NAL SHOUT nano

Server Routing

NAL SHOUT devices report over Iridium SBD. The Iridium service provider provisions an SBD subscription for the device's IMEI and routes the SBD traffic to GSatTrack over Iridium DirectIP. Give the service provider the following destination when the SBD subscription is activated:

The same destination serves every report format — NAL 30-byte, 10-byte, and PECOS (PMS) payloads are identified automatically on arrival. Iridium allows up to five delivery destinations per IMEI; the GSatTrack destination must be among them.

Setup

1. Activate SBD. Get the device IMEI (shown on the device under Unit Info and printed on the device itself), activate it on an SBD plan through an authorized Iridium reseller, and have DirectIP delivery pointed at the destination in the table above.

2. Create the asset in GSatTrack. Create a new asset, choose the appropriate NAL SHOUT variant as the device type, and enter the device IMEI as the asset's ID. The asset shows no position until its first report arrives.

3. Optional — set up encryption. Do this before configuring the device for tracking, so the keys are in place before the first report (see Encryption Setup below).

4. Configure the device. With the device charged and powered on:

   • Tracking > Report Format — select the format to use before sending any report; a report goes out in whatever format is currently selected. The 30-byte format is recommended (see SBD Message Sizes below); PMS/PECOS requires activation by Naltec.
   • Tracking > Configure Link — confirm Iridium is allowed (the default).
   • Tracking > Reporting Rate — set the reporting interval. 5–10 minutes is convenient for initial testing; lengthen it afterward to save airtime and battery.
   • Tracking > Enable Tracking — the tracking symbol turns bright white with a countdown to the next report.

   Menu naming varies slightly between SHOUT nano variants; consult the user guide for the model at hand.

5. Send a test report. Outdoors with a clear view of the sky, use Utilities > Check GPS to confirm a good fix and Utilities > Check Iridium to confirm signal, then send with Utilities > Test Report — a test report is treated exactly like a scheduled tracking report and does not disturb the tracking schedule. Confirm in GSatTrack that the asset appears at the current location with a fresh timestamp, normally within 1–2 minutes.

Troubleshooting

Why isn’t my NAL SHOUT nano reporting properly?

• Ensure Tracking is enabled

  

  When tracking is enabled, the tracking symbol (at top right of screen) will change from a blue to a bright white. The time remaining until the next scheduled report will be displayed next to the tracking symbol. If the tracking symbol is blue, tracking must be enabled via the Tracking > Tracking On/Off > Enable Tracking menus and a proper reporting rate chosen via Tracking > Reporting Rate.

• Check the Tracking Stats for Successes/Failures

  

  The SHOUT nano monitors statistics on the number of position reports and successful and failed transmissions. These can be found via the Tracking > Stats menu.

  • Successes - The total number of position reports successfully transmitted to the Iridium network both with valid and (invalid) position fixes. The number in parenthesis represents the number of successfully transmitted positions with invalid GPS fixes. A large number of these indicates GPS issues.
  • Fails - The number of valid position reports failed to send to the Iridium network.

• Use the Utilities menu to diagnose Iridium and/or GPS issues

  • Utilities > Check Iridium will turn on the Iridium transceiver and continuously display the signal strength. If no signal is observed, please ensure you have clear line of sight to the sky.
  • Utilities > Check GPS will turn on the GPS receiver and display the signal strength. If no or inaccurate signal is observed you most move to a different location as your environment is likely blocking reception.
  • Utilities > Test Report will send a test report to the portal, validating whether or not the device is working at your current location.

My device reports many Successes on the Stats screen, but I’m not seeing position reports appear on the portal

• Ensure your device has been added to the portal with the correct IMEI. If so, contact us.

Position reports stopped appearing right after enabling encryption

• The keys on the device and the asset do not match. Re-enter the 64-character hex key in the asset's Edit Asset menu under Receive Encryption Key (a typo in either place breaks decryption) and send another test report.

