Printek FieldPro RT43 Series Operator's Manual

Download

FieldPro/AppPro RT43

Series

Operator’s Manual

Printek, Inc.

1517 Townline Road

Benton Harbor, MI 49022

269-925-3200

www.printek.com

Printek Part Number 7091 Rev. A

FCC Part 15 Class B

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 equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try too correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This equipment complies with Canadian and FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment. This equipment is in direct contact with the body of the user under normal operating conditions. This transmitter must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

Part 15.21 Caution: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Printek, Inc. could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Bluetooth Equipped Models: For units equipped with an OEM Serial Port Adapter from connectBlue, reference FCC ID: PVH070101. For units equipped with a Printek, Inc. Bluetooth module, reference FCC ID: B9J-0213900444.

Wi-Fi Equipped Models: This equipment contains an OEM Wireless LAN Node Module from DPAC Technologies with FCC ID: RTTABDB-SEDP. This device has shown compliance with the conducted emissions limits in 15.107, 15.207, or 18.307 adopted under FCC 02-157 (ET Docket 98-80).

Battery Disposal

Only dispose of used batteries according to your local regulations. If you do not know your local regulations, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a non-profit organization created to promote recycling of rechargeable batteries. For more information visit www.rbrc.org.

Acknowledgments: Printek is a registered trademark of Printek, Inc. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

O’Neil is a trademark of O’Neil Product Development, Inc. Zebra, ZPL-II, and Comtec are registered trademarks of Zebra Technologies EPL and IPL are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Palm OS is a trademark of PalmSource, Inc. PrintBoy is a registered trademark of Bachmann Software PrinterCE is a registered trademark of Fieldsoftware Products Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2004, 2009 By Printek, Inc., 1517 Townline Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022. All rights reserved. This manual is based on printer firmware version 6.1.d. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Read all setup and operating instructions before proceeding with operation.

Do not operate in an enclosure unless properly ventilated. Make sure no ventilation openings are blocked or obstructed, which may result in the printer overheating.

Do not operate near a heat source.

Lesen Sie vor der Inbetriebnahme die Aufbau- und Bedienungsanleitung.

Betreiben Sie den Drucker nicht in einem kleinen, geschlossenen Raum, es sei denn dieser wird ordnungsgemäß belüftet. Achten Sie darauf, dass die Lüftungen nicht blockiert oder versperrt sind, denn dies kann zum Überhitzen des Druckers führen.

Nehmen Sie den Drucker nicht in der Nähe einer Wärmequelle in Betrieb.

No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer service or repairs to a qualified service

professional. Use of genuine Printek replacement parts is required to warrant proper, safe operation. Any alteration or modification of this device voids the user warranty and may make the product unsafe to

operate. The print head and motors get hot during use. Wait until they cool before touching them. Make certain the printer is disconnected from AC power before removing any covers or performing any

required cleaning or maintenance. Connecting this printer to an ungrounded receptacle can result in electrical shock. Never place the printer near inflammable or explosive substances. Do not operate near liquid or spill liquid into

the printer at any time.

Enthält keine Teile, die vom Bediener instandgesetzt werden können. Bitte wenden Sie sich bei

Instandsetzung oder Reparatur an qualifiziertes Kundendienstpersonal. Die Verwendung von echten Printek Ersatzteilen ist notwendig, um ordnungsgemäßen, sicheren Betrieb zu

gewährleisten. Änderungen oder Modifikationen dieses Geräts machen die Garantie ungültig und können den sicheren Betrieb

des Produkts gefährden. Während des Druckens werden Druckerkopf und Motoren heiß. Warten Sie, bis sich die Teile abgekühlt haben,

bevor Sie sie berühren. Vergewissern Sie sich, dass der Drucker nicht mehr an die Stromquelle angeschlossen ist, bevor Sie

Abdeckungen abnehmen oder das Gerät reinigen bzw. warten. Schließen Sie diesen Drucker nicht an eine ungeerdete Steckdose an; dies kann zum Elektroschock führen. Setzen Sie den Drucker niemals in die Nähe von feuer- oder explosionsgefährlichen Stoffen. Betreiben Sie den

Drucker nicht in der Nähe von Flüssigkeiten und lassen Sie keine Flüssigkeiten in den Drucker gelangen.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Printer Operation ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1

Battery Installation and Charging ..................................................................................................................... 2

Installing Print Media ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Control Panel .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Turning the Printer On and Off ......................................................................................................................... 5

Performing A Printer Self Test ......................................................................................................................... 6

Removing Printed Output ................................................................................................................................. 7

Using the Magnetic Card Reader ...................................................................................................................... 7

Using The Carrying Strap ................................................................................................................................. 8

Printer Configuration ........................................................................................................................................ 9

Unique FieldPro RT43 Features .................................................................................................................. 9

Printer Control Language Emulation ..................................................................................................... 9

Automatic Header/Footer/Promotion Printing .................................................................................... 10

Maintenance and Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................... 11

