How To Operate a CTM-15X Modem

The supply voltage must be a minimum of 9VDC for the CTM-15X to operate. With the power applied it will power-up in its operating mode.

Note: In some vehicle operation, when starting the engine the vehicle supply voltage will dip below 9VDC momentarily. This will cause the modem to reset as the power dips below 9VDC. If continual operation is required, contact Cypress Solutions for an accessory power regulator that plugs in-line with the modem power supply. This power regulator will prevent unnecessary resets.

The CTM-15X Modem has two power modes:

Mode	Description	Mode change event
Operation	In this mode the device is fully powered up and ready to receive or make network connections	The device will go back into shutdown mode when the ignition/standby signal is deactivated or upon expiry of the power ON timer as configured.
Shutdown	Only the modem’s power management circuits are operating.	The device will go back into operation mode when the ignition/standby signal is activated, an input event occurs, or upon expiry of the power OFF timer as configured.

The CTM-15X Modem can be configured to remain on for a defined period after the standby/ignition signal has been turned off. This enables the modem to continue sending position reports or be used for data operations even after the vehicle ignition has been switched off – e.g. for short duration driver breaks.

When in its power shutdown mode the modem may be configured to resume full operation by either the standby/ignition signal becoming active, an input event occurring, or the power OFF timer expiring.

The power consumption of the CTM-15X Modem will depend on its supply voltage, its current operating function and its RF environment.

The following table is provided to assist application integrators in defining the power requirements for their specific application.

Power Consumption	Weak RF signal(12V)	Strong RF signal(12V)	Weak RF signal(24V)	Strong RF signal(24V)
Shutdown Mode	1.5mA typical	1.5mA typical	2.0mA typical	2.0mA typical
Downloading (Receive data)	450mA max	350mA max	220mA max	195mA max
Uploading (Transmit data)	500mA max	390mA max	260mA max	210mA max

The CTM-15X Modem may be manually reset via the front panel using a <1mm diameter (0.04”) wire tool (a standard paper clip). This can be used to cause the modem to reset its operation, or to enter its standby power mode.

reset: Press and hold for 0.25 to 1 second

shutdown: Press and hold for 2 to 5 seconds (the PWR LED will go off at the 2-second mark). Press again for more than 0.25 second to return to operating mode.

There are five LED indicators on the CTM-15X top. These are used to show the status and operation of the device.

For Sierra Wireless HSPA, Sierra Wireless CDMA/EV-DO, and Kyocera Wireless CDMA/EV-DO data devices or modules:

LED	Description	Solid	Blinking	Off
PWR	Power status of the device	full operating mode and able to connect	device is in shutdown mode	the device has no power
CELL	status of the device on the wireless network	receiving a signal greater than or equal to -95dBm	receiving a signal less than -95dBm	device is not detecting a valid RF signal
TX/RX	data is being transmitted or received	N/A	Data is being transmitted or received	no data is being transmitted or received
GPS	status of the GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above)	GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above) has obtained a valid position fix	GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above) does not have a valid position fix
3G	indicates the type of wireless data connection	EV-DO Rev A (typical downlink 450 to 800kbps)	EV-DO Rev 0 (typical downlink 400 to 700 kbps)	1xRTT (typical downlink 40 to 100 kbps)

For Novatel Wireless, Option or other Manufacturer devices:

LED	Description	Solid	Blinking	Off
PWR	Power status of the device	full operating mode and able to connect	device is in shutdown mode	the device has no power
CELL	status of the device on the wireless network	device is connected to the wireless network	N/A	device is not connected to the wireless network
TX/RX	data is being transmitted or received	N/A	Data is being transmitted or received	no data is being transmitted or received
GPS	status of the GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above)	GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above) has obtained a valid position fix	GPS module or external GPS device (only firmware version R1.3.0 or above) does not have a valid position fix
3G	indicates the type of wireless data connection	N/A	N/A	N/A

The CTM-15X Modem will attempt to connect to the wireless network whenever power is applied, when configured with cmd mode 2 (default).

If no wireless network connection is available the IP address will be given as 0.0.0.0. This can be queried using cmd ipadr For Sierra Wireless RF devices, wireless signal strength information can be queried using cmd rssi. These values for both 1x and EV-DO are given in dBm with range typically -60dBm (very good) to -105dBm (weak).

With the wireless network connection active you may now open Windows® applications that will make use of this connection – this includes email, web browsers, and VPN connections.

The GPS module in the CTM-15X will continuously track the unit’s position whenever power is applied and the GPS antenna has a clear view of the sky. The time taken for the module to achieve a valid positional fix is determined by the previous state of the unit:

For a “cold” start (after all power is applied to the modem) the acquisition time typically will be less than 50 seconds.

For a “warm” start (standby power is maintained to the CTM-15X) the acquisition time will typically be less than 38 seconds.

For reacquisition (after the GPS module has temporarily lost signal) the time to acquire a valid position fix is typically less than 2 seconds.

The GPS information can be sent by the device as a message in any of the configured reports.

The GPS receiver uses the WGS-84 datum.

The CTM-15X (running firmware version R1.3.0 or above only) supports GPS data from a external GPS device connected to the modem via USB or serial port, or from a wireless module via A-GPS (Sierra Wireless devices only). When the CTM-15X has been configured to use an external GPS or an A-GPS device, the GPS LED will reflect the current status of the selected GPS device.