SatTerm

SatTerm is the configuration software published by the device manufacturer, NAL Technologies (formerly NAL Research), to configure and program the terminal. It is available from the manufacturer's support resources page: naltec.com/support-resources

Firmware Versions

Version 1.4.3

• Added ability to set address book codes above 255. Codes above 255 will transmit as zero.
• Added +PNAV command to set the GPS receiver position model. Allows for operation at high altitude.

Version 1.4.2

• Fixed data loss over the USB interface
• Removed some restrictions on entries that can be put in the address book

Version 1.4.1

• Fixed a possible lockup in tracking when using a 1 minute reporting rate
• Fixed IMEI number not reading properly when using a 1 minute reporting rate
• Fixed outbox not refreshing when the final queued message fails to send
• Fixed memory initialization error potentially causing a corruption in the outbox
• Fixed ‘send attempts’ stat incrementing in some cases where no transmission was attempted
• Fixed outbox sending starting while tracking is busy sending

Version 1.4.0

• Added support for multiple contacts when composing a message
• Added automatic requeue for outbox messages. Messages will requeue when a transmission succeeds.
• Improved tracking performance at a one minute reporting rate
• Fixed possible memory crash in emergency mode
• Fixed ‘include GPS’ not being updated by remote update
• Fixed possible crash when USB cable is removed
• Fixed poll responses not including the poll short code

Version 1.3.0

• Added support for text messaging with the PECOS format. (The texting format follows the selected reporting format. The text message format can be set independently using AT command ^TMF)
• Added count down for memory initialization after reflash
• Removed memory erase when entering flashing mode (memory is still erased if a reflash is performed)
• Fixed bug in the address book memory

Version 1.2.0

• Added support for report format v3 and v4
• Added support for 3rd generation LCD driver
• Added UTM position display format
• Added text id (^ID) for report formats 3, 4 and 5
• Improved external memory read speed
• Improved error recovery while tracking
• Improved error handling when processing incoming SBD messages
• Removed the never send option from ^TBR
• Increased range for ^ERF command to 0-255
• Increased range for ^MBXCHK command to 0-1440
• Changed statistics ‘Track Since’ to only set when tracking is enabled
• Changed behavior when screen is dimmed so that button presses will only illuminate and not start an action
• Migrated clock function to built in compiler library to improve time/date handling
• Fixed tracking not forcing a send in some low signal situations
• Fixed backlight being set to full brightness when first powered on
• Fixed encryption errors in certain block sizes
• Fixed handling of encrypted messages without text
• Fixed emergency mode not activating if CPU is busy when button is pressed
• Fixed starting/stopping tracking mode when settings are reset to defaults
• Fixed indicator bar not updating immediately after changing reporting rate
• Fixed possible menu restart if tracking while charging
• Fixed bad mailbox check rate when the check rate is significantly less than the report rate or vice versa
• Fixed tracking time showing wrong time when mailbox check is more frequent than the report rate
• Fixed check-in menu backing out after a popup appears

Version 1.1.9

• Added support for a new LCD driver.

Version 1.1.8

• Added AT command to control the invalid course value (^ICV). Default is zero.

Version 1.1.7

• Fixed memory initialization causing corruption on first run after firmware reflash

Version 1.1.6

• Added support for 256K/sector memory

Version 1.1.5

• Fixed problem with transitioning to flash mode if the flash memory is slow to erase
• Removed debug GPS text

Version 1.1.4

• Fixed data/time causing a crash when the tracking menu is opened

Version 1.1.3

• Fixed problem with a small % of LCD screens
• Improved GPS performance

Version 1.1.2

• Fixed corrupted GPS reports caused by invalid course

Version 1.1.1

• Fixed LCD screen turning off while USB is plugged
• The value on an invalid course (accuracy greater than 90 degrees) is now 999 instead of zero

Version 1.1.0

• Added support for remote update versions 0, 1, and 2
• Adjusted record length in outbox storage to accommodate update responses
• Removed digit only restriction from ^MUSAZP command
• Corrected some AT command help text
• Reduced minimum sleep time from 90 seconds to 5 seconds.
• LCD screen now turns off 30 seconds after the black light dims
• Added MGRS option to position format setting
• Fixed Include GPS not being reset when reset to defaults is selected

Version 1.0.3

• Modified the behavior of the power off button. Now holding the power button will always cause the device to power off even if tracking is enabled.

