New RFC-1/B systems are set to voice mode at the factory, not data mode. It is normal for the RFC-1 to switch briefly to data mode at power up when the data modem is initialized. This document describes a condition where the system will indicate data mode even when voice mode is active. Data communications and other front panel indicators may also be affected.
Unless the RFC-1/RAK system has been programmed otherwise, it should switch to voice mode several seconds after power up. If the data mode LED indicator lights at power up and stays lit, it is likely that a connector has become loose during shipment. This does not indicate any type of damage to the system nor will the system be damaged as a result of power up without the connector in place.
The front panel indicators of the RAK-1 are driven by signals from an embedded RFC-1/B board. The connection between the two boards is made by a very short jumper cable that is terminated with two DIP jumpers. The connector does not have a latching mechanism and may vibrate loose in transit.
Use the following procedure to check and reinstall the connector if you suspect that this issue has occurred.
- Remove the two philips screws from the top cover on the rear of the RAK-1 chassis and slide off the top cover.
- The drawing above shows the location of the connector (shaded) when it is installed correctly. The connector consists of a pair of 16 pin DIP style connectors joined by a very short length of flat cable. The connectors are usually black or blue and the cable is gray.
- The connectors line up at the notched edge of the sockets. This means that the socket on the RFC-1/B may have four empty positions--this is normal on newer board revisions. Make sure that none of the pins are bent and that all of the pins line up over their corresponding position in the sockets. When all of the pins are lined up properly, carefully press the connector in place. It should not require much force to install correctly.
- Replace the top cover using the two screws that were removed in step 1.
End of Procedure
