LT Series Basic Evaluation Kit User's Guide
Contents
1. TECHNOLOGIES LT Series Basic Evaluation Kit User s Guide Wireless made simple Warning Linx radio frequency RF products may be used to control machinery or devices remotely including machinery or devices that can cause death bodily injuries and or property damage if improperly or inadvertently triggered particularly in industrial settings or other applications implicating life safety concerns No Linx Technologies product is intended for use in any application without redundancies where the safety of life or property is at risk The customers and users of devices and machinery controlled with RF products must understand and must use all appropriate safety procedures in connection with the devices including without limitation using appropriate safety procedures to prevent inadvertent triggering by the user of the device and using appropriate security codes to prevent triggering of the remote controlled machine or device by users of other remote controllers Do not use this or any Linx product to trigger an action directly from the data line or RSSI lines without a protocol or encoder decoder to validate the data Without validation any signal from another unrelated transmitter in the environment received by the module could inadvertently trigger the action This module does not have data validation built in All RF products are susceptible to RF interference that can prevent communication RF products wit2. a ground plane allows for the implementation of a microstrip feed between the module and the antenna The term microstrip refers to a PCB trace running over a ground plane that is designed to serve as a 50 ohm transmission line See the LT Series data guide or the calculator available on our website for details on microstrip calculations About Antennas The choice of antennas is one of the most critical and often overlooked design considerations The range performance and legality of an RF link are critically dependent upon the type of antenna employed Linx offers a variety of antenna styles that can be considered for a design Included with your kit are HD Series 815MHz or CW Series 418MHz and 4383MHz connectorized whip antennas that should be connected prior to using the kit Despite the fact that the antenna is not centered on the board s ground plane it exhibits a VSWR of lt 1 7 and suitably demonstrates the module s best practical performance In Closing Here at Linx Wireless Made Simple is more than just our motto it is our commitment A commitment to the highest caliber of product service and support That is why should you have questions or encounter any difficulties using the evaluation kit you ll be glad to know many resources are available to assist you First check carefully for the obvious then visit our website at www linxtechnologies com or call 1 541 471 6256 between 8AM and 4PM Pacific Time to spea
3. ESD handling procedures when working with this device Failure to observe this precaution may result in module damage or failure PCB EVAL LT Rev B 5 3 O LINX 3 CELI a HY 258 SAV ie rre z d P SO00KL 1071 L1 XXXK WOL fi AAA Figure 3 LT Series Transceiver Evaluation Boards Board Objects 1 Battery 3VDC L LED Button D2 1 O 2 Power Switch 1 Buzzer Button D3 3 Prototyping Area 12 LED DO 4 Breakout Header 13 Buzzer D1 5 Confirmation LED 14 LED Button DO 6 Routing Switches 15 Buzzer Button D1 7 LT Series Transceiver Module 16 LED D2 8 MT Series Transcoder Chip 17 Buzzer D3 9 RP SMA Antenna Connector Theory of Operation The two transceiver evaluation boards are identical but they are populated slightly differently The MT Series transcoder is both an encoder and a decoder with the input or output nature of each line being determined by how the board is populated One board has buttons SO and S1 populated making those lines inputs On the other board those lines are connected to the buzzer and LED respectively Conversely the first board has lines D2 and D3 connected to the buzzer and LED while the second board has buttons S2 and S3 populated This allows for bidirectional remote control To use the kit simply attach the antennas turn on the power and press one or both of the buttons on a board When SO or S2 is pressed the buzzer sounds when S1
4. LT Series Basic Evaluation Kit e Rapid Module Evaluation The boards allow the performance of the LT Series modules to be evaluated quickly in a user s environment e Range Testing Using the on board transcoders to generate a duplex transmission a pair of evaluation boards can be used to evaluate the range performance of the modules e Design Benchmark The boards provide a known benchmark against which the performance of a custom design may be judged e Application Development An onboard prototyping area allows for the development of custom circuits directly on the evaluation board All signal lines are available on a header for easy access This kit includes 4 LT Series transceivers t 2 MT Series transcoders 2 extra PCB mount RP SMA connectors 2 evaluation boards 2 HD or CW Series antennas 4 AAA batteries and full documentation One part is soldered to each board tTwo extras are for use on your first prototype boards Revised 3 18 2015 Ordering Information LT Series Transceiver Evaluation Board Ordering Information PCB EVAL LT Rev B Part Number Description ae LINX J 3 5 EVAL L LT Series Basic Evaluation Kit ee ete ma Hy_258 94V 0 9 315 418 Standard 483MHz F s TOTEE COUKL LOT 4 2 D x X xe i a a Figure 2 Ordering Information m Warning This product incorporates numerous static sensitive components Always wear an ESD wrist strap and observe proper
