Carrier 33CNOAANT1 Troubleshooting See Table, Frequently Asked Questions FAQs, RF Signal Barriers

TROUBLESHOOTING (See Table 7)

Table 7 — Troubleshooting

PROBLEM	POSSIBLE CAUSE	POSSIBLE SOLUTION
“Timeout?” messages are displayed in the	The equipment is not connected properly.	Check that all connections are secure.
Configuration Manager general tab fields.		Make sure transceiver has power (LED 1 is lit).
	Wrong serial port is selected.	Select the correct serial port in the serial tab of
		the Configuration Manager
Antenna cannot be threaded onto the antenna	Antenna and antenna connector have “left-	Turn antenna connector counterclockwise to
connector.	handed” threads.	attach to transceiver.
LED 1 not lit	Power is not being supplied to unit.	Check power supply connection into unit and
		outlet. Make sure supply of power is active.
LED 1 and LED 2 flash 3 times	Normal operation.	No need to troubleshoot.
Open the Configuration Manager and get an	Outdated DLL.	Run 401COMUPD.exe included in program
error message		disk to install COMCTL32.DLL in your
		C:\Windows\System directory.

System Configuration — Refer to the following to check system configuration:

•Do the power and link LEDs blink 3 times as described in the Setup section?

•Does the power indicator remain on after power up?

•Are the RS232 9-pin cables or RS485 converters attached?

•If the RS232 9-pin cable is being used, do all 9 wires in the serial cable have continuity from one end to the other?

•Are all connections secure to unit and connected device?

•Does the TX LED blink when you are sending data to the transceiver from the computer or originating device?

•Does the unit communicate with a loopback test?

•If the transceiver is a Broadcast/Remote or Point-to- Point, are the sync and power LED's on?

•How far apart are the transceivers?

•Are they out of range?

•What antennas are you using?

•Where are they mounted?

•If there is a cable run between the transceiver and the antenna, how long?

•Have you tried to communicate with the transceiver in different locations or with different antennas?

•What are the RF barriers between the antennas? See Table 8.

Table 8 — RF Signal Barriers

BARRIER	SEVERITY
Concrete Wall	High
Metal Wall	High
Wood Framed Wall	Moderate
Glass	Low
Trees	Low to High depending on type
	(high = Pine)
People	High
	(mount antenna above pedestrian traffic)
Vehicular Traffic	High

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I use an external antenna?

A:Yes, many different versions of 2.4 GHz omni-directional or directional antennas can be used. Please contact Carrier for additional information.

Q:Can I use other, longer runs of coax than what is provided from Carrier?

A:Yes. Longer coax can be used but one should keep the length of the coax as short as possible and use low loss coax as appropriate for the length of the run.

Q: What types of coax can I use?

A:RG-316, RG-223, LMR240, 300, 400, 600 and many other types that are suitable for 2.4 GHz RF signals. It is important to choose a low loss coax and realize that the longer the coax the greater the loss. Also, remember that the Carrier transceivers have a reverse thread SMA female connectors only so your coax will need to mate with that.

Q: How great a length of coax can I use?

A:It depends on type of coax. A very low loss coax can be used at distances up to roughly 50 ft. It is critical, however, that the correct coax and connectors are used and that the coax sys- tem loss is not too great. The maximum power out of a Stand- Alone Carrier Transceiver at the reverse thread SMA connec- tor is 500 mW.

Q:When should I use a directional antenna versus an omni- directional antenna?

A:A directional antenna is a good choice any time you have only a specific direction from which signals are sent or received. If you have a Host (master) Carrier transceiver and there are Remote Carrier transceivers in all directions from the Host you should use a directional antenna in most if not all cases. A directional antenna can extend your range by concen- trating the radiated energy from the antenna in a certain direc- tion. Also, a directional antenna will only receive signals that are in its specific angle reception. RF interference outside the antennas area will not be ‘visible’ by the antenna and in this way can increase the transceivers receive capability.

Q:The range specification with omni-directional antennas is 2 miles. Does that require line-of-sight?

A:Yes it does. If the range between antennas is short, say 1000 ft and there are no major obstructions such as earth, major metallic structures or other obstructions, chances are good that an acceptable RSSI (receive signal strength indica- tion) will be achievable at each transceiver. The problem is, every applications environment is different and there is no way to know for sure unless one tests the units in that actual physi- cal setting.

Q: How much does line-of-sight matter with Carrier transceivers?

A:As a general rule, line-of-sight is required to assure commu- nications. The Carrier transceivers operate at 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz with a maximum power output of 500 mW. The trans- ceiver’s ability to receive adequate signal levels is entirely dependent on the placement of the antennas and the distance they are from one another. There is no absolute guarantee in advance that a given installation of Carrier transceivers will yield a good communication link. However, if the range is under 1000 ft, adequate communication can be accomplished in many cases without line-of-sight as long as the proper anten- nas have been selected and installed as required. In general, with ranges up to and exceeding 1500 ft, line-of-sight is required.

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