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NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC-4 Full User Manual

1. T T Uu oo u T L I r I Uu oo D Uu oo n Uu oo n uU oo i oe i I www actisense co Er ACTIVE RESEARCH LTD 20 ENT RUE As Battery Power Supply and battery pou er Consult a qualified ery lead or turning off Connecting to the Battery Supply The NDC 4 can be powered either by the USB connection or through an external power source If both power sources are available the current drawn from the USB supply will be reduced to a trickle If the external power source is removed the USB power will seamlessly take over without loss of data If the NDC 4 is powered from an external power source like a battery it should be wired to the vessel s battery supply in the most direct manner possible to minimize interference from other electronic devices The cable used should be of sufficient gauge to handle the power requirements of the NDC 4 refer to Specifications on page 40 2012 Active Research Limited GREEN NORMAL IDLE OTHER SEE MANUAL Connecting to a Personal Computer The USB port can be used to connect a PC to the NMEA 0183 system A USB cable is available in the form of an upgrade kit for variants that do not come with a cable The part number will include USB if a cable is provided with that variant e g NDC 4 USB Alternatively Port 0 OPTO IN 0 and ISO OUT 0 can be used to connect a PC into the NMEA 0183 system by using a serial port cable conforming t
2. Switches to USB when MM USB active USB Input Circuitry ISO Out 0 ISO Out 0 Port PC Controller Circuitry Figure 30 NDC 4 in Combiner Mode Signal Flow Block Diagram NMEA Opto NMEA Input X Filter Port 1 Port 1 NMEA Opto Input Port 2 EE ISO Out 1 Output E f Circuitry NMEA Opto He Input Port 3 U Autoswitch USB EB Channel Output NMEA Opto Selector Circuitry Input Port 4 ISO Out 0 Output Circuitry Figure 31 NDC 4 in Autoswitch Mode Signal Flow Block Diagram 2012 Active Research Limited Page 41 Actisense Save your NDC 4 configuration options here OPTO IN 1 4 NMEA Devices Connected Baud Rate USB RS232 bi directional port or OPTO IN 0 Device Connected Baud Rate ISO OUT 0 NMEA Devices Connected Baud Rate ISO OUT 1 NMEA Devices Connected Baud Rate 2012 Active Research Limited Page 42 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 2012 Active Research Limited Page 43 Order Codes NDC 4 5 isolated inputs 4 NMEA HS 2 ISO Drive outputs NDC 4 USB 4 isolated inputs 3 NMEA HS USB In amp Out and 2 ISO Drive outputs NDC 4 AIS NDC 4 base unit pre configured for AIS NDC 4 AIS USB NDC 4 USB unit pre configured for AIS NDC 4 ASW NDC 4 base unit pre configured as an Autoswitch Returns Procedure Actisense prides itself on having a very low product return rate In the unlikely event that you need to retu
3. it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Window Help Inclusion List Comms or Co nfi J Jre Disabled Disabled 4800 4800 oF 4800 4800 Enabled Change To Autoswitch NMEA Port 1 NMEA Fort 2 NMEA Port 3 NMEA Port 4 Port O RS232 USB E Hardware Figure 11 Control Centre Main Window after hardware detected Control Centre s main window allows the user access to all the NDC 4 hardware configuration and monitoring features and adjustment of Control Centre s appearance on screen Control Centre is capable of displaying a large array of data and information and not all will be of interest to every user Therefore the user can easily select which information status windows are visible and which are not hidden To meet the users specific requirements any visible window can be repositioned on the screen by dragging it with the mouse If a window is dropped the left mouse button is released after the drag operation close enough to an adjacent windows edge it will snap to that windows edge This allows for quick easy and neat arrangement of Control Centre s windows 2012 Active Research Limited From the main window the user can select what Baud rates the various inputs and outputs of the NDC 4 need to be and even change the input port priorities Selection of these options are possible by using the standard Windows menu system Options menu or via a tab system
4. behaving just like tabs in a filing cabinet Full explanation of these features is detailed in the following sections Any changes the user makes to Control Centre s appearance will be remembered for subsequent sessions allowing the user to keep their favourite settings Any new configuration settings must be downloaded to the NDC 4 s hardware before they can be remembered this helps keep Control Centre and NDC 4 hardware in sync The main window has an Exit control button to close the Control Centre program If any changes to the Port Configurations have been made but not yet transferred to the NDC 4 hardware the user will be asked to confirm the exit request as all alterations will otherwise be lost when the program closes Page 18 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Connecting to Control Centre Important information please read it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Window Help Port Configure R5232 or IN OUT 0 or USB Comms en sean m i mar Vt uM oorr ENO CURE E a ar OE Op RED rw en ann a m uw 7a ne oe eo TAR na wmm ct Reset to defaults Hardware Figure 12 Control Centre Main Window before hardware detected Control Centre s appearance and all other settings are stored in the file ControlCentre ini which is automatically loaded at start up and saved on exit Note Do not attempt to edit the ControlCentre ini file by hand this can stop the
5. will be displayed Answer Yes and the uninstall operation wil be performed automatically After successfully uninstalling the Actisense PC software the uninstall completion box will appear Figure 10 Uninstall Complete 4 In addition the program directory can also be deleted to completely remove the program In this way all the program files will be uninstalled in a clean and complete manner If however you are going to install a new version after this uninstall you can keep the program directory and the configuration file stored within it In this way all the user settings you had for the previous version will be immediately available with the new version 2012 Active Research Limited Uninstalling Actisense NDC Control Centre Do vau want to remove Actisense MDC Control Centre Figure 9 Uninstall Confirmation Uninstalling Actisense MDC Control Centre Actisense NDC Control Centre uninstalled successfully Figure 10 Uninstall Complete Page 17 Actisense Using NDC Control Centre The Actisense NMEA Data Combiner hardware can be configured and monitored using its own dedicated Control Centre suite This section provides a complete users guide to all of the NDC Control Centre s features This program is currently only available for Windows NT 2000 XP Vista 7 however it has been proven possible to use Control Centre on a Mac running VMware Fusion Windows emulation software Main window
6. Flash Program Counters Not used for NDC s and will remain blank Reset Resets the hardware information displayed and requests the current information from the NDC 4 hardware thus refreshing the displayed information Page 29 Actisense Configuration of AIS ACTIVE RESEARCH LTD 2007 www actisense com ol 60 s Sgt ele E ET TUER NMEA e pm MESE diaz 4800 Baud iSe pE Talker 3 s NE TS on me i Ab Bau Chart p ereas OM c Pi Baud eee AlS sie amp c 2 amaa 45 i Sots ES LES B NMEA quem 5 14800 Baud Talker 1 a amm im im GREEN NORMAL IDLE OTHER SEE MANUAL YANIGINOD asn v r 5dI 1N0 OSI Figure 21 AIS Configuration with 38400 Baud Rate Setting up the Hardware for AIS To enable these settings on the NDC 4 click on the Send Control Centre supplied on the CD or available for to Hardware button on BOTH the Port Configuration download from Actisense website allows a quick set up and Inclusion List tabs for AIS using the configuration file included Send to Hardware ac Actisense NDC Control Centr Options Comms Window Help The AIS device should then be connected to the NDC s OPTO IN 2 as shown in Figure 21 with any other talkers connected as required The device for receiving the AIS data chart plotter or PC should be connected to Exit ISO O
7. lt or floppy disk insert it now What da you want the wizard to do Install the software automatically Recommended Click Next ta continue Page 13 Actisense 3 When using the drivers downloaded from the Actisense website it is important to unzip them to an easy to find location Make sure the Include this location in the search option is ticked and use the Browse button and Found New Hardware Wizard Please choose your search and installation options Pate ST Ce Search for the best driver in these locations Use the check boses below to limit or expand the default search which includes local paths and removable media The best driver found will be installed Search removable media floppy CD ROM Include this location in the search CATemph ctisense Wires PVista 7 Signed USB driv se Browse C9 Don t search will choose the driver to install Choose this option to select the device driver from a list Windows does not guarantee that the driver you choose will be the best match for your hardware select the folder where the drivers have been extracted and click Next Found New Hardware Wizard Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard The wizard has finished installing the software for Actisense NOC USB Serial Converter Click Finish to close the wizard Finish 4 The USB serial converter driver is now installed click Finish
8. no filtering will occur on this channel This is useful when trying to pass an NMEA sentence that is not available for selection in the Inclusion List The buttons Clear all sentences and Set all sentences are useful to quickly reset or set all tick marks This allows for quick configuration of the Inclusion List without having to click on every tick box For example if only a couple of sentences are required to be set press the Clear all sentences button followed by selecting the required sentence ID s 2012 Active Research Limited Sentence Total The total number of NMEA sentences currently selected enabled for the current channel port is displayed in the bottom right corner This is purely for user information and interest Total 52 Blocking ALL Sentences There is no option to block all sentences However there is a work around Simply tick a sentence that is never going to be present on that input For example to block all AIS sentences tick AAM waypoint arrival alarm This will enable the filtering and block everything except AAM and because AAM is never transmitted by an AIS unit no sentences will be passed from this input to ISO OUT 1 and also ISO OUT 0 if Clone mode is enabled Get from Hardware Reads retrieves the current Inclusion List information for all channels from the connected NDC 4 hardware This will overwrite any current settings held by Control Centre s Inclusion Lists if the curre
9. Actisense refer to Company Information on page 44 Hardware Error Status The MOC hardware unit has indicated that a problem exists wih its EEPROM To prove that the error is not one off occurance reset the hardware disconnect the battery supply wait 5 seconds and then reconnect it If the error fault persists contact amp ctizenze Active Research Limited for product return information and a returns number E Mail suppormt actisense corm Tel 44 0 1202 745582 Fax 44 0 1202 745583 Figure 25 Control Centre Error Status Window 2012 Active Research Limited Page 36 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Diagnosing the NDC Control Centre Connection To diagnose an installation with an NDC 4 is best done with NDC Control Centre The first stage of this is to have Control Centre connect with the NDC 4 If this connection is not being made follow this flow chart starting at the blue box top left and answer the questions to reach the recommended solution Disconnect or turn off all inputs leaving only the PC connection Solution A Battery Connection NO Is the NDC 4 connected using the USB cable YES In Device Manager is the NDC visible in both solution B USB the USB section and Connection 1 the ports section with no warning symbol YES Solution C USB Connection 2 Solution A Battery Connection 1 Check the polarity of the battery connection 2 Check th
10. Hardware Connection Status Window The NDC 4 hardware connection status window displays all information related to the connection status between Control Centre and the NDC 4 s hardware This includes all handshaking and data transfer information required for flash programming the NDC 4 hardware during the Port configuration data updates This information is normally only useful when speaking with Actisense technical support engineer and can be ignored at all other times Reset Resets the connection status messages currently displayed clearing the window Page 28 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Hardware Information Window OR 0030 1 02 1945 2007 16 01 56 1 051 19062007 13 00 54 it Hardware Information serial ID number Boot program version Program date i time Main program version Program date time Total operating time ARL model code ARL hardware version 0 Days 01 12 43 NDC 4 10 1 00 Operating made Combiner MOC 41 Flash program counters SCD Figure 19 Hardware Info Window NDC 4 The NDC 4 hardware information window displays the information received from the NDC 4 hardware This information Includes 1 Hardware Serial ID Number The unique serial identification number given to each Actisense product This number is used to identify each NDC 4 unit in our records 2 Bootloader amp Main software Program Version Version numbers of the bootloader and
