[time-nuts] Z3801 Replacement GPS Receiver Card

Tue Sep 18 03:18:58 UTC 2012

WinOncore12 was Motorola's first Windows application coded for the
original M12 and, in 2001, the new M12+ timing receiver. WinOncore12,
and the later SiRF Oncore application, only recognize 6 and 8 channel VP
Oncore commands to the extent that they are common with the M12x
receivers (not that many).

Motorola only offered the DOS based "GPS Controller" software back in
1997 so Synergy commissioned Rick Hambly at CNS Systems to produce a
sub-set of his TAC/32 Windows controller application for us - it's named
SynTAC. SynTAC (like TAC/32 and TAC32Plus) automatically recognizes and
initializes every 6, 8 and 12 channel receiver produced by Motorola from
1992 to 2005 and ilotus M12M receivers from 2006 to present. This
includes the original 6 channel PVT-6, 6&8 channel Basic Oncore, 6&8
channel VP Oncore, etc., etc.

Since 1997 Hundreds of Hams, experimenters and educational institutions
have downloaded the fully functioning 30 day evaluation version of the
SynTAC application (without purchasing the product) to automatically
setup and test Oncore receivers that didn't seem to work properly or
were behaving oddly due to conflicting setup commands.

Art Sepin

-----Original Message-----
From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
Behalf Of Azelio Boriani
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2012 3:01 PM
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Z3801 Replacement GPS Receiver Card

OK, you can test a VP Oncore GPS receiver alone if you have a mean to
translate the TTL serial port to a regular RS232 for the PC. This can be
done with a MAX232 chip (or equivalent). Then the pinout (refer to the
engineering notes previously mentioned, page 9): pin 2 and pin 3 are the
main power supply (2: +5B and 3 GND) and the serial port pins are pin 8
TX and pin 9 RX. The TX pin must be routed to the TTL to RS232
translator and then to the RX of the PC (pin 2 if a DB9 is used or pin 3
if a DB25 is used). Pin 9 comes from the translator and from the PC TX
pin (pin 3 DB9 or pin 2 DB25). The WinOncore software can be used to
test the receiver. Don't forget to connect an external (that is on the
roof)  GPS antenna and prepare your 'scope for the PPS on pin 6. The PPS
should be pretty visible as it is 200mS long (see page 7).

On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 11:18 PM, Art Sepin <art at synergy-gps.com> wrote:

> The original VP Oncore Engineering Notes document can be found here:
>
>
> http://www.synergy-gps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3
> 5&Itemid=60
>
> Unlike later 8 channel UT, UT+ and 12 channel M12+ and M12M timing 
> receivers, the VP Oncore included an "Idle Mode." If the VP Oncore 
> receives an @@Cf "Set to Defaults" command, it will remain in Idle 
> Mode until given a  @@Cg command which puts the receiver in Position 
> Mode. The 6 channel  @@Ba or the 8 channel @@Ea command will then
produce the Position Message.
> The full VP Oncore Command/Reply message set is available here:
>
> http://www.synergy-gps.com/images/stories/guides/vpcommands.pdf
>
> Art Sepin
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com on behalf of Hui Zhang
> Sent: Sun 9/16/2012 6:38 AM
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Z3801 Replacement GPS Receiver Card
>
>
>
> I just bought a second-hand Z3801A, it also had a error message when 
> self test - GPS Rcv error, and I saw a red LED on main board on. I 
> want test it alone but I don't know GPS board's pin define, can
someone tell me? Thanks.
>
>
> Hui
>
>
> At 2012-09-16 21:20:26,"Azelio Boriani" <azelio.boriani at screen.it>
wrote:
> >Anyway, are you sure that the GPS unit is faulty? Can you test it
alone?
> >The unit is responsive on the serial port? Is the Z3801A sending
commands?
> >Can you verify with a 'scope on the serial line if there is any
signal?
> >
> >On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 2:54 PM, Mike S <mikes at flatsurface.com>
wrote:
> >
> >> On 9/15/2012 2:11 PM, paul swed wrote:
> >>
> >>> Then respond back with whatever the response might be and then 
> >>> simply
> pass
> >>> through in both direction whatever comes next.
> >>> Could an updated rcvr be used.
> >>> Is this init command really the only gotcha?
> >>>
> >>
> >> It's more than just the init command. The z3801a also sends @@Ca, 
> >> @@Cg, @@Ab, @@Ah, @@Aj, @@Ak, @@Al, @@An, @@Ar, @@Av, @@Ax, @@Ay, 
> >> @@AB, @@AC, @@AD, @@Ba, @@Bc, @@Bk, @@Cg, @@At, and @@Bn, none of 
> >> which are
> available
> >> on an M12 (which would be the logical target if you're going to the
> trouble
> >> of an adapter), so would need to be converted to other commands, 
> >> and the correct response returned. In addition, the response to the

> >> @@Bb command (Visible sat status) would need modification.
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
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