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Marlink X7 modem tool v2.2 user manual

Marlink X7 Modem Tool v2.2 user manual of 18

Revision History Date: Changes: Changed by:

24.07.2013 Official release of version 2.0 JME

21.08.2013 Renaming to Marlink X5 Modem Tool, small changes to manual JME

25.01.2016 New manual for Marlink X7 modem tool RR


Table of Contents Revision History ....................................................................................................................................... 2 1 About ................................................................................................................................................. 4

1.1 Features ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Requirements .......................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Font size .................................................................................................................................. 5

2 Program overview ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Main tab ................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Modem tab ............................................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Beam switching tab ............................................................................................................... 12 2.4 Options file tab ....................................................................................................................... 13 2.5 Advanced tab ......................................................................................................................... 14 2.6 WebiSite ................................................................................................................................ 16

3 System status overview .................................................................................................................. 17 4 NEED SUPPORT? .......................................................................................................................... 18


1 About The Marlink X7 Modem Tool v2.2 is a small Java

based program interfacing the iDirect Evolution X7

modem. This version is also working with iDirect

Evolution X5 modem, but is optimized for X7. The

modem is normally controlled via a command line

interface(CLI). The program is a graphical user

interface (GUI) making the modem easier to

control and troubleshoot. The program may feel

slow as it runs several CLI commands in the

background at once. Please have some patience

while using it. If you have any feedback about the

program please send an email to:

[email protected]

1.1 Features • View current modem and system status

o Read current system status in clear text and what to do in case of problems

• Possibility for manual override of the modem

• Manual beam switching

• Options file

o Upload new

o Download current

o View current

o Option file check

• Advanced debugging

o Modem

o Maplet (beam quality map)

1.2 Requirements The Marlink X7 Modem Tool v2.2 is Java based. To run it you will need the Java runtime files on your

computer. This can be downloaded from Java.com or found on the USB stick provided by Marlink. We

recommend using at least Java version 7 update 11.

mailto:[email protected]


1.3 Font size The font size in the program is the same as use by the operating system. In Windows it is possible to

increase the font via the control panel:

Control Panel Fonts Change Font Size Then choose between 100%, 125% or 150%

The above description is for Windows 7 but should be somewhat similar in other Windows versions.


2 Program overview

2.1 Main tab

Type IP address of the X7 modem in the upper left white text box of the window. Click Update to

update the IP address of the modem if needed. Updating the IP address will need the program to

restart.


Active beam: Beam ID and beam name of the active beam

Satellite position: Longitude of the active satellite over the equator

GPS position: GPS position fetched from the X7 modem, this should be equal to the

vessels actual GPS position. If not the modem may get stuck with

only the RX light or the RX and TX light, and not come online.

Checklist Internet: Ping from X7 to internet. Ping is not prioritized traffic over the satellite

link. Thus this might turn red even though the link is up if link

utilization is high.

Satellite link up: Satellite link to teleport established (same as green X7 NET LED)

Transmit on: The X7 is transmitting (same as green X7 TX and NET LED)

Received locked: The X7 is locked on satellite and receiving data (same as green X7

RX LED)

Fan status: Show the status of operation on fans installed in the X7

System status: This box tell the status of the modem in clear text. Check chapter 3 in

this manual for an overview of the different status messages.

Modem status CPU Utilization: Show X7 CPU utilization

Temperature: Show X7 mainboard temperature

Uptime: Show time since last hard reset of X7


2.2 Modem tab

Receive (Rx) Rx SNR: Received Signal-to-Noise-Ratio. The bar will change color depending

of signal quality.

Rx Power: Composite receive level coming in on the “RX in” connector on the

X7.

Rx L-band Frequency: Internal receive frequency the modem is tuned in to.

LNB LO Frequency: Current LO frequency used by the LNB.

Rx RF Frequency: Over the air receive frequency from the satellite.

Rx Symbol Rate: Symbol rate of the receive carrier.


Manual Rx button: This should only be used if

instructed by the Maritime

Network Operation Center.

This is used as a manual

override in situation where

the options file is outdated

or corrupted.

Enter Rx frequency and Rx symbol rate as instructed by the

MNOC, then click ok. The MNOC will then push a new configuration

to the modem once you get a green RX LED.

Transmit (Tx) VSAT init tx (map): This is the initial Tx power used when/if the remote have received a map from

the hub. The initial tx power is set in the option file and is only used when

acquiring into a network.

Calc Initial Tx: This is the calculated initial Tx power from where in the map the remote is

located. This value should not differ more than +- 3dB from VSAT init tx

and/or TDMA init tx. (This value is only used by MNOC to set the correct

VSAT init tx and TDMA init tx)

TDMA init tx (no map): This is the initial Tx power used if the remote have not received a map from

the hub. The initial tx power is set in the option file and is only used when

acquiring into a network.

Max Tx Power: This is the maximum Tx power the system is allowed to transmit. This is set

during commissioning. This is to prevent the TX power to be saturated and

cause interference one the satellite.

Tx State: Show if TX is ON or OFF

Tx Mute: Will be False (not muted) or True (muted). If muted (True) it could be because

of the following reasons:

• Antenna is in a blocking or no Tx zone

• There is an active alarm/error on the antenna due to mechanical

problems

• There is a problem with the GPS receiver of the antenna

Tx ID: This is the nominal carrier ID chosen from the TX inroute list. If no ID have

been chosen there might be a power level issue.


