Definition and Purpose of a Controller

SOKOL-K1 controllers (hereinafter referred to as the controller, SOKOL-K1, or the product) are designed to collect and process environmental meteorological data, store and analyze the entire volume of information in real time, and transmit it via the GSM network to a server at specified intervals; they also support Modbus polling and other data retrieval methods.

Automatic measurement of meteorological parameters: air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction is performed using the anemorumbometer Sokol - A (hereinafter referred to as “Sokol-A,” anemometer) and the Sokol-TDV sensor (hereinafter referred to as “Sokol-TDV,” TDV sensor).

More detailed technical specifications are provided in the device's technical data sheet. (To be added in the future)

Sokol-K1 User Manual. (To be added in the future)

Technical Specifications of the Sokol-M1

Parameter Name	Parameter value
Supply voltage, VDC	11…15
Average current consumption, mA, not to exceed	10
Battery capacity, Ah (12 V)	18
Maximum battery life (1), hours, at least	800
Communication Interface	RS-485, USB, GSM, LoraWan, Bluetooth
Degree of protection according to GOST 14254	IP23
Operating Conditions (2): Ambient temperature, °C Relative humidity, % Atmospheric pressure, hPa Maximum ambient temperature, °C	from -60 to +55 from 1 to 98 from 540 to 1100 from -65 to +65
Dimensions, mm, maximum	715х400х230
Weight, kg, not to exceed	20
Notes 1 - with a message transmission interval of 30 minutes (or more), an ambient temperature ranging from minus 20 to plus 55 °C, and compliance with the controller’s field installation guidelines; 2 - Data transmission via the GSM channel is possible at temperatures no lower than minus 40 °C. 3 - Operational performance cannot be guaranteed if the equipment is iced over;

Design. Connector functions.

Below is a diagram of the front panel of the Sokol-K1 controller, as well as a photo showing the device's exterior:

1 – LED indicator,

2 – RS-485 connector for connecting to and polling the sensor (does not disable polling when the Sokol-K1 has no external power supply)

3 – RS-485 connector for connecting to and polling the sensor (disables polling when the Sokol-K1 has no external power supply)

4 – Key slot. Used to start the controller and activate the battery

5 – Connector for connecting the controller’s external power supply

6 – RS-485 MODBUS interface connector for polling the controller

7 – USB cable connection port, SIM card slot

8 – connector for connecting an Iridium modem

9 – connector for connecting the Sokol-TDV

10 – connector for connecting the Sokol-A

11 – Connector for connecting the solar panel (+)

12 – Connector for connecting the solar panel (-)

13 – Connector for connecting the amplified LoRa antenna

14 – Connector for connecting the amplified omnidirectional GSM antenna

15 – Connector for connecting the GPS antenna

Charging the battery, external power supply

Before putting the controller into operation, as well as when the battery is low, it must be fully charged. The battery installed in the controller is charged from three power sources:

− a solar panel (sold separately as an accessory for the Sokol-K1 Controller);

− via the USB port from an external power source;

− via the controller’s 12V port from an external power source.

The solar panel is an alternative power source that allows the controller to operate in standalone mode. The USB and 12V external power connectors are designed to efficiently charge the controller’s built-in rechargeable battery. To do this, connect it to a PC’s USB port or to a 12V DC power source.

A full charge of the rechargeable batteries takes up to 4 hours from a DC power source. If the battery is fully discharged, charging may take more than 8 hours. When charging the controller via USB, the charging process is very slow (starting at 12 hours); if the battery is deeply discharged, charging may take about a day. Therefore, the best way to charge the controller is using an external power source.

You can check the battery charge level either in the “SokolCFG” configurator under the “Status” tab, in the “Sokol” mobile app, or on the Natlogger server (in the “Upow” field). The battery is considered fully charged if its voltage is approximately 4.15±0.05 V. The battery is considered discharged if its voltage is less than 3.5 V.

Note: If the controller is connected to an external power source but the switch is not set to the ON position (i.e., the device’s internal battery is not activated), the controller will not charge.

To restart or power off the controller, follow these steps:

1) Disconnect any external power sources

2) Turn the switch to the OFF position (if you do not need to restart the controller, skip step 3)

3) Turn the switch from the OFF position to the ON position, then back to the OFF position, and then to the ON position again.

