PowerScan™ RF Handheld Bar Code Scanner User’s Guide
PSC Scanning, Inc. 959 Terry Street Eugene, Oregon 97402 Telephone: (541) 683-5700 Telefax: (541) 345-7140 PSC, the PSC logo, Quadralogic II and PowerScan are registered trademarks of PSC Inc. All other trademarks and trade names referred to herein are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this documentation or the procedures described therein may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of PSC Inc.
Table of Contents Unpack and Inspect Your Scanner .............................................. 1 References................................................................................... 1 Quick Start Instructions ................................................................ 1 Installing the Battery .............................................................. 2 Verifying Scanner Operation ................................................. 3 Connecting the Base Station to the Host Terminal.........
Unpack and Inspect Your Scanner After unpacking your new scanner, check the contents of the shipping carton to ensure all the items you ordered are included: • PowerScan™ RF handheld scanner • Battery Pack(s) • User’s Guide (this manual) • Optional Accessories that you ordered. (The scanner can be purchased with or without accessory kits.) If your package contains wrong or missing components, contact your place of purchase. If there are damaged components, immediately file a claim with the carrier.
Installing the Battery To assure maximum usage, batteries should always be fully charged before their initial use. (See Battery Charging and Maintenance on page 7.) NOTE Orient the battery as shown in Figure 1, then push it into the scanner until it snaps in place. To remove the battery, push in on the release tabs on both sides of the battery’s base and pull it straight out of the scanner. Figure 1. Installing the Battery 1 1.
Verifying Scanner Operation Once a charged battery has been installed in the scanner, scan the sample bar codes in the back of this manual that correspond to the symbologies your scanner is programmed to read. If unsure how to do this, see the section on How to Scan in this manual. The system may signal with one or a combination of indicators depending upon how the scanner and Base Station are programmed to respond (see LED and Beeper Indications for details).
2. Consult your Host Terminal manual to determine the required communication parameters for the Host Terminal (e.g., baud rate, parity, etc.) and, if necessary, modify the programmed parameters to be compatible with those requirements. Scanner and Base Station programming is performed using one of the following: - Configurator Express™ Programming Software - PowerScan™ Bar Code Scanner Programming Guide See References for more information about how to obtain software and manuals for this product.
5. Apply power to the Host Terminal. 6. Verify communication with the Host Terminal by aiming the linked scanner at a sample bar code from the back pages of this manual, and pulling the trigger (see How to Scan for tips about scanning bar codes). Confirm that the scanner/Base Station sent the data to the host terminal. If not, see the section, Troubleshooting. Once all communications are verified, the system is ready for use.
Verifying Scanner-to-Base Station Communications Point the linked scanner at a sample bar code from the back pages of this manual, and pull the trigger (see How to Scan for tips on scanning bar codes). Watch the TX/RX (transmit/receive) indicator LED on the Base Station and/or scanner green LED while scanning the bar code. The LEDs should flash momentarily as the two devices communicate. If no communication is indicated, refer to the troubleshooting section of the Systems Manual.
Using the PowerScan RF System This section covers the following topics: • Battery Charging and Maintenance • How to Scan • LED and Beeper Indications Battery Charging and Maintenance NOTE When the scanner is in use, a low battery condition is indicated by a repeated two-flash signal from the scanner’s green LED every time the trigger is pulled before the laser is enabled. This indicator may have been disabled via custom programming. See LED and Beeper Indications for more information.
Rapid flashing indicates that charging is taking place. Rapid charging occurs when the battery temperature is between 10°C (50°F) and 46°C (115°F), and/or voltage of the battery is between 2.0 and 3.2V. Charge time is less than 4.2 hours. Rapid charge ends with the battery at approximately 90 to 95% capacity. The CHARGE LED remains on steady when trickle charging or after the charge cycle is complete. A scanner may be charged simultaneously while other scanners are in use with the Base Station.
Four Station Charger If you have a Four Station Charger, batteries are inserted for charging as shown in Figure 5. A 90% rapid charge can be achieved in only two hours when using this optional accessory, half the time than when a Base Station is used for charging. The LEDs at each battery station operate the same as the CHARGE LED on the Base Station, with rapid flashing indicating that rapid charging is taking place and on steady during trickle charging or when the rapid charge cycle is finished.
How to Scan Figure 6 illustrates some tips to help get the best scanning results: 1. The scanner must be pointed at a slight angle to the bar code. Do not hold the scanner perpendicular to the bar code. 2. The laser beam must cross the entire bar code. The scanner cannot correctly read if the entire bar code is not scanned. Figure 6.
Depth of Field There are currently four different range models for the scanner. Depending upon the model type of your scanner, you’ll need to hold the unit at a given distance from the bar code to achieve optimum scanning results. The following diagrams provide depth of field information for each of the models when scanning grade A, Code 39 bar codes: Standard Range (SR), High Density (HD), Long Range (LR) and Extra Long Range (XLR). Definition of a "mil" A "mil" is equal to 0.001 inches.
See the section titled, Definition of a "mil" for more information about reading this chart. Measurements are based on HD models set with the standard 28° scan width (as opposed to the Half Angle setting of 14°). Reference the Programming Manual for more information about the Half Angle feature. NOTE Specifications are subject to change without notice. Figure 8. Depth of Field (HD) Depth of Field FRONT OF SCANNER Paper Labels (HD decoded model, Code 39) 3 mil 4 mil 5 mil 7.
See the section titled, Definition of a "mil" for more information about reading this chart. Measurements are based on LR models set with the a 14° scan width (as opposed to the alternate Full Angle setting of 28°). Reference the Programming Manual for more information about the Half Angle feature. NOTE Specifications are subject to change without notice. Figure 9. Depth of Field (LR) Depth of Field FRONT OF SCANNER Paper Labels (LR decoded model, Code 39) 7.
