FDR Installation and Troubleshooting
Thank you for your interest in hosting an FDR! This section describes the basic installation procedure for the device. Should you have any problems, please contact us for assistance. You can also download the FDR Installation and Configuration Guide and the FDR Communications QuickSheet.
In the shipping package, you will receive the following four items:
- FDR
- GPS antenna
- Power cord
- Ethernet cable
Installation of the FDR is straightforward:
- Place GPS antenna in the window sill as shown.
Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the FDR's NETWORK port, and plug the other end into an Ethernet outlet.- Connect the GPS antenna cable to the FDR's GPS ANTENNA port.
- Connect the power cord to the FDR's AC POWER port, and plug the other into an electrical outlet.
- Double-check all connections, and turn on the power. It may take anywhere from several minutes to half an hour before the FDR initializes and begins transmitting data to the FNET server. Voltage magnitude and frequency are displayed on the screen.
- Please e-mail us once the FDR starts working so that we can verify its status on the server.
The following video shows the complete installation procedure.
Troubleshooting
The FNET server continuously monitors each FDR. You can check the status of your unit at http://fnetpublic.utk.edu/tabledisplay.html.
If you have received an FDR reset request, it indicates that your FDR is not sending data to the server. In this case, it is helpful to look at the LED indicators on the front of the FDR.
Normally, the PPS LED indicator is solid red and will flash every second. If it does not flash, this means that the GPS signal has been lost. Therefore, you should check to see if the antenna has a good view of the sky and also that the antenna cable is securely connected to the GPS ANTENNA port on the back of the FDR.
The NET LED indicator is solid green and will flash six times every second. If the LED is off, there is a network problem. Usually, this means that the Ethernet cable has been disconnected from either the unit itself or from the network port. If the LED flashes three times and then remains solid for the following second, it indicates that the network is physically connected, but there is no pathway between the FDR and the FNET server. In this case, you may need to reset the FDR and verify that your Internet connection is working properly.
If the FDR still does not work, please email us for further help.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many days does it usually take before my unit can be seen on the web display? Why does it take so long?
Typically, your FDR will appear on the web display within 5-10 days of installation. The reason for the delay is that we wait until the GPS signal stabilizes before we add it to the system.
2. Why does my unit's data appear to be in the wrong order?
Data on the public display server has a small random time delay added. This is done to prevent unauthorized "scooping" of the data.
Please refer to the FDR Installation and Configuration Guide for additional frequently asked questions.