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Stations / Station Control

Introduction

The NovaStar5 base station can send control or poll commands through the receiver/decoders to the master stations using the ALERT2 VHF two-way radio. This document describes how to send the commands.

While the focus of this document is Flasher Control, the base station can also send the water level alarm trigger limit to a remote station if this feature is implemented in the remote stations. Examples of that functionality are also provided.

In this example, flasher commands are:

1 - Turn on lights, disable level control of lights
2 - Turn off lights, disable level control of lights
3 - Enable level control of lights
4 - Disable level control of lights
5 - Poll station to report current data
6 - Reset Master
7 - Reset Flashers

Configuring the Station Control Functionality

Configuring the station control functionality is a multistep process, requiring administrator priviledges and must be accomplished prior to executing control commands. This process is documented in the Configuring the Station Control Functionality document.

Utilizing the Station Control Functionality

Once the configuration is completed, the station is ready to control the flashers. From the NovaStar toolbar, select the Station field which will expose additional sub-fields including Station Control. Select Station Control.

station control

Station Control Interface(see full-size image)

From the Station Control Interface, select the Control Station using the station dropdown menu. Only control stations which have been properly configured and allow flashers to be controlled will be listed.

Once a remote station has been selected, select the remote point to be controlled. In the example below there are three control points (Base Station Flasher Control, Flasher Status, and Water Level Trigger Control). Select the parameter/point you wish to control.

station control points

Station Control Point Options

The final step is to send the control commands to the remote master station.

The Base Station Flasher Control point allows for remote control of the following:

  • Flashers On (Control Value = 1)
  • Flashers Off (Control Value = 2)
  • Level Control Enabled (Control Value = 3)
  • Level Control Disabled (Control Value = 4)
  • Transmit All Data (Control Value = 5)
  • Reset Master (Control Value = 6)
  • Reset Flashers (Control Value = 7)

These are available because they are the flags associated with this point's point type.

Select the desired signal from the list of radio buttons.

In the case of water level or any other non-flag points, enter the numerical value associated with the requested control function in the Value field . This value will be sent to the control station to activate the control.

station control value

Station Control for Non-flags

After selecting a radio button or entering a value (whichever is available, depending on point type), click the run runButton button to the left of the display window. The control commands will send the command/value from NovaStar out to the ALERT2 receiver/decoder using IP and from there out to the remote station using VHF ALERT2. The commands are sent using a NovaStar core program called nsctrlhydroALERT2.

Note advanced options are available under the Advanced Options panel, which is collapsed by default.

station control options

Station Control Advanced Options

Options include Control time and Force:

  • Control time:
    • Clicking the Current checkbox assigns the current time. Alternatively, the control time entered in the control time field will be used.
  • Force:
    • true: forces the command transmission right away per the command line arguments associated with the option -tdmaForce (defined in poll_port configuration)
    • false: sends the command transmission in the normal TDMA slot per the command line arguments associated with the option -tdmaNormal (defined in poll_port configuration)