📄️ The RockBLOCK Data Cycle
Welcome to the overview of the data handling cycle for RockBLOCK devices. This guide is designed to help you understand how to effectively collect, process, and transmit data using RockBLOCK modules attached to controllers such as Arduino or Raspberry Pi, equipped with various sensors or data collection devices.
📄️ AT Commands
We've provided details of some of the most important AT commands that you will encounter when using RockBLOCK. Much of this documentation is extracted directly from Iridium's own AT command reference.
📄️ Transmit ASCII Data
This section provides step-by-step instructions on how to transmit ASCII data using your RockBLOCK module. Before you begin, ensure that your RockBLOCK is connected to a suitable power supply and that serial communication has been established with the default settings (19200 baud rate, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit - 8N1).
📄️ Transmit Binary Data
This section details how to transmit binary data using your RockBLOCK module. Ensure that your RockBLOCK is properly connected to a power supply and that the serial communication is correctly set up before proceeding.
📄️ Receive Data
This guide explains how to receive data using the RockBLOCK system. By making a simple HTTP POST to our web service, messages are queued on the satellite network, ready for the RockBLOCK to download at your command.
📄️ Ring Alerts
When a new message enters the MT queue, the gateway sends out a ring alert at the last known location of your RockBLOCK. This free service notifies your device of the queued message so that you can initiate an SBD Session to download it.
📄️ What's the Time?
Whether you are recovering from an unexpected power loss or simply need to sync with the latest time, you can use the AT-MSSTM command to retrieve Iridium network time. This command returns the current time as a 32-bit unsigned number that represents the number of 90-millisecond frames elapsed since the start of the new Iridium Time Era (ERA2).
📄️ Checking the signal strength
Signal Strength Considerations
📄️ Adaptive Retry
There are a variety of reasons why a SBD message may not get through from the RockBLOCK to the satellite.
📄️ Compressing your data
You should consider compressing your data to make maximum use of every byte in your payload.
📄️ RockBLOCK 9603 - Switch Antenna mode
It's possible to select whether the RockBLOCK 9603 uses the internal patch antenna, or external SMA connector by changing the position of a small RF link cable.
📄️ RockBLOCK 9603 - Power Consumption
📘 This document is intended to provide users with an introduction to the power consumption characteristics of the RockBLOCK 9603, to assist in determining battery size for a given application.