RadioActivity KAIROS enhanced DMR Repeater User Manual

RadioActivity KAIROS enhanced DMR Repeater

Product Usage Instructions

• This product is designed for use by experienced technicians familiar with RF and IP technology.
• Follow the guidelines in the manual for proper installation and setup of the KAe-based radio infrastructure.
• Ensure compliance with local laws and regulations regarding the use of this product.
• Do not operate the device in unauthorized RF bands or exceed power limitations.
• Regular maintenance is essential to ensure optimal performance.
• Refer to the manual for maintenance procedures and troubleshooting guidelines.

FAQ

• Q: Can this product be used by general consumers?
• A: No, this device is intended for use in controlled/professional conditions by experienced technicians familiar with RF and IP technology.
• Q: What is the power output range of the transceiver?
• A: The RF output power ranges from 1 to 50 watts with a 100% duty cycle and is selectable per channel.
• Q: What are the available synchronization sources for the transceiver?
• A: The synchronization sources include internal reference, GPS/GLONASS, Ethernet IEE-1588v2, 2 wire, digital RX, and external sources.

KAIROS enhanced – User manual

KAIROS enhanced (KAe) is an evolution of the KAIROS transceiver, which is present on the worldwide market since 2014. The previous series has been completely renewed, in terms of components, performances and applications and a new look has been designed, keeping the same overall shape of its previous model.
KAe transceiver is a professional software-defined radio station, the right building block for many applications ranging from a simple standalone repeater to a nationwide network system, thanks to its extreme flexibility. We solved the complexity to ease your creativity.

Main characteristics

Available Models

| Model| KA-080| KA-160| KA-350| KA-450| KA-500| KA-900
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---

MHz

|

66-88

| From 136 EU/

150 FCC/

138 ISED

to 174

|

350-410

|

400-470

|

450-527

|

806-941

Channelization| 25/20/12,5/6,25 kHz
RF output power| 1-50 W / 100% duty cycle / selectable per channel
Synthesis step| 50Hz
Frequency stability| 0,1 p.p.m.
Synchronization sources| Internal ref., GPS/GLONASS, Ethernet IEE-1588v2, 2 wire, Digital RX, External
Operating temperature| -30°C ÷ +60°C
Power supply (negative ground)| Min.| Typ.| Max.
10,8V| 13,6V| 15,4V
Power consumption| TX: 120 W @50W RF / RX: 6 W @Main+Div enabled
Dimensions & weight| 160x200x45mm / 1.5kg
Audio lines| 2x 4 wires + E&M, RTP over IP
LAN port| Ethernet 10/100/1000 (auto MDI/MDI X) on an RJ45 socket

IP multisite bandwidth

| 70 kb/s in analog to/from Master

24 kb/s in DMR to/from Master (both DMR timeslots)

Foreword

This manual is intended for use by experienced technicians familiar with RF and IP technology. It contains information required for the installation, setup and maintenance of a KAe-based radio infrastructure.

Local laws restrictions
The use of this product is subjected to local laws and in most cases requires a specific license. As example, it may be prohibited in some RF bands or part of them, or may be limited in the RF power. Please, verify the local law requirement before to use the equipment.

Document Copyrights
No distribution or duplication of this document or any portion of it shall take place without the express written permission of Radio Activity. No part of this manual may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form for any purpose without the express written permission of Radio Activity.

Disclaimer
The information in this document are carefully controlled, and updated and are believed to be entirely reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed for inaccuracies. Furthermore, Radio Activity reserves the right to make changes to any products herein to improve readability, function, or design. Radio Activity does not assume any liability arising out of the applications or use of any product or circuit described herein; nor does it cover any license under its patent rights nor the rights of others.

Modifications
CAUTION: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Radio Activity may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment legally, as well as any warranty provided.

Product Safety

RF Exposure Compliance
The device is intended for use in controlled/professional conditions in which users have full knowledge of the level of exposure and can reduce it to meet the requirements of national and international regulations.
This device is not authorized for use by general people and consumers.
FCC Guidelines described in the OET Bulletin 65, state limits for maximum permissible exposure (MPE) and specify the maximum power density for “General Population/Uncontrolled Exposure”.
This limit is:

• In USA, according to FCC rules, 2 W/m² for VHF band (30-300 MHz);
• In Canada, according to IC rules, 1.291 W/m² for VHF band (30-300 MHz); and f/1500 for UHF band (300-1500 MHz), that is 3 W/m² at 500MHz.

It implies a constraint in terms of the minimum distance which people must keep from transmitting antenna, in order to maintain the human exposure under the allowed limit.
With the assumption that a collinear omnidirectional antenna is used with a medium gain of 6dBi and that the transmitter is set at 50W power (47dBm), it is possible to calculate the minimum distance of people from the antenna by using the following equation for RF power decay in free space (far field):

where:

• S = maximum power density
• P = maximum transmitted RF power
• G = antenna gain
• R = distance from antenna.

This gives

• For VHF (150-174MHz) equipment, the minimum safety distance is r = 3,8 m.
• For UHF (407-470MHz) equipment, the minimum safety distance is r = 2,5 m for FCC and 3,3 m for ISED.
• For further information on human RF exposure, contact your local health department. For example, Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 provides a comprehensive set of guidelines.
• For mobile usage, this transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

Improper use

• The equipment is intended for use only in restricted access area. It is recommended to install the equipment in closed cabinets, to allow only authorized people to access to them, in order to avoid handling or improper use of the equipment and to avoid accidental contact with hot surfaces.
• This equipment is not suitable for use in rooms where children are likely to be present.

Power supply

• The equipment requires a 13.6Vdc/10A, negative grounded, power supply. It is recommended to insert a 20A fuse in the power supply cable near the power supply source (e.g.: a battery) to avoid dangerous damage due to lightening event or to accidental short circuits along power supply cables.
• The equipment is designed to be powered by a safe supply source which grants a double insulation of output voltage from dangerous voltages. The electric plant must contain a switch to cut off power supply lines, according to national law and directives.
• Use only certified power supply devices and connect a ground cable to the GND Ø4MA nut to avoid lightning and rescue problems. Remember that a bolt of lightning on the antenna system could pass the RF discharger arriving to the chassis of the equipment. A robust GND cable short the energy preserving the other equipment in the same site.

