RV50
RV50
RetiredIndustrial 4G LTE Cellular Gateway
No longer available to order
This product is retained for service, documentation, and compatibility information.
Replaced by
- RV50X
Industrial 4G LTE Cellular Gateway
- Model:
- RV50
- Item Number:
- 31886
- Warranty:
- 3 years
Overview
The RV50 is an industrial 4G LTE cellular gateway that provides serial and Ethernet connectivity to numerous cellular networks. (The RV50 automatically falls back to 3G or 2G when 4G coverage is not available.) The RV50 is capable of LTE, CDMA/EV-DO, and GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA networking and is carrier-approved worldwide for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Rogers, Bell, Telus, and other cellular data carriers. The networking and carrier used by the RV50 are determined by the active SIM card(s) inserted into the device.
Note: The RV50 does not ship with a SIM card unless the cellular modem was provisioned with/for Cellular Data Services; the SIM card is provided by the carrier when signing up for service.
Key Advantages
Cellular data services available
Technical Description
The RV50 is an industrial 4G LTE cellular gateway. It requires at least one mini-SIM (2FF) card supplied by your cellular carrier and a suitable 12 or 24 Vdc nominal power source. The RV50 has an RS-232 serial port that can be used for serial server, serial client, and PPP host services. This port is commonly connected to a data logger RS-232 serial port. Additionally, it has an Ethernet port, as well as a host of Ethernet and IP services related to routing, port forwarding, VPN, and more. The RV50 has three antenna connectors to be used for primary and diversity antennas and GPS, although the unit can operate with only the primary cellular antenna connected.
Internet Connectivity
The RV50 provides Internet connectivity to any Campbell Scientific data loggers located within range of a compatible cellular network. Armed with Internet connectivity, a data logger can remotely connect to Campbell Scientific software on a PC, mobile device, and the cloud. The RV50 can also enable many data loggers to communicate using other Internet protocols, such as Modbus, DNP3, email, and web (HTTP).
Device Intelligence
The RV50 is powered by the Sierra Wireless ALEOS embedded operating system. This allows the RV50 to provide highly reliable connectivity and remote device management independent of the device it is connected to. The numerous embedded services include IP serial server and client, local PPP host, dynamic DNS client, routing, VPN, and more.
Establishing Cellular Service
Campbell Scientific offers low-cost, cellular data service plans for the RV50. Our data service plans include Verizon in the United States and AT&T in North America (US, Mexico, Canada), as well as international access to over 600 carriers in 185 countries. The Konect Router Service is included to assure a secure connection with Campbell Scientific data logger support software.
Configuring the RV50
The RV50 is configured using ACEManager, a web-based configuration tool hosted by the gateway. ACEManager can be accessed using Internet Explorer or Firefox remotely over the cellular WAN or locally over Ethernet. A number of templates will be provided for download to make most configurations very simple after connection to ACEManager.
Data Logger Connection
Data loggers can be connected in a variety of ways to suit the needs of the application. Common methods include the use of serial or Ethernet peripherals. The 28899 Ethernet cable is shipped with the RV50 for connecting Ethernet devices.
Powering the RV50
Compared to many other industrial cellular gateways, the RV50 has a very low power consumption. The average current consumption at 12 Vdc is about 65 to 95 mA when idle, depending on its configuration. Additionally, the RV50 can be turned on and off easily using a data logger C, U, or SW12V port. When using the SW12V terminal, the modem can typically be powered with a BP12 battery, a CH150 charger/regulator, and a SP10 solar panel.
Antennas
Campbell Scientific offers two antennas for the RV50. Our higher gain omnidirectional (pn 32262) and Yagi (pn 31128) antennas require a cable to connect them to the RV50. The COAXSMA-L cable connects the antennas directly to the RV50 cellular antenna connector. The COAXNTN-L cable and a surge protector (pn 31317) are used when the RV50 is susceptible to lightning or electrostatic buildup or for long cable runs. Two external antennas are required for reliable 4G LTE communications.
Benefits
- Easily provides Internet connectivity to Campbell Scientific data loggers and peripherals anywhere there is cellular network coverage
- Very low power consumption when compared to other industrial cellular gateways
- Compatible with most Campbell Scientific data loggers
- 4G LTE networking with automatic fallback to 3G and 2G
- Works with many cellular network carriers
- Ready to use out of the box—no need to work with a cellular carrier for modem provisioning and data plans when coupled with Campbell Scientific Data Services
Specifications
- Transmission Distance or Area
- Dependent upon antenna used and LTE, CDMA/EV-DO, GSM/GRPRS/EDGE, and WCDMA coverage.