See the section titled, Definition of a "mil" for more information about reading this chart. Measurements are based on XLR models set with a 10° scan angle width. NOTE Specifications are subject to change without notice. Figure 10.
LED and Beeper Indications The Base Station LED indicators and the scanner’s LEDs and beeper are used to announce system status and perform other useful signals. The tables below list the default function of each of the various indicators. NOTE Some LED and beeper indications can be disabled or modified via scanner programming. The tables indicate the default behavior of the indicators, with shaded rows representing features that are programmable. Table 1.
Table 2. Scanner YELLOW LED Functions LED INDICATION Laser on indication DURATION On Steady COMMENT The yellow LED illuminates whenever the laser is on. Table 3. Scanner BEEPER Functions SPEAKER INDICATION Scanner Not Currently Linked DURATION Six beeps consisting of 20 ms on, 20 ms off COMMENT Indicates a bar code was read before the scanner was linked to a Base Station.
SPEAKER INDICATION Transmission Error Beep Link Beep Unlink Beep Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) Indications DURATION High, then low, then high, then low. COMMENT Indicates unsuccessful transmission to the host. Low, then medium, then high. Indicates a scanner has been successfully linked to a base station. High, then medium, then low. Indicates a scanner has been successfully unlinked from a base station. Varies. Consists of a long tone followed by multiple short tones.
LED INDICATION DURATION Continuous flashing When a scanner is nested in the station, this indicates its battery is being quick charged. Lit Constantly When a scanner is nested in the station, this indicates its battery is at or near full charge. Not Lit A scanner is not present or incorrectly inserted into the station. It can also mean the battery is below 0°C (too cold for charge) Lit Constantly Indicates that power is on. Charge (Battery) Power COMMENT a.
Active Symbologies The active (enabled) bar code symbologies in the standard factory defaults are: • Code 39 (C39) • Code 128 (C128) • Interleaved 2 of 5 (I 2 of 5) Your scanner should be pre-programmed with these standard factory default settings, unless... ...it was shipped to you programmed with unique, customer configuration settings. ...you or another user have made changes to scanner programming.
Figure 11. Scanner Labeling and Nomenclature 2 RF 1 COVERED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING PATENTS: 4,387,297 • 4,409,470 • 4,460,120 4,593,186 • 4,652,750 • 4,673,805 4,736,095 • 4,816,660 • 4,845,350 4,861,972 • 4,866,257 • 4,879,456 5,179,270 • 5,180,904 • 5,237,161 5,247,161 • 5,247,162 • 5,258,604 5,260,554 • 5,298,728 • 5,311,000 5,330,370 • 5,468,949 • 5,475,206 5,481,098 Other patents pending 4 3 5 CAUTION—LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM. 6 1. Trigger 4. Tether Hook 2.
Laser Cautions The PowerScan RF bar code scanner is certified in the U.S. to conform to the requirements of DHHS/CDRH 21CFR Subchapter J for Class II laser products (SR and LR) and Class IIIa (XLR). Class II and IIIa products are not considered to be hazardous.
Radio Frequency Interference This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003. Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB003 du Canada.
Maintenance The scan window will require occasional cleaning to remove smudges, dust and other debris. To ensure optimal performance, clean the Scan Window using a soft cloth or lens tissue dampened with isopropyl alcohol (or equivalent). See Figure 12. The scanner body can also be cleaned using this method. Figure 12.
Troubleshooting Troubleshoot your RF scanning system by performing the following checks: For the RF system, ensure that... • the battery is charged. See Battery Charging and Maintenance on page 7. • the battery is properly installed. See Installing the Battery on page 2. • the scanner is linked to the desired Base Station. See Linking the Scanner to a Base Station on page 5.
Sample Bar Codes Use these test bar codes to check the scanner’s ability to read the various symbologies represented. Code 128 C o d e 1 2 8 . T e s t Code 39 C O D E 3 9 . T E S T Interleaved 2 of 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Standard 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Codabar A $ 9 9 . 9 5 A Code 93 C o d e 9 3 .
UPC-A 00112 23344 0 0 4 9 UPC-A with 2 digit Add-on 60992 0 01118 7 6 9 0 0 0 UPC-A with 5 digit Add-on 0 08029 51041 8 UPC-E 0 998875 0 EAN-8 0021 0126 EAN-13 1 26 101234 567891 PowerScan™ RF Scanner
User’s Guide 27
DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY PSC hereby declares that the Equipment specified below has been tested and found compliant to the following Directives and Standards: Directives: EMC 89/336/EEC Low Voltage 73/23/EEC R & TTE 1999/5/EC Standards: ETS 300 683:1997 ETS 300 220-3:2000 EN60825-1:1996 EN60950:1997 Equipment Type: Product: Bar Code Scanning Equipment PowerScan™ RF Bar Code Scanner Charles W. Vanlue Director, Corporate Quality PSC, Inc. 959 Terry Street Eugene, OR 97402 U.S.A.
Asia Pacific Italy PSC Hong Kong Hong Kong Telephone: [852]-2-584-6210 Fax: [852]-2-521-0291 PSC S.p.A. Vimercate (MI), Italy Telephone: [39] (0) 39/62903.1 Fax: [39] (0) 39/685496 Australia Japan PSC Asia Pacific Pty Ltd. North Ryde, Australia Telephone: [61] 0 (2) 9878 8999 Fax: [61] 0 (2) 9878 8688 PSC Japan K.K. Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan Telephone: 81 (0)3 3491 6761 Fax: 81 (0)3 3491 6656 France Latin America PSC S.A.R.L. LES ULIS Cedex, France Telephone: [33].01.64.86.71.00 Fax: [33].01.
