This is a very novice and newbee issue compared to the discussions here, so please bear with me. I am working with 15 CR10x-PBs (each about ~50-100 ft apart in an open field) collecting data from different sensors. I am trying to set up a PakBus network using the the MaxStream 9XTend, RS 232/485, RF Modem.
I have a CDMA Wireless Ace Raven connected to a XTend Radio through a Null Modem. This is my "Base Station Link" through which I should be able to connect to all 15 Dataloggers, via LoggerNet.
The Problem:
I have only been able connect to a maximum of four dataloggers and very intermittently at that. Even if it connects, it almost always has issues with downloading the data and updating the table definitions. But if I connect manually to the logger, I have none of these issues.
All the radios are in the default P2P Mode and range is not an issue. I haven't used the Edlog/Options/PakBus Settings Window at all for any settings and there is no base station or router. I have used the following commands in the program
The PakBus bit of the Edlog Program I am using is below.
PakBus - Set Setting (P198)
1: 17 SDC7
2: 4094 Address
3: 113 Result Code Loc [ ______________ ]
PakBus - Seconds Until Transmit (P194)
1: 112 Loc with Seconds Until Transmit [ SecondsUntilTr ]
PakBus - Network Remote (P196)
1: 17 SDC7
2: 4094 Master Address
3: 0 Security
4: 28 Swath to Receive from Master
5: 158 First Loc for Data Received [ ______________ ]
6: 28 Swath to Send to Master
7: 1 First Loc to Send [ BattV ]
8: 161 Result Code Loc [ ______________ ]
*I even tried this to have the data sent to the PC directly*
PakBus - Send Final Storage Data (P191)
1: 17 SDC7
2: 4094 Address
3: 6 Table Number
PakBus - Force Route (P197)
1: 17 SDC7
2: 4094 Neighbor's Address
3: 4094 Address
4: 1 Hops
There could be something very rudimentary I am missing here. Please advise and comment.
This is a rough representation of what I am trying to accomplish.
Raven + XTend
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
-->XTend>CR10x-PB
* Last updated by: pm6k77 on 2/13/2009 @ 10:07 PM *
Can anybody help with my issue. It will be much appreciated.
I'm not certain what you are trying to achieve with the code above, but here are a few things to think about:
* You need to make sure that each CR10X-PB in the network has a unique PakBus address.
* You are using Instruction 198: Set Setting. This instruction is used to set a PakBus setting in a **PakBus datalogger**. From the help:
"(P198 is) A program control instruction that is used to set a setting in a PakBus datalogger. This instruction should be followed by instruction 63 or instruction 68 with the values for the setting that should be changed."
P198 in the program you posted uses 4094 as the address in which to set the setting. This is the address used by default for the LoggerNet server. There are no settings in the server that you can set with this instruction.
* Perhaps you should get the physical (radio) network working before putting *any* programs in the dataloggers.
* Pull the Raven out of the network and just get the radio portion working first.
Essentially, assign each datalogger a unique PakBus address using DevConfig.
If possible, connect a PC to the base radio. Set up the LoggerNet network map (Setup window) with a COMPort, PakBus Port, and 15 CR10XPBs, making sure to enter the unique address of each (I am assuming the radios are acting in "transparent" mode here, appearing like a physical, straight-through link -- I don't know anything about the radios). Attempt to connect to each of the dataloggers.
If that works OK, then add the Raven and see if you still have success.
If that works, then send a simple program to the datalogger. Perhaps one that measures battery voltage and panel temperature. Ensure the program runs correctly in each of the dataloggers. Set up a simple Scheduled Data Collection in LoggerNet's Setup window (this is the easiest way to collect data from a network of dataloggers).
If all this works, then load the program you need to measure your sensors and adjust the scheduled data collection.
Regards,
Dana
Some strategy for testing if you're still working on this:
1) check the pakbus IDs
2) test each communication link before it gets to complicated.
i.e. start with one logger then two etc. on the radio network (this means the other radios are turned off) and connect your computer to the base radio (the one connected to the raven). If you have good communication with just a couple then good, move up to all fifteen. If not, you have a simpler problem to troubleshoot.
3) Once you're confident the radio network is working fine put a single logger on the radio to cellular network and repeat the process.
--Bob
One issue you may be having is that you are using a standard MaxStream Xtend RF Modem rather than CS's equivalent radio. The difference being that the CS radio is aware of the top level protocol we run, i.e. Pakbus.
If you use non-Pakbus aware radios you can usually get a simple network working OK, but when you reach a certain threshold of number of loggers (dependent on other factors too such as level of comms activity) the network can break down and not work well at all. This is often triggered by a data corruption that then requires Pakbus retries. Those retries can then clash with comms to other loggers, leading to more retries etc, etc.
Even if you separate the communications in time, you can still get issues because by default the loggers will send beacons and similar messages to keep them updated of who their neighbors are.
Aside from switching to CS radios, you can see if you can switch on features such as low level retries and error correction in the radios - I am not sure if this is possible with the variant of radio you have. You can also turn off or set very long beacon intervals in the loggers and also in Loggernet to cut down of unnecessary RF comms - as you network is relatively simple so does not need auto-routing. To turn off beacons set a neighbors filter (see the *D settings).
Since it seems like you already bought the non-CS radios,
you could bag trying to run them in a Pakbus network and have a unique MY address for each Xtend-CR10X station. Then you change the DT channel of the base radio to match the station that wish to speak with. You can have an almost unlimited number of stations that way.
The base needs to have its CC changed to something other than 2B (+++) so that the when you put it into command mode to change its channel the Raven or any other modems won't respond.
With following set up the base will talk only to One. Two will be silent. Change DT of base to 2 to talk to Two.
Station CC DT MY
Base 2D 1 0
One 2B 0 1
Two 2B 0 2
You change the DT by using a Generic modem dial script like:
D3000
T"---" R"OK"4000
T"ATDT1^m" R"OK"4000
T"ATCN^m" R"OK"4000
The 1 W Xtends are probably overkill for 100 ft, you could probably turn the power down to cut consumption if you are on solar.