Application Guide Volume II AG2001-12

Implementing MIRRORED BITS Technology Over

Various Communications Media
Ken Behrendt and Ken Fodero

INTRODUCTION
This guide explains how to implement Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL)
MIRRORED BITS® communications over a variety of communications media. MIRRORED BITS
communications provides a simple and effective method to communicate eight “bits” of logical
status information between devices for protection, control, and monitoring. The following is an
overview of MIRRORED BITS communications and a discussion of how this communications
technology is implemented with various media, including the following:
• Dedicated optical fiber
• Multiplexed digital network
• Analog microwave
• Digital point-to-point and spread-spectrum radios
The use of any communications channel using a metallic circuit out of the substation, including
leased digital and leased analog communications circuits, is not recommended for protection
functions using MIRRORED BITS communications because fault-generated noise may interfere
with the communications signal at the time it is needed most. However, leased digital and leased
analog communications are included in this document for those who may want to use these
communications circuits for control and monitoring functions that are not transmitted during
power system fault conditions.
MIRRORED BITS communications technology is available on several models of SEL distance
relays, directional overcurrent relays, and recloser controls. It is also available on a multiport
logic processor, which expands MIRRORED BITS communications capabilities to include any
combination of point and multipoint sources and destinations. Remote I/O modules are available
to interface or expand the I/O capability of products that have MIRRORED BITS communications
with products that do not have built-in MIRRORED BITS communications capabilities.

MIRRORED BITS COMMUNICATIONS

MIRRORED BITS communications is enabled and implemented on each SEL device by setting the
desired serial communications port for MIRRORED BITS operation using the SET P n command,
where n is the port number being set. Select the MIRRORED BITS communications protocol from
the choices presented during the setting process. MIRRORED BITS communications protocol
options include “MB” for standard MIRRORED BITS communications and “MB8” for special
message formats required with radios and some channel service unit/data service unit (CSU/DSU)
devices. You are then prompted for communications parameters, handshaking options, Transmit
and Receive IDs, bad message and bad channel thresholds, individual Received MIRRORED BIT
(RMB) default status, and individual RMB pickup and dropout security counts. Handshaking
options include turning hardware handshaking on or off (Yes or No) or a special handshaking

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format, MBT, for use with the Pulsar Technologies, Inc. MBT9600 analog modem. When these
settings are saved, the MIRRORED BITS communications device begins sending messages that
incorporate the status of eight Transmit MIRRORED BITS (TMBs) and begins processing received
messages that reflect the status of the eight bits as RMBs, as shown in Figure 1.
Device 1 Device 2
T T
0 1
R TMB1 TMB1 R
A 0 0 A
N TMB2 TMB2 N
S .. .. .. .. S
M M
0 0
I TMB8 TMB8 I
T T

R 1 0 R
RMB1 RMB1
E E
C 0 0 C
RMB2 RMB2
E .. .. .. .. E
I I
V 0 0 V
RMB8 RMB8
E E

Figure 1 SEL MIRRORED BITS Communications

The status of each TMB is controlled by a SELOGIC® control equation setting that defines the
condition(s) needed to assert that TMB to a logical 1. In SEL relays, this is done in exactly the
same way you would program an output contact. For example, set TMB1 equal to KEY to assert
TMB1 to a logical 1 when the relay word element KEY asserts in the relay. TMB1 is a logical 0
when this relay word element deasserts. When TMB1 asserts, its respective data bit in the next
transmitted message is a 1 and remains a 1 in each message thereafter until TMB1 deasserts, after
which the data bit representing TMB1 is a 0. All eight bits in each transmitted message are
independently controlled by the TMB1 through TMB8 settings.
Please note that the acronyms used for Transmit MIRRORED BITS and Received MIRRORED BITS
vary on some multiport devices to include the port designation in the acronym. For instance, the
SEL-311 family of products support MIRRORED BITS communications on two channels,
designated Channels A and B. All TMBs and RMBs associated with Channel A include a suffix
“A” (e.g., TMBxA and RMBxA) in their respective relay settings. The SEL-2100 Logic
Processor, with 15 MIRRORED BITS communications ports, uses the format TxPn for Transmit
MIRRORED BITS and RxPn for Received MIRRORED BITS, where x is the bit number (1–8) and n
is the port number (1–15). For simplicity, this document uses the terms TMB and RMB. It is
important to understand that the channel and port designations associated with a specific SEL
MIRRORED BITS communications product are not part of the MIRRORED BITS communications
message. Therefore, any SEL MIRRORED BITS communications product can communicate with
any other SEL MIRRORED BITS communications product, provided that the message formats are
compatible, as explained in the section on “MIRRORED BITS Communications Messages.”
All eight TMB logic statements are processed every device-processing interval. The status of
each TMB data bit is reflected in each transmitted message. In general, a new message is
transmitted every processing interval. For example, this occurs eight times per power system
cycle in SEL-321 Phase and Ground Distance Relays and in SEL-421 Protection, Automation,
and Control Systems and four times per cycle in SEL-351 Directional Overcurrent and Reclosing
Relays. When the message is received at the other device, each RMB is treated as a control input,
which you program in that device for protection, control, or monitoring functions. MIRRORED
BITS communications creates a virtual eight output to eight input connection in both directions
between two MIRRORED BITS communications devices.

