PwrPak7

Installation and Operation

User Manual

OM-20000173 v1 September 2017

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

Publication Number: OM-20000173
Revision Level: v1
Revision Date: September 2017
Firmware Version: PP7 01.00 / EP7PR0100RN0000
To download the latest firmware and/or software visit: [Link]/support/firmware-
downloads.

Warranty
NovAtel Inc. warrants that its GNSS products are free from defects in materials and work-
manship, subject to the conditions set forth on our web site: [Link]-
[Link]/products/warranty/ and for the following time periods:

OEM7® Receivers One (1) Year

GNSS Antenna Series One (1) Year
Cables and Accessories Ninety (90) Days
Software Warranty One (1) Year

Return Instructions
To return products, refer to the instructions found at: [Link]/warranty-return.

Proprietary Notice
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a com-
mitment on the part of NovAtel Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under
a licence agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in
accordance with the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any
medium except as specifically allowed in the license or non-disclosure agreement.
The information contained within this manual is believed to be true and correct at the time of
publication.
OEM7, SPAN, ALIGN, GLIDE, STEADYLINE, VEXXIS and NovAtel are registered trademarks of
NovAtel Inc.
OEM719, OEM729, OEM7700, OEM7720, PwrPak7, NovAtel CORRECT, RTK ASSIST and NovAtel
Connect are trademarks of NovAtel Inc.
All other brand names are trademarks of their respective holders.

© Copyright 2017 NovAtel Inc. All rights reserved.

Unpublished rights reserved under International copyright laws.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 2

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

Table of Contents

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual 2
Warranty 2
Return Instructions 2
Proprietary Notice 2

Figures
Tables
PwrPak7 Notices
FCC 9
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada 9
Wi-Fi 10
European Union (EU) 10
PwrPak7 Wi-Fi 10
Radio Information 10
Ethernet Port 10
WEEE Notice 10
RoHS 11
REACH 11
Lightning Protection Installation and Grounding Procedure 12
What is the hazard? 12
Hazard Impact 12
Actions to Mitigate Lightning Hazards 12
Conventions 14

Customer Support
NovAtel Knowledge Base 15
Before Contacting Customer Support 15
Contact Information 15

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

1.1 PwrPak7 Connectors 18
1.2 PwrPak7 LEDs 19
1.3 Related Documents and Information 22

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

2.1 Shipping Box 23
2.2 Additional Equipment Required 23
2.3 Optional Accessories 23
2.4 PwrPak7 Cables 24
2.5 Selecting a GNSS Antenna 24
2.6 Choosing a Coaxial Cable 25
2.7 Power Supply Requirements for the PwrPak7 25
2.8 PwrPak7 Installation Overview 26
2.9 Mounting the GNSS Antenna 28
2.9.1 Antenna LNA Power 28
2.10 Mount the PwrPak7 28

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 3

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

2.11 Mount the PwrPak7-E1 29

2.12 Connect the PwrPak7 to Data Communication Equipment 30
2.12.1 Serial Ports 30
2.12.2 USB Ports 31
2.12.3 Wi-Fi 31
2.12.4 Ethernet Port 32
2.12.5 CAN Bus Port 32
2.13 Connect I/O Signals to the PwrPak7 32
2.14 Connect Power to the PwrPak7 32
2.14.1 Fuse for the Power Supply 33
2.14.2 Vehicle Installation 34
2.14.3 Seamless Battery Swap 34
2.15 Check that the PwrPak7 is Operating 35

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.1 Communications with the Receiver 37
3.1.1 Wi-Fi Communications 38
3.1.2 USB Communications 38
3.1.3 Serial Port Communications 39
Change the COM Port Settings 40
Configure a COM Port to Use RS-232 or RS-422 40
3.1.4 Ethernet Communications 40
3.1.5 CAN Bus Communications 41
3.1.6 ICOM Communications 41
3.2 Getting Started 42
3.2.1 Communicating with the Receiver 42
3.3 Transmitting and Receiving Corrections 43
3.3.1 Defining Antenna and Base Antenna 45
3.3.2 Base Station Configuration 45
3.3.3 Rover Station Configuration 46
3.3.4 Configuration Notes 46
3.4 ALIGN Heading Master and Remote Configurations 47
3.4.1 Automatic Set Up for Direct-Wire Connection between Master and Rover via
COM2 47
3.4.2 Manual Set Up via COM2 47
3.5 GLIDE 48
3.5.1 Dual-Frequency GLIDE 48
3.5.2 PDP and GLIDE Configurations 48
3.6 STEADYLINE 49
3.6.1 Maintain 49
3.6.2 Transition 50
3.6.3 Prefer Accuracy 50
3.6.4 UAL 51
3.7 Enabling SBAS Positioning 52
3.8 Enabling NovAtel CORRECT with PPP 52
3.8.1 TerraStar Subscriptions 53
3.8.2 Veripos Subscriptions 54
3.9 RTK ASSIST 54
3.10 Transferring Time Between Receivers 55
3.10.1 GPS to Receiver Time Synchronization 55
3.10.2 Time Definitions 55
3.10.3 Procedures to Transfer Time 56
3.11 Interference Toolkit 60
3.11.1 Monitoring GNSS Signals 60

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 4

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

3.11.2 Monitoring Signals Using a Command Line 61

3.11.3 Monitoring Signals Using NovAtel Connect 61
3.11.4 Configure Filters 63
3.11.5 Remove Interference Signals 63
3.12 Logging and Retrieving Data Overview 66
3.12.1 Pass-Through Logging 66
3.12.2 Saving Logs to a File 66
3.12.3 Logging to Internal Memory 67
3.12.4 Logging Using the Log Button 68
3.12.5 Transferring Files from Internal Memory to a USB Stick 69
3.12.6 Access Internal Memory with a Computer 71
3.13 Additional Features and Information 72
3.13.1 Strobes 73

Chapter 4 Built-In Status Tests

4.1 Receiver Status Word 74
4.2 RXSTATUSEVENT Log 75
4.3 RXSTATUS Log 75
4.3.1 Status Word 75
4.3.2 Error Word 75
4.3.3 Status Code Arrays 76
4.3.4 Receiver Status Code 77
4.3.5 Auxiliary Status Codes 77
4.3.6 Set and Clear Mask for all Status Code Arrays 77

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

5.1 Required Hardware 78
5.2 Static IP Address Configuration 78
5.2.1 Static IP Address Configuration—Receiver 79
5.2.2 Static IP Address Configuration—Windows 7 80
5.2.3 Confirming Ethernet Setup 81
5.3 Dynamic IP Address Configuration 81
5.4 Base/Rover Configuration through Ethernet Connectivity 82
5.5 Large COM Port Data Throughput 84
5.6 NTRIP Configuration 84

Chapter 6 Wi-Fi Configuration

6.1 Enable the Wi-Fi Access Point 87
6.2 Disable Wi-Fi 87
6.3 Change the Wi-Fi PassKey 88
6.4 Change the Wi-Fi Channel 88
6.5 Change the Wi-Fi IP Address 88

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

7.1 Default Configuration 91
7.2 Configuring the CAN Bus 91
7.2.1 Configuration Notes 91
7.2.2 Example of Enabling the CAN Bus 92
7.2.3 Example of Modifying the CAN Bus Parameters 92
7.2.4 Example of Detecting an Address Claim Failure and Reconfiguring 92
7.2.5 Address Claim Procedure 93
7.3 NMEA2000 Logging 93
7.3.1 Example of NMEA2000 Log Configuration 94

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 5

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual

7.3.2 Example of Custom PGN Configuration 94

7.4 Corrections Over CAN 94
7.4.1 Example for Receiving Corrections from Any Source 95
7.4.2 Example for Transmitting Corrections to 0x1C Node 95
7.5 NovAtel Messages Over CAN 95
7.6 Configuring OEM7 Receivers to Use OEM6 CAN Settings 95
7.6.1 Configuration on OEM6 96
7.6.2 Configuration on OEM7 96

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting
8.1 Examining the RXSTATUS Log 98
8.2 Examining the AUX1 Status Word 101
8.3 Safe Mode 102
8.3.1 Reset Loop Detection 102
8.3.2 Recovery Steps 102

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

9.1 Firmware Updates and Model Upgrades 104
9.1.1 Firmware Updates 104
9.1.2 Model Upgrades 104
9.2 Authorization Code 105
9.3 Updating or Upgrading Using the WinLoad Utility 106
9.3.1 Transferring Firmware Files 106
9.3.2 Using the WinLoad Utility 106
9.4 Updating Using SoftLoad Commands 108
9.4.1 SoftLoad Commands and Logs 108
9.4.2 Working With S-Records 109
9.4.3 Sending Firmware Data 110
9.4.4 SoftLoad Update Method 111
9.4.5 SoftLoad Errors 114
9.5 Upgrading Using the AUTH Command 114
9.5.1 Upgrade Procedure 114

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.1 PwrPak7 Performance Specifications 117
A.2 PwrPak7 Mechanical Specifications 120
A.3 PwrPak7 Electrical and Environmental Specifications 122
A.4 PwrPak7 Data Communication Specifications 124
A.5 PwrPak7 Strobe Specifications 126
A.6 PwrPak7 Connectors 127
A.7 PwrPak7 Power Cable 130
A.8 PwrPak7 All I/O Cable 131
A.9 PwrPak7 COM1 Cable 133
A.10 PwrPak7 IMU Cable 134

APPENDIX B Importance of Antenna Selection

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 6

Figures
Figure 1: PwrPak7 Enclosure 18
Figure 2: PwrPak7 Connectors 18
Figure 3: PwrPak7 Status Indicators 19
Figure 4: PwrPak7 Installation Example 27
Figure 5: Fuse for PwrPak7 Power Supply 33
Figure 6: Dedicated Battery for PwrPak7 34
Figure 7: Seamless Battery Swap 34
Figure 8: Basic Receiver Enclosure Connection Interfaces (example) 37
Figure 9: Basic Differential Setup 44
Figure 10: Positioning Change Without STEADYLINE 49
Figure 11: STEADYLINE Maintain 50
Figure 12: STEADYLINE Transition 50
Figure 13: STEADYLINE Prefer Accuracy 50
Figure 14: STEADYLINE UAL- Warning Limit Example 51
Figure 15: STEADYLINE UAL - Out of Bounds Example 52
Figure 16: Transfer COARSE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver 57
Figure 17: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver 58
Figure 18: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Warm Clock Receiver 59
Figure 19: 1 PPS Alignment 59
Figure 20: Location of Receiver Status Word 75
Figure 21: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Status Word 75
Figure 22: Location of Receiver Error Word 76
Figure 23: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Error Word 76
Figure 24: Status Code Arrays 77
Figure 25: Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—OEM7 Receiver 79
Figure 26: Dynamic IP Address Configuration through a DHCP Server—OEM7 Receiver 81
Figure 27: Base/Rover Ethernet Setup—OEM7 Receiver 83
Figure 28: NTRIP System 85
Figure 29: WinLoad’s Open Window 107
Figure 30: Open File in WinLoad 107
Figure 31: COM Port Setup 108
Figure 32: PwrPak7 Dimensions 120
Figure 33: PwrPak7-E1 Center of Navigation 121
Figure 34: PwrPak7 Power Cable 130
Figure 35: PwrPak7 All I/O Cable 131
Figure 36: PwrPak7 COM1 Cable 133
Figure 37: PwrPak7 IMU Cable 134
Figure 38: Plot of Good and Poor Antenna Phase Center Variation over Elevation Angle 0-
90° 136

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 7

Tables
Table 1: PwrPak7 Connectors 18
Table 2: PwrPak7 Status Indicators 20
Table 3: PWR (Power) LED 20
Table 4: GNSS LED 20
Table 5: INS LED 21
Table 6: TRANSFER LED 21
Table 7: LOG (Onboard Storage) LED 21
Table 8: PwrPak7 Cables 24
Table 9: PwrPak7 Serial Port Protocol 30
Table 10: Fuse/Holder Recommendations 12 V System 33
Table 11: Serial Ports Supported 40
Table 12: Wi-Fi Default Configuration 87
Table 13: Default NAME 91
Table 14: Troubleshooting Based on Symptoms 97
Table 15: Resolving a Receiver Error Word 99
Table 16: Resolving an Error in the Receiver Status Word 100
Table 17: Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word 101
Table 18: PwrPak7 Physical Description 116
Table 19: PwrPak7 Receiver Performance 117
Table 20: PwrPak7-E1 IMU Performance 118
Table 21: PwrPak7 Environmental Specifications 122
Table 22: PwrPak7 Power Requirements 122
Table 23: PwrPak7 RF Input/LNA Power Output 122
Table 24: Data Communications Interfaces 124
Table 25: PwrPak7 Strobes Description 126
Table 26: PwrPak7 Strobe Electrical Specifications 126
Table 27: PwrPak7 Connectors 127
Table 28: 26 Pin D-SUB High Density Pin Out 128
Table 29: PwrPak7 Power Cable Pinout 130
Table 30: PwrPak7 All I/O Cable Pinout 131
Table 31: PwrPak7 COM1 Cable Pinout 133
Table 32: PwrPak7 IMU Cable Pinout 134

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 8

PwrPak7 Notices
The following notices apply to the PwrPak7 device.

Changes or modifications to this equipment, not expressly approved by NovAtel Inc.,

could void the user’s authority to operate this equipment.

FCC
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two con-
ditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
PwrPak7 has been tested and found to comply with the radiated and conducted emission limits
for a Class B digital device. The Class B limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation.
The equipment listed generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with 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:
l Re-orient or relocate the PwrPak7
l Increase the separation between the equipment and the PwrPak7
l Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the PwrPak7 is
connected
l Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

To maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device, you must use shielded
interface cables.

The PwrPak7 has been authorized for use in Mobile applications. At least 20 cm (8
inches) of separation between the PwrPak7 and the User must be maintained at all
times.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada

PwrPak7 Class B digital device complies with Canadian ICES-003.
PwrPak7 appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
This device complies with ISED license-exempt RSS-GEN and RSS-247. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference and (2) this device must
accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 9

PwrPak7 Notices

The PwrPak7 has been authorized for use in Mobile applications. At least 20 cm (8
inches) of separation between the PwrPak7 and the User must be maintained at all
times.

Wi-Fi
PwrPak7 contains a Wi-Fi radio with the following approvals:
l FCC ID: UTU-01019715
l IC: 129A-01019715

European Union (EU)

PwrPak7 Wi-Fi
NovAtel Inc. declares that the PwrPak7 Wi-Fi transceiver is in compliance with Directive
2014/53/EU (Radio Equipment).
The full text of the EU Declaration of Conformity may be obtained from the NovAtel web site at:
[Link]/products/compliance/eu-declaration-of-conformity

Radio Information
Description of Service: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
Operational Frequency: 2400 MHz to 2480 MHz
Modulation: OFDM
Rated Power: 17.5 dBm e.i.r.p
The full text of the EU Declaration of Conformity may be obtained from the NovAtel web site at:
[Link]/products/compliance/eu-declaration-of-conformity

Ethernet Port

The Ethernet port is a safety extra-low voltage (SELV) circuit only and is suitable for con-
nection within a building only. Do not connect them to telephone-network voltage (TNV)
circuits.

WEEE Notice
If you purchased your PwrPak7 product in Europe, please return it to your dealer or supplier at
the end of its life. The objectives of the European Community's environment policy are, in par-
ticular, to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment, protect human health
and utilise natural resources prudently and rationally. Sustainable development advocates the
reduction of wasteful consumption of natural resources and the prevention of pollution. Waste
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a regulated area. Where the generation of waste
cannot be avoided, it should be reused or recovered for its material or energy. WEEE products

may be recognized by their wheeled bin label ( ).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 10

PwrPak7 Notices

See [Link]/products/compliance/environmental-compliance for more information.

RoHS
The PwrPak7 is in conformity with Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the
council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical
and electronic equipment.

REACH
The PwrPak7 is compliant with Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and
the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and
Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). The candidate list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
published by the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) is available at: [Link]
/candidate-list-table

Cables may contain DEHP (CAS Number 117-81-7) in concentrations above 0.1% w/w.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 11

PwrPak7 Notices

Lightning Protection Installation and Grounding Procedure

What is the hazard?
A lightning strike into the ground causes an increase in the earth's potential which results in a
high voltage potential between the center conductor and shield of the coaxial cable. This high
voltage develops because the voltage surge induced onto the center conductor lags in time
behind the voltage surge induced onto the shield.

Hazard Impact
A lightning strike causes the ground potential in the area to rise to dangerous levels resulting in
harm to personnel or destruction of electronic equipment in an unprotected environment. It also
conducts a portion of the strike energy down the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to the con-
nected equipment.

Only qualified personnel, such as electricians mandated by the governing body in the
country of installation, may install lightning protection devices.

Actions to Mitigate Lightning Hazards

1. Do not install antennas or antenna coaxial cables outside the building during a lightning
storm.
2. It is not possible to avoid over voltages caused by lightning, but a lightning protection device
may be used to shunt a large portion of the transient energy to the building ground, reducing
the over voltage condition as quickly as possible.
3. Primary lightning protection must be provided by the operator/customer according to local
building codes as part of the extra building installation.
4. To ensure compliance with clause 7 "Connection to Cable Distribution Systems" of EN 60950-
1, Safety for Information Technology Equipment, a secondary lightning protection device
must be used for in-building equipment installations with external antennas. The following
device has been approved by NovAtel Inc.:
Polyphaser - Surge Arrestor DGXZ+36NFNF-A
If this device is not chosen as the primary lightning protection device, the device chosen
must meet the following requirements:
l UL listed, or equivalent, in country of installation (for example, TUV, VDE and so on) for
lightning surge protection
l The primary device must be capable of limiting an incoming surge to 10 kV
5. The shield of the coaxial cable entering the building should be connected at a grounding plate
at the building's entrance. The lightning protection devices should have their chassis groun-
ded to the same ground near to the building's entrance.
6. The primary and secondary lightning protections should be as close to the building's entrance
as possible. Where feasible, mount onto the grounding plate itself (refer to the figure
below).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 12

PwrPak7 Notices

Ref # Description
1 Primary lightning protection device
2 Secondary lightning protection device
3 External antenna
4 GNSS Receiver
5 To ground
6 Grounding plate or grounding point at the building’s entrance

Acceptable choices for earth grounds, for central buildings, are:

l Grounded interior metal cold water pipe within five feet (1.5 m) of the point where
it enters the building
l Grounded metallic service raceway
l Grounded electrical service equipment enclosure
l Eight-foot grounding rod driven into the ground (only if bonded to the central build-
ing ground by #6, or heavier, bonding wire)

These installation instructions are the minimum requirements for receiver and antenna installations.
Where applicable, follow the electrical codes for the country of installation. Examples of country
codes include:
l USA National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)
l Canada Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22.1)
l UK British Standards Institute (BSI 7671)

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 13

PwrPak7 Notices

Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:

Information that supplements or clarifies text.

A caution that actions, operation or configuration may lead to incorrect or improper use
of the hardware.

A warning that actions, operation or configuration may result in regulatory non-

compliance, safety issues or equipment damage.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 14

Customer Support

NovAtel Knowledge Base

If you have a technical issue, visit the NovAtel Support page at [Link]/support.
Through the Support page, you can contact Customer Support, find papers and tutorials or down-
load current manuals and the latest firmware.

Before Contacting Customer Support

Before you contact NovAtel Customer Support about a software problem, perform the following
steps:

If logging data over an RS-232 serial cable, ensure that the configured baud rate can sup-
port the data bandwidth (see SERIALCONFIG command). NovAtel recommends a min-
imum suggested baud rate of 115200 bps.

1. Log the following data to a file on your computer for 15 minutes:

RXSTATUSB once
RAWEPHEMB onchanged
GLORAWEPHEMB onchanged
BESTPOSB ontime 1
RANGEB ontime 1
RXCONFIGA once
VERSIONA once
For SPAN systems, add the following logs to the above list in the file created on your com-
puter:
RAWIMUSXB onnew
INSUPDATESTATUSB onnew
INSPVAXB ontime 1
INSCONFIGA once
2. Send the data file to NovAtel Customer Support: support@[Link]
3. You can also issue a FRESET command to the receiver to clear any unknown settings.

The FRESET command will erase all user settings. You should know your configuration
(by requesting the RXCONFIGA log) and be able to reconfigure the receiver before you
send the FRESET command.

If you are having a hardware problem, send a list of the troubleshooting steps taken and the res-
ults.

Contact Information
Log a support request with NovAtel Customer Support using one of the following methods:

Log a Case and Search Knowledge:

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 15

Customer Support

Website: [Link]/support

Log a Case, Search Knowledge and View Your Case History: (login access required)
Web Portal: [Link]

E-mail:
support@[Link]

Telephone:
U.S. and Canada: 1-800-NOVATEL (1-800-668-2835)
International: +1-403-295-4900

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 16

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview
NovAtel's PwrPak7 uses the OEM7700 card to deliver scalable high precision positioning in a com-
pact, lightweight enclosure.
Novatel's PwrPak7-E1 combines GNSS and INS hardware in a single enclosure to provide an
easy to deploy SPAN GNSS+INS system. The PwrPak7-E1 uses an OEM7700 receiver card to
deliver scalable high precision positioning and an Epson EG320N IMU to deliver accelerometer
and gyroscope measurements.

In this documentation, the term PwrPak7 is used to represent all variants of the
PwrPak7 enclosure (PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1). When a section applies to a
specific variant of the PwrPak7 enclosure, the applicable receiver is identified (e.g.
PwrPak7-E1 only).

The PwrPak7 provide the following features:

l Multi-frequency/Multi-constellation:
GPS L1 C/A, L1C, L2C, L2P, L5; GLONASS L1 C/A, L2 C/A, L2P, L3, L5; BeiDou B1, B2, B3;
Galileo E1, E5 AltBOC, E5a, E5b, E6; NavIC L5; QZSS L1 C/A, L1C, L2C, L5, L6; SBAS L1, L5
l 555 channel operation
l SPAN GNSS+INS functionality
l Three serial communication ports, 2 RS-232/RS-422 and 1 RS-232
l One USB communication port
l One USB data transfer port
l Ethernet communication port
l Wi-Fi communication interface
l CAN bus port
l Event outputs
l Event inputs
l Pulse Per Second (PPS) output
l Wheel sensor inputs
l NovAtel CORRECT positioning (with PPP, RTK, SBAS and DGPS solutions)
l GLIDE and ALIGN positioning options
l Enhanced interference mitigation
l 16 GB of internal memory
l Web User Interface

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 17

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

Figure 1: PwrPak7 Enclosure

PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 technical specifications are provided in PwrPak7 Specifications on

page 116.

1.1 PwrPak7 Connectors

The PwrPak7 has several connectors for connecting the receiver to other components in the
GNSS system.

Figure 2: PwrPak7 Connectors

Table 1: PwrPak7 Connectors

Connector
Connector Label Description
Type

ANT TNC Connects the receiver to the GNSS antenna

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 18

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

Connector
Connector Label Description
Type

Connects the receiver to an Ethernet network

RJ45 Used to communicate to the receiver using a network
connection

USB Micro A USB 2.0 port used to communicate from a computer to

A/B the receiver using a USB cable

Provides access to communication signals on the receiver.

This includes:
l 3 Event inputs (LVCMOS)
COM
PORTS l 3 Event outputs (LVCMOS)
l 1 Pulse Per Second output (LVCMOS)
DSUB l 1 CAN bus
HD26
l 3 serial ports
l COM1 RS422/RS232 user selectable
l COM2 RS422/RS232 user selectable
l COM3 RS232
l Wheel Sensor RS422 Quadrature Input

USB Micro USB 2.0 port used to transfer files from the on board
TRANSFER
A/B memory to a USB stick or computer

SAL M12 5
PWR Connects the receiver to the power supply
pin

Refer to the PwrPak7 Connectors on page 127 for connector details.

