Xylem H-4271 - Manual (Page 17)

2.8 Testing and Troubleshooting
You can test radio link by connecting a laptop computer to one radio and installing a loop-back
connector on the other radio. With this configuration, one person can test both up-link and down-
link communication paths while aligning or testing the antennas.
Run a serial communications program such as Xtalk, Hyperterminal or Simpleterm on the
computer. Connect the local radio to the laptop computer with a standard 9-pin RS-232 cable.
Make sure your computer or terminal is set for full-duplex, 9600 Baud. If the Mode jumper is set
to “auto”, the communications program must assert the DSR input signal to the H-4271 to
awaken it from sleep.
The radios have a female DB9 connector, pin-2 is received data output and pin-3 is transmit data
input. Configure the remote radio for “loopback” operation by installing a DB9 connector with
pins 2 &3 connected together.
The radio link is essentially a full-duplex connection, depending on the settings of your terminal
program you may or may not be able to see what you are typing on your screen. Test the radio
link by typing characters and checking for the proper echoed response. As you type, the
characters are transmitted to the remote station then re-transmitted back to the local station and
displayed on your screen. Both up-link and down-link paths are tested at the same time.
A much more productive test is to use Digi’s X-CTU software utility. To use this test select the
“Range Test” menu and “Start” the test. This automated test sends repeated packets and
maintains a history of good and bad packets. It shows the communications data and displays a
real time reading of the percent of good packets.
H-4271
Installation And Maintenance 2-7