Version 1.0.2

• Fixed incorrect time to next report shown on stats screen when the mailbox check rate is different than the report rate

Version 1.0.1

• Added an additional checksum to the remote update protocol

Version 1.0.0

• Initial release

SBD Message Sizes

• Text Message - 32 bytes + length of recipient + length of text message

Encrypted

The SHOUT nano uses 256 bit (32 byte) AES encryption which pads messages to 16 byte increments. For example, a 30 byte GPS position report would be 32 bytes, a 40 byte text message would be 48 bytes, and a 49 byte message would be 64 bytes.

To setup encryption for the device, login to the tracking platform and go to the asset’s Edit Asset menu. Under the Settings tab, there will be fields for Receive Encryption Key and Transmit Encryption Key. These must match the keys entered into the device in order for the two-way encryption to function.

PECOS (PMS)

The SHOUT nano can also report in the PECOS Message Structure (PMS), which complies with the Blue Force Tracking specification. Devices ship without PMS features activated; PMS can only be enabled by Naltec at the request of an authorized user. Once activated, select it via Tracking > Report Format; a brevity code (16 codes, 0000–1111) can be set under Tracking > Brevity and is carried in each PMS tracking report — the 911 brevity marks the report as an emergency in GSatTrack. PMS reports transmit to the same DirectIP destination as the NAL formats.

Battery Life

The SHOUT nano has an internal 1.95 A-Hr Li-Ion rechargeable battery. When both the Iridium and GPS antennas have clear view of the sky and the battery is fully charged, the nano is capable of sending more than 1,200 tracking reports with the following settings: (1) report rate of less than two hours, (2) mailbox check rate and the report rate are the same and (3) Standard Accuracy. Blocked or partially blocked antennas will force the nano to retry multiple SBD transmissions for each report and, as a result, can significantly reduce the overall number of reporting cycles.

The nano saves valid ephemeris data after each 3-D fix. The data is used to reduce acquisition time in the next reporting cycle from cold-start to hot-start. If the ephemeris data is older than two hours (time between reports is set for more than two hours), the GPS receiver will go through cold-start each time it wakes up to send a report. As a result, the nano configured for report rate of more than two hours and Standard Accuracy can only send ~750 tracking reports. Setting the Accuracy to Best also reduces the number of tracking reports to ~750 regardless of the report rate setting.

IMPORTANT: Data presented here are only estimates and are highly dependent on the operating environment, accuracy setting and antenna type. Data are based on measurements made with multiple nano devices placed on the roof of NAL Research‘s facility with no blockage.

Each time the nano wakes up to send a report, it has two minutes to acquire a GPS fix and send an Iridium SBD message. Assuming the ephemeris data is valid (less than two hours old or time-between-reports is less than two hours) and the Accuracy option is set to Standard, the GPS receiver takes about 10 seconds for a position fix drawing approximately 55mA. The Iridium transceiver takes about 10 seconds to transmit an SBD message drawing an average current of 110mA. The nano circuit draws about 125mA during 25-second reporting cycle. The entire reporting cycle consumes ~1.32 mA-Hr of battery power. If the Iridium antenna is blocked or an overhead Iridium satellite is not available, the Iridium transceiver can potentially stay on for another 100 seconds in attempting to send a report. This results in additional consumption of 9.7 mA-Hr or 11 mA-Hr total. A missed report consumes ~8.5 times more power than a ‘normal’ transmitted report.