1.2 PwrPak7 LEDs

The PwrPak7 has five LEDs to indicate receiver status. It also has a button to start or stop data
logging to a file.

Figure 3: PwrPak7 Status Indicators

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 19

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

The following tables provide information about the PwrPak7 LEDs and their states.

Table 2: PwrPak7 Status Indicators

Label Description

PWR Indicates the power status of the receiver

GNSS Indicates the position status of the receiver

Indicates the INS status of the receiver

INS This LED is applicable only to SPAN capable PwrPak7 models (a PwrPak7-E1 or a
PwrPak7 with an external IMU)

Indicates the status of logging or file-transfer to a USB stick or connection to a

TRANSFER
computer as a USB Device

LOG Indicates the status of logging to the receiver internal memory

Table 3: PWR (Power) LED

State Description

Green solid Operational mode

Yellow solid In the process of booting

Error, for example invalid receiver AUTH code

Red solid
Receiver firmware or Web User Interface update in progress

Table 4: GNSS LED

State Description

PPP solution
Green solid
User Accuracy Level (UAL) Operational (STEADYLINE)

Green slow blink RTK integer ambiguity

Single point or SBAS solution

Green fast blink
UAL Warning

No solution
Yellow solid
UAL Out of Bounds

If the PwrPak7 is configured as a base station

Green solid Fixed position

Yellow solid Pending fixed position

Yellow blink Invalid fix

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 20

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

Table 5: INS LED

State Description

Off INS inactive

Green solid INS solution good

Green slow blink INS alignment complete

Green fast blink INS solution free

Green/Yellow alternating blink High variance

Yellow blink INS aligning/determining orientation

Red solid Error

Table 6: TRANSFER LED

LED State Description

USB stick plugged in, mounted and idle (lots of available

Green solid memory)
Transfer port connected to a computer

Green slow blink Logging to USB stick (lots of available memory)

Green fast blink Transferring files to USB stick (lots of available memory)

Green/Yellow alternating slow

Logging to USB stick (low memory)
blink

Green/Yellow alternating fast

Transferring files to USB stick (low memory)
blink

Yellow solid USB stick plugged in, mounted and idle (low memory)

Yellow fast blink USB stick mounting/unmounting/busy

Red solid USB stick plugged in and mounted, but memory full

Red fast blink for 3 seconds Push button error or USB stick mount error

No connection to the TRANSFER port or the USB stick is

Off
unmounted

Table 7: LOG (Onboard Storage) LED

LED State Description

PwrPak7 is connected to a computer as a mounted device

Off
See Access Internal Memory with a Computer on page 71

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 21

Chapter 1 PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Overview

LED State Description

Green blink Logging to internal memory (lots of memory available)

Green solid Internal logging stopped (lots of memory available)

Green/Yellow alternating blink Logging to internal memory (low memory)

Yellow solid Internal logging stopped (low memory)

Yellow fast blink Memory is mounting or unmounting/busy

Internal memory full or corrupt

Red solid
Refer to Repair Errors on the Internal Memory on page 72

Red fast blink for 3 seconds Push button error

1.3 Related Documents and Information

After the OEM7 receiver is set up, the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual becomes the
primary source for command and log information. Each receiver has a specific set of features,
so some commands and logs may not be supported by your model.
For instructions on configuring and using SPAN functionality, refer to the OEM7 SPAN Installation
and Operation User Manual.
Refer to our web site [Link]/OEM7 for the latest documentation.
This manual does not cover OEM7 service and repair. Contact a local NovAtel dealer for service
or repair inquiries (refer to Customer Support on page 15 for contact details).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 22

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation
This chapter provides instructions to install the PwrPak7 and create a GNSS receiver system.

2.1 Shipping Box

The following is provided with the PwrPak7:
l Power cable – M12 connector to bare wires (01019764)
l USB Cable, A Plug to Micro-B Plug with Ferrites (60723175)
l PwrPak7 and PwrPak7-E1 Quick Start Guide (GM-14915152)

2.2 Additional Equipment Required

The following additional equipment is required for the GNSS receiver system:
l A 9-36 VDC, fuse protected power supply capable of at least 15 W
l A quality GNSS antenna, such as NovAtel’s VEXXIS® GNSS-500 or GNSS-800 series anten-
nas
For a list of NovAtel GNSS antennas refer to [Link]/antennas
l A quality coaxial cable with a TNC male connector at the receiver end such as NovAtel’s GPS-
C016 model
The following equipment may also be needed, depending on the system configuration:
l A computer/tablet/smartphone with Wi-Fi and a web browser or a computer with an RS-232
DB-9, Ethernet or USB port
l Shielded Ethernet cable

Use a serial COM, USB or Wi-Fi connection to communicate with the receiver first. This
provides the ability to configure the computer and PwrPak7 before using Ethernet.

When the PwrPak7 is installed in a permanent location, such as in a building, it should be

protected by a lightning protection device according to local building codes. See Light-
ning Protection Installation and Grounding Procedure on page 12.

2.3 Optional Accessories

The following optional accessories are available from NovAtel:
l PwrPak7 COM1 Cable on page 133 (01019765)
l PwrPak7 All I/O Cable on page 131 (01019766)
l PwrPak7 IMU Cable on page 134 (01019767)
l Micro A to USB stick adapter, such as Tensility 10-00649 or equivalent
l Optional external SPAN compatible IMU (not applicable to PwrPak7-E1)

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 23

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

See [Link]/products/span-gnss-inertial-systems/span-imus/
l Four M5 or #10 size screws for mounting

2.4 PwrPak7 Cables

To prevent damage to both the receiver and the cables, each connector can be inserted in only
one way.
Furthermore, the connectors used to mate the cables to the receiver require careful insertion
and removal. Observe the following when handling cables.
l To insert a cable, make certain to use the appropriate cable for the PwrPak7 connector
l Insert the connector until it is on straight and secure
l To remove a cable, grasp it by the connector

Do not pull directly on a cable.

Table 8: PwrPak7 Cables

NovAtel
Part Cable Name Purpose
Number

PwrPak7 Power Connects the PwrPak7 to an external power supply

01019764
Cable on page 130 SAL M12, 5 pin to bare wires

Provides connection to the COM1 serial port on the PwrPak7

PwrPak7 COM1 Cable COM PORTS connector
01019765
on page 133
HD26 to DB9

Provides connections for all of the signals available on the

PwrPak7 All I/O PwrPak7 COM PORTS connector
01019766
Cable on page 131
HD26 to three DB9 connectors and multiple bare wires

Provides connection from the COM1 serial port on the PwrPak7

PwrPak7 IMU Cable COM PORTS connector to the communications port on an IMU
01019767 Enclosure
on page 134
HD26 to SAL M12, 5-pin

USB Cable, A Plug to

Connects from the PwrPak7 USB COM PORTS connector to a
60723175 Micro-B Plug with
computer
Ferrites

2.5 Selecting a GNSS Antenna

NovAtel offers a variety of antennas, including single, dual and triple-frequency, triple-band and
wide-band reference GNSS antennas (refer to our web site: [Link]/antennas for
details of available antennas). All antennas include band pass filtering and an LNA. The GNSS
antenna chosen depends on the particular application. Each model offers exceptional phase

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 24

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

center stability and a significant measure of immunity against multipath interference. Each
antenna has an environmentally sealed radome and all meet the European Union’s Restriction of
Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).
If a non-NovAtel GNSS antenna is chosen, a typical antenna LNA gain between 26 dB to 30 dB is
recommended in a rover station application.
For more information about antenna selection, see Importance of Antenna Selection on
page 135.

2.6 Choosing a Coaxial Cable

An appropriate coaxial cable matches the impedances of the antenna and receiver (50 ohms)
and has a line loss not exceeding 10.0 dB. If the limit is exceeded, excessive signal degradation
may occur and the receiver may not meet performance specifications. NovAtel offers several
coaxial cables to meet GNSS antenna interconnection requirements, including:
l 5, 15 and 30 m antenna cable with TNC connectors on both ends (NovAtel part numbers GPS-
C006, GPS-C016 and GPS-C032)

NovAtel recommends using high quality coaxial cables because an impedance

mismatch is possible when using lower quality cables and this produces reflections
in the cable that increases signal loss. Although other high quality antenna cables
can be used, the performance specifications of the OEM7 receivers are warranted
only when used with NovAtel supplied accessories.

2.7 Power Supply Requirements for the PwrPak7

The PwrPak7 requires a power supply that provides:
l a voltage in the range of +9 to +36 VDC
l at least 15 W of power
See PwrPak7 Electrical and Environmental Specifications on page 122 for more power supply
specifications.
The PwrPak7 has an internal power module that:
l filters and regulates the supply voltage
l protects against over-voltage, over-current, and high-temperature conditions
l provides automatic reset circuit protection

If the voltage supplied is below the minimum specification, the receiver suspends
operation. If the voltage supplied is above the maximum specification, the receiver
may be permanently damaged, voiding the warranty.
The supply must be capable of providing enough current to operate the PwrPak7,
including the initial inrush transient. The supply must also be current limited to 6 A
with an external fuse.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 25

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

The amount of power required depends on the number of constellations and signals
tracked, and the features enabled.

The power cable included with the PwrPak7 has a connector on the receiver end (SAL M12 5 pin)
and bare wires on the other end. Refer to PwrPak7 Power Cable on page 130 for details about
the power cable.

2.8 PwrPak7 Installation Overview

When the appropriate equipment is selected, complete the following steps to set up and begin
using the NovAtel GNSS receiver.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 26

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

Figure 4: PwrPak7 Installation Example

1. Mount the GNSS antenna. See Mounting the GNSS Antenna on the next page for more inform-
ation.
2. Mount the receiver.
For a PwrPak7, refer to Mount the PwrPak7 on the next page.
For a PwrPak7-E1, refer to Mount the PwrPak7-E1 on page 29.
3. Connect one end of the antenna cable to the GNSS antenna and the other end of the cable to
the antenna connector (ANT) on the receiver.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 27

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

The PwrPak7 supplies +5 VDC (200 mA maximum) to the antenna LNA through the center
conductor of the antenna cable. See Antenna LNA Power on the next page for more inform-
ation.
4. Connect the receiver to other GNSS system components, such as a computer or data ter-
minal, using the communication ports or Wi-Fi.
See Connect the PwrPak7 to Data Communication Equipment on page 30.
5. Connect other GNSS system components using the input and output lines.
See Connect I/O Signals to the PwrPak7 on page 32.
6. Connect the supplied power cable to the power port (PWR) on the receiver and then connect
the power cable to the power supply.
Ensure a 6 A slow blow fuse is incorporated in the power wiring.
See Connect Power to the PwrPak7 on page 32 and Power Supply Requirements for the
PwrPak7 on page 25 for details.

2.9 Mounting the GNSS Antenna

The OEM7 receiver is designed to operate with any NovAtel GNSS antenna. See Selecting a
GNSS Antenna on page 24 for more information.
When installing the antenna:
l Choose an antenna location with a clear view of the sky so each satellite above the horizon
can be tracked without obstruction. For more information on RF signal propagation and mul-
tipath, refer to the NovAtel application note APN-008 Discussions on RF Signal Propagation
and Multipath at [Link]/support/.
l Mount the antenna on a secure, stable structure capable of safe operation in the specific
environment.
l Ensure the antenna cannot move due to dynamics.

2.9.1 Antenna LNA Power

NovAtel antennas and coaxial cables meet receiver RF input gain requirements. NovAtel coaxial
cables are designed to introduce no more than 10 dB loss and NovAtel antennas are equipped
with built-in LNAs that provide 26 dB of gain to the satellite signal received.
The power to the antenna LNA is provided through the receiver’s RF port center conductor.
OEM7 receivers provide +5 VDC ±5% at a maximum of 200 mA.
Antenna supply over current protection limits the LNA power.

If a short circuit or other problem causes an overload of the current supplied to the
antenna, the receiver hardware shuts down the power supplied to the antenna. To
restore power, power cycle the receiver. The Receiver Status word, available in the
RXSTATUS log (see OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual), provides more
information about the cause of the problem.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 28

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

2.10 Mount the PwrPak7

Mount the PwrPak7 on a secure, stable surface using four M5 or #10 size screws fastened
through the PwrPak7 mounting holes. The torque of the screws should not exceed 15 inch-lb.
See PwrPak7 Mechanical Specifications on page 120 for drawings of the PwrPak7 dimensions
and locations of the mounting holes.

Wi-Fi Interface
The Wi-Fi interface SSID and default password are printed on a label on the bottom
of the PwrPak7. If you intend to use the Wi-Fi interface and NovAtel Web User
Interface, record the SSID and default password before securing the PwrPak7 in its
mounting location.

The PwrPak7-E1 has additional mounting considerations, refer to Mount the

PwrPak7-E1 below for more information

2.11 Mount the PwrPak7-E1

Mount the PwrPak7-E1 in a fixed location where the distance from the PwrPak7-E1 to the GNSS
antenna phase center is constant. Ensure that the orientation with respect to the vehicle and
antenna is also constant. Secure the PwrPak7-E1 using four M5 or #10 size screws fastened
through the PwrPak7 mounting holes. The torque rate of the screw should not exceed 15 inch-lb.
See PwrPak7 Mechanical Specifications on page 120 for drawings of the PwrPak7-E1 dimensions
and locations of the mounting holes.
For attitude output to be meaningful, the PwrPak7-E1 should be mounted such that the positive
Z-axis marked on the receiver points up and the Y-axis points forward through the front of the
vehicle, in the direction of track. If the PwrPak7-E1 is not mounted in this orientation, a rota-
tional offset must be applied. See the OEM7 SPAN Installation and Operation User Manual for
more information.
Also, it is important to measure the distance from the PwrPak7-E1 center of navigation to the
antenna phase center (the Antenna Lever Arm), on the first usage, on the axis defined on the
PwrPak7-E1. See the OEM7 SPAN Installation and Operation User Manual. See also PwrPak7
Mechanical Specifications on page 120 for the center of navigation location.
Ensure the PwrPak7-E1 cannot move due to dynamics and that the distance and relative dir-
ection between the antenna and the PwrPak7-E1 is fixed.

The closer the antenna is to the PwrPak7-E1, particularly in the horizontal plane,
the more accurate the position solution. Also, the measurements entered using the
SETINSTRANSLATION command must be as accurate as possible, or at least
more accurate than the GNSS positions being used. For example, a 10 cm error in
recording the antenna offset will result in at least a 10 cm error in the output.
Millimeter accuracy is preferred.
The offset from the PwrPak7-E1 to the antenna, and/or a user point device, must
remain constant especially for RTK or DGNSS data. Ensure the PwrPak7-E1,
antenna and user point device are bolted in one position perhaps by using a custom
bracket.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 29

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

Wi-Fi Interface
The Wi-Fi interface SSID and default password are printed on a label on the
bottom of the PwrPak7-E1. If you intend to use the Wi-Fi interface and NovAtel
Web User Interface, record the SSID and default password before securing the
PwrPak7-E1 in its mounting location.

2.12 Connect the PwrPak7 to Data Communication Equipment

The PwrPak7 can communicate with other devices in the system, such as computers and data
loggers, using serial, USB, Wi-Fi or Ethernet ports.
l Serial Ports below
l USB Ports on the next page
l Wi-Fi on the next page
l Ethernet Port on page 32
The PwrPak7 also has a CAN bus port for communication with other CAN bus compatible devices.
See CAN Bus Port on page 32.

2.12.1 Serial Ports

The PwrPak7 has three serial ports: COM1, COM2 and COM3. These ports are available on the
HD26 COM PORTS connector. Refer to PwrPak7 Connectors on page 127 for the pin out of this
connector.

Table 9: PwrPak7 Serial Port Protocol

Port RS-232 RS-422 Flow Control

COM1 Yes Yes RTS/CTS

COM2 Yes Yes No

COM3 Yes No No

COM1 and COM2 can operate using RS-232 protocol or RS-422 protocol. To change the serial
port protocol, use the SERIALPROTOCOL command.
COM1 can operate using hardware flow control when the protocol is set to RS-232. To enable or
disable, hardware flow control (handshaking), use the SERIALCONFIG command.
Port settings (bit rate and parity, for example) are software configurable. See Communications
with the Receiver on page 37 for information about configuring the serial ports. Also see
PwrPak7 Data Communication Specifications on page 124 for the serial port specifications.
To connect to a serial port:
1. Connect the PwrPak7 All I/O cable (PN: 01019766), or a custom made cable, to the HD26
COM PORTS connector.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 30

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

For information about the PwrPak7 All I/O cable, see PwrPak7 All I/O Cable on page 131.
This section also has the connector pin out and connector recommendations for making a cus-
tom cable.
2. Connect the appropriate DB9 connector (COM1, COM2 or COM3) to the serial port on the com-
puter or other data communication device.

2.12.2 USB Ports

The PwrPak7 has two USB 2.0 compatible ports. However, only the one labeled COM PORTS
can be used for communicating with other devices. The TRANSFER USB port is used for logging
or downloading files from the PwrPak7 onboard memory.
The USB ports operate at 480 Mb/s.
To connect to the USB port:
1. Connect the micro USB connector of the supplied USB cable to the COM PORTS USB port on
the PwrPak7.
2. Connect the other end of the supplied USB cable to the computer or other data com-
munication device.

2.12.3 Wi-Fi
The PwrPak7 has a Wi-Fi Access Point that is enabled by default. This provides for easy con-
nection to any laptop/tablet/smartphone with Wi-Fi capability and a web browser.
1. Once the receiver is installed and powered, use a Wi-Fi capable laptop/tablet/smartphone to
locate the PwrPak7 in the list of detected Wi-Fi Networks and establish a connection.
The PwrPak7 SSID is printed on a label on the bottom of the receiver. The format of the
SSID is PwrPak7-<Receiver PSN>, e.g. "PwrPak7-ABCDEF1234567".
2. A prompt for a password will appear. The default password is printed on a label on the bot-
tom of the PwrPak7. The default password is specific to that PwrPak7 receiver.
3. Open up a web browser and enter any web address (e.g., [Link]). The PwrPak7 auto-
matically redirects you to the NovAtel Web User Interface which is hosted on the PwrPak7.

NovAtel Web User Interface is compatible with recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Inter-
net Explorer and Safari.

Cookies should always be on and never blocked on the browser being used to connect to
the Wi-Fi network.

For more information about using the NovAtel Web User Interface, refer to the online OEM7 doc-
umentation ([Link]/OEM7).
To change the configuration of the Wi-Fi interface, including password, refer to Wi-Fi Con-
figuration on page 87.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 31

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

2.12.4 Ethernet Port

The PwrPak7 has an RJ45 socket that supports 10Base-T/100Base-TX Ethernet for com-
munications with external data communications equipment such as computers and data loggers.
The Ethernet port supports IPv4 Internet layer, TCP/IP transport, ping and connection from a Tel-
net client. Users can conduct remote debugging, accept MRTCA (modified RTCA) data and down-
load firmware. OEM7 receivers are also equipped with NTRIP Version 2.0 (Networked Transport
of RTCM via Internet Protocol) client and server capability.
Refer to Ethernet Configuration on page 78 for instructions on configuring Ethernet and NTRIP.

2.12.5 CAN Bus Port

The PwrPak7 has a CAN Bus port available on the HD26 COM PORTS connector.
To connect to the CAN Bus port:
1. Connect the NovAtel All I/O cable (PN: 01019766), or a custom made cable, to the HD26
COM PORTS connector.
For information about the NovAtel All I/O cable, see PwrPak7 All I/O Cable on page 131. This
section also has the connector pin out and connector recommendations for making a custom
cable.
2. Connect the CAN leads to the CAN Bus.
For information about configuring CAN, see CAN Bus on page 90.

2.13 Connect I/O Signals to the PwrPak7

The PwrPak7 has several inputs and outputs, also referred to as strobes, that provide status and
synchronization signals.
l Event Inputs
l Event Outputs
l Pulse Per Second (PPS) output
l Wheel Sensor inputs
For more information about the I/O signals, refer to the PwrPak7 Strobe Specifications on
page 126.
To access the I/O signals, connect the PwrPak7 All I/O Cable (PN: 01019766), or a custom made
cable, to the HD26 COM PORTS connector.
For information about the PwrPak7 All I/O Cable, see PwrPak7 All I/O Cable on page 131. This
section also has the connector pin out and connector recommendations for making a custom
cable

2.14 Connect Power to the PwrPak7

To connect power to the PwrPak7:
1. Connect the M12 connector of the PwrPak7 Power Cable on page 130 to the PWR port on the
PwrPak7.
2. Connect the bare wires of the power cable to a 9 to 36 VDC power supply.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 32

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

For details about the power supply required, see Power Supply Requirements for the
PwrPak7 on page 25.

When connecting a single battery to the 01019674 Power Cable, it is recommended

to connect the (+) Positive side of the battery to +VINA and +VINB wires, and (-)
Negative side of the battery to -VINA and -VINB.
This configuration reduces voltage drops in the cable and will extend usable battery
life somewhat when running on battery only, (not charging).

2.14.1 Fuse for the Power Supply

Install a user supplied 6 A slow blow fuse in the positive line of the connection to the power
source to protect the power supply wiring and your warranty.

Figure 5: Fuse for PwrPak7 Power Supply

For a 12 V system, the following are recommended.

Table 10: Fuse/Holder Recommendations 12 V System

Fuse Holder

BK/MDA-6-R Fuse (or equivalent)

BK/HFA-R Fuse (or equivalent)
BK/MDL-6-R Fuse (or equivalent)

The fuse and holder are made by Cooper/Bussmann; available from Digikey.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 33

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

2.14.2 Vehicle Installation

If the receiver is installed in a vehicle, it is recommended that a dedicated battery be provided
for the receiver that is isolated from the engine starter battery. When a vehicle engine is star-
ted, the voltage on the starter battery can dip below the PwrPak7 minimum voltage or cut-out to
ancillary equipment causing the receiver to lose lock and calibration settings.

Figure 6: Dedicated Battery for PwrPak7

2.14.3 Seamless Battery Swap

Two batteries can be connected at the same time. If a battery requires charging, it can be
removed without experiencing any power interruption (battery A or B).

Figure 7: Seamless Battery Swap

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 34

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

-VIN_A and -VIN_B are connected together inside the PwrPak7 and are also
connected to DGND (Digital I/O ground and GNSS Cable shell). Power sources
connected to the PwrPak7 must be floating, or have their (-) terminals connected
to the same ground reference as any equipment connected to PwrPak7 (including
the GNSS antenna).
Power sources with a positive ground MUST NOT be used, or severe damage to the
PwrPak7 and/or connected equipment will result.

