User's Manual

THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR User Guide
Revised July 2000
Page 13 of 63
THE DETAILS – THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR 400
OPERATION
THE READING CYCLE USING THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR 400
Using The Portable Interrogator 400 for meter reading is easy. The reading cycle
consists of these steps:
• STEP 1 – Prepare The Portable Interrogator 400 to accept the route from the
Route Management software by pressing the Transfer Routes button from the
Main Menu. On the Transfer File Menu, press the Receive Route button. If a
route is already loaded into The Portable Interrogator 400, The Portable
Interrogator 400 will alert you to unload the current route before loading the new
route. If The Portable Interrogator 400 is ready to accept the route,
communications begins and the route is transferred from the Route Management
software to The Portable Interrogator 400.
• STEP 2 – You can begin meter reading by pressing the Read / Program Meters
button. The Portable Interrogator 400 will display the Reading screen that allows
you to interrogate TRACE or DIALOG meters and enter manual meter readings
for those meters without a TRACE transponder.
• STEP 3 – To begin the reading process for the meter shown on the Read screen,
press either of the two Read button, or press the information area on the Reading
screen. If the meter is monitored by TRACE or DIALOG, The Portable
Interrogator 400 will interrogate the transponder, report the reading, and display
the next meter in the route. If the meter is manually read, The Portable
Interrogator 400 will display a numeric keypad, allowing you to enter the reading
manually.
• STEP 4 – The Portable Interrogator 400 is unloaded, when all the readings have
been gathered, by pressing Transfer Routes from the main menu, and then Send
Readings on the Transfer Readings screen. The Portable Interrogator 400 will
communicate the readings to the Route Management system on the PC.
Starting The Portable Interrogator 400 software
The Portable Interrogator 400 unit is a computer, and can be reset like a desktop
computer. A desktop computer can be reset by turning the power switch off and then on.
The Portable Interrogator 400 can be turned on and off with the On/Off button, but that
does not take power away from the unit (like turning off your desktop computer does).
Replacing The Portable Interrogator 400’s battery will have the same effect as turning off
your desktop computer.
Your desktop computer can also be reset by pressing three keys (Ctrl, Alt, and Delete), all
at the same time. You can reset The Portable Interrogator 400 by pressing three buttons
at the same time: the left Read key, the back arrow key, and the right Read key, all at the