11. Listener B NMEA A Listener C B ACTIVE igi LTD 2007 Isense com gti oe IE GREEN NORMAL IDLE OTHER SEE MANUAL a NMEA pee orc n EI NMEA ree SI S NMEA NMEA EMEN 2 EE p NMEA fee De NMEA pgss Figure 2 NMEA 0183 connections OPTO Inputs The differential opto isolated inputs are designed to handle a variety of NMEA 0183 device output specifications Please determine from device manufacturer s information if the device s required to be connected to the NDC 4 conforms in full to the NMEA 0183 network communication standard If it does not the flexible NDC 4 inputs should still be capable of interfacing with the device though this is not guaranteed The diagram above shows a typical installation with both fully compliant NMEA devices with differential inputs outputs and non differential output devices Note All NDC 4 inputs are identical and the connections shown are examples that can be used on every input port NMEA Talker Devices 1 and 2 These devices conform in full to the NMEA 0183 standard Talker 1 shares the same connection ID s as the NDC 4 so connection is a simple matter of matching the ID s Connect to A and to B or A to A and B to B refer to figure 2 NMEA Talker Devices 3 and 4 These devices do not conform completely to the NMEA
12. Main application software programs If the Main program s version number is older less than that of the currently available NDC 4 ActiPatch the latest NDC 4 ActiPatch should be downloaded from the Actisense website and the NDC 4 unit updated 3 Bootloader amp Main Program Date and Time Dates and times that the bootloader and Main Application programs where updated flashed into the hardware s memory 4 Total Operating Time The total time that the NDC 4 hardware has been operating since new 2012 Active Research Limited it Hardware Information serial ID number FOOS0 1 02 15 06 2007 16 01 56 1 051 19062007 13 00 54 Boot program version Program date i time Main program version Program date time Total operating time ARL model code ARL hardware version D Days 01 12 49 MOc 4 10 1 00 Operating made Autos witch MDC 43 5 WW Flash program counters uw tr Figure 20 Hardware Info Window NDC 4 ASW 5 ARL model code The Manufacturer s Model ID Model 10 determines the hardware as an NDC 4 module 6 ARL Hardware Version The Manufacturer s hardware revision number Version 1 00 in combination with the Model ID 10 determines that this NDC 4 is actually an NDC A product variant 7 Operating Mode Current NDC 4 operating mode either Combiner or Autoswitch Confirms how the NDC 4 is currently processing any received NMEA data 8
13. Start up mode No flashing No error Amber Initialise and self test mode No flashing No error No flashing No error Also indicates that no data is currently being received by the NDC 4 hardware l Below are the other correct operating modes possible with the Running modes NDC 4 Green No response required A normal operation mode that indicates Normal and data Rx mode i i l Flashing 1 10 per Nic E that data is currently being received on at least one channel second by the NDC 4 hardware Flash rate proportional to Rx rate Rod Flash updating mode ee required LED Will stay red for the duration of the No flashing No lash update operation using Actipatch Once operation complete NDC 4 hardware will be automatically reset Below is a possible error mode for the NDC 4 If the error Error mode i persists see Returns Procedure on page 44 An error with the EEPROM memory has been detected during Amber Error trap mode the self test mode Flashing Once every 4 seconds EEPROM memory error y Reset the NDC 4 hardware Table 1 Diagnostic LED Colours 2012 Active Research Limited Page 35 Actisense Control Centre Error Status Window Control Centre will display any error information received from the NDC 4 hardware in a window like that in Figure 25 Control Centre Error Status Window If this window is displayed follow the message instructions carefully and then if the fault persists contact
14. automatically include the GSV sentences normally 2 but could be as many as 4 which give details of all the satellites that are currently in view All of this information is of no use to 99 of users but this alone can use up to 5 of the available NMEA bandwidth capacity Is filtering applied to the input or the output Sentences to be included are selected relative to the input port they are coming from By default this is applied to ISO OUT 1 and not ISO OUT 0 see Clone Mode on page 23 Inclusion List Features The Inclusion List configuration tab consists of several tick boxes for included sentences a channel drop down menu and action buttons Figure 14 Inclusion List configuration tab Default Inclusion List Set up The NDC 4 Inclusion List default is to allow all sentences through The inclusion list will show no ticks and a red label stating Pass all data Page 24 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Editing the Inclusion List Channel Selection List Determines which input NMEA Part 1 Y channel D RS232 8B port has its Inclusion List displayed z a M NMEA Port 1 Editing the visible controls displayed here will only affect the selected port MEA Port NMEA Port 3 NMEA Port 4 Main Tick box Area left Each NMEA 0183 sentence has its own individual tick box and is intended for the advanced user to fine tune the selection to exactly what is required as this requi
15. between Control Centre and the NDC 4 s hardware is not interrupted Therefore the following precautions are suggested 1 Ensure there are no programs active running on the PC other than Control Centre 2 Check that the USB RS232 cable between the PC and the NDC 4 hardware is secure 3 Confirm that the battery supply to the NDC 4 hardware IS secure If the Flash hardware operation is interrupted the Port Configurations could become corrupted The user should identify and remove the reason for the previous interruption before re attempting to flash the hardware again by pressing the Send to Hardware control button on the appropriate tab Advanced Features The Flash Hardware window consists of four LED s that indicate the flash operations current status a progress bar indicating percentage completed of the current stage and a flash program counter that indicates how many times the NDC 4 hardware s Inclusion List has been re programmed The Success LED indicates the final outcome of the data transfer If it does not light up green the Hardware Connection Status Window on page 28 will indicate a more detailed cause and the process should be performed again The following windows and or tabs will only be of interest to the advanced user as they are not vital for the configuration of the NDC 4 hardware They do however explain the useful diagnostic and monitoring features available These advanced windows are hidde
16. input 38 Problem Missing data from input 39 Problem Control Centre Port Status window ignores filtering 39 Specifications 40 System Block Diagrams 41 Save your NDC 4 configuration options here 42 Order Codes iii 44 Returns Procedure nennen eere nennen 44 Company Information eene 44 2012 Active Research Limited Page 4 ki O A z Q 2X E E m lt LL z Page 5 2012 Active Research Limited Actisense Important Notices Actisense and the Actisense logo are registered trademarks of Active Research Limited All rights are reserved The contents of this manual may not be transferred or copied without the express written permission of Active Research Limited All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners The Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer Combiner Autoswitch NDC 4 is intended for use in a marine environment primarily for below deck use If the unit is to be used in a more severe environment such use may be considered misuse under the seller s guarantee The Actisense NDC 4 has been certified to comply with the European directive for Electromagnetic Compatibility EN60945 and is appropriately CE marked Operation of the unit should be in conjunction with appropriate CE approved shielded connectors and cabling used in accordance with the CE directive EN60945 Any EMC related issues should be report
17. nE EEEE n 12 Installation Guide iii 12 Windows 7 and Windows Vista 12 Windows XP and Windows NT 2000 cece eeeeeecccssuuneeeescsseuuneeeseeseeaaaneeeees 13 USB Configuration LL 14 Locate and Change the Port Number 14 Actisense PC Software suites 16 Installing Actisense PC software 16 Uninstalling Actisense PC software 17 Using NDC Control Centre nnn 18 Main window iii 18 Connecting to Control Centre 19 Initial connection procedure iii 19 Pull down MOBBIS ee dad rt mine de 20 Port Configuration Tab iii 21 Port Configuration Tab Features cccccccccccuuecceceueesecsuuesecseueseesuaneveeeaneeeeeeeeseees 21 Default Port Configuration Set up nesat n terea neee ALLEE E ALLEE EEEE E Ereren ren 21 Changing Baud Rates for Each Port 22 Low Baud Rate Warning iii 22 Changing the Addition Features 22 Port Priorities SR easiness CN MEER UN LEN 23 Changing the Port Priorities eem eerenee enne 23 Why is There a Need for Port Priorities 23 How Does the Port Priorities System Work 23 2012 Active Research Limited Page 3 Actisense Changing Autoswitch Combiner Mode 23 Get from FRAN WAC a ee re D ii 23 Reset to Defaults ie 23 Send to Hardware iii 23 Inclusion List Configuration Tab 24 Why is there a need for Inclusion Lists 24 Is some NMEA d
18. number and the Actisense contact information Page 20 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Port Configuration Tab The Port configuration tab of the main window allows the user to select the priority and Baud rates of the NMEA and USB RS232 input ports of the NDC 4 hardware plus other useful features It Actisense NDC Control Centre DEI Window Help Inclusion List File Options Comms Port Configure Enabled Change To MMEA Part 1 Autos itch NMEA Port 2 NMEA Port 3 NMEA Fort 4 Port O RS232 USE Get from Hardware Figure 13 Port Configuration Tab Port Configuration Tab Features The Port Configuration tab consists of drop down menus for baud rates the port priority list and action and mode buttons Figure 13 Port Configuration Tab Default Port Configuration Set up This section explains the default settings of the NDC 4 to return to this point refer to Reset Port Configuration to defaults on page 23 1 The USB RS232 communication port defaults to 38400 Baud for use with a personal computer This is more than capable of transferring the received data of all four NMEA input ports However if connecting the NDC 4 to an RS232 compatible device that does not support 38400 Baud or there are multiple Hi Speed NMEA inputs then the rate can be changed Refer to Changing Baud Rates for Each Port on page 22 2 Extra ARL P codes are disabled typically only needed f
19. showing nonsense Figure 28 Nonsense Sentences then the baud rate is incorrect for this channel Solution Refer to the manual of the talker device to find the output Baud rate Change the baud rate in the main window for the input channel to the same as the talker device and click send to hardware Refer to Changing Baud Rates for Each Port on page 22 Page 38 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Problem Missing data from input Using the Hardware Port Status window will help work out where and why data is being lost Refer to Hardware Port Status Window on page 28 um Bytes Filtered itk Hardware Port Status Bytes per second Rx Uni TER ii e E D c cs EN 5 Pour daraulbouradaralaada c 5 Rx ol1121314 Uni EP Rx o 1 2 3 4 Figure 29 Overloaded Port Status Test Looking at the Bytes dropped column Figure 29 Overloaded Port Status confirms that the sentences are being discarded by the NDC 4 Next look at the Bytes per second Tx column it can be seen that Tx 1 is overloading while Tx O is not If all the inputs are the same 4800 by default then the total percentage in should not exceed 100 for the same output baud default 4800 for Out 1 In this example the total is about 110 for the 3 active inputs Of course if one of the inputs is set to a higher baud rate than the output then there is a high probability that there will be overloading This ma
20. supply an answer to those questions as it can handle only one transmitting device These two elementary problems can be solved simply and easily with the Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer s very flexible design approach Alternately if the vessel has two or more identical NMEA devices e g GPS s or depth sounders the system solution could be to use the NDC 4 as an NMEA Autoswitch to select the highest priority source Full information on the complete Actisense product range can be found on the Actisense website www actisense com Page 6 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 General Features 4 5 Opto isolated Input Ports Each Opto isolated input port has a priority level This defaults to the logical order matching the port numbers i e port 1 has the highest priority and port 4 has the lowest When the USB cable is not plugged in or not powered OPTO IN 0 can be used as a fifth fully compliant NMEA 0183 data input appearing last in the priority list 2 ISO Drive Output Ports These outputs combine the input data into standard NMEA outputs with independent Baud rate selection options defaulting to 4800 OUT 1 and 38400 OUT 0 If the combined Baud rate of all NMEA inputs exceed the output Baud rate it is possible that the combined data could exceed the data carrying capacity of the NMEA output channel The multiplexer contains special software to ensure that when the output channel is overloaded new data of the same