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MIRRORED BITS Communications Messages

MIRRORED BITS communications messages consist of four characters (bytes). Each byte is made
up of a start bit, six data bits, one parity bit, and one or two stop bits. The MB and MBT settings
protocols include one stop bit, for a total of nine bits per character. The MB8 protocol setting
includes two stop bits, for a total of ten bits per character. The MB8 protocol setting must be used
with communications channel equipment that counts bits and requires a 10-bit character. The
MBT protocol setting is required when the Pulsar MBT9600 analog modem is connected to the
SEL device. The MB8 protocol setting should be used with all other communications interface
equipment.
SEL-400 series relays have no MB8 protocol selection. Instead, select the MB protocol, and
select two stop bits where communications channel equipment requires a 10-bit character. The
SEL-400 series relays also include a MIRRORED BITS protocol transmit mode (TXMODE)
setting. This should be set to “Normal” when the MIRRORED BITS communications is between
two SEL-400 series relays and to “Paced” when the MIRRORED BITS communications is between
an SEL-400 series relay and any other SEL device with MIRRORED BITS communications.
MIRRORED BITS communications messages are transmitted and received asynchronously through
a serial communications port on each device at baud rates up to 38400 baud. The baud rate and
related communications parameters must be set the same on both MIRRORED BITS
communications device ports. The Transmit ID setting on one device port must match the
Receive ID on the other device port, and both Transmit ID and Receive ID should not be set the
same in one MIRRORED BITS communications device port, thereby preventing the device from
accepting its own message should the communications circuit be looped back on itself.
MIRRORED BITS communications devices are not required to send and receive messages at the
same rate. This feature enables two devices with different processing intervals to communicate
with each other. For example, the SEL-321-1 Relay, which processes and sends messages as
often as eight times per power system cycle, can exchange MIRRORED BITS communications
messages with an SEL-351-1 Relay, which processes and sends messages four times per power
system cycle.
Received MIRRORED BITS communications messages are checked several ways to ensure data
security. First, each byte is checked for parity, framing, or overrun errors. Second, the eight
RMBs, which are each repeated three times in the four-character message, are checked for
redundancy. Third, the encoded ID must match the receiving port’s RX_ID setting. And finally,
at least one message must be received in the time three messages have been sent.
When MIRRORED BITS communications messages pass all of the security checks for at least two
consecutive good messages, the receiving device ROK element asserts. New logical status
information from messages passing the message security checks then passes through the
pickup/dropout security counters, where individual bits may be delayed for added security, based
on the RMBxPU and RMBxDO settings. These security counters can be set from 1, which allows
each bit to pass, to 8, which requires that a status change must be consistent through 8 messages
before the RMBx status is allowed to change.
The ROK element deasserts immediately when a bad message is received, and the message is
rejected. The status of each RMB is then determined by the preset default state defined in the
RXDFLT setting: logical 1, logical 0, or retain the state from the last good message. If the data
interruption or message corruption continues for more than the RBADPU delay time setting, the
device RBAD element asserts. If enough corrupted messages are received over a period of time to
cause the channel unavailability to exceed the CBADPU setting, the CBAD element asserts. You
can program any or all of these elements to alarm or perform control actions in the MIRRORED
BITS communications device.

