531N

FM Modulation Analyzer
with Networking

Installation & User Guide

www.inovonicsbroadcast.com
 PRODUCT REGISTRATION RECORD
531N – Serial No. __________________
Purchase Date _____________________
Warranty Registered? Web
Reg. Date __________ By: ____________

Installation & Operation

User Guide

531N
FM Modulation Analyzer
with Networking

May, 2015
Firmware Rev. 1.0.0.0
Effective with Serial No. 3200

Inovonics, Inc. 5805 Highway 9

Felton, CA 95018
Tel: (831) 458-0552 Fax: (831) 458-0554
Register online at www.inovonicsbroadcast.com
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section I – INTRODUCTION
531N PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ...................................................... 7
Features

531N TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .............................................. 8

Off-Air Receiver Performance
FM Demodulator
Stereo Decoder
Panel Controls and Indicators
Web Interface (Only) Features
Rear-Panel Connector Block
Network Port
Miscellaneous

BLOCK DIAGRAM .......................................................................... 11

Section II – INSTALLATION
UNPACKING AND INSPECTION .................................................... 12
MOUNTING ...................................................................................... 12
Rack Requirement
Heat Dissipation

AC (MAINS) POWER ....................................................................... 11

Mains Voltage Selector
Mains Fuse
Power Cord

RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE (RFI) ................................ 13

Location
Ground Loops

RF INPUTS ...................................................................................... 13
Antenna Input and Antennas
“Direct” RF Input
RF Input Switching

COMPOSITE/MULTIPLEX CONNECTIONS ................................... 14

Composite Output
Composite Input
Composite Signal Selection

AM NOISE OUTPUT ........................................................................ 15

PROGRAM LINE OUTPUTS ........................................................... 15

—3—
 CONTROL AND TALLY TERMINALS .............................................. 15
Remote Preset Selection
Front-Panel Tuning Lockout
Panel Lockout
Alarm Tallies

DE-EMPHASIS SELECTION ............................................................ 16

Changing De-Emphasis

TOTAL-MOD DISPLAY INTEGRATION SELECTION ..................... 17

Integration Defined
The FCC’s Measurement Method
As-Delivered
Changing Integration Time

A WORD ABOUT LOUDNESS ......................................................... 18

Section III – BASIC SETUP AND OPERATION

FRONT-PANEL VS. WEB INTERFACE SETUP .............................. 20
PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS ......................................... 20
THE READOUT SECTION (LEFT SIDE) ......................................... 21
Phones
Carrier Modulation
Demod Metering

THE RECEIVER SECTION (RIGHT SIDE) ...................................... 22

Digital Readout
Freq.
Station Presets 1 – 6
Signal Level
Multipath
Stereo & Forced Mono
De-Emphasis
Subcarrier Measurement
Audio Loss
Peak Flasher
Alarm Indicators
Network Settings

MEASUREMENT PITFALLS AND LIMITATIONS ........................... 25

Signal Strength
Multipath Distortion
Composite Clipping
Adjacent Carriers

A GUIDED TOUR OF 531N OPERATION ...................................... 27

Items Required
Getting Ready
Tuning In
Signal Quality Evaluation
Carrier Modulation Display

—4—
 Peak Flasher
Pilot Injection
Subcarrier Measurements
38kHz “Residual”
Demod Metering
Forced-Mono Reception
Program De-Emphasis
AM Noise Measurement
Audio Loss Alarm

Section IV – NETWORK SETUP

CONNECTION WITH THE 531N ...................................................... 33
Connect the 531N
DHCP
The IP Address
Gateway, Subnet Mask and Primary DNS

HOOKING-UP .................................................................................. 34
COMPLETING THE NETWORK SETUP ......................................... 34
The Network Page

ACCESSING THE 531N REMOTELY ............................................. 36

Dynamic DNS

SNMP OPERATION ......................................................................... 37

SNMP Overview
SNMP Security
SNMP Traps
SNMP Ports
Downloading the MIB File
Further Study

EMAIL PREFERENCES .................................................................. 39

Mail Server Setup
Saving and Testing

TIMEKEEPING ................................................................................. 40
ADMINISTRATIVE SETTINGS ........................................................ 41
Password
Lost Password
Hard Reset
The Hardware Profile
Errata

Section V – 531N EXTENDED FEATURES

THE WEB SCREEN HEADER .......................................................... 43
Remote Listening
Signal Quality
Alarms

—5—
 NOW PLAYING ................................................................................. 44
Basic Station Information
Receiver Tuning
Station Presets

GRAPHS AND METERING .............................................................. 45

MPX Spectrum Display
XY Plot
Meter History
Other Displays

RDS INFORMATION ........................................................................ 48

RDS DATA GROUP STATISTICS .................................................... 48
SIGNAL ALARMS ............................................................................. 49
Peak Overmodulation
Audio Loss
Low Signal and Multipath

EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATIONS ............................. 51

THE ALARM LOG ............................................................................. 52
Alarm Log Capacity
Downloading and Clearing the Alarm Log

Section VI – UPDATING THE 531N

THE FIRMWARE UPDATER ............................................................ 53
Warning
Firmware Update Files
Running the Firmware Updater
Updating the Web Interface Pages

APPENDIX
INOVONICS WARRANTY ................................. (INSIDE BACK COVER)

—6—
 Section I
INTRODUCTION

531N PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Inovonics Model 531 Modulation Analyzer (more common-
ly called a Mod-Monitor) was introduced at the annual Conven-
tion of the National Association of Broadcasters in 2003. In the
ensuing years it has become the de-facto standard among FM
monitoring products, with thousands in service worldwide.
The 531N is an updated version of the product, retaining the
dependability and accuracy of its predecessor, but now includ-
ing IP networking capabilities that have increasingly become es-
sential in today’s radio broadcast environment.
Features Leading features of the Inovonics 531N include:
A full-time display of signal strength and multipath ef-
fects to validate readings and simplify antenna align-
ment.
Synthesized tuning with a digital readout and six sta-
tion presets (memories) to compare one’s own signal
with those of market companions.
An exclusive synchronous (incidental) AM noise meas-
urement utility to aid in transmitter alignment.
Selective display of common data and analog subcarri-
er injection levels.
Panel indicators, ‘tally’ outputs and email/SMS alarms
for reception problems and transmission faults with
error-logging.
Intuitive setup and operation from the front panel,
plus a built-in Web server for full remote operation
and monitoring over any IP network.
A Web interface that presents viewable and down-
loadable graphic displays of baseband spectrum (FFT),
stereophony (XY) and modulation density over a se-
lected time period).
Comprehensive RDS/RBDS data presentation and
analysis via the Web interface.
Supports SNMP remote monitoring.

—7—
531N TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
OFF-AIR RECEIVER PERFORMANCE Distortion:
<0.075% THD at 400Hz with 100% modula-
Receiver Topology:
tion and no de-emphasis
Double-conversion superheterodyne;
10.7MHz first IF, 700kHz second IF Stereo Separation:
Refer to Figure 3.
Tuning Range: 76.0MHz–108.1MHz in
100kHz steps; six station presets Crosstalk Measurement:
M/S and S/M crosstalk measurement is by
Sensitivity/Noise Performance:
the stereo sum/difference method. Refer
10µV (20dBµV/10dBf) for 50dB mono qui-
to Figure 4.
eting; 250µV (48dBµV/60dBf) typically re-
quired to assure valid Total Modulation De-Emphasis:
readings. May be turned on and off from front panel
or with Web interface; internal jumper for
RF Inputs:
50µs or 75µs.
1) F connector for 75-ohm antenna
2) BNC connector for alternate 50-ohm, Program Audio Outputs:
high-level RF sample; 7V r.m.s. maxi- 1) Balanced XLR left- and right-channel
mum stereo program outputs at +4dBm
2) Front-panel headphone jack
Selectivity:
250kHz Gaussian IF bandwidth for full re- PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS
covery of baseband components to PLEASE NOTE: Front-panel appointments
100kHz with negligible overshoot are keyed to the photographs on Pages 21
AM Noise Output: and 22 and detailed there. All panel controls
Separate AM detector with dedicated BNC and indicators are duplicated in the Web in-
output monitors incidental AM modula- terface. Additional Web interface features
tion of the FM carrier; also monitored by are discussed separately below.
headphones when selected.
WEB INTERFACE (ONLY) FEATURES
Signal Quality Metering:
FFT display of demodulated FM baseband
RSSI (signal strength) and Multipath (dis-
tortion) metering X/Y plot of stereo image
FM DEMODULATOR Statistical modulation display, including
modulation density (loudness) over time
Type:
Proprietary ultra-linear push-pull pulse- Display of all RDS/RBDS parameters, mes-
saging and data group statistics
counting circuit operating at 700kHz.
Remote Web-based monitoring of off-air
Baseband Output:
BNC composite/MPX demod output; 3V audio
p-p at ±75kHz deviation. Refer to Figures Comprehensive network configuration utili-
1 and 2 for frequency response character- ty including dynamic DNS, plus full
istics. SNMP support with downloadable MIB
file
STEREO DECODER
Error alarms with logging; SMS/text or
Type: email message dispatch
Proprietary I/Q PLL precision decoder
with unsurpassed AM rejection REAR-PANEL CONNECTOR BLOCK
Baseband Input: Alarms:
Switchable between off-air FM demod and Tally outputs for Low Signal, Audio Loss,
BNC composite/MPX input. External input Excessive Multipath and Overmodulation
accepts 100% modulation levels of 1V p-p (remote flasher). NPN transistors saturate
or greater. to ground for alarm condition.
Frequency Response: Remote Station Selection:
±0.5dB, 10Hz–15kHz Station presets may be activated with a
momentary contact closure to ground. A
Noise:
Unmodulated (stereo) carrier noise is bet- permanent ground will inhibit selection of
any other station.
ter than 65dB below 100% modulation
with de-emphasis applied.