Address Books & Canned Messages

The first step is to setup your address books and canned messages on the Settings tab in your account: https://www.gsattrack.com/Settings/

The second step is to attach your asset(s) to these canned messages and address books go going to the Tracking tab, then click the down arrow next to the asset name, and click “Edit Asset.” Go the “Settings” tab and select the address book group and canned message group you would like to attach to the asset.

The final step is to synchronize your NAL SHOUT nano with the tracking portal. On your computer with the NAL SHOUT nano plugged in and SatTerm running, perform the following:

1. Options > Properties > Modem Type > SHOUT nano

2. Options > Properties > Set Web Service > https://www.gsattrack.com/Shout/ (Note that the trailing slash (/) is required.)

3. Options > View Address Book > Login > It will require your tracking portal login username and password to authenticate.

4. Options > View Canned Messages > Login > It will require your tracking portal login username and password to authenticate.

Note that when synchronizing your Address Book Entries, only the Short Code, Name and Location fields will appear on your device’s interface. This is a limitation of the SHOUT synchronization interface. Messaging to those address book entries will still work, however, because the server translates the Short Codes into the associated phone and e-mail records.

Encryption Setup

The SHOUT nano variants can encrypt every transmitted and received payload with 256-bit AES. Decryption is per asset: the key entered on the device must also be entered on the asset in GSatTrack, or its reports cannot be decoded. Enter the keys on the GSatTrack asset before enabling encryption on the device: an asset with a key entered still accepts unencrypted reports, so there is no coverage gap, while the reverse order makes every report undecodable until the key is entered.

1. Generate a key

Keys are 256-bit values written as 64 hexadecimal characters. Generate one with any cryptographic tool, for example openssl rand -hex 32, or with an online generator such as this Hex Generator. The same key can be used for both directions, which is typical. Record it securely; whoever manages it acts as the cryptographic administrator for the device.

2. Enter the key in GSatTrack

Open the asset's Edit Asset menu and, under the Settings tab, fill in the two encryption fields:

Paste the 64-character key into Receive Encryption Key (and into Transmit Encryption Key if one key serves both directions) and save.

3. Enable encryption on the device

Keys are entered in SatTerm, not in the device menus, and SatTerm does not generate them — use the key from step 1. Plug the SHOUT nano into SatTerm and:

• Change the default Crypto Officer Password from the default “temp password” to your own unique password with the command “AT^CCOP”
• Set the Encryption key TWICE with the command “AT^KE”
• Set the Decryption key TWICE with the command “AT^KD”
• Enable encryption with the command AT^UE with the second parameter set to 1
• Write the new configuration to memory with the command “AT&W0”

Newer SatTerm versions expose the same settings in the GUI via the Change Encryption Settings window; the factory-default Crypto Officer Password must still be changed before any encryption properties can be set.

4. Verify

With the keys in place on both sides, reports appear in GSatTrack exactly as unencrypted ones — encryption is invisible when the keys match. Occasional clear-text housekeeping reports from a keyed device, such as auto-registration, are normal and still accepted. If positions stop appearing once encryption is on, the keys do not match: re-enter the key in the Edit Asset menu and send another test report.

Sample SatTerm Output

Copyright(c) 2010
NAL Research Corporation
Model: SHOUTnano
Firmware Version 1.0.2r225-002

Running Self Test...Passed
ENCRYPTION DISABLED THIS POWER CYCLE
COMMAND MODE

AT^CCOP='*************','**********'
OK
AT^KE='**********','****************************************************************'
Enter Encryption Key again to set.
OK
AT^KE='**********','****************************************************************'
Encryption Key Set
OK
AT^KD='**********','****************************************************************'
Enter Decryption Key again to set.
OK
AT^KD='**********','****************************************************************'
Decryption Key Set
OK
AT^UE='**********',1
OK
AT&W0
OK

Debug Setup

1. Type +++ in SatTerm and wait for it to indicate command mode is ready
2. Type AT+CMEE=1&W0 and press enter
3. Type AT^TRK and press enter

See Also

Supporting Features

• Assets
• Device Routing