Antenna system/lightning

• Providing adequate lightning protection is critical to a safe reliable communications site. Although KAe embeds many protections, RF transmission cables, and AC and DC power lines must all be protected to prevent excessive lightning energy from entering the site.
• To reduce lighting problems, use a lightning rod on the top of the radiating tower; anchor strongly the metallic parts of the tower to the GND plane.
• Insert, in coaxial cables coming from the antennas, adequate RF dischargers before entering the shelter and connect them shortly to the extern GND plane.

Radio Description

• KAe is a very sophisticated digital transceiver, target for high-performance professional use.
• Its architecture provides the capability of supporting many features resulting in an extremely flexible two-way radio communications solution. Due to its flexibility, the complete parameters programming is not an easy task. To perform a perfect programming to match the desired application, it is required a very skilled and expert technician. Radio Activity strongly suggests requiring a complete programming of the equipment from Factory before the expedition.
• In the following, we suppose that the equipment are already programmed for the application. Only the setup of minor items will be described.

Frontal panel
The following picture shows the frontal panel of KAIROS.

The frontal panel hosts:

1. 10/100/1000 Ethernet connector for the remote control of the equipment and for data/audio packets communication;
2. USB port for optional additional devices for special purposes;
3. Micro USB for service aim only;
4. Knob with push button, in order to power on/off equipment and to select and confirm options on the display; pressing this button once for 150ms to 4 seconds the equipment is powered on. To switch off the equipment, press the button for at least 2 sec: the Radio Status led will start a RED fast blinking for 2 sec to advise the user that the equipment is starting the shutdown procedure, then the blinking becomes GREEN and slow to indicate that the equipment is ready to switch off. Now, releasing the button, the equipment switches off. Note that the last on/off condition will be saved also in case of power supply break therefore the equipment will automatically switch on after a black out.
5. Optional display for monitoring base parameters and selecting basic options.

The frontal panel also hosts dual color LEDs for monitoring the status of the equipment:

• LAN Activity led; the LINK/SPEED led indicates the Ethernet signal presence and the Ethernet speed (green = 10/100Mb/s, red=1000Mb/s), the ACT led indicates the LAN traffic.

• Supply led; when green it indicates that the equipment is correctly supplied. When the input voltage is outside the equipment limits (too low or too high), this led becomes red. When off it indicates that the equipment is switched off or an inverted polarity of power supply connection.

• Radio status led; the READY led becomes green when the LINUX O.S. and DSP are running correctly and the equipment is ready for operation. The led NETWORK is:
  oblinking slowly (1 sec) green when the equipment is correctly registered to its Master station
  oblinking red when a Master station is defined but the equipment isn’t correctly registered to it
  ooff when in standalone mode (e.g.: single repeater / mobile)

• TX status led; these led reports many run-time information about the status of the equipment. During the regular functioning, Radio Led carry the following information:

TX 1

| green => TX DMR Timeslot 1 is on air
red => internal VCO is unlocked
blinking green => self-test at start-up fails(1 flash / 1 sec)

TX 2

| green => TX DMR Timeslot 2 is on air
red => SWR alarm
blinking green => synchronized to the primary source (1 flash / 9 sec)
blinking red => not synchronized to the primary source (1 flash / 9 sec)
TX 1

and TX 2

| both green => analog TX is on air both orange => P25 TX is on air
ALL LED| orange for 1 sec every 9 sec => The TRX is not active (in a 1+1 assembly only)

These led report also the equipment status during the boot/startup phase and successive self-test; TX status LED off and Radio Status LED blinking green indicate the correct conclusion of this phase.

Rear panel
The following picture shows the rear panel of KAe.

The rear panel hosts the following connectors:

• RX diversity/main – female SMA-type connector. They are the input of the diversity/main channels of the receiver. they are ground referred to discharge eventual static voltage, 50 Ohm of RF impedance. Don’t apply continuous voltage to these inputs.
• TX – female SMA-type connector. It is the output of the transmitter. It is ground referred, 50 Ohm of RF impedance. Don’t activate the transmitter without a proper load (50 Ohm) at this connector.
• GPS Antenna – female SMA-type connector (optional). A 5Vcc @ max 100mA is superimposed into this connector to supply an external amplified GPS antenna. See the antenna details in the related paragraph.
• I/O interface – 25 pin D-SUB. This connector holds a 12Vdc power supply, the balanced audio interfaces, alarm I/O and some signals useful to interface KAe with external devices. For further information about the use of these I/O see the related paragraph.
• Expansion connector – 6 pins. This connector holds the signals for GPS interfacing and for 1+1 assembly realizations. For further information about the use of these I/O see the related paragraph.
• Power supply – 2 pins. A 13,6Vdc @10A max should be applied to this connector. The polarity is indicated on the panel.

Finally don’t forget to connect a ground cable to the GND Ø4MA nut to avoid lightning and rescue problems.

RX inputs specifications
KAe has got two RX inputs, one named “main” and the other named “diversity”. The contemporary use of both receivers gives excellent performances over fading events. For further information, see the “ENB33 – Soft diversity reception” document.
Both inputs have the following characteristics (typical):

• In duplex applications, an external duplexer filter is requested. Using standard European duplex spacing, this filter must attenuate at least 75dB between TX and RX to avoid noise and TX/RX instability during transitions. For lower duplex spacing or when an external power amplifier is used, increase the attenuation to ensure the maximum levels indicated in the KAe manual.