—8—
NETWORK PORT MISCELLANEOUS
Connector: AC Mains Requirements:
RJ45 jack for remote setup and operation 105–130VAC or 210–260VAC, 50/60Hz;
via TCP/IP 20W
Settings: Size:
DHCP or Static IP with local or remote se- H: 3½in/89mm, W: 19in/483mm
lection D: 12in/305mm
SMTP: Weight:
Full SMTP support with downloadable MIB 14lbs/6.35kg (shipping weight)
file Environmental:
SMTP: Continuous operation guaranteed at ambi-
Supports email services with or without ent temperatures between 32°F/0°C and
SSL 122°F/50°C; 0-95% relative humidity, non-
Dynamic DNS: condensing; altitudes to 10,000ft/ 3048m.
Supports dyndns.org, no-ip.org, Conformances:
dnsomatic.com EN50081-1
EN50082-1
93/68/EEC

2002/95/EC

Figure 1 - Amplitude Response of Demodulated Composite Passband

Figure 2 - Amplitude Response of Demodulated Composite Stopband

—9—
 Figure 3 - Typical Stereo Separation

Figure 4 - Typical Crosstalk Measurement Limits

BLOCK DIAGRAM
Figure 5, a simplified Block Diagram of the Model 531N Modulation Ana-
lyzer, appears on the following page.

— 10 —
— 11 —
 Section II
INSTALLATION

UNPACKING AND INSPECTION

As soon as you receive the 531N, inspect carefully for any
shipping damage. If damage is found or suspected, notify the
carrier at once, and then contact Inovonics.
We recommend retaining the original shipping carton and pack-
ing materials for return or transshipment. If the unit is re-
turned for Warranty repair, shipping damage sustained as a re-
sult of improper return packing may invalidate the Warranty!
IT IS IMPORTANT to register the Warranty of your 531N. This
assures coverage of the equipment under terms of the Warranty
and provides a means of tracking lost or stolen gear. This ac-
tion also adds the user to a database to receive specific service
instructions or software/firmware updates when issued. Regis-
ter online through the link on our Website:
www.inovonicsbroadcast.com.
PLEASE NOTE: Many users choose first to familiarize them-
selves with equipment on the bench or at their desk, in which
case they may immediately turn to Section III that describes
531N setup and use. Do please refer back to this section, how-
ever, to confirm proper physical installation and interconnec-
tion with other station equipment.

MOUNTING
Rack The 531N mounts in a standard 19-inch equipment rack and
Requirement requires only 3½ inches (2RU) of vertical rack space. We rec-
ommend using plastic or fiber washers to protect the painted
finish around the mounting holes.
Heat Dissipation Consuming roughly one-half the energy of a retro-replica
LavaLite®, the 531N generates negligible heat on its own, and
thus has no noisy internal fan and associated filter to change.
The unit is specified for operation within an ambient tempera-
ture range extending from freezing to 120°F/50°C. But because
adjacent gear may radiate substantial heat, be sure that the
equipment rack is adequately ventilated to keep internal tem-
perature below the specified maximum ambient.

— 12 —
AC (MAINS) POWER
Mains Voltage Unless specifically ordered for export shipment, the 531N is set
Selector at the factory for operation from 115V, 50/60Hz AC mains.
This can be confirmed by checking the designation next to the
fuseholder on the rear panel. The inappropriate voltage and
fuse value will have been crossed out at the factory with an in-
delible felt marker.
To change the mains voltage, first disconnect the AC power cord
and then remove the top cover of the unit. A clearly marked
slide switch is next to the AC mains connector on the circuit
board. Use a small screwdriver to set the switch for 115VAC or
230VAC operation.
Be sure to install the appropriate fuse as listed next to the
fuseholder. You can remove the factory strikethrough with sol-
vent and then cross out the inappropriate marking with an in-
delible felt pen.
Mains Fuse It is important to install the appropriate fuse as noted on the
rear panel next to the fuseholder: 1/4A for 115V mains, 1/8A
for 230V operation. Fuses are GMA 5mm X 20mm ‘fast blow.’
Power Cord The detachable IEC-type power cord supplied with the 531N is
fitted with a North-American-standard male plug. If you need
to replace the mains plug with another, you will find that the
individual cord conductors are color-coded in one of two ways.
US standards specify black for AC ‘hot,’ white for AC neutral
(return) and green for earth ground. European CEE standards
specify brown for AC ‘hot,’ blue for AC neutral and green with
a yellow stripe for earth ground. Please keep these straight.

RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE (RFI)

Location Although it is expected that the 531N will be co-located with
FM transmission equipment, do practice care and common
sense in locating the unit away from abnormally high RF fields.
Ground Loops Because the inputs and the outputs of the Model 531N are ref-
erenced to chassis ground, a mains frequency or RF ground
loop could be formed between cable shield grounds and the AC
power cord ground. A ‘ground-lifting’ AC adapter may well
remedy such a situation, though the chassis somehow must be
returned to local earth ground for safety considerations.

RF INPUTS
Antenna Input The 531N antenna input is a US-standard 75-ohm F connector.
and Antennas Inexpensive, ready-made cables of various lengths are common
in this format.

— 13 —
 A multi-element directional antenna is essential for any serious
off-air pickup. “Turnstyle” or S-shaped, “all-directional” FM an-
tennas are all but useless in nearly any reception circumstance.
Professional FM-band receiving antennas are available from var-
ious manufacturers, and are recommended for long-term appli-
cations. With cost in mind, however, a consumer-grade alterna-
tive that has proven to work quite well is the Antennacraft
Model 70 Yagi, easily found at Amazon and other online sup-
pliers.
“Direct” High-level RF samples (from the transmitter’s directional cou-
RF Input pler, for example) may be fed to the 531N through a dedicated
rear-panel BNC connector. However, this HI LEVEL RF IN con-
nection does not bypass the tuner, the signal is simply padded-
down and applied to the tunable front-end. High-level inputs
should be restricted to a maximum of 7 volts r.m.s. to avoid
overloading the internal terminating resistor; and of course, the
receiver must still be tuned to the incoming frequency.
RF Input The rear-panel RF SOURCE SELECT switch must be in the
Switching proper position for ANT (antenna) or DIR (‘direct’ high-level) in-
puts.

COMPOSITE/MULTIPLEX CONNECTIONS
Composite The rear-panel MPX OUT connector is a direct output from the
Output FM demodulator. An internal buildout resistor sets the source
impedance at 100 ohms. This output is intended for oscillo-
scope monitoring or for feeding outboard analysis equipment
with high impedance ‘bridging’ inputs.
Observe good laboratory practice and avoid long connecting
cables, or otherwise highly capacitive or very low impedance
loads. Heavy loading of the MPX OUT connector may compro-
mise front-panel modulation readings.
Composite The MPX IN connector lets you monitor external baseband sig-
Input nals with the 531N, either from another off-air source or direct-
ly from a composite STL receiver or FM stereo encoder.
When the MOD-MONITOR INPUT switch is in the EXT position,
the RF tuner portion of the Model 531N is disconnected and the
MPX IN baseband signal is routed to the level metering and ste-
reo decoding circuitry. This is a 100k-ohm, unbalanced/bridg-
ing input that can accommodate levels of 1V p-p (peak-to-peak)
or greater. The multi-turn EXT MPX IN LEVEL ADJUST control
affords adjustment over the external baseband input.
Composite The MOD-MONITOR INPUT switch selects between AIR (off-air)
Signal Selection and EXT (external baseband input).

— 14 —
AM NOISE OUTPUT
The AM NOISE OUT connector is a fulltime output from the re-
ceiver’s AM demodulator, a feature found on only a few, top-of-
the-line FM mod-monitors. This is a 1k-ohm source that can
feed an amplifier and loudspeaker, or an oscilloscope to help
correlate incidental, synchronous AM noise with transmitter
tuning. This signal is also available from the front panel
PHONES jack when AM NOISE is selected for display on the up-
per DEMOD METERING bargraph readout.

PROGRAM LINE OUTPUTS

The LEFT and RIGHT PROGRAM LINE OUTPUT XLR connectors
are +4dBm, balanced outputs from the stereo decoder. These
are dedicated to the left and right program channels, and do
not follow front-panel selection of stereo sum and difference or
AM noise.
Keep in mind that the line outputs do respond to (de-emphasis)
switching. DE-EMPH is normally left on, but a flat frequency
characteristic may be necessary when using these outputs for
external L/R measurements.

CONTROL AND TALLY TERMINALS

The GPIO interface for remote control and alarm connections is
a 16-terminal tie-down strip. The screw-terminal part of this
strip unplugs from the chassis to make wiring and servicing
more convenient. Simply grab the plastic part that protrudes
from the back panel and give it a hard pull.
Remote Preset The six front-panel STATION PRESETS may be remotely select-
Selection ed with a momentary contact closure to ground. These lines
have internal pull-up resistors to +5 volts, so a dry contact clo-
sure or NPN transistor saturation will bring up the selected sta-
tion.
Front-Panel A remote tuning selection command must always be a momen-
Tuning Lockout tary closure to ground. If a permanent ground is applied, the
front-panel STATION PRESETS buttons, plus the up/down AD-
JUST buttons and even Web interface tuning will be disabled,
and the 531N will remain tuned to the frequency associated
with that preset. This ‘override’ feature may be used when it is
imperative that the 531N be fixed-tuned to only one frequency.
Simply run a wire from the desired preset terminal directly to a
ground terminal.

— 15 —
 Panel Lockout When the PANEL LOCKOUT terminal is grounded, all front-
panel buttons are disabled. Web-interface control remains ac-
tive, however.
Alarm Tallies The four alarm lines are open-collector NPN transistors that
saturate to ground with an alarm. LOW SIGNAL, MULTIPATH
and AUDIO LOSS conditions, as well as remote indication of the
PEAK FLASHER, all have corresponding rear-panel terminals to
enable remote display.
These tally outputs can sink 50mA from an external power
supply without stress. The +5 volts provided on the two right-
hand terminals is current-limited, however, and is intended for
LEDs, optical couplers or other low-consumption devices.
Figure 6, below, suggests a possible remote hookup, which in-
cludes a carrier-loss indication that would be difficult to ignore.

Figure 6 – Suggested Remote Alarm Connection

DE-EMPHASIS SELECTION
The 531N accommodates both the 75-microsecond (Western
Hemisphere) and 50-microsecond (Europe and Asia) FM broad-
casting pre-emphasis standards. De-emphasis that is appropri-
ate to the shipping destination is set at the factory, but this is
easily changed if required.
Changing Remove the top cover of the 531N. With the front panel facing
De-Emphasis you, locate the long row of integrated circuits just behind the
rear-panel AM NOISE connector. On either side of IC35, you’ll
find 3-pin jumper strips, each with a removable jumper shunt.
The jumpers are labeled JP3 and JP4. Each is marked with a 50
and a 75, corresponding to the de-emphasis selection. Figure 7
on the following page shows proper placement of the jumper
shunts for each characteristic.