- Network Technology
- 4G
(with automatic fallback to 3G and 2G)
- RF Connectors
- 3 female SMA jacks
(for primary cellular and optional diversity cellular and GPS)
- Operating Temperature Range
- -30° to +70°C
- Host Interface
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet RJ45RS-232 Serial DTE DB9 FemaleUSB 2.0 Micro-B
- Service Requirements
- Network coverage at the data logger site and cellular data service plan.
- Dimensions
- 11.9 x 9.4 x 3.4 cm
(4.69 x 3.7 x 1.34 in.)
- Weight
- 320 g
(11.3 oz)
Cellular WAN - North American Model (-NA)
- Carrier Approval
- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, Rogers, Bell, Telus
- LTE
- 1900(B2), AWS(B4), 850(B5), 700(B13), 700(B17), 1900(B25)
- WCDMA
- 2100(B1), 1900(B2), AWS(B4), 850(B5), 900(B8)
- EV-DO/CDMA
- 800(BC0), 1900(BC1), 1700(BC10)
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE
- Quad-band
- Industry Approvals
- FCC, IC, PTCRB
- Radio Type
- Software-defined
(with automatic network operator switching)
- Interfaces
- Dual SIM interfaces
Cellular WAN - International Model (-INT)
- LTE
- 2100(B1), 1800(B3), 2600(B7), 900(B8), 800(B20)
- WCDMA
- 2100(B1), 1900(B2), 850(B5), 900(B8)
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE
- Quad-band
- Industry Approvals
- CE, RCM, GCF, R&TTE
- Radio Type
- Software-defined
(with automatic network operator switching)
- Interfaces
- Dual SIM Interfaces
(2FF)
Power
- Operating Voltage
- 7 to 36 Vdc
- Typical Enable/Ignition Sense Low
- 1 mA
(@ 12 Vdc)
- Typical Idle
- 65 to 95 mA
(@ 12 Vdc, depending on configuration)
- Typical Active
- 250 to 300 mA
(@ 12 Vdc, depending on configuration)
Accessories
(8)32252
RV50(X) Mounting Kit
Orderable32398
DIN Rail Mounting Kit for the RV50(X)
Orderable32262
2 dBd 4G/3G Multiband Omnidirectional Antenna with Mounting Hardware
Orderable38485
4G/3G 9 dBi MIMO Cellular Antenna with 2 Type N Socket Connectors
Orderable31055
CPI/RS-232 Data Cable, RJ45 to DB9 Pin (Male)
Orderable18663
Null Modem Cable, 9-Pin PIn (Male) to 9-Pin Pin (Male)
Orderable17855
Serial Cable, DB9 Pin (Male) to Pigtail
Orderable31182
27 dBi GPS Antenna with 3 V Magnetic Mount and SMA Connector
Orderable
Common Accessories
(16)32252
RV50(X) Mounting Kit
The 32252 RV50(X) Mounting Kit provides a convenient way to mount a Sierra Wireless Airlink RV50(X) Cellular Gateway to the backplate of a Campbell Scientific enclosure. The mount attaches to the RV50(X) using two screws provided in the kit.
Orderable18663
Null Modem Cable, 9-Pin PIn (Male) to 9-Pin Pin (Male)
This 1 ft, null modem cable has 9-pin connectors on both ends for connecting the datalogger's RS-232 port to a peripheral's RS-232 port. An interface such as the SC105 or SC932A is typically not required.
OrderableSC105
CS I/O to 9-Pin RS-232 DCE Synchronous Interface
The SC105 is a CS I/O to RS-232 adapter used to connect a Campbell Scientific datalogger to an RS-232 DCE device. Common DCE devices used with the SC105 include cellular modems, radios, and smart serial sensors.
Orderable17855
Serial Cable, DB9 Pin (Male) to Pigtail
The 17855 is one option for connecting the RS-232 port of a modem to the terminals on a data logger. The 17855 provides a convenient method for wiring a DB9 connection to a terminal block. One end of the cable is fitted with a DB9 male connector. The other end of the cable has stripped and tinned leads.
Orderable31055
CPI/RS-232 Data Cable, RJ45 to DB9 Pin (Male)
The 31055 is one option for connecting to the terminals on a data logger. The 31055 adapts an RS-232/CPI RJ45 port to a DB9 male connector. This cable is offered to make it easier to connect a cellular modem to the RS-232/CPI port.
Orderable27555
USB 2.0 Cable, Type A Pin (Male) to Micro B Pin (Male), 6/6.5 ft
The 27555 is used to connect to a PC via a USB port instead of the Ethernet. The 27555 is a USB Type A to Micro B, male-to-male cable, 6 to 6.5 ft long.