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You can use the COMM command in each MIRRORED BITS communications device to obtain a
summary of communications data errors, longest communications outage, and statistical
calculation of channel unavailability. The COMM L command provides the same summary
information plus a time-tagged listing with the duration of the most recent 255 communications
outages.
You can use the LOOP command to put the MIRRORED BITS communications port in a loopback
test mode. This has no effect on the communications circuit, so you need to reconnect the portion
of the communications circuit you want to test in a loopback configuration. ROK deasserts and
the loopback status bit, LBOK, asserts if the relay is receiving good messages from itself. The
RMBs default to their RXDFLT setting state because ROK is deasserted. To see RMBs change
state based on TMB changes, use the LOOP DATA command. The loopback test mode
automatically times out, preventing the device from remaining in the test mode indefinitely.

Communications Channel Requirements and Characteristics

The communications channel used between MIRRORED BITS communications devices must
provide full-duplex communication because MIRRORED BITS communications messages are sent
independently in both directions between devices at the same time. Some communications
devices may simulate full-duplex communication with half-duplex equipment, but this must be
tested to ensure compatibility. The communications channel and channel equipment will increase
the time it takes for the MIRRORED BITS communications message to get from one device to the
other. Some delays may be insignificant, while some delays are greater and may not be
acceptable for the application. Channel delays may be indeterministic, particularly on switched
networks with multiple paths. These delays and delay variations must be considered in each
application to ensure that the protection, control, and monitoring functions perform within
accepted requirements.
Back-to-back communications delays between various SEL MIRRORED BITS communications
devices are listed in Appendix A. Total system delays can be measured using a simple “ping-
pong” technique and the Sequential Events Recorder (SER) or oscillographic data recording
capabilities in SEL devices. The ping-pong technique requires that you assert a selected TMB in
one device, which asserts a corresponding RMB when received in the other device. You simply
program that RMB to directly assert a TMB in a return message. The time difference between the
original TMB assertion and the return message RMB assertion is the round-trip communications
delay, which consists of two back-to-back delays plus two one-way channel delays. Subtracting
twice the back-to-back delay from the round-trip delay and dividing the result by two can easily
calculate the one-way channel delay. This technique is explained in detail in SEL Application
Guide 98-11 “Testing the SEL-321-1 Relay-to-Relay Digital Logic Communication Time Delay.”
You can check the communications delay for other MIRRORED BITS communications devices by
using the same technique.

COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS
The following sections describe how you implement MIRRORED BITS communications between
SEL devices over the most commonly used communications channels. Not all possible channels
are included because some are not yet technically feasible, and some may not provide reasonable
channel performance to be considered viable.

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Direct Digital Communication via Fiber-Optic Cable

The optimum communications channel for MIRRORED BITS communications is dedicated optical
fiber. Direct digital MIRRORED BITS communications via dedicated optical fiber overcomes the
problems of ground potential rise and interference problems encountered with metallic cable, and
it has the least end-to-end delay of any communications channel. A fiber-optic transceiver is used
at each relay terminal to convert the relay’s EIA-232C signal to an optical signal that is
transmitted over fiber-optic cable as shown in Figure 2. One fiber is required in each direction.
Station 1 Station 2

Fiber-Optic Cable
MB Relay 1 FO Modem FO Modem MB Relay 2

Figure 2 Relays Using Fiber-Optic Modems

Present multimode fiber-optic cable and transceiver technology supports optical signal
transmission up to about 10 miles (15 kilometers). Longer distance transmission, over 50 miles, is
achieved using single-mode optical cable and transceivers. The current cost of the fiber-optic
transceivers ranges from a few hundred dollars (U.S.) for each multimode transceiver to around
one thousand dollars (U.S.) for each single-mode transceiver.
Fiber-optic transceivers require power to produce their optical signals. Transceivers that use
external ac power, external dc power, dc power from one or more control lines on the EIA-232C
serial communications port, or power from the EIA-232C transmit and receive lines are available.
Transceivers that use external ac power should not be used unless the ac is from an
uninterruptible power supply. External dc-powered transceivers are acceptable, provided they
have adequate filtering to prevent communications disruption or corruption caused by dc ripple
and switching transients.
It is often preferable to power the transceiver directly from the device port to avoid external
power surges and transients. Most SEL MIRRORED BITS communications devices provide
jumper-selectable 5-volt dc output on Pin 1 of their EIA-232C port that can be used to power
external devices like fiber-optic transceivers. SEL relay EIA-232C ports also include Data
Terminating Equipment (DTE) control lines, such as Data Terminal Ready (DTR) or Clear to
Send (CTS), that can also be used to port-power communications devices.
SEL MIRRORED BITS Transmit
Fiber-Optic
Communications
Transceiver Receive
Device