— 16 —
 75 Microsecond De-emphasis 50 Microsecond De-emphasis
Figure 7 – De-emphasis Jumpering

TOTAL-MOD DISPLAY INTEGRATION SELECTION

Integration “Peak Integration” refers to the practice of allowing brief
Defined overdeviations of the FM carrier to slide-by, seemingly unno-
ticed. In the case of the Model 531N, non-repetitive modulation
peaks lasting less than a predetermined period will not be dis-
played at their actual peak value on the CARRIER MODULATION
bargraph display. In this case the display shows the integrated
value of repetitive peaks.
Broadcasting regulations, including those of the FCC in the US,
are often a bit vague on this subject. Nearly all mod-monitors
include some provision for ignoring exceedingly fast program
peaks, vaguely referred-to (in the US) as “peaks of infrequent
occurrence.” In all fairness, non-repetitive overshoots that do
not materially increase the broadcaster’s occupied bandwidth
may legitimately be ignored in a measurement of total carrier
deviation, as they pose no threat of interference to an adjacent-
channel signal. But by allowing repetitive peaks to drive modu-
lation consistently past the legal limit, the broadcaster is court-
ing the wrath of his regulatory agency.
The FCC’s One reliable guideline in determining just how far you dare go
Measurement with respect to total carrier modulation is with an awareness of
Method how at least one government authority monitors a broadcast-
er’s signal. As far as we have been able to determine, the Unit-
ed States FCC does not use any form of commercial mod-
monitor with a metered readout. Instead, they connect an os-
cilloscope to the composite baseband output of a wideband FM
receiver and look for deviations beyond a predetermined peak
amplitude. As freely explained by one Field Engineer, who
wishes to remain anonymous, “the FCC is not looking for the
occasional overshoot, but for consistent and flagrant
overmodulation.” This is a condition that is usually noticed and
complained about before the station is flagged for scrutiny.
As Delivered The Inovonics 531N allows the user to select among four inte-
gration times: 100µs, 200µs, 500µs, and 1.0ms. As delivered,
the 531N is set for the fastest (100µs) integration period. This
is the safest choice, but the one that consistently shows the

— 17 —
 highest total modulation reading for any given signal. Offered
an open-ended selection, most broadcasters will opt for longer
integration, even as much as 10ms! We feel that this long an
integration period equates to “fooling no one but yourself.”
The longest (1.0ms) integration afforded by the Model 531N
can probably be considered safe under typical station opera-
tion, although the user is cautioned to compare his modulation
with that of his companions in the market to avoid sticking out
like the proverbial sore thumb.
Changing With the uncovered 531N facing you, locate the ribbon cable
Integration that connects the main board with the front panel assembly.
Time Just behind this cable, below IC17, you’ll find a 4-position
jumper strip labeled JP2. The jumper shunt can be pulled off
and replaced in any of 4 positions, each position identified in
the PC board legend. Figure 8 at the top of the following page
shows proper shunt placement for each integration selection.

100µs Integration 200µs Integration

500µs Integration 1ms Integration

Figure 8 – Integration Period Jumpering

A WORD ABOUT LOUDNESS

Radio “loudness wars” began in the US in the mid-1960s. This
is about the same time that radio programming began to be de-
fined by “format,” with the broadcaster competing for advertis-
ing dollars with a growing number of stations in his same mar-
ket, many of which were playing the very same songs. Rather
than courting listeners with programming variety or amiable air

— 18 —
personalities, station owners and Program Directors grasped at
technical gimmicks to attract listeners.
At some point, “perceived loudness” emerged as a buzzword
and a benchmark for broadcasting success. As if, “...who cares
about programming, play it louder and it’ll grab the listeners.
If the ratings slip, it’s the Chief Engineer’s fault!” Despite the
obvious idiocy of this line of reasoning, the availability of more
complex and more expensive audio processing equipment is a
testament to its belief, and to the paranoia and shortsighted-
ness of station ownership and management.
Aggressive audio processing and the accurate measurement of
resulting carrier deviation are interwoven in broadcasting to-
day. But the high degree of technical capability that we now
have at our disposal should never be confused with technical
excellence. Innovative, refreshing programming and long-term
listenability will continue to be the keys to any station’s endur-
ing success.

— 19 —
 Section III
BASIC SETUP AND OPERATION

FRONT-PANEL VS. WEB INTERFACE SETUP

Instructions in this Section cover initial setup of the 531N using
the front-panel buttons and LED readouts.
Anything that can be done from the front panel of the 531N
may also be accomplished using the Web interface. Moreover,
many additional features and measurement options are afford-
ed by networking the 531N. But as tempted as the user may be
put the 531N on his network right away, we stress the im-
portance of first becoming familiar with the unit ‘manually,’
and then proceed with the more comprehensive remote control
capabilities. In a good many installations, the 531N can, and
will be, used without a network connection, as indeed it has
been over the years of its manufacture prior to a networking
utility being added.
We thus recommend starting with front-panel setup, as this
method not only gives the immediate gratification of a hands-
on experience, but is necessary for initiating network connectiv-
ity in the first place.

PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

The following overview of the Model 531N front panel is keyed
to the coded front-panel photographs that appear on the next
couple of pages, with an even more detailed ‘guided tutorial’
following this initial introduction. To the conscientious reader,
much of the information presented in this section may seem
redundant, appearing both in the overview and in the tutorial.
We have anticipated that an impatient user might miss valuable
tips in either one part or the other, and thus apologize in ad-
vance for explanations that may seem unnecessary, redundant
or belittling of the reader’s common sense.
The 531N front panel is split into two sections for discussion.

— 20 —
THE READOUT SECTION (LEFT SIDE)
(2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

(1) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)

(1) PHONES Headphones monitor the stereo program audio

when DEMOD METERING (7) is switched to LEFT /
RIGHT (8) or L+R / L–R (9). Alternatively, when the
531N is switched to show AM NOISE (10) the head-
phones then monitor the incidental synchronous
AM noise component of the FM carrier.
Headphone volume is fixed, but should prove ade-
quate with most low- or medium-impedance head-
phones.
(2) CARRIER The upper bargraph (2) defaults to a display of to-
(3) MODULATION tal carrier modulation. It is calibrated in percent,
(4) with 100% corresponding to ±75kHz carrier devia-
(5) tion. This display is quasi-peak-responding, and it
(6) updates and holds the highest peak momentarily
as a single glowing segment above the dynamic
display.
When both the POS DEV (3) and NEG DEV (4) indi-
cators are lighted, the highest deviation in either
polarity is displayed. This is the default measure-
ment mode. By cycling the SELECT button (6), the
display may be switched to read positive or nega-
tive carrier deviations independently.
The SELECT button (6) also switches the readout to
display injection level of the 19kHz stereo pilot.
The SUB/PILOT indicator (5) lights, and injection
references the scale below the bargraph meter,
which is calibrated in appropriately smaller per-
centages of total carrier deviation.

— 21 —
 (7) DEMOD The SELECT button (11) associated with DEMOD
(8) METERING METERING cycles the two lower bargraph displays
(9) (7) among their various readout options, each iden-
(10) tified with an associated LED indicator (8), (9), (10).
(11) The default selection displays left- and right-
channel program audio (8). Alternatively, stereo
sum-and-difference (9) may be metered. All pro-
gram audio measurements are quasi-peak-respond-
ing above an indicated level of –30dB, and average-
responding below the –30dB point.
When the SELECT button (11) is cycled to measure
AM NOISE (10), a relative reading of AM carrier
noise is displayed on the upper of the bargraph
readout pair, and the lower readout is blanked.
Although a meter reading of 0dB does correspond
to 100% carrier amplitude modulation, meter scal-
ing is not the annotated linear-dB function below
this point, and the measurement should be consid-
ered a relative (more/less) one. When AM NOISE
(10) is selected, the incidental AM component is
heard in the headphones.

THE RECEIVER SECTION (RIGHT SIDE)

(21) (19) (25) (26) (18) (17) (12) (13)

(3-6)
(20) (16) (15) (22) (23) (24) (27) (14)

(12) DIGITAL The SELECT button (14) cycles the digital LED
(13) READOUT readout (12) among its several display functions,
(14) and the two up/down ADJUST buttons (13) change
appropriate parameters. What actually is shown
on the four-digit readout depends on what meas-
urement function is active. Stay tuned, this will all

— 22 —
 be made clear.
(15) FREQ The default mode for this display gives the fre-
quency of the monitored off-air signal. FREQ indi-
cator (15) lights when the incoming carrier fre-
quency is displayed, and the receiver may then be
tuned up or down with the two ADJUST buttons
(13).
(16) STATION Memory buttons (16) allow as many as six stations
PRESETS 1 – 6 to be programmed into non-volatile memory for
instant recall. Once the 531N has been tuned to a
desired frequency with the up/down ADJUST but-
tons (13), simply press and hold down one of the
six memory buttons (16). After a couple of se-
conds the digital readout (12) will ‘wink’ to show
that the frequency has been entered into that
memory slot. Thereafter, simply give the button a
normal, momentary push to recall the programmed
station.
(17) SIGNAL LEVEL As foretold under the Specifications, and in addi-
tional detail on Page 25, the 531N requires a
strong, noise-free signal to ensure an accurate off-
air measurement of total carrier modulation. The
SIGNAL LEVEL bargraph (17) gives a relative indica-
tion of incoming RF signal strength. Generally,
three or more display segments must be lighted for
valid modulation readings. The LOW SIGNAL alarm
(26) will light when the RF level is too low.
NOTE: If all SIGNAL LEVEL readout (17) segments
(including the top-most) are lighted, the receiver
should be considered overloaded for purposes of
AM noise measurement (only). Total modulation
readings will remain valid, however.
(18) MULTIPATH As detailed on Page 26, multipath distortion effects
will invalidate off-air modulation measurements.
The 531N incorporates a sophisticated, ‘real-world’
multipath detector to qualify the incoming signal
in this regard, and the MULTIPATH bargraph (18)
displays multipath severity. Generally, two or
more lighted segments will indicate excessive mul-
tipath and activate the appropriate alarm (26).
(19) STEREO & The stereo decoder section of the Model 531N is
(20) FORCED MONO active both for off-air readings and for composite
baseband signals applied to the rear-panel MPX IN
connector. When the 19kHz stereo pilot is recog-
nized, the green STEREO indicator (19) will light.
The MONO button (20) can be used to turn the ste-
reo decoder off. The red LED next to the button
will indicate a “forced-mono” mode.

