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SpacePath Communications N6143 Controller Series

The SpacePath Communications N6143 Controller Series connector is used to monitor and configure the SpacePath Communications N6143 Controller Series control unit. This control unit can be used to control several types of stellar amplifiers.

About

The connector communicates with the control unit through its serial interface. The control unit itself controls up to two stellar amplifiers. This connector will control only one amplifier per instance. To send commands to the correct amplifier, the connector has to know the address of the amplifier. You can find this address on the physical display of the control unit. It should be entered as a decimal value in the Bus address field of the DataMiner element.

Version Info

Range Key Features Based on System Impact
1.0.0.x [SLC Main] Initial version - -

Product Info

Range Supported Firmware
1.0.0.x Complies with N6143 Series Operation Manual; 2015

System Info

Range DCF Integration Cassandra Compliant Linked Components Exported Components
1.0.0.x No Yes - -

Installation and configuration

Creation

Main Serial Connection

This connector uses a serial connection and requires the following input during element creation.

SERIAL CONNECTION:

  • Direct connection:

    • Baudrate: 9600 baud

    • Databits: 7 bits

    • Stopbits: 1 bit

    • Parity: Even

    • FlowControl: No

  • Interface connection:

    • IP address/host: The IP address of the intermediate serial gateway.

    • IP port: The port specified by the intermediate serial gateway.

    • Bus address: The address of the amplifier connected to the control unit.

      You can find this address on the physical display of the control unit, in hexadecimal value (0x30 - 0x6F). This value has to be converted to a decimal before it is entered in DataMiner. For example: 0x30 is 48, 0x6F is 111.

Usage

General

This page contains an overview of the connected amplifier with its Type and Firmware Version. It shows how long and in which states the amplifier has been operational.

In addition, it displays the following key High Power Amplifier information: the Current State, Attenuation, Helix Current and Forward Power.

Finally, the Linearizer State is also displayed.

Note that some parameters will have the value Not Applicable. This means that the value is not applicable for the currently connected amplifier.

Configuration

On this page, you can configure multiple amplifier settings:

  • The most important setting is the Current State of the amplifier. If the state is changed from Off to Standby or Transmit, the amplifier will need some time to warm up its traveling wave tube. This will take 180 s.
  • The Redundancy Mode can be switched from Manual to Automatic mode.
  • The Output can be set to a Load or an Antenna.
  • The Attenuation is a nominal value that depends on the connected amplifier. If this value is zero, there will be no attenuation or maximum gain.
  • The Radio Frequency (RF) Status can be enabled or disabled.
  • The Remote Status can also be enabled or disabled. Note that when it is disabled, the other configuration commands will not work.
  • The amplifiers alarms can also be configured here. An alarm will be triggered when the Forward Power of the amplifier is above the High Power Alarm Threshold or below the Low Power Alarm Threshold. When one of the values is zero, that threshold will be ignored.

Alarms

This page contains multiple alarms in several categories: Cooling Alarms, Voltage Alarms, Component Alarms, Power Alarms and Helix Alarms.

Note that when one of these alarms has the value Not Applicable, it is not supported by the currently connected amplifier.

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