Optical Fibers
EIA-232 Connection

Figure 3 Terminal Configuration for Fiber-Optic Transceivers

Dedicated fiber-optic communication is the simplest, most straightforward media for MIRRORED
BITS communications. It is virtually immune from electrical interference and typically has a Bit
Error Rate below 10-9 and a very small data delay. The data delay is about eight microseconds or
less per kilometer for fiber and is usually measured in tens of microseconds or less for overall
communications delay. Fiber-optic transceiver and optical signal propagation delay are negligible
compared with the data transfer rate between relays. Table 1 lists some fiber modem options.

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Table 1 Fiber-Optic Transceivers

Brand Model Cost Comments
Schweitzer Engineering SEL-2800M $102 (U.S.) 650 nm, 200 micron multimode fiber
Laboratories, Inc. each up to 500 meters;
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. V-pin fiber-optic connectors;
Pullman, WA 99163 DB-9 male EIA-232;
(509) 332-1890 communications port powered
Schweitzer Engineering SEL-2815M $362 (U.S.) 850 nm, multimode fiber up to 15 km;
Laboratories, Inc. each ST-type fiber-optic connectors;
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. DB-9 male EIA-232;
Pullman, WA 99163 communications port powered
(509) 332-1890
Schweitzer Engineering SEL-2829M $700 (U.S.) Single-mode fiber up to 23 km;
Laboratories, Inc. each ST-type fiber-optic connectors;
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. DB-9 male EIA-232;
Pullman, WA 99163 communications port powered
(509) 332-1890
Schweitzer Engineering SEL-2830M $980 (U.S.) 1300 nm, single-mode fiber up to 80 km;
Laboratories, Inc. each ST-type fiber-optic connectors;
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. DB-9 male EIA-232;
Pullman, WA 99163 communications port powered
(509) 332-1890
Schweitzer Engineering SEL-2831M $1500 (U.S.) 1550 nm, single-mode fiber up to 110 km;
Laboratories, Inc. each ST-type fiber-optic connectors;
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. DB-9 male EIA-232;
Pullman, WA 99163 communications port powered
(509) 332-1890

Digital Networks
Communications multiplexers interface individual communications channels to a
communications network that carries many communications channels. The network
communications media may consist of optical fiber and/or digital microwave radio. The network
topology usually has several communications nodes where channels are inserted or dropped and
may be looped to provide alternate paths if one segment of the network fails or is taken out of
service for maintenance.
MIRRORED BITS communications is interfaced to the network communications multiplexer in one
of two ways. One technique requires the use of an EIA-232C interface card, sometimes referred
to as an “asynchronous data card” or “low-speed data card,” inserted in the multiplexer rack as
shown in Figure 5. The relay serial communications port is connected to the multiplexer EIA-232
interface card with a shielded metallic cable or a fiber-optic cable with fiber-optic transceivers.
The EIA-232 interface card must be set with the same baud rate as the MIRRORED BITS
communications device port to establish communication. The interface card may also require
settings for data bits, parity bits, and stop bits to match the MIRRORED BITS communications
message framing. If the message frame settings are incompatible, it is still possible to establish
secure communication using “oversampling.” Oversampling requires that the EIA-232C interface
card baud rate be set to at least 2.5 times the relay port baud rate. For example, with the
EIA-232C card baud rate set at 38400 baud and the relay port baud rate set at 9600 baud, the
interface card oversamples the relay message by a factor of four. This should provide satisfactory
communication regardless of the message frame settings. All of the EIA-232 multiplexer

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interface cards listed in Table 2 are compatible with SEL devices, eliminating the need to use an
oversampling technique.
Station 1 Station 2