— 23 —
(21) DE-EMPHASIS The DE-EMP button (21) turns program audio de-
emphasis on and off. ‘On’ is indicated by the green
LED next to the button. De-emphasis is generally
left on, but it may be defeated for stereo separa-
tion and other measurements using test tones. De-
emphasis applies to the metered values (7) as well
as to the program audio available at the PHONES
jack and at the rear-panel PROGRAM LINE OUTPUT
connectors.
Program de-emphasis may be jumpered for 75µs or
50µs as described on Page 16.
(22) SUBCARRIER The SELECT button (14) also enables subcarrier in-
MEASUREMENT jection level measurements. When the SUB indica-
tor (22) is lighted, the digital display (12) shows the
subcarrier frequency, which can be tuned with the
up/down ADJUST buttons (13). Subcarrier fre-
quency choices are 57kHz (RDS/RBDS), 67kHz and
92kHz (SCA). 38kHz (residual stereo subcarrier)
may be measured as well, though this measure-
ment is meaningless in the presence of program
audio.
Subcarrier injection shows up on the CARRIER
MODULATION display (2). The SUB/PILOT indicator
(5) lights and percent-injection may be read against
the scale markings below the bargraph.
Subcarrier levels may also be read with acceptable
precision using the FFT baseband spectrum display
available through the Web interface. This is dis-
cussed on Page 45.
(23) AUDIO LOSS Loss of program audio gives a front panel indica-
tion (26) and a rear-panel AUDIO LOSS tally. When
SELECT button (14) is cycled to light the A-LOSS
indicator (23), the digital readout (12) displays a de-
lay, in seconds, between program audio loss and
the alarm condition. The two up/down ADJUST
buttons (13) allow you to program the delay be-
tween 1 and 120 seconds.
(25) PEAK FLASHER With SELECT button (14) cycled to light the PK-SET
indicator (24), the digital readout (12) displays the
PEAK (flasher) (25) threshold in percent-modula-
tion. Up/down ADJUST buttons (13) allow you to
set this value between 95% and 120% in one per-
cent increments. This setting applies to the trip
level of the front-panel indicator (25), the rear-
panel PEAK FLASHER alarm tally, and the SMS/text
and email alarm notification utility available using
the Web interface.

— 24 —
 (26) ALARM These LED alarm condition indicators (26) are du-
INDICATORS plicated with corresponding ‘tally’ closures to
ground on the Model 531N rear panel, as well as
with SNMP support through the Web interface,
which is covered in Section IV. See Page 16 for a
discussion of connecting remote indicators; an ex-
ample is shown in Figure 6 on that page.
(27) NETWORK The NETWORK SETTINGS button (27) allows setup
SETTINGS of the various network parameters to secure com-
munication between the 531N and a Local Area
Network (LAN) or Internet.
Setting up a network connection is detailed in Sec-
tion IV.

MEASUREMENT PITFALLS AND LIMITATIONS

It is important for the user to recognize various inherent limita-
tions of making transmission performance measurements ‘off-
air.’ Although the Model 531N has a high level, ‘direct’ RF in-
put, the signal still passes through tuned RF and IF stages.
Thus even these directly-coupled measurements are subject to
some of the same limitations as an off-air signal.
Signal Strength The term “FM Advantage” refers to the inherent freedom from
noise that a frequency-modulated signal enjoys over its ampli-
tude-modulated counterpart. Nevertheless, random noise does
result in a certain amount of ‘dither’ at carrier zero-crossings,
which translate to jitter in the time domain that can sabotage
accurate measurement of total carrier deviation.
The basis for FM receiver sensitivity specifications dates to the
early days of monaural FM broadcasting. Tuners from this era
boasted sensitivities in the low-microvolt range. Honest and
forthright manufacturers would qualify this specification with:
“signal required for 50dB of quieting,” which referred to a
monaural transmissions. This isn’t a particularly difficult spec
to meet in mono receivers, which can both tolerate and profit
from a much narrower IF bandwidth than what is required for
decent stereo performance.
Stereo reception adds all the noise present in the 23kHz–
53kHz ‘sub’ band that rides above the 30Hz–15kHz monaural
reception range. What’s worse, it’s the amplitude component
(AM) of the sub band that is converted down to audible noise
and added to the program signal. That’s why the noise perfor-
mance of FM-stereo is always about 20dB worse than that of a
monaural broadcast.
Reverting to the specification from days gone by, the Model
531N exhibits 50dB of mono quieting with only 10µV coming
in, actually pretty decent considering the “broad as a barn”
RF/IF passband that’s required for stereo signal parameter

— 25 —
 monitoring. For the valid measurement of total modulation,
over the entire baseband signal range (10Hz–100kHz), the 531N
requires 150µV (55dBf) for a total-mod reading that’s no more
than 2% in error, and 250µV (60dBf) for less than a 1% error.
The front-panel SIGNAL LEVEL bargraph is a relative display
and should not be considered linear, either in terms of field
strength or transmission power. Generally, at least three or
four segments must be lighted for valid total-mod readings.
The LOW SIGNAL alarm comes on when a total-mod reading
would be compromised by more than 1%.
Multipath Multipath effects arise from the reception of a radio signal
Distortion from more than one direction (multiple paths). The primary
path is generally ‘direct’ (line-of-sight), and subsequent arrivals
of the same signal come along after it has bounced off build-
ings or natural terrain. This multiplicity of arrival times com-
promises certain parameters of the otherwise robust FM trans-
mission. Long before its effects can be heard, multipath can
invalidate total-mod measurements.
The Model 531N incorporates a multipath distortion detector
and bargraph readout. Used together, the MULTIPATH and
SIGNAL LEVEL displays can be an aid in aiming the receiving
antenna for best reception. A multipath alarm comes on when
more than a couple of the MULTIPATH bargraph segments are
lighted. The associated alarm is preset to the maximum value
of multipath distortion that can be tolerated for an accurate to-
tal-mod reading.
Composite A small amount of well-regulated “hard clipping” of the com-
Clipping posite waveform is a common technique with broadcasters to
secure maximum modulation efficiency and, as a result, the
highest ‘perceived loudness.’ Modern composite clipping cir-
cuits perform their action prior to injection of the stereo pilot,
or they may ‘detour’ the pilot signal around the clipper to pre-
vent its being clipped along with the program signal. This does
not mean, however, that composite clipping does not generate
harmonics at 19kHz. These can add to and subtract from the
legitimate pilot tone, essentially manifesting as ‘pilot modula-
tion.’
Because the Model 531N translates a measurement of pilot am-
plitude modulation to an equivalent degree of multipath distor-
tion, excessive composite clipping may show up on the MULTI-
PATH display, even when no secondary signal path is present.
This could be the case in a direct, high-level RF connection as
well. This does not mean that a multipath alarm should be ig-
nored when no possibility of multipath exists. If excessive
composite clipping does indeed cause a multipath indication,
chances are that occupied bandwidth limits are being exceeded
despite proper constraints on peak deviation.

— 26 —
 Adjacent The inherent (and necessary) wide bandwidth of the Model
Carriers 531N makes it vulnerable to interference from stations that are
first-, and even second-adjacent to the frequency being moni-
tored. Of course signal strength will be a factor in this equa-
tion; the stronger the interfering carrier, the greater the inter-
ference effect.
One technique to identify adjacent-channel interference is to
observe independent negative and positive deviation readings.
Unless an FM transmission has audio processing problems or
gross exciter non-linearity, program deviation should be fairly
symmetrical about the carrier frequency.
Using the SELECT button associated with the CARRIER MODU-
LATION display, compare the POS DEV and NEG DEV readings.
If POS DEV measures considerably higher than NEG DEV, inter-
ference from a strong station above the monitored frequency
would be suspect… and vice-versa. In this example, the NEG
DEV measurement can probably be trusted as an indication of
total carrier modulation, although this should be confirmed
with an interference-free ‘nearfield’ or direct-connection read-
ing of the transmitter. In any event, steps should be taken to
eliminate the interference. A more directional antenna may
solve the problem, or a band-pass filter may be required at the
primary frequency, or a trap at the interfering frequency.

A GUIDED TOUR OF 531N OPERATION

The short “hands-on” tutorial that follows walks you through
setup and typical operation of the Model 531N, using the front-
panel controls and readouts. The additional features available
using the Web interface are discussed separately in Section IV.
This quick and informal guided tour will give you a better un-
derstanding of procedures and pitfalls, proving quite useful in
day-to-day use of the unit.
Numbers shown in the following text refer back to the keyed
photos of the Model 531N front panel on Pages 21 and 22.
Items Required You’ll need a pair of good stereo headphones and a connection
to an outside antenna. (If the transmitter is close by, a 3-foot
length of insulated hookup wire ought to suffice for this ‘guid-
ed tour.’)
Getting Ready Attach the power cord to the Model 531N and plug the free end
into the wall socket. Plug the headphones into the front-panel
PHONES jack (1). If you have no connection to an outside an-
tenna, twist a stripped end of the 3-foot wire and carefully in-
sert it into the very center of the rear-panel ANTENNA connect-
or. To ensure the continued integrity of this connector, do not
force the wire into it; rather, find a wire that fits securely with-
out distorting the connector.

— 27 —
 Check to make sure that the rear-panel RF SOURCE SELECT
switch is in the ANT (antenna) position, and that the MOD-
MONITOR INPUT switch is set to AIR (off-air operation).
Tuning In Find a strong, local station. Use the up/down ADJUST buttons
(13) to tune the 531N to a good signal at your location. If you
cannot pick up your own signal easily, choose a station that
does come in well.
You may wish to set some of the station presets (16) to your
own and other local signals. Enter your first choice into
memory #1 by holding down the #1 memory button. In a cou-
ple of seconds the frequency readout (12) will ‘wink,’ signaling
that the choice is entered.
Re-tune the 531N to other stations and enter each into addi-
tional memory positions in the same manner. Once frequencies
are entered, give any button a momentary push to bring up the
stored frequency.
Signal Quality Even with a 3-foot wire antenna, a strong local station should
Evaluation light at least half the segments of the SIGNAL LEVEL display
(17). Be sure that the station you select has low multipath dis-
tortion as well; no more than a couple of the segments in the
MULTIPATH bargraph (18) should be lighted. Try repositioning
the 3-foot wire to minimize multipath pickup. Neither the LOW
SIGNAL nor the MULTIPATH alarm indicators (26) should light.
If either alarm condition is indicated, choose another station or
connect a roof-mounted antenna.
When the 531N is in actual Mod-Monitor service, the two signal-
quality warning indicators (26) must be off if measurements are
to be trusted. This usually calls for a rooftop antenna with a
rotator for meaningful comparative measurements of other sta-
tions in your market.
Carrier Neglecting the effects of a low signal or multipath distortion
Modulation condition, the CARRIER MODULATION display (2) shows peak
Display deviation as a percentage, with 100% equivalent to ±75kHz car-
rier deviation.
The default measurement mode for total modulation looks for
carrier deviations in both directions and gives the higher of the
positive or negative deviation peaks. The 531N is in the default
mode when both the POS DEV (3) and NEG DEV (4) indicators
are lighted. As previously discussed under MEASUREMENT
PITFALLS AND LIMITATIONS on Page 25, the SELECT button (6)
lets you monitor positive and negative deviation independently.
Refer back to that discussion for how and when to use this fea-
ture.
Unless there is a reason for doing otherwise, the CARRIER
MODULATION display (2) should be kept in the default mode
(LEDs (3) and (4) both on) for the most exact confirmation of
the station’s maximum carrier deviation.