2.15 Check that the PwrPak7 is Operating

After the PwrPak7 is installed, powered up and connected to a GNSS antenna, use the following
procedure to ensure the receiver is operating.
1. Check that the PWR LED is solid green.
Check that the GNSS LED is green (solid or blinking).
See PwrPak7 LEDs on page 19 for the location of the LEDs.
2. Send the following command:
LOG VERSION
The VERSION log is returned.
<VERSION USB1 0 63.5 FINESTEERING 1967 425380.518 02004020 3681
14434
< 11
< GPSCARD "FFNRNNCBES1" "BMHR17090005E" "OEM7700-1.00"
"OM7CR0301AN0012" "OM7BR0001RBG000" "2017/Sep/20" "[Link]"
< OEM7FPGA "" "" "" "OMV070001RN0000" "" "" ""
< DEFAULT_CONFIG "" "" "" "EPP7D0301RN0002" "" "2017/Sep/20"
"[Link]"
< WHEELSENSOR "" "" "" "SWS000100RN0000" "" "2017/Sep/20"
"[Link]"
< WIFI "RS9113" "" "" "1.6.8" "" "2017/Sep/20" "[Link]"
< APPLICATION "" "" "" "EP7AR0301AN0012" "" "2017/Sep/20"
"[Link]"
< PACKAGE "" "" "" "EP7PR0100AN0012" "" "2017/Sep/20"
"[Link]"
< DB_WWWISO "WWWISO" "0" "" "WMC010201AN0004" ""
"2017/Sep/20" "[Link]"
< ENCLOSURE "" "NMNE17200009B" "" "" "" "" ""
< REGULATORY "US" "" "" "" "" "" ""
< IMUCARD "Epson G320" "" "" "" "" "" ""

3. Check that the Time Status is FINESTEERING which represents that time is fine set and
being steered.
4. Check the Receiver Status word (02004020 in this example). If the farthest digit is 1, the
receiver has errors.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 35

Chapter 2 PwrPak7 Installation

For information about the other digits in Receiver Status word, refer to the
RXSTATUS log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

It can take about a minute for time status to be FINESTEERING depending on

number of satellites being tracked. This assumes the antenna is located in an open
sky environment and the RF set up meets the requirements.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 36

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation
Before operating the receiver for the first time, read the installation instructions in PwrPak7
Installation on page 23. The following instructions are based on a configuration similar to
Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation above.

Figure 8: Basic Receiver Enclosure Connection Interfaces (example)

The figure above does not show all necessary hardware. Also see Figure 9: Basic Dif-
ferential Setup on page 44 for a base/rover example.

3.1 Communications with the Receiver

Communication is established with the receiver using a data terminal or computer connected to
the receiver by a variety of methods:
l Wi-Fi Communications on the next page
l USB Communications on the next page
l Serial Port Communications on page 39
l Ethernet Communications on page 40
l CAN Bus Communications on page 41
l ICOM Communications on page 41

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 37

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

When connected to the receiver, enter commands directly from a terminal or through terminal
emulation software on a computer. For example:
l NovAtel Web User Interface - The NovAtel Web User Interface is installed on OEM7
receivers. Refer to the online OEM7 documentation ([Link]/OEM7) for instruc-
tions.
l NovAtel Connect - NovAtel Connect is a software application used to monitor and configure
NovAtel receivers. For information about installing and using NovAtel Connect, refer to the
help file included with the application.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers.

Download the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

l Any console/command line application

To maximize the application of the receiver’s capabilities, become familiar with the commands
and logs described in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

3.1.1 Wi-Fi Communications

The PwrPak7 is configured to run a 2.4 GHz 802.11 Access Point (AP) by default. The AP starts
automatically when the PwrPak7 is powered on; no explicit configuration is required.
Establish a connection between the PwrPak7 and a Wi-Fi network by locating the PwrPak7 in the
list of detected Wi-Fi devices. Once detected, it is easy to connect to any laptop, tablet or smart-
phone with Wi-Fi capability and a web browser.
Refer to the Wi-Fi section in Connect the PwrPak7 to Data Communication Equipment on
page 30 for instructions on starting a Wi-Fi connection to the PwrPak7.
To change the configuration of the Wi-Fi interface, including password, refer to Wi-Fi Con-
figuration on page 87.

3.1.2 USB Communications

To communicate between an OEM7 receiver and a computer using a USB port, NovAtel USB
drivers must be installed on the computer. These USB drivers are available on the NovAtel web-
site at [Link]/novatel-connect.

PwrPak7
The USB port in the COM PORTS label group can be used for communication
between a computer and the PwrPak7.
The USB port labeled TRANSFER can not be used for communication. It is used to
for data logging and transferring data from the internal memory.

USB Drivers
NovAtel USB drivers for OEM7 receivers are available for Windows 7, Window 8, Windows 10
and Linux.
The NovAtel USB drivers provide three virtual serial ports over a single USB 2.0 connection. The
three virtual serial ports are available to existing Windows or Linux applications which use COM

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 38

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

ports to communicate (for example, NovAtel Connect). The NovAtel USB drivers assign COM
port numbers sequentially following any existing ports on the computer. For example, if a com-
puter has COM1 and COM2 ports, the NovAtel USB drivers assign COM3 to USB1, COM4 to USB2
and COM5 to USB3.

A computer has several USB ports. The assignment of COM port numbers is tied to a
USB port on the computer. This allows receivers to be switched without Microsoft Win-
dows assigning new COM ports. However, if the receiver is connected to a different phys-
ical USB port, Windows detects the receiver's presence and assigns three new COM port
numbers.

3.1.3 Serial Port Communications

The receiver can communicate with a computer or terminal via a serial port. For communication
to occur, both the receiver and the operator interface have to be configured properly. The
receiver’s default port settings are:
l 9600 bps
l no parity
l 8 data bits
l 1 stop bit
l no handshaking
l echo off
l break on
The data transfer rate determines how fast information is transmitted. Take for example a log
whose message byte count is 96. The default port settings allows 10 bits/byte (8 data bits + 1
stop bit + 1 framing bit). It therefore takes 960 bits per message. To get 10 messages per
second then requires 9600 bps. Also remember that even if you set the bps to 9600, the actual
data transfer rate may be lower and depends on the number of satellites being tracked, data fil-
ters in use, and idle time. It is therefore suggested that you leave yourself a margin when choos-
ing a data rate.

The minimum suggested baud rate for most applications is at least 115200 bps for GNSS
only or 230400 bps for GNSS+INS. If the buffer overrun flag is present in the
RXSTATUS log (refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual), log at a
higher baud rate if possible, or change to a medium supporting higher bandwidth (USB
or Ethernet).

Although the receiver can operate at data transfer rates as low as 300 bps, this is not
recommended. For example, if several data logs are active (that is, a significant amount
of information needs to be transmitted every second) but the bit rate is set too low, data
overflows the serial port buffers, causing an error condition in the receiver status that
results in lost data.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 39

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

The following ports are supported and can be configured using the commands listed. Refer to the
commands listed in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for detailed instructions.

Table 11: Serial Ports Supported

Receiver Type Port Supported Configuration Command

PwrPak7 COM1, COM2, COM3 SERIALCONFIG and SERIALPROTOCOL

Change the COM Port Settings

To change the settings on a COM port, use the SERIALCONFIG command. For example:
l To change the data rate of COM2 to 115200, enter:
SERIALCONFIG COM2 115200
l To change the data rate of COM1 to 57600 and enable even parity, enter:
SERIALCONFIG COM1 57600 E

Configure a COM Port to Use RS-232 or RS-422

COM1 and COM2 of the PwrPak7 communicate using RS-232 protocol by default, but can be con-
figured to use RS-422 protocol.
The SERIALPROTOCOL command is used to select RS-232 or RS-422 for the COM port.
Commands are executed after the receiver has completed booting so the communication lines
may be configured incorrectly during the time taken to boot and before the command can be pro-
cessed. For automatic configuration, the SERIALPROTOCOL command can be saved using the
SAVECONFIG command.

After switching a COM port from RS-232 to RS-422, send a carriage return (CR) on the
newly configured port to flush the buffer prior to sending new commands on the port.

Communicating using a Remote Terminal

One method of communicating with the receiver is through a remote terminal. To communicate
with the terminal, the receiver requires only the RX, TX and GND lines be used. Handshaking is
not required but is an option. Ensure the terminal’s communications set up matches the
receiver’s RS-232 settings.

Communicating using a Computer

A computer can emulate a remote terminal as well as provide the added flexibility of supporting
multiple command batch files and data logging storage files. Use any standard communications
software package that emulates a terminal to establish bidirectional communications with the
receiver. Examples include NovAtel Connect and PuTTY. All data is sent as raw 8-bit binary or
ASCII characters.
Refer to Communicating with the Receiver on page 42 for details.

3.1.4 Ethernet Communications

OEM7 receivers, except the OEM719, are equipped with a 10-Base-T/100-Base-TX Ethernet port
that supports IPv4 Internet layer, TCP/IP transport and telnet. Users can conduct remote

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 40

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

debugging, accept MRTCA (modified RTCA) data and download firmware. OEM7 receivers are
also equipped with NTRIP Version 2.0 (Networked Transport of RTCM via Internet Protocol) cli-
ent and server capability.
The Ethernet port must be configured before using. Refer to Ethernet Configuration on page 78
for configuration details.

The Ethernet ports are Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) circuits only and are suitable for
connection within a building only. Do not connect them to Telephone Network Voltage
(TNV) circuits.
If intra-building connections are required, (or the PwrPak7 is installed in an outdoor
enclosure, a suitably rated Ethernet router or switch should be installed between the
PwrPak7 Ethernet port and the network connection.

Additional content for the note.

Issue the SAVEETHERNETDATA ETHA command to ensure port settings are retained
after a reset and automatically used at boot time. The SAVEETHERNETDATA ETHA
command is not applicable to the ICOMCONFIG and NTRIPCONFIG command set-
tings. The SAVEETHERNETDATA ETHA command takes precedence over the
SAVECONFIG command configuration.

3.1.5 CAN Bus Communications

The OEM7 receiver supports J1939 and NMEA2000 CAN protocols.
The PwrPak7 has one CAN port. This CAN port support data rates up to 1 Mbps.
Proper bus termination is required.
Refer to CAN Bus on page 90 for detailed instructions.

3.1.6 ICOM Communications

ICOM ports are virtual ports used for Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections. The transport/application
layer of the ICOM ports can be configured to use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) for inter-
net IP or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) a slower and less reliable IP protocol.
Refer to DNSCONFIG command for Ethernet DNS configuration. If using DHCP, DNS is auto-
matically set.
The following are the default ICOM configurations:
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM1 TCP :3001
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM2 TCP :3002
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM3 TCP :3003
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM4 TCP :3004
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM5 TCP :3005
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM6 TCP :3006
l ICOMCONFIG ICOM7 TCP :3007

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 41

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Each ICOM port can act as a server (waiting for an external connection to be made) or as a client
(actively establishing a connection to a specific port).
For details on the ICOM port commands, refer to IPCONFIG command, ICOMCONFIG com-
mand, and ETHCONFIG command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

3.2 Getting Started

The receiver’s software resides in flash memory. When first powered, it undergoes a complete
self-test. If an error condition is detected during the self-test, the status word changes. This
self-test status word can be viewed in the header of any data output log. Refer to the chapter on
Messages in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for header information. If a per-
sistent error occurs, contact your local NovAtel dealer. If the dealer cannot resolve the problem,
contact NovAtel Customer Support directly using one of the methods listed in Customer Support
on page 15.

Power to the card must be applied for >150 ms before any of the external
interfaces are powered on by the integrator's card.

3.2.1 Communicating with the Receiver

You can communicate with the receiver using NovAtel Web User Interface, NovAtel Connect or a
terminal emulation program.

Detailed instructions for using NovAtel Connect are available from the Help system
built into NovAtel Connect.

For instructions on using NovAtel Web User Interface, refer to the online OEM7
documentation ([Link]/OEM7).

When the receiver is first turned on, no data is transmitted from the COM ports except for the
port prompt.
Any of the COM port prompts indicate that the receiver is ready and waiting for command input.
The screen may display other port names for other port types (e.g., USB1, USB2, USB3 or
ICOM1).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 42

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

1. Output from receiver self-tests may take some time. On startup, the OEM7 receiver is
set to log the RXSTATUSEVENTA log ONNEW on all ports. See RXSTATUSEVENT Log on
page 75 for more details.
2. If NovAtel Connect is unable to locate the OEM7 receiver, use a different COM port to
communicate with the receiver. When communication has been established, issue a
FRESET STANDARD command. The original communications port should be ready for
use. See the FRESET command for more information.
3. Ports connected to NovAtel Connect have "_30" appended to the port name.
4. XCOM1, XCOM2 and XCOM3 virtual ports can be generated by the receiver. However,
they are unlikely to appear as a port prompt as you cannot connect to these types of
ports using NovAtel Connect. Also, the XCOM ports are not available with the
SERIALCONFIG command but may be used with other commands, such as the
INTERFACEMODE command and LOG command. Refer to the OEM7 Commands and
Logs Reference Manual for details on the virtual ports.

An example of a response to an input FIX POSITION command:

[COM2] FIX POSITION 51.11635 -114.0383 1048.2 [Carriage Return]
<OK
In this example, [COM2] is the port prompt.
This example illustrates command input to the base receiver’s COM2 port that sets the position
of the base station receiver for differential operation.
If the command was accepted, the receiver responds with:
<OK
If a command is entered incorrectly, the receiver responds with:
<ERROR:Invalid Message ID (or a more detailed message)

Ensure the computer does not sleep or hibernate during a logging session or data will be
lost.

3.3 Transmitting and Receiving Corrections

Corrections can be transmitted from a base station to a rover station to improve position accur-
acy. The base station is the GNSS receiver that acts as the stationary reference. The stationary
reference has a known position and transmits correction messages to the rover station. The
rover station is the GNSS receiver that does not know its exact position and requires correction
messages from a base station to calculate differential GNSS positions. An example of a dif-
ferential setup is shown in Figure 9: Basic Differential Setup on the next page.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 43

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Figure 9: Basic Differential Setup

Rover Setup Base Setup

1 Mount and connect a GNSS antenna 1 Mount and connect a GNSS antenna
2 Connect a fused power supply (user 2 Connect a fused power supply (user supplied)
supplied)
3 Connect a radio device to COM2 (user 3 Connect a radio device to COM2 (user supplied)
supplied)
4 Connect a storage device to COM1 4 Connect a computer to COM1 for setup and monitoring
(user supplied) (user supplied)

To receive corrections, a data link between the base station and the rover station is required.
The base and rover stations can both be NovAtel receivers, however NovAtel receivers will work
with some other brands. Contact Customer Support for further details (refer to Customer Sup-
port on page 15 for details).
The data link should support a rate of at least 19200 bits per second, but a rate of 115200 bits
per second, with less than 4.0 s latency, is recommended.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 44

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Unlike the base/rover concept, SBAS and L-Band corrections can be applied directly to a
single receiver.

When the base and rover are set up, configure them as shown in the configuration examples in
Base Station Configuration below and Rover Station Configuration on the next page.

3.3.1 Defining Antenna and Base Antenna

The type of antenna for the receiver and/or the base receiver can be defined using the
THISANTENNATYPE command and BASEANTENNATYPE command respectively.
The Phase Center Variation (PCV) and the Phase Center Offset (PCO) for each can also be spe-
cified using the THISANTENNAPCV command and THISANTENNAPCO command or the
BASEANTENNAPCV command and BASEANTENNAPCO command.
Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for command details.

3.3.2 Base Station Configuration

At the base station, enter the following commands:
serialconfig [port] baud [parity[databits[stopbits[handshaking[break]]]]]
interfacemode port rx_type tx_type [responses]
fix position latitude longitude height (enter your own lat, long and hgt values)
log port message [trigger [period]] (port = COM2 / refer to Figure 9: Basic
Differential Setup on the previous page)
saveconfig (optional)
For example:

RTK Automated Correction Generation

fix position lat lon hgt (enter your own lat, lon, hgt)
generatertkcorrections rtcmv3 com2

RTCM V3
serialconfig com2 9600 N 8 1 N on
interfacemode com2 none rtcmv3 off
fix position lat lon hgt (enter your own lat, lon, hgt)
log com2 rtcm1002 ontime 1 (for L1 only models)
log com2 rtcm1004 ontime 1 (for L1/L2 models)
log com2 rtcm1006 ontime 10
log com2 rtcm1019 ontime 120
saveconfig (optional)

RTCM V3 with GLONASS

serialconfig com2 9600 N 8 1 N on
interfacemode com2 none rtcmv3 off

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 45

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

fix position lat lon hgt (enter your own lat, lon, hgt)
log com2 rtcm1002 ontime 1 (for L1 only models)
log com2 rtcm1004 ontime 1 (for L1/L2 models)
log com2 rtcm1010 ontime 1 (for L1 only models)
log com2 rtcm1012 ontime 1 (for L1/L2 models)
log com2 rtcm1006 ontime 10
log com2 rtcm1033 ontime 10
log com2 rtcm1019 ontime 120
log com2 rtcm1020 ontime 120
saveconfig (optional)

NOVATELX
serialconfig com2 9600 N 8 1 N on
interfacemode com2 none novatelx off
fix position lat lon hgt (enter your own lat, lon, hgt)
log com2 novatelxobs ontime 1
saveconfig (optional)

3.3.3 Rover Station Configuration

At the rover station, enter the following commands:
serialconfig [port] baud [parity[databits[stopbits[handshaking[break]]]]]
interfacemode port rx_type tx_type [responses]
saveconfig (optional)
For example, if COM2 was connected to the correction source:

RTK Automated Correction Detection

interfacemode com2 auto none off

RTCM V3
interfacemode com2 rtcmv3 none off

RTCM V3 with GLONASS

interfacemode com2 rtcmv3 none off

NOVATELX
interfacemode com2 NOVATELX none off

3.3.4 Configuration Notes

For compatibility with other GNSS receivers and to minimize message size, use the standard
form of RTCMV3 corrections shown in the base and rover examples in Transmitting and Receiv-
ing Corrections on page 43. This requires using the INTERFACEMODE command to dedicate

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 46

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

one direction of a serial port to one message type only. When the INTERFACEMODE command
is used to change the mode from the NOVATEL default, the NovAtel format messages can no
longer be used.
To mix NovAtel format messages and RTCMV3 messages on the same port, leave the interface
mode set to NOVATEL and log out variants of the standard correction messages with a NovAtel
header. ASCII or binary variants can be requested by appending an A or B to the standard mes-
sage name. For example, on the base station:
interfacemode com2 novatel novatel
fix position 51.11358042 -114.04358013 1059.4105
log com2 rtcm1004b ontime 2

1. Interface mode must be set to NOVATEL for the receiver to issue logs with an A or B
suffix.
2. Using the receiver in NOVATEL mode consumes more CPU bandwidth than using the
native differential messages as shown in Base Station Configuration on page 45.
3. To find information on how to send multiple commands and log requests from a com-
puter, search our knowledge database available at [Link]/support/.

At the rover, leave the interface mode default settings (interfacemode com2 novatel novatel).
The rover recognizes the default and uses the corrections it receives with a NovAtel header.
The PSRDIFFSOURCE command and RTKSOURCE command set the station ID values that
identify the base stations from which to accept pseudorange or RTK corrections. They are useful
commands when the rover station is receiving corrections from multiple base stations.

3.4 ALIGN Heading Master and Remote Configurations

ALIGN technology combines two or more receivers to generate high precision heading and pitch
angles between two receivers for real-time navigation.
This section provides instructions for setting up a master station with an ALIGN capable rover
receiver for applications that require heading output. Refer to APN-048 ALIGN Overview and
Setup, available at [Link]/support/.

3.4.1 Automatic Set Up for Direct-Wire Connection between Master and

Rover via COM2
The ALIGNAUTOMATION command must only be sent to the rover.
ALIGNAUTOMATION ENABLE
or
ALIGNAUTOMATION ENABLE COM2 230400 10 ON

3.4.2 Manual Set Up via COM2

Master:
serialconfig com2 9600 N 8 1 N on
interfacemode com2 novatel novatelx off

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 47

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

movingbasestation enable
log com2 novatelxobs ontime 1
log com2 novatelxref ontime 1
log headinga onnew
log gphdt onnew

Rover:
serialconfig com2 9600 N 8 1 N on
interfacemode com2 novatelx novatel off
log com2 headingext2b onnew
log headinga onnew
log gphdt onnew
hdtoutthreshold 1.0

3.5 GLIDE
NovAtel’s GLIDE® is a positioning algorithm for single-frequency GPS and GPS/GLONASS applic-
ations. GLIDE produces a smooth position output tuned for applications where time relative
accuracy (pass-to-pass) is more important than absolute accuracy. Because of this, it is well
suited for agricultural applications.
Multipath signals tend to induce time varying biases and increase the measurement noise on the
L1/L2 pseudorange measurements. Carrier phase measurements are much less susceptible to
the effects of multipath. The GLIDE algorithm fuses the information from the L1 code and the L1
phase measurements into a Position Time Velocity (PVT) solution.
GLIDE includes settings for a dynamic mode, a static mode and an “auto” mode, where the fil-
tering parameters are automatically adjusted as vehicle velocity varies between stationary and
dynamic states.

3.5.1 Dual-Frequency GLIDE

NovAtel’s dual-frequency GLIDE technology adds to the superior pass-to-pass performance
provided by single-frequency GLIDE. Dual-frequency GLIDE is ideal for agricultural and machine
guidance applications where relative positioning is critical. Using GLIDE significantly reduces the
variation in position errors to less than 1 cm from one epoch to the next. Dual-frequency GLIDE
improves the absolute accuracy of the GLIDE position and creates a robust solution resistant to
the effects of high ionospheric activity. GLIDE works in all code positioning modes, including
single point, DGNSS, SBAS and L-Band.
Refer to the NovAtel white paper on GLIDE Technology for more information on GLIDE and APN-
038 Pseudorange/Delta-Phase (PDP) and GLIDE Filters along with other information available
from [Link]/support/search/.

3.5.2 PDP and GLIDE Configurations

Pseudorange/Delta-Phase (PDP) and GLIDE position filters can be used for single-frequency
single point, WAAS or DGNSS positioning. Refer to the PDPFILTER command and PDPMODE
command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 48

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

To reset the PDP or GLIDE filter:

pdpfilter reset
To enable the PDP filter:
pdpfilter enable
Ensure the PDPFILTER command is used before the PDPMODE command. Set the PDP type
and kinematic type according to the application. For most kinematic applications:
pdpmode relative dynamic or pdpmode relative auto
The rest of the setup is position type and log dependent according to the application. For
example, details of the RTKSOURCE, PSRDIFFSOURCE, INTERFACEMODE, SERIALCONFIG
and other configuration commands are outlined in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual. Also refer to the NovAtel application note APN-038 Pseudorange/Delta-Phase (PDP) and
GLIDE available from our web site at [Link]/support/.

3.6 STEADYLINE
The STEADYLINE® functionality helps mitigate the discontinuities that often occur when a GNSS
receiver changes positioning modes. The effect is especially evident when a receiver transitions
from an RTK position mode solution to a lower accuracy “fall back” solution, such as DGPS,
WAAS+GLIDE or even autonomous GLIDE (see Figure 10: Positioning Change Without
STEADYLINE below). Smooth transitions are particularly important for agricultural steering
applications where sudden jumps are problematic.

Figure 10: Positioning Change Without STEADYLINE

The STEADYLINE feature internally monitors the position offsets between all the positioning
modes present in the receiver. When the current positioning mode becomes unavailable, the
receiver transitions to the next most accurate positioning mode.
The setting in the STEADYLINE command determines how the receiver transitions to the next
positioning mode. The following sections describe the STEADYLINE modes.

Refer to the STEADYLINE command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual for more information.

3.6.1 Maintain
When the receiver transitions to a different positioning mode, it maintains the position offset cal-
culated to limit a potential real position jump. The receiver continues to apply the position offset
to all positions calculated in the new positioning mode.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 49

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Figure 11: STEADYLINE Maintain

3.6.2 Transition
When the receiver transitions to a different positioning mode, the position offset is applied to the
calculated position to limit a potential real position jump. The position then slowly transitions to
the new reference position type over a specified period of time. This time period is specified by
the Transition time parameter in the STEADYLINE command.

Figure 12: STEADYLINE Transition

3.6.3 Prefer Accuracy

The positioning mode change depends on the accuracy level of the positioning modes.
When the position mode is changing from a more accurate mode to a less accurate mode (e.g.,
changing from RTK to GLIDE), the receiver uses the Maintain option.
When the position mode is changing from a less accurate mode to a more accurate mode (e.g.,
GLIDE to RTK), the receiver uses the Transition option.
For example, a receiver is configured to do both RTK and GLIDE. If this receiver has a fixed RTK
position and experiences a loss of correction data causing the loss of the RTK solution it will
immediately apply the offset between the two position modes and uses the GLIDE position sta-
bility to maintain the previous trajectory. Over time the GLIDE (or non-RTK) position will exper-
ience some drift. Once the RTK position is achieved again the receiver will start using the RTK
positions for position stability and will slowly transition back to the RTK positions at a default
rate of 0.005 m/s or the time specified in the STEADYLINE command.

