B-4
hears it, it answers with the message:
Relay n Cannot Be
Heard by the Base
Notify Supervisor
Press Any Key
At this point, it is up to the operator to notify someone that the Relay is
not communicating with the Base and to check the cabling first. There
is no message sent to the host, so it is very important that the operator
that receives this message notify someone immediately.
Because relay cabling is often troublesome, we supply a test cable for
isolating the user-made cable from the process. This test cable is so short
that it doesn’t follow the rules of twists on the previous page – it is just a
Ethernet patch cable for node, but adequate for testing the relay.
HINT: Use the suggested wire type, and if you’re doing your own
crimping, be sure to use the expensive metal crimpers ($100) and not the
cheap plastic crimpers ($15). Get someone familiar with making network
(Ethernet) cables, but be sure to tell them not to use the Ethernet pin outs
for the Relay Stations, (it has been tried more than once!).
Testing the Relay
To test communication with a Relay, first check out the radio by doing
a Site Test on the offending Relay with all other Relays and Bases
OFF. To check if a Relay is working with a Base Station, set the Base
to a different channel than the Relay and set the Terminal channel to
match the Relay channel. Then cable-connect the Relay to the Base
(unlabeled port to unlabeled port.
Start your application on the host or use one of our demo programs
provided with the Terminal (it’s a good way to test) - it takes 10 or
more seconds for the Terminal to switch to the Relay. The delay is a
result of the Terminal having to put out a "who can hear me" message
when it doesn't get a response from the Base Station. The Relay
responds to the Terminals "who can hear me" message and
communication is established through the Relay. You will notice
slightly slower throughput when working through the Relay.
Relay ID and Channel… Relays should be set to the same channel as the Base station and R/F
Terminals that you will be using in your system. Determining the current
channel is the same as on the Base station; power up the Relay and
count the number of times the LED flashes (channel + 3). The default
setting is channel 0 (3 flashes). Each Relay also requires a unique Relay
ID; the default ID is 0. A Relay will blink yellow; a Base blinks green.
To change the Relay channel, you must open the Relay case.