5. D provides an indication that the signal has traveled round trip so only one person is needed to conduct range testing As the maximum range of the link in an area is approached it is not uncommon for the signal to cut in and out as the transmitter moves This is normal and can result from other interfering sources or fluctuating signal levels due to multipath Multipath results in cancellation of the transmitted signal as direct and reflected signals arrive at the receiver at differing times and phases The areas in which this occurs are commonly called nulls and simply walking a little further usually restores the signal If this does not restore the signal then the maximum effective range of the link has been reached Since the evaluation boards are intended for use by design engineers they are not FCC certified The transmitter section has been set to approximate legal limits by resistor R9 so that the range test results will approximate the results from a well designed certified product For applications where Part 15 limits are not applicable or output levels can be legally raised due to protocol duty cycle R9 can be changed according to the Output Power vs LADJ Resistance graph in the LT Series Transceiver Module Data Guide To achieve maximum range keep objects such as your hand away from the antenna and ensure that the antenna on the transmitting board has a clear and unobstructed line of sight path to the receiving board Ran
6. G TRM XXX LT Figure 6 RF Module Section SO TS1 o vcc Test Strip 1 100K 0 ohm Figure 7 Header Section 10 LED R17 200 ohm Z DO green V GND CD4069UB HEX INVERTER R6 VCC GND D6 D5 D7 D4 CRT LRN D3 ENC_SEL LATCH SER_IO BAUD_SEL CONFIRM MODE_IND PDNMT _ TR_PDN R15 D10 TASELMT TR SEL GND DATAMT TR_DATA 200 ohm Ld LEDO805 LICAL TRC MT Figure 8 Duplex Range Test Section 11 BUZZER BUZZER Linx TECHNOLOGIES Linx Technologies 159 Ort Lane Merlin OR US 97532 Phone 1 541 471 6256 Fax 1 541 471 6251 www linxtechnologies com Disclaimer Linx Technologies is continually striving to improve the quality and function of its products For this reason we reserve the right to make changes to our products without notice The information contained in this Data Guide is believed to be accurate as of the time of publication Specifications are based on representative lot samples Values may vary from lot to lot and are not guaranteed Typical parameters can and do vary over lots and application Linx Technologies makes no guarantee warranty or representation regarding the suitability of any product for use in any specific application It is the customer s responsibility to verify the suitability of the part for the intended application NO LINX PRODUCT IS INTENDED FOR USE IN ANY APPLICATION WHERE THE SAFETY OF LIFE OR PROPERTY IS AT RISK
7. Linx Technologies DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN NO EVENT SHALL LINX TECHNOLOGIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY OF CUSTOMER S INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM ANY DEFECTIVE OR NON CONFORMING PRODUCTS OR FOR ANY OTHER BREACH OF CONTRACT BY LINX TECHNOLOGIES The limitations on Linx Technologies liability are applicable to any and all claims or theories of recovery asserted by Customer including without limitation breach of contract breach of warranty strict liability or negligence Customer assumes all liability including without limitation liability for injury to person or property economic loss or business interruption for all claims including claims from third parties arising from the use of the Products The Customer will indemnify defend protect and hold harmless Linx Technologies and its officers employees subsidiaries affiliates distributors and representatives from and against all claims damages actions suits proceedings demands assessments adjustments costs and expenses incurred by Linx Technologies as a result of or arising from any Products sold by Linx Technologies to Customer Under no conditions will Linx Technologies be responsible for losses arising from the use or failure of the device in any application other than the repair replacement or refund limited to the original product purchase price Devices described in this publication may conta
8. from an external source The holes are plated and set at 0 1 on center with a 0 04 diameter making it easy to add most industry standard SIP and DIP packages to the board All of the lines from the transceiver have been wired out to a row of plated holes on the right side of the prototyping area Four of the data lines from the transcoder have also been wired out This allows for easy access to connect external circuitry to the modules and the transcoder Three lines from the transceiver DATA T R_SEL and PDN have been routed to switches The switches connect the lines to either the transcoder or the prototyping area This allows the transceiver to be conveniently switched between the transcoder and application circuitry during testing Range Testing Several complex mathematical models exist for determining path loss in many environments These models vary as the transmitter and receiver are moved from indoor operation to outdoor operation Although these models can provide an estimation of range performance in the field the most reliable method is to simply perform range tests using the transmitter and receiver in the intended operational environment Basic range testing can be performed with the transceiver evaluation boards To prepare the board for range testing turn it on by switching the power switch to the ON position Pressing SO or S2 activates the buzzer on the receiver board while S1 or S3 activates the LED The CONFIRM LE