Connecting and Configuring via the mobile Sokol App

There are several ways to connect and configure the Sokol-K1 Controller:

- Escort mobile app (via Bluetooth connection)

IOS / Android (mobile apps)

- Sokol CFG PC configurator (via USB cable)

Sokol CFG (configurator)

Connection and Configuration via the Sokol Mobile App

Download links: Sokol for Android , Sokol for IOS

To connect to the controller via Bluetooth, turn on the controller's battery using the key included in the kit:

Next, open the app and select “Connect to Weather Station (Controller).”

Then, tap “Connect weather station” in the row corresponding to the controller.

After successful connection you can:

view current readings,
export black box data,
configure the controller.

Online data in the Sokol app

To view current data via Bluetooth, connect to the controller and press Online Data.

Enter the password. Default password: 222.

After connecting, in the Meteo Data tab you will see current sensor readings. In the Status tab, service sensor readings are displayed.

Special attention should be paid to the parameters:

Azimuth, Tilt - these should be close to 0 (or 90 depending on firmware).

Azimuth and Elevation are used when operating the SOKOL-M1 controller

GSM Status and signal strength - these parameters help determine why there is no data from the controller on the server.

A negative GSM signal strength means the message cannot be sent.

In the Additional Devices tab you can find readings from additional sensors such as:

soil moisture sensor,
snow depth sensor, etc.

Configurator. Data transmission settings.

In the application you can configure the controller. To do this, connect via Bluetooth and select Configurator.

There are three tabs available in the Configurator section. On the “Data Transmission” tab, you can change:

Data transmission channel (GSM, Modbus only, Iridium, LoRaWAN)
GSM settings
Server settings
Data transmission interval to server
Exchange interval with BMVD
Send test message to server

By default, the controller is already configured to work with Natlogger or Sokolmeteo servers. Operator APN settings can be found via any search engine - simply enter operator name + APN. Set the transmission channel to GSM.

Important: In most cases, APN settings are stored on the SIM card itself, so the controller usually receives them automatically when reading the SIM card. SIM cards with static white IP addresses (a practice common in corporate mobile service) deserve special attention. The APN for such SIM cards may differ from the publicly available ones and may require manual entry. You can only obtain the APN settings from your system administrator or the person responsible for corporate communications in your organization.

If DNS does not work correctly, enter server IP manually:

Sokolmeteo.com → 185.27.193.112

Natlogger.com → 178.154.206.133

After entering settings press Save.

Controller Black Box

To receive and view the black box report via Bluetooth, connect to the controller via Bluetooth and select Black box.

Select two dates and click Request Data. Then wait for all the data to be downloaded.

On this screen, you can tap the parameter you are interested in to build a temperature graph and select it for graphing.

By clicking the Send button, you can choose a convenient way to send the file to your computer, if necessary.

If you send this report using any of the available methods, it will appear in the main menu of the program (Data Archive).

You can view the report received on your computer using the Escort Charter program.

To view the received data, return to the main screen of the application and select Data archive. Next, select Reports, and tap on the “uploaded archive file” among the available files.

Retrieving and Reading GSM Logs

Retrieving GSM logs allows you to analyze the controller's connection to the network and track the stages at which a particular failure occurs.

y retrieving logs, you can:

1) Track at which stage the connection failure occurs

2) Reduce the time needed to diagnose and resolve the problem

You can find these instructions here. (Currently only available in Russian)

Connection and Configuration via the PC Configurator

Once unpacked, the product does not require configuration using standalone software. The controller is factory-calibrated and set by default to a 30-minute message transmission interval. The controller is ready for installation at the site and commissioning. If you need to change the message transmission interval, manually configure the Internet access point settings (not required in most cases), change the operating mode, etc., you must use the Sokol CFG standalone software.

To connect the controller via GSM, first make sure that 2G coverage is available at the connection site. Check that the SIM card works in a phone. Make sure that an Internet connection is possible with this SIM card.

- Then insert the SIM card into the slot, aligning the contacts toward the center of the controller and making sure you hear a click.

- The notched corner of the SIM card should face down.

Next, be sure to turn the key as follows: from the OFF position to ON, then back to OFF, and once more to ON.