Show Tx power button: Here you will get a list of all the different transmit Inroute assigned to the

remote. This is useful to verify which of the inroutes that are valid and which

power level each Inroute are using.

• Inroute ID: – Each inroute have a number assigned

• Frequency: Tx frequency on this inroute

• Init Power: Initial power required to enter network on this inroute

• UCP Power: Controlled tx power received from hub on this inroute

• Actual Power: Tx power transmitted from the remote on this inroute

• Validity: Is valid if actual power is within min and max power

Nominal Tx: Here you see the actual Tx power level transmitted on the nominal inroute.

The nominal carrier is chosen to be the carrier ID that are transmitting the

highest power.


Errors Total errors: Total number of CRC8 and CRC32 errors since counter were restarted.

There will always be some errors. However, if errors are increasing rapidly,

there might be a link issue.

Show Status: View a complete list of all errors and dropped packets received through the

satellite link. It is also showing a list of how many packets, CRC errors and

bytes that have been received on the different MODCO. It is normal to have

more CRC errors on higher MODCO.

Reset errors: Reset all counters of errors.


2.3 Beam switching tab

Active beam: This show the current active beam, including the beam ID

number.

Lock to current beam button: The button disables the automatic beam switching (ABS) of

the modem. Meaning the modem won’t change beam by itself

if this button is pressed. The beam lock will be active until the

modem is manually rebooted.

Beam list: Show the list of beams available in the options file. Please

refer to a coverage map to see the beam footprints.

Switch beam button: Click this button to switch to the beam selected on the beam

list. This will reboot the satellite modem and retarget the

antenna to the new beam/satellite. This normally takes 30

seconds.


2.4 Options file tab

Upload new options file to satellite modem Upload option file: This can be used to upload a options file to the modem instead of iSite. You

shouldn’t need to do this unless instructed by the MNOC. Click the folder

button to find the .opt file and then click Upload to modem.

Download current options file from satellite modem

Download option file: Click this button to save the current options file to your PC. You can do this if

you like to have a backup of it. View options file: Click this button to view the current options file in a pop-up window.


Active options file check

First part will check if the software versions of the satellite modem match the software version the

options file was created for.

Second part will check if hardware serial number of the modem matches the serial number the option

file was created for. Please contact the MNOC if there is a red cross on any of these checks.

2.5 Advanced tab This page is not needed under normal circumstances.

Antenna debug: Checks the communication between the ACU and modem. This check takes

about 30 seconds. All status light should turn green like in the screenshot

above and you should see a correct GPS position if all is ok.


Status reports

The MNOC may ask you for these status reports. If so press the button of the report you been asked

for, wait until it shows on a popup window, right-click within the window, select Copy to clipboard,

then paste in to an email and send to [email protected].

Modem report: Show the output from the following telnet commands; beamselector

list, remotestate, rx snr, rx power, txstate, latlong

Maplet report: Show the output from the following telnet/Linux commands; cat

beam_state.opt, map show, beam debug 7

Delete maplet: Deletes the mapfile on the modem

Download new maplet: Download a new mapfile from the hub. This normally happens

automatically at least every time the vessels moves 500 km. If the

vessel does not move more than this normally, then downloading a

new maplet may help in some situations.

Hard reset: Performs full modem hardware reset, takes about 90 seconds.

Soft reset: Performs reset of the modem software on the modem, takes about 30

seconds.

mailto:[email protected]


2.6 WebiSite The X7 modem have a webinterface called webiSite. In the webinterface, you can upload new

software, run CW, view modem parameters/statistics, etc. You can easily access this by go to File ->

WebiSite

You may be directed to this screen. Please press “Continue to this website (not recommended)”

User: admin

Password: P@55w0rd!


3 System status overview Here is an overview of the different messages shown in the System status box on the programs Main

tab.

State 0: Not contact with modem. Check your

network connection and modem power LED.

State 1a: Rx unlocked, in acquisition. Please wait, the

antenna is not pointing to the satellite.

State 1b: Rx unlocked, in acquisition. The antenna is not

pointing to the satellite. Please try to power cycle the

antenna or contact Marlink support if this continues.

State 2a: Rx locked, in acquisition. Please wait.

State 2b: Rx locked, in acquisition. Please wait. There may be

Rx problems if this continues, if so please contact

Marlink support.

State 3a: Rx locked, waiting for acquisition from hub.

Please wait.

State 3a2: Rx locked, waiting for acquisition from hub. Please

contact the Marlink support if this continues.

State 3b: Rx locked, no GPS position available, Tx

muted. Checking ACU connection. Please

wait.

State 3b1: Rx locked, no GPS position available, Tx muted. ACU

ping ok. Check antenna debug on advanced tab,

reset ACU or contact Marlink support.

State 3b2: Rx locked, no GPS position available, Tx muted. No

contact with ACU. Reset ACU or check network

connection.

State 3c: Rx locked, Tx muted. Check antenna on the

advanced tab or antenna control unit.

State 4a: Rx locked, Tx on, trying to get in to network.

Please wait.

State 4b: Rx locked, Tx on, trying to get in to network. May be

Tx problem if this continues. Please contact Marlink

support.

State 5a: In network. Contact with hub established.

Contact Marlink support if you still

experience problems.


4 NEED SUPPORT? If you have any questions, please contact the support.

Maritime NOC 24/7 support Email: [email protected] Worldwide: +47 23 67 00 00 Americas: +1 (203) 346-0461 +1 855 677 8728 (toll free)

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