Cleaning .......................................................................................................................................................... 11

Battery Care .................................................................................................................................................... 12

Getting the Maximum Battery Life ........................................................................................................... 12

Charging the Battery ................................................................................................................................. 12

Additional Battery and Safety Information ............................................................................................... 12

Testing the Power Adapter and Battery .................................................................................................... 13

Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................................................. 14

Error Conditions ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Other Problems ......................................................................................................................................... 14

Obtaining Service ...................................................................................................................................... 15

Appendix A – Printer Configuration ................................................................................................................ 17

Menu Descriptions .......................................................................................................................................... 17

Image Management ........................................................................................................................................ 18

Device Settings ............................................................................................................................................... 20

Advanced ........................................................................................................................................................ 23

Print All Logos In Memory ............................................................................................................................ 25

Hardware Menu .............................................................................................................................................. 26

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface.................................................................................................. 29

Selecting the Serial/USB Interface ................................................................................................................. 30

Serial Interface Configuration ........................................................................................................................ 31

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface .................................................................................................. 35

Selecting the Bluetooth Interface .................................................................................................................... 35

Bluetooth Interface Configuration .................................................................................................................. 36

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface .......................................................................................................... 39

Selecting the Wi-Fi Interface .......................................................................................................................... 39

Wi-Fi Interface Configuration ........................................................................................................................ 40

Appendix E – Printer Setup Menu Summary .................................................................................................. 45

Table of Contents

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility .................................................................................................................... 49

Installation ...................................................................................................................................................... 49

Mobile Setup Utility Basics ............................................................................................................................ 51

Connecting to a Printer .............................................................................................................................. 51

Mobile Setup Utility Examples ....................................................................................................................... 53

Example: Changing the Default Font and Print Contrast ......................................................................... 53

Example: Changing the Wi-Fi TCP/IP Address ....................................................................................... 56

Appendix G – Control Panel Setup ................................................................................................................... 59

Control Panel Setup Basics ............................................................................................................................. 59

Entering Setup ........................................................................................................................................... 59

Using Setup ............................................................................................................................................... 59

Exiting Setup ............................................................................................................................................. 60

Control Panel Setup Examples ........................................................................................................................ 61

Example: Changing the Default Font and Print Contrast ......................................................................... 61

Example: Changing the Serial Interface Baud Rate ................................................................................. 62

Appendix H – Power Considerations ................................................................................................................ 63

Standby Operation .......................................................................................................................................... 63

Auto Power Down .......................................................................................................................................... 63

Operation Without A Battery .......................................................................................................................... 63

Appendix I – Print & Font Samples .................................................................................................................. 65

Appendix J – Specifications ............................................................................................................................... 69

Printer Specifications ...................................................................................................................................... 69

Media Specifications ....................................................................................................................................... 71

Supplies and Accessories ................................................................................................................................ 72

Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................................................... 73

Paper Door

Tear Bar

Paper Door

Battery

Control Panel

Carrying Strap

Power Connector

Universal Port Cover

Printer Operation

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a Printek FieldPro RT43 Series mobile thermal printer. Each printer is shipped with a battery, a carrying strap, a Quick Start Guide, and one roll of receipt paper

The FieldPro series offers a variety of configurations to suit any printing environment. The RT43 prints on receipt paper supplied in roll form up to 4.125 inches wide and includes “black mark” sensing capabilities on the printed side of the media. All models are equipped with a “Universal Port” which supports cabled, serial communications using an optional RS-232C or USB cable. All models also support an optional internal Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface. Complete specifications may be found in Appendix J on page 69.

The remainder of this chapter focuses on preparing the printer for initial use and tasks that will be encountered during everyday use. The following chapter, “Maintenance and Troubleshooting”, describes how to maintain the printer for optimal performance and has information on how to diagnose any problems that may occur.

For systems integrators and administrators, appendices contain detailed instructions on how to configure printing characteristics and communications with host systems.

To begin, please refer to Figure 1 and familiarize yourself with the locations of the various features of the printer.

Release Lever

Right Side

Of Printer

Figure 1 - Printer Features

Printer Operation

Release Lever

Battery Contacts

Battery Installation and Charging

Please refer to Figure 2. Install the battery by first placing the end of the battery where the battery contacts are located into the printer, and then press down on the end where the release lever is located until the Release Lever “snaps” into place.

Figure 2 - Battery Installation

The FieldPro RT43 contains battery monitoring and charging circuitry so that the battery may be charged in the printer using an optional power adapter. Printek offers a variety of power adapters for use with 100240VAC/50-60Hz and 12/24VDC for vehicle applications.

The printer’s Battery Indicator, shown in Figure 3, flashes whenever the battery needs recharging. To charge the battery, connect the power adapter to the appropriate source, and connect the output of the

adapter to the printer’s power connector. Note: New batteries are shipped in an “uncharged” state. You must charge the battery for at least 2½ hours

prior to the first use. Maximum battery capacity is not reached until after completing a minimum of three complete charge and discharge cycles.