21. the install operation is complete the temporary files and or directory can be deleted Keep the original zip file safe Figure 7 Start Menu Short cuts 5 From the Start Menu navigate to the Actisense directory and double click on the Program icon refer to Figure 7 Start Menu Short cuts and Figure 8 Start Menu Short cuts IP too ort shut down n Windows Messenger All Programs fgg Actisense NDC Control Centre E Sch Actisense NDC Control Centre He Uninstall Actisense NDC Control Centre Useful Tip If you access the program regularly you can copy and paste the program icon from the Windows Start Menu on to the desktop or the Quick Launch short cut bar to create an easy to access short cut Figure 8 Start Menu Short cuts 2012 Active Research Limited Page 16 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Uninstalling Actisense PC software Replace the generic Product Name gt text below with the name of the actual software you are installing NDC Control Centre or ActiPatch 1 To uninstall the program from the Start Menu navigate to the Actisense directory and double click on the Uninstall icon refer to Figure 7 Start Menu Short cuts on page 16 and Figure 8 Start Menu Short cuts on page 16 3 Once the uninstall operation has been requested the confirmation box Figure 9 Uninstall Confirmation
22. 0 the NDC 4 hardware default If the NDC 4 is not using the default Baud rate Control Centre will try all possible Baud rates until the correct one is found this will take up to 12 seconds Selecting a baud rate from this list will try the rate before returning to auto baud checking it Actisense NDC Control Centre File window Help Control Centre Port Status Options Comms Port Configure Rz NOC Hardware Port Status CAR Rene EE w ND Hardware Connect Status Extra ARL P codes MDC Hardware Information Window Control Centre Port Status Displays the Control Centre Port Status window Refer to Control Centre Port Status Window on page 27 Window NDC Hardware Port Status Displays the NDC Hardware Port Status window Refer to the Hardware Port Status Window on page 28 Window NDC Hardware Connect Status Displays the NDC Hardware Connection Status window Refer to the Hardware Connection Status Window on page 28 Window NDC Hardware Information Displays the NDC Hardware Information window Refer to the Hardware Information Window on page 29 it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Comms Window Help E ae IR Control Centre Help Port Configure Incl pigu l About Control Centre p Help Control Centre Help Currently unavailable not selectable Help About Control Centre Displays Control Centre s software version
23. 0 Baud Select the required Baud rate from the list Please read the Low Baud Rate Warning adjacent NMEA Ports Baud rate input 1 combined output 490 v bd v Baud rate input 2 TOME aae Baud rate input 3 19200 Baud rate input 4 38400 2 600 Delete duplicates NMEA Ports 1 to 4 all have drop down menus that can be accessed by clicking the arrow next to the relevant input port Select the required baud rate from the available options as explained below OPTO input 1 and the Combined NMEA output are two sides of the same port and therefore share the same Baud rate with options between 4800 and 57600 Baud OPTO inputs 2 and 3 also have the same Baud rate options of 4800 to 57600 Baud Inputs 1 2 and 3 can be used as hi speed inputs ideal for AIS transponders OPTO input 4 is fixed to the standard 4800 Baud rate Notes 1 The NDC 4 receives and buffers all the NMEA 0183 sentences from all 5 inputs 4 NMEA 0183 and 1 USB RS232 and then as a totally independent operation it re sends the required NMEA 0183 sentences out of the 2 ISO Drive outputs 2 The NMEA 0183 specification restricts the Baud rate for NMEA data to 4800 Baud Therefore any input port that has an NMEA device attached to it that cannot modify its Baud rate must remain at 4800 Baud otherwise no data will be received However some NMEA devices e g GPS units allow for the Baud rate to be increased to 9600 Baud or ev
24. 0183 standard However by connecting to A or Data Signal to A and G Ground to B the NDC 4 should receive the NMEA data correctly 2012 Active Research Limited ISO Drive Outputs The ISO Drive outputs are capable of driving up to 10 NMEA 0183 fully compliant listening devices or a mixture of NMEA 0183 devices and a Personal Computer PC communication port However if you wish to maintain isolation between all devices then only one listening device should be connected to an ISO Drive output NMEA Listener Device s B and C These devices conform in full to the NMEA 0183 standard and their connection ID s match that of the NDC 4 Personal Computer Whilst the OPTO IN O and ISO Drive 0 provide a bidirectional RS232 compatible port for connection to a PC the ISO Drive 1 output is also capable of being read by a PC s RS232 port Simply connect A to Rx and B to G Ground on a standard D type connector See Figure 26 DB9 Connection on page 37 for a diagram of this wiring connection NMEA Listener Device A This device does not conform in full to the NMEA 0183 standard However by connecting F A to or Data Signal and B to G Ground the device should be able to receive the NMEA data correctly though this is not guaranteed Note Wire colours are for guidance only Page 10 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Other Connections
25. 4 hardware during the firmware update process For most users this information can be ignored and will only be useful if there FOOSO SenallD 15 06 07 16 06 03 AAL NDE 4 8 5 2 7 DEDS PatchiD 1 051 18 06 07 on going Actisense NDC 4 d e150 Main ID 1 050 ea TOG 1705 07 Actisense NOC 4 Serial ID unique identification number Displays the Serial ID of the NDC 4 that is attached and successfully connected to Every Actisense product has its own unique serial identification number Main ID current version Displays the version of firmware currently resident in the NDC 4 hardware s Flash memory This information is received from the NDC 4 hardware when ActiPatch detects the NDC 4 hardware s presence Patch ID new version Displays the version of firmware that ActiPatch can upgrade the NDC 4 hardware to This number must normally be greater than the Main ID current version for an update to be required If the Patch ID new version is older or equal to the Current Version then ActiPatch will display a warning message that must be acknowledged before the re flash operation can begin Program hardware request Attached hardware has already been programmed with Ehe current software Repragramming with Ehe same software is unnecessary Do vau wish to continue programming Figure 23 Hardware already up to date message There is normally nothing to be gained and perhaps func
26. Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 For all variants NDC 4 NDC 4 USB NDC 4 ASW NDC 4 AIS NDC 4 AIS USB Full User Manual Issue 1 08 Multiple talker interface for use with the NMEA 0183 standard Serial data networking of marine electronic devices instruments RS232 amp USB 1 1 amp 2 0 PC interfaces to the NMEA 0183 standard Actisense ISO Drive technology for a fully isolated serial data system Intelligent NMEA filtering on all inputs allows smart removal of NMEA data Re configurable to work as an NDC 4 ASW Autoswitch to allow the automatic switching between up to 4 NMEA inputs NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Contents Important Notices ii 6 NOUS ane ns men en a a dem D a detis 6 Foreword inner 6 Introduction ee 6 General Features nere rere nennen 7 Technical Features ie 7 Software Updates neret serere neni 7 Connecting devices together 8 The Basics ile 8 The NMEA Signals ccc cececcc cee eecceseueeccesunesscseaneesessaneessssunseseeaneseseeaneseseaabeneeas 8 The Different NMEA Standards 8 Connections iii 9 Connecting to NMEA Devices 10 OPTO IDR Ce ei 10 ISO Drive Outputs ii iiiiiiieeuueseeenereeeeereeneeceeneeeenne 10 Other Connections eee er nenne EEEn 11 Connecting to the Battery Supply LL 11 Connecting to a Personal Computer 11 USB Driver Installation ean
27. UT 0 or the USB port Load Configuration File Save Configuration File The remaining ports can be re configured by the user as From the menu select File Load Configuration File needed using Control Centre Refer to Using NDC and select NDC 4 config for AIS ini file from the Control Centre on page 18 for full detailed information on install directory Read the pop up and click OK how to use Control Centre This will change the settings for OPTO IN 2 The configuration tab will set 38400 Baud AIS requires NMEA 0183 HS The Inclusion List is set to block all AIS data from being sent to ISO OUT 1 which is typically kept at 4800 Baud Filtering does not affect the USB RS232 port all the AIS sentences will still be outputted on this port Note The use of AIS at Baud rates lower than 38400 cannot be recommended as this could cause random AIS target data to be lost in areas of high target density 2012 Active Research Limited Page 30 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 The NDC 4 ASW Autoswitch The Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer Combiner Autoswitch NDC has been designed with the ability to operate as a Multiplexer Combiner OR an Autoswitch For systems that have multiple NMEA devices of an identical type e g two GPS s or two depth sounders automatic selection of the highest priority device is normally a vital requirement However the NMEA 0183 standard has no method of automatically switchin
28. as the other line similar to the way a computer serial port works This connection method is referred to as single ended instead of the differential method used by NMEA 0183 v2 0 devices The data format is largely the same between both systems with v2 0 adding some extra sentence strings and removing older redundant sentence strings from the specification The situation is further complicated as many manufacturers still use the old single ended method of connection because it is cheaper to implement So how can an older type NMEA device be connected to a newer type device Care is needed it is possible to damage or overload the output of a newer differential device if it is incorrectly connected to an older device This is because the older devices used ground as the return whereas the newer devices actually drive the NMEA B line between 5v and Ov Thus connecting this output to ground will result in high currents being drawn by the driver instrument resulting in potential overheating and damage to the driver circuits However the new Actisense ISO Drive technology allows the user not to worry about this potentially damaging incompatibility Instead an ISO Drive output can be connected to an old type single ended system by connecting the NMEA A output from the ISO Drive to the single ended NMEA Rx or In input of the device Connect the NMEA B output of the ISO Drive to the gro
29. ata really unnecessary eme reme ener neis 24 Is filtering applied to the input or the output 22 24 Inclusion List Features LL 24 Default Inclusion List Set up ii 24 Editing the Inclusion List 25 Blocking ALL Sentences iii 25 Get from Hardware iii 25 Reset to IC LE TU CREE OO ROREM 25 Send to Hardware iii 25 Flash Hardware Window iii 26 Advanced FEALUreS armements sm aient li eines 26 Control Centre Port Status Window 27 Hardware Port Status Window 28 Hardware Connection Status Window 28 Hardware Information Window 29 Configuration of AIS iii 30 Setting up the Hardware for AIS 30 The NDC 4 ASW Autoswitch r r n rn 31 Setting the NDC 4 as an Autoswitch ceeeecccsseuneececeeuueeeeceeeaueeeeeeeeeaen 31 Using the NDC 4 ActiPatch RL 32 Pull down MOTUS sursaut din na 32 Buttons LED s and Displays LL 33 The Reprogramming Operation LL 34 Troubleshooting Guide 1 35 Diagnostic LED cec cece ecccseeeccsuuescseueseseuesestueeestunesesaneseseuesessaesestaneeeraneeseanesess 35 Control Centre Error Status Window 36 Diagnosing the NDC Control Centre Connection 37 Diagnosing Data flow using NDC Control Centre 38 Problem No data received on
30. ces a Universal Serial Bus controllers F Actisense NOC USE Serial Converter F Generic USB Hub NT Communications Port Properties 3 Double click on the icon for the Actisense NDC and the properties window will appear Click on the Port Settings tab There is no need to change any of the settings here the software package that opens the port will specify the required values Actisense device General Port Settings Driver Bits per second Data bits Parity Stop bits Flow contrat 4 Click on the Advanced button and choose a different COM Port number if required to make it compatible with the software requiring the NDC 4 NMEA data Advanced Settings for COM3 COM Port Number COM3 COMI in use USB Transfer Sizes COM in use Select lower settings to corr COMM in use COMS Select higher settings For fas COM Receive Bytes Transmit Bytes BM Options Select lower settings to corr Miscellaneous Options Serial Enumerator Serial Print Latency Timer msec SOIN Cancel If Power Off Umeed Event On Surprise Removal N COM23 Minimum Read Timeout mse 01424 COM25 Set RTS On Close Disable Modem Ctrl At Startup Figure 4 COM Port Numbers List Windows remembers all previously connected USB ports and lists all these as in use even when they are not connected On the PC the screen shot Figure 4 COM Port Numbe
