User's Manual Part 1

THE READALL INTERROGATOR User Guide
Revised January 2001
Page 32 of 62
• There may be something obstructing the line of site between the ReadAll and the
transponder.
In any of these cases, getting closer to the transponder or improving the line of site before
trying the interrogation again may result in receiving the transponder’s response.
Keep in mind that a TRACE transponder’s radio transmissions are affected by weather
conditions and by the way the transponder was installed. Summer conditions, such as
warm humid air with lots of leafy foliage can affect a transponder’s response distance.
As a result, a transponder’s response can be received from a particular spot during one
reading cycle, and yet the same transponder’s response may not be received in the next
reading cycle, even when interrogated from the same spot. Keep this in mind when
determining if a transponder is not read on the first attempt. It may just be the weather.
When the ReadAll cannot receive a response from a transponder, it sounds the No
Response audio signal and displays a red light in the XMIT light.
Processing the TRACE Meter Reading
Once the ReadAll has received a transponder response, it processes the information in a
number of steps:
• Determines if the message from the transponder was received correctly
• Determines the tamper status of the transponder
• Determines the reading value reported by the transponder
• Evaluates the reading value against the high and low audit values to determine if
the reading is high or low
The ReadAll first analyzes the transponder response to determine if the communication
was completed without errors. If an error is found, the ReadAll assigns the status as Bad
Response. If no error is found, the ReadAll determines if a tamper was reported by the
transponder. If a tamper condition was reported, the ReadAll assigns the correct tamper
status. If the transponder is tamper free, the reading is compared to the high and low
audit values that were sent to the ReadAll from the Route Management software. If the
reading value is greater than the high audit value or lower than the low audit value, the
ReadAll assigns either the High Reading or Low Reading status. If the reading is within
the audit values, the ReadAll assigns a Good Reading status.
After analyzing the transponder’s response, the ReadAll reports the results. First the
ReadAll sounds the audio signals for the reading. If the reading is within limits, high, or
low, the appropriate sound is played. If a bad response is received or a tamper is
reported, those sounds are played. Next, the ReadAll lights the XMIT light according to
the status of the reading: green for successful, red for unsuccessful, yellow for tamper.
Finally, the screen is updated for the next operation.
Advancing the Display