Caution: Use only Printek power adapters to power your printer and charge batteries. Other power adapters

may damage the electronics and printing mechanism. Damage caused by use of a non-Printek power adapter will not be covered by the printer’s warranty.

Printer Operation

Power Connector

Battery Indicat

Figure 3 - Power Connector & Battery Indicator

When the power adapter is connected, the printer’s charging circuitry will determine if the battery currently requires charging and if so, will turn on the Battery Indicator until the battery has reached sufficient charge. Depending on the condition of the battery, charging may take up to 2½ hours to complete. When fully charged, the Battery Indicator will turn off.

Leaving the power adapter connected to the printer will cause the printer to continuously monitor the condition of the battery and keep the battery charged.

For more information regarding battery charging, battery life, and battery disposal, refer to “Battery Care” on page 12.

Installing Print Media

Each printer comes supplied with a roll of receipt paper. Note: For maximum performance and optimum print quality, use only genuine Printek media in your

FieldPro printer.

To install media, you must release the paper door by moving the Paper Door Release Lever in the direction shown in Figure 4 and then lift the paper door to expose the paper compartment.

Printer Operation

Paper Door

Power

Paper Feed

Button

Error

Battery

Release Lever

Figure 4 - Opening Paper Door

Unroll a small portion of the paper as shown, place the roll into the printer, and close the Paper Door. If the printer is turned on, you may now press the Paper Feed Button to advance the paper and then tear it off in preparation for printing.

Note: If you need to use a paper width other than what was supplied with your printer, please refer to the

Media Specifications section in Appendix J.

Control Panel

The FieldPro series printers are designed for simple operation with an easy to use control panel. As shown in Figure 5, the control panel consists of three indicators and two pushbuttons. An audible tone is also used to indicate button presses and certain error conditions. Please refer to the table in Figure 6 for descriptions of the buttons and how to interpret the various indicator meanings.

Button

Indicator

Figure 5 - Control Panel

Indicator

Symbol Function Status

Printer Operation

Power Button

Paper Feed Button

Power Indicator

Battery Indicator

Error Indicator

Press to turn printer on. Press and hold to turn printer off.

Advances paper a preset distance or to the next black mark. Also used to clear paper error conditions.

Printer is Off. Printer is On.

Printer is in Standby. (Will wake on receipt of data.)

Printer is receiving data and/or printing, or is in the Control Panel Setup mode.

Battery is fully charged.

With Alarm

Battery needs to be charged. Battery is being charged.

No error. Paper out. (Load paper and press Paper

Feed to clear.) Paper out or Paper Door is open.

With Alarm

= Off = On = Slow Blink = Rapid Flash

Figure 6 - Control Panel Buttons & Indicators

Communications error. (Power off to clear.)

Turning the Printer On and Off

Refer to Figure 5 and locate the printer’s Power Button. To turn the printer on, simply press and release the Power Button. To turn the printer off, press and hold the Power Button. The printer will “beep” and then power down after the button is released.

Printer Operation

Not Selected

MCR Installed

Performing A Printer Self Test

To perform a self test, press and hold the Paper Feed Button while turning on the printer with the Power Button. The printer will print a test page with the following information:

Note: At the bottom of the test page the

Firmware Revision

& Release Date

Printer Serial Number

Serial Interface Installed,

Bluetooth Interface

Installed and Selected

Selected Interface

Settings

Current Printer Emulation Language

message “Press Feed For Setup Menu” will be printed. Do not press any buttons at this time. After approximately four seconds, “Setup Not Requested” will be printed and the printer is ready for normal use.

The internal setup menus allow changes to be made to the printer’s interface and printing features. Improper changes may make your printer perform poorly or not at all. These menus should only be used under the direction of your technical support staff. For more information, please refer to “Appendix A – Printer Configuration”.

Image Management

Menu Settings

Device Settings

Menu Settings

Advanced

Menu Settings

Current Battery Voltage

Current

Flash Memory

Contents

Print Head Test Pattern

Control Panel Setup Entry Instruction

Printer Operation

Removing Printed Output

If all the printing is not yet out of the printer and the host has finished sending data to the printer, the paper may be advanced for tearing by simply pressing the Paper Feed Button.

To tear the paper, pull the paper against the tear bar (a sharp edge on the paper door) at a slight angle as shown in Figure 7, and then continue to pull the paper in the direction shown to tear it off.

Figure 7 - Tearing Off Printer Output

Using the Magnetic Card Reader

The optional Magnetic Card Reader (MCR) may be used by some applications to read information from credit cards, drivers licenses, etc.

When the host system sends a request to the printer to enable the Magnetic Card Reader, the MCR Indicator will light to indicate that the card may now be passed through the MCR slot, or “swiped”. Refer to Figure 8 for the card orientation.

Printer Operation

MCR Indicator

Figure 8 - Using The Magnetic Card Reader

If the card is read successfully, a short beep will sound and the MCR Indicator will turn off to indicate success as the data is sent to the host system.