31. channel NMEA Port 1 The RS232 USB Port shows all the sentences received by the NDC 4 on ALL its NMEA Ports 1 to 4 Any PARL sentences displayed are special control and status sentences to help Control Centre and can be ignored As the NDC 4 NMEA filtering is normally only applied to OUT 1 and the source of the displayed data is OUT 0 all data received by the NDC 4 will be shown However it is sometimes useful to view the results of the filtering setup in the NDC 4 and this can be achieved by enabling Clone Mode in the RS232 USB Port section of the Port Configure tab see Clone Mode on page 23 If Clone mode is not normally required don t forget to disable it again before exiting Control Centre This window is very useful when trying to diagnose a problem with the NDC 4 based NMEA system Contact a qualified marine electronic installer if you require help understanding the NMEA data seen in this window Two 2012 Active Research Limited useful sources of NMEA 0183 information are the NMEA 0183 information sheet and NMEA Reader both of which are available for free on the Actisense website www actisense com NMEA Reader not only makes it easy to see the data available but it breaks the information down in an informative way With the option to save logs of the data this is a powerful diagnostic tool Instead of using NMEA Reader the displayed data can be frozen paused by selecting the offline
32. controlled by their own independent set of buttons Page 23 Actisense Inclusion List Configuration Tab The Inclusion List configuration tab of the main window allows the user to select which NMEA sentences are to be included in the onward data transmission from the NMEA Data Combiner Each of the four NMEA input ports and the USB input port have their own Inclusion List so that each can be tuned separately to match its connected device it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Port Configure Comms Window Help Inclusion List Rx EB Tx D T AAM ABK ABM ACA ACK acs AIR M ALM ALR APE BBM BEC Boo Bwc BWR Eu M CUR Iv DEK Iv DBS Iv DBT DCN Iv DPT psec DSE DSI DSR Iv DTM FSI GBS v GGA Gc I GLL GMP SNS GRS M G54 GST M asy HOG HOM HOT HMR HMS HFR Hs HTC HTO LCD LRI LR LR3 LRF LRI v MLA MSK Mss MTA MTW MWD Muy OLN v OSD Iv RMA RMB M RMC ROT RPM RSA RSD RTE SFI ssp STH TLE TLL TTM TUT TXT v VBW YDM wpo v DR v WHY v vL v PAM wsp M YTG M vwR wvwT D wey WAE WPL XDR M XTE M XTR ZDA zDL zFO BENE Sentence Groups M GPS Loran E Navigation E Way point Autopilot Std UAIS Heading Enc UAIS GNSS Iv Speed Radar wind Select Call Time Date T
33. ct manner that will aid the user We have tried to cover all the points a typical user may need to know Please read all sections before installing and using the Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer product and any related software programs Introduction The Actisense NDC product range developed out of the requirement to solve two fundamental problems with the existing marine industry NMEA 0183 communications standard In theory the NMEA 0183 standard allows any suitably designed marine electronic device to share its gathered information with any other device on a vessel Unfortunately there is one very large drawback with this standard only one device on a connected network can actually send data a single talker with multiple devices determined by the current limit of the sending unit listening to that data multiple listeners If the vessel owner has an instrument that ideally requires the data output of two or more devices for example a chart plotter then the owner has no alternative but to settle on connecting only the most important device that which supplies the most used information normally that is the GPS unit All other devices cannot be used What happens if the owner prefers the vessels gyro compass heading output to that of the GPS or requires that the current depth be displayed on the plotted chart to help avoid the possible case of running the vessel aground on a shifting sand bank The NMEA 0183 standard cannot
34. e stopped and must complete successfully otherwise the NDC 4 hardware will become unusable The user must take all precautions to prevent loss of battery power to or communications with the NDC 4 If there is a failure the reprogramming operation must be restarted once the original issue has been removed Progress Bar During the reprogramming operation the progress bar will be visible This indicates how much of the two stages has been completed and how much is left to do During the Erasing operation the bar is red showing the Flash memory being erased cleared During the Programming operation the bar is green with a red background showing the new firmware being written to the flash memory Once the green progress bar reaches the far right hand side the operation will be complete and the Success LED will light for a second or two 4 FOOSO Senallb 15 06 07 16 08 03 SAL NDIC 4 5 2 x DEDS Patch ID v1 051 18 06 07 on going Actisense NDU 4 x DEDS Main ID v1 051 185 06 07 on going Actsense NDC 4 The successful completion of the firmware update process can be further checked by looking at the ID display area The Main ID Current Version and the Patch ID New Version will now be identical proving that the new firmware is now Safely inside the NDC 4 The USB cable is not vital to the configuring or updating of an NDC 4 Port 0 OPTO IN 0 and ISO OUT 0 connected to an RS232 port can perform exactly th
35. e battery connection is secure 3 Check the battery is supplying 8 35 volts Solution B USB Connection 1 1 Check the USB cable is connected securely at both ends 2 If there is an unknown device listed in the USB or Port list the drivers need to be installed See USB Driver Installation on page 12 Solution C USB Connection 2 The unit may be faulty 1 Remove the USB cable and connect battery power to prove the LED is faulty 2 With the USB cable connected continue to test the connection as if the LED was green If the problem persists follow the Returns Procedure on page 44 Solution D RS232 Connection 1 Ensure the port 0 to RS232 connection is wired correctly and securely See Figure 26 DB9 Connection or see Other Connections on page 11 2012 Active Research Limited Is the NDC 4 s LED YES green Solution F Port NO Selection Is the NDC 4 Is the Rx LED flashing NO in NDC Control YES connected using the USB cable Solution D RS232 Connection 1 Does the port number in the Comms drop down menu match the Centre s main window YES Solution G Baud Hate Selection port number in Windows Device Manager YES Solution E RS232 Connection 2 LACET Ap 16 rot ACTU GREEN N OTHER SI Note Wire colours are for guidance only Figure 26 DB9 Connection Solution E RS232 Connection 2 If all the other solutions lis
36. e dropped when heavily overloaded and some sentences from the lowest priority channel will still get through Changing Autoswitch Combiner Mode The NDC 4 has the ability to operate as Change To a multiplexer combiner or as an autoswitch Simply click the button and follow the prompt to change mode Refer to Setting the NDC 4 as an Autoswitch on page 31 for more information on Autoswitch mode Change To Autaswitch Combiner Get from Hardware Reads the current Port Configuration information from the connected NDC 4 hardware This will overwrite any current settings held by Control Centre s Port Configuration if the current settings must be remembered save the configuration File Load Save Configuration File on page 20 before requesting this operation Get from Hardware Reset to Defaults Returns all Port Configurations to the factory defaults see Default Port Configuration Set up on page 21 Send to Hardware If any alterations to the port configuration settings have occurred Control Centre will now attempt to download the new settings to the attached NDC 4 hardware The Flash Hardware Window on page 26 will appear for the brief duration of the download normally one to two seconds Send to Hardware Note Pressing any of the threes buttons above will only affect the Port Configuration settings all Inclusion List configuration settings will remain unaffected as they are
37. e same operations if a USB cable is not available Page 34 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Troubleshooting Guide This guide will concentrate on all relevant troubleshooting issues above simple cable connection faults Therefore the cables between the NDC 4 hardware and any other devices should be checked as a matter of course before continuing with this guide Diagnostic LED The NDC 4 hardware supports a tricolour diagnostic LED that indicates the current operating mode of the hardware or if an error has been detected during the self test initiation process Table 1 details what each LED colour represents and if any user interaction is required Startup operation modes The sequence below indicates a successful power up of the NDC 4 with no data on any of the input channels The NDC 4 has no power confirm the battery is connected LED is off Power down mode correctly For USB powered units ensure the cable is connected and the USB drivers are installed No response required A normal operation mode that should last for no more than 1 5 seconds Any longer indicates an error with the main program No response required A normal operation mode that follows after the Start up mode and should last for approximately 1 second No response required A normal operation mode that follows the Initialise and self test mode Indicates that no error was Green Normal and no data mode detected during the self test operation Red
38. e to a different COM port 2012 Active Research Limited Windows XP and Windows NT 2000 The following instructions are for Windows XP Although not the same Windows NT 2000 users will be able to use this information as well 1 Connect the USB cable and Windows will automatically open the Found New Hardware Wizard If an active Internet connection is available select Yes this time only click Next and go to step 4 Without an active Internet connection select No not at this time and click next Found Mew Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard Windows will search for current and updated software by looking an your computer on the hardware installation CD or on the Windows Update Web site with your permission Read our privacy policy Can windows connect to Windows Update to search for software C Yes now and every time connect a device 3 No not this time Click Hest to continue Cancel 2 If using drivers from the CD choose Install the software automatically Recommended and click next Windows will search the CD and install the drivers go to step 4 If using drivers downloaded from the Actisense website choose Install from a list or specific location Advanced and click Next Hardware Update Wizard This wizard helps you install software for Actisenze MDC COM If your hardware came with an installation CD
39. ed then no port is open Selecting this closes the currently opened port Comms Comm Port 1 10 Selects the PC communications port that the NDC 4 hardware is attached to via the RS232 or USB cable ActiPatch will automatically match the NDC 4 hardware s Baud rate if it has changed from the 38400 Baud default This auto baud matching process could take up to 20 seconds to achieve The result of this automatic feature is that the user does not need to select the Baud rate Once a Comms port has been selected or remembered from a previous session ActiPatch will immediately attempt to connect to the attached NDC 4 hardware no further user action is required until the successful connection has been made Actisense ActiPatch update utility File Comms Acti Help Help with reprogramming Displays a window with useful information about how to perform the reprogramming operation if the user cannot reference this more complete support document Help Help with reprogramming About IDC 4 Help About Displays the NDC 4 ActiPatch s software version number and the Actisense contact information 2012 Active Research Limited Buttons LED s and Displays Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Found Hardware s Bootloader Connected Found Hardware s Bootloader Connected Connection Status Text Display Displays all handshaking and data transfer information required for flash programming the NDC
40. ed to Active Research Limited immediately to allow the company to rectify or resolve EMC related problems in accordance with its obligations under EN60945 If the unit is connected such that compliance failure occurs beyond the company s control the company shall not be held responsible for compliance failure until suitable EMC guidelines for connection are seen to have been taken Notices The products and specifications described in this guide may be changed without prior notice To obtain the latest information visit www actisense com Active Research Limited will not be liable for infringement of copyright industrial property right or other rights of a third party caused by the use of information or drawings described in this manual The NGW 1 USB must be used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions Active Research Limited will not be held responsible for any damage or injury direct or otherwise as a result of failure to adhere to these instructions The NDC 4 does not validate the NMEA data it receives in any way Neither the NMEA sentence checksum nor the data contained within the NMEA sentence is validated Therefore the electronic device s supplying the NDC 4 with NMEA data retain s the sole responsibility for the NMEA data s validity 2012 Active Research Limited Foreword Actisense recognises that instructions are often skipped so we have aimed to write this document in an informative yet dire