— 28 —
 Also, refer back to TOTAL-MOD DISPLAY INTEGRATION SELEC-
TION on Page 17 for the discussion of jumper options that will
effect this reading.
Peak Flasher The 531N includes the usual ‘Peak Flasher,’ an alarm for carrier
deviations beyond an acceptable maximum value. There is a
front-panel PEAK indicator (25), a rear-panel closure to ground
for a remote flasher or other alarm, and SMS/text and email no-
tifications through the Web interface.
The peak flasher follows the total modulation measurement,
which, by default, is the composite of positive and negative car-
rier deviations. This does mean that if the display has been
switched to monitor only positive or only negative excursions,
the peak flasher will respond accordingly.
Cycle SELECT button (14) to light the PK-SET indicator (24).
The digital readout (12) now shows the flasher trip level directly
in modulation percentage. Using the up/down ADJUST buttons
(13) set this trip point at any value between 95% and 120%.
The flasher may be programmed for a modulation level that
will give frequent indications of modulation peaks. For in-
stance, if the audio processor has been set for a maximum de-
viation of 100%, the flasher can be set at 99% to show that
modulation is consistently meeting a deviation goal. Using this
feature as the intended alarm, on the other hand, requires that
the trip level be set somewhat above the maximum modulation
point. Again, if the processor is set to hold peaks at precisely
100%, an alarm value of 102% might be selected. This would
represent a value that should never be attained in normal oper-
ation, one that would indicate a legitimate fault.
Pilot Injection SELECT button (6) also cycles the CARRIER MODULATION dis-
play (2) to read the injection level of the 19kHz stereo pilot.
When the SUB/PILOT indicator (5) lights, pilot injection is read
off the lower metering scale. Stereo pilot is typically set to 9%
injection.
Subcarrier The CARRIER MODULATION readout (2) is also used to display
Measurements the injection levels of analog and digital subcarriers. This
measurement mode is accessed with SELECT button (14), over
on the right side of the 531N.
The 531N does not demodulate data or analog subcarriers, but
it does give a peak-based indication of the injection level with
good accuracy.
Cycle the SELECT button (14) to light the SUB indicator (22).
The digital readout (12) now indicates the frequency, in kHz, of
the subcarrier being measured. The default frequency is the
57kHz RDS/RBDS RadioData subcarrier.
Use the ADJUST buttons (13) to bring up analog SCA subcarri-
ers at 67kHz and 92kHz, as well as the ‘residual’ of the 38kHz
suppressed stereo subcarrier (see next page).

— 29 —
 RDS/RBDS and SCA injections are read on the CARRIER MODU-
LATION display (2) using the scale below the readout.. Typical-
ly, RDS/RBDS will be in the 4% to 5% range, and SCAs up around
10%.
38kHz Stereo-FM broadcasting encodes the L–R ‘stereo-difference’ in-
“Residual” formation as a double-sideband, suppressed-carrier signal that
is added to the L+R (mono) program. Historically, this DSB
subcarrier was generated with analog multiplier circuits, and
these had to be carefully balanced to null (suppress) the 38kHz
carrier frequency completely. Although modern FM stereo gen-
erators employ digital techniques to generate the entire com-
posite baseband signal, regulating agencies may nonetheless
still specify a maximum level for the 38kHz residual compo-
nent in the absence of audio modulation.
For measuring the 19kHz stereo pilot and analog or digital sub-
carriers, a narrow filter is used to extract the targeted signal
from the composite baseband. The pilot and subcarriers are
protected by guardbands, or a dead space above and below.
Sidebands of the 38kHz stereo subchannel, on the other hand,
can, in theory, extend right down to the subcarrier frequency.
Thus program modulation must be turned off to get a meaning-
ful measurement of any residual 38kHz component. What
shows on the display when program information is present is
low-frequency stereo-difference information.
Demod Metering The default mode for DEMOD METERING (7) displays left- and
right-channel program material with the LEFT / RIGHT indicator
(8) lighted.
Use the SELECT button (11) to cycle the DEMOD METERING
display (7) to show stereo sum and difference. The L+R / L–R
indicator (9) will light, but headphones continue to monitor the
L/R stereo program.
Unless something is terribly wrong (like one channel missing
entirely), the L+R sum will always have more energy than the
L–R difference. In the real world this energy rule applies to
nearly all recorded music. Two notable exceptions are: 1) pop
music that has been processed with ‘spatial enhancement’ de-
vices that augment the stereo difference information, and: 2)
classical music that has been recorded as ‘true binaural’ using
only two microphones. (Nearly all popular music is initially
recorded as a number of monaural tracks, and then manipulat-
ed to create an artificial ‘stereo soundstage’ during the mix-
down process.)
In some instances the L+R and L–R meters may be close in val-
ue, but the L–R meter should generally lag the L+R meter by at
least a few dB. For voice announcements without background
music, or for other mono sources, the L–R indication may drop
almost off-scale.

— 30 —
Forced-Mono Press the MONO button (20), which will light the adjacent red
Reception LED indicator. With ‘forced mono’ engaged, the stereo decoder
is disabled and the station is received monaurally with left and
right program channels equally combined.
You should notice a couple of things in the MONO mode: 1) a
big difference in the sound, especially when monitored with
headphones. The stereo image will collapse and much of the
detail may be missing from the music. It may even sound as if
some of the top-end has disappeared. Also: 2) the L+R meter
will jump up a bit in mono, but the L–R meter will drop almost
off-scale. Actually, a perfect monaural signal should have no
L–R component, but circuit and component tolerances within
the Model 531N make something in the –50dB range about the
best L–R cancellation. Keep this in mind because this repre-
sents the best sub/main, main/sub crosstalk reading obtainable
from the 531N, even though actual system crosstalk may be
lower. See Figure 4 on Page # for typical crosstalk measure-
ment performance limits.
Program While listening to off-air program audio, press the DE-EMP but-
De-emphasis ton (21). The green LED indicator next to the button will turn
off and program audio will sound considerably brighter, even
to the point of shrillness. Pressing the button again will turn
de-emphasis back on. As you cycle program de-emphasis on
and off, you may notice that, although the audio sounds quite
different, the left- and right-channel program audio displays 8
do not change much, if at all. Despite a very audible difference,
there is very little musical energy at the high frequencies. It’s
the subtle overtones that are boosted out of proportion without
proper de-emphasis.
Unless you are doing system crosstalk or other proof-of-
performance tests that require ‘flat’ program audio, the DE-
EMP button (21) should be left in the default ‘on’ position with
the green LED lighted. After listening for a short time with de-
emphasis turned off, a return to the proper tonal balance will
sound somewhat dull. This notion will pass after listening
properly again for a short while.
AM Noise While monitoring the local signal source, press SELECT button
Measurement (11) until the AM NOISE indicator (10) lights. What you now
hear in the headphones should bear only a vague similarity to
the program audio signal monitored in the LEFT / RIGHT or
L+R / L–R measurements modes. What you are listening to is
the amplitude-modulation component of the FM carrier.
A perfect FM carrier would have no ‘incidental’ or ‘synchronous’
AM component. What’s more, this parameter of the FM carrier
is difficult to measure off-air, as the receiver must have a
broad, flat bandwidth characteristic and a linear IF amplifier.
Without these qualities the receiver can introduce its own AM
component to the incoming signal.

— 31 —
 The Model 531N is not a perfect receiver in this regard, but it
does yield useful comparative readings. When switched to read
AM noise, the upper DEMOD METERING bargraph (7) gives a
relative indication of the demodulated AM component. This
metered value does not have linear-dB scaling. What is heard in
the headphones (or via the rear-panel AM NOISE output con-
nector) will have the greatest significance in exposing incidental
AM noise in the FM carrier.
It is important to have a strong signal for AM noise measure-
ments. As you listen off-air and tune among local stations, the
amount of ‘non-synchronous’ background noise (noise not as-
sociated with the transmitted program) will vary quite a lot.
What you want to listen for is the program-related noise, which
should have only odd-order harmonic content. The 531N can
be used as a tool in tuning transmitter stages for minimum
program-related ‘garbage’; just remember that what you hear
through the headphones or with an audio monitor is more im-
portant that what is displayed on the meter.
Though the 531N can prove an effective tool in monitoring and
minimizing AM noise, an off-air measurement should not be
considered a substitute for a dedicated broadband AM-noise
measuring set connected directly to the FM transmitter. We
acknowledge the Radio Design Labs ACM-3 as the definitive
such device and recommend it as an excellent aid in transmitter
stage tuning.
Audio Loss It is important to realize that in FM broadcasting an AUDIO
Alarm LOSS alarm is meaningless in the absence of an RF carrier. It is
the nature of FM receivers to put out a ‘white noise’ (hiss) level
that can exceed normal program peak values when no carrier is
received. The 531N indicates AUDIO LOSS for a ‘dead air’ or
missing channel situation, but will not give an alarm when no
station at all is tuned in. In the case of carrier failure, a LOW
SIGNAL alarm would be dispatched.
An AUDIO LOSS alarm is triggered when the peak level of either
program channel falls below –10dB on the DEMOD METERING
meters (7) for an interval of time programmed as described be-
low. The AUDIO LOSS alarm lights the panel indicator (26),
provides a rear-panel closure to ground for remote indication,
and dispatches SMS/text or email notifications through the Web
interface.
Cycle the SELECT button (14) to light the A-LOSS indicator (23).
The digital readout (12) now shows the delay interval, in se-
conds, between audio loss and the alarm. This delay can be
programmed with the ADJUST buttons (13) from 1 second to
120 seconds (2 minutes).