Figure 13: STEADYLINE Prefer Accuracy

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 50

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.6.4 UAL

User Accuracy Level (UAL) mode will not function unless UALCONTROL is enabled using
the UALCONTROL command.

The STEADYLINE mode used depends on the BESTPOS and GPGGA solution types.
When the solution type is OPERATIONAL, the receiver uses the Maintain option.
When the solution type is WARNING, the receiver uses the Prefer Accuracy option. When the
receiver changes from WARNING to OPERATIONAL, it will continue to use the Prefer Accuracy
option until any existing offset is gone.
When the solution type is OUT_OF_BOUNDS, the STEADYLINE feature is disabled.
The thresholds used to determine the solution type (OPERATIONAL, WARNING or OUT_OF_
BOUNDS), can be specified using the UALCONTROL command. Refer to the OEM7 Commands
and Logs Reference Manual for more information.
Figure 14: STEADYLINE UAL- Warning Limit Example below and Figure 15: STEADYLINE UAL -
Out of Bounds Example on the next page show examples of STEADYLINE using the UAL mode.

Figure 14: STEADYLINE UAL- Warning Limit Example

A Position type is OPERATIONAL.

Higher accuracy corrections are lost. The receiver changes to a lower accuracy solution.
STEADYLINE operates in Maintain mode while the solution accuracy remains within the
Operational limit.
B The solution accuracy exceeds the operational limit. The position type changes to WARNING.
The STEADYLINE mode changes from Maintain to Prefer Accuracy.
C The solution accuracy moves back within the operational limit. The position type changes to
OPERATIONAL.
The STEADYLINE mode remains in Prefer Accuracy mode.
D The solution offset is removed.
The STEADYLINE mode changes from Prefer Accuracy to Maintain.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 51

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Figure 15: STEADYLINE UAL - Out of Bounds Example

A The position type is OPERATIONAL.

Higher accuracy corrections are lost. The receiver changes to a lower accuracy solution.
STEADYLINE operates in Maintain mode while solution accuracy remains within the Operational
limit.
B The solution accuracy exceeds the operational limit. The position type changes to WARNING.
The STEADYLINE mode changes from Maintain to Prefer Accuracy.
C The solution accuracy exceeds the warning limit. The position type changes to OUT_OF_BOUNDS.
STEADYLINE is disabled.

3.7 Enabling SBAS Positioning

OEM7 receivers are capable of SBAS positioning. This positioning mode is enabled using the
SBASCONTROL command:
sbascontrol enable auto
When the command is entered, the OEM7 receiver automatically tracks the SBAS that is oper-
ating in the region (e.g., WAAS or EGNOS) and applies the corrections from the service. On a
simulator, leave the test mode parameter off or specify NONE explicitly. For more on SBAS,
refer to application note APN-051 Positioning Modes of Operation (additional Application Notes
available at [Link]/support/).

3.8 Enabling NovAtel CORRECT with PPP

L-Band equipped receivers can achieve sub-metre position accuracy using correction data
received from geostationary satellites. To use the L-Band corrections, an L-Band-capable
receiver model and antenna are required (refer to our web site [Link]-
[Link]/products/gnss-antennas for information on NovAtel L-Band-capable antennas).
For more information on L-Band positioning, refer to:
l NovAtel Application Notes: APN-061 NovAtel CORRECT with TerraStar or APN-062 NovAtel
CORRECT with Veripos (service dependent) available from [Link]-
[Link]/support/search/items/Application%20Note
l the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for log/command details
and/or

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 52

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

l visit [Link]/support
l visit [Link]/products/novatel-correct

3.8.1 TerraStar Subscriptions

A subscription is required to use TerraStar service for land, airborne and near shore applic-
ations. Near shore applications are defined as vessels operating within 10 km of shore. To
obtain a subscription, contact your local NovAtel sales representative or visit [Link]-
[Link]/products/terrastar-gnss-corrections. The NovAtel product serial number (PSN) is
needed to obtain a subscription. To obtain the receiver serial number, enter the following com-
mand:
log versiona once
To activate a subscription, the receiver must be powered and tracking an L-Band TerraStar satel-
lite prior to the planned activation time. Use the ASSIGNLBANDBEAM command to configure
the receiver to track the TerraStar satellite.
ASSIGNLBANDBEAM auto
To confirm tracking of an L-Band signal, log the L-Band tracking status information by entering
the following command:
log lbandtrackstata
#LBANDTRACKSTATA,COM1,0,73.5,FINESTEERING,1769,328196.000,00000000,29fd,
12602;1,"98W",1539902500,1200,974c
00c2,0,-316.186,43.842,4.3840,61.920,1088,2,2,138176,79,0.0001*3e43cb7d
If receiving an L-Band signal from a geostationary satellite, the sixth field following the header
(tracking status word) of the LBANDTRACKSTAT log will be 00c2, as shown in the example:

The latest services and coverage can be obtained from [Link]-

[Link]/products/novatel-correct-ppp/. For additional information on TerraStar activ-
ation, contact NovAtel Customer Service at [Link]/support or download APN-
061 NovAtel CORRECT with TerraStar from: [Link]-
[Link]/support/search/items/Application%20Note

To confirm the TerraStar subscription status, send the TERRASTARSTATUS log:

log terrastarstatus
[COM1]<TERRASTARSTATUS COM1 0 74.0 FINESTEERING 1886 418216.025
00000020 fdc1 13386 ENABLE LOCKED 0 IN_RANGE DISABLED
[COM1]
The first field after the log header will be ENABLED to indicate the TerraStar subscription is
valid. The second field after the log header will be LOCKED to indicate the decoder is locked to
the data format.
To monitor the PPP convergence, send the PPPPOS log:
log ppppos ontime 1
[COM1]<PPPPOS COM1 0 76.0 FINESTEERING 1886 418465.000 00000020 ec34
13386 SOL_COMPUTED PPP_CONVERGING 51.11679035745 -114.03886212905
1064.9475 -16.9000 WGS84 0.7097 0.6867 1.2333 "TSTR" 25.000 0.000 18 17

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 53

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

17 17 00 00 00 33
[COM1]

3.8.2 Veripos Subscriptions

Subscriptions to the Veripos Apex and Apex2 marine services must be obtained directly
from Veripos. A unit with a marine subscription can not be switched to a land sub-
scription and vice versa.

A subscription is required to use the Veripos services for offshore marine applications. Contact
Veripos sales at [Link]/[Link] to obtain a Service Access License (SAL) num-
ber. To activate the service, contact the Veripos Help Desk at +44 (0) 1224 527 104 or visit
[Link]/[Link]. Provide the SAL number and the receiver's Veripos Serial Num-
ber (VSN).To obtain the receiver-specific VSN, enter the following command:
log veriposinfo
The log displays the VSN in the first field following the log header and also displays the status of
your subscription.
To activate a subscription, the receiver must be powered and tracking an L-Band Veripos satel-
lite prior to the planned activation time. Use the ASSIGNLBANDBEAM command to configure
the receiver to track the Veripos satellite.
assignlbandbeam auto

The latest services and coverage can be obtained from [Link]. For additional
information on Veripos activation, contact NovAtel Customer Service at [Link]-
[Link]/support or download the APN-062 NovAtel CORRECT with Veripos from:
[Link]/support/search/items/Application%20Note

3.9 RTK ASSIST

RTK ASSIST™ is a feature that enables centimetre-level accuracies to be maintained through
extended RTK correction outages. With RTK ASSIST, RTK-dependent operations can continue
through RTK correction outages as long as 20 minutes.
RTK ASSIST uses correction data provided by TerraStar. To obtain these corrections, an L-Band
capable receiver is required and L-Band tracking must be enabled using the
ASSIGNLBANDBEAM command.
RTK ASSIST also requires a subscription to the RTK ASSIST service. To obtain a subscription,
contact your local NovAtel sales representative or visit [Link]/products/terrastar-
gnss-corrections/. The NovAtel product serial number (PSN) is needed to obtain a subscription.
The PSN is available from the VERSION log.
RTK ASSIST is available as soon as the rover receiver has at least one valid RTK solution and
has received the RTK ASSIST correction data. If an RTK correction outage occurs, then RTK
ASSIST will maintain RTK mode until the subscription-permitted RTK ASSIST duration is
exceeded. A shorter, user-defined RTK ASSIST time out can also be set using the
RTKASSISTTIMEOUT command. Normal RTK operation will seamlessly resume if RTK cor-
rections are restored at any point while RTK ASSIST is operating.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 54

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

RTK ASSIST will report the RTK solution type that was present before RTK corrections were lost,
unless the estimated solution standard deviation exceeds the threshold set by the
RTKINTEGERCRITERIA command. If this occurs, then integer RTK solutions will be down-
graded to their float RTK equivalent.
RTK ASSIST is enabled by default, but can be disabled using the RTKASSIST command. To mon-
itor the status of RTK ASSIST, view the RTKASSISTSTATUS log.
Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for information about the commands
and logs referenced in this section.

RTK ASSIST typically provides 4 cm accuracy. However, if the RTK outage occurs during
the first 30 minutes of receiver operation, the position accuracy provided by RTK ASSIST
may be lower.

Additional information about enabling and using RTK ASSIST is available in the RTK
ASSIST Application Note (available from our website: [Link]-
[Link]/assets/Documents/Bulletins/[Link]).

3.10 Transferring Time Between Receivers

The ADJUST1PPS command is used as part of the procedure to transfer time between receiv-
ers. The number of Pulses Per Second (PPS) is always set to 1 with this command. It is typically
used when the receiver is not adjusting its own clock and is using an external reference fre-
quency.
The TIMESYNC log is also used to synchronize time between receivers. It contains a time
status field that may show COARSE or FINE, among others. For a complete list of the time status
values and definitions, refer to the section in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.
Procedures to Transfer Time on the next page provides details on the time transfer procedure.
Terms used in the procedure are defined in Time Definitions below. Refer also to the
ADJUST1PPS command and the TIMESYNC log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual.

3.10.1 GPS to Receiver Time Synchronization

Receiver time synchronization with GPS time does not occur until the receiver locks onto the
first satellite. The GPS L1 signal has two main streams of data modulated on the carrier. These
data streams are the C/A code (1.023 MHz rate) and the P(Y) code (10.23 MHz rate). Addi-
tionally, a navigation message (at a 50 Hz rate) contains GPS satellite data including the eph-
emeris, clock corrections and constellation status. This navigation message is encoded on both
the C/A and P(Y) codes. The navigation message is transmitted via individual subframes and
each subframe is 300 bits in length. With the 50 Hz data bit rate there is a new subframe trans-
mitted every six seconds.

3.10.2 Time Definitions

The following are related definitions:
Coarse Time
Each subframe contains the transmit time of the next subframe in seconds of GPS Time of Week

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 55

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

(TOW). After the first subframe is collected and decoded by the receiver, an approximate cal-
culation of the receiver clock offset can be made. The receiver clock offset is the difference
between GPS time and internal receiver time. The calculation is based on subframe transmit
time and the approximate propagation time from the satellite signal to the receiver. The position
of the satellite and receiver clock offset are used to re-initialize the seconds counter on the
receiver, resulting in receiver/GPS time synchronization. The accuracy of the receiver time is
expected to be within 30 milliseconds (ms) of GPS time. This initial synchronization is referred
to as coarse time and is indicated by COARSE in the time status field of the TIMESYNC log.
Fine Time
When at least four satellites are acquired to calculate the antenna position, a more accurate
estimate of the receiver clock offset is calculated. The new receiver clock offset is used to syn-
chronize the receiver clock even closer to GPS time. This is referred to as fine time and appears
as FINE or FINESTEERING in the time status field of the TIMESYNC log. Fine time accuracy is a
function of the GPS constellation status and is influenced by external receiver RF delay. For the
Standard Position Service (SPS) the time accuracy is specified as 20 ns (1 sigma) with internal
compensation.
Fine Clock
An OEM7 receiver that is tracking satellites and has a FINE or FINESTEERING receiver clock
state.
Cold Clock
An OEM7 receiver that needs to have its clock synchronized with the Fine receiver. It may have
any clock state (except FINE or FINESTEERING) that includes UNKNOWN.
Warm Clock
An OEM7 receiver that has its clock adjusted to greater than 500 ms. Refer to the TIME log to
view the clock offset.

The OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual contains details of the logs mentioned
above.

3.10.3 Procedures to Transfer Time

These procedures are used to transfer time between a fine clock and a cold or warm clock GPS
receiver.

When connecting two receivers to transfer time, disable responses on the COM port
used to connect the receivers by issuing the following command on both receivers:
interfacemode comX novatel novatel none
Where comX is the port used on the receiver.

Transfer COARSE Time (<10 ms) from a Fine Clock to a Cold Clock GPS
Receiver
1. Connect a COM, USB or Ethernet port from the fine clock receiver to the cold clock receiver
(for example, COM2 on the fine clock receiver to COM3 on the cold clock receiver) as shown
in Figure 16: Transfer COARSE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver on the next

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 56

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

page. Configure both ports to the same baud rate and handshaking configurations.
2. Issue the following command to the fine clock receiver:
log com2 timesyncb ontime 1
3. Issue the following command to the cold clock receiver:
adjust1pps time
When the cold clock receiver receives the TIMESYNC log, it sets its clock with a 100 ms trans-
fer delay allowance.

Figure 16: Transfer COARSE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver

Transfer FINE Time (<50 ns) from a Fine Clock to a Cold Clock GPS Receiver
1. Connect a COM, USB or Ethernet port from the fine clock receiver to the cold clock receiver
(for example, COM2 on the fine clock receiver to COM3 on the cold clock receiver), as shown
in Figure 17: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver on the next page.
Configure both ports to the same baud rate and handshaking configurations.
2. Issue the following command to the fine clock receiver:
log com2 timesyncb ontime 1
3. Connect the 1PPS signal of the fine clock receiver to the Mark 1 input (Event1) of the cold
clock receiver.
4. Issue the following command to the cold clock receiver:
adjust1pps markwithtime
When the cold clock receiver receives the 1PPS event from the fine clock receiver, it checks to
see if a valid TIMESYNC log has arrived within 200 ms of the last 1PPS event. If so, it sets the
cold clock receiver clock to the time of the fine clock receiver. See Figure 19: 1 PPS Alignment
on page 59.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 57

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Figure 17: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock Receiver

Transfer FINE Time from a Fine Clock to a Warm Clock GPS Receiver
1. Connect the 1 PPS signal of the fine clock receiver to the Mark 1 input (Event1) of the warm
clock receiver as shown in Figure 18: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Warm Clock
Receiver on the next page.
2. Issue the following command to the warm clock receiver:
adjust1pps mark
The phase of the warm clock receiver clock is adjusted by the fractional measurement of the
fine clock receiver’s 1 PPS mark input event. In other words, it synchronizes the warm clock
receiver’s 1 PPS to the incoming 1 PPS of the fine clock receiver. It does not adjust the one
second TOW counter or the receiver’s week number. This procedure is used to make small cor-
rections to the warm clock receiver’s clock.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 58

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Figure 18: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Warm Clock Receiver

If Receiver 2 is not in coarsetime, the input is ignored.

Figure 19: 1 PPS Alignment

The examples shown in Figure 16: Transfer COARSE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock
Receiver on page 57, Figure 17: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to Cold Clock
Receiver on the previous page and Figure 18: Transfer FINE Time from Fine Clock to
Warm Clock Receiver above are for the transfer of time. If a position is needed, the
receiver must be tracking satellites and must have a valid almanac.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 59

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.11 Interference Toolkit

The Interference Toolkit (ITK) feature monitors, quantifies and removes interference sources to
prevent interference from impacting receiver performance.
Using the Interference Toolkit, you can monitor the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum in a range of
frequencies around the GNSS signals that are being received by the OEM7 receiver. By plotting
the information obtained, you can determine if there is an interference signal within the GNSS
signal band.

Auto-detect functionality applies to in-band interference only. It does not detect out-of-
band interference. Future firmware releases of NovAtel OEM7 products will expand func-
tionality to include out-of-band interference detection.

Signals available are model dependent. A variety of mitigation techniques are available. Contact
[Link]/where-to-buy/sales-offices to activate full mitigation features.

3.11.1 Monitoring GNSS Signals

By default, interference detection is enabled. Detection can be disabled/enabled as needed. See
Disable Default Detection/Enable Detection below for instructions. Detected interference can be
viewed and different tracking modes with possible additional filters can be applied to mitigate
the interference using NovAtel Connect. Detected interference details can also be logged and
analyzed using the command line interface. The following discusses both methods.

NovAtel recommends using the default settings for Interference Toolkit whenever
possible.

NovAtel Connect 2.0 or greater is required to use Interference Toolkit functionality.

Download NovAtel Connect from [Link]/novatel-connect.

Disable Default Detection/Enable Detection

The auto-detect feature can be enabled/disabled from any command line or the command line
within NovAtel Connect using the ITINTERFERENCEDETECT command. Also, certain para-
meters around the detection algorithm can be configured.
Issue: ITINTERFERENCEDETECT none
Issue: ITINTERFERENCEDETECT default 1000 4k 10 5
Example:
<OK
[USB1]<ITINTERFERENCEDETECT USB1 0 81.0 UNKNOWN 0 0.216 02004020 9fc0 14137
< DEFAULT 1000 4K 10 5
[USB1]

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 60

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.11.2 Monitoring Signals Using a Command Line

Use the results to examine the signals that are being received by the OEM7 receiver and determ-
ine if there is an interference signal within the GNSS signals.
Issue: ITSPECTRALANALYSIS mode [frequency] [updateperiod] [FFTsize] [timeavg]
[subcarrieravg]
This command is used to view the spectrum in a range of frequencies. The spectrum can be
viewed by plotting the PSD samples in the ITPSDFINAL log; the ITSPECTRALANALYSIS com-
mand only enables and configures the spectral analysis.
Example:
<OK
[USB1]<ITSPECTRALANALYSIS USB1 0 82.5 COARSESTEERING 1933 162368.783
02004020 73eb 14137
< PREDECIMATION GPSL1 200 2K 1 1
Issue: ITPSDFINAL onnew
When logged, incoming signal information is collected at the rate specified in the
ITSPECTRALANALYSIS command.

3.11.3 Monitoring Signals Using NovAtel Connect

Start NovAtel Connect and open a connection to the OEM7 receiver.
Scroll down to the Interference Toolkit and double click on the Interference/s Detected tile.

The tile displays red when interference is detected; displays green when no interference
is present.

The Interference Toolkit window opens:

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 61

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

The following example shows a typical signal.

Placing the cursor over any place in the signal band will display additional information regarding
that location in the signal band.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 62

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.11.4 Configure Filters

To configure HDR mode, use the ITFRONTENDMODE command. To configure a bandpass filter,
use the ITPROGFILTCONFIG command or the ITBANDPASSCONFIG command.
The notch and bandpass filters can also be configured using NovAtel Connect.

3.11.5 Remove Interference Signals

If an interference signal is present, the Interference Toolkit can reduce or eliminate the impact
on GNSS tracking using the programmable High Dynamic Range (HDR), Bandpass or Notch fil-
ters.
Contact [Link]/where-to-buy/sales-offices to obtain mitigation functionality.

High Dynamic Range Mode

The High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode enables special signal processing to remove distortions
from the spectrum, providing a cleaner signal. This optimizes the Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
to prevent interfering signals from drowning out the GNSS signals. HDR mode works well
against wide band and out-of-band interferers. HDR mode can be combined with bandpass and
notch filters, but does draw more power.

Notch Filter
The Interference Toolkit notch filter reduces the signal power in a narrow frequency band. This
type of filter is useful for reducing the signal power of a single, narrow band interference signal.
Note that the narrowest possible filter should be used to maintain the maximum amount of over-
all signal power.

Bandpass Filter
The Interference Toolkit bandpass filter reduces the signal power of all incoming signals at the
upper and lower end of the GNSS signal band starting at the requested cut-off frequency. This

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 63

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

type of filter is good for reducing single or multiple interference signals at the edges of the sig-
nal band.
When a bandpass filter is applied to this signal, the upper and lower ends of the signal band are
filtered out to reduce the signal power of the interference signal.
The following example shows interference at 1750 in the signal band.

The following example shows post filtering with interference.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 64

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

The following are the Commands and Logs used by the Interference Toolkit to monitor, apply fil-
ters and mitigate interference. Commands and Logs with the √ are available by default. Contact
[Link]/where-to-buy/sales-offices to activate full mitigation features.

Commands

Configures a bandpass filter on the receiver. The bandpass filters

ITBANDPASSCONFIG are only applicable to L1 signals (GPS L1C/A, BeiDou B1 and
GLONASS L1).

Configures the front end mode for each RF path to use the default
ITFRONTENDMODE
tracking mode or change to High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode.

ITINTERFERENCEDETECT √ Configures and enables interference detection on receiver.

Configures filtering on the receiver to be either a notch filter or a

ITPROGFILTCONFIG
bandpass filter.

ITSPECTRALANALYSIS √ Configures and enables spectral analysis on the receiver.

Logs

ITBANDPASSBANK Provides the allowable bandpass filter configurations.

Summarizes the filter configuration for each frequency and indicates

ITFILTTABLE
which bandpass or notch filters are enabled and configured.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 65

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Logs

ITPROGFILTBANK Provides the allowable filter configurations.

Provides the process power spectral density information along with

ITPSDFINAL √
samples for the spectral analysis.

3.12 Logging and Retrieving Data Overview

Logs can be directed to any of the receiver communication ports and can be automatically gen-
erated when new or changed data becomes available or at regular intervals.
Data can be collected using NovAtel Connect or NovAtel Web User Interface. Refer to the Help
available from within NovAtel Connect for comprehensive logging instructions. Refer to the
online OEM7 documentation ([Link]/OEM7) for information about logging using
NovAtel Web User Interface.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers. Download the
latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from [Link]/novatel-con-
nect.

3.12.1 Pass-Through Logging

The pass-through logging feature enables the GNSS receiver to redirect any ASCII or binary
data that is input at a specified COM port or USB port, to any specified receiver COM or USB
port. This capability, in conjunction with the SEND command, allows the receiver to perform bid-
irectional communications with other devices such as a modem, terminal or another receiver.
There are several pass-through logs: PASSCOM1, PASSCOM2, PASSCOM3, PASSXCOM1,
PASSXCOM2, PASSXCOM3, PASSUSB1, PASSUSB2, PASSUSB3, PASSICOMX, PASSNCOM and
PASSAUX are available on OEM7 receivers for logging through serial ports. Refer to the
PASSCOM logs in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for details.

3.12.2 Saving Logs to a File

To save log data, log requests are sent to the FILE port (for example, LOG FILE BESTPOS
ONTIME 1). Before the logs sent to the FILE port can be saved in a file, the file must be created
(opened) on the file system using the FILECONFIG OPEN command. The log file will open when
the active file media is ready and has sufficient space. The active file media is configured using
the FILEMEDIACONFIG command. The default is INTERNAL_FLASH.