41. emp ture Set all sentences Total Clear all sentences List Enabled E Pass all P code Data Figure 14 Inclusion List configuration tab Editing Channel MMEA Pot Inclusion List Get trom Hardware Hardware Why is there a need for Inclusion Lists Each of the 5 input ports can transfer anything up to 480 bytes of data per second making a total of 1920 bytes per second The data combined output of the NDC 4 is also forced by the NMEA 0183 standard to send a maximum of 480 bytes per second Therefore there exists the distinct possibility that there could be more data to send out than is possible to achieve thus some data may require removal to balance this equation The NDC 4 achieves this reduction in an intelligent manner with Inclusion Lists and Port Priorities Is some NMEA data really unnecessary Many NMEA instruments output a large number of sentences every period usually 1 3 seconds some of this data is of absolutely no use to the average boat owner and just clogs up the NMEA network Most GPS units are especially guilty of this and not all allow the user to reduce the number of unwanted sentences that are transmitted Of those that do the procedure can often be tricky and time consuming The NDC 4 can filter the incoming NMEA data to remove any sentences deemed unnecessary For example most GPS units send their data in a block 2012 Active Research Limited once a second This may
42. en 38400 Baud Hi Speed NMEA Only in 2012 Active Research Limited these cases should the Baud rate of the appropriate port be changed from 4800 Baud to match that of the attached device 3 It is perfectly acceptable to have each ports Baud rate set to different values This means for example that input 2 can be different to output 1 Sentences arriving at input 2 will still leave from output 1 irrelevant of the different Baud rates Care should be taken to ensure data is not lost due to overloading when selecting differing Baud rates Low Baud Rate Warning Setting the USB RS232 Baud rate below 38400 Baud may reduce the bandwidth of this output below that of the total input bandwidth This may result in the following issues 1 Itis highly likely that Control Centre will loose connection to the NDC 4 If this happens remove or disable ALL inputs to the NDC 4 leaving only the PC connection Now Control Centre can catch the NDC 4 and you can change the USB RS232 Baud back to a high enough Baud rate 2 Random loss of NMEA sentences can occur during normal operation when not connected to Control Centre To ensure no data is lost 38400 Baud is recommended For exceptional requirements were the total input bandwidth is low enough any of the available Baud rates can be used Changing the Addition Features para ARL P codes ST Extra ARL P codes When Enabled extra ARL P code sentences appear on the USB OUT 0 port These P c
43. g between different devices so this requirement is usually fulfilled with a manual changeover switch not a very good solution but the only one available until now If the NMEA data from two or more devices are simply combined together the NMEA listener s will not be able to differentiate between the various sources and will get very confused often jumping between them If this creates a jumping position fix vessel safety is seriously affected The NDC 4 Autoswitch mode is the perfect solution to this problem automatically selecting a single device from the multiple same data type devices available Autoswitch mode will automatically select the highest priority device from up to 4 connected input devices with NMEA port 1 as the highest priority through to NMEA port 4 as the lowest This creates a system capable of automatically selecting the next priority device if the higher priority device fails for one of three reasons e A complete failure to send any NMEA data e An invalid NMEA sentence checksum e Ifthe validity flag s contained within the received NMEA sentence indicate that this data is not valid and should only be used with caution With the addition of two fully Baud rate configurable outputs protected by ISO Drive technology that can also incorporate NMEA filtering to remove any unwanted sentences before the switching process the NDC 4 Autoswitch mode is the most flexible available Having the abi
44. he Tx bars show how loaded the outputs are which is a vital tool to quickly see if the slow speed OUT 1 TX 1 is being overwhelmed by the combined data from all inputs Bytes Filtered shows the percentage of bytes that have been filtered on each input port If filter settings are active the results will be visible here indicating that sentence filtering blocking of an input port is operating Buffer Load shows the percentage loading of each of the port storage buffers The most useful column is the Uni channel that indicates if sentences are being stored and delayed because an output is above maximum loading Note If the Uni buffer reaches maximum then communication between Control Centre and the NDC 4 may be lost 2012 Active Research Limited Bytes Dropped shows the percentage of bytes that have been dropped not transmitted after they arrived on that port Indicates on what ports sentences are being dropped when an output is overloaded Notes 1 If Delete duplicates is enabled the deletions will show in the Bytes dropped column 2 Sentences that do not have start and end characters are not displayed when lost For example when the baud rate of an input is set to the wrong value the start and end characters will be unreadable Now ALL the sentences will be dropped but none will show up in the bytes dropped column Hardware Connection Status Window Fa Hardware Connection Status Ll E3 LE s Figure 18
45. ice Manager in the search box open it from the list In Windows XP from Control Panel select System on the Hardware tab click Device Manager ax Automatic Updates Remote Computer Name Hardware Advanced System Properties System Restore General Device Manager The Device Manager lists all the hardware devices installed on your computer Use the Device Manager to change the properties of any device Device Manager Driver Signing lets you make sure that installed drivers are compatible with Windows Windows Update lets you set up how Windows connects to Windows Update for drivers Driver Signing Windows Update Hardware Profiles it Hardware profiles provide a way for you to set up and store ei different hardware configurations Hardware Profiles Page 14 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 2 Expand the Ports COM amp LPT list by clicking on the sign Windows XP and Vista or the white arrow Windows 7 You will find the Actisense NDC in the list followed by the allocated COM port number 4 Device Manager File Help He eb EE DH Other devices Ports COM amp LPT Action view Ei Communications Port COM Printer Port LPT1 des Processors KY Network adapters anal Ports COM amp LPT I ST Actisense NDC COM3 i Communications Port COMI n Processors amp Sound video and game controllers y JE System devi
46. install the drivers from the Actisense CD or a copy downloaded from the Actisense website 1 Open Device Manager from the start menu type device manager in the search box open it from the list Control Panel 3 Device Manager fa View devices and printers ay Update device drivers See more results device manager Shut down 2 Find the NDC 4 under Other devices and right click then select Update Driver Software b Device Manager a gt nl pm So File Action View Help OR er EF Network adapters a d Other devices jg NDC 4 A a Ports COM amp LPT Uu Ud Communications Port COMI B Processors amp Sound video and game controllers JE System devices m P Universal Serial Bus controllers 3 If the CD is inserted select Search automatically for updated driver software and jump to step 4 Without the CD select Browse my computer for driver software How do you want to search for driver software gt Search automatically for updated driver software Windows will search your computer and the Internet for the latest driver software for your device unless you ve disabled this feature in your device installation settings Browse my computer for driver software Locate and install driver software manually Cancel Page 12 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 4 Click the Browse butt
47. ive Research Limited million instructions per second The NMEA 0183 inputs are galvanically opto isolated differential inputs protecting against common mode voltage differences of up to 2500v Fully compliant with the NMEA 0183 standard specification and compatible with RS232 RS422 and RS485 signal levels The typical operating voltage is 2 0v to 15 0v and can withstand 35v continuously and 40v transients Compatible with both differential and single ended inputs ISO Drive output technology unique to Actisense protects against common mode voltage differences of up to 1500v The output automatically changes between differential and single ended drive depending upon the type of instrument it is connected to Fully compliant with the NMEA 0183 standard specification and compatible with RS232 RS422 and RS485 signal levels Wide battery input voltage range to offer maximum compatibility the NMEA 0183 NDC 4 can operate from a battery supply anywhere between 8 and 35 volts USB powered option is available when the battery source is not present When the main battery is present the USB power drain is minimal WARNING The USB and battery grounds are not isolated see USB Warning on page 11 Very tough Polycarbonate case is certified to IP66 Protection against heavy seas or powerful jets of water the addition of non acid based marine sealant to the gasket can increase this to IP67 Protection against immersion Being Polyca
48. lity to filter out NMEA data before the autoswitch process can be particularly useful to avoid unwanted sentences from causing the Autoswitch to change input channels due to invalid data leaving only the required sentences to switch on If ordered as an Autoswitch the NDC 4 will be pre configured as an NDC 4 ASW and be ready to work out of the box Alternatively any NDC 4 can be configured using Control Centre to operate in Autoswitch mode 2012 Active Research Limited Setting the NDC 4 as an Autoswitch The NDC 4 can easily be changed between being a NMEA Data Multiplexer Combiner and an NMEA Autoswitch using Control Centre Change To Change To Autoswitch Combiner Port Config Port Config Get trom Hardware Get trom Hardware Hardware Hardware In the Port Configure tab click on the button labelled Change To Autoswitch to change the NDC s operation mode to Autoswitch Fay NDC 4 Change To From Autoswitch This will change the combiner operating mode Please confirm this is ok Figure 22 Change To From Autoswitch message A warning message will be displayed requesting that the user confirm the request to change to Autoswitch mode Selecting Yes will automatically send the new configuration to the unit and the NDC 4 will now Autoswitch its inputs instead of Combining them To revert back to Combiner mode click on the same button no
49. n by default and all novice users should advance past this section to Using the NDC 4 ActiPatch on page 32 2012 Active Research Limited Page 26 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Control Centre Port Status Window The first step in diagnosing the NMEA system connected to the NDC 4 is the Control Centre Port Status window Which provides an overview of data flow plus port and buffer loading status for the whole system it Control Centre Port Status Received NMEA Data oY XMTW 17 8 C 1C SoDDBT 3 0 f 0 9 M 0 5 F 08 SPARLICI 1 10 7C SPARLISS FFFFFFFF 5 04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SPARLISS FFFFFFFF 4 04 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 SPARLISS FFFFFFFF 3 0A 0 E2 0 EB 0 0 SGPVTG T 356 0 M 15 0 H 27 8 K 57 SPARLICI 3 10 7E SoDDPT 0 9 70 SY XMTW 17 5 C 1C SPARLICI 1 10 7C SGOPGLL 4420 0125 N 00851 9993 E 065402 A4265 SPARLICI 3 10 7E SoDDBT 3 0 f 0 9 M 0 5 F 08 SoDDPT 0 9 70 SPARLICI 1 10 7C SGPZTDA 065401 17 09 1835 00 00 45 SPARLICI 3 10 7E 2YXMTW 17 8 C 1C SPARLICI 1 10 7C Channel NMEA Port 1 NMEA Port 2 NMEA Port 3 NMEA Port 4 v RS232 USB Port a 8 5 a 8 uz 8 5 8 a S g Figure 16 Control Centre Port Status Window The Received NMEA Data window shows the NMEA sentences that are present on the selected port The Channel drop down list is used to choose what data is shown in the window and what data is hidden To view the NMEA data being received by the NDC 4 on its OPTO In 1 port select
