LabSat 4 is shipped with a rechargeable, lithium-ion smart battery pack. A fully charged battery provides a unit operation time of a minimum of 1 hour. You can charge the battery by connecting an external power source to the Power port on LabSat 4.
Notes:
- For safety reasons, the battery will not be fully charged when shipped from us. We recommend that you charge it fully before use or connect LabSat 4 to external power the first time you use it.
- Take note of the expected operation time and make sure that you have access to an external power source (and the appropriate cable for it) if you think it will take more than 1 hour.
WARNING
- Never leave a system unattended during the charging or discharging of the battery pack.
- The battery should be fully charged when stored.
If a battery is left depleted for a prolonged period then it is likely that the performance of the battery will degrade and may be unusable.
You can read more about the battery pack, including operation, charging, fitting, removal and handling, here.
You can apply power to LabSat 4 via mains power with the power supply (RLVBACS020) or from the vehicle via the cigar plug to power (RLCAB010LE) cable. When you power LabSat 4 from an external source, it will automatically charge the internal battery pack, and seamlessly switch to battery operation when the external power is removed.
This is an example of how to record a file to the internal SSD on LabSat 4 (RP variant).
1. Connect the antenna to the RF IN port on the rear panel of the LabSat 4 unit.
2. Place the GNSS antenna in the middle of the roof, at least, 10 cm from any other antennas or objects.
3. Press the POWER button to power up the unit. Ensure you have selected the correct recording settings (quanitization, bandwidth, and frequency).
4. Press the REC button on the front panel to start the recording.
5. Drive the desired route for the scenario.
6. Press the REC button again to stop the recording.
The Record Screen will display the number of satellites, the allocated file name, the recording duration, and the CAN and RS232 logs being recorded (if enabled). The flashing square next to a signal type indicates that the signal is being recorded. When a recording is complete, the File Selection Screen will open with the recorded file in the list of available files.
The Record Screen will display the number of satellites, the allocated file name, the recording duration, and the CAN and RS232 logs being recorded (if enabled). The flashing square next to a signal type indicates that the signal is being recorded. When a recording is complete, the File Selection Screen will open with the recorded file in the list of available files.
During recording, if the SSD becomes full, the recording will stop automatically.
LabSat 4 contains an onboard GNSS receiver that gives you the ability to monitor the RF signals during record or replay. If you press the OK button while the unit is recording, it will switch the display to show available satellite levels for the different constellations. In this display mode, you can use the UP/DOWN buttons to toggle between the different constellations. Press the OK button in this display mode to open the file status. Press the OK button again to return to the record status display mode.
Note: During recording, while using battery power, the GNSS monitor display will automatically revert to the record display after a short period to conserve battery power. This power save feature can be switched off, but it is recommended to be left active for maximum battery life.
Example of how to replay a scenario file from the SSD.
1. Connect the Device Under Test (DUT) to the RF OUT port on the rear panel on the LabSat 4 unit.
Press the POWER button power up the unit.
2. Use the UP and DOWN arrow buttons on the front panel to select the relevant scenario file.
3. Press the PAUSE/PLAY button. This will display the Replay Status screen and start the playback of the file.
4. The DUT should now be receiving the replayed satellite signal data, making it possible to perform realistic and repeatable tests under controlled conditions. Press the PAUSE/PLAY button during the replay, to stop the replay.
The Replay Screen will display the number of satellites, the file name, the replay duration, the progress through the length of the recording file and any applied signal attenuation. When the replay has finished, the File Selection Screen will open.
The Replay Screen will display the number of satellites, the file name, the replay duration, the progress through the length of the recording file and any applied signal attenuation. When the replay has finished, the File Selection Screen will open.
LabSat 4 contains an onboard GNSS receiver that gives you the ability to monitor the RF signals during record or replay. If you press the OK button while the unit is replaying, it will switch the display to show available satellite levels for the different constellations. In this display mode, you can use the UP/DOWN buttons to toggle between the different constellations. Press the OK button in this display mode to open the file status. Press the OK button again to return to the replay status display mode.
Note: When you switch between GNSS monitor modes, it will take some time for the internal receiver to re-acquire satellite signal levels.