• When KAe operates in simplex/half duplex mode, it is needed to mount the internal TX/RX RF switch as indicated in the following figure. Note that this switch can’t be enabled/installed outside the Factory. This feature must be requested directly at order. In this case the TX connector assumes the role of Antenna connector and the RX main is internally switched to the antenna when the TX isn’t active. The RX diversity in such conditions can be used regularly as a diversity channel:

• The internal isolation between the Diversity channel and the TX is around 80dB. This allow special realization like a duplex/simplex station:

• This realization allows to operate like a normal duplex station on f1=f_rx and f2=f_tx, and also in simplex/direct mode at f2. The soft diversity feature, obviously, in this special application is lost. More details can be asked to Factory.

TX output specifications

• Direct and reflected output powers are measured by a directional coupler. The power control circuit acts in a closed loop and keeps constant the total power at the MOSFET drain. If reflected power or mosfet temperature exceeds the protection threshold, the regulation circuit will lower output power up to safe levels for the transmitter.
• Even though the TX implements many internal protections, it is recommended to connect a 50-ohm load to the TX port before transmitting.
• An impedance mismatch at this port may produce unwanted intermodulation products or instability. So it is recommended to verify accurately the branching system tuning before placing in service the equipment.
• Play attention: a port reversal between TX and RX or transmitting in a channel outside the branching tuning, may destroy the RX and damage the TX!

reducing the RF power
Maximum power dissipation| 75W
Modulation bandwidth| 0 .. 5000 Hz
Synthesis step| 50 Hz
Transmitting duty cycle| Continued 100%
ROS protection| Min.10’ in short circuit as well as in open circuit
Frequency stability| 0.1 p.p.m.
Max reverse input signal| -20dBm to avoid intermodulation products

+30dBm no damage

• Power amplifier works in C class and ensures a very high efficiency, lowering the needed power from supply system and lowering the thermal dissipation inside the cabinet. When used at full power and high duty cycle rate, the temperature of the equipment can increase some tens of °C over the ambient temperature. Inside KAe a thermal sensor is hosted and it is directly connected to the internal microcontroller which enables the command for air forced cooling fan of the cabinet if the temperature rises over 90°C. For heavy duty applications it is recommended to assure appropriate ventilation and to protect users to accidentally touch the equipment when hot.
• The current flowing into final amplifier transistor is continuously monitored by microcontroller to verify the correct functioning and to reveal an eventual efficiency degradation.
• KAe is equipped with a harmonic filter to lower spurious emissions under required levels by existing regulations.
• In some applications, for example in multi carriers assembly or in sites with many transmitters, it is recommended to use isolators/circulators to reduce possible intermodulation problems. Note that an isolator assures only a limited isolation bandwidth: it can’t isolate a VHF TX from a UHF one! In similar cases diplexers or cavity filters should be used.
• Unless the TX has got a built-in protection to a load mismatching, it is strongly recommended to achieve at the TX output connector a VSWR (referenced to 50 Ohm) between 1 to 1.3.

GPS antenna

KAe is equipped with an embedded receiver for GPS service, with high precision Pulse Per Second (PPS) output function in order to synchronize the station. Only an external active antenna is required.
The specifications of the external GPS antenna are:

Antenna gain

| From 20 to 45 dB, depending on cable length, to obtain a total gain between 12 dB and 26 dB (assumes a 3 dBic patch antenna).

A typical value of 25 dB is best in most cases.

Frequency band| GPS L1 1575.42 +/- 10 MHz;

Glonass G1 1589.0625 to 1605.375 MHz

Maximum Noise Figure| < 2.5 dB including pre-selector
DC Voltage| 5Vcc @ max 100mA superimposed into the SMA RF connector
Out of Band Rejection| -60 dB @ +/- 50 MHz off center frequency
Lightening Protection| 90 V, 20 kA, 8/20 -S
Suggested model| GPS-TMG-SP-40N from PCTEL Broadband Technology

• The PPS acquisition time is around 1 minute with good GPS signals (the frontal led “TX2” flashes red until the PPS is ready). Once the PPS is acquired (the frontal led “TX2” flashes orange), another minute is request to synchronize in time and frequency the equipment (than the frontal led “TX2” flashes green synchronously with the arriving PPS).
• KAe has the ability to automatic switch the synch source selecting the best available. The synch priority is settable using the synch mask of the setup tool.
• In multi equipment assembly like a multicarrier trunking application, it is possible to use only 1 GPS receiver shearing the PPS signals to the other equipment via the 6pin connector placed in the back of the equipment as shown in the following paragraphs.

In site GPS sharing
A special technique is implemented to allow also the use contemporary 2 or more GPS receivers for redundancy. The following figure explains how to share the PPS:

• In the example above, 4 KAe are assembled in the same cabinet. Two GPS antennas are used realizing a 1+1 redundancy in the synchronization source. The timing signal, sent out from both KAe equipped with the GPS receiver, is used from all the other ones.
• A special protocol on the 1-wire timing bus allows automatic 1+1 redundancy management.
• Since the timing bus (pin2-PPS and pin6-GND) carries a very high precision signal, this cable must be as short as possible and placed away from high power RF antennas. Strong RF signals applies near this cable may corrupts the synchronization integrity.
• Since the frontal led “TX2” flashes green synchronously with the PPS signal, this led should flash in the same instant on all the equipment connected together. This immediately gives a feedback about the right connection in the rack.
• This configuration requires the following setup in the equipment:
• KAe “A” and “D”:

KAe “B” and “C”:

GPS sharing in RF linked stations
The main synchronization source in a RF linked simulcast network should be the GPS. In case of GPS failure, the link transceiver is able to recover a time and frequency reference from the DMR signaling coming from the Master station. This reference isn’t as precise as the GPS one but it is enough accurate to assure simulcast operation with small degradations in the overlap area.
KAe has the ability to automatic switch the synch source selecting the best available. The GPS sharing configuration is identical of the previous figure “GPS/PPS sharing example” where:

• The Broadcast transceiver can be equipped of the GPS receiver in case it is needed a redundancy in the GPS signal (position “B” of the previous table).
• Since the frontal led “TX2” flashes green synchronously with the PPS signal, this led should flash in the same instant on all the equipments connected together. This immediately gives a feedback about the right connection in the rack.
• This configuration requires the following setup in the equipments:

KAe “A”:

KAe “B” and “C”:

KAe “D”:

Power supply

• The equipment requires a 13.6Vdc nominal power supply with negative to ground. KAe switches off when a polarity inversion or an out of range Vdc values are detected to its power supply input.
• An internal circuit protects the equipment during fast voltage transients (e.g.: in mobile application) and during accidental short circuit. It allows also a “soft start” limiting the in-rush current during the power-on phase.
• KAe implements also a non-restoring protection (internal fuse) to save the equipment from heavy transients due to lightening. This protection acts absorbing the excess energy incoming from the power supply cable. Note that, after a lightening event, this protection may short the power supply input. Therefore it is recommended to insert a 20A fuse in the power supply cable near the power supply source (e.g.: a battery) to avoid dangerous damage due to lightening event or to accidental short circuits along power supply cables.
• Internal power supply is not isolated. KAe must be supplied by an isolated power supply (from mains) with a minimum isolation equal to the one of an IEC 61558-2-6 compliant safety transformer or equivalent.
• The power supply input has the following characteristics:

overvoltage and undervoltage events
Short-circuit protection| Electronic protection with automatic restore
Power supply connector| 2 pole model Phoenix Contact

Power consumption @160MHz 13.6Vdc – typical values for both DMR timeslot used

| Power off : 1mA
GPS Receiver (without external antenna) : 30mA
LINUX & LAN + RX main + RX Diversity on : 450mA
LINUX & LAN + RX main + RX Diversity + TX @50W : 9A

• The DMR TIER 2 standard doesn’t require a continuous transmission from the repeater. Thus it’s easy to calculate the battery’s autonomy as the following example:
• Considering a simple KAe repeater operating at 50W for the 25% of time, the mean power requirement is:
• I_mean=925% + 0.4570% = 625 + 230 = 2.565mA
• In case of a main power supply failure, a small 65Ah battery pack gives more than 1 days of full operation.

I/O ports

• KAe provides some I/O ports fitted into the 25 pin D-SUB connector and the 6 pins connector placed in the back. Some of these I/O are specialized (e.g.: PTT_out or ALRM_out) but can be re-defined for special applications.
• I/O contacts are not isolated from ground, they are referred to ground and pre-polarized by +3.3V. Due to this configuration, for safety reason, they can be connected to very low voltage external circuits only.
• Here following it is descripted the standard applications of these auxiliary pins.

Digital I/O

• The I/O output pins (PWR_GOOD, M_1, M_2, PTT_OUT_conn, I/O_OUT_1, ALR_OUT, FAN, OUT_1+1_MNG_CONN) are open collector type able to switch up to 20mA/40Vdc. A 470 Ohm resistor limits the maximum current and a 47K resistor refers the output to the internal 3.3V.
• The I/O input pins (REMOTE_OFF, E_1, E_2, I/O_IN_2, I/O_IN_3, ALR_IN1, ALR_IN2, PPS_IN_CONN) are internally pull-upped to the 3.3V. A pair of diodes protect the input from voltage below zero. This input switch on closing it to GND.
• The function of such pins are:
• REMOTE_OFF : [IN] it is equivalent to push the on/off button in the front of the equipment. When KAe is in on condition, closing this pin to GND for at least 3 seconds produces a switch off condition. When in off condition, closing this pin to GND for at least 250 milliseconds produce a switch on. See the Power on/off button description for further details using this pin.
• PWR_GOOD : [OUT] it is closed to GND when the equipment is regularly switched on
• E_1, E_2 : [IN] closing them to GND advise the equipment that a valid audio signal is incoming from the Line (like a PTT signal)
• M_1, M_2 : [OUT] they are closed to GND when a valid audio signal is sent to the Line (like a SQUELCH advise)
• I/O_IN_2, I/O_IN_3 : [IN] general purpose inputs; they can be used in special applications that need to acquire external status like: opening cabinet detection, opening site door, main power supply presence (with external switch)
• I/O_OUT_1 : [OUT] general purpose output; it can be used in special applications that need to set an external device/relays
• ALR_IN1, ALR_IN2 : [IN] alarm input; closing them to GND produces an alarm advise to the Supervisor Centre. Each alarm can be configured via the setup tool; it is possible to define a DMR TXT message or a SNMP trap for the 0 to 1 transition and for the
• 1 to 0. Typical application is the open site/cabinet event.
• ALR_OUT : [OUT] it is open from GND when the equipment detects an alarm condition. Power off is an alarm condition.
• FAN : [OUT] it is closed to GND when the temperature of the internal RF power amplifier rises above the threshold (typ 65°C). It can be used to switch on cooling fans in a cabinet.
• PTT_OUT_conn : [OUT] it is closed to GND when the transmitter goes on air. It is possible to insert a pre-time to allow the right switching on time to an external RF power amplifier.
• PPS_IN_CONN : [IN/OUT] this pin supports an external PPS signal or can share the internal PPS (from GPS receiver or from the PTP or from other sourced synch). As described previously, a bus connection between different co-located KAe realizes a multiple GPS reception with automatic backup. This pin can also be configured to accept an external synchronous clock or an external pulse per second signal. Contact Factory for further details.
• IN/OUT_1+1_MNG_CONN : [IN/OUT] these pins support a simple protocol to allow two KAe to functioning as 1+1 (main and spare) equipment.
• V_ext_1 : [IN analog] not isolated inputs for voltage sensing (10KOhm / 0..24V referred to ground); the value of this voltage can be seen via the remote control tool.
• +12Vcc_TO_EXT : [OUT aux supply] this pin provides 13.2V, limited at 400mA, to supply a general purpose external device

Audio I/O
KAe provides two 4 wires + E&M balanced interface for external audio consoles. These audio ports carry analog, or DMR, or P25 communications.
The inputs are IN_1A/IN_1B for the Audio Line 1 and IN_2A/IN_2B for the Audio Line 2 (Z_in = 20KOhm differential / 10KOhm single-ended). The outputs are OUT_1A/ OUT_1B for the Audio Line 1 and OUT_2A/ OUT_2B for the Audio Line 2. These two outputs have different impedance:

• Audio Line 1 Z_out = 600 Ohm differential / 300 Ohm single-ended.
• Audio Line 2 Z_out = 150 Ohm differential / 75 Ohm single-ended.

