Iridium - How to establish Iridium communications from an XP computer to a UNAVCO polar remote GPS station |
How to establish Iridium communications from an XP computer to a UNAVCO polar remote GPS stationVersion 1.0, July 2009This document contains instructions on how to establish an Iridium communications link between an XP computer and a remote Trimble NetRS GPS receiver. An Iridium test call must be performed before leaving newly-installed remote GPS site, or a site which has had its communications hardware modified during a site visit. It is also essential to perform this check before going to the field. Various bugs have been observed with specific Iridium modems and XP computers, and it is not guaranteed that the procedure below will hold for all cases. Also, these instructions also assume a connection made using NSF-supplied DOD Iridium SIM cards. Be aware that subtle differences exist between commercial and DOD Iridium service. Ultimately, be sure you know how to establish an Iridium comms link with your equipment before going to the field. Do not assume that you will simply figure it out once you get there. Finally, although this procedure assumes the call is originated from an NAL Research A3LA series modem, it is also possible to establish a data connection to the GPS receiver using an Iridium telephone handset such as a Motorola 9505A with the Data Kit accessories. I. Configure the Iridium PPP Dialup ConnectionA. Install the modem driver
B. Configure Dial-up Networking
C. Configure Iridium modemA list of configuration settings are given in the Documentation section at kb.unavco.org/polartechnology. Since this modem originates the call, essentially serving as a base modem, this modem should be configured with “Base Modem” settings. II. Place Iridium Phone Call and Verify Connectivity to GPS ReceiverA. Set up Iridium modem and antenna.Connect the Iridium modem to the computer’s serial port. Connect the Iridium antenna and place it in a location where it has an unobstructed view of the sky. Iridium satellites can carry a call nearly from horizon to horizon, so the antenna sky view should not be obstructed above ~8 degrees. B. Place an Iridium phone call.
Dropped calls are a fact of life with Iridium, and it may take several dialing attempts to establish successful communications with the GPS receiver. Also, if the Iridium modem appears unresponsive during a call attempt, it may be necessary to reboot it. Allow the modem to remain off for 20 seconds before powering it again. |
Posted by: Beth Bartel - October 27, 2009. This article has been viewed 503 times. |
Online URL: https://kb.unavco.org/article/iridium-how-to-establish-iridium-communications-from-an-xp-computer-to-a-unavco-polar-remote-gps-station-509.html |
Powered by PHPKB (Knowledge Base Software)