9. ge performance is determined by many interdependent factors If the range you are able to achieve is significantly less than specified by Linx for the products you are testing then there is likely a problem with either the board or the ambient RF environment in which the board is operating First check the battery switch positions and antenna connection Next measure the transceiver s RSSI voltage with the other transceiver turned off to determine if ambient interference is present If this fails to resolve the issue please contact Linx technical support Using the Boards as a Design Reference The basic evaluation boards included in this kit are very simple yet they illustrate some important techniques that should be incorporated into the board layout The module s mounting pads extend slightly past the edge of the part This eases hand assembly and allows for better heat conduction under the part if rework is necessary A full ground plane fill is placed on the bottom of the board This ground plane serves three important purposes First since a quarter wave antenna is employed the ground plane is critical to serve as a counterpoise please see Application Note AN O0500 Antennas Design Application and Performance for details on how a ground plane affects antenna function Second a ground plane suppresses the transfer of noise between stages of a product as well as unintentional radiation of noise into free space Third
10. hout frequency agility or hopping implemented are more subject to interference This module does not have frequency agility built in Do not use any Linx product over the limits in this data guide Excessive voltage or extended operation at the maximum voltage could cause product failure Exceeding the reflow temperature profile could cause product failure which is not immediately evident Do not make any physical or electrical modifications to any Linx product This will void the warranty and regulatory and UL certifications and may cause product failure which is not immediately evident Table of Contents 4 O O O AN Oa fF FP WwW ND Introduction Ordering Information LT Series Transceiver Evaluation Board Board Objects Theory of Operation Using the Kit Development Using the Prototyping Area Range Testing Using the Boards as a Design Reference About Antennas In Closing Online Resources Transceiver Evaluation Board Schematics LT Series Basic Evaluation Kit L es User s Guide nx TECHNOLOGIES Introduction Linx LT Series RF transceiver modules offer a simple efficient and cost effective method of adding wireless communication capabilities to any product The Basic Evaluation Kit gives a designer all the tools necessary to correctly and legally incorporate the LT Series modules into an end product The evaluation boards themselves serve several important functions g S A a Figure 1
11. in proprietary patented or copyrighted techniques components or materials Under no circumstances shall any user be conveyed any license or right to the use or ownership of such items 2015 Linx Technologies All rights reserved The stylized Linx logo Wireless Made Simple WiSE CipherLinx and the stylized CL logo are trademarks of Linx Technologies
12. k with an application engineer Legal Notice All Linx kits and modules are designed in keeping with high engineering standards however it is the responsibility of the user to ensure that the products are operated in a legal and appropriate manner The purchaser understands that legal operation may require additional permits approvals or certifications prior to use depending on the country of operation Online Resources If you have questions regarding any Linx product and have Internet access make www linxtechnologies com your first stop Day or night the Linx website gives you instant access to the latest information regarding the products and services of Linx It s all here including e Manual and Software Updates e Latest News e Data Guides e Application Notes e Knowledgebase e FCC Information And much more Be sure to visit often www antennafactor com The Antenna Factor division of Linx offers a diverse array of antenna styles many of An tennaFactor which are optimized for use with our RF by Linx modules From innovative embeddable antennas to low cost whips domes to GPS antennas Antenna Factor likely has an antenna for you or can design one to meet your requirements ASY Figure 4 Antenna Factor Antennas Transceiver Evaluation Board Schematics VCC g S8 VCC C1 Bi p To GND GND Figure 5 Power Supply Section ANT1 CONREVSMAO01 U1 NC RSSI A REF ANALO
13. or S3 is pressed the LED turns on Both boards have a confirmation LED When one transcoder sends a command to the second transcoder the second transcoder sends a confirmation back to the first transcoder indicating that the command was received and the action performed When the first transcoder receives the confirmation it turns on the CONFIRM LED to indicate this This feature offers the ability to range test without needing to be in visual or hearing range of both boards The MT Series Transcoder Data Guide goes into the many features of the transcoders in detail but this is the only set up required for operation of this kit Using the Kit Using the kit is straightforward Simply attach the antennas turn on the power and press buttons on one of the boards When SO or S2 is pressed the LED turns on when S1 or S3 is pressed the buzzer sounds When any button is pressed the CONFIRM LED lights up to indicate that the other side got the command Development Using the Prototyping Area In addition to their evaluation functions the boards may also be used for product development They feature a prototyping area to facilitate the addition of application specific circuitry This area has a connection to Vee at the bottom and to ground at the top which can be used to power any added circuitry Note If added circuitry requires a higher current than can be provided by the batteries the batteries must be removed and the board powered
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