Digital
Relay 1 Multiplexer Network Multiplexer Relay 2

Figure 4 Typical Multiplexer Application

The other technique you can use to overcome multiplexer compatibility issues uses a multiplexer
“synchronous data card” or “high-speed data card” that provides a full 56/64 kilobits per second
(kbps) sampling rate. There are no message frame settings on this card, but it must have an
EIA-232 serial port interface. The “synchronous” card oversamples the lower speed asynchronous
communications signal. The asynchronous baud rate must be set no higher than 19200 baud to
maintain an oversampling ratio of at least 2.5 times the relay port baud rate. See Table 2 for a list
of multiplexers and channel cards; Table 3 lists cables for each.
Fiber-optic communication is recommended for long runs (more than 50 feet) between the relay
and the multiplexer or where the communications system multiplexer rack is located in a separate
control building. Fiber-optic communication minimizes electrical interference from the substation
environment.
Network administration, such as channel addressing and synchronizing, is handled in the network
multiplexer. Some network multiplexers also perform error checking. If the channel goes down
due to failure or data error, the network multiplexers must “resynchronize” the signal
communications path before the communications channel is restored. This resynch time depends
on the type of multiplexer equipment and “switching” technique used. The simplest switching
techniques require only a few milliseconds to resynchronize, while those with more complex
handshaking signals may take up to 60 milliseconds to resynchronize.
Multiplexing the EIA-232 MIRRORED BITS communications signal in and out of the
communications network introduces some signal delay. Multiplexers that do not perform error
checking or data compression usually introduce only a few milliseconds of delay. Network
multiplexers that perform error detection and/or data compression may cause more significant
data delays, possibly up to tens of milliseconds, that may significantly degrade the end-to-end
protection or control logic response time. Check with the communications equipment
manufacturer for information about data delay.

SEL MIRRORED BITS EIA-232 Channel

Communications Card in Multiplexer
Device Card Rack

EIA-232 Adapter Cable

Figure 5 Terminal Configuration for a Typical Multiplexer

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Table 2 EIA-232 Channel Cards

Brand
AMETEK Power Instruments –
Pulsar Technologies, Inc.
4050 NW 121st Ave.
Coral Springs, FL 33065
(954) 344-9822
RFL Electronics Inc.
353 Powerville Road
Boonton Township, NJ 07005
(973) 334-3100
GE Lentronics
(604) 421-8700
Model Comments
232 Data Card Dual-channel (low-speed data) card, DCE. Use the
SEL C285 communications cable or equivalent
fiber-optic cable with port-powered transceivers.
DA-191B and IMUX 2000, DA-191B four-port asynchronous data
MA-420A or module with speeds up to 38400 baud. Requires
MA-440A MA-420A Module Adapter, which provides two
EIA-232 interface ports, or MA-440A, which
provides four EIA-232 interface ports. Use the
SEL C285 communications cable or equivalent
fiber-optic cable with port-powered transceivers.
Jungle MUX This card uses one 38400-baud channel. It uses
Low-Speed compression screw terminations instead of DB-type
Data Card connectors. Only TX, RX, and GND connections
are used for communication. Use an SEL C246
cable with the DCE end cut off to connect the SEL
relay to the data card termination block.

Table 3 EIA-232 Cables

Brand Model Cost Comments
Schweitzer Engineering C285 cable $32 (U.S.) DB9 male to DB9 male straight-
Laboratories, Inc. plus $0.31 through cable for DTE to DCE
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. per foot over equipment connections, including
Pullman, WA 99163 8 ft. RTS and CTS. Check channel card
(509) 332-1890 pin configuration before ordering.
Schweitzer Engineering C246 cable $32 (U.S.) DB9 male to DB9 female straight-
Laboratories, Inc. plus $0.31 through cable for DTE to DCE
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. per foot over equipment connections, TX, RX,
Pullman, WA 99163 8 ft. and GND only. Check channel card
(509) 332-1890 pin configuration before ordering.

Digital Point-to-Point Radio

Point-to-point digital radio provides dedicated communication between two sites, as shown in
Figure 6. Radios using spread-spectrum modulation are available that operate in the 900 MHz
frequency band with relatively low power ratings, do not require special licensing, and have a
range of around 10 to 20 miles with line-of-site operation. The radios include an EIA-232
transceiver to interface with the relay EIA-232C serial communications port at rates up to 38400
baud.

