Comtech EF Data RCU108 - Manual (Page 9)

RCU108 1:8 Protection Switch Description
TM066 - Rev. 1 Page 1-1
Section One - RCU108 1:8 Protection Switch Description
1.0 Introduction
The Radyne RCU108 1:N Redundancy Control Unit provides backup protection for any number
of online converters ranging from 2 through 8. The switch will operate with any Radyne
Frequency Up or Downconverter product without distinction. The RCU108 Switch features plug-
and-play simplicity of operation. Simply install the cables, tell the Backup to ‘Learn,’ and the
protection switching is activated without complicated programming. Monitoring of all the online
converters and the operation of the switch becomes the duty of the backup converter. Identical
firmware in all Radyne converter products enables any converter plugged into the backup slot of
the switch to assume the role of protection system controller.
As the system controller, the designated backup converter communicates with the online
converters via the equipment RS485 interface. As a result, the switch contains a minimal
amount of circuitry and is therefore very reliable. Control and monitoring of all the online
converters and the switch itself can be performed through the operator RS232/422/485 serial
interface. Once the backup converter is told to learn the primary converters, the backup will
monitor the frequency, gain and channel settings of the online converter by polling the primary
converters on a periodic basis. If any changes are made to the online settings, the backup
converters will notify the user via the front panel or through the RS232/485 port. In the event
of a failure of any online converter, the restored circuit will have the same online settings that
were identified through the last learning process.
Menu programmable features in the backup converter allow various levels of backup priority to
be set. A priority of 1 would be the highest level of protection, where a priority of zero or none
means the converter would be logically removed from backup protection by the switch.
Manual backup from the front panel push-buttons on the switch allow the operator to fully test
the circuitry and operation of the protection switch system exactly as if a fault had been issued
by the converter being manually backed-up. Manual mode allows a converter to be removed or
reinstalled into the system without the fear of interrupting the circuit that has been routed
through the backup converter.
Figure 1-1. RCU108 1:8 Protection Switch Front Panel