The LED on the controller should flash very frequently - 5 times per second. This means that the controller is setting the time using GPS. If the time cannot be set, the LED will flash once every 2 seconds when attempting to connect.

Next, connect the controller to a PC using the USB cable supplied in the kit to configure it using the SokolCFG configurator. For the SokolCFG configurator to work correctly, you need to install the system components and libraries from Microsoft.

Also, for correct connection and proper detection of the controller by the computer, it is necessary to install THIS DRIVER. After proper installation, when connected via USB, the controller will be detected as STMicroelectronics Virtual COM Port.

Next, you need to configure the connection to the server. In the PC configurator, you need to connect to the controller by selecting the correct COM port for the equipment and clicking the “Open port” button. Next, you need to enter a password to make changes to the controller settings.

In the PC configurator, open the “Server” tab. Here you need to specify the GSM settings for your mobile operator. You can find them using any search engine. Just enter the name of the operator and APN.

To ensure that the SIM card is detected correctly by the controller, press the “Read SIM” button. The configurator should display the SIM card number and the controller's IMEI.

Server settings are configured depending on which resource you use (Sokolmeteo or Natlogger). Below are screenshots of the Sokolmeteo and Natlogger server settings in the SokolCFG configurator.

If DNS does not work correctly, enter server IP manually:
Sokolmeteo.com → 185.27.193.112

Natlogger.com → 178.154.206.133

You can change the data transmission frequency from once every 10 minutes to once every 59 minutes.

The device access password is required for the server to accept data from the correct controller. This password must match the one specified in the device settings when registering the meteo controller on the server.

Be sure to check that the GSM option is selected on the right.

After making any changes to the settings, click the “Set” button to apply the changes.

Once you have configured everything, the GSM status in the “State” tab should change from 0 to 25 each time the controller attempts to contact the server, i.e., every 10 minutes. It will do this in accordance with the data transmission period you specified in the “Server” tab.

To ensure that messages are being transmitted to the server, open the Sokolmeteo or Natlogger website (depending on the server you are using).

Below are instructions for registering the Sokol-K1 controller on the Sokolmeteo and Natlogger servers.

For Sokolmeteo, open the “Messages” tab and enter the controller name in the “All devices” tab to check if there is any data there. For Natlogger, open the “Devices” -> “Meteomoonitoring” -> ‘Messages’ tab and enter the controller name in the “Device” tab to check if there is any data there.

Polling the Sokol-K1 via Modbus

When working with the Sokol-K1 controller, data can be retrieved not only via GSM or a direct USB connection, but also by polling using third-party software and various RS-485 converters.

Below are instructions for configuring, connecting, and polling the controller using an RS-485 interface converter, as well as for polling via Modbus.

Configuring the Controller for Modbus Operation

To connect the Sokol-K1 controller for Modbus polling via a computer or third-party hardware/software using an RS-485 converter, you must configure the controller itself.

Install the Sokol CFG configurator, as well as the system component and library files from Microsoft if necessary. The drivers can be found in the folder containing the Sokol CFG configurator or downloaded from this link. When these files are installed, a message should appear stating, “RuntimePack installed!”

You must also install the drivers to properly connect the controller via USB and configure it.

Link to download drivers for the Sokol-K1 controller

When you connect the USB cable from the controller to the computer, the device should be recognized as "STMicroelectronics Virtual COM Port":

If the port is detected but marked with an exclamation point, either the device is out of power and there isn’t enough power for the COM port to function, or you need to switch USB ports and reconnect it several times. Do not connect the device via a USB hub.
Launch the Sokol Meteo Configurator, select the appropriate COM port, and click “Open Port.” Enter the password by clicking the “Enter Password” button. The default password is 222.

Next, select “Transmission Channel” as MB Only or GSM.

Important! In firmware version 1.3.5 and later, you must check the “Do not sleep” box.

Then click the “Set” button.

By default, the controller is set to "1 network address." You can change or check this setting in the configurator under the "Server" tab.

Controller power supply

To ensure the controller operates correctly via Modbus, verify the following connection points:

controller power supply. Be sure to turn the switch as follows: from the OFF position to ON, then back to OFF, and then to ON again. An external power supply must also be connected to the controller

It is not possible to poll the controller via Modbus without an external power source. Make sure the controller is connected to an external power source.