50. n possible to use NDC 4 ActiPatch on a Mac running Windows emulation software The NDC 4 ActiPatch window consists of a Hardware Connection Status text box Hardware status LED s Current Version Main ID and New Version Patch ID text boxes and the Program Flash control button The NDC 4 hardware should be connected to the PC communications port RS232 or USB and if not using a USB connection a battery supply is also required as per the instructions in the Connecting to a Personal Computer section and Figure 3 RS232 USB and Battery connections diagram 2012 Active Research Limited Pull down menus The main window has three standard pull down menus A Actisense ActiPatch update utility Help File comms Program the Target NDC 4 Exit Programmer File Program the Target This option will become active selectable when a successful connection has been made to the target NDC The Program button is normally used to start the reprogram operation but this menu option can be used instead and is included for completeness File Exit Closes the NDC 4 ActiPatch program Page 32 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 A Actisense ActiPatch update utility File Comms Help OFFline wi amm Pork 1 Comm Pork z Comm Part 3 gt Comm Part 4 Comm Port 5 Comm Part amp Comm Port 7 Comm Part amp Comm Pork 9 Comm Port 10 LLILLLL Comms Offline If tick
51. n the Hardware Port Status window Figure 27 Filtered Port Status is there any bars showing If filtering is enabled on this input channel then this could stop all your data Solution Disable the inclusion list for this input channel and Send to Hardware see Inclusion List Configuration Tab on page 24 Test In the Control Centre Port Status window select the input channel that you are having trouble with from the channel drop down menu If no data is being displayed then no data is being received 2012 Active Research Limited Solutions 1 Check the input device is switched on and set up to output data 2 Check the wiring is correct and secure Each of the NDC 4 s inputs require 2 wires a Data A or wire and a Ground B or wire Only use ground if there is no B or wire Refer to the user manual of the input device for its wiring configuration To confirm the NDC 4 connection refer to Connecting to NMEA Devices on page 10 it Control Centre Port Status Received NMEA Data mU B g RyEnBh F 00 48 nkhp 7 4 iH v CSFB S ioFIFB A BFR Z BD 5 Pr 0C S F unkh z z z z Qg r wznD 8 FBF BM 9AC J C BnK roD Agni cFFnjiRBV RyzD n 35 In amp B 000 BIF 00 InzcL co5 1 J F 14 ir LCpr 85 BOOS BOCOCVOFF D nKJ FC DA NMEA Fot2 P Figure 28 Nonsense Sentences Test If the Control Centre Port Status window is
52. nputs filtering applied only to OUT 1 Default setting Disabled Click the button to toggle belete duplicates ET Delete duplicates When Enabled any duplicate NMEA sentences found in the receive buffer that are deemed safe to delete the older version duplicate will be deleted This intelligently reduces the output data when too much data is coming through the input channels For example if two depth sentences are in the buffer ready to be transmitted there is normally no point in transmitting the older depth value as the newer one has replaced all previous ones When Disabled duplicates will not be deleted when overloaded see How Does the Port Priorities System Work on page 23 Default setting Enabled Click the button to toggle Note Duplicates are only deleted during overloading conditions these can be seen in the Hardware Port Status Window on page 28 Port Priorities List The topmost port in the list has the highest priority and the port at the bottom the lowest To make it easy to remember the default Input Port Priority is in port order starting with NMEA Port 1 highest priority to NMEA Port 4 lowest priority The USB IN O port connection has been added onto the end of the list If for some reason the port priorities require changing and it is inconvenient to alter the hardware connections the port priorities can be changed Note The priorities system ONLY applies to OUT 1 and has NO EFFECT on
53. nt settings must be remembered save the configuration File Load Save Configuration File on page 20 before requesting this operation Get from Hardware Reset to Defaults Returns all channel Inclusion Lists to the factory default see Default Inclusion List Set up on page 24 Note This only changes the Control Centre settings click Send to Hardware to apply these settings to the NDC 4 Send to Hardware Finalises the Inclusion List editing operation If any alterations to the list have occurred Control Centre will now attempt to download the new settings to the attached NDC 4 hardware The Flash Hardware Window on page 26 will appear for the duration of the download and the details of the conversation can be viewed in the Hardware Connection Status Window on page 28 advanced users only Send to Hardware Note Pressing any of the three buttons above will only affect the Inclusion List settings all Port Configuration settings will remain unaffected as they are controlled by their own independent set of buttons Page 25 Actisense Flash Hardware Window The Flash Hardware window is displayed for the duration of the Port Configuration update operation it Flash Hardware Control Overlay Programming a Progress Connected B SUCCESS a Figure 15 Flash Hardware Control Window Please note that during this updating process it is vital that the connection
54. o the following specification 1 A D type female socket connector for the PC end of the cable 2 A minimum of 3 cores are required in a shielded cable Higher quality cable will yield higher performance SNR Most typical cables have two twisted pairs inside In this case use one pair for the TX line and one for the RX line Use the spare wire in each pair as ground and connect the cable shield to ground only at the computer end 3 The TX of the NDC 4 should be connected to the RX of the computer standard D type pin 2 and the NDC 4 RX should be connected to the TX of the computer pin 3 The GND of both IN 0 and OUT 0 on the NDC 4 should be connected to the PC s serial port ground pin 5 See Figure 26 DB9 Connection on page 37 for a diagram of this wiring connection Note Wire colours are for guidance only Page 11 Actisense USB Driver Installation When using an NDC 4 with a USB cable it is necessary to install the USB drivers Any NDC 4 variant without a USB cable can be upgraded by purchasing a USB Upgrade Kit from your dealer The USB cable is not vital to the configuring or updating of an NDC 4 Port 0 OPTO IN 0 and ISO OUT 0 connected to an RS232 port can perform exactly the same operations if a USB cable is not available see Other Connections on page 11 The Actisense USB driver has been extensively tested with Windows versions from Windows 98SE to Windows 7 and is proven to work wi
55. odes are used by Control Centre to determine which NDC 4 input supplied which piece of NMEA data Control Centre can now show what data came from channel 1 channel 2 etc This ability is also open to any other PC program For example an NDC 4 with 4 digital NMEA depth sounders connected to it could have the 4 individual depth values shown on a PC screen in representative positions bow starboard bow port stern starboard and stern port When Disabled ARL P code sentences do not appear on the USB OUT 0 port In the unlikely event the USB OUT 0 port is connected to a device that cannot ignore the P codes then these P codes can be disabled to aid compatibility Default setting Disabled Click the button to toggle Notes 1 Control Centre requires the extra ARL P code sentences to operate correctly Control Centre turns on these codes while connected to the NDC 4 ignoring the user configured settings When Control Centre is closed the NDC 4 will revert back to the user configured settings 2 P codes arriving on the input ports are not affected by this feature only those generated by the NDC 4 Page 22 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Clone output mode Disabled Clone Mode When Enabled the USB OUT 0 output will be a clone or copy of the NMEA Combined output OUT 1 This means that filtering will be applied to BOTH outputs When Disabled the USB OUT 0 output will contain all data received on all 4 of the NMEA i
56. on and locate the folder that the USB driver is saved containing tdibus inf Once the folder is selected click Next Browse for driver software on your computer Search for driver software in this location USB Drivers Windows XP Vista 7 CDM 2 06 02 USB Driver Package w Browse V Include subfolders gt Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer This list will show installed driver software compatible with the device and all driver software in the same category as the device 5 When the USB Serial Converter driver has completed the Virtual Serial Port driver will need to be installed in the same way This time in Device Manager right click USB Serial Port and select Update Driver Software Stax File Action View Help o9 nIBIBR SIF RG EF Network adapters 4 f Other devices L g USB Serial Port a Y Ports COM amp LPT fl gt Communications Port COMI gt Li Processors gt amp Sound video and game controllers JE System devices p Universal Serial Bus controllers me F Actisense NDC USB Serial Converter i 6 Repeat steps 3 and 4 to install the Virtual Serial Port driver Now both drivers are installed see USB Configuration on page 14 for details on how to find out which COM port number has been allocated to your Actisense device as well as how to chang
57. option in the Comms menu on the main window Remember to re select the correct Comm port to continue with configuring and or monitoring the NDC 4 The current baud rate being used by Control Centre to talk to the NDC 4 hardware is displayed here RS232 Baud The first pair of bars shows how much bandwidth as a percentage the PC NDC 4 connection either via RS232 or USB is being used The Rx bar indicates how much data is coming from the NDC 4 and the Tx bar indicates how much data is being sent to the NDC 4 which will only be active during Send to Hardware and Get Hardware Information sessions The second pair of bars can be ignored Page 2 Actisense Hardware Port Status Window ES Bytes Filtered it Hardware Port Status Bytes per second 100 p 60 40 20 0 0 Rx o 1 2 3 4 uni Tx o0 1 Rx o 1 2 3 4 ee S853 2 Buffer Load Bytes Dropped 100 100 cs cs c Uni x ol Rx o 1 2 3 4 Figure 17 Hardware Port Status Window The Hardware Port Status window provides a more in depth look at port loading on the NDC 4 Bytes per second shows the used bandwidth as a percentage for each input and output port on the NDC 4 plus the combined Uni input bandwidth being used of all its ports Rx 0 and Tx 0 represent the RS232 USB port The Rx bars quickly indicate if data is being received by an input and how much bandwidth is being used T
58. or specialist software such as Control Centre See Extra ARL P codes on page 22 for more details 3 Clone output mode is disabled filtering is applied to OUT 1 and NOT to USB OUT 0 See Clone Mode on page 23 for more details 2012 Active Research Limited 4 The NMEA 0183 standard determines the Baud rate of 4800 The OPTO IN 1 4 ports default to 4800 Baud to match this standard If a special devices that offers a different Baud rate needs to be connected then the rate can be changed Refer to Changing Baud Rates for Each Port on page 22 5 Delete Duplicates is enabled during overload conditions duplicates are deleted refer to Delete duplicates on page 23 for more details 6 The topmost port in the list has the highest priority and the port at the bottom the lowest Note The USB RS232 output is unaffected by the NMEA Port Priorities and typically retains all received data 7 All NDC 4 variants default to Combiner mode except for the NDC 4 ASW which defaults to Autoswitch mode Refer to for more details Page 21 Actisense Changing Baud Rates for Each Port RS232 or IN OUT O or USB Baud rate ss ao m Extra ARL P codes 4500 Clone output mode NMEA Port 5400 57600 9600 19200 Baud rate input 1 combined output 115200 RS232 or IN OUT 0 or USB click the arrow to reveal the available Baud rate options 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 or 11520
59. program running To access all the Control Centre configuration features Control Centre must first detect what type of NDC is connected This allows the same Control Centre to be used for the NDC 1 NDC 2 NDC 3 and NDC 4 as they all have different configuration and test options Before the NDC 4 hardware is detected by Control Centre the main window will look like that in Figure 12 Control Centre Main Window before hardware detected with the sections ghosted out Once detected any disabled options that are available for the detected NDC 4 type will become active and the main window will look like that in Figure 11 Control Centre Main Window after hardware detected on page 18 Initial connection procedure 1a USB Connections Only If using an Actisense USB kit Connect the provided USB cable to an available USB port Refer to Other Connections on page 11 for more details 2012 Active Research Limited 1b RS232 Connection Only If using an NDC 4 without the USB kit connect battery power 10 35v and switch on the battery Connect port 0 ISO OUT O and OPTO IN 0 to the PC Refer to Connecting to the battery supply and Connecting to a Personal Computer on Other Connections on page 11 2 The NDC s LED will cycle through its standard start up colours red amber and finally green 3 Select the PC Comm port number that the RS232 cable was plugged into or