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Station 1 Station 2

Radio Radio
MB Relay 1 Transceiver Transceiver MB Relay 2

10 Miles

Figure 6 Typical Spread-Spectrum Application

Radios with no built-in error detection work best with MIRRORED BITS communications because
they add only a few milliseconds to the overall relay-to-relay communications data delay. Those
radios that have built-in error detection may introduce data delays of 60 milliseconds or more.
Resynchronization time can also momentarily delay a signal from reaching its destination.
Because speed is a very critical aspect of most protection schemes, be sure to check the radio
specifications carefully for the radio system data delay and resynchronization time characteristics.
Full-duplex communication (simultaneous data communication in both directions) is required for
proper MIRRORED BITS operation. Some radios support only half-duplex communication (data
communication in one direction at a time), requiring that two radios be used to accomplish full-
duplex data communication. However, some half-duplex radios are able to simulate full-duplex
communication well enough to support MIRRORED BITS communications.

Data Format
Most radio transceivers require message formats with nine or ten bits per character, excluding the
start bit. The standard MIRRORED BITS communications protocol, MB, message format includes
only eight bits in each character, excluding the start bit. The alternate MIRRORED BITS
communications protocol, MB8, addresses this issue by adding an additional stop bit to the
character. The MB8 protocol includes six data bits, one parity bit, and two stop bits per character,
which is compatible with the more standard data format of eight data bits, no parity, and one stop
bit, to meet the nine bits per character requirement.

Half-Duplex vs. Full-Duplex Radios

Radios are effectively half-duplex communications devices. Some radios emulate a full-duplex
channel by polling the transmit (TX) and receive (RX) data lines often. To date, SEL has found
two radio manufacturers that support the MIRRORED BITS communications protocol. They are
listed in Table 4. Table 5 lists recommended cables.

Digital Radio
SEL Relay
Transceiver

EIA-232 Adapter Cable: Coax Cable

DB-9 Male for Relay to to Antennae
DB-9 Male, SEL C285

Figure 7 Terminal Configuration for a Typical Spread-Spectrum Radio

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Table 4 Digital Radio Transceivers

Brand
FreeWave Technologies, Inc.
1880 South Flatiron Ct.
Boulder, CO 80301
www.freewave.com
Phone: (303) 444-3862
Fax: (303) 786-9948
Microwave Data Systems Inc.
175 Science Parkway
Rochester, NY 14620
www.microwavedata.com
Phone: (585) 242-9600
Fax: (585) 242-9620
Model Comments
FGR-115MB See SEL Application Guide 2000-02,
“MIRRORED BITS® Communications With
FreeWave Technologies Spread-Spectrum
Radios (Model FGR-115MB),” for more
information.
TransNET 900™ See SEL Application Guide 2003-07,
with Mirrored Bits “MIRRORED BITS® Communication With
software MDS Spread-Spectrum Radios,” for more
information.

Table 5 EIA-232 Cables

Brand Model Cost Comments
Schweitzer Engineering C285 cable $32 (U.S.) plus DB9 male to DB9 male straight-
Laboratories, Inc. $0.31 per foot through cable for DTE to DCE
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. over 8 ft. equipment connections, including
Pullman, WA 99163 RTS and CTS. Check channel card
(509) 332-1890 pin configuration before ordering.

Leased Digital (Not Recommended for Protection)

The leased digital communications channel is supplied in the form of a four-wire metallic
communications circuit from the nearest local service provider’s central office, similar to a leased
analog communications channel. The digital communications channel, referred to as a DS0
channel, has 56 kilobits per second communications capability, which is more than sufficient for
the 9600- or 19200-baud serial communications rate on the relay. Fractional DS0 channels having
9600 or 19200 bps communications capabilities may also be available. Circuits with metallic
conductors between the substation and provider’s central office are not recommended for
MIRRORED BITS protection functions because fault-generated noise may disrupt the
communications signal at the time the protection scheme needs the communications channel
most. However, the leased digital channel may provide satisfactory performance for control and
monitoring functions.
The relay serial communications port is interfaced with the leased digital communications
channel through a CSU/DSU digital service access device in North America or Line Terminating
Unit (LTU) in Europe (see Figure 8). Digital service access devices perform two functions. The
digital interface to the customer’s equipment (EIA-232 in this case) is provided by the DSU
portion of the unit, and the interface to the digital transmission circuit, including line conditioning
and equalization, is provided by the CSU portion of the unit.