These IN/OUT ports are balanced and ground referred (NOT FLOAT! don’t apply to these pins more than 20Vdc). For long-line use, it is recommended to insert an external 1:1 transformer in order to isolate the port from static voltage differences that can be arise between the line ends.
They can be used as balanced (suggested method) or as single-ended using only one of the IN/OUT pin. The nominal level of the audio signal in/out is -10dBm and can be regulated via setup tool between -20 and 0 dBm (-14 to -6dBm in single ended).
These Audio ports, in conjunction with the E_1, E_2, M_1, M_2 I/O signals described before, realize a double 4Wire+E&M interface.
In analog communications, the standard settings of these ports are:

• Audio Line 1 is the audio port for Console; it is a PM (phase modulated = the incoming audio is emphasized) audio port
• Audio Line 2 is the audio port for External modem (e.g.: paging interface); this port is a FM (frequency modulated = the incoming audio is “flat”) audio port

In digital communication, these ports have the following roles:

• Audio Line 1: this port is connected to the DMR timeslot 1.
• Audio Line 2: this port is connected to the DMR timeslot 2, or P25.

The audio line settings (levels, filters, …) are configurable with the setup tool.

Installation and maintenance

Improper use
It is recommended to install the equipment in closed cabinets, to allow only authorized people to access to them, in order to avoid handling or improper use of equipment and to avoid accidental contact with hot surfaces.

Thermal dissipation
The repeater may be installed in any location suitable for electronic communications equipment, provided that the environmental conditions do not exceed the equipment specifications for temperature and humidity. Humidity conditions should not exceed 95% relative humidity at 50 °C (122 °F).
The temperature, measured in close proximity to the equipment, should not exceed -30 °C (-22 °F) to +60 °C (+140 °F). Therefore, if the equipment is mounted in a cabinet, the temperature within the cabinet should be maintained within this range.
When planning the installation, observe the following ventilation guidelines:

• Outlet cabinet containing the equipment should be designed to ensure a good internal air flux for heating dissipation. A free slot of at least 1TU is recommended between two adjacent equipment.
• If several pieces of equipment are installed in a single cabinet, ensure adequate cooling/ventilation to each equipment. The cabinets should be equipped with ventilation slots or openings in the front (for air entry) and back or side panels (for air to exit). The cabinet must have a least 15 cm (6 inches) of open space between the air vents and any wall or other objects.
• In case RF transmitter is set for its maximum power, it is active with a duty-cycle near to 100% and ambient temperature could be above 40°C, a larger respect area must be considered around the rack and an air forced cooling system should be eventually designed (“FAN” contact of the equipment can be used to switch on and off an external cooling system). The transmitter is protected against over-temperature: if the RF mosfet temperature arises over 90°C, the microprocessor will automatically decrease the generated RF power in order to make the amplifier work in safety conditions. The nominal RF power will be restored as soon as the mosfet temperature decreases below 60°C.

Power supply system
Internal power supply voltage is nominally set to 13.6V dc from battery, with a negative pole connected to ground, and it is protected against polarity inversion, over-voltage, under-voltage, and short-circuits.
It is recommended to use power supply sources with low impedance output stage to make the hot swap controller of PSU properly work. For example, if the power supply line is very long a capacitor should be added in parallel in order to reduce the resulting output impedance.
The power supply input has a built-in RF filter that reduce the in-out noise. A ferrite bead should be inserted in the power supply cable for very low noise applications or for cable length that exceeds 3 meters.
Note: use cable with adequate section and don’t insert inductive devices because they could produce extra voltage that activate internal electronic protections giving on/off instability.
Power supply cable dimensions must be calculated for a maximum current absorption of 10A @13.6V DC, in order to avoid significant voltage drop, especially after fast transient. They must be protected by a fuse or a short circuit protection system which should be placed as near as possible to each power supply source (AC/DC and battery).
It is also recommended to connect a good ground reference to the rack, to its metal components and to KAe by using the screw on the rear side of the equipment.
Antenna
Antenna discharger are recommended to prevent damages due to eventual atmospheric discharges. These devices should be placed on antenna connection cable, just before equipment installation shelter, and they must be connected to an good ground reference.
Attention must be paid also to connect the eventual diversity receiver to the radiant system: the input of this receiver is directly connected to a SMA connector on the back side of the rack, without any filter. The corresponding antenna must be placed far enough from the transmitting antenna in order to avoid receiver desensitization and to get the correct isolation. To avoid any problem, it is recommended to insert a notch or a pass-band cavity to protect the receiver.
If an external branching is connected to the equipment, it must be designed to ensure minimum reflected power at the TX port (VSWR referenced to 50 Ohm less than 1.3) and the needed isolations between transmitter and receivers. See the branching paragraph in the engineering specification appendix.

Maximum permitted antenna gain for mobile usage

Please note that there is an ERP limit in both SRSP-500 specifications by IC and in FCC Part 90 I, equal to 30 Watts (that is 44.8dBm) ERP, for mobile equipment. As KAe can generate a maximum RF power of 50W (47dBm), for mobile usage of KAe transmitted power must be reduced to 30W.