60. rbonate it is also incredibly strong offering a wide temperature range and superior protection to the electronics inside Robust Nylon grommets are certified to IP68 Protection against complete continuous submersion in water Note To achieve this level of water integrity all glands must be occupied by round section cables of between 4 5mm and 10 mm or be replaced by blanking plugs Large range of possible cable diameters of between 4 5 mm and 10 mm single or multi pair wire types can be easily accepted Software Updates The NDC s built in firmware is held in flash memory allowing quick and easy upgrades using a simple Microsoft Windows NT 2000 XP Vista 7 user interface program ActiPatch running on a connected PC It is our policy to provide these updates free on the Actisense website www actisense com This upgrade can be performed with the unit completely in situ via a PC connected to either Port 0 OPTO IN 0 and ISO OUT 0 or the USB port Page 7 Actisense Connecting devices together The Basics NMEA data is transmitted from an information source such as GPS depth sounder gyro compass etc These data sending devices are called Talkers Equipment receiving this information such as a chart plotter radar or NMEA display is called a Listener Unfortunately only one Talker can be connected on to a single NMEA 0183 system at any one time Two or more Talkers are simply not possible becau
61. re program If any changes to the Port Configurations have been made but not yet transferred to the NDC 4 hardware the user will be asked to confirm the exit request as all alterations will otherwise be lost when the program closes it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Comms Window Help Configure Ports Configure Inclusion Lists Options Configure Ports This will take you to the Port Configuration tab refer to the Port Configuration tab on page 21 Options Configure Inclusion Lists This will take you to the Inclusion List configuration tab refer to the Inclusion List configuration tab on page 24 Options Test Hardware The Test hardware tab is not required selectable for the NDC 4 only required for the NDC 2 Multiplexer it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Options Comms Window Help Port Conf Offline Comm Port 1 Inp EMEN UU LI Comms Offline The offline option closes the communication port 2012 Active Research Limited Comms Comm Port 1 8 Opens the PC communications port in the range of port 1 to 8 Select the port the NDC 4 hardware is attached to Comms Comm Port x change For ports outside the 1 8 range select this option A dialogue will open to enter the port number required Once opened the x will be replaced with the selected port number in the drop down list Comms Baud Rate The Baud rate will default to 3840
62. res detailed knowledge of NMEA 0183 sentences Select the individual sentences that are required to pass through the NDC 4 from this input Sentence Groups Tick box Area right To make selection of NMEA 0183 sentence s easier all sentences of a particular type have been collected together and is primarily intended for the novice user who does not know which sentences contain what information The NMEA sentence collections are designed for quick list configuration each collection influences all the NMEA sentence tick boxes in the main left area that contain the selected information The tick box operation is straightforward If the box is ticked the corresponding NMEA sentence will appear on the combined NMEA output Conversely if the box is not ticked that NMEA sentence will be blocked and not appear on the combined output Set all sentences Set Clear All Sentences To completely disable the Inclusion List for a particular channel click on the Clear all sentences button The list status indicator will then change from the green List Enabled to the red Pass all data state and the Sentence Total box will update to O Clicking the Set all sentences button will tick every box change the red Pass all data to the green List Enabled state and the Sentence Total box will update to 101 sentences Pass all data Once disabled and Pass all data is displayed all NMEA sentences will be passed to the NMEA combined output
63. rn a unit for repair it is important to follow these steps 1 Download and install the latest Firmware version and Control Centre software from www actisense com 2 Read through the Troubleshooting Guide on page 35 to see if your problem has a simple solution 3 Contact Actisense Tech Support at the email address below for further support and an RMA number To qualify for an RMA number you will need to provide the serial number date of purchase and where you purchased the unit from You will be asked to confirm the above steps have been attempted and the nature of the fault Any units returned without an RMA number will incur a delay in processing and may result in a charge dependant on the guarantee status of the unit Company Information Actisense Active Research Limited 5 Wessex Trade Centre Ringwood Road Poole Dorset UK BH12 3PF Telephone 01202 746682 International 44 1202 746682 Actisense on the Web For advice support and product details E mail support actisense com Website www actisense com Twitter www twitter com ActisenseNews Actisense News and Product Updates www twitter com ActisenseTech Actisense Product Updates Facebook bit ly actibook Actisense News and Product Updates Linkedin linkd in actisense Actisense News and Product Updates Actisense is a registered trademark of Active Research Limited 2012 Active Research Limited Page 44
64. rs List the only ports that are actually in use are ports 1 2 and 3 so all the other com port numbers are available Click on OK button to save the new settings 1 This COM name is being used by another device such as another com port or modem Using duplicate names can lead to inaccessible devices and changed settings Do you want to continue 2012 Active Research Limited Page 15 Actisense Actisense PC Software suites The Actisense NMEA Data Combiner hardware can be configured monitored and tested using its own dedicated software suite NDC Control Centre The NDC 4 can be updated upgraded using the latest ActiPatch software suite This section provides a complete users guide to installing and uninstalling these two software suites These programs are currently only available for Windows NT 2000 XP Vista 7 however it has been proven possible to use Control Centre and ActiPatch on a Mac running VMware Fusion Windows emulation software Instal ling Actisense PC softwa re Actisense NDC Control Centre Installation Replace the generic Product Name gt text below with Please enter the directory in which ta install amp ctisense the name of the actual software you are installing NDC ee See Control Centre or ActiPatch The Labyindows C l Run Time Engine is already Installed 1 Download the latest version of the software from the Actisense website or locate the files on
65. rt priority list to reduces losses from the critical inputs see Changing the port priorities on page 23 Problem Control Centre Port Status window ignores filtering By default the Inclusion List is only applied to OUT 1 and since the Control Centre Port Status window only shows data available on OUT O0 USB RS232 this is normal Solution Enable Clone Mode this will apply the Inclusion List to BOTH outputs to change the data available to be displayed in the Control Centre Port Status window Note Remember to disable Clone Mode once debugging has been completed Page 39 Actisense Specifications The NDC 4 ISO Drive output is a very flexible output that is RS485 RS232 RS422 and NMEA 0183 compatible Supply Supply voltage External power supply 8 35 Supply current from external source Supply voltage 12v see note 1 Supply voltage 24v Supply voltage USB powered V Supply current from USB see note 1 Supply voltage 5v mA Opto isolated Flexible Input Logical 1 stop bit 15 0 0 5 V Logical stop bit 450 os Logical O start bit V aou canrem Maximum is under 35v overload 16 mA P condition Min 2 0v input level Differential input voltage Required level for NMEA to be detected V Galvanic isolation Between input amp output DS 2500 V Overdrive protection Input Baud rate ports 0 amp 1 USB bps ISO Drive Flexible Output Output voltage bet
66. se they are not synchronised to each other and will attempt to talk at the same time over each other resulting in corruption of the NMEA data and potentially in disaster if valuable data such as navigation information is lost or corrupted so that it is incorrect and or misleading Actisense produces a full range of products to solve all NMEA interfacing requirements Please visit the Actisense website www actisense com for full details on these and other Actisense interfacing Depth sounding and NMEA 2000 products The NMEA Signals The NMEA 0183 system v2 0 and later uses a differential signalling scheme whereby two wires are used to transmit the NMEA data These connections will be labelled as either NMEA A and B or NMEA and respectively depending on the instrument and manufacturer When connecting between different manufacturers there can be some confusion but it is simple and easy to remember NMEA A connects to NMEA and NMEA B connects to NMEA 2012 Active Research Limited The Different NMEA Standards The NMEA 0183 specification has slowly evolved over the years SO connecting one device to another is not always a straightforward matter The earlier versions of NMEA 0183 before v2 0 as detailed above used slightly different connection methods and signal levels the instruments had just one NMEA data line Tx or Out and used the ground
67. ted do not allow Control Centre to connect to the NDC 4 please contact us for further instructions see Company Information on page 44 Solution F Port Selection To change the port number follow USB Configuration on page 14 this method also applies to non USB serial connections Solution G Baud Rate Selection The auto Baud rate facility is not being successful It can take up to 12 seconds for this feature to complete If after 12 seconds the connection is still not made see Low Baud Rate Warning on page 22 Page 37 Actisense Diagnosing Data flow using NDC Control Centre NDC Control Centre provides plenty of useful information to help debug data flow problems Here we ll go through some simple methods of checking data and solving various issues such as data loops and overloading Problem No data received on input The best way to check an input is to use the Control Centre Port Status window and Hardware Port Status window select these from the window drop down menu Refer to Control Centre Port Status Window on page 27 and Hardware Port Status Window on page 28 J TES Bytes Filtered it Hardware Port Status Bytes per second 100 5 e EE EN Rx o 1 2 3 4 uni Tx o 4 Buffer Load Bytes Dropped gt 8 8 amp ees 8 amp B B ggg E e mob ha cu Fe 0 0 Tx 0 1 o 1 2 3 4 Figure 27 Filtered Port Status Test Look at the filtered column i
68. th the NDC 4 The driver comes in two parts and both are required for correct operation The first is the USB serial converter driver and the second is the Virtual serial port driver The required Linux drivers are already included in the Linux kernels from v2 4 20 and onwards However Actisense has not been able to test the compatibility of the NDC 4 with USB and this driver Install instructions are available on the CD and the Actisense website www actisense com Drivers for MAC OS X are provided as is and Actisense is unable to offer support for MAC related issues To download the drivers visit the Actisense website www actisense com Installation Guide Windows 7 and Windows Vista The following instructions are for Windows 7 Although not the same Windows Vista users will be able to use this information to install the drivers as well With an active Internet connection the process is very simple Connect the USB cable and Windows will automatically download and install the latest driver from Windows update Both drivers are now installed and no further steps are required lb Your device is ready to use X D evice driver software installed successfully When there is no Internet connection Windows will fail to install the driver L Device driver software was not successfully installed fe Click here for details 2012 Active Research Limited Follow these steps to manually
69. the Actisense CD included with the NDC 4 Actisense NDC Control Centre Directory Labindous CT Run Time Engine Directory 2 If a previous version of the software has already been CAWINDOW S sustems2 CVlIATE installed uninstall the previous version before installing the new version Refer to Uninstalling Actisense PC software on page 17 for full details Note For a complete fresh install delete the install directory This will remove all previous settings To keep Figure 5 Install Options these settings do not delete the directory Actisense NDC Control Centre Installation 3 If the program is contained within a zip file extract the three files lt Product Name gt 001 lt Product Name gt 002 and setup exe that are contained within the zip file using any available unzip program to a temporary directory e g C NTemp Actsense NOC Control Centre installation successfull 4 Double click on the setup exe program file and follow the on screen instructions of the standard Windows install program The install location can be change at this point however the default location is normally acceptable refer to Figure 5 Install 85 Search Folders le Options and Figure 6 Installation 3 Complete orites Tools Help a Uninstall Actisense NOC Control Centre Shortcut NDC Actisense NOC Control Centre Shortcut J Once