File Naming
When a file is opened, the file name is generated based on the following format:
<PSN>_<INDEX>.LOG
where:
l <PSN> is the product serial number of the enclosure
l <INDEX> is a number from 1 to 511.
The lowest number that produces an unused file name is selected. If there is no such
number available, the FILESTATUS log will report an error.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 66

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

The number is not zero-padded (i.e. the sequence is as follows: 1,2, ... ,9,10,11,12, ...
,99,100, ... , 510,511).
When a file is closed (FILECONFIG CLOSED)and the receiver has a valid time, the file is
renamed based on the following format:
<PSN>_<UTC Date>_<UTC Time>.LOG
where:
l <PSN> is the product serial number of the enclosure
l <UTC_Date> is the UTC date in the format YYYY-MM-DD
l <UTC_Time> is the UTC time in the format HH-MM-SS
Example file name: NOV12001200A_2017-01-10_12-[Link]
When a file is closed, but the receiver does not have a valid time, the file is left with its auto-
matically generated name.

l The file is created before the FILECONFIG command returns a response.

l Only logs that are published after the log file is open are recorded.
l Only one log file can be open at a time.
l Logs requested to the FILE port are still produced even if the log file is closed,
however the logs are not recorded. (This is similar to requesting logs to COM4
when there's no cable on COM4.) If a new log file is opened, recording of the
previously requested logs continues with the new file.

File Rotation
When collecting a large amount of log data over an extended time period, the maximum size
and duration for a log file can be configured using the FILEROTATECONFIG command.
If the file duration is set, the log file is closed after the specified duration and a new log file is
created. If the file size is set, the log file is closed after the file reaches the specified size and a
new log file is created. New log files are created and closed until the file system runs out of free
space or logging is stopped. If the OVERWRITE mode has been set, the oldest file will be
deleted in order to make room for the new file so data logging can continue.
There is no data loss during the file rotation process and individual logs within the file are not
spread between log files.
For more information about configuring file rotation, refer to the FILEROTATECONFIG com-
mandin the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

The maximum size of a log file is 4 Gb. Once this size is reached, the log file will close.
Another log file will be created to continue logging.

3.12.3 Logging to Internal Memory

When the file media is set to internal memory (FILEMEDIACONFIG INTERNAL_FLASH), logs
sent to the FILE port are saved on internal memory. This option is available on the PwrPak7
only.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 67

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

For information about logging to internal memory using the PwrPak7 Log button, see Log-
ging Using the Log Button below.

Before powering off the PwrPak7 or using the RESET command, use the FILECONFIG
CLOSE command, or press the Log button, to close the log file.

NovAtel Web UI is the recommended method for configuring logging to internal

memory. Refer to the Web UI section of the online OEM7 User Documentation (doc-
[Link]/OEM7) for information about configuring logging using the NovAtel Web
UI.

Logging to Internal Memory using the Command Line

To log to internal memory:
1. Set the file media to internal memory (this is the default).
FILEMEDIACONFIG INTERNAL_FLASH
2. Open a log file on internal memory.
FILECONFIG OPEN
The LOG LED begins to blink to show that a log file is open on internal memory.
3. Use the LOG command to start collecting logs to the file on internal memory. The logs must
use the FILE port. For example:
LOG FILE VERSIONA
LOG FILE BESTPOSA ONTIME 1
Enter a LOG command for each log you want to collect.
4. Wait until the desired data has been collected.
5. Enter the following command to stop data collection and close the log file.
FILECONFIG CLOSE
The LOG LED changes to a solid color to indicate that the PwrPak7 is no longer logging to
internal memory.

3.12.4 Logging Using the Log Button

The PwrPak7 Log button is used to start and stop log collection to a file on internal memory.
Pressing the Log button results in the following behavior:
l If the logging file is closed, the file will opened (analogous to issuing the FILECONFIG OPEN
command). Any logs configured to be sent to the FILE port will begin to be collected in a new
file.
l If the logging file is open, the file will be closed (analogous to issuing the FILECONFIG
CLOSE command).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 68

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

Before powering off the PwrPak7 or using the RESET command, use the
FILECONFIG command, or press the Log button, to close the log file.

Logging using the Log Button

The file media must be available to the receiver when pressing the Log button.
1. Ensure that a computer is not connected to the TRANSFER port.
2. Wait until the PwrPak7 mounts the file media.
Ensure that the LOG LED is solid green.
Alternatively, the mount status can be checked using the FILESYSTEMSTATUS log:
LOG FILESYSTEMSTATUSA ONCHANGED
#FILESYSTEMSTATUSA,COM2,0,22.0,UNKNOWN,0,4.893,02440020,143c,327
68;2,INTERNAL_FLASH,MOUNTING,0,"",USBSTICK,UNMOUNTED,0,""
#FILESYSTEMSTATUSA,COM2,0,18.0,UNKNOWN,0,4.893,02440020,143c,327
68;2,INTERNAL_FLASH,MOUNTED,0,"", USBSTICK,UNMOUNTED,15471912,""
3. Press and release the Log button.
4. When you are finished collecting logs, press and release the Log button.
File logging stops and the log file is closed.
The log file is now available for access.

Example: Collecting Logs Using the Log Button

The following example shows how to collect the BESTPOS log on internal memory using the Log
button.
1. Ensure that the PwrPak7 TRANSFER port is not plugged into a computer.
2. Press the Log button to activate file logging.
3. On any COM port, enter the following command.
LOG FILE BESTPOSA ONTIME 1

Other logs can also be collected by logging them to the FILE port.

4. When log collection is finished, press the Log button to stop capturing logs to file.
5. The File LED changes to solid green to indicate that logging has stopped.

3.12.5 Transferring Files from Internal Memory to a USB Stick

Logs can be saved to a file on the PwrPak7 internal memory. After the logs have been collected
and the log file closed, the logs can be retrieved by transferring the files from internal memory
to a USB stick.

NovAtel recommends using a Micro A to USB stick adapter, such as Tensility 10-
00649 or equivalent, to connect a USB stick to the PwrPak7 TRANSFER port.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 69

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

To save to a file on internal memory, the internal memory must be selected as the
file media using the FILEMEDIACONFIG command.

USB sticks used with the PwrPak7 must be formatted as FAT32.

If the USB stick is formatted incorrectly, or corrupted, the TRANSFER LED will
flash red for three seconds and then stay solid red. To correct the issue, use a
computer to reformat the USB stick as FAT32.

Before powering off the PwrPak7 or removing the USB stick from the PwrPak7, use
the USBSTICKEJECT command to unmount the USB stick.

Automatic File Transfer

When automatic file transfer is enabled, all of the files stored on the PwrPak7 internal memory
are automatically transferred to a USB stick when the USB stick is inserted.
To enable automatic file transfer, enter one the following two commands.
FILEAUTOTRANSFER COPY
FILEAUTOTRANSFER MOVE
If FILEAUTOTRANSFER is set to COPY, the files are transferred into a folder on the USB
stick named with the enclosure PSN (e.g. BMHR15470145U) and the files are retained on
internal memory.
If FILEAUTOTRANSFER is set to MOVE, the files are transferred into a folder on the USB
stick named with the enclosure PSN and the files are deleted from the internal memory if the
transfer is successful.
Use the FILETRANSFERSTATUS log to monitor the progress of the file transfer. When the file
transfer is complete, enter the USBSTICKEJECT command before removing the USB stick from
the PwrPak7. The FILESYSTEMSTATUS log indicates the USBSTICK UNMOUNTED status when
it is safe to physically remove the USB stick. This may take up to 10 seconds.

Removing the USB stick before it is unmounted may corrupt the data files.

To disable automatic file transfer, enter the following command.

FILEAUTOTRANSFER OFF
For more information, see the FILEAUTOTRANSFER command in the OEM7 Commands and
Logs Reference Manual.

Manual File Transfer

Use a manual file transfer to move or copy a single file, or all of the files, from internal memory
to a USB stick.
1. Insert a USB stick into the PwrPak7 TRANSFER USB port.
2. If moving or copying a single file, use the FILELIST command to get list of the files stored

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 70

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

on internal memory. Note that the file media must be set to INTERNAL_FLASH (see the
FILEMEDIACONFIG command) to view the files on internal memory.
3. Enter one of the following commands to transfer the file or files.
l To transfer all of the files from internal memory to the USB stick and leave the files on
internal memory, enter:
FILETRANSFER COPY ALL
l To transfer all of the files from internal memory to the USB stick and delete the files
from internal memory after the successful transfer, enter:
FILETRANSFER MOVE ALL
l To transfer a single file from internal memory to the USB stick and leave the file on
internal memory, enter the following command. In the example below,
BMHR16460033T_2017-3-16_21-[Link] is the name of the file being copied.
FILETRANSFER COPY BMHR16460033T_2017-3-16_21-[Link]
l To transfer a single file from internal memory to the USB stick and delete the file from
internal memory, enter the following command. In the example below,
BMHR16460033T_2017-3-16_21-[Link] is the name of the file being moved.
FILETRANSFER MOVE BMHR16460033T_2017-3-16_21-[Link]
For more information, see the FILETRANSFER command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs
Reference Manual.
4. Use the FILETRANSFERSTATUS log to monitor the progress of the file transfer.
5. When the file transfer is complete, enter the USBSTICKEJECT command to unmount the
USB stick.
6. Use the FILETRANSFERSTATUS log to check for the USBSTICK UNMOUNTED status.
7. When the USB stick is unmounted, remove it from the PwrPak7.

Cancel a File Transfer

To a cancel a file transfer, enter the following command.
FILETRANSFER CANCEL
This command will cancel an automatic (FILEAUTOTRANSFER) or a manual (FILETRANSFER)
transfer.

3.12.6 Access Internal Memory with a Computer

The PwrPak7 has 16 GB of internal Flash memory. This memory is formatted as FAT32 with a
cluster size of 16 kB.
When a computer is connected to the TRANSFER port on a PwrPak7, the computer can access the
internal memory on the PwrPak7. If the internal memory is not in use (FILECONFIG CLOSE), con-
trol of the internal memory is transferred from the PwrPak7 to the computer. If the internal
memory is being used for logging (FILECONFIG OPEN), control is not transferred to the com-
puter. This prevents an interruption of the logging. To allow the computer to access the internal
memory, stop logging to internal memory (FILECONFIG CLOSE).
When the computer is disconnected from the TRANSFER port, control of the internal memory is
transferred back to the PwrPak7. The PwrPak7 then checks the file system on the internal

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 71

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

memory for errors. If any errors are found, the PwrPak7 attempts to correct them. This may res-
ult in files being placed in the Lost and Found folder in the root of the internal memory.
To reduce the likelihood of internal memory corruption or data loss, the following is recom-
mended:
1. Always use the Eject option on your computer before disconnecting the USB cable from the
PwrPak7.
2. Before powering off the PwrPak7, use the FILECONFIG CLOSE command to ensure there is
no activity on the internal memory when the power is lost.

Repair Errors on the Internal Memory

The internal memory can become corrupt and inaccessible to the PwrPak7. This can happen if
there is a sudden power loss when the PwrPak7 is transferring files from the internal memory.
This can also happen if there is improper use of the internal memory when connected to a com-
puter.
The PwrPak7 will attempt to repair any errors found on the internal memory. This may result in
files being placed in the Lost and Found folder in the root of the internal memory. In the case of
severe errors, the PwrPak7 may not be able to repair the errors and preserve user data. When
this occurs, the FILESYSTEMSTATUS log reports an ERROR status for INTERNAL_FLASH and
the LOG LED is solid red. There are two ways to recover from this condition:
1. Connect a computer to the TRANSFER port on the PwrPak7 and use computer-based tools to
repair the PwrPak7 internal memory.

When using computer-based disk recovery utilities, ensure the internal memory
remains formatted as FAT32 with a cluster size of 16 kB after the repair.

2. Use the PwrPak7 interface to reformat the internal memory. This results in a complete loss
of data on the internal memory.
a. Disconnect the computer from the TRANSFER port on the PwrPak7.
b. From any COM port on the PwrPak7, check the FILESYSTEMSTATUS log.
log filesystemstatusa onchanged
c. Wait until the status of the INTERNAL_FLASH reports ERROR and the LOG LED is solid
red.
d. Use the MEDIAFORMAT command to reformat the internal memory.
MEDIAFORMAT INTERNAL_FLASH
e. Check the status of the internal memory in the FILESYSTEMSTATUS log.
When the INTERNAL_FLASH reports MOUNTED and the LOG LED is solid green, the
internal memory is ready for use.

3.13 Additional Features and Information

The following sections contain information on additional features of the OEM7 receivers.
l Strobes on the next page

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 72

Chapter 3 OEM7 Receiver Operation

3.13.1 Strobes
OEM7 receivers have inputs and outputs, referred to as strobes, that provide status and syn-
chronization signals. Not all strobes are provided on all receivers. For detailed information
about OEM7 receiver strobes, see: PwrPak7 Strobe Specifications on page 126.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 73

Chapter 4 Built-In Status Tests
The Built-In Status Test monitors system performance and status to ensure the receiver is oper-
ating within specifications. The test detects an exceptional condition and informs the user
through one or more indicators. The receiver status system is used to configure and monitor the
indicators:
1. Receiver status word (included in the header of every message)
2. ERROR strobe signal
3. RXSTATUSEVENT log
4. RXSTATUS log
In normal operation, the error strobe is driven low and the status LED on the receiver flashes
green once every second. When an unusual and non-fatal event occurs (for example, there is no
valid position solution), a bit is set in the receiver status word. Receiver operation continues nor-
mally, the error strobe remains off and the LED continues to flash green. When the event ends
(for example, when there is a valid position solution), the bit in the receiver status word is
cleared.
When a fatal event occurs (for example, a receiver hardware failure), a bit is set in the receiver
error word, part of the RXSTATUS log, to indicate the cause of the problem. Bit 0 is set in the
receiver status word to show that an error occurred, the error strobe is driven high and the
status LED flashes red and yellow showing an error code. An RXSTATUSEVENT log is generated
on all ports to show the cause of the error. Receiver tracking is disabled but command and log
processing continues to allow error diagnosis. Even if the source of the error is corrected, the
receiver must be reset to resume normal operation.
These two scenarios describe factory default behavior. These behaviors can be customized to
better suit an individual application. RXSTATUSEVENT logs can be disabled completely with the
UNLOG command. RXSTATUSEVENT logs can be generated when a receiver status bit is set or
cleared with the STATUSCONFIG SET and STATUSCONFIG CLEAR commands. Bits in the
receiver status word can also be promoted to act like error bits with the STATUSCONFIG
PRIORITY command.

4.1 Receiver Status Word

The receiver status word indicates the current status of the receiver. This word is found in the
header of all logs and in the RXSTATUS log. In addition, the receiver status word is con-
figurable.
The importance of the status bits can be determined with priority masks. For receiver status, set-
ting a bit in the priority mask causes the condition to trigger an error. The error causes the
receiver to idle all channels, turn off the antenna and disable the RF hardware, just like it would
if a bit in the receiver error word is set. Setting a bit in an Auxiliary Status priority mask causes
the condition to set the bit in the receiver status that corresponds to the auxiliary status.
Use the STATUSCONFIG command to configure the various status mask fields in the
RXSTATUS log. Use the masks to specify whether various status fields generate errors or event
messages when set or cleared.
Refer to the RXSTATUS log, RXSTATUSEVENT log and STATUSCONFIG command in the
OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for more detailed descriptions of these messages.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 74

Chapter 4 Built-In Status Tests

4.2 RXSTATUSEVENT Log

The RXSTATUSEVENT log is used to output event messages, as indicated in the RXSTATUS
log.
On start up, the OEM7 receiver is set to log the RXSTATUSEVENTA log ONNEW on all ports. You
can remove this message using the UNLOG command.
Refer to the RXSTATUSEVENT log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for a
more detailed description of this log.

4.3 RXSTATUS Log

The Receiver Status log (RXSTATUS) provides system status and configuration information in a
series of hexadecimal words.

4.3.1 Status Word

The status word is the third field after the header, as shown in the example in Figure 20: Loca-
tion of Receiver Status Word below.

Figure 20: Location of Receiver Status Word

Each bit in the status word indicates the status of a specific receiver condition or function. If the
status word is 00000000, the receiver is operating normally. The numbering of the bits is shown
in Figure 21: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Status Word below.

Figure 21: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Status Word

If the receiver status word indicates a problem, see Examining the RXSTATUS Log on page 98.

4.3.2 Error Word

The error field contains a 32-bit word. Each bit in the word is used to indicate an error condition.
Error conditions may result in damage to the hardware or erroneous data, so the receiver is put
into an error state. If any bit in the error word is set, the receiver sets the error strobe line,
flashes the error code on the status LED, broadcasts the RXSTATUSEVENT log on all ports
(unless the user has unlogged it), idles all channels, turns the antenna off and disables the RF
hardware. To override the error state, reset the receiver.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 75

Chapter 4 Built-In Status Tests

The receiver can be configured to generate event messages triggered by status conditions.
Receiver Error words automatically generate event messages. These event messages are output
in the RXSTATUSEVENT log (see also Set and Clear Mask for all Status Code Arrays on the next
page).
The error word is the first field after the log header in the RXSTATUS log, as shown in the
example in Figure 22: Location of Receiver Error Word below.

Figure 22: Location of Receiver Error Word

Figure 23: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Error Word below shows an example of a receiver
error word.

Figure 23: Reading the Bits in the Receiver Error Word

Refer to the RXSTATUS log and RXSTATUSEVENT log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Refer-
ence Manual for more detailed log descriptions. If the receiver error word indicates an error,
refer to Examining the RXSTATUS Log on page 98.

4.3.3 Status Code Arrays

There are currently 4 status code arrays:
l receiver status word
l auxiliary 1 status
l auxiliary 2 status
l auxiliary 3 status
Each status code array consists of four 32-bit words (the status word, a priority mask, a set
mask and a clear mask). The status word is similar to the error word, with each of the 32 bits
indicating a condition. The priority mask words are used to modify the behavior caused by a
change in one of the bits in the associated status words. Each bit, in any mask, operates on the
bit in the same position in the status word. For example, setting bit 3 in the priority mask
changes the priority of bit 3 in the status word.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 76

Chapter 4 Built-In Status Tests

Figure 24: Status Code Arrays

4.3.4 Receiver Status Code

The receiver status word is included in the header of all logs. It has 32 bits that indicate certain
receiver conditions. If any of these conditions occur, a bit in the status word is set. Unlike the
error word bits, the receiver continues to operate, unless the priority mask for the bit has been
set. The priority mask bit changes the bit in the receiver status word into an error bit. Anything
that results from an error bit becoming active also occurs if a receiver status and its associated
priority mask bits are set.

4.3.5 Auxiliary Status Codes

The auxiliary status codes are only in the RXSTATUS log. The three arrays that represent the
auxiliary status codes indicate the receiver state for information purposes only. The events rep-
resented by these bits typically do not cause receiver performance degradation. The priority
mask for the auxiliary codes does not put the receiver into an error state. Setting a bit in the aux-
iliary priority mask results in the corresponding bit in the receiver status code to be set if any
masked auxiliary bit is set. Bit 31 of the receiver status word indicates the condition of all
masked bits in the auxiliary 1 status word. Likewise, bit 30 of the receiver status word cor-
responds to the auxiliary 2 status word and bit 29 to the auxiliary 3 status word.
Refer also to the RXSTATUS log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for a more
detailed description.

4.3.6 Set and Clear Mask for all Status Code Arrays
The other two mask words in the status code arrays operate on the associated status word in the
same way. These mask words are used to configure the bits in the status word that result in a
RXSTATUSEVENT log broadcast. The set mask is used to turn logging on temporarily while the
bit changes from the 0 to 1 state. The clear mask is used to turn logging on temporarily while
the bit changes from a 1 to a 0 state. Note the error word does not have any associated mask
words. Any bit set in the error word results in a RXSTATUSEVENT log broadcast (unless
unlogged).
Refer also to the RXSTATUS log in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for a more
detailed description.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 77

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration
This chapter describes how to configure the Ethernet port on an OEM7 receiver. It provides the
step-by-step process for connecting to the OEM7 receiver through the Ethernet interface, setting
up a base/rover configuration through Ethernet connectivity and utilizing the NTRIP interface.
The Ethernet port connections for a computer connected to the receiver are also described for
Windows 7 operating systems.

The SAVEETHERNETDATA command can be issued to retain the Ethernet

configuration settings after a RESET/FRESET command. The ETHCONFIG
command and IPCONFIG command must be issued prior to using
SAVEETHERNETDATA command. Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs
Reference Manual for command details.

5.1 Required Hardware

The following hardware is required to set up an Ethernet interface to an OEM7 receiver:
l a user supplied computer with an available Ethernet, serial and USB port
l an Ethernet capable OEM7 receiver

External Ethernet Magnetics are required for the OEM7 receiver cards. The OEM7
Development Kit can be used for Ethernet communication when connected to the
OEM7 receiver.

l an RS-232 null modem cable or USB cable

l one or two CAT5 Ethernet cables
l a user supplied Ethernet network, hub or wired router (optional)
l a GNSS antenna
l a coaxial antenna cable (50 Ω)

5.2 Static IP Address Configuration

For a static IP address configuration, unique IP addresses are assigned to both the OEM7
receiver and the computer. TCP/IP is used for the connection in this simple network. This con-
figuration can also be used in a bench test environment to confirm Ethernet functionality.
For connections when an OEM7 receiver uses a static IP address configuration, refer to Figure
25: Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—OEM7 Receiver on the next page.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 78

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

Figure 25: Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—OEM7 Receiver

5.2.1 Static IP Address Configuration—Receiver

Follow these steps to set up a static IP address on the OEM7 receiver:
1. Connect a computer to the OEM7 receiver using a null modem serial cable or USB cable.
2. Establish a connection to the receiver using either NovAtel Connect or another terminal pro-
gram. This connection is used to send the commands in this procedure to the receiver.

For information about establishing a connection using NovAtel Connect, refer to

the Help within NovAtel Connect.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers.

Download the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

3. Enable the Ethernet port on the receiver by entering:

ETHCONFIG ETHA AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
4. Assign the TCP/IP port number used for the connection by entering:
ICOMCONFIG ICOM1 TCP :2000
5. Assign the receiver IP address, subnet mask and default gateway by entering:
IPCONFIG ETHA STATIC [Link] [Link] [Link]

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 79

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

The command assigns the following values to the OEM7 receiver:

IP address = [Link]
Subnet mask = [Link]
Gateway = [Link]
These settings are examples only. The settings appropriate to your system may
be different.

6. Save the new Ethernet settings by entering:

SAVEETHERNETDATA
7. Log the IPCONFIG command and confirm the TCP/IP configuration by entering:
LOG IPCONFIG ONCE
8. Configure your computer with a static IP address.
Refer to Static IP Address Configuration—Windows 7 below.

5.2.2 Static IP Address Configuration—Windows 7

Follow these steps to set up a static IP address on a computer:
1. Click Start | Control Panel.
2. Click Network and Sharing Center.
3. Click the Local Area Connection link.
The Local Area Connection Status window appears.
4. Click the Properties button.
The Local Area Connection Properties window appears.
5. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then click the Properties button.
The Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties window appears.
6. Click the Use the Following IP Address radio button, then enter the IP address, Subnet
mask and Default gateway for the Ethernet port on the computer.

Ensure the Ethernet settings used for the computer are compatible with the
Ethernet settings on the OEM7 receiver.
For example, the following settings are compatible with the OEM7 receiver
settings used in Static IP Address Configuration—Receiver on the previous
page:
IP address = [Link]
Subnet mask = [Link]
Gateway = [Link]

7. Click the OK button.

The Local Area Connection Properties window appears.
8. Click the Close button.
The Local Area Connection Status window appears.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 80

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

9. Click the Close button.

10. Proceed to Confirming Ethernet Setup below.

5.2.3 Confirming Ethernet Setup

1. Connect the computer to the OEM7 receiver using an Ethernet cross-over cable.
See Figure 25: Cross-Over Ethernet Cable Configuration—OEM7 Receiver on page 79.
2. Connect to the receiver using NovAtel Connect or any third party terminal program that sup-
ports TCP/IP connections. Use the static IP address and port number assigned to the OEM7
receiver in Static IP Address Configuration—Receiver on page 79.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers. Download
the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

5.3 Dynamic IP Address Configuration

Figure 26: Dynamic IP Address Configuration through a DHCP Server—OEM7 Receiver below
shows the connections when an OEM7 receiver uses a dynamic IP address configuration.

