KANA8 – Eight-Channel Analog Module

The airborne geophysical data acquisition systems employ instruments like radar altimeter, barometric altimeter, fluxgate magnetometers, temperature sensor and so on, that usually provide analog output. They have to be sampled relatively frequently at precisely defined times and their readings to be digitized for post-flight data processing. Solving the above tasks with KANA8 is easy. It is just necessary to connect the outputs of those instruments directly to the analog inputs of KANA8, to connect a GPS to its GPS port and a data logger to its AUX port. KANA8 samples the analog channels at the specified sample interval, converts the voltages to numbers and outputs an ASCII string for each sample. The output string contains the precise UTC time of the sample and the corresponding readings of the analog channels. The fact, that every sample has a precise time tag, allows those data to be merged with any other data, having time tag, even if they were recorded by another data logger.

Features and Specifications

Physical Specifications

Box Width: ~ 17cm
Box Height: ~ 5.5cm
Box Depth: ~ 14cm1
Weight: ~ 600g
Notes:
1 - The specified depth is without cables connected.

Electrical Specifications

Power Supply: (10 ÷ 32)VDC
Current Consumption: ~ 80mA from 28VDC
Sample Interval: (1 ÷ 1000)ms
Maximum Analog Inputs Voltage: ± 12V1
Notes:
1 - Maximum Analog Input voltage can be ± 20V if it is isolated from the instrument power supply.

Flexibility

A simple text file can be used to modify KANA8's various settings. They include: Output Record Format, Sample Interval, UTCT Field Length, Output Record Identifier, Field Separator, PPS Signal Active Edge, RS232 Ports Baud Rates, RS232 Ports Transmitter and Receiver Assignment.

Eight Independent Differential Analog Channels

Many data acquisition systems use one fast ADC and an input multiplexor to digitize multiple analog inputs. This architecture requires less circuitry and it is usually cheaper.

KANA8 uses a separate 24-bit delta sigma ADC and signal conditioning circuitry for each analog channel. This architecture requires more circuitry, but provides two advantages:

  1. A hardware failure in one channel does not affect the other seven channels;
  2. Allows for absolutely simultaneous sampling of all channels.

Every analog channel can accept signals between +12V and -12V. If the input signal is isolated from the instrument power supply, it can be as high, as 24V.

Sample Interval

Any sample interval, multiple of 1ms between 1ms and 1000ms can be selected.

Optional Video Text Overlay Module

If an optional BOB-4 video information overlay module is inserted inside, the instrument will extract the UTC time, the latitude, the latitude direction, the longitude and the longitude direction from the GGA string coming through the GPS port and impose them on the signal, coming from a video camera through the VIDEO IN connector. Then, the resulting signal is present on the VIDEO OUT connector.

PPS Signal

The PPS signal from the GPS, if provided, guarantees, KANA8 samples will have a precise timestamp. It is hardware sampled every 20 nanoseconds to detect its active edge. If a sample interval, defining an integer number of samples per second was selected, those samples will be synchronized to the active PPS pulse edge.

Input Voltage Range: ± 15V
Positive Going Threshold: > + 2.4V
Negative Going Threshold: < + 0.6V
Typical Hysteresis: 0.5V

Operational Modes

KANA8 can operate in two modes – Setup Mode and Sampling Mode. Setup mode is used to read the current instrument settings and to modify them. The MAIN port is dedicated for Setup mode. The actual sampling of the analog inputs and sending the data is done in Sampling Mode. All three RS232 ports or only the GPS and AUX ports can be used in this mode, depending on the instrument settings.

RS232 Ports

For its basic usage in Sampling Mode, the instrument requires only the AUX port and the GPS port. The GPS port, as its name suggests, is used to connect a GPS unit, providing a GGA string and a PPS signal. The AUX port outputs the time stamped analog data string. Only the GPS port receiver and the AUX port transmitter are used in such a case. KANA8 can be set to ignore all the incoming GPS data, except for the UTC time (UTC time, Latitude, Latitude direction, Longitude and Longitude direction in case of BOB-4 module inserted). The other option is all the data coming through the GPS port to be included in the output string. This option allows to record both, the analog and the GPS data, using only one data logger RS232 port.