Orderable6290
#1 Phillips Screwdriver
The 6290 may be needed to access the SIM card. The 6290 Phillips head screwdriver is commonly used to drive 505 screws into 6044 grommets, which are in turn seated into the square holes on the backplates of our enclosures.
Orderable32262
2 dBd 4G/3G Multiband Omnidirectional Antenna with Mounting Hardware
A combination of two antennas is needed. The 32262 is one option. The 32262 is an omnidirectional antenna with mounting bracket that is ideally suited for use with 4G and 3G cellular gateways. The mounting bracket attaches to a mast or crossarm, and it serves as the antenna ground plane. The antenna has an N type (female) threaded permanent stud for easy mounting to the included bracket or through an enclosure wall. A coaxial cable, sold separately, is required to connect this antenna to the inline surge suppression or radio antenna jack.
Orderable38485
4G/3G 9 dBi MIMO Cellular Antenna with 2 Type N Socket Connectors
The 38485 is one antenna option. The 38485 antenna is a wideband, dual-port, directional-panel antenna with slant 45 polarization that covers US LTE700/Cellular/PCS/AWS/MDS and global GSM900/GSM1800/UMTS/LTE2600 bands. The antenna is ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications. It includes a UV-stable radome enclosure that provides years of use without degradation to either mechanical properties or aesthetics.
Orderable21847
Cellular Phone Antenna Cable, Type N Pin (Male) to SMA
The 21847 is a 12 ft LMR195 coaxial cable fitted with a Type N Male connector on one end and an SMA connector on the other end.
OrderableCOAXSMA
LMR195 Antenna Cable with SMA and Type N Pin (Male) Connector
The COAXSMA-L is an LMR195 coaxial cable fitted with a Type N Male connector on one end and an SMA connector on the other end. This cable is commonly used to connect an antenna with Type N connector to a cellular or spread-spectrum radio with an SMA connector.
OrderableCOAXNTN
RG8 Antenna Cable with 2 Type N Pin (Male) Connectors
The COAXNTN-L consists of an RG8/U, low-loss coaxial cable fitted with a Type N Male connector on each end. It can support any 50 ohm transmission line application.
Orderable31317
Surge Protection Kit, Type N to SMA, 700 to 2700 MHz
The 31317 is an RF surge protection kit with flange mounting bracket. It may be flange-mounted to an enclosure backplate or bulkhead-mounted through an enclosure wall. One side of the surge protector connects to a radio with an SMA antenna connection. The other side connects to an antenna/antenna coaxial cable with Type N connector.
OrderableCM230
Adjustable Inclination Mounting Kit
The CM230 is an adjustable mount to point directional antennas or sensors at a specific target. The inclination can be adjusted to any angle from horizontal to vertical, supporting the use of upward-directed antennas or downward-directed infrared thermometers or snow-depth sensors.
OrderableCM230XL
Adjustable Angle Mounting Kit, Extended Length
The CM230XL is an adjustable mount to point directional antennas or sensors at a specific target. The inclination can be adjusted to any angle from horizontal to vertical, supporting the use of upward-directed antennas or downward-directed infrared thermometers or snow-depth sensors.
Orderable21212
Black Cold Shrink Tape
The 21212 is a 10-ft roll of black self-vulcanizing tape. This cold shrink tape can help protect antenna connections in RF, cellular, or satellite networks.
Orderable
Other Accessories
(4)17855
Serial Cable, DB9 Pin (Male) to Pigtail
The 17855 provides a convenient method for wiring a DB9 connection to a terminal block. One end of the cable is fitted with a DB9 male connector. The other end of the cable has stripped and tinned leads. This cable is commonly used to connect the RS-232 port of an AVW200, cellular modem, or other serial DCE device to the terminals on a data logger.
Orderable31182
27 dBi GPS Antenna with 3 V Magnetic Mount and SMA Connector
The 31182 is a magnetic mount GPS patch antenna. It is typically used where GPS reception is readily available and concern is low for snow buildup completely covering the antenna. The 31182 is also commonly used in cost-sensitive applications or applications that require a small-sized, low-profile antenna. This antenna connects to a GPS receiver with SMA connector.
Orderable32256
4G/3G Cellular Whip Antenna with SMA Connector
The 32256 is a wide-band termination antenna with SMA connector and articulating base. It has a high-efficiency response on nearly all 4G, 3G, and 2G frequency bands and is, therefore, primarily used with cellular gateways and routers.