Figure 26: Dynamic IP Address Configuration through a DHCP Server—OEM7 Receiver

To set up a dynamic IP address configuration, follow these steps:

1. Connect a computer to the OEM7 receiver using a null modem serial cable or USB cable.
2. Establish a connection to the receiver using either NovAtel Connect or another terminal pro-
gram. This connection is used to send the commands in this procedure to the receiver.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 81

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

For information about establishing a connection using NovAtel Connect, refer to

the Help within NovAtel Connect.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers.

Download the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

3. Enable the Ethernet port by entering:

ETHCONFIG ETHA AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
4. Obtain the IP address assigned to the OEM7 receiver by the DHCP server.
LOG IPSTATUS ONCE

Make a note of the IP address returned with this log.

5. Assign the TCP/IP port number by entering:

ICOMCONFIG ICOM1 TCP :2000
6. Confirm the port number assigned to ICOM1 by entering:
LOG ICOMCONFIG ONCE

5.4 Base/Rover Configuration through Ethernet Connectivity

You can use an Ethernet connection to provide communication between a base and rover
receiver.
Figure 27: Base/Rover Ethernet Setup—OEM7 Receiver on the next page shows the connections
when a base and rover OEM7 receiver are connected using Ethernet.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 82

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

Figure 27: Base/Rover Ethernet Setup—OEM7 Receiver

1. Connect your computer to both OEM7 receivers using null modem serial cables or USB
cables.
2. Establish a connection to the receiver using either NovAtel Connect or another terminal pro-
gram. This connection is used to send the commands in this procedure to the receivers.

For information about establishing a connection using NovAtel Connect, refer to

the Help within NovAtel Connect.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers.

Download the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

3. Connect the power cables to both of the OEM7 receivers and apply power to the receivers.
4. Connect the Ethernet cables to the Ethernet ports on both OEM7 receivers.
5. Establish an Ethernet connection, either static or dynamic configurations. Refer to Static IP
Address Configuration on page 78 or Dynamic IP Address Configuration on page 81 for more
information.
6. Send the following commands to each receiver either through serial or USB ports:
Base:
FIX POSITION <lat> <long> <height>
INTERFACEMODE ICOM1 NONE RTCA off

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 83

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

LOG ICOM1 RTCAOBS2 ONTIME 1

LOG ICOM1 RTCAREF ONTIME 10
LOG ICOM1 RTCA1 ONTIME 5
SAVECONFIG
Rover:
ICOMCONFIG ICOM1 TCP <base ip address>:<base port #>
INTERFACEMODE ICOM1 RTCA NONE OFF
LOG BESTPOSA ONTIME 1 (optional)
SAVECONFIG
Use the BESTPOS log to confirm that the OEM7 rover is in RTK mode.

5.5 Large COM Port Data Throughput

For high data rate Ethernet logging using TCP/IP, disable Windows Delayed Ack Algorithm (DAA)
for complete data logging. If you do not disable DAA, there will be data gaps due to the Windows
Ethernet buffer.

If done incorrectly, changing the Windows Registry may impair the operation of the
computer. Editing the Windows Registry is for advanced Microsoft Windows users
only. NovAtel Inc. is not able to provide any technical support for any actions taken
regarding information found in Microsoft’s Knowledge Base.

5.6 NTRIP Configuration

An OEM7 receiver can be configured as either an NTRIP server or an NTRIP client. For more
information about NovAtel’s NTRIP, refer to [Link]/products/firmware-option-
s/ntrip/.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 84

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

Figure 28: NTRIP System

The NTRIP caster is an HTTP internet service that acts as a communication medium between
NTRIP servers and NTRIP clients. The NTRIP caster is provided by third party sources. For a full
list of NTRIP casters, refer to the following link: [Link]
The following procedure describes how to configure a NovAtel base and a NovAtel rover through
a third party NTRIP caster. This configuration is recommended for optimal RTK performance.
1. Establish a connection to the receiver using either NovAtel Connect or another terminal pro-
gram. This connection is used to send the commands in this procedure to the receiver.

For information about establishing a connection using NovAtel Connect, refer to

the Help within NovAtel Connect.

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers.

Download the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

2. Connect the Ethernet cable to the Ethernet ports on both OEM7 receivers. For this setup, use
a cross-over Ethernet cable.
3. Establish a static or dynamic Ethernet connection.
For information about creating the connection, refer to Static IP Address Configuration on
page 78 or Dynamic IP Address Configuration on page 81.
4. Use the following commands to enable the base receiver as an NTRIP Server:

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 85

Chapter 5 Ethernet Configuration

NTRIPCONFIG NCOM1 SERVER V2 <endpoint> <mountpoint> <username>

<password> ETHA
INTERFACEMODE NCOM1 NONE RTCA OFF
FIX POSITION <lat> <long> <height>
LOG NCOM1 RTCAOBS2 ONTIME 1
LOG NCOM1 RTCAREF ONTIME 10
LOG NCOM1 RTCA1 ONTIME 1
SAVECONFIG
5. Use the following commands to enable the rover receiver as an NTRIP Client:
ETHCONFIG ETHA AUTO AUTO AUTO AUTO
NTRIPCONFIG NCOM1 CLIENT V1 <endpoint> <mountpoint> <username>
<password > ETHA

If using a specific Network RTK system, certain National Marine Electronics Asso-
ciation (NMEA) strings are required to be sent from the rover back to the RTK
network. For example, if connected to the VRS mount point, the rover is
required to send its position to the network in a standard NMEA GGA message.
This is achieved by issuing the following commands: LOG NCOMx GPGGA
ONTIME 5, until data is received by the caster. For more information about Net-
work RTK options and properties, refer to the application note APN-041 Network
RTK.

The following is an NTRIP Client configuration example without the use of a Network RTK sys-
tem:
INTERFACEMODE NCOM1 RTCA NONE OFF
RTKSOURCE AUTO ANY
PSRDIFFSOURCE AUTO ANY
LOG BESTPOS ONTIME 1 (optional)
SAVECONFIG

Refer to the NTRIPCONFIG command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual for further command details.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 86

Chapter 6 Wi-Fi Configuration
The PwrPak7 has a Wi-Fi transceiver that works as a 2.4 GHz 802.11 Access Point (AP). By
default, the Wi-Fi AP is configured with the settings shown in Table 12: Wi-Fi Default Con-
figuration below and is enabled when the PwrPak7 is powered on.

Table 12: Wi-Fi Default Configuration

Parameter Default

Mode AP

SSID Printed on the PwrPak7 label

Passkey Printed on the PwrPak7 label

Channel 11

IP address [Link]

Netmask [Link]

To view the current Wi-Fi settings, use the WIFIAPSETTINGS log. For information about this
log and the commands in the Wi-Fi configuration procedures, refer to the OEM7 Commands and
Logs Reference Manual.
To change the Wi-Fi configuration, use the following procedures:
l Enable the Wi-Fi Access Point below
l Disable Wi-Fi below
l Change the Wi-Fi PassKey on the next page
l Change the Wi-Fi Channel on the next page
l Change the Wi-Fi IP Address on the next page

6.1 Enable the Wi-Fi Access Point

1. Start a command line interface (CLI) session with the receiver.
Use a USB, Ethernet or Serial (COM) port connection.
2. Use the WIFIMODE command to enable the Wi-Fi transceiver as an AP.
WIFIMODE AP
3. Use the SAVECONFIG command to store the change in Non-Volative Memory.
This ensures the changes are kept when the receiver is restarted.

6.2 Disable Wi-Fi

1. Start a CLI session with the receiver.
Use a USB, Ethernet or Serial (COM) port connection.
2. Use the WIFIMODE command to disable the Wi-Fi transceiver.
WIFIMODE OFF

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 87

Chapter 6 Wi-Fi Configuration

3. Use the SAVECONFIG command to store the change in Non-Volative Memory.

This ensures the changes are kept when the receiver is restarted.

6.3 Change the Wi-Fi PassKey

1. Start a CLI session with the receiver.
Use a USB, Ethernet or Serial (COM) port connection.
2. Use the WIFIAPPASSKEY command to change the Wi-Fi passkey.
WIFIAPPASSKEY NewPasskey
The new passkey must be a null terminated ASCII string that is 8 to 64 characters long.

The passkey will not change until the Wi-Fi transceiver has been restarted.

3. Use the WIFIMODE command to restart the Wi-Fi transceiver.

WIFIMODE AP
4. Use the SAVECONFIG command to store the change in Non-Volative Memory.
This ensures the new passkey is kept when the receiver is restarted.

6.4 Change the Wi-Fi Channel

1. Start a CLI session with the receiver.
Use a USB, Ethernet or Serial (COM) port connection.
2. Use the WIFIAPCHANNEL command to change the Wi-Fi channel.
WIFIAPCHANNEL 3
The channel must be a number from 1 to 14.

The Wi-Fi channel will not change until the Wi-Fi transceiver has been restarted.

3. Use the WIFIMODE command to restart the Wi-Fi transceiver.

WIFIMODE AP
4. Use the SAVECONFIG command to store the change in Non-Volative Memory.
This ensures the new channel is kept when the receiver is restarted.

6.5 Change the Wi-Fi IP Address

1. Start a CLI session with the receiver.
Use a USB, Ethernet or Serial (COM) port connection.
2. Use the WIFIAPIPCONFIG command to change the Wi-Fi IP address and netmask.
WIFIAPIPCONFIG [Link] [Link]
In the command above [Link] represents the IP address and [Link] rep-
resents the netmask. For example:

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 88

Chapter 6 Wi-Fi Configuration

WIFIAPIPCONFIG [Link] [Link].

The Wi-Fi IP address and netmask will not change until the Wi-Fi transceiver
has been restarted.

3. Use the WIFIMODE command to restart the Wi-Fi transceiver.

WIFIMODE AP
4. Use the SAVECONFIG command to store the change in Non-Volative Memory.
This ensures the new IP address and netmask are kept when the receiver is restarted.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 89

Chapter 7 CAN Bus
The OEM7 receivers support the following CAN protocols:
l J1939 Transport and Extended Transport Protocol: used for corrections and NovAtel mes-
sages (both transmitting and receiving)
l NMEA2000: used for standard as well as NovAtel-proprietary messages (transmitting only)
By default, CAN is disabled on OEM7 receivers. Critical CAN configuration parameters such as
Parameter Group Numbers (PGNs), addresses and priorities are system-specific and must be
explicitly configured.
The addresses and PGNs are typically allocated when the overall CAN bus topology is determ-
ined. Because the OEM7 receiver can operate on 2 CAN buses concurrently, it can run 0, 1 or 2
CAN Nodes. A Node has a unique CAN J1939 NAME and address.

The PwrPak7 has internal CAN transceivers, however it still requires proper bus
terminations.

Refer to PwrPak7 Connectors on page 127 for pin-out information.

OEM7 receivers support the following NMEA2000 Parameter Group Messages (PGN) over the
CAN bus:
l PGN 126992 System Time
l PGN 129025 GNSS Position Rapid Update
l PGN 129026 COG & SOG Rapid Update
l PGN 129027 Position Delta High Precision Rapid Update
l PGN 129029 GNSS Position
l PGN 129551 GNSS Differential Signal
The following commands and logs are used for CAN configuration:
l CANCONFIG command: controls the CAN transceiver hardware and places the receiver on
bus or off bus
l J1939CONFIG command: assigns the CAN J1939 NAME and address parameters to a Node
l J1939STATUS log: reports the status a Node on the J1939 CAN network, such as the
claimed address
l LOG CCOMx PGNabcd: configures the NMEA2000 messages
l PGNCONFIG command: configures the NovAtel-proprietary NMEA2000 messages (change
the PGN and its priority)
l CCOMCONFIG command: configures the parameters used by the NovAtel command inter-
face to interact with the CAN Bus

CCOM ports with a lower port number have a higher transmission priority.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 90

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

For information about these commands, see the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual.

Details for the PGN messages can be found in the NMEA2000 specification which can be
purchased directly from the National Marine Electronics Association ([Link]/).

7.1 Default Configuration

After a FRESET, the receiver has the following CAN configuration:
l All CAN physical port are disabled
l No J1939 addresses are configured
l CCOM ports are configured for NMEA2000 messages only

Table 13: Default NAME

Parameter Value

Address 0xFE

Industry Group 2

Device Class 0

Device Class Instance 0

Function 23

Function Instance 0

ECU Instance 0

Manufacturer Code 0

Identity Number 0

7.2 Configuring the CAN Bus

To enable an OEM7 receiver to communicate over the CAN bus, configure CAN and place the
receiver on bus, triggering a J1939 Address Claim Procedure.
1. Use the J1939CONFIG command to specify J1939 NAME and desired address.
2. Use the CANCONFIG command to place the receiver on bus.
3. Optionally, use the J1939STATUS log to monitor CAN status on the receiver.

7.2.1 Configuration Notes

l The J1939CONFIG and CANCONFIG commands can be entered in any order. After the
CANCONFIG command is used to place the receiver on the CAN bus, J1939CONFIG

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 91

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

commands take effect immediately whether entered before or after CANCONFIG. Until then,
J1939CONFIG can be entered many times to change the settings because they haven't taken
affect yet (the receiver is not yet on the bus).
l The J1939 Address claim procedure is executed if and only if both J1939CONFIG NODEx
CANx and CANCONFIG CANx ON are entered.
l Use J1939STATUS log to determine receiver's CAN status and the actual address claimed by
a particular node.
l Once the receiver is "on bus", it must be taken "off-bus" using CANCONFIG for any further
configuration changes using J1939CONFIG.
l The receiver is fully "on-bus" only once the J1939 address has been successfully claimed.
This is reported as "CLAIMED" status by J1939STATUS log.
l No messages will be sent or received until the receiver is "online" and an address is claimed.
Outgoing messages are not buffered; they are discarded until the receiver is online.

7.2.2 Example of Enabling the CAN Bus

1. LOG J1939STATUS ONCHANGED
2. J1939CONFIG NODE1 CAN1 <addresses>
3. CANCONFIG CAN1 ON 250K
4. SAVECONFIG
< J1939STATUS NODE1 DISABLED 0 0xFE
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMING 1 <address>
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMED <attempt count> <address>

7.2.3 Example of Modifying the CAN Bus Parameters

1. LOG J1939STATUS ONCHANGED
2. CANCONFIG CAN1 OFF
3. J1939CONFIG NODE1 CAN1 <addresses>
4. CANCONFIG CAN1 ON
5. SAVECONFIG
< J1939STATUS NODE1 DISABLED 0 0xFE
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMING 1 <address>
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMED <attempt count> <address>

7.2.4 Example of Detecting an Address Claim Failure and Reconfiguring

1. LOG J1939STATUS ONCHANGED
2. J1939CONFIG NODE1 CAN1 <addresses>
3. CANCONFIG CAN1 ON
< J1939STATUS NODE1 DISABLED 0 0xFE
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMING 1 <address>

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 92

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

< J1939STATUS NODE1 FAILED <attempt count> 0xFE

4. CANCONFIG CAN1 OFF
< J1939STATUS NODE1 DISABLED 0 0xFE
5. J1939CONFIG NODE1 CAN1 <addresses>
6. CANCONFIG CAN1 ON
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMING 1 <address>
< J1939STATUS NODE1 CLAIMED <attempt count> <address>

7.2.5 Address Claim Procedure

To become operational on the CAN bus, an OEM7 receiver must claim a J1939 address. The pre-
ferred address and a range of alternative addresses are specified using the J1939CONFIG com-
mand. When a configured receiver is placed on bus, it may make multiple attempts to claim an
address. It may also have its address bumped by a higher priority device claiming the same
address.
While the device is attempting to claim an address, the J1939STATUS log reports a status of
CLAIMING and automatically tries to claim the next allowed address. Depending on the
J1939CONFIG parameters, an address different from the J1939CONFIG preferred address
may be claimed or the address claim procedure can fail entirely. If no addresses could be
claimed, a FAILED status is reported and the receiver takes no further action. To recover from
this failure, take the receiver off bus using the CANCONFIG command and change the CAN
address configuration using the J1939CONFIG command.
The address can also be assigned using J1939 Commanded Address message sent by another
ECU on the bus, such as a tester unit. The commanded address always overrides the address
specified using J1939CONFIG command. When the Commanded Address is received, the
receiver reports a status of CLAIMING followed by CLAIMED. Restarting CAN using the
J1939CONFIG command or CANCONFIG command clears the commanded address; the
Address Claim procedure will be executed again based on parameters specified in the
J1939CONFIG command.

7.3 NMEA2000 Logging

OEM7 receivers support both a subset of the standard NMEA2000 PGNs, as well as NovAtel pro-
prietary PGNs.
All NMEA2000 logs are configured using the LOG command, where the COM port is a CAN port
(CCOM). The CCOM port must be associated with a J1939 node using the CCOMCONFIG com-
mand. If only NMEA2000 logs are needed, CCOMCONFIG parameters other than J1939NODE
may be ignored.
To enable NMEA2000 logs:
1. Configure the CAN bus. See Configuring the CAN Bus on page 91.
2. Enable the CCOM port on the CAN bus node using the CCOMCONFIG command.
3. Optionally, specify a custom PGN for the OEM7 specific NMEA2000 logs using the
PGNCONFIG command.
4. Enable the desired NMEA2000 logs.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 93

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

NMEA2000 logs can be requested regardless of the on/off bus status of the receiver or the J1939
configuration. They are output if and only if the receiver is online.

7.3.1 Example of NMEA2000 Log Configuration

1. CCOMCONFIG CCOM1 NODE1
2. LOG CCOM1 PGN129025 ONTIME 0.5
3. LOG CCOM1 PGN129026 ONTIME 0.25
4. SAVECONFIG

7.3.2 Example of Custom PGN Configuration

The following is an example of the optional specification of a custom PGN for the OEM7 specific
INSPVACMP NMEA2000 log.
1. PGNCONFIG INSPVACMP 129500 3
2. LOG CCOM1 INSPVACMP ONTIME 1
3. SAVECONFIG
4. RESET

It is strongly recommended to RESET the receiver after using the PGNCONFIG com-
mand. This prevents PGN ambiguities and conflicts.

7.4 Corrections Over CAN

All NovAtel supported correction types are supported over CAN ports (CCOM).
To send or receive corrections:
1. Configure the CAN Bus. See Configuring the CAN Bus on page 91.
2. Use the CCOMCONFIG command to configure the PGN and other CAN parameters used by
the RTK corrections CAN messages.
PGN: Use the PGN designated for corrections.
Address:
l Use 0xFF to receive corrections from any CAN address and to broadcast corrections to
all CAN nodes.
l Use 0x00 to 0xFE to send corrections to or receive corrections from a specific CAN node.
3. Use the INTERFACEMODE command to configure the CCOM interface mode.
l To transmit corrections, use the desired INTERFACEMODE, e.g. RTCMV3
l To receive corrections, it is recommended to use INTERFACEMODE AUTO.

Corrections configuration (CANCONFIG and INTERFACEMODE) for a particular CCOM

port do not affect its NMEA2000 configuration. NMEA2000 logs coexist with correction
messages, both incoming and outgoing.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 94

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

7.4.1 Example for Receiving Corrections from Any Source

1. CCOMCONFIG CCOM2 NODE1 J1939 1234 6 0xFF
2. INTERFACEMODE CCOM2 AUTO NONE OFF

7.4.2 Example for Transmitting Corrections to 0x1C Node

1. CCOMCONFIG CCOM2 NODE1 J1939 1234 6 0x1c
2. INTERFACEMODE CCOM2 NONE RTCMV3 OFF

7.5 NovAtel Messages Over CAN

Standard NovAtel messages (commands, logs, responses) can be sent and received on the CAN
Bus using CAN ports (CCOM). To reduce CAN Bus loading, NovAtel messages are sent using
NovAtel minimal binary format (NOVATELMINBINARY). This format uses a compressed header.
The CCOM port requires special configuration and has the following limitations:
l A single CCOM port cannot be used for both Binary and ASCII / NovAtel ASCII messages.
l A single CCOM port cannot be used for both Binary messages and corrections.
l If the CCOM port is configured as NOVATEL, all input is interpreted as NovAtel ASCII or
Abbreviated ASCII. Unlike other COM ports, the receiver will not distinguish between ASCII
and binary input.
l To use CAN NOVATELMINBINARY, the CCOM port must be placed into NOVATELMINBINARY
using the INTERFACEMODE command.

It is recommended to use one dedicated CCOM port for NovAtel messages and another
dedicated CCOM port for corrections.

NovAtel UI configuration does not affect NMEA2000. Any CCOM port can be used for
NMEA2000 logs irrespective of CCOMCONFIG settings.

To configure NovAtel User Interface over CAN:

1. Configure the CAN Bus. See Configuring the CAN Bus on page 91.
2. Use the CCOMCONFIG command to configure the PGN and other CAN parameters.
3. Use the INTERFACEMODE command to configure the CCOM port for
NOVATELMINBINARY.
Example: Configuring CCOM2 for NovAtel messages:
1. CCOMCONFIG CCOM3 NODE1 1234 6 0x1C
2. INTERFACEMODE CCOM2 NOVATELMINBARY NOVATELMINBARY OFF

7.6 Configuring OEM7 Receivers to Use OEM6 CAN Settings

CAN Bus functionality has been enhanced on OEM7 receivers. To accommodate the enhance-
ments in functionality and flexibility, several new commands and logs have been added. Also,

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 95

Chapter 7 CAN Bus

the SETCANNAME command has been removed and the CANCONFIG command has been mod-
ified.
The following sections describes how to configure CAN on OEM7 receivers to operate like OEM6
receivers.

7.6.1 Configuration on OEM6

On OEM6 receivers, the SETCANNAME command, with minimal parameters, could be used to
configure CAN.
SETCANNAME 603
Once entered, a limited address claim procedure would take place and NMEA2000 logs would be
generated automatically at a fixed logging rate and fixed CAN port bit rate.

7.6.2 Configuration on OEM7

To configure an OEM7 receiver to log the same commands and use the same logging rate and
CAN port bit rate, enter the following commands:
CCOMCONFIG CCOM1 NODE1 NMEA2000
CANCONFIG CAN1 ON 250K
LOG CCOM1 PGN129025 ONTIME 0.1
LOG CCOM1 PGN129026 ONTIME 0.1
LOG CCOM1 PGN129029 ONTIME 1.0
SAVECONFIG
On OEM7 receivers, nothing is automatically logged when CAN is enabled. Regular log requests
must be made for each log required.
A full address claim procedure with default values is initiated with the CANCONFIG ON com-
mand. The J1939CONFIG command can be used to modify the default address claim parameters
including the ManufacturingCode (set to 603 in the SETCANNAME example above, now defaults
to 305 in the new J1939CONFIG) but it's not necessary.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 96

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting
There are simple ways to diagnose and resolve problems. In many cases, the issue can be
resolved within a few minutes, avoiding the inconvenience and loss of productivity that results
from having to return the receiver for repair. This section discusses troubleshooting issues and
includes cross-references to other sections of the manual that may help resolve problems.
If unsure of the symptoms or if the symptoms do not match any of those listed, use the
RXSTATUS log to check the receiver status and error words. See Examining the RXSTATUS Log
on the next page.
Try to resolve the problem using the troubleshooting guide in Table 14: Troubleshooting Based
on Symptoms below, then try our Knowledge Base at [Link]/support/. If you are still
not able to resolve the problem, see Customer Support on page 15 for troubleshooting logs and
contact information.

