There's not much to the little RockBLOCK 9603 itself. There's only one connector for both power and data. There are a couple of status LEDs. Besides some mounting holes, that's pretty much it. A nice tidy little package.
- RXD Serial output from RockBLOCK, so it's really TX
- CTS Clear to Send (output from RockBLOCK)
- RTS Ready To Send (input to RockBLOCK)
- NET Network Available
- RI Ring Indicator (active low)
- TXD Serial input to RockBLOCK, so it's really RX
- SLP Sleep control (pull to ground to switch off)
- 5V 5V in power supply (450mA limit)
- BAT 3.7V power supply (450mA limit)
- GND Ground
Connector
The connector on the RockBLOCK modem is a Molex PicoBlade. The mating connector housing is Molex part number 51021-1000. Bare connectors are available in Molex product series 50079 or 50058, but need a special (very expensive) crimping tool. There are also pre-crimped cables available in Molex product series 79758.
You can get these on DigiKey:
- Connector housing
- Pre-crimped cables
With these parts you can make custom cable assemblies.
- Red = DC power present.
- Green = Capacitors are charged. This is needed for satellite communication.
Antenna
This is the antenna which talks to the satellites. Make sure it has a good clear view of the sky. Butter side up!
An external antenna can be attached via the coaxial connector on the side. But in this guide we show basic usage with the built in antenna.
Mixed Power/Logic Warning on SLP Pin
Due to a design change in the on/off control circuit, there is a potential issue when interfacing with 3.3V logic level devices. Starting with the v3.F version of the hardware, the SLP pin requires special attention. More info here:
If the RB was supplied by 5V, the connecting device should also be 5V tolerant. If not, it is recommended to use an interfacing circuit, eg MOSFET, transistor, relay, etc. to connect to a microcontroller.
Page last edited June 03, 2024
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