all remotes.  Data from the remotes is only received by the base.

Thoroughput Optimization:  Read the Cirronet Configuration Manual “Protocol Commands” section.  These parameters (ph, pk, pl, … px) will allow you to fine tune data transmission.