Table 14: Troubleshooting Based on Symptoms

Symptom Related Section

The receiver is not properly Check and replace a faulty power cable
powered See Power Supply Requirements for the PwrPak7 on page 25

Check and replace faulty serial cables and ports.

The receiver cannot establish See CAN Bus on page 90. Refer also to the SERIALCONFIG
communication command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual

Ensure that the antenna has an unobstructed view of the sky

from horizon to horizon.
Check the RXSTATUS error states. See Examining the
RXSTATUS Log on the next page. If the receiver is in error
mode, it does not track.
The receiver is not tracking
satellites Use the Interference Toolkit to check if there is an
interference signal present. See Interference Toolkit on
page 60.
Check for and replace a faulty antenna cable. See Selecting
a GNSS Antenna on page 24 and Choosing a Coaxial Cable
on page 25.

See CAN Bus on page 90 and Communications with the

No data is being logged
Receiver on page 37

Check the baud rate on the receiver and in the

Random data is being output by the communication software. Refer to the SERIALCONFIG
receiver or binary data is streaming command and FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands
and Logs Reference Manual. See also CAN Bus on page 90

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 97

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

Symptom Related Section

Check for correct spelling and command syntax.

A command is not accepted by the See Communications with the Receiver on page 37 and refer
receiver to the FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs
Reference Manual

See Transmitting and Receiving Corrections on page 43 and

Differential mode is not working
refer to the SERIALCONFIG command in the OEM7
properly
Commands and Logs Reference Manual

There appears to be a problem with Refer to the NVMRESTORE command in the OEM7
the receiver’s memory Commands and Logs Reference Manual

An environmental or memory Move the receiver to within an acceptable temperature

failure. The receiver temperature is range.
out of acceptable range or the See PwrPak7 Electrical and Environmental Specifications on
internal thermometer is not working page 122.

Overload and overrun problems.

Either the CPU or port buffers are Reduce the amount of logging or increase the baud rate.
overloaded

The receiver is indicating that an Refer to the VERSION log or VALIDMODELS log and the
invalid authorization code has been MODEL command or AUTH command in the OEM7
used Commands and Logs Reference Manual

The receiver is being affected by

Move the receiver away from any possible jamming sources
jamming

Use the interference Toolkit to help identify the interference

signal. See Interference Toolkit on page 60.
Move the GNSS antenna away from the source of the
The receiver is being affected by
interference signal.
interference
If the interference mitigation feature is enabled on the
receiver, configure a filter within the Interference Toolkit to
filter out the interference signal.

The receiver’s Automatic Gain

See Choosing a Coaxial Cable on page 25 and the jamming
Control (AGC) is not working
symptom in this table
properly

8.1 Examining the RXSTATUS Log

The RXSTATUS log provides detailed status information about your receiver and can be used to
diagnose problems. Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for details on this
log and on how to read the receiver error word and status word. Table 15: Resolving a Receiver
Error Word on the next page, Table 16: Resolving an Error in the Receiver Status Word on
page 100 and Table 17: Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word on page 101 have actions to
take when your receiver has an error flag in these words. If you are not able to resolve the con-
dition, contact Customer Support on page 15.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 98

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

Table 15: Resolving a Receiver Error Word

Bit Set Action to Resolve

0-2 Issue a FRESET command (for bit 1, reload new firmware).

4 Contact Customer Support on page 15

Check the VERSION log. The VERSION log will indicate "Invalid authcode". Upgrade the
5
auth-code as described in Upgrading Using the AUTH Command on page 114

6 Issue a FRESET command

7 See Power Supply Requirements for the PwrPak7 on page 25

8 Reserved

Check temperature ranges in the ENVIRONMENTAL table sections of the product

9
specification appendices.

Possible hardware or environmental condition. If you cannot resolve the problem,

10
contact Customer Support on page 15.

Possible hardware or environmental condition. If you cannot resolve the problem,

11 contact Customer Support on page 15.
Also, check the Auxiliary 2 Status word to determine which PLL is in error.

12-14 Reserved

Issue a FRESET command and power cycle the unit. If the bit is still present, contact
15
Customer Support on page 15.

16 Monitor CPU idle time. Reduce number of logs or the rate of data logging.

17 Ensure that the Version log is consistent with the hardware.

18-19 Reserved

20 SoftLoad is in progress. See Updating Using SoftLoad Commands on page 108.

You may be exceeding the receiver’s velocity limit. If so, reduce velocity. This error can
21
only be cleared by resetting the receiver.

22 Reload firmware using WinLoad or the SoftLoad commands.

23-30 Reserved

31 Possible hardware failure. Contact Customer Support on page 15.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 99

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

Table 16: Resolving an Error in the Receiver Status Word

Bit Set Action to Resolve

Check the Error Word in the RXSTATUS log. See also Table 15: Resolving a Receiver
0
Error Word on the previous page

Check temperature ranges in the ENVIRONMENTAL table sections of Technical

1
Specifications appendices

2 See Power Supply Requirements for the PwrPak7 on page 25

4 See Selecting a GNSS Antenna on page 24, Choosing a Coaxial Cable on page 25, Antenna
5 LNA Power on page 28

Check the CPU idle time. Check for unnecessary logging. Check for simultaneous use of
7
functionality.

See Table 11: Serial Ports Supported on page 40

8 Also, check the Auxiliary 2 Status word to determine which COM port has overrun its
buffer.

9-11 Reserved

15 Check the Auxiliary 1 status word to determine which RF channels are jammed.

16-17 Reserved

When the receiver has tracked GNSS satellites long enough for a valid almanac to be
18
received, this bit will be set to 0.

19 None. This bit only indicates if the receiver has calculated a position.

None. This bit is a status bit indicating if the receiver’s position has been manually fixed
20 and does not represent a problem. Refer also to the FIX command in the OEM7
Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

None. This bit indicates if clock steering has been manually disabled. Refer also to the
21
FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

None. This bit only indicates if the clock model is valid. Refer also to the FRESET
22
command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

None. This bit indicates if the phase-lock-loop is locked when using an external oscillator.
23
Refer also to the FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

Check the CPU idle time. Check for unnecessary logging. Check for simultaneous use of
24
functionality.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 100

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

Bit Set Action to Resolve

None. These bits identify the receiver family. For OEM7 receivers, bit 25 is set to 1 and
25-26
bit 26 is set to zero.

Interference Toolkit HDR mode status. When this bit is set to 1, Interference Toolkit HDR
27
mode is enabled.

Digital filter status. When this bit is set to 1, an Interference Toolkit digital filter is
28
enabled.

None. This bit indicates if any bits in the auxiliary 3 status word are set. The auxiliary 3
29 word provides status information and does not contain any new information on problems.
Refer also to the FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

None. This bit indicates if any bits in the auxiliary 2 status word are set. The auxiliary 2
30 word provides status information and does not contain any new information on problems.
Refer also to the FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

None. This bit indicates if any bits in the auxiliary 1 status word are set. The auxiliary 1
31 word provides status information and does not contain any new information on problems.
Refer also to the FRESET command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual.

8.2 Examining the AUX1 Status Word

Table 17: Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word below provides actions to take when your
receiver has an error flag in the AUX1 status word.

Table 17: Resolving an Error in the AUX1 Status Word

Bit Set Action to Resolve

0-2 Jammer detected

3 None. This bit indicates that Position Averaging is ON

4-6 Jammer detected

7 Connect the receiver via USB

8-10 Reduce the amount of logging on the USB ports

11 (Reserved bit)

12 None. This bit indicates a Profile set using the PROFILE command is activated.

Throttled Ethernet Reception

Check for unusually high Ethernet traffic being directed to the Receiver.
13
This does not represent an error condition on the receiver, but suggests there may be an
issue in the network environment on the receiver.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 101

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

Bit Set Action to Resolve

AGC error on RF1 through RF4 respectively. To resolve, ensure the antenna cable is
14-17
connected and signal input level is within specification

18 Connect the receiver via Ethernet. See Ethernet Port on page 32

19-21 Reduce the amount of logging on the Ethernet ports

22-24 Reduce the amount of logging on the NTRIP ports

25-27 Reduce the amount of logging on the Virtual COM ports

AGC error on RF5 (bit 28) or RF6 (bit 29). To resolve, ensure the antenna cable is
28-29
connected and signal input level is within specification

30-31 (Reserved bits)

8.3 Safe Mode

Safe Mode is an error condition triggered on the OEM7 receiver if it encounters certain critical
problems during start-up. The receiver does not track GNSS satellites in this state, but the user
interface is still available to allow for diagnosis of the problem.
The receiver will enter Safe Mode under certain rare cases including the following:
l Corrupted or bad data within the receiver Non-Volatile Memory (NVM).
l An unsupported Auth Code.
l The expected main firmware image could not be found by the boot code. This is possibly due
to an error during the main firmware loading process (i.e. WinLoad, SoftLoad, etc.).
Safe Mode exists to allow users to take steps to recover the receiver after such an error occurs.
Potential recovery steps are described in Recovery Steps below.
Safe Mode is indicated by an error bit in the RXSTATUS log.

8.3.1 Reset Loop Detection

In order to determine when the Safe Mode error should be triggered, OEM7 receivers have the
ability to detect when an unexpected reset has occurred during the boot process. If a Reset Loop
is detected, the Reset Loop Detected bit is set in the RXSTATUS log.
This bit is only a warning and the receiver may still be able to operate correctly. The receiver
will allow several unexpected resets to occur before triggering the Safe Mode Error, at which
point the receiver will not track GNSS satellites.

8.3.2 Recovery Steps

If the Safe Mode error bit or the Reset Loop Detected warning bit are set in the RXSTATUS
log, take the following steps to diagnose and recover the system:
1. Request the SAFEMODESTATUS log and determine the current Safe Mode State of the sys-
tem.
2. Reference Table: Safe Mode States in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual and

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 102

Chapter 8 Troubleshooting

find the suggested actions for the current Safe Mode State.
3. If the suggested actions do not resolve the issue, contact NovAtel Customer Support.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 103

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software
Download the most recent versions of the NovAtel firmware and receiver software from the
Downloads section of [Link]/support/search/.

OEM7 Firmware and Software

Refer to Transferring Firmware Files on page 106 for descriptions of the Update
and OEM versions.

NovAtel Software
The following software is available from the NovAtel website:
l NovAtel Connect (a GUI interface)
l Convert (converts receiver data logs into different formats)
l USB Drivers and Window Signing

NovAtel Connect version 2.0 or greater is required for OEM7 receivers. Download
the latest NovAtel Connect software and documentation from
[Link]/novatel-connect.

Firmware and Software included

l Firmware *.shex file
l WinLoad software utility

WinLoad and SoftLoad instructions follow.

9.1 Firmware Updates and Model Upgrades

A local NovAtel dealer can provide all the information needed to upgrade or update a receiver.
Refer to [Link]/where-to-buy for contact information or contact sales@[Link]
or support@[Link] directly.

9.1.1 Firmware Updates

Firmware updates are firmware releases that include fixes and enhancements to the receiver
functionality. Firmware updates are released occasionally on the NovAtel web site as they
become available. Firmware upgrades can be performed using the WinLoad utility, SoftLoad
commands or with a custom loader application. Contact NovAtel Customer Support (sup-
port@[Link]) for details on custom loader requirements.

9.1.2 Model Upgrades

Model upgrades enable purchased receiver features.
Contact a local NovAtel dealer to assist in selecting the upgrade options that best suit your GNSS
needs at [Link]/where-to-buy. Contact NovAtel Customer Support

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 104

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

[Link]/support or NovAtel Sales to request a temporary upgrade authorization code

for trial purposes.
Model upgrades can be applied to the receiver with an authorization code and the AUTH com-
mand without returning the receiver to the dealer.

9.2 Authorization Code

An authorization code, commonly known as an auth-code, is required to upgrade an OEM7 family
receiver. Auth-codes are obtained by contacting NovAtel Customer Support. Upon contact,
NovAtel Customer Support requires:
l the receiver model number
l the receiver serial number
l the receiver firmware version
Enter the LOG VERSION command to determine the receiver model, serial number and firm-
ware version.
Example:

After determining the appropriate model and firmware version, the authorization code (auth-
code) is issued. The auth-code is required to unlock the features on the new model type.
To upgrade to a new model with the same firmware version, use the AUTH command with the
issued auth-code, as outlined in Upgrading Using the AUTH Command on page 114.
To upgrade to a new model with a new firmware version, the new firmware needs to be loaded
into the OEM7 receiver. Refer to Updating or Upgrading Using the WinLoad Utility on the next
page for use instructions or to Updating Using SoftLoad Commands on page 108.
Auth-codes work with any signed firmware image. Therefore, if a receiver has an auth-code for
the old version of firmware, that same auth-code will work for the new version of firmware,
provided both images are digitally signed by NovAtel.
Signed firmware images are distributed in *.shex files. The new download package includes a
signed firmware file type that uses an extension designated as “.shex” (example
[Link]), as well as the latest WinLoad utility and What’s New file containing
firmware update change details.
Temporary auth-codes may be provided by NovAtel for evaluation purposes. Once the trial
period has expired, the functionality provided by the auth-code is removed. The expiration date
for temporary auth-codes is in the form YYMMDD, where YY = year, MM = month and DD =day.
The date is the last day that the auth-code is valid and expires at the end of day, UTC time.
Once the trial period has expired, a new auth-code will need to be obtained from NovAtel Cus-
tomer Support (support@[Link]).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 105

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

9.3 Updating or Upgrading Using the WinLoad Utility

WinLoad is the simplest and most common way to update or upgrade an OEM7 receiver.

9.3.1 Transferring Firmware Files

To proceed with an update or possibly an upgrade, obtain the latest version of firmware by down-
loading the (OEM Version) for your product from [Link]/support/firmware-down-
loads/.

Format of Firmware Files

All of the firmware available on the downloads website are packaged in .zip files with the fol-
lowing name:
l [Link] for firmware to be installed on OEM7 receivers
NovAtel Customer Service may generate and provide the required authorization code. Author-
ization codes are obtained by contacting support@[Link] or at
[Link]/support/.
For convenience, unzip the update file to a GNSS sub-directory (for example,
C:\GNSS\LOADER). If the firmware update file is password protected, NovAtel Customer Sup-
port provides the required password.
The zip archive includes the following files:

[Link] WinLoad utility program

[Link] Instructions on how to use the WinLoad utility
[Link] Information on the changes made in the firmware since the last
revision
x..[Link] Firmware version upgrade file, where x..x defines the product
name and release (e.g., [Link])
NovAtel Software License agreement for the firmware
License [Link]

NovAtel has an online video tutorial that explains firmware updating at: [Link]-
[Link]/support/videos.

If loading a firmware that is currently installed on an OEM7 receiver (i.e. reloading the
same version of firmware on a receiver), ensure that Optimized Loading option is
unchecked in WinLoad under Settings | Options | Optimized Loading.

9.3.2 Using the WinLoad Utility

If opening WinLoad for the first time, ensure the file and communications settings are correct.

Open a File to Download

Select File | File Open. Navigate to the file to open (Figure 29: WinLoad’s Open Window on the
next page).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 106

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

Figure 29: WinLoad’s Open Window

When a file is selected, the filename appears in the main WinLoad display area and in the title
bar (Figure 30: Open File in WinLoad below).

Figure 30: Open File in WinLoad

Communications Settings
To set the communications port and baud rate, select Settings | COM Settings. Choose the com-
puter port to use from the Com Port drop down list and the baud rate from the Download

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 107

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

Baudrate drop down list. Set the baud rate as high as possible (the default of 115200 is pre-
ferred if a higher baud rate is not available).

Figure 31: COM Port Setup

Downloading Firmware
1. Select the file to download according to Open a File to Download on page 106.
2. Ensure the file path and name are displayed in main display area (see Figure 30: Open File in
WinLoad on the previous page).
3. Click Write Flash to download the firmware.
4. When Searching for card appears in the main display, power cycle the receiver.
5. If the Authorization Code window appears, enter the auth-code and click OK. See Author-
ization Code on page 105 for further information about the Authorization Code.
6. The receiver finishes the download and then resets. The process is complete when Done
appears in the main display area.
7. Close WinLoad.

9.4 Updating Using SoftLoad Commands

Firmware can be updated on a running receiver using a process called SoftLoad. Any available
communication ports on the receiver (COM, USB, ICOM, XCOM, etc.) can be used. The SoftLoad
process is made up of a set of commands and logs that are used to send new firmware data to a
receiver and check the progress of the update. Use SoftLoad if automated loading is desired or if
a connection is only possible through USB or Ethernet.
The receiver stops tracking GNSS satellites during the SoftLoad process. Do not attempt to
SoftLoad when GNSS satellite tracking on the unit is required. If the unit is connected to the
NovAtel Connect utility, only the Console and ASCII Message windows may remain open in the
Connect Utility.

9.4.1 SoftLoad Commands and Logs

Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for further log and command inform-
ation.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 108

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

Command Description

SOFTLOADRESET Initiate a new SoftLoad process

SOFTLOADSREC Send an S-Record to the receiver for the SoftLoad process

SOFTLOADDATA Send firmware image data to the receiver for the SoftLoad process

SOFTLOADCOMMIT Complete the SoftLoad process

Send configuration information to the receiver for the SoftLoad process. This
SOFTLOADSETUP
command is not required when working with a *.shex file

Log Description

SOFTLOADSTATUS Provides status updates for the ongoing SoftLoad process

Each command and log can be used in abbreviated ASCII, ASCII or binary format, with the
exception of SOFTLOADDATA, which should only be used in binary format.

File Types
Firmware data is stored in *.shex files as ASCII data in the form of S-Records, based on the
Motorola S-Record format. The *.shex file includes a digital signature for the firmware.

9.4.2 Working With S-Records

Each S-Record has a header indicating the type of information contained in the record.
Records beginning with S0, S5 and S7 contain metadata about the firmware image, such as ver-
sion information and which card types are supported by the firmware image.

Example S0 Record
S0~V~OEM060400RN0000

Example S5 Records
S50000
S503D9FE25
S5033158D5A

Example S7 Records
S70000
S70500000000FA
Records beginning with S3 contain the actual firmware image data. Aside from the header, each
pair of characters forms the ASCII representation of a binary byte. The format is as follows:

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 109

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

S3 LL AAAAAAAA DDDDDDDD...DDDDDDDD CC
Check Sum
Little Endian Data. These bytes are copied into the "data"
field of the SOFTLOADDATA command
4 - Byte Address. Set this as the value of "offset" in the SOFTLOADDATA
command
Length. This is the hexadecimal number of character pairs to follow in the record. This value
minus 4 bytes for the address and 1 byte for the check sum is copied into the "data length" field of
the SOFTLOADDATA command
Header

9.4.3 Sending Firmware Data

C++ source code is available to provide example code of processing S-Records and converting
them to NovAtel format commands, as well as providing help with the SoftLoad process. Contact
NovAtel Customer Support and ask about the srec2softload utility.
The SOFTLOADSREC and SOFTLOADDATA commands can be used to send firmware data from
*.shex files to the receiver.
S0, S5 and S7 S-Records should be sent directly to the receiver using the SOFTLOADSREC com-
mand, by enclosing the S-Record in quotation marks and issuing the command to the receiver,
as follows:
SOFTLOADSREC "<S-RECORD>"
S3 records can be sent individually to the receiver using the SOFTLOADSREC command. Altern-
atively, the data from an S3 record can be parsed and packaged together with data from other
S3 records into a binary SOFTLOADDATA command. Packaging data parsed from multiple S3
records into a binary SOFTLOADDATA command can result in improved firmware update times
as each S3 record contains only a small number of bytes of firmware data. A single
SOFTLOADDATA command can package up to 4096 bytes of firmware data from multiple S3
records, whereas a single SOFTLOADSREC command contains a maximum of 28 bytes of firm-
ware data from a single S3 record.
Multiple S3 records can be packaged into a single SOFTLOADDATA command as long as the
data from one S3 record follows immediately after the previous [Link] is, the address from
the current S3 record must equal the address from the previous S3 record plus the data length
of the previous S3 record. If the data is not consecutive then the SOFTLOADDATA command
can be sent with the amount of data it has packaged up to that point. Subsequent data can be
packaged in a new SOFTLOADDATA command. Within the SOFTLOADDATA command, the "off-
set" field remains the address of the first S3 record and the "data" and "data length" are updated
to include the new data. Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for more
information regarding the SOFTLOADDATA command.
The *.shex file data may contain many gaps and jumps. For example, in many NovAtel *.shex
files, data for address 0x000_00000 is stored near the very end of the file.

Example Packaging Multiple S3 Records In A SOFTLOADDATA Command

Start a new SOFTLOADDATA command
S32100407AD48FCA63034B80F5CE0C36507DE3D8DCC0C6C0C00515D74BCACF2F2949E1
Address: 0x00407AD4 Num Data Bytes: 0x21 – 0x01 – 0x04 = 0x1C
S32100407AF04CCA4985F0F7B081E41D9B7D806C26989AE2D4E4CCBCB47C10FBFD3E43

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 110

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

Previous Address + Previous Num Bytes = 0x00407AD4 + 0x1C = 0x00407AF0

Address: 0x00407AF0 Num Data Bytes: 0x1C
Add data to existing SOFTLOADDATA command
S30D00407B0CDE0400A6374D5BFFC5
Previous Address + Previous Num Bytes = 0x00407AF0 + 0x1C = 0x00407B0C
Address: 0x00407B0C Num Data Bytes: 0x0D – 0x01 – 0x04 = 0x08
Add data to existing SOFTLOADDATA command
S3210000000007F0A7F1F4060000147B4000F49217813C7BB00014493F005C00000009
Previous Address + Previous Num Bytes = 0x00407B0C + 0x08 = 0x00407B14
Address: 0x00000000 Num Data Bytes: 0x1C
Requires new SOFTLOADDATA command because address does not match previous address +
previous number of data bytes
Send existing SOFTLOADDATA command, and start a new SOFTLOADDATA command
S3210000001C80040000E001000030000000082B0100D8060000E4060000C806000063
Address: 0x0000001C Num Data Bytes: 0x1C
Previous Address + Previous Num Bytes = 0x00000000 + 0x1C = 0x0000001C
Add data to existing SOFTLOADDATA command
The SOFTLOADDATA command must be sent as a NovAtel binary format command.

9.4.4 SoftLoad Update Method

This section describes the sequence of commands that are issued to the receiver when updating
using a *.shex file.

The response for each command must be processed before sending the next command
so as to determine if the command was accepted or rejected, and to wait for the
receiver to complete the operation. Responses to SoftLoad commands are guaranteed to
be output from the receiver within a specific time, which varies by command. Refer to
specific SoftLoad command in the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference Manual for
more information on responses, and the timeout values for SoftLoad commands.