70. the USB OUT 0 port Changing the Port Priorities Click on two ports in the Input Port Priorities List and their positions will swap in the list Why is There a Need for Port Priorities Each of the five NMEA input ports can transfer anything up to 480 bytes of data per second making a total of 1920 bytes second The data combined output of the NDC 4 is also forced by the NMEA 0183 standard to send a maximum of 480 bytes second Therefore there exists the distinct possibility that there could be more data to send out than is possible to achieve If this situation occurs the port priority system comes into operation 2012 Active Research Limited How Does the Port Priorities System Work The system uses time slots each slot allows one NMEA 0183 sentence to be sent until either no data remains or the transmit capacity has reached its maximum The highest priority input port has the highest number of time slots the next highest priority port has less time slots down to the lowest priority input port that has only a few time slots Notes 1 The NDC 4 stores sentences in a buffer so that short periods of high load just causes a delay rather than dropped sentences When the buffer becomes full some sentences will have to be dropped If the rate drops below the buffer maximum again all sentences will be sent at the next opportunity 2 he time slot method means that sentences from the highest priority channel can still b
71. the USB port that was issued by Windows from the Comms drop menu in the main window See Locate and Change the Port Number on page 14 The Baud rate will default to 38400 Baud the factory default but will auto Baud to the actual Baud rate if it has been changed 4 The Rx and Tx LED s on the main window will flash to indicate that communication is in progress between Control Centre and the NDC 4 hardware Once the hardware information has been received and displayed all the NDC 4 configuration and test options will be enabled If for any reason the hardware detection operation does not happen as described refer to the Diagnosing The NDC Control Centre Connection on page 37 The default configuration for the NDC 4 is explained in Default Port Configuration Set up on page 21 Page 19 Actisense Pull down Menus The main window has five standard pull down menus it Actisense NDC Control Centre File Window Help Options Comms Load Configuration File Save Configuration File In or Exit OA MT wn File Load Save Configuration File Load and save configurations that include all Port Configure and Inclusion List settings Both options open a standard windows file browser dialogue window Note Do not confuse these Config ini files with the ControlCentre ini file see Initial hardware and software set up on page 19 File Exit Closes the Control Cent
72. tionality and performance of the NDC 4 to be lost if an older firmware version is used to reprogram the NDC 4 However for rare occasions when instructed by an Actisense support engineer this stepping back of the firmware can be achieved Page 33 Actisense Connection Status LED s The four status LED s inform the B L onnected user what stage the reprogramming operation is currently at Erasing Frogramming _ SUCCESS Will light During the reprogramming operation both the Erasing and Programming LED s will become lit and finally once the operation is complete the Success LED with light It is normal for the success LED to only stay lit for a second or two after which it will turn off Initially no LED s will be lit Once a successful connection is made to an NDC 4 unit the Connected LED Data Communication LED s These LED s indicate if any data gl Fx Data communication to the NDC 4 Tx and from the NDC 4 Rx is BH Data happening They are very useful in helping to diagnose simple connection issues Program Command Button HE Becomes available selectable once connection to an NDC 4 unit is achieved This button Initiates the flash update of the NDC 4 hardware At this point the diagnostic LED on the NDC 4 will be solid red 2012 Active Research Limited The Reprogramming Operation Once the program button has been pressed the reprogramming operation cannot and must not b
73. to complete the wizard 5 Once complete Your new hardware is installed and ready to use will appear in the bottom right corner of your screen Found New Hardware Your new hardware is installed and ready to use Wait for the Found New Hardware Wizard to appear again Repeat steps 1 to 4 to install the Virtual Serial Port driver 2012 Active Research Limited Now both drivers are installed see USB Configuration on page 14 for details on how to find out which COM port number has been allocated to your Actisense device as well as how to change to a different COM port USB Configuration To communicate with the NDC 4 the COM port number that Windows has allocated to the USB port needs to be determined The following guide will walk the user through this standard operation The Actisense NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 is completely USB port independent It can be easily unplugged from one USB port and connected to another available USB port on the same PC without the COM Port number changing This is very useful when the NDC 4 is working in unison with a software program that is set up to use a particular COM port as the user does not need to re select a different COM port every time the PC reboots or the cable is swapped between two USB ports Locate and Change the Port Number 1 Connect the NDC 4 USB cable to a USB port on the PC In Windows 7 and Vista from the start menu type Dev
74. type as older data still in the buffer will overwrite the older sentence A PC RS232 or USB Bidirectional Port The RS232 compatible Port 0 OPTO IN 0 plus ISO OUT 0 and the USB interface ensures that any device or PC that has an RS232 or USB port receives all the input NMEA data and can add its own NMEA data to ISO OUT 1 This allows for the possibility of a virtual cockpit of instruments displaying all available data in any manner the user requires available from a number of manufacturers These connections also allow the unit to be updated via the freely available ActiPatch flash upgrade software that will be made available on the Actisense website when the NDC 4 firmware has been enhanced Notes 1 When the USB cable is plugged in and powered up it disables OPTO IN 0 on the NDC 4 2 NDC 4 variants that don t come with a USB cable can be upgraded by purchasing a USB Upgrade Kit Technical Features Flash ROM technology that supports automatic programming for quick and easy updates 100 000 erase cycles and a 10 year Data Retention provides carefree user configuration On chip memory store allows buffering of short term NMEA data allowing the unit to smooth short term peaks in the NMEA data flow A diagnostic LED indicates the operation mode of the NDC 4 if any faults have been detected or the peak load currently on any one of the NMEA inputs High speed 32 bit ARM processor capable of up to 40 2012 Act
75. und of the single ended device This provides the required data signal return current path To connect an old type single ended device to an OPTO IN input connect the NMEA Tx or Out output from the single ended driver to the OPTO IN A input of the NDC 4 Connect the ground line of the single ended output device to the OPTO IN B input of the NDC 4 This provides the data signal return current path If the NMEA JB input is left floating then data corruption errors may occur Please refer to Connecting to NMEA devices on page 10 for examples of these connection methods Page 8 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 Connections ACTIVE RESEARCH LTD 2007 WWW E we com 66666 lt m gt gt gt C O lt rm JJ co D c c Co c c c Cc C c co c lt 0 E gt cC Uu CJ GREEN NORMAL IDLE OTHER SEE MANUAL mmm ml ACTISENSE NDC 4 A 907 C 9 Figure 1 All external connections The NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC has screw terminal Phoenix type external connections for 1 Five Opto isolated Inputs All inputs are of the differential opto isolated type and use the unique Actisense low current drain circuitry 2mA 2 0v to conform in full with the NMEA 0183 marine electronic device network communication standard and are flexible enough to interface to most fully and partially compliant devices 2 Two ISO Drive O
76. utputs The ISO Drive outputs comprise of two connections A and B and conform in full to the NMEA 0183 standard 3 RS232 Compatible Input Output Option The ISO OUT 0 and OPTO IN 0 connections can be used as a bidirectional RS232 compatible port and is designed for direct connection to a Personal Computer PC or other marine device capable of interfacing to a standard RS232 port When a USB cable is powered and plugged into the NDC 4 this port switches to output only i e the RS232 input OPTO IN 0 no longer operates 2012 Active Research Limited 4 A USB Input Output USB Variants Only The USB connector is designed for direct connection to a PC s USB port Once the USB cable is powered and plugged into the NDC 4 Port O switches to an output only mode this allows the USB port to take over bidirectional control of the NDC 4 5 Battery Supply Input Standard battery power connections 8 to 35v Notes 1 To complete the NMEA 0183 standard all device interconnection NMEA cables used should meet the two conductor shielded twisted pair configuration specification The shield connection of these wires should be connected at the instrument end only to prevent ground loops 2 Refer to Specifications on page 40 for the full details on input output specifications Page 9 Actisense Connecting to NMEA Devices www ac t Personal Rx Computer G NMEA T Listener A 3 NMEA
77. w labelled Change To Combiner Again the user must confirm the operating mode change is required and the NDC 4 will now Combine its inputs instead of Autoswitching them There is no need to click the Send to Hardware button this configuration change is automatic Page 31 Actisense Using the NDC 4 ActiPatch The NDC 4 firmware can be easily and quickly updated using the NDC 4 ActiPatch The program has a simple appearance as the flash update process has been completely automated for a trouble free operation SA Actisense ActiPatch update utility File Comms Help ActiPaich C ted Looking for Hardware s Bootloader E bbin Application Reset attempted Erasing Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Frogramming Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Looking for Hardware s Bootloader SUCCESS Win Application Reset attempted Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Bin Application Reset attempted Looking for Hardware s Bootloader Looking for Hardware s Bootloader T Rs Data El Ts Data 4 O Serial ID No information available x DEDS Patch ID v1 051 18 06 07 on going Actisense NDC 4 0 jManlD No information avaiable oo Figure 24 NDC 4 ActiPatch Window searching for NDC This program is currently only available for Windows platforms 98 ME NT 2000 XP however it has been prove
78. ween ISO Out A and Logical 1 ISO Out B under no load Logical 0 Output current at max load of 100 ohm PC Men POAC GUerenval Give 21 voltage reduces to 2 1v Output short circuit current note 2 Due to short circuit protection 55 Galvanic isolation From Opto input and USB ground BEEN 1500 V Output Baud rate ports 0 amp 1 USB Configurable Baud rate 4800 115200 bps Data propagation delay Under no overload conditions ms enea T rambenttemperaure 9 Gurnee ExexedAciseneguxawe 3 ver raea OOOO wel Table 2 NDC 4 Specifications Parameter V mA mA Input voltage betwee 3 gt 3 All specifications are taken with reference to an ambient temperature TA of 25 C Notes 1 Current consumption measured under no load conditions Short circuit may be applied indefinitely The ISO Drive output may be short circuited directly to a 30 volt battery supply without damage maximum current of 50mA will flow due to polyfuse auto resetting fuse technology being used in each output N 2012 Active Research Limited Page 40 NMEA Data Multiplexer NDC 4 System Block Diagrams NMEA Opto Input Port 1 NMEA Opto Input Port 2 ISO Out 1 Port Priority Controller ISO Out 1 E Combined _ NMEA Opto Input Port 3 Circuitry NMEA Opto Input Port 4 USB Output Circuitry NMEA Opto Input Port 0
79. y not always show as over 100 when the inputs are added together For example with AIS at 38400 baud anything over about 12 596 loading ofthe input would start to overload a 4800 output However there are times when using a 38400 input and a 4800 output can work a Chartplotter outputting waypoint data at 38400 to an autopilot at 4800 shouldn t have a load that is too great Solutions 1 Change the output baud to a higher rate some devices are configurable to accept higher baud rates for their inputs and this will provide enough bandwidth for all the combined data 2012 Active Research Limited 2 If it is not possible to increase the baud rate deleting sentences that give the same information can help see Delete duplicates on page 23 Note When Delete duplicates is Enabled and sentences are deleted because of this rule they will still show in the Bytes Dropped column of the Hardware Port Status window 3 If sentences are still being dropped other than the deleted duplicates choosing the sentences that are dropped from the Inclusion List is preferable to random losses refer to Inclusion List configuration tab on page 24 Start by allowing only the sentences that are needed from each input and see what effect this has on the output load If there is a good amount of bandwidth left then add some of the desirable sentences as well 4 When filtering is not enough to prevent sentences being dropped change the po

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