Note: The 32256 is intended for short-term testing use only. It is not intended for long-term DCP use.Orderable32398
DIN Rail Mounting Kit for the RV50(X)
The 32398 kit attaches to an RV50. The kit include a DIN rail mounting bracket, DIN rail clip, flat screws, Phillips screws, and star washers.
Orderable
Replacement Parts
(2)28899
CAT6 Ethernet Unshielded Cable with RJ45 Connectors, 2 ft
The 28899 is a 2 ft, unshielded CAT6 network cable with RJ45 connectors. The cable is often used to connect one of our many Ethernet-capable products to an Ethernet device or network connection.
Orderable32399
Replacement DC Power Cable with I/O for RV50, RAVENXTV, RAVENXTG, or LS300G
The 32399 is a power cable for the RV50. In the event that the original power cable becomes damaged, this cable can be ordered as a replacement.
Orderable
Ships With
(4)32399
Replacement DC Power Cable with I/O for RV50, RAVENXTV, RAVENXTG, or LS300G
Orderable- Screws and Washers from original mfgQty 4
- Quick Start Guide
28899
CAT6 Ethernet Unshielded Cable with RJ45 Connectors, 2 ft
Orderable
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(6)RV50X
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OrderableCELL205
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Compatibility
Establishing Cellular Service
Ask your cellular provider for an M2M (machine-to-machine) account sales expert for the purpose of setting up either a publicly available static or dynamic IP account. You will need the sales expert to provide a mini-SIM card provisioned for your account.
Configuring the Modem
The RV50 is configured using ACEManager, a web-based configuration tool hosted by the gateway. ACEManager can be accessed using Internet Explorer or Firefox remotely over the cellular WAN or locally over Ethernet. A number of templates will be provided via download to make most configurations very simple after connecting to ACEManager.
Data Logger Consideration
The RV50 will connect to any Campbell Scientific devices that have an RS-232 serial or Ethernet port. Over the years, Campbell Scientific has created many serial and Ethernet products compatible with the RV50. In the following chart are product pairings that Campbell Scientific currently recommends:
| Data Logger | Connecting to RV50 RS-232, choose one | Connecting to RV50 Ethernet, choose one |
| CR300 |
|
|
| CR310 |
|
|
| CR6 and CR1000X |
|
|
| CR200(X) Series |
|
|
| CR800 and CR850 |
|
|
| CR1000 and CR3000 |
|
|
| CR5000 |
|
|
| CR510 and CR10X |
|
|
| CR510-PB and CR10X-PB |
|
|
| CR23X |
|
|
| CR23X-PB |
|
|
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Documents
- Technical Paper
Data Streaming
July 2023
View Document - Brochure
RV50 Industrial 4G LTE Cellular Gateway
March 2026
View Document - Manual
RV50(X) Sierra Wireless AirLink 4G LTE Cellular Modem
September 2026
View Document - Brochure
Cellular Data Services
October 2018
View Document
Showing 4 of 8 results
See all DocumentsDownloads
- Software ApplicationsRV50(X) Template Files
January 25, 2021
For use with the Sierra Wireless RV50(X) modem. These template files are used with the Sierra Wireless ACEManager to configure the AirLink RV50(X) modem to communicate at 115200 or 9600 baud with the datalogger. The templates will configure the RV50(X) for both serial server or PPP (point-to-point protocol) with the mode being determined by the datalogger. Using PPP allows access to the dataloggers IP capabilities (Email, HTTP, FTP, etc). The CR300, CR350, CR800, CR1000(X), CR3000 and CR6 dataloggers supports PPP. Port forwarding for ports 80 and 6785 (HTTP and PakBus) is included in the template. Other needed ports (i.e. for Modbus and DNP3) will need to be added by the user through the RV50(X) ACEmanager interface. Note: The download needs to be executed before use. The results of execution will place the template files in the "C:\RV50 Templates" directory on your computer.
- Software ApplicationsRV50(X) Firmwarev4.18.1.002
May 24, 2021
Currently this is the recommended RV50(X) firmware for use in Campbell Scientific applications. It is recommended that RV50(X) modems running older versions be updated. (Warning: Upgrading from ALEOS 4.15.x and earlier releases to 4.18.1 is not directly supported. AirLink RV50X routers must be upgraded to ALEOS 4.16.0 (see RV50 Firmware 4.16.0.021) before upgrading to ALEOS 4.18.1.)
- Software ApplicationsMQTTConnect Interface Control Program Examplesv1
May 1, 2026
These example programs show how to use MQTTConnect to handle the MQTT connection when powering on and off a communication interface. There is a program for a CELL2XX-series modem, an RV50/RV50X modem, and the data logger’s Ethernet interface.