1. Open a connection to any port on the receiver (COM, USB, ICOM or XCOM) with the input and
output INTERFACEMODE set to NOVATEL.
2. Request the SOFTLOADSTATUS log using the following command:
LOG SOFTLOADSTATUSA ONCHANGED
3. Initialize SoftLoad with a SOFTLOADRESET command. This command stops all tracking on
the receiver to ensure sufficient memory is available for the loading process. An
RXSTATUSEVENTA log reports a SoftLoad In Progress status.
4. Open the *.shex firmware file.
5. Read each line of the *.shex firmware file.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 111

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

a. Send S0, S5 and S7 S-Records directly to the receiver using the SOFTLOADSREC com-
mand. The S-Record must be enclosed in quotation marks:
SOFTLOADSREC "<S-RECORD>"
Data within S0 records can also be sent to the receiver by converting them to
SOFTLOADSETUP commands. Refer to the OEM7 Commands and Logs Reference
Manual for details on how to convert from S0 S-Records to SOFTLOADSETUP com-
mands.
b. S3 S-Records should be parsed and packaged into a SOFTLOADDATA command.
6. Send the SOFTLOADCOMMIT command after all data from the *.shex file has been trans-
ferred to the receiver. The SOFTLOADSTATUS log reports the status of the loading process.
Wait for a SOFTLOADSTATUS log to indicate the status is COMPLETE. The COMPLETE status or
an error is guaranteed to be output from the receiver within 300 seconds from the time the
SOFTLOADCOMMIT command was received by the receiver.
7. Send the auth code for the newly downloaded image using the AUTH command. This is only
required if there is not already a signature auth code on the receiver as signature auth codes
are maintained through a SoftLoad update. See Authorization Code on page 105 for details
on Auth Codes.
AUTH ADD_DOWNLOAD <AUTH CODE>
8. Reset the receiver using any of the following methods:
l Enter the RESET command
l Enter the FRESET command
l Power-cycle the receiver
Once the receiver resets, the new version of firmware is active.
The SoftLoad process can be safely canceled at any time using the SOFTLOADRESET command
or by otherwise resetting the receiver. Once the COMPLETE status is reported by
SOFTLOADSTATUS, the new firmware image will be run after the receiver is reset.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 112

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 113

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

9.4.5 SoftLoad Errors

It is possible for errors to occur during the SoftLoad update. All command responses should be
checked to verify all issued commands were accepted. The SoftLoad status should also be mon-
itored in the SOFTLOADSTATUS log. Any status enum value greater than the ERROR status indic-
ates an error has occurred during the SoftLoad update. In the event of an error, the SoftLoad
update should be restarted by issuing a SOFTLOADRESET command or normal operation can be
restored by resetting the receiver.
In rare cases after a SoftLoad error, the boot code may not be able to determine which is the
latest firmware to be executed. To protect against this, SoftLoad does not erase the previous
valid firmware image from flash on the receiver. In such cases, the boot code will execute the
old image and raise the "Safe Mode" error (see RXSTATUS log). If that error is detected, simply
restart the SoftLoad process to reload the new firmware image and the error will be resolved.

9.5 Upgrading Using the AUTH Command

The AUTH command is used to upgrade to a new OEM7 receiver model with an authorization
code that enables (unlocks) model features. This command only functions with a valid auth-code
assigned by NovAtel Customer Support.
The upgrade can be performed directly through the NovAtel Connect command line or from any
other communications program.

Refer to Format of Firmware Files on page 106 for details on updating versus upgrading.

9.5.1 Upgrade Procedure

1. Power up the OEM7 receiver and establish communications (refer to the Quick Start Guide
included with the product for instructions).
2. Issue the LOG VERSION command to verify the current model, firmware version and serial
number (refer to Authorization Code on page 105 for instructions on obtaining).
3. Issue the AUTH command, followed by the auth-code and model type (refer to Authorization
Code on page 105 for details on obtaining any auth-code). The syntax is as follows:
auth <your auth-code here>
where auth is a command that enables model upgrades and auth-code is the upgrade author-
ization code, expressed as follows:
XXXXXX,XXXXXX,XXXXXX,XXXXXX,XXXXXX,MODEL,EXPDATE
where:
l Each X character is a case-insensitive ASCII character.
l The MODEL string is a maximum of 15 characters long and represents the model
enabled by the auth-code.
l The EXPDATE string is the auth-code’s expiry date, in YYMMDD format
Example:
auth 7WBMBK,887CB6,K5J3FH,5DF5P2,42PW8G,D1SB0GTT0,121211

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 114

Chapter 9 NovAtel Firmware and Software

When the AUTH command is executed, the OEM7 receiver reboots. Issuing the LOG VERSION
command confirms the new upgrade model type and firmware version number.
If communicating using NovAtel Connect, the communication path must be closed and reopened
using the Device menu.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 115

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Table 18: PwrPak7 Physical Description

Size 147 mm x 145 mm x 53 mm

PwrPak7 500 grams

Weight
PwrPak7-E1 510 grams

PwrPak7 01019715
NovAtel Part Number
PwrPak7-E1 01019717

See the following sections for more information about the PwrPak7:
l PwrPak7 Performance Specifications on the next page
l PwrPak7 Mechanical Specifications on page 120
l PwrPak7 Electrical and Environmental Specifications on page 122
l PwrPak7 Data Communication Specifications on page 124
l PwrPak7 Strobe Specifications on page 126
l PwrPak7 Connectors on page 127
For information about the cables available for the PwrPak7, see the following:
l PwrPak7 Power Cable on page 130
l PwrPak7 All I/O Cable on page 131
l PwrPak7 COM1 Cable on page 133
l PwrPak7 IMU Cable on page 134

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 116

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.1 PwrPak7 Performance Specifications

All specifications subject to GNSS system characteristics.

Table 19: PwrPak7 Receiver Performance

L1 only 1.5 m RMS

Single point
L1/L2 1.2 m RMS

SBAS2 60 cm RMS

DGPS 40 cm RMS
Position Accuracy1
NovAtel PPP3, 4
CORRECT 40 cm RMS
TerraStar-L
TerraStar-C 4 cm RMS

RTK 1 cm + 1 ppm RMS

GPS L1 C/A, L1C, L2C, L2P, L5

GLONASS L1 C/A, L2 C/A, L2P, L3, L55

BeiDou B1, B2, B3

Galileo E1, E5 AltBOC, E5a, E5b, E66

Signals Tracked NavIC
L5
(IRNSS)

SBAS L1, L5

QZSS L1 C/A, L1C, L2C, L5, L6

L-Band Up to 5 channels7

1Typical values. All position and velocity RMS values are based on Horizontal position accuracy. Performance
specifications are subject to GNSS system characteristics, Signal-in-Space (SIS) operational degradation,
ionospheric and tropospheric conditions, satellite geometry, baseline length, multipath effects and the presence of
intentional or unintentional interference sources.
2GPS-only.
3Requires a TerraStar subscription which is available direct from NovAtel [Link]/products/novatel-
correct-ppp.
4Performance dependent on local observing conditions.
5Although hardware capable, GLONASS L5 is currently not available.
6Although hardware capable, Galileo E6 is currently not available.
7Currently the receiver can track up to 3 L-Band channels.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 117

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Hot: <26 s (Almanac and recent ephemeris saved and approximate position
Time to First Fix and time entered)
Cold: <46 s (No almanac or ephemeris and no approximate position or time)

Signal <0.5 s L1 (typical)

Reacquisition <1.0 s L2 and L5 (typical)

Measurements up to 100 Hz
PwrPak7
Position up to 100 Hz

GNSS Measurements up to 20 Hz
Data Rates
GNSS Position up to 20 Hz
PwrPak7-E1
INS Position/Attitude up to 200 Hz

IMU Raw Data Rate 125 Hz

Time Accuracy1 20 ns RMS

Velocity Accuracy <0.03 m/s RMS

GPS GLO

Code Carrier Code Carrier

Measurement L1 C/A 4 cm 0.5 mm 8 cm 1.0 mm

Precision
L2 P(Y)2 8 cm 1.0 mm 8 cm 1.0 mm

L2 C3 8 cm 0.5 mm 8 cm 1.0 mm

L5 3 cm 0.5 mm - -

Velocity Limit 515 m/s4

The IMU performance specifications apply to the PwrPak7-E1 only.

Table 20: PwrPak7-E1 IMU Per-

formance

Gyroscope Performance

Input Rate (max) ±150 °/second

1Time accuracy does not include biases due to RF or antenna delay.

2L2 P for GLONASS.
3L2 C/A for GLONASS.
4Export licensing restricts operation to a maximum of 515 metres per second, message output impacted above
500 m/s.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 118

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Bias Repeatability 0.5 °/second

Bias Instability 3.5 °/hour

Angular Random Walk 0.1 °/√hour

Accelerometer Performance

Accelerometer Range ±5 g

Bias Repeatability 15 mg

Bias Instability 0.1 mg

Velocity Random Walk 0.05 m/s/√hour

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 119

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.2 PwrPak7 Mechanical Specifications

l Figure 32: PwrPak7 Dimensions below
l Figure 33: PwrPak7-E1 Center of Navigation on the next page

Figure 32: PwrPak7 Dimensions

Dimensions are in millimetres.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 120

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Figure 33: PwrPak7-E1 Center of Navigation

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 121

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.3 PwrPak7 Electrical and Environmental Specifications

Table 21: PwrPak7 Environmental Specifications

Operating Temperature -40°C to +75°C

Storage Temperature -40°C to +85°C

Humidity 95% non-condensing

Water resistance IEC 60529 IPX7

Dust resistance IEC 60529 IP6X

Random Vibration MIL-STD-810G, Method 514.6, Category 24 (20 g RMS)

Sinusoidal Vibration IEC 60068-2-6

Bump IEC 60068-2-27 (25 g)

Shock – Non-operating MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6 (40 g)

Acceleration MIL-STD-810G, Method 513.6 (16 g)

Table 22: PwrPak7 Power Requirements

Voltage +9 to +36 VDC

1.8 W typical, all constellations, all frequencies, plus L-Band

Power These are typical values using serial ports without interference mit-
Consumption igation. These values can change with the number of satellites in view,
firmware version, data logging rates and features in use. Use them as
a guide for what you might expect but not as absolute values

In-Rush
Power 1.5 A for less than 1.3 ms (@ 12 V; typical)
Consumption

Table 23: PwrPak7 RF Input/LNA Power Output

Antenna Connector TNC female, 50 Ω nominal impedance

Cascaded antenna
15 dB minimum, 26 dB to 30 dB typical (before receiver)
LNA gain

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 122

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

GPS L1: 1575.42 MHz GLONASS L1: 1593-1610 MHz

GPS L2: 1227.60 MHz GLONASS L2: 1237-1254 MHz
GPS L5: 1176.45 MHz GLONASS L3: 1202.025 MHz

RF Input
BeiDou B1: 1561.098 MHz Galileo E1: 1575.42 MHz
Frequencies
BeiDou B2: 1207.14 MHz Galileo E5a: 1176.45 MHz
BeiDou B3: 1268.52 MHz Galileo E5b: 1207.14 MHz
Galileo E5: 1191.795 MHz
L-Band: 1525 to 1560 MHz

+5.0 VDC ±5%, 0 mA to 200 mA (supplied by receiver through center

LNA Power
conductor of RF connector).

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 123

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.4 PwrPak7 Data Communication Specifications

Table 24: Data Communications Interfaces

COM1

Electrical format RS-232/RS-422

2400, 4800, 9600 (default), 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230400 or 460800
Data rates1
bit/s.

Signals supported COM1_Tx, COM1_Rx, COM1_RTS, COM1_CTS

PwrPak7 port DSUB HD26

COM2

Electrical format RS-232/RS-422

2400, 4800, 9600 (default), 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230400 or 460800
Data rates1
bit/s.

Signals supported COM2_Tx, COM2_Rx

PwrPak7 port DSUB HD26

COM3

Electrical format RS-232

2400, 4800, 9600 (default), 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230400 or 460800
Data rates1
bit/s.

Signals supported COM3_Tx, COM3_Rx

PwrPak7 port DSUB HD26

CAN Bus

Electrical Format ISO 11898-2

1 Mbps maximum.
Data rates
CAN Bus throughput is determined by slowest device on the bus

PwrPak7 port DSUB HD26

USB

Electrical format Conforms to USB 2.0

Data rates Hi-speed (480 Mb/s)

1Data rates higher than 115200 bit/s are not supported by standard PC hardware. Special PC hardware may be
required for higher rates, including 230400 bit/s and 460800 bit/s.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 124

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

COM PORTS - USB device

PwrPak7 port
TRANSFER - USB host

ETHERNET

Physical layer 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX

PwrPak7 port RJ45

Wi-Fi Access Point

Security WPA2

Encryption AES

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 125

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.5 PwrPak7 Strobe Specifications

All of the PwrPak7 strobe signals are available on the 26 pin D-SUB high density connector.

Table 25: PwrPak7 Strobes Description

Factory
Strobes Input/Output Comment
Default

Input marks for which a pulse greater than 150 ns

EVENT_IN1 Input triggers certain logs to be generated. (Refer to the
Active
EVENT_IN2 Leading edge MARKPOS and MARKTIME logs and ONMARK trigger.)
low
triggered Polarity is configurable using the MARKCONTROL
EVENT_IN3
command.

Programmable variable frequency outputs ranging

EVENT_OUT1
from 0 Hz to 50 MHz (refer to the
Active
EVENT_OUT2 Output EVENTOUTCONTROL command).
low
Note: EVENT_OUT1 can also be controlled by the
EVENT_OUT3
FREQUENCYOUT command.

A time synchronization output. This is a pulse where

the leading edge is synchronized to receiver
Active
PPS Output calculated GNSS Time. The polarity, period and pulse
low
width can be configured using the PPSCONTROL
command

Table 26: PwrPak7 Strobe Electrical Specifications

Min Max Current

Strobe Sym
(V) (V) (mA)

EVENT_IN1 VIL - 0.8

EVENT_IN2 <±1 mA
EVENT_IN3 VIH 2.0 3.3

EVENT_OUT1 VOL - 0.4

EVENT_OUT2 ±6 mA
EVENT_OUT3 VOH 2.0 3.3

VOL - 0.4
PPS ±6 mA
VOH 2.0 3.3

All signal I/O are at LVCMOS levels.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 126

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.6 PwrPak7 Connectors

Table 27: PwrPak7 Connectors

Connector
Connector Label Description
Type

ANT TNC Connects the receiver to the GNSS antenna

Connects the receiver to an Ethernet network

RJ45 Used to communicate to the receiver using a network
connection

USB Micro A USB 2.0 port used to communicate from a computer to

A/B the receiver using a USB cable

Provides access to communication signals on the receiver.

This includes:
l 3 Event inputs (LVCMOS)
COM
PORTS l 3 Event outputs (LVCMOS)
l 1 Pulse Per Second output (LVCMOS)
DSUB l 1 CAN bus
HD26
l 3 serial ports
l COM1 RS422/RS232 user selectable
l COM2 RS422/RS232 user selectable
l COM3 RS232
l Wheel Sensor RS422 Quadrature Input

USB Micro USB 2.0 port used to transfer files from the on board
TRANSFER
A/B memory to a USB stick or computer

SAL M12 5
PWR Connects the receiver to the power supply
pin

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 127

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Table 28: 26 Pin D-SUB High Density Pin Out

Pin Signal Name Description

When COM1 is set to RS-232, this is the Request To Send flow control signal.
COM1_RTS/
1 When COM1 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM1 RS-422 transmit
COM1_TX-
differential pair.

When COM1 is set to RS-232, this is the COM1 transmit signal.

COM1_TX/
2 When COM1 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM1 transmit
COM1_TX+
differential pair.

When COM1 is set to RS-232, this is the COM1 receive signal.

COM1_RX
3 When COM1 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM1 receive differential
COM1_RX+
pair.

When COM1 is set to RS-232, this is the COM1 Clear to Send flow control
COM1_CTS signal.
4
COM1_RX- When COM1 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM1 receive differential
pair.

Wheel Sensor
5 Signal A+ from the Distance Measurement Instrument
A+

Wheel Sensor
6 Signal A- from the Distance Measurement Instrument
A-

Wheel Sensor
7 Signal B+ from the Distance Measurement Instrument
B+

Wheel Sensor
8 Signal B- from the Distance Measurement Instrument
B-

9 CAN_H CAN bus port

When COM2 is set to RS-232, this is the COM2 transmit signal.

COM2_TX
10 When COM2 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM2 transmit
COM2_TX+
differential pair.

11 GND Ground reference

12 COM2_RX- One half of the RS-422 COM2 receive differential pair.

13 COM3_TX COM3 transmit signal

14 GND Ground reference

15 EVENT_IN3 EVENT3 (Mark3) input

16 EVENT_OUT1 EVENT1 (Mark1) output

17 GND Ground reference

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 128

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

Pin Signal Name Description

18 CAN_L CAN bus port

19 COM2_TX- One half of the COM2 transmit differential pair.

When COM2 is set to RS-232, this is the COM2 receive signal.

COM2_RX
20 When COM2 is set to RS-422, this is one half of the COM2 transmit
COM2_RX+
differential pair.

21 COM3_RX COM3 receive signal

22 EVENT_IN1 EVENT1 (Mark1) input

23 EVENT_IN2 EVENT2 (Mark2) input

24 PPS Pulse Per Second output (Timemark)

25 EVENT_OUT2 EVENT2 (Mark2) output

26 EVENT_OUT3 EVENT3 (Mark3) output

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 129

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.7 PwrPak7 Power Cable

The NovAtel part number for the PwrPak7 Power Cable is 01019764. This cable provides power
to the receiver from an external power source.

Figure 34: PwrPak7 Power Cable

Dimensions are in millimetres.

Table 29: PwrPak7 Power Cable

Pinout

J1 Pinout
Label on Lead
M12

1 -VIN

2 +VIN_A

3 +VIN_B

4 -VIN

5 Chassis Ground (not used)

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 130

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.8 PwrPak7 All I/O Cable

The NovAtel part number for the PwrPak7 All I/O cable is 01019766. This cable provides access
to all of the signals available on the PwrPak7 26 pin D-SUB connector.

Figure 35: PwrPak7 All I/O Cable

Dimensions are in millimetres.

Table 30: PwrPak7 All I/O Cable Pinout

J1 Labels on Flying J2 J3 J4
Signal Name
PwrPak7 Leads E1 to E9 COM1 COM2 COM3

CAN+ 9 CAN_H

CAN- 18 CAN_L

24 PPS
PPS
11 PPS_GND

22 EVENT_IN1
EVENT_IN1
11 EVENT_IN1_GND

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 131

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

J1 Labels on Flying J2 J3 J4
Signal Name
PwrPak7 Leads E1 to E9 COM1 COM2 COM3

23 EVENT_IN2
EVENT_IN2
11 EVENT_IN2_GND

15 EVENT_IN3
EVENT_IN3
11 EVENT_IN3_GND

16 EVENT_OUT1
EVENT_OUT1
14 EVENT_OUT1_GND

25 EVENT_OUT2
EVENT_OUT2
14 EVENT_OUT2_GND

26 EVENT_OUT3
EVENT_OUT3
14 EVENT_OUT3_GND

Wheel Sensor A+ 5 Wheel Sensor A+

Wheel Sensor A- 6 Wheel Sensor A-

Wheel Sensor B+ 7 Wheel Sensor B+

Wheel Sensor B- 8 Wheel Sensor B-

COM1_RTS/422TX- 1 8

COM1_TXD/422TX+ 2 2

COM1_RXD/422RX+ 3 3

COM1_CTS/422RX- 4 7

COM1_GND 14 5

COM2_422TX- 19 8

COM2_TXD/422TX+ 10 2

COM2_RXD/422RX+ 20 3

COM2_422RX- 12 7

COM2_GND 17 5

COM3_TXD 13 2

COM3_RXD 21 3

COM3-GND 17 5

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 132

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.9 PwrPak7 COM1 Cable

The NovAtel part number for the PwrPak7 COM1 cable is 01019765. This cable provides access
to the COM1 signals available on the PwrPak7 26 pin D-SUB connector.

Figure 36: PwrPak7 COM1 Cable

Dimensions are in millimetres.

Table 31: PwrPak7 COM1 Cable Pinout

J1 Pinout J2 Pinout
Function
HDB26 DB9

1 COM1_RTS/422TX- 8

2 COM1_TXD/422TX+ 2

3 COM1_RXD/422RX+ 3

4 COM1_CTS/422RX- 7

11 Ground
5
14 Ground

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 133

APPENDIX A PwrPak7 Specifications

A.10 PwrPak7 IMU Cable

The NovAtel part number for the PwrPak7 IMU cable is 01019767. This cable provides a com-
munication link between COM1 on a PwrPak7 and an IMU in the IMU Enclosure (IMU-ISA-100C,
IMU--ENC-LN200, IMU-HG1900 and IMU-µIMU-IC).

Figure 37: PwrPak7 IMU Cable

Dimensions are in millimetres.

Table 32: PwrPak7 IMU Cable Pinout

J1 Pinout P1 Pinout
Function
HDB26 M12

1 COM1_RTS/422TX- 4

2 COM1_TXD/422TX+ 2

3 COM1_RXD/422RX+ 1

4 COM1_CTS/422RX- 3

11 Ground
5
14 Ground

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 134

APPENDIX B Importance of Antenna Selection

An antenna behaves both as a spatial and frequency filter, therefore, selecting the right GNSS
antenna is critical for optimizing performance. An antenna must match the receiver’s cap-
abilities and specifications, as well as meet size, weight, environmental and mechanical spe-
cifications for the intended application.
Factors to consider when choosing a GNSS antenna include:
1. Constellation and signals
Each GNSS constellation and SBAS has its own signal frequencies and bandwidths. An
antenna must cover the signal frequencies transmitted by the constellation and bandwidth
supported by the GNSS receiver.
2. Antenna gain
Gain is a key performance indicator of a GNSS antenna. Gain can be defined as the relative
measure of an antenna's ability to direct or concentrate radio frequency energy in a par-
ticular direction or pattern. A minimum gain is required to achieve a minimum carrier-to-
power-noise ratio (C/No) to track GNSS satellites. The antenna gain is directly related to the
overall C/No of the navigation GNSS receivers. Hence, antenna gain helps define the track-
ing ability of the system.
3. Element Gain
The element gain defines how efficient the antenna element is at receiving the signals. In
any signal chain, you are only as good as the weakest link, so an antenna element with low
element gain might be compensated by an increased low noise amplifier gain. However, the
signal-to-noise ratio or C/No is still degraded.
4. Antenna beamwidth and gain roll-off
Gain roll-off is a factor of beamwidth, and specifies how much the gain changes over the
elevation angle of the antenna. From the antenna’s point of view, the satellites rise from the
horizon towards zenith and fall back to the horizon. The variation in gain between zenith (dir-
ectly overhead) and the horizon is known as the gain roll-off. Different antenna technologies
have different gain roll-off characteristics.
5. Phase center stability
The phase center of the antenna is the point where the signals transmitted from satellites
are collected. When a receiver reports a location fix, that location is essentially the phase
center of the antenna.
The electrical phase center of any antenna will vary with the position of the transmitting sig-
nal it is receiving by as much as a few millimetres. As GNSS satellites move across the sky,
the electrical phase center of the signal received will typically move with the satellite pos-
ition unless the antenna has been carefully designed to minimize Phase Center Offset (PSO)
and Phase Center Variation (PCV).
The PCO with respect to the Antenna Reference Point (ARP) is the difference between the
mechanical center of antenna rotation and electrical phase center location. The PCO is also
frequency dependent which means that there can be a different offset for each signal fre-
quency. The PCV identifies how much the phase center moves with respect to the satellite
elevation angles.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 135

APPENDIX B Importance of Antenna Selection

Figure 38: Plot of Good and Poor Antenna Phase Center Variation over Elevation
Angle 0-90°

Many users can accept accuracies of less than a metre so these small phase center vari-
ations cause a negligible amount of position error. But if you require high precision, Real
Time Kinematic (RTK) receivers can achieve position accuracies of 2-4 cm and a few mil-
limetres of phase center error translates to a 10-15% error in reported position. For RTK sur-
vey applications, geodetic grade antennas offer superior PCO/PCV performance.
6. The application
An antenna has to meet the performance, environmental, mechanical, and operational
requirements of the intended application. For example, GNSS antennas used for aviation
applications should ideally be TSO/FAA certified and be rugged enough to handle extreme

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 136

APPENDIX B Importance of Antenna Selection

temperatures and vibration profiles. Survey rover antennas should be able to survive rough
handling by surveyors including a pole drop.
The table below highlights some of the important desirable features needed for a GNSS
antenna based upon the user’s application.

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 137

APPENDIX B Importance of Antenna Selection

PwrPak7 Installation and Operation User Manual v1 138