— 32 —
 Section IV
NETWORK SETUP

CONNECTING WITH THE 531N

Up to this point we’ve used front-panel buttons and readouts to
get the 531N up and running. Most basic mod-monitor func-
tion may be accessed in this manner, but the Web interface
opens up a host of additional measurement features.
Connect Our first order of business is to get the 531N communicating
the 531N with your network. Connect the RJ45 NETWORK PORT jack on
the back of the 531N to a LAN port of your server or router.
DHCP Press the NETWORK SETTINGS button (27) once. The digital
LED frequency readout will switch from display of your fre-
quency, such as 95.9, to dHCP. Press the NETWORK SETTINGS
button once again and the display will probably show the de-
fault DHCP assignment: On.
At this point you may use the ADJUST buttons (13) to toggle
DHCP between On and OFF. Unless you need to assign the
531N a fixed IP address, you’ll want to leave the DHCP selection
On so that your router or server will automatically assign con-
nection addresses to the 531N. Press the NETWORK SETTINGS
button once again to return to a readout display of dHCP.
The IP Address With dHCP showing on the readout, press the right-hand AD-
JUST button to bringIP onto the display. Press NETWORK
SETTINGS once, and the first address group of the current IP
will appear, very probably the digits192. If the IP address is to
be assigned manually, DHCP would have been set to OFF, and
you would now be able to use the ADJUST buttons to set this
first group of three digits to any value between 0 and 255.
With DHCP On, however, this function is locked out.
With the first group of digits noted, pressing NETWORK SET-
TINGS once again will bring up the next three digits in the ad-
dress, perhaps .168. With DHCP set to OFF, this group of three
digits may be changed as described for the first group, and sim-
ilarly for the third and fourth groups.
Press the NETWORK SETTINGS button untilIP returns to the
readout.
Gateway, Now, withIP showing on the readout, press the right-hand AD-
Subnet Mask JUST button to take you into the GAtE (gateway) setup area.
and Primary DNS This area will be locked-out under DHCP control, but with
DHCP OFF, you may program the gateway address in exactly
the same manner as described for IP.

— 33 —
 The same goes for SUB (subnet mask) and dnS (primary DNS).
These are either assigned by DHCP or may be programmed
manually with static addresses using the technique described.

HOOKING-UP
With both the 531N and a computer connected to a common
network, bring up a browser window and enter the Hostname
(under Windows) or the IP address of the 531N (any OS). The
Windows OS permits typing the default Hostname into the
browser, which must be done exactly like this: MODEL531N/ In
short order you should see the main Now Playing Webpage on
your screen as shown here:

A header at the top of the page and a Menu list on the left are
common to all 531N Web pages. The header displays the tuned
frequency, alarm status indicators, signal quality readouts and
the remote listening utility.

COMPLETING THE NETWORK SETUP

Before we get to the interesting, everyday-useful aspects of the
531N Web interface, let’s first finish-up with the remaining
networking setup items. These are quite simple under Web in-
terface control.
The Network Click on Network in the Menu section of the default, Now Playing
Page screen. This will change the Web page with the active window
shown at the top of the next page.

— 34 —
Here is the network setup information that we entered (or con-
firmed) in such a painstaking manner with front-panel buttons.
Because DHCP is selected, most of the values below are grayed-
out. If operation were toggled to Static IP, however, all these
values, with the exception of the MAC Address, could be entered
or overwritten very easily right here on the screen. The MAC
Address is unique to the particular hardware of your 531N and
cannot be changed.
You are free to change the Hostname from the factory assign-
ment to whatever you wish. The Hostname allows the user to
assign a unique ID to the equipment. Once you are on the same
network, this is what you enter into a Windows browser ad-
dress bar to connect a Windows computer, tablet or mobile de-
vice to the 531N.
The HTTP Port has a default value of 80. This is a common as-
signment, but one reason it might need to change is if you have
more than one 531N on your network. Your IT department will
know all about this and how to do it.

— 35 —
ACCESSING THE 531N REMOTELY
On a common local network (LAN), we already have accessed
the 531N Web interface by entering its IP address or, under
Windows, its Hostname into your browser’s address bar.
To address the 531N from outside your LAN (from the Inter-
net), the unit needs to have a static IP address. If your router
makes DHCP assignments for other equipment on the network,
simply assign the 531N a static IP that is outside the router’s
DHCP range. This should be an easy matter with the aid of the
router’s Help utility (let your IT department help here).
You also need to open a specific port for the 531N on the net-
work router. Within the router’s Port Forwarding utility you
will be able to enter your static IP address for the unit (Internal
IP), followed by a colon and a port number. The default port
number for the 531N is 80, but as we pointed out earlier it may
be changed to any reasonable number in the router’s range. If
your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns you a static IP ad-
dress, then it is a simple matter to address the 531N from any-
where. Just type the IP address and port number into your
browser as shown in this example:
http://55.76.38.170:2345
But if your ISP issues you a dynamic IP, which is most often the
case, this mandates ‘Dynamic DNS’ operation, using the ser-
vices of an IP-forwarding provider.
Dynamic DNS It would not be possible to address equipment behind a dynam-
ic IP address if it were not for IP-forwarding providers available
on the Internet. Their services, which are either free or at a
very modest cost, will allow the 531N to keep the provider ap-
prised of its reassigned IP address each time that address is
updated by the ISP. The IP-forwarding provider intercepts data
attempting to connect with the 531N and converts the IP ad-
dress to the updated one.
There are three popular forwarding service providers available
on the Internet. Their basic service (all you really need) may be
free of charge, but advanced features may command a nominal
annual fee. All services require registration on the appropriate
Website.
Click Dynamic DNS on the 531N Menu. This will bring up the
appropriate Web page, shown at the top of the next page.

— 36 —
 The dynamic DNS function is shown as Disabled, but if you
click on the arrow on the right you’ll see the list of the three
popular providers.

Jot down these provider names and enter each in your Web
browser to learn more about their services, and to register with
whichever provider seems best to meet your needs.
When you register, the provider will issue you a Hostname,
Username and Password. Click on the provider you choose, and
then type the information right onto the screen and click Save.
This will allow you to access your 531N with a dynamic IP ad-
dress.

SNMP OPERATION
SNMP Overview SNMP, or Simple Network Management Protocol, allows other
TCP/UDP/IP equipment on the same Local Area Network (LAN)
to communicate directly with the 531N, and for the 531N, it-
self, to initiate an alarm on the network.
The 531N will interface directly with a network controller,
which technically is known as the SNMP ‘Manager.’ The 531N
incorporates an embedded ASCII text file called a Management
Information Base, or MIB. In setting up for SNMP operation, the
MIB file is downloaded from the 531N and uploaded to the
SNMP Manager.

— 37 —
On the 531N Menu tree, click SNMP to bring up this active win-
dow.

The default mode for SNMP is Disabled, which inhibits

communicaton between the 531N and the SNMP Manager. Click
the arrow to the right of Disabled to view operating choices.

Changing the Mode: to Read Only allows the 531N to be interro-

gated by the SNMP Manager so that 531N settings, meters, RDS
data and alarms can be integrated with other equipment on the
network.

— 38 —
 Setting Mode: to Read & Write allows the SNMP Manager to send
commands to the 531N. This allows other equipment to change
station Presets and adjust nearly all setup parameters of the
531N.
SNMP Security SNMP ‘Communities’ serve as passwords for this function. Go
into the Read Community: and Write Community: boxes to enter
text that is specified for the read/write strings on the SNMP
Manager monitoring device. As with similar text-entry screens,
execute a Save after entering.
SNMP Traps When the 531N initiates an alarm, rather than being queried or
polled for one, the alarm is known as a ‘trap.’ You may enter
three local network IP addresses as Trap Destinations, each cor-
responding to other devices on the LAN that want to be ap-
prised of alarms.
SNMP Ports The default SNMP Ports, General Port 161 and Trap Port 162, are
customary assignments for the majority of SNMP operations.
These may be changed as required by typing-in new values.
Downloading The MIB file is a small text (.txt) file that is read by the network
the MIB File controller, or SNMP Manager. To download and read this file
yourself, click: Download MIB. The file may be saved in the usu-
al Windows manner. The MIB file is in plain text and may be
read with Windows Notepad.
Further Study The foregoing discussion of SNMP operation is purposely ab-
breviated. SNMP is a complex utility, managed exclusively by
whatever SNMP Manager (the monitoring equipment) is em-
ployed. Refer to published instructions for the SNMP Manager
in setting-up the 531N. From the active 531N SNMP browser
screen, you can download the MIB file to help unravel mysteries
in this regard as well.

EMAIL PREFERENCES
Set up the 531N for outgoing mail on the Email preferences Web
page.
Mail Server The email server settings and email addresses for the various
Setup recipients of email or SMS text messages are entered here on
the Email Preferences menu page; in other words, ‘who gets it
and how.’ However, the alarm preferences for email notifica-
tions, or ‘who gets which alarm message’ are set on the Alarms
and Notifications menu page. This is described under the discus-
sion of alarms on Page 51.
An example at the top of the next page shows typical setup for
an SMTP mail server. Mail server settings vary, but essentially
you create a separate email account for your 531N. The User:
name can be anything you like, and will actually be the formal
name of the sender. But with most email clients, when emails
from the 531N are received the sender will be identified by the

— 39 —
 “friendly” name: Model 531N – 95.9 (or whatever frequency the
531N is tuned to when the message is sent).

Recipient 1: and Recipient 2: in this example are the SMS/text

message and email addresses, respectively, for the station’s
Chief Engineer.

Saving and When this utility has been set up, click: Save at the bottom of
Testing the page to commit this information to memory. You may also
click: Send test Email to immediately dispatch a confirming test
message to all recipients.

TIMEKEEPING
Open the Time & Time Zone Web screen to set up the internal
timekeeping function of the 531N. Correct timekeeping is es-
sential for tagging alarm notifications and for meaningful
Alarm Log listings.
Select your offset from Universal Coordinated Time (operation
on planet Earth is assumed here) using the Time Zone (Hours):
slider. When this is set correctly, local time will show at the top
of the window. You may make allowance for Daylight Saving
Time here too. Choose either the automatic function, DST
fulltime, or to disregard DST altogether by leaving both boxes
unchecked.
The Time Server defaults to the US Government Web-based time
authority, but you may enter an alternative Server: if desired.

— 40 —
 Be sure to click: Save at the bottom of the window to commit
you choices to memory.

ADMINISTRATIVE SETTINGS
Password The Admin Web screen allows you to set up a password for the
531N. Simply type the password into the Password: field, click:
Enable, and the click: Save. You’ll be immediately prompted
with a pop-up window asking for a User Name: and Password:.
The User Name: is optional and may be left blank; it is not used
with any other 531N function at this time. Just enter your new
password in the Password: field. This pop-up will greet you
each time you launch the 531N Web pages. Again the User
Name: is optional.
You’ll probably notice that your password remains in plain
sight on this page. This is not a security breach, as you can’t
get to this page without first giving the password in the pop-up
window.
Lost Password If you lose or forget your password, you must perform a ‘hard
reset’ on the 531N (see below). This will purge all setup and
other information from memory. To obviate this inconven-
ience, we recommend periodically downloading and saving a
Hardware Profile, which retains all the setup data and can be
uploaded back to the 531N. This procedure is described in due
course.
Of course the old, lost password
is part of the Hardware Profile,
so you must edit this file before
uploading it, otherwise you’ll be
back to where you started. The
snapshot at the right shows the
very bottom of the Hardware
Profile where the administrative
data is held. Note the numeral
‘1’ marked with the arrow. This shows that the password is en-
abled. Use MS Notepad or another text editor to change the one
to a zero. This turns password protection off. Re-save the ed-
ited file. You can now do a hard reset of the 531N and then up-
load the edited Hardware Profile. This will restore your previ-
ous settings, and even let you see the old password, which you
may use or replace.
Hard Reset A hard reset of the 531N will purge all setup information from
memory. Please see the Hardware Profile discussion that fol-
lows to save settings and restore them to the 531N.
To perform a hard reset, hold down the far-right SELECT but-
ton (14) while power-cycling the unit. Remember, this restores
the 531N to ‘factory-fresh’ condition; you will lose all setup in-
formation.

— 41 —
The Hardware The entire 531N setup, which includes the Preset Stations list,
Profile receiver setup choices, hardware options, alarm notification
preferences and SNMP options, may be saved to your computer
as a small text file.
The Hardware Profile is useful for restoring a previous mod-
monitor setup or for ‘cloning’ a second unit for backup service.
Click: Download Hardware Profile to save the profile to your sys-
tem. Depending on your browser and version, the file will nor-
mally be saved to a Downloads folder unless you are asked for
a specific ‘save to’ location. The file has a default name of
531Nsettings.ini.
To upload a saved Hardware Profile to your 531N, first click:
Browse… to locate the saved profile on your computer, and
then click: Upload Hardware Profile. This will replace all setup
parameters that are currently loaded and running in your unit.
Errata At the bottom of the Admin Web screen, you will find the serial
number of your 531N, total ‘up time’ of the unit, and versions
of the firmware and Web pages files. Click: Check for Updates to
see if new versions are available. Updates to firmware and the
interactive Web screens is covered in Section VI, beginning on
Page 53.

— 42 —
 Section V
531N EXTENDED FEATURES

The time-honored Inovonics 531 FM Modulation Analyzer was

transformed into the 531N when comprehensive networking
capability was added to the product. Not only does this allow
remote-control operation, but new features, monitor modes and
measurement options are now available.
Basic mod-monitor functions of the 531N were detailed in Sec-
tion III, beginning on Page 20. The fact that these functions are
available remotely with the Web interface does not otherwise
change their functionality at all, so they will not be described
all over again here, except as differences are noted.
Instead, the new, extended features of the 531N will be de-
tailed. At this point you should be running the Web interface,
setup of which was covered in the previous Section.

THE WEB SCREEN HEADER

All Web screen pages present the common header shown here:

At the far left is the frequency of the currently-tuned station.

Next is the audio streaming utility.
Remote Click the loudspeaker icon in the header to
Listening listen to the station from a remote location.
Two audio quality options are available. LQ
has an MP3 data rate of 64kbps, and HQ is 128kbps. With mar-
ginal connections, LQ may prove the better choice.
The encodings/decoding and buffering time (latency) of the au-
dio will depend to some degree on the connection path and
network quality, but may be several seconds, even on a Local
Area Network. This listening utility has been included to con-
firm the presence of audio, not for performing a critical as-
sessment of off-air audio quality. Keep in mind that the audio
will lag metering.

— 43 —
 Signal Quality The front-panel MULTIPATH
and SIGNAL LEVEL readouts
are duplicated in the header as
shown here.
Alarms The header also echoes the
four front-panel alarms.

NOW PLAYING
Basic Station In addition to the incoming frequency, this section of the Now
Information Playing Web screen also presents the more basic RDS RadioData
information: the PI code, or ‘digital address’ of the station,

PI is a hexadecimal identifier specific to this station, the sta-

tion’s “digital address” as it were. The PI code is derived from
the station’s callsign in the US and Canada, so these two are re-
lated in those countries. Elsewhere Callsign will be blank.
PS, the Program Service Name, is an 8-character field where sta-
tions call letters or ‘street name’ for display on any RDS radio
faceplate. The PS field is often ‘dynamic’ to scroll song artist
and title information in this area.
Radio Text is a 64-character field that is displayed by some ra-
dios, but not by all. This field is generally used to convey pro-
gram information, such as artist and title, or may be used for
station information (Website, phone, etc.) or even advertising
tie-ins.
Other RDS data is displayed in the RDS Info Web screen and will
be discussed a bit later.
Receiver The balance of this Web screen is used for receiver tuning and
Tuning the individual tuning presets.

— 44 —
 The tuned Frequency: is displayed, and several methods of
changing it are offered. You may grab the ‘slider’ and drag it
back and forth, you may highlight the slider and then use the
computer cursor keys to change frequency, you may click the
on-screen < and > buttons to increment tuning up or down in
100kHz steps, or you may clear and re-type a frequency directly
into the display window and then hit Enter.
Click: De-emphasis: or Mono: on this screen to turn these func-
tions On and Off as well.
Station Up to six station frequencies may be programmed into the
Presets Station Presets memories.

With the 531N tuned to a desired frequency, simply click the

little pencil icon on the right. The currently-tuned frequency
will be transferred into that memory, whether the slot is shown
as (Empty) or already has an entry. The Web screen directly re-
flects the six STATION PRESETS buttons on the front panel.
Just click any Station Preset to tune immediately to that fre-
quency.

GRAPHS AND METERING

MPX Spectrum The first item under Graphs & Metering is MPX FFT. This pre-
Display sents a spectrum display of the composite/MPX baseband sig-
nal demodulated from the off-air signal, or the plot of a base-
band input applied to the rear-panel MPX IN connector.
This is a very useful display as it gives a graphic representation
of the composite/MPX spectrum, showing injection levels of the
stereo pilot and all subcarriers, plus FM baseband noise and
anomalies.
In the example spectrum plot shown at the top of the next
page, the levels of the 19kHz stereo pilot and the 57kHz RDS
subcarrier may be visually measured with acceptable accuracy.
The baseband noise floor, shown rising with frequency in this
case, is a good indication that this station simultaneously

— 45 —
 transmits HD Radio® digital carriers along with the primary FM
signal.

The MPX FFT plot may be saved as an image file using the com-
puter’s Prt Scr utility or any common ‘screen snipping’ tool.
XY Plot In the XY Plot, left and right program audio channels are plot-
ted against one another in an XY ‘scope’ box. The XY display
gives a good measure of program audio stereophony, or how
‘wide’ the stereo image is, as well as a good indication of how
heavily it is modulated.
In the series of snapshots below, the first example shows a
densely-modulated program audio signal with an apparently
wide soundstage, or stereo image, very probably the result of
‘stereo enhancement’ by the station’s audio processor.

The central image is of a station ID between music cuts, which

has no appreciable L–R component, a monaural program for all
intents and purposes. Note that the plot is pretty much a 45-
degree diagonal line sloping upward. The reverse of this, or
any waveform with a diagonal tendency sloping downward,
would indicate an out-of-phase condition between the stereo
channels, as shown on the right.
The XY Plot may be saved as an image file using the computer’s
Prt Scr utility or any common ‘screen snipping’ tool.

— 46 —
Meter History The 531N Meter History utility is able to graph the values of
modulation components over a given period of time. Total car-
rier modulation, left and right stereo audio, the stereo pilot and
the selected subcarrier may be plotted simultaneously or inde-
pendently. Click the colored blocks below the graph to add or
remove an item from the plot.

Click the checkmark at the bottom-right of the window to select

history periods of ten seconds, one minute and ten minutes.
Click Clear at any time to start the graph afresh.
The Mod plot always displays modulation peak values, but the
values of the other plots are integrated in accordance with the
selected display period. Mod provides a first-order measure of
program loudness, as the amount of time that program peaks
spend at or near the maximum modulation value is a persua-
sive indication of program audio density.
In the example above, this station looks to be pretty well within
US modulation guidelines. A highly-processed Babyface track
was playing at the graph start point of 60s. A 10-second ID
came along at the 40s mark, and this led into a mellow GQ track
for the final 30 seconds to the 0s end point. The difference in
peak modulation level between the two songs is about 5%, also
reflected in the left- and right-channel integrated readings that
show about a 0.5dB difference. Never lose sight of the proven
fact that over-processed audio leads to early listener fatigue
and lower TSL (time spent listening!).

— 47 —
 The Meter History plot may be saved as an image file using the
computer’s Prt Scr utility or any common ‘screen snipping’ tool.
Other The Carrier Modulation, Demod Metering and Subcarrier displays
Displays simply echo the front-panel bargraph readouts and their re-
spective selection options, the operation of which was detailed
in a previous section of this manual.

RDS INFORMATION
The 531N decodes and presents a wealth of information about
the RDS subcarrier being received. Here is an example of the
RDS utility put to good use by a station:

About the only thing that this station does not transmit is the
local Time. Many stations elect not to send time data, rather
than risk sending incorrect time or the wrong DST or UTC off-
set info, which tends to make listeners quite irate. The RT+
fields indicate that this station participates in RDS ‘song tag-
ging.’

RDS DATA GROUP STATISTICS

The 531N calculates the percentage of RDS resources used for
each of the RDS data groups. This is illustrated in the screen-
shot on the next page.

— 48 —
 This is the same station in the foregoing example, a typical
pop-music station in an urban market. Despite its thorough
use of RDS capabilities, only a few of the RDS data groups are
actually needed. Also, this station has no rebroadcast ‘transla-
tors,’ hence no Alternative Frequencies List entries are shown.
This station is, however, making use of Open Data Applications
with RT+ song tagging.

SIGNAL ALARMS
This is an important section of the 531N Web interface utility
that requires thoughtful setup.
Also, the time-stamp feature for email notifications and the
Alarm Log depends on Internet time, plus the proper time off-
set and relationship to DST. Correct time setup should be con-
firmed before proceeding here; Internet time setup was ex-
plained on Page 40.
Peak The front-panel Peak Flasher is duplicated in the header at the
Overmodulation top of all 531N Web screens. The Peak Flasher is the basis for
overmodulation alarm dispatches and the Alarm Log.
The trigger point of the
Peak Flasher may be set
with the Peak Set slider.

— 49 —
 Grab and drag the slider knob, or highlight it and use the com-
puter’s cursor keys. The value should be set to a point just at,
or a bit above, your normal modulation peak excursion value.
Time On (Sec) is programmed in like manner. This is the time in
seconds that an indicated peak must remain above the trigger
point to dispatch a notification or appear in the Alarm Log.
What you should be looking for is unusual modulation activity
that would indicate a processing or transmitter malfunction.
You certainly don’t want a series of text messages to your
smart phone for occasional deviation overshoots, so set Time
On (Sec): accordingly. In the example it would take a continu-
ous overmodulation condition of ten full seconds to initiate an
alarm. If you got that sort of text message, something is defi-
nitely amiss.
Time Off (Sec): is the number of seconds that carrier modulation
must remain below the Peak Flasher threshold to reset the Peak
alarm timer. This is certainly not as critical a setting, but a
higher number here will obviate multiple notifications and log-
gings for a trouble condition that comes and goes.
Audio Loss This alarm monitors the left- and right-channel signals inde-
pendently and has a level threshold fixed at about –10dB with
respect to 0dB on the peak-responding DEMOD METERING
scale. This means that dead air or a missing channel will trig-
ger an alarm.
Nearly any broadcast for-
mat, even classical music
programming will con-
tain peaks that reach the
Audio Loss trigger point.
Nonetheless, to avoid unnecessary alarms from short instances
of ‘dead air’ (or pianissimo passages), a Time On (Sec): setting
between 30 seconds and one minute is probably a safe one. If
you suspect that you have short-term dropouts and wish to be
apprised of these fleeting periods of silence you may set Time
On (Sec): to a small number. But pauses in speech may then in-
itiate an alarm.
As with the Peak alarm, Time Off (Sec): is not critical at all, un-
less you want to catch those very quick dropouts.
Low Signal This pair of alarms is associated more with the quality of the
and off-air signal than with probable transmission problems. How-
Multipath ever, Low Signal is the alarm that will let you know that the
transmitter has gone off the air. As in the case of the alarms
previously described, Time On (Sec) can be set to a full minute
or more, as the likelihood of the transmitter shutting down and
then resetting itself in this time interval is doubtful.
There are few transmission faults that will manifest as multi-
path distortion. Reflections off aircraft and other receive-path
perturbations are more likely to cause a brief indication. Even

— 50 —
 with gross overmodulation, which can cause multipath-like ef-
fects, the chances are that a Low Signal or Peak alarm will be the
first hint of a transmitter problem.

EMAIL AND TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATIONS

There must be at least one Recipient listed under the Email
Preferences menu heading for the message dispatch utility to
work; an example is shown on Page 40.
In the Email Notifications section of the Web screen, click the ar-
row at the right of the Recipient: box. This will display a pull-
down list showing all potential recipients of alarm messages.
In the example, the first recipient is selected, an SMS/text-
messaging address for Ron Smith, the station’s Chief Engineer.

Now select the various alarm notifications and logs that will be
automatically dispatched by text message to the C.E. This is
shown below on the left. Then we’ll bring up Ron’s email ad-
dress and determine what to send him there. Since Ron gets
the alarms on his phone, we’ll email just the daily and monthly
logs, as shown on the right.

— 51 —
 Repeat this exercise for any other potential recipients; each will
receive notifications made to order.

THE ALARM LOG

The 531N logs all alarms. Pull-up the Alarm Log by clicking the
+ next to Alarm Log at the bottom of the screen.

This log shows three concurrent alarms, doubtless due to some

momentary transmitter glitch. The Low signal and Peak high
alarms would have been sent to Ron’s phone immediately, and
these three will remain in the log until cleared.
Alarm Log Status: is a notation of how full the log is at the moment. Alt-
Capacity hough the log is capable of containing a couple of thousand
events, it might be important to know when you have accumu-
lated a certain number of entries.
The Email when % full: slider sets-up an independent email noti-
fication when the alarm log reaches the set point. This email
notification can be an alert to a frequently-recurring problem,
or simply serve as a reminder to downloaded and clear the log.

— 52 —
 Downloading Click: Download
and Clearing Alarm Log. This
the Alarm Log opens a browser
dialog box where
the log may be
opened immedi-
ately with a de-
fault text reader,
or the .csv file
download for ar-
chiving or for fur-
ther analysis with a spreadsheet program.
Click: Clear Alarm Log to purge all entries.

— 53 —
 Section VI
UPDATING THE 531N

THE FIRMWARE UPDATER

The 531N hosts two operating files that may be easily updated
by the user in the field. These files are the primary firmware,
which controls the functions, memories and Web interface of
the unit, and the individual Web pages that comprise the Web
interface screens.
The 531N includes a ‘bootloader’ utility that allows firmware to
be updated whenever Inovonics issues changes to add features,
to improve performance, or otherwise to expand the usefulness
of the product. Inovonics supplies firmware updates free of
any additional charges.
A bootloader is a simple software routine that runs on any PC
connected to the same network as the 531N. Refer to Section
IV for specifics on assuring a connection between the 531N and
your computer. This must be a wired, LAN connection for both
the PC and for the 531N. Attempting to use a Wi-Fi link will
almost guarantee failure.
Warning A firmware update will restore the 531N to factory defaults.
All settings and presets will be overwritten! Always save a
Hardware Profile (Page 42) before proceeding with an update.
This will retain all user setup parameters that can be restored
afterward.
Firmware A firmware update will be supplied as a ‘zipped’ folder contain-
Update Files ing a number of files. Make a temporary New Folder on your PC
Desktop and unzip these files to it as shown below.

— 54 —
 One of the supplied files is the third-party bootloader utility, an
‘executable’ (.exe) file. Because executables are notorious for
propagating viruses, many antivirus programs will not allow
.exe files to be downloaded and will urge you not to install
them. But we insist that you trust us and throw caution to the
wind.
Running the Navigate to your temporary
Firmware Desktop folder (New Folder)
Updater and double-click the Firm-
ware Update (.exe) file. This
is the file marked with the
arrow in the snapshot on
the right.
This will bring up the In-
formation message shown
here, advising that the
Firmware Updater does not
yet find the 531N. Click:
OK to start the firmware
updating utility and display
its main screen.
The bootloader window
outlines the firmware
update process in three
easy steps.
The first step advises
that the 531N must, it-
self, be in the ‘boot-
loader’ (firmware update)
mode. Simply hold down
the two SELECT buttons
(6) and (11) on the left
side of the 531N front
panel, and while holding
them down, power-cycle
the unit by unplugging
and replugging the AC
mains cord. This will
display the word boot
on the front-panel LED
frequency readout.
Next, click: Find All Devic-
es at the top of the
Firmware Update win-
dow. The IP address of
the 531N should popu-
late the Select: area, and
a Confirm box will pop-up
on the screen as well.

— 55 —
 The Confirm box is a ‘watchdog’ feature included in the third-
party bootloader utility, but it is not relevant to the 531N up-
date procedure. Click: No in the Con-
firm box to close it, and then click: Pro-
gram at the top of the window, and fi-
nally click: Program, the first item in the
drop-down list. DO NOT click: Run
Program. The update utility will run
and then return the 531N to normal
operation with factory-default values. You may then upload a
Hardware Profile to reclaim all user setup parameters (Page 42).
Updating the If a new version of firmware calls for a
Web Interface Webpage update, there will be an extra
Pages Webpage Uploader.exe file in the Firm-
ware Update folder. The snapshot at
the right shows this file identified with
an arrow.
Immediately after the firmware update is bootloaded, while the
531N is in communication with your computer, return to the
unzipped bootloader folder and double-click this Webpage
Uploader.exe file. The utility will ask you to enter the IP address
of your 531N. Next click: Update and the existing Webpages will
summarily be replaced with updated ones.

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 INOVONICS WARRANTY
I TERMS OF SALE: Inovonics products are sold with an understand-
ing of “full satisfaction”; that is, full credit or refund will be issued for
products sold as new if returned to the point of purchase within 30
days following their receipt, provided that they are returned complete
and in an “as received” condition.
II CONDITIONS OF WARRANTY: The following terms apply unless
amended in writing by Inovonics, Inc.
A. The Warranty Registration Card supplied with this product must
be registered online at www.inovonicsbroadcast.com, within 10
days of delivery.
B. This Warranty applies only to products sold “as new.” It is ex-
tended only to the original end-user and may not be transferred
or assigned without prior written approval by Inovonics.
C. This Warranty does not apply to damage caused by misuse,
abuse, accident or neglect. This Warranty is voided by unau-
thorized attempts at repair or modification, or if the serial identifi-
cation label has been removed or altered.
III TERMS OF WARRANTY: Inovonics, Inc. products are warranted to
be free from defects in materials and workmanship.
A. Any discrepancies noted within THREE YEARS of the date of
delivery will be repaired free of charge, or will be replaced with a
new or remanufactured product at Inovonics’ option.
B. Parts and labor for factory repair required after the three-year
Warranty period will be billed at prevailing prices and rates.
IV RETURNING GOODS FOR FACTORY REPAIR:
A. Equipment will not be accepted for Warranty or other repair with-
out a Return Authorization (RA) number issued by Inovonics pri-
or to its return. An RA number may be obtained by calling the
factory. The number should be prominently marked on the out-
side of the shipping carton.
B. Equipment must be shipped prepaid to Inovonics. Shipping
charges will be reimbursed for valid Warranty claims. Damage
sustained as a result of improper packing for return to the factory
is not covered under terms of the Warranty and may occasion
additional charges.

Revised Aug. 2012