If the card is not read successfully, a longer error tone will sound, the Error Indicator will light momentarily and the reader will be re-enabled to allow the card to be swiped again to attempt a successful read.

The length of time allowed before the timeout occurs is specified by the host application program. Once a timeout occurs, the Error Indicator will turn on momentarily and the reader will be disabled.

Using The Carrying Strap

The printer’s flexible carrying strap with multiple hook-and-loop fasteners is designed to be used in a variety of ways to carry or mount the printer. The most common use will be to hang the printer from a belt or from the optional shoulder strap as shown in Figure 9. To use the strap in this way, simply pull the end of the strap from the bottom of the printer, route it around the back side of your belt and fasten the strap back on itself as shown. You may also use this method with the Shoulder Strap or keep the Carrying Strap in its original position.

Printer Operation

Belt

Shoulder

Strap

Figure 9 - Carrying Strap on Belt or Shoulder Strap

Printer Configuration

Prior to using your FieldPro RT43, several features regarding printing characteristics and communication parameters may need to be configured.

If you are the person who will be using the printer on a daily basis, it is quite likely that the printer has already been configured for your use at the factory, by your own IT staff, or by the company from whom you purchased the printer. However, if you need to configure the printer yourself, please refer to Appendix A for instructions on how to do so.

If you have questions regarding what has been or needs to be configured, please contact your IT staff or your systems or software vendor.

Unique FieldPro RT43 Features

Printek FieldPro RT43 Series printers support many unique features not found in other manufacturer’s printers. This include multiple printer language emulations, generous logo storage capacity, and the ability to automatically print headers, footers, and promotional information as described below.

Printer Control Language Emulation

In addition to Printek’s own printer control language, FieldPro RT43 printers emulate languages supported by many other popular mobile printers. In many cases, this allows the RT43 to be a drop-in replacement for those other printer models in a variety of applications.

Printer Operation

The table below provides examples of various brands of printers and applications, and suggests the RT43 emulation setting that would most likely produce the desired output. To set the emulation chosen, please refer to the appendix that applies to the printer interface that you will be using in your application.

Printer Replaced Type of Application Suggested Emulation Zebra QL Series Receipt Or Ticket Printing CPCL

Label Printing ZPL Zebra RW Series Receipt Or Ticket Printing CPCL Zebra Cameo Series Receipt Or Ticket Printing CPCL Zebra Encore Series All CPCL Zebra PA/PT Series Label Printing ZPL Comtec Printers All CPCL Zebra Desktop (Selected Models) Label Printing ZPL O’Neil Microflash Series ALL OPDL (ONEIL) Extech (All) All EXTECH (MT3) Intermec (Selected Desktop Models) Advanced Label Printing IPL

Other Label Printing ESIM Intermec Mobile (Oem O’Neil Models) All OPDL (ONEIL) Toshiba Tec Desktop (Selected Models) Label Printing TEC Monarch Desktop (Selected Models) Label Printing MPL

Figure 10 - Printer Emulation Application Chart

Automatic Header/Footer/Promotion Printing

Logos and other images may be stored in the printer and be printed on command or set to automatically print at the beginning or end of each print job. Please refer to “Appendix A – Printer Configuration” for more information.

MCR Slot

Sensor

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Cleaning

In normal environments, the printer should be cleaned after printing a few rolls of paper or if there are voids in the printout. For optimum performance and life, you should clean the Print Head and Platen Roller whenever you load new paper.

To clean the printer areas as described below, use a Thermal Head Cleaning Pen and MCR Cleaning Card available from Printek, or you may use cotton swabs moistened with isopropyl alcohol.

Print Head

Black Mark

Tear Bar

Figure 11 - Printer Cleaning Areas

Please refer to Figure 11 for the following instructions

• Turn the printer off. Open the Paper Door and remove the paper.

• Using a Thermal Head Cleaning Pen, clean the surface indicated on the Print Head.

Caution: Do not use sharp objects to clean the print head. This may damage the printer and require

service. Such damage is not covered under warranty.

• Clean the Black Mark Sensor below the print head.

• Clean the Tear Bar

• Clean the Platen Roller. Turn the platen roller with your finger to clean the entire surface.

• If a Magnetic Card Reader is installed, pass an MCR Cleaning Card through the MCR slot to clean the

head.

You may also experience a build up of paper dust in the printer. This may be removed using a can of compressed air or by vacuuming.

To clean the exterior of the printer, turn the printer off and use a soft cloth moistened with a mild detergent.

Platen Roller

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Battery Care

Getting the Maximum Battery Life

New batteries are shipped in an “uncharged” state and must be charged for at least 2½ hours prior to the first use. Maximum battery capacity is not reached until after completing a minimum of three complete charge and discharge cycles.

For additional information on how battery life may be conserved, or to even operate your printer without a battery, please refer to “Appendix H – Power Considerations”.

Charging the Battery

• Plug the power adapter into a power source appropriate for the adapter being used.

• Plug the power adapter into the power connector on the side of the printer. The printer’s battery

charging circuitry will analyze the condition of the battery and begin charging it if necessary.

• If the battery is not fully charged, charging will begin and the Battery Indicator will illuminate.

• When the battery is fully charged, the Battery Indicator will turn off. Charging may take up to 2½

hours depending on the condition of the battery.

• The printer may be used while the battery is charging, but this will extend the time required to fully

charge the battery.

• The power adapter may remain connected to the printer to keep the battery fully charged and will not

cause damage to the printer or battery.

Additional Battery and Safety Information

• All FieldPro series printers us a 7.4 volt 2200mAH Lithium Ion battery.

• The recommended ambient temperature for charging is 68-77° Fahrenheit (20-25° Centigrade).

• Take the battery out of the printer when storing the printer for long periods of time. The battery

storage temperature is 40-104° Fahrenheit (4-40° Centigrade). Do not store a fully charged battery at temperatures above this range for long periods of time or the battery may permanently lose charge capacity.

• Do not disassemble, short circuit, heat above 80°C, or incinerate the battery. The battery may explode.

• Only dispose of used batteries according to your local regulations. If you do not know

your local regulations, the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a non-profit organization created to promote recycling of rechargeable batteries. For more information visit www.rbrc.org.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Testing the Power Adapter and Battery

To verify that the printer’s internal battery charger is functioning properly, perform the following steps.

• Test the power adapter (100-240VAC/50-60Hz, 12/24VDC adapter) with a voltmeter to verify that its

output voltage is 9 VDC.

• Connect the power adapter to a power source and then connect it to the printer.

• Verify that the printer’s Battery Indicator is illuminated. If illuminated, the charging circuit is

functioning properly.

Note: If the battery is already fully charged, the Battery Indicator will turn off after a short time.

• After the battery has been charged for five minutes, disconnect the power adapter.

• Perform a printer Self-Test.

o Make sure the printer is turned off. o Press and hold the Paper Feed Button while turning the printer on.

• If the printer successfully prints the Self-Test, the battery is functional. If the Self-Test does not

complete and the printer turns itself off, repeat this test with a known good battery.

• Once this test has completed successfully, allow the battery to fully charge. At the end of this time the

Battery Indicator will turn off.

If the printer and battery do not appear to successfully pass these tests, refer to the Troubleshooting section for possible causes and solutions.

Note: This test only verifies that the power adapter, the internal charging circuit, and the battery are

functioning properly. This test does not provide a valid indication of the relative capacity of the battery or how long it may hold a charge.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Error Indicator

Possible Cause

Solution

Troubleshooting

When encountering problems, the cause may be the printer or may sometimes be due to other problems with your system. Please review the following tables to solve common problems you may encounter with your printer. You may also visit www.printek.com for additional “FAQ’s” that may assist you.

If you are still unable to solve your problem, please contact the company where you purchased your printer since they are most familiar with your systems. If they are unable to help you, you may contact Printek Technical Support at (800) 368-4636.

Error Conditions

Whenever the printer detects an error condition. the Error Indicator will either flash or stay on. In some cases the audible alarm will also sound. Please refer to the following table for a list of what causes these conditions and how they may be corrected.

Flashes, With Alarm Paper Out Install paper and press the Paper

Feed Button to clear the error.

Flashes, No Alarm Paper Out or Paper door not fully closed. Make sure the door is fully closed

by opening the door and closing it again until the door “clicks” closed. Check the platen roller for damage.

Stays On, With Alarm Communications error. Verify communications settings in

the Interface Menu. Printer must be turned off to clear error.

Other Problems

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Printer will not turn on. Battery not installed properly. Remove and reinstall battery

making sure the battery release lever “clicks” when fully installed.

Discharged battery. Recharge battery.

Printer turns itself off. Auto Power Down is enabled. Change setting in Advanced Menu

as described on page 23. Battery discharged. Replace or recharge battery. Electrostatic discharge. May occur in extreme low

humidity conditions. Turn printer

back on with power button.

Battery Indicator does not light or does not stay lit when power adapter is connected.

Battery already fully charged. No action required. Power adapter not receiving power. Check building/vehicle circuit

breakers/fuses. Faulty power adapter. Check output of power adapter

with voltmeter. 9 VDC. Battery not installed properly. Remove and reinstall battery

making sure the battery release

lever “clicks” when fully installed.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Battery not charging. Faulty power adapter or battery. Refer to “Testing the Power

Adapter and Battery” on page 13.

Poor print quality. Low battery. Check and recharge battery.

Print head dirty. Clean print head. Refer to page 11. Poor quality or “old” paper. Verify paper from approved

source. Try new roll of paper.

Paper not feeding. Obstruction in paper path or paper

improperly installed. Poor quality paper. Verify paper from approved

Paper Door not fully closed. Verify door is closed.

Paper does not advance to black mark reliably.

Paper not feeding reliably or print is compressed vertically

Print Garbled. Low Battery. Check and recharge battery.

Printer will not print. Low Battery. Check and recharge battery.

Cannot print via optional interface. Interface not configured correctly. Print a self test to verify printer

MCR Reader does not read cards reliably.

Dirty black mark/paper sensor Clean Sensor as described on page

Black mark density/contrast. Adjust Mark Sensitivity as

Poor quality paper. Verify paper from approved

Heavy or thick forms. Specialty paper with slick finish.

Paper Door not fully closed. Verify door is closed.

Improper Serial Interface configuration. Paper Door not fully closed. Verify door is closed.

Paper not loaded correctly. Check paper path and reinstall

Improper interface configuration. Verify printer and host settings

MCR reader dirty. Clean reader as described on page

Check paper path and reinstall paper.

source.

11.

described in Device Settings Menu on page 20.

source. Lower the Max Paper Speed as described in Device Settings Menu on page 20.

Verify printer and host settings match.

paper.

match. Print a self test to verify printer settings and to verify printer is functioning properly.

settings. Make sure the interface is selected and make sure printer and host set ups match.

11.

Obtaining Service

If service is required for your printer, please contact the company where you purchased your printer. If they are unable to assist you, contact Printek Customer Service at (800) 368-4636.

If you wish to return your printer to Printek for service, please contact Printek Customer Service at (800) 3684636 to obtain a Return Authorization Number. Units returned without a Return Authorization will not be accepted.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

This section describes printer operating features that may be configured to allow FieldPro series printers to communicate and operate properly with your computer and applications. These items are grouped into logical groupings as “menus” as described below.

Two methods are available to change the configuration of the printer. The preferred method is to use the Printek Mobile Setup Utility, a Windows® based program described in Appendix F. The other method is to use the built in Control Panel Setup described in Appendix G. Depending on what item needs to be changed, you may need to use either one, or both, of these methods. A table at the beginning of the section for each menu describes which method or methods may be used.

Menu Descriptions

Interface – Contains items such as the printer language emulation and

communications parameters which must be set to match the host system. The menu items vary depending upon the interface(s) installed and currently selected as the active interface.

For configuration details for each of these interfaces, refer to the appropriate appendix as listed here.

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

Image Management – Contains items that affect character size and appearance.

For details, refer to the “Image Management” section in this appendix.

Device Settings – Contains items that affect physical aspects of the printer and how they

relate to the paper being used and the positioning of the data to be printed.

For configuration details, refer to the “Device Settings” section in this appendix.

Advanced – Contains items that affect the operating modes of special printer

features. For details, refer to the “Advanced” section in this appendix.

Print All Logos

in Memory –

Hardware Menu – Contains items related to the hardware configuration of the printer.

May be selected to print a directory of downloaded fonts or logos currently stored in the printer’s memory.

For configuration details, refer to the “Print All Logos In Memory” section in this appendix.

Caution: Hardware Menu items should only be changed by trained

service personnel.

For configuration details, refer to the “Hardware Menu” section in this appendix.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Modify From

Control

Setup

Image Management

The items in the Image Management menu affect character size and appearance. The table below lists the items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which

setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark. Note that some of these settings may be overridden by the host application software. Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions, an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value. For more information, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

IMAGE MANAGEMENT

Menu Item Values Default Value

Panel

Print Contrast -75 to +125 0 Default Font SansSerifA at 4.2, 5.5, 10.2, 10.7,

16.9, 18.5, 20.3, 34.0 cpi; Courier at 12.7, 13.5, 14.5, 15.6, 16.9, 18.5,

20.3, 22.6, 25.4, 34.0 cpi; FGothic

3.0, 4.6, 6.1, 7.8, 11.2, 18.4 cpi; 23x21OCR; ROT OCRA; or Downloaded fonts if present.

Scalable Font Set Default Scalable or Downloaded

font sets if available.

Resident Font Set Default Resident or Downloaded

font sets if available. Character Placement Fixed Width, Fixed Space Fixed Width Character Space (%) 0 to 100 0 Line Spacing 0 to 10 Lines 3 Long Lines Wrap, Truncate Wrap

16.9 Courier

Default

Scalable

Default

Resident

 



 



Utility

 



   

Print Contrast

Possible Values: -75 … 0* … +125 in increments of 5 The printer automatically adjusts the amount of energy used in order to maintain constant print quality as the

battery discharges during use. The Print Contrast setting modifies the value that is determined to be needed by the printer and may be used to obtain improved print quality on different qualities of thermal paper.

Note: By affecting the relative amount of battery energy that is used when printing, the Print Contrast

setting affects both print speed and battery life. Setting a lower value will result in faster printing and will extend normal battery life. Setting a higher value may allow the use of poorer quality paper and will result in slower printing and a shorter battery life.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Default Font

Possible Values: 4.2 cpi SnsSrfA 16.9 cpi SnsSrfA 3.0 cpi FGothic

5.5 cpi SnsSrfA 16.9 cpi Courier* 4.6 cpi FGothic

10.2 cpi SnsSrfA 18.5 cpi SnsSrfA 6.1 cpi FGothic

10.7 cpi SnsSrfA 18.5 cpi Courier 7.8 cpi FGothic

12.7 cpi Courier 20.3 cpi SnsSrfA 11.2 cpi FGothic

13.5 cpi Courier 20.3 cpi Courier 18.4 cpi FGothic

14.5 cpi Courier 22.6 cpi Courier 23x21OCR

15.6 cpi Courier 25.4 cpi Courier ROT OCRA

34.0 cpi SnsSfrA Downloaded fonts are also displayed.

This item selects the default font and character pitch to be used when the printer receives simple ASCII text or no other font is specified by the host application. The fonts listed above are contained in the printer firmware, but additional bit-mapped fonts may be downloaded. Please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual for more information.

Scalable Font Set

Possible Values: Default Scalable*, Downloaded Font Sets This item selects the font set to be used when a host application requests that a font be scaled to a larger size.

This provides fonts that have a “smoother” appearance when enlarged. For more information on using emulations and downloading fonts, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Resident Font Set

Possible Values: Default Resident*, Downloaded Font Sets This item selects the font set to be used in conjunction with the particular printer control language emulation

being used. This provides printer output that more closely represents the printer being emulated than might be accomplished with the fonts initially included in the printer firmware. For more information on using emulations and downloading fonts, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Character Placement

Possible Values: Fixed Width*, Fixed Space This item selects the horizontal spacing method used between characters. Fixed Width is used when all

characters are to take up the same amount of horizontal space regardless of the actual size of the character (mono-space). Fixed Space is used when each character is to take up only enough horizontal space to print the actual character shape (proportional).

Character Space (%)

Possible Values: 0* … 100 in increments of 5 This item selects the amount of additional horizontal white space to be placed between each character. For

Fixed Width Character Placement, start with a value of 0% and make adjustments as needed for the desired output. For Fixed Space Character Placement, start with a value of 20%.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Line Spacing

Possible Values: 0 … 3* … 10 Lines When printing text, this item sets the amount of spacing to be placed between lines. The height of a complete

line, or line pitch, is determined by adding the Line Spacing value to the vertical size of the current font. With Line Spacing set to the default value of “3” and using a font that is 23 rows high, the line pitch would be 3 + 23, or 26 dot rows. Since each dot row is 0.125mm, 26 x 0.125 yields a line pitch of 3.25mm. or 7.8 lines per inch This line pitch value also determines the amount of paper motion performed when an ASCII Line Feed character is received by the printer.

When printing PC Line drawing characters, Line Spacing should be set to “0” to avoid space between rows of characters used to draw vertical lines.

When printing graphic data, Line Spacing has no affect so that multiple lines of graphics may print adjacent to each other.

Long Lines

Possible Values: Wrap*, Truncate This item specifies what is to be done with data that will not fit within the printable area. The printable area is

defined as the printable line length of the print head (approximately 4.1 inches) minus the area specified by the left and right margins.

When printing text, a value of “Wrap” will cause excess data to be “wrapped around” and printed at the beginning of the next line. A value of “Truncate” will cause the excess data to be discarded.

When printing graphics, excess data will always be discarded.

Device Settings

The items in the Device Settings menu affect physical aspects of the printer and how they relate to the paper being used and the positioning of the data to be printed.

The table below lists the items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark. Note that some of these settings may be overridden by the host application software. Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions, an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value. For more information, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Modify From

Control

Setup

DEVICE SETTINGS

Menu Item Values Default Value

Left Margin 0 to 1.0244” 0 Right Margin 0 to 1.2608” 0 Maximum Paper Speed 0.08 to 2.80 ips 2.80 ips Form Feed Control Form Feed Distance 0.0394 to 2.5216” 1.2608” Top of Form Adjust -0.2955 to 0.2955” 0.0000” Tear Adjust -0.2955 to 0.3152” 0.0000” Mark Sensitivity -10 to +10 0

Front Mark, Distance

Distance

Panel

       

Utility

       

Left Margin

Possible Values: 0.0000”* … 1.0244” in increments of 0.0394” This item sets the left margin in inches relative to the leftmost printing position. The left margin must be less

than the right margin.

Right Margin

Possible Values: 0.0000”* … 1.2608” in increments of 0.0394” This item sets the right margin in inches relative to the rightmost printing position. Text characters that would have printed to the right of the margin will either be “wrapped around” and printed

on the next line, or will be discarded based on the setting for “Truncate Lines” in the Image Management menu. Graphic data that would have printed to the right of the margin will be truncated.

Maximum Paper Speed

Possible Values: 0.08, 0.25, 0.49, 0.74. 0.99, 1.24, 1.48, 1.73, 1.98, 2.22, 2.47, 2.72, 2.80* ips This item may be used to reduce the maximum paper speed if necessary to allow the printer to use heavier paper

or labels, narrow paper or labels, or some coated papers that have a more slippery finish.

Form Feed Control

Possible Values: Front Mark, Distance* Mark Sensing is used to identify form or label position marking and must be set to match the paper being used.

The use of Black Mark sensing is associated with the design of the application program that is controlling the printer. For more information on Black Mark sensing, please refer to the MtP Series &FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Form Feed Distance

Possible Values: 0.0394” … 1.2608”* … 2.5216” Note: This item is only available when Form Feed Control is set to “Distance”. This item sets the distance that paper is to be moved whenever the user presses the Paper Feed Button or a

Form Feed character is received from a host system.

Top of Form Adjust

Possible Values: -0.2955 … 0* … +0.2955” Note: This item is not available when Form Feed Control is set to “Distance”. This feature sets the distance from the black mark to where printing begins. A more positive number will move

the print up. A more negative value will move the print down.

Tear Adjust

Possible Values: -0.2955 … 0* … +0.3152” Note: This item is not available when Form Feed Control is set to “Distance”. This feature is used to set the distance from the tear position on the paper/labels to the black mark. If the tear

position is above the black mark, the value is negative. If the tear position is below the black mark, the value is positive.

Mark Sensitivity

Possible Values: -10 …0* …+10 Note: This item is not available when Form Feed Control is set to “Distance”. This item allows the Black Mark/Paper sensor to be adjusted to allow for variations in paper materials and

Black Mark printing methods. The following list will help determine if, and how, the Mark Sensitivity should be adjusted.

• If the printer is not detecting black marks reliably, set the Mark Sensitivity to a lower value.

• If the printer is detecting black marks where none exist, set the Mark Sensitivity to a higher value.

• If the printer is reporting false Check Paper errors, set the Mark Sensitivity to a higher value.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Control

Advanced

The items in the Advanced menu contains items that affect the operating modes of special printer features. The table below lists the items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which

setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark. Note that some of these settings require images to be loaded and/or may be overridden by the host application software. For more information, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions, an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value.

ADVANCED

Setup Method

Menu Item Values Default Value

Left Paper Guide Adjust A – I A Right Paper Guide Adjust None, 1 – 9 None Auto Power Down Off, 1-15 Minute Delay Off Print Header No, Yes, Not Loaded Not Loaded Print Promotion No, Yes, Not Loaded Not Loaded Reprint Mode Disabled, Enabled Disabled MCR Method Always On, Host Request Host Request MCR Data 1 Track, 2 Track, 3 Track 1 Track

Panel

    

 

Setup Utility

       

Left Paper Guide Adjust

Possible Values: A*, B through G This item is used to match the leftmost print position with the location of the Left Paper Guide. For a complete

description, please refer to the Right Paper Guide, below.

Right Paper Guide Adjust

Possible Values: None*, 1 through 9 Similar to the Left Paper Guide, this item is used to match the rightmost print position with the right edge of the

paper. The positions of the paper guides are used to adapt the FieldPro RT43 to be used with different widths of paper.

To provide maximum flexibility for various paper widths and black mark positions, any combination of left and right guide positions may be used. Paper widths less than 2.9” are not recommended.

For instance, to use the standard four inch paper (4.125”), the Left Paper Guide would be located at position “A” as shown in Figure 12, below, and the Right Paper Guide would not be installed (None). To use standard three inch paper (3.125”) the Left Paper Guide would be installed at “A” and the Right Paper Guide would be installed at position “7”.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Insert This

Snap In This

To remove a paper guide, simply pull the guide out of the printer’s paper compartment. To install a paper guide, insert the end toward the rear of the printer first as shown in Figure 12 and then “snap” in the end toward the front of the printer. When selecting guide positions, select positions that are as close to the end of the paper roll as possible, but not so tight that the paper cannot unroll easily.

End First

End Second

Figure 12 - Paper Guides

Auto Power Down

Possible Values: Off*, 1 Minute Delay … 15 Minute Delay This item sets whether the printer will automatically power down and if so, after what period of time of

inactivity. If set to a value other that “Off”, the printer will automatically turn itself off after the specified number of minutes have passed since the printer last received data or last printed, whichever is longer.

Print Header

Possible Values: Not Loaded*, No, Yes When set to “Yes” this item causes a previously stored graphic image with an ID value of “?” to be printed at

the beginning of each print job. Please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual for more information on storing graphics and

logos.

Print Promo

Possible Values: Not Loaded*, No, Yes When set to “Yes” this item causes a previously stored graphic image with an ID value of “$” to be printed at

the end of each print job. This item may be used to print a special logo or graphic image of a special sales promotion or other event. Please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual for more information on storing graphics and

logos.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Modify From

Control

Setup

Reprint Mode

Possible Values: Disabled*, Enabled Note: This item is only available when using the Mobile Setup Utility. This item sets whether the printer will attempt to reprint the current print job after a paper fault is corrected.

MCR Method

Possible Values: Always On, Host Request* Note: This item is only available when using the Mobile Setup Utility. This item