VECTRONIC Aerospace TT5 Globalstar Trap Transmitter User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- VECTRONIC Aerospace
Table of Contents
VECTRONIC Aerospace TT5 Globalstar Trap Transmitter
The Transmitter
The Trap Transmitter TT5 is a small grey box as shown in Figure 1. The top
side is labelled “TOP” and must not be covered or painted since this would
obstruct satellite communication. In the corners you find several mounting
holes to attach the TT5 to a mounting structure. Make sure that the TOP-side
points away from the mounting structure and towards the sky. The sticker on
the top of the TT5 gives you information about the ‘ESN’, ID and ‘CH’. ESN is
the communication ID of the transmitter. Write down this number as this will
help you identify the transmitter once you receive status or alarm messages.
The ID is the serial number of the TT5 and can also be used to identify the
transmitter. CH is the transmission channel of the Globalstar transmitter. The
transmission channel is either A (North America) or C (rest of the world). On
one side there is a patch of hook-and-loop tape. Here you can attach the
standby magnet which is used to switch the transmitter ON (Normal Mode, magnet
is removed) or OFF (Stand-By Mode, magnet is attached). The trigger magnet is
located opposite of the standby magnet. This magnet is the connection between
trap and trap transmitter.
Mounting Instructions
Connecting the trap
The trigger magnet consists of an elongated magnet that reaches into the TT5
body. To trigger an alarm, it has to be pulled out of the box (Figure 2
).
Figure 2: Left: The elongated magnet is inserted into the transmitter box
and can be attached to the trap by a rope or wire. If the trap is triggered,
the magnet has to be pulled out of the box by the rope to set off an alarm.
Right: Triggered trap transmitter, the elongated magnet is removed from
transmitter box. The magnet can be connected to the trap with a rope. Make
sure that the rope connecting the
trap to the magnet is
- stretched tightly enough to pull the magnet out of the box if the trap is triggered (see Figure 3),
- can move freely and cannot be entangled when the rope is moved by the triggered trap.
Figure 3: Example for triggering the trap: A) The trap is connected to the transmitter’s magnet by a rope or wire. B) When the trap is triggered, the rope/wire pulls the magnet out of the transmitter box. The transmitter sends an alarm message every 30 minutes for 10 hours. After that you will receive one email per day. This design is the property of VECTRONIC Aerospace GmbH. Unauthorized duplication or distribution to a third party is prohibited.
Positioning of the transmitter
Mount the transmitter in a way that the side labeled ‘TOP’ is always pointing
upwards. This side MUST NOT be covered or painted. Always make sure that the
top side has a view to the sky that is as clear and unobstructed as possible
(e.g. not covered by rocks, trees, …) otherwise transmission performance might
be degraded or even impossible! To trigger the transmitter, the magnet has to
be pulled out of the transmitter box. Make sure that the box is mounted in an
angle that allows the magnet to be pulled out of the box and that nothing
obstructs the path of the magnet or the rope!
Resetting the trap
After the trap has been triggered, it is necessary to attach the external
magnet for at least two minutes to reset the transmitter to Stand-by mode.
After removing the magnet, it will return to Normal mode. If this is not done,
the transmitter will stay in Alarm Mode and will not send a new alarm message
if the trap is triggered again.
Operation
The Trap Transmitter is always in one of three operating modes:
- Standby Mode
- Normal Mode
- Alarm Mode
Standby Mode
When the exterior standby magnet is attached, the Trap Transmitter is in
‘Standby Mode’. In this mode the transmitter does not transmit any messages.
Once the magnet is removed, the transmitter will enter ‘Normal Mode’.
Normal Mode
In this mode the transmitter will send two status messages per day, which are
transferred to you by email. The first of these messages will be sent
immediately (max. 40 seconds) after the magnet has been removed. When the
trigger magnet is removed (i.e. the trap has been triggered), the transmitter
will switch to ‘Alarm Mode’.
Alarm Mode
In ‘Alarm Mode’, the transmitter will send a status message every 30 minutes
for 10 hours (20 messages in total), indicating that the trap has been
triggered, and the transmitter will start counting the time since the trigger
event. These messages will be transferred to you as email and optional as text
message (SMS). When the exterior standby magnet is attached to the transmitter
again, the transmitter will return to ‘Standby Mode’ (after a maximum of 40
seconds) and the time since the last triggering of the trap will be reset.
When the trap transmitter is not reset manually, the transmitter will
automatically return to ‘Normal Mode’ after 10 hours; it will transmit two
status messages a day. The time since the last trigger event will still be
counted and given in the status messages.
Status Messages
Every message that is sent by the trap transmitter is received by VECTRONIC
Aerospace and forwarded to you via email. Once a status message (trap has not
triggered) is received, you will get an email like this if HTML is enabled in
your mail application (actual appearance of the email might vary, depending on
your mail application):
This design is the property of VECTRONIC Aerospace GmbH. Unauthorized duplication or distribution to a third party is prohibited.
If the display of HTML email is disabled, you will see ELECTRONIC Aerospace Trap has NOT yet been triggered.
- Trap ESN: 0-367220
- Sequence number: 258
- Estimated remaining lifetime: 13633 days
In case of an alarm message (trap has triggered) you will get an email like this:
Figure 6: Alarm email
If the display of HTML email is disabled in your mail application, you will
see
ELECTRONIC Aerospace
TRAP HAS TRIGGERED
- Trap ESN: 0-368019
- Sequence number: 259
- Time since triggering: 120 minutes
- Estimated remaining lifetime: 13632 days
In addition to the status and alarm emails, VECTRONIC Aerospace can send a
text message (SMS) to the (mobile) phone number(s) provided, upon reception of
the first two alarm messages received for a single ESN. This service is liable
of charges. The content of the text message (SMS) will be like this:
THE TRAP HAS BEEN TRIGGERED!
ESN: 0-368019
The trigger is 120 minutes old
Lifetime calculation
With each message, you will receive the “Estimated remaining lifetime”. The number of days given here is the number of days the Trap Transmitter would work in Stand-by Mode. Each sent message needs the same amount of energy as one day in Standby Mode. As a result, in Normal Mode, “Estimated remaining lifetime” will be reduced by two days per day. If the trap is triggered (Alarm Mode), “Estimated remaining lifetime” will be reduced by one day per message, which would be a maximum of 20 days, if the Trap Transmitter is not reset to Normal Mode within the first 10 hours after the trap has been triggered.
Adjustment of pull-out force
Each TT5 comes with silicone tubes with two different wall thicknesses. With
these tubes one can adjust the force necessary to pull out the trigger magnet.
Smaller traps with lighter doors could bring up too less force to pull out the
magnet with the thick wall tube. For this scenario, you can use the silicone
tube with a thinner wall thickness. Just pull off the silicone tubing and
exchange it with the one you need. 
We also recommend to use a little bit of Vaseline, silicone grease or other lubricant suitable for silicone on the trigger magnet before use. The lubricant reduces the retention force to pull out the trigger magnet.