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Station 1 Station 2

Dedicated
Relay 1 CSU/DSU Leased Digital CSU/DSU Relay 2
Circuit

Figure 8 Typical Leased Digital Circuit Application

Data delay through the CSU/DSU and leased digital circuit is insignificant, provided there is no
error detection/correction performed outside the relay. Check with your CSU/DSU vendor and
digital circuit service provider about data delay characteristics. The equipment required is listed
in Table 6, Table 7, and Table 8.
The dedicated digital circuit, leased from a local service provider, is routed through at least one
central office. If the substations are located in different central office territories, the circuit will be
routed through multiple central offices. Multiple central office connections increase data delay.
As discussed earlier, path switching in networks can momentarily disrupt communication. Check
with your local service provider about data delay and circuit switching issues.

Substation
SEL Relay CSU/DSU Communications
Circuit Protection

Adapter Cable: Four-Wire Twisted Pair Four-Wire Twisted Pair

DB-9 Male for Relay to to Substation to Digital Circuit
DB-25 Male for CSU/DSU Telephone Cabinet Provider’s Wire Center

Figure 9 Terminal Configuration for a Typical CSU/DSU Leased Application

Table 6 CSU/DSUs
Brand Model Comments
American Technology Labs ATL-6410-IQ-DC The ATL-6410-IQ-DC is a 48 Vdc model, and
115 West 3rd Street #9 ATL-6410-IQ-HVDC the ATL-6410-IQ-HVDC is a 130 Vdc model.
Stevensville, MT 59870
(800) 223-9758
Black Box Corporation MT160A Front card
1000 Park Drive MT161C-25 DB25 rear card
Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 PS461A 48 Vdc power supply
(877) 877-2269 RM202 2-port microrack

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Table 7 EIA-232 Cables

Brand Model Cost Comments
Schweitzer Engineering C222FZ fiber- $235 (U.S.) plus 9-pin to 25-pin cable. Check
Laboratories, Inc. optic cable with $0.50 per foot channel card pin configuration
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. SEL-2800 over 25 ft. (price before ordering. Fiber-optic
Pullman, WA 99163 transceivers includes both cable recommended to
(509) 332-1890 transceivers and eliminate substation noise.
fiber-optic cable)
Schweitzer Engineering C222 cable $32 (U.S.) plus 9-pin to 25-pin cable. Check
Laboratories, Inc. $0.31 per foot channel card pin configuration
2350 NE Hopkins Ct. over 8 ft. before ordering.
Pullman, WA 99163
(509) 332-1890

Table 8 Substation Communications Circuit Protection

Brand Model Comments
Positron Industries Inc. Teleline High-dielectric isolating transformer
1745 Phoenix Boulevard Isolator
Suite 450
Atlanta, GA 30349
(770) 996-0055
SNC Manufacturing Co., Inc. P31006 Lyte Lynx T-Carrier Four-Wire (DS1) Isolation
101 West Waukau Ave. Transformers in fiberglass enclosure
Oshkosh, WI 54902
(800) 558-3325
SNC Manufacturing Co., Inc. P30051 C-Line T-Carrier Four-Wire Isolation Card
101 West Waukau Ave.
Oshkosh, WI 54902
(800) 558-3325

Analog Microwave
Analog microwave communications channels are commonly used for traditional pilot
communications schemes. They can also be applied to MIRRORED BITS communications by
simply connecting the selected serial communications port on each relay to the analog microwave
channel via a four-wire analog modem, as shown in Figure 10. The analog microwave channel
includes terminal and channel modem cards to match the four-wire modem input/output to the
multiplexed analog microwave radio system. The four-wire modem, much like the CSU/DSU for
leased digital circuits, interfaces with the relay’s EIA-232 serial port and provides line
conditioning and equalization on the interface with the analog communications circuit.
Unlike the dial-up modem, the four-wire modem is connected and communicating with the
remote modem all of the time.

