The following are the basic steps required to set up a 5096 A2 transmitter. These steps are for rain and stream sites only:
- Upgrading 5096 Transmitter hardware (adding ALERT2 board and new radio)
- Adding additional components to site
- GPS antenna
- Polyphaser
- Solar Panel (if site does not have adequate power already)
- Programming 5096
- Novastar5 needs to have new ALERT2 point added (Scott will do this)
Equipment Needed
- Laptop with RS-232 cable
- Drill with 3/16”, 1/4” and 1/2” bits and hole saws
- GPS antenna, mount, hardware and cable
- Polyphaser with mount hardware and cable
- Upgraded ALERT2 5096
- 21 amp-hr battery
- Wattmeter
- Scanner
- ALERT2 field decoder
- Spare antenna
- Spare cables and cable fittings (N-type connectors, BNC connectors, adapters)
Common Commands
- SET-STAID – Sets the station id. For Ventura County, this is the station number (e.g., 188, but with a “20” prefix: 20188)
- SET-RF – Adjusts the parameters for the radio (Maxon 125E-v2 is inverted (1), all other radios (0))
- SET-TDMA – Used to program frame length, offset and delay of TDMA transmissions
- SET-EV – Used to adjust parameters for Event sensors
- SET-A2 – Sends all previously programmed parameters to the ALERT 2 board
- Attach antenna or dummy load to antenna port before the 5096 is powered up
- Attach GPS
- Connect Power