Maximum permitted antenna gain for fixed usage

Please note that there is an ERP limit in both SRSP-500 specifications by IC and in FCC Part 90 I, equal to 125 Watts (that is 51dBm) ERP, for fixed equipment. As KAe can generate a maximum RF power of 47.3 dBm, the margin between maximum radiated ERP power and transmitted power is 3.7dB (corresponding to 5.85dBi). The consequence is that for fixed usage of KAe, the maximum permitted antenna gain (by IC and FCC) is 5.85dBi.
AF interface
These IN/OUT ports are balanced and ground referred (NOT FLOAT! don’t apply to these pins more than 20Vdc). For long line use, it is recommended to insert an external 1:1 transformer in order to isolate the port from static voltage differences that can be arise between the line ends.
Manual settings
No manual settings are required for KAe repeaters.
Self-test process
During the self-test process, internal parameters of the modulator and demodulators are tuned by generating a signal through the synthesizer of the transmitter, by automatically connecting its output to the input of the receiver and by analyzing the received signal. If a strong signal is received by the external antenna during the self-test, it is possible that the process ends with errors (a corresponding “warning” alarm will be displayed on both the frontal led and monitor of PC for remote control). In this case the DSP will load from flash memory the previously saved parameters without any problem for the transceiver.
PPS signal
For applications in simulcast networks where the source of synchronization is the PPS signal by GPS, if this signal is missing, the radio coverage of the areas that are reached by several repeaters with the same field strength is not ensured. Attention must be paid in choosing and placing the GPS antenna.
The GPS quality and the effective antenna efficiency can be checked by connecting to the equipment through the setup tool.
On-site checklist
Once the equipment is placed in the transmission site it is a good practice to measure some parameters to be sure that the site is ready and for future reference.
The main measures should be:

• Power supply voltage; it should be 13,6Vdc measured at the KAe input. The internal monitor, accessible via the setup tool, should indicate around 13,6V +/- 300mV in standby; this standby value should not decrease for more than -600mV in TX @10W and -800mV in TX @25W (values valid for VHF model). Be sure that, at the nominal RF power, the power supply be at least 12Vdc. Remember that noisy power supply may produce unwanted disturbances both in TX and in RX.
• TX power to the antenna; keeping in account the branching loss, it should be within +/-1 dB (+/-2W @10W) respect to the nominal power set.

Antenna and branching system; verify the reflected power at the TX output and at the branching output to the antenna. Unless the TX has got a built-in protection to a load mismatching, it is strongly recommended to achieve at the TX output connector a VSWR (referenced to 50 Ohm) between 1 to 1.3. In the presence of higher value of VSWR, the system performance will be degraded. In this case a variety of symptoms might appear, like:

1. The reflected power might change varying the length of cable between the transmitter and the branching system.
2. The transmitter might generate spurious radiations.
3. The transmitter might increase its floor noise; this can produce de-sensitivity on the receiver path.
4. The transmitter output power might become erratic, either too high or too low as measured on a wattmeter.

In case of a poor branching system, the use of a ferrite isolator at the output of the transmitter should solve the reflected power problem.

• RX sensitivity; since KAe is a digital transceiver, the sensitivity should be measured in digital. Anyway, considering that the digital demodulation is only a SW algorithm, it is enough to measure the sensitivity in analog. The sensitivity should be measured on both channels, Main and Diversity, with the branching filters. The S/N should be better than 20dB with a RF field of -113dBm @12.5KHz of channel spacing.
• RX de-sensitivity; this measure verifies the RF pollution that influences the antenna. Connect the RX input to the antenna inserting a directional coupler. The sensitivity measured with the antenna and substituting it with a dummy load should differ for few dB (typical value: 2-6 dB @160MHz, 1-3dB @450MHz). If the measured value is not satisfactory, you can try to insert a bandpass cavity filter.
• RX de-sensitivity when the TX is on; this measure verify the correct isolation of the TX/RX filter system. Connect the antenna input to a duplex test set analyzer. The sensitivity with the TX on respect when off, should differ for less than 3 dB (this value may vary with the TX/RX band separation). If the measured value is not satisfactory, the TX/RX isolation of the branching filter should be increased; the problem may be also in the noise of the power supply when the equipment is in TX.
• Verify the IP network functionality (if the equipment is a part of a network); if the Master station is present, a KAe slave should register itself to the master within 1 minute. The led “NETWORK” in the frontal panel should blink green. Verify all the signal path: a signal received locally must arrive to the Master (see its voter mask), must be selected in the master and must be transmitted locally. Be sure that the signal re-transmitted is effectively the signal coming from the Master and not a local copy.
• At the end remember to save on your PC all configuration parameters of the base station; these parameters can be very useful to clone a substituting unit in case of fail.

IP discover
When KAe is placed in field or comes back from a site, its IP address could be unknown. A simple way to discover the IP is to connect to KAe through its standard alias IP address, which is 172.33.15.140.
Writing that IP address on web browser, it is possible to read the programmed IP address. Please, make sure that only one device can be reached, when using the alias IP.
Preventive Maintenance
KAe does not require a scheduled preventive maintenance program; however, periodic visual inspection and cleaning is recommended. Check that the external surfaces of the radio are clean, and that all external controls and switches are functional. It is not recommended to inspect the interior electronic circuitry.

Parameters configuration and Remote Control

The working parameters of the station are completely programmable through a web browser and a PC connection. The visible (and programmable) parameters set is very wide and extends from radio channel setting to tuning voltage measure of each local oscillator. No specific SW is needed for connection.
Remote diagnostic of radio stations from PC can be performed through the Ethernet interface of the station. Each operation can be remotely performed, exactly the same as in local connection, including FW down-loading, configuration Down-loading and up-loading, station check, and parameter changing.
If defined “self-alarming” events happen, device is able to generate spontaneous alarms to transmit by SNMP traps, digital radio messages, status messages to remote control PC.
For further details about remote control software, refer to proper documentation (KAe operational manuals).
Gateway for digital console
KAe embeds a RTP interface for connecting to PC-based digital dispatching systems and an extended SIP agent for managing connection to advanced digital consoles, VoIP systems and telephone devices, which work with standard protocols like SIP, AIS for DMR, DFSI for P25, and so on.
KAe acts as a Gateway for interfacing both analog and digital radio communications with several external networks (vocoder functionality is embedded for transcoding digital voice to analog and vice-versa). It allows radio users to easily communicate and interoperate with:

• External telephone applications like VoIP systems (SIP IPBX, SIP Handphones, Softphones, Open Source SIP platforms).
• Dispatching systems and control room applications like analog 4-wire + E&M consoles, RTP-based consoles, SIP (and other similar protocols derived from SIP) based dispatching systems for control room applications, to connect a Base Station (or a radio network) to a local operator desk.
• Other users under different radio networks/repeater (Wide Area Mobility).

