RETIRED ›
This product is no longer available and has been replaced by: RF401A,RF407.
RF400 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Radio/Modem
Services Available
Repair No
Calibration No
Free Support No

Overview

The RF400 was a 100 mW spread spectrum radio/modem for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint data logger communications. It could serve as a field radio/modem connected to a data logger or as a base station radio/modem connected to a computer. The RF400 had a 910 to 918 MHz operating frequency range, which was used in the US/Canada.

Note: In the image, the RF400 is shown with the 14204 indoor antenna.

Images

Specifications

Operating Frequency 910 to 918 MHz
Type Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) Transceiver
I/O Data Rate 9600 bps
Channel Capacity 65,000 Network Identifiers share 25 hop channels.
Frequency Hopping Patterns Six different selectable patterns
Frequency Control Direct FM
Receiver Sensitivity -110 dBm at 10-4 bit error rate Campbell Scientific protocols will issue retries wherever a bit error occurs.
Interface Rejection 70 dB (at pager and cellular phone frequencies)
Transmitter Power Output 100 mW (nominal)
Antenna Connector Reverse polarity SMA
FCC ID OUR9XTREAM
Operating Temperature Range -25° to +50°C
Power 9 to 16 Vdc
LEDs Power on, TX, RX, diagnostics
CS I/O Connector 9-pin “D” pin (male) for all needed communications lines. Newer loggers provide power to the radio on this connector. Older loggers may require optional power cable pn 14291.
RS-232 Connector 9-pin “D” socket (female) for TX, RX, CTS, ground RS-232 levels
Power Connector Barrel connector, center positive 12 V for use in base station configuration or with older data loggers. Newer loggers provide power to the radio on the CS I/O connector.
Dimensions
  • Allow an additional 3 in. (7.5 cm) along the longest axis for external cable connection.
  • 11.4 x 7.0 x 2.9 cm (4.9 x 2.8 x 1.2 in.)
  • 12.7 x 7.0 x 2.8 cm (5.0 x 2.8 x 1.1 in.) with mounts
Weight 227 g (8 oz)

Average Current Drain

Standby < 1 mA (assuming power-saving options used)
Receiving 24 mA
Transmitting < 75 mA

Compatibility

Note: The following shows notable compatibility information. It is not a comprehensive list of all compatible or incompatible products.

Data Loggers

Product Compatible Note
21X (retired)
CR10 (retired)
CR1000 (retired)
CR1000X
CR10X (retired)
CR200X (retired)
CR206X (retired)
CR211X (retired)
CR216X (retired)
CR23X (retired)
CR295X (retired)
CR300
CR3000 (retired)
CR500 (retired)
CR5000 (retired)
CR510 (retired)
CR6
CR800 (retired)
CR850 (retired)
CR9000 (retired) Although the CR9000X and CR9000 are compatible, the RF400 radio does not support their fastest communication rates, and is therefore not practical for most of their applications.
CR9000X (retired) Although the CR9000X and CR9000 are compatible, the RF400 radio does not support their fastest communication rates, and is therefore not practical for most of their applications.

Mounting Equipment

Product Compatible Note
ENC10/12
ENC10/12R
ENC12/14
ENC14/16
ENC16/18

Additional Compatibility Information

Communications

The RF400 can transmit data to another RF400 radio or a CR205 datalogger. The RF400 may also be used in a network with RF401 radios and/or CR206(X) dataloggers if all of the RF401 radios and CR206(X) dataloggers are set to the transparent mode.

Campbell Scientific does not recommend using the RF400 in networks containing FGR-115 or RF450 radios.

Enclosure Considerations

A desiccated, non-condensing environment is required. The 14162 Mounting Kit includes hardware for securing the RF400 to an enclosure backplate (see Ordering Info).

Downloads

RF400 Series OS v.10 (612 KB) 03-28-2005

Current RF400, RF410, RF415 firmware. Requires the Device Configuration Utility.

Device Configuration Utility v.2.30 (46.9 MB) 10-02-2024

A software utility used to download operating systems and set up Campbell Scientific hardware. Also will update PakBus Graph and the Network Planner if they have been installed previously by another Campbell Scientific software package.

Supported Operating Systems:

Windows 11 or 10 (Both 32 and 64 bit)

View Update History

Frequently Asked Questions

Number of FAQs related to RF400: 6

Expand AllCollapse All

  1. Campbell Scientific continues to provide the RF400 to RF401 upgrade as a service. There is a minor upgrade (pn 18206) and a major upgrade (pn 18207). As the RF401 is now retired, however, it may be a better investment to forego the upgrade and purchase a new, higher output, 250 mW RF401A radio instead. No upgrade service is available to convert an RF400 or RF401 to an RF401A. 

  2. The functions of the RF401-series and RF400-series are essentially the same when using the transparent protocol with mixed-array data logger operating systems. The biggest change is the addition of two new protocol options in the RF401: PB Aware and PB Node. These new protocol options make the radio easier to use in a PakBus network.

  3. Yes. The RF401A protocol needs to be set to transparent, which will communicate with the RF400 devices. However, if there are RF400 devices that are set to addresses of 28, 44, 52, 56, or 60, they must be changed when the RF401A radios are added to the network.

  4. For an RF401A to communicate with an RF400, the RF401A must be configured to use the transparent communications option.

  5. To achieve the same characteristics and performance of an original RF401, order the major RF400 to RF401 upgrade service (pn 18207). 

  6. No. In this scenario, the base RF401A can only communicate with the RF400 devices via the transparent communications protocol, or with the CR206X dataloggers via the PakBus protocol.

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