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Station 1 Station 2

MB Relay 1 MBT9600 MBT9600 MB Relay 2

Analog Microwave Radio

Figure 10 Typical Analog Microwave Application

Typical analog microwave circuits are designed for voice-grade applications, providing a
frequency bandwidth of about 300 to 4000 Hz. In a full-duplex communications system, about
half of the bandwidth is used for communication in each direction. With a one-to-one relationship
between bandwidth and baud rate, this limited bandwidth permits frequency shift key (FSK)
analog modems to transmit at communications rates up to 1200 baud. Above 1200 baud, modems
must apply more complex modulation schemes. While these modulation schemes improve the
modem’s overall data throughput, they make the modem more sensitive to channel noise.
Additionally, the conversion of digital data into an analog signal introduces data delay in the
transmitted/received signal. Increased sensitivity to channel noise dictates that the modem
incorporate data error detection, and some “smart” modems incorporate error correction. All of
this requires data buffering, which further increases the data delay. Because of the emphasis on
data throughput in today’s communications market, it is difficult to find modems that do not have
“smart” features that increase the data delay. Consequently, MIRRORED BITS communications via
analog communication tends to incur a higher data delay than digital communications channels.
Pulsar Technologies, Inc., designed the MBT9600 analog modem (see Table 9) to work
exclusively with MIRRORED BITS communications. This modem minimizes data delay and
resynch time to optimize analog circuit communication. The MBT9600 also plugs directly into
the SEL relay 9-pin serial communications port and is powered off of the port at 5 Vdc on Pin 1,
eliminating the need for external power.

Analog Radio Rack

MBT9600
SEL Relay With Four-Wire
Analog Modem
Channel Card

Four-Wire Twisted Pair

To Radio Antennae
to Analog Radio Rack

Figure 11 Terminal Configuration for a Typical Analog Microwave Application

Table 9 MBT9600 Analog Modem

Brand
AMETEK Power Instruments –
Pulsar Technologies, Inc.
4050 NW 121st Ave.
Coral Springs, FL 33065
(954) 334-9822
Model Comments
MBT9600 Leased-line four-wire modem, 9600 baud,
<12 ms delay, minimal resynch time, and
powered from relay port at 5 Vdc

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Leased Analog (Not Recommended for Protection)

Leased analog communications circuits are commonly used for traditional audio tone pilot
communications schemes. However, experience has shown that these circuits are often not
suitable for MIRRORED BITS communications functions used for protection. The leased analog
communications channel is typically supplied in the form of a four-wire metallic communications
circuit from the nearest service provider’s central office. Circuits with metallic conductors
between the substation and provider’s central office are not recommended for MIRRORED BITS
communications protection functions because fault-generated noise may disrupt the
communications signal at the time the protection scheme needs the communications channel
most. Dedicated FSK tone systems offer the most reliable performance over these types of
circuits.

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APPENDIX A

MIRRORED BITS Communications Device Back-to-Back Data Delay

Table 10 lists the back-to-back one-way data delay time incurred in SEL MIRRORED BITS
communications devices, measured from the time a TMB is asserted in one device to the time the
corresponding RMB is received and processed in the other device.
Table 10 Back-to-Back Data Delay
Typical Data Delay of 1/8-Cycle Typical Data Delay of 1/4-Cycle
Baud Rate Processing Interval Devices1 Processing Interval Devices2
(Maximum) (Maximum)
38400 4.2 ms (4.2 ms) 8.3 ms (8.3 ms)
19200 6.3 ms (6.3 ms) 10.5 ms (12.5 ms)
9600 8.3 ms (10.4 ms) 12.5 ms (12.5 ms)
4800 12.5 ms (18.7 ms) 16.7 ms (20.8 ms)
1
Includes SEL-321-1 and SEL-421 distance relays and the SEL-2505 and SEL-2506 Remote
I/O Modules.
2
Includes all SEL-351 family of relays with MIRRORED BITS communications, all SEL-311
family of relays (-A, -B, -C, -L), and the SEL-2100 Logic Processor.

FACTORY ASSISTANCE
We appreciate your interest in SEL products and services. If you have questions or comments,
please contact us at:
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
2350 NE Hopkins Court
Pullman, WA 99163-5603 USA
Telephone: +1.509.332.1890
Fax: +1.509.332.7990
www.selinc.com • info@selinc.com

Date Code 20070703 SEL Application Guide 2001-12

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© 2001, 2007 by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

All rights reserved.

All brand or product names appearing in this document are

the trademark or registered trademark of their respective
holders. No SEL trademarks may be used without written
permission.

SEL products appearing in this document may be covered by

US and Foreign patents.
*AG2001-12*
SEL Application Guide 2001-12 Date Code 20070703