If other instruments are connected to the MAIN port receiver and the AUX port receiver, their data will be included in the output string also and can be recorded by the data logger. These options can be used if not enough serial ports for data logging are available.

Another option is to set the MAIN port transmitter to output a copy of the analog data string if another equipment needs it. For example, a navigation system might require the radar altimeter data, that are presented in the analog data string.

Another option allows to connect a GRS10 gamma-ray spectrometer to the AUX port. The AUX transmitter generates the required DTRQ (Data Request Command) sequence and the AUX receiver timestamps the incoming spectrometer data. The GPS port transmitter is used to send the output data to the data logger in this case.

Front View

ON MAIN AUX GPS 28 VDC [ KANA8 Front View ]

ON

Power on LED

MAIN

This is a RS232 data terminal equipment port. Various Baud Rates between 9,600 and 921,600 bits/sec can be selected. Both, the transmitter and the receiver always use the same Baud rate.

Pin#Signal DescriptionNote
1Input1
2RxD-
3TxD-
4Not Connected-
5GND-
6Not Connected-
7RTS-
8Input1
9PPS2
Notes:
  1. Reserved
  2. This signal will or will not be connected to the PPS input of the instrument, depending on the jumper inside the box.

AUX

This is a RS232 data terminal equipment port. Any Baud Rate between 3,600 and 999,999 bits/sec can be selected. Different Baud rates for the transmitter and the receiver are allowed.

Pin#Signal DescriptionNote
1Input 1
2RxD-
3TxD-
4Not Connected-
5GND-
6Not Connected-
7RTS-
8Input1
9PPS2
Notes:
  1. Reserved
  2. This signal will or will not be connected to the PPS input of the instrument, depending on the jumper inside the box.

GPS

This is a RS232 data terminal equipment port. Any Baud Rate between 3,600 and 999,999 bits/sec can be selected. Different Baud rates for the transmitter and the receiver are allowed.

Pin#Signal DescriptionNote
1Input 1
2RxD-
3TxD-
4Not Connected-
5GND-
6Not Connected-
7RTS-
8Input1
9PPS2
Notes:
  1. Reserved
  2. This signal will or will not be connected to the PPS input of the instrument, depending on the jumper inside the box.

28 VDC

This is the power supply connector. The power supply can be between 11VDC and 32VDC. Pins 1 is connected to pin 3 and pin 2 - to pin 4 inside the instrument. Two-wire 18 AWG cable is fine, but if a 4-wire 16 AWG cable is made, it will be interchangeable with the one for KMAG4. The positive wire should be connected to pin 1(3) and the negative one - to pin 2(4). Below is the parts list for the power cable:

ItemDescriptionAMP Part #Quantity
1Plug Standard Sex206060-11
2Socket Contacts 18AWG-16AWG66181-12(3,4)
3Cable Clamp1-206062-61

Rear View

ANALOG INPUTS 1, 2, 3, 4 ANALOG INPUTS 5, 6, 7, 8 VIDEO IN VIDEO OUT [ KANA8 Rear View ]

ANALOG INPUTS 1, 2, 3, 4

A male DB9 connector for the analog channels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Twisted pair cables are recommended.

Pin#Signal DescriptionChannel#
1Inverting Input1
2Inverting Input2
3Inverting Input3
4Inverting Input4
5GNDShield
6Non-inverting Input1
7Non-inverting Input2
8Non-inverting Input3
9Non-inverting Input4

ANALOG INPUTS 5, 6, 7, 8

A male DB9 connector for the analog channels 5, 6, 7 and 8. Twisted pair cables are recommended.

Pin#Signal DescriptionChannel#
1Inverting Input5
2Inverting Input6
3Inverting Input7
4Inverting Input8
5GNDShield
6Non-inverting Input5
7Non-inverting Input6
8Non-inverting Input7
9Non-inverting Input8

VIDEO IN

The signal from a video camera can be connected here. This is the input of the video text overlay module.

VIDEO OUT

Provides the output for a video recorder. This is the output of the video text overlay module.