The digital Gateway Agent translates Voice (full duplex audio streams from/to digital coded audio to G.711 -law or a-law) and Data streams, along with the associated signaling (for example SIP Requests DMR or DTMF DMR) to provide the interconnection between these communication systems.
This audio can be easily managed using a standard audio program and application on a PC. Radio Activity will provide the protocol descriptions to allow his partners to develop their own applications.
See the SIP/RTP Gateway document for more details.

Engineering specifications

KAe main specifications

350-410; 400-470; 450-520; 806-941 MHz

Multiprotocol digital/analog| Yes (as option)
DMR TIER 3| Yes (as option)
P25 Phase 1 conventional| Yes (as an option)
Operation| duplex/half duplex/simplex
Vehicular/mobile repeater| Yes
Built-in audio lines| 2
User I/O| 4 not insulated
Internal GPS Receiver| yes
SIP/RTP Gateway| Internal
1+1 (Main/Spare) operation| Yes (as an option)
USB Port| Yes

Radiofrequency
Transmitter

reducing the RF power
Available modulation| FM, PM, GFSK, 4FSK, 2DFSK
Modulation bandwidth| 0 .. 5000 Hz
Synthesis step| 50 Hz
Transmitting duty cycle| Continued 100%
ROS protection| Min.10’ in short circuit as well as in open circuit
Adjacent channel noise| -75 dBc @25kHz / -65 dBc @12.5kHz
FM distortion| < 1.5 %
Noise| -56 dBp @25kHz / -47 dBp @12.5kHz
Frequency stability| 0.1 p.p.m.
Max reverse input signal| -20dBm to avoid intermodulation products

+30dBm no damage

Emission Designator (ITU)| 4FSK Digital Modulation (DMR)

12.5 kHz Data Only: 7K60FXD

12.5 kHz Data and Voice: 7K60FXE C4FM Digital Modulation (P25)

12.5 kHz Data Only: 8K10F1D

12.5 kHz Data and Voice: 8K10F1E FM Modulation

12.5 kHz: 11K0F3E (voice); 11K0G3E (data) 25 kHz: 16K0F3E (voice); 16K0G3E (data)

20 kHz: 14K0F3E (voice); 14K0G3E (data)

Receiver

Maximum sensitivity

| -116 dBm @20 dBp SINAD

-118dBm @5% BER without diversity

-121dBm @5% BER with diversity

---|---
Operating maximum input| -10 dBm
Maximum input without permanent damages| +10 dBm
Reception mode| Vector I & Q
Received signal band| 0..5000 Hz
Synthesis step| 50 Hz
Co-channel protection| 8 dB @25 KHz / 12 dB @12.5kHz
Adjacent channel selectivity| 73 dB @25 kHz / 63 dB @12.5 kHz
Blocking protection| 80 dB
Intermodulation protection| 75 dB
Intercept 3° order IP3in| +15 dBm
---|---
Distortion| <2 % @1kHz
Noise| -53 dBp @25 kHz / -47 dBp @12.5 kHz
Frequency stability| 0.1 p.p.m.

IP interfacing
LAN protocols

Protocols for voice packets

| Proprietary among base stations:

UDP/IP (ipv4), selectable from multicast/unicast/broadcast (from master to Slave), with DSCP set to “ EF ” ( Telephony service class), according to RFC 4594

Between gateway and dispatching applications :

RTP (Real Time Protocol) according to RFC 3550

---|---

Protocols for BS “internal” network control

| UDP/IP (ipv4), unicast and multicast, with DSCP set to “ CS6 ” ( Network Control service class), according to RFC 4594

Protocols for remote control, setup and surveillance

| UDP/IP and TCP/IP (ipv4) unicast and broadcast with DSCP set to “ AF13 ” ( High-Throughput Data service class), according to RFC 4594
PTP Precision Time Protocol over IP| Selectable as compliant with IEEE 1588 standard or unicast

proprietary.

Audio format

| Analog: 64 kb/s – 8 bit x 8 KHz selectable linear or mu-law coded

DMR: AMBE II+TM (Advanced Multi-Band Excitation) P25: IMBE (AMBE full rate)

RTP 64 kb/s – 8 bit x 8 kHz selectable A or mu-law coded

Messaging for PC/SIP application

| variable length RTP for text messaging according to RFC 4103

Ports and connectors

LAN requirements

Jitter (deviation of averaged packet time delay)

| The Base Station is able to compensate for Jitter delay up to 200 ms. The total delay averaged + jitter must not exceed 500ms (each way)
---|---

Maximum delay

| The Base Station is able to compensate for round trip delay less than 1080ms (jitters included)
Packet loss| < 0.1 %

Minimum bandwidth (network signaling and remote control polling inclusive)

| SLAVE:

70 kb/s in analog to/from Master

24 kb/s in DMR to/from Master (both timeslots)

MASTER to serve N SLAVES or RA-TI-XX (both timeslots):

Using multicast ( preferred method ) or broadcast:

70 kb/s in analog to Slaves, 70 kb/s x N from Slaves 24 kb/s in DMR to Slaves, 24 kb/s x N from Slaves

Using unicast:

70 kb/s x N in analog to Slaves, 70 kb/s x N from Slaves 24 kb/s x N in DMR to Slaves, 24 kb/s x N from Slaves

Codec VoIP

SNMP protocol

GPS/GLONASS antenna
GPS/GLONASS antenna requirements

Antenna gain

| From 20 to 45 dB, depending on cable length, to obtain a total gain between 12 dB and 26 dB (assuming a 3 dBic patch antenna).

A typical value of 25 dB is best in most cases.

Frequency band| GPS L1 1575.42 +/- 10 MHz
Maximum Noise Figure| < 2.5 dB including pre-selector
DC Voltage| 5Vcc @ max 100mA superimposed into the SMA RF

connector

Out of Band Rejection| -60 dB @ +/- 50 MHz off center frequency
Lightening Protection| 90 V, 20 kA, 8/20 -S

Note: It is necessary only 1 antenna per site independent of the number of base stations. The PPS signal received from one base station can be shared to the other ones in the same cabinet via the 6-pin bus on the back of KAe.

Frequency bands

please, ask to Factory the availability

Branching requirements

TX to antenna duplex isolation requirements @10W TX RF power

Band| +/ -40MHz| +/ -9MHz| +/-4.5MHz| +/-3MHz| +/-1.5MHz| +/-0.8MHz
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
UHF – HH| 75dB|  |  |  |  |
UHF – H/L| 75dB| 76dB|  |  |  |
VHF – H| 75dB| 75dB| 76dB| 78dB| 81dB| 85dB
VHF – L| 75dB| 75dB| 75dB| 75dB| 78dB| 81dB

Suggested RX max input limits on unwanted signals

Band| +/ -1MHz| +/ -500kHz| +/-100kHz| +/-50kHz| +/-25kHz| +/-12.5kHz
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
UHF – HH| -32dBm| -43dBm| -45dBm| -47dBm| -49dBm| -58dBm
UHF – H/L| -32dBm| -41dBm| -43dBm| -44dBm| -48dBm| -56dBm
VHF – H| -32dBm| -40dBm| -42dBm| -43dBm| -47dBm| -54dBm
VHF – L| -32dBm| -36dBm| -38dBm| -40dBm| -43dBm| -50dBm

Other specifications
Environmental Parameters

Relative Humidity

(operating and storage)

| Max 80% not condensed

Power supply

Power supply protections

| Electronic protection with automatic restore for overvoltage and undervoltage events
Short-circuit protection| Electronic protection with automatic restore
Power supply connector| 2 pole model Phoenix Contact

Ground connections

| A Ø4MA nut on the rear side of the base station

The central contact on the power supply connector

Power consumption

| TX: 120 W @50W RF

RX: 5 W (with both RX main and diversity enabled)

Mechanical characteristics

Audio balanced interfaces

Line2 => 150 Ohm differential / 75 Ohm single-ended

Side tone reflection| < – 20 dB
Output nominal level| -30 .. 0 dBm
Input nominal level| -30 .. 0 dBm
Level adjust| software by 0.1dB step

REGULATIONS COMPLIANCE

KAe is compliant with the existing regulations, in particular:

• EN 300 086-2: Technical characteristics and test conditions for radio equipment for analogue speech.
• EN 300 113-2: Technical characteristics and test conditions for non speech radio equipment for the transmission of data.
• EN 62368-1: Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment – Safety requirements
• EN 301489-1/5: Electromagnetic compatibility
• FCC: Part 90; subpart I
• P25 CAP
• ISED: RSS119
• ETSI TS 102361 (part 1;2;3): Electromagnetic compatibility and Radio spectrum Matters (ERM); Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Systems. The equipment is able to manage OSI stack layers 1–2–3 of the DMR protocol, offering an active interaction with mobile terminals.
• European Directive 2014/53/EU (RED)

The product is conformed to the Directive 2002/95/CE – RoHS (“ro-has”). It doesn’t contain concentrations exceeding the permitted limits for the following substances:

• Lead (Pb)
• Mercury (Hg)
• Cadmium (Cd)
• Hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI))
• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

The use of this equipment may be subject to the specific authorization by the national authority responsible for spectrum management, and it should operate under the local government laws.
Errore. Il segnalibro non è definito.
Please refer to the document “Declaration of conformity KA-xxx.doc” (where “xxx” is the specific model, which is referred to) for signed certification of compliance of the KAe to normative.

Notice for EC users
KAIROS products have been certified according to the essential requirements stated by Directive 2014/53/EU. It satisfies the following standards:

• EN 62368-1:2014 and EN 50385:2002
• EN 301489-1 V2.1.1 and EN 301489-5 V2.2.0
• EN 300113 V2.2.1 and EN 300086 V2.1.2

Please make sure to have the needed permissions by local Authorities to work on the desired frequencies: some frequency ranges of the full usable band may be not permitted in some Countries for any application.

The following table shows the list of EU Countries where the equipment is intended to be used:

FCC STATEMENT

Notice for US users
The equipment is compliant with the FCC Part 90 and 22 Radio standards and with the CFR 47 Part 15 Subpart B EMC standard.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Radio Activity may void the FCC authorization to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, under part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used by the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Notice for Canadian users
This radio transmitter has been approved by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to operate with the antenna types reported in the section 2.1 RF Exposure Compliance, with the maximum permissible gain indicated. Antenna types not included in this list that have a gain greater than the maximum gain indicated for any type listed are strictly prohibited for use with this device.

This device complies with Health Canada’s Safety Code 6. The installer of this device should ensure that RF radiation is not emitted more than Health Canada’s requirement.
Cet appareil est conforme avec Santé Canada Code de sécurité 6. Le programme d’installation de cet appareil doit s’assurer que les rayonnements RF n’est pas émis au-delà de I’exigence de Santé Canada.
ICES-003 Class B Notice – Avis NMB-003 Classe B:
This Class B digital device complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numerique classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
CAN ICES-3(B) / NMB-3(B)
Responsible party’s contact located in Canada:

• Contact name: Mr. Darcy Mazerolle
• Company Name: JVCKENWOOD Canada Inc.
• Company Number: 282A
• Address: 6070 Kestrel Rd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5T 1S8
• Tel No.: 0019056707211
• Fax No.: 0019056707248
• Email: DMazerolle@ca.jvckenwood.com

CONTACT

• Via privata Cascia, 11 – 20128 Milano- Italy – email: comm@radioactivity-tlc.it – www.radioactivity-tlc.com
• Tel. +39.02.36514205 – FAX/Voicebox +39.1782.242408 – CCIAA Milano N° 1728248 – VAT Id. 04135130963

References

• tlc.it

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