User's Manual

THE PORTABLE INTERROGATOR User Guide
Revised July 2000
Page 57 of 63
THE DETAILS – OTHER USES FOR THE PORTABLE
INTERROGATOR 400
The Portable Interrogator 400 can be used to perform a number of functions other than
reading a route of meters.
• Read a transponder whose ID number you do not know
• Read a transponder whose meter reading you need for a special use (such as
testing and troubleshooting, gathering a final meter reading, etc.)
• Interrogate a transponder to verify that it is working
Some of these functions are performed at customer sites while others are usually
performed in the meter shop. But they all use The Portable Interrogator 400 Quick Read
function.
The Quick Read function allows you to read one meter at a time without having a route
loaded in The Portable Interrogator 400. Quick Reads can be performed by interrogating
TRACE transponders or by reading Dialog modules. The Portable Interrogator 400
gathers the meter reading and displays the result on the touch screen. The Portable
Interrogator 400 does not store the reading information and cannot send any Quick
Reads back to the Route Management software.
The most common uses of the Quick Read feature are:
• Gathering a reading from one or more transponders when creating a route to get
these readings is not practical, such as for final readings
• Interrogating a transponder when troubleshooting or testing at a customer’s site
• Interrogating a transponder whose ID number you do not know or are not sure of
• Interrogating one or more transponders that are about to be installed at customer
sites, to verify that they are working correctly
• Testing a newly installed transponder
The Quick Read Menu is accessed from The Portable Interrogator 400 Main Menu, and
looks like this.