Power supply pinout 12V

Contact number	Line	Wire color
1	+12	brown
2	GND	blue

Modbus controller connection

Next, you need to connect the controller to an RS-485 converter (such as the C200M2 or any other converter) via the controller’s Modbus input. You can use any other RS-485 converter, provided you follow the pinout. The pinout for the controller’s Modbus cable is as follows.

Modbus connector pinout:

Contact number	Line	Wire color
1	A	yellow-green
2	B	brown
3	GND	blue

An alternative pinout is possible:
Orange - Line A;

White - Line B;

White-green - GND (ground)

Pinout and Connection of RS-485 Converters (C200M2)

To ensure the controller operates correctly via the C200M2 or Bolid RS-485 converter, you must verify that the wires are connected correctly and that the pinout is correct. You must also install the correct drivers so that the converters are recognized by the computer system.

Drivers for the C200M2 Converter

Once the drivers have been installed correctly, the converter will appear in Device Manager as follows:

Pinout and wire colors for the C200M2 converter:

Example of a Modbus Controller Polling Request

You can poll the controller using this command via any program designed for this purpose.

Via the RS-485 interface, using Modbus, you can poll the controller with the following parameters/settings:

Protocol - LLS

Data rate - 19200 kbps

Data size - 8 bits

Parity check: None

Stop bits - 1

As an example of a request, we will use the Terminal.exe program

Request command: 01 03 00 00 00 5A C5 F1

01 – address

03 – code of the command

00 00 – the register number starting from which the number of registers is requested

00 5А – number of registers requested (5A – 90 registers)

С5 F1 – CRC-16 Modbus with byte order reversed;

Answer:

01 03 B4 82 80 00 00 00 00 09 A1 27 1D 00 19 00 00 01 01 00 1D 00 00 00 92 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 06 01 10 0E 03

01 (address) 03 (command) B4 (number of bytes – 180 or 90 registers)

82 80 – firmware (82-1.3.0) and device type + register bank number + sensor error status (Technical information for device developers)
00 00 - the upper 16 bits of UNIX TIME
00 00 - the lower 16 bits of UNIX TIME
09 A1 - temperature: unsigned; resolution 0.01 degrees, i.e., 09A1 – 2465 or 24.65°C
27 1D - Atmospheric pressure is dimensionless; resolution 10Pa; 271K – 10,013 Pa
00 19 - relative humidity: unsigned; resolution 1%; 19–25%
00 00 - wind speed unsigned; resolution 0.01 m/s
01 01 - Wind direction: unsigned; resolution: 1 degree; 101–257°
00 1D - Precipitation level (unsigned); resolution 0.1 mm; 2.9
00 00 - Ultraviolet radiation level (unsigned); resolution 0.01 W/m²
00 92 - Illuminance level: unsigned; resolution: 1 lux; 92–146
00 00 - Wind speed measured by the UZ anemometer is unsigned; resolution 0.01 m/s
00 00 - The wind direction reading from the UZ anemometer is unsigned; resolution: 1 degree.
00 00 - The distance to the obstacle (snow cover) is unsigned; resolution is 1 cm. The DGV must have the network address 160
00 00 - Solar radiation: unsigned; resolution 1 W/m². The pyrheliometer must have the IP address 181
00 00 - BMVD1
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD2
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD3
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD4
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD5
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD6
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - БМВД7
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - BMVD8
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00
00 00 - Particulate matter 2.5 μm unsigned; resolution
00 00 - Particulate matter 10 μm unsigned; resolution 00 00
00 00 - CO2 level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - CO level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - NO level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - NO2 level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - SO2 level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - H2S level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - HCN level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - NH3 level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - CH2O level unsigned; resolution
00 00 - Sokol-DS: accumulated precipitation amount, unsigned value (must be divided by 1000)
00 00 - Sokol-DS; service parameters
00 00 - (Sokol SVC1) Microwave sensor, distance to the nearest object in cm.
00 00 - (Sokol SVC1) Microwave sensor, distance to the farthest object in cm.
00 00 - reserve 5
00 00 - reserve 2
00 06 - black box download flags
01 10 - events (Technical information for device developers)

0E 03 – CRC-16 modbus

If you specify a different register in the command as the starting point for the data to be unloaded, and specify a different number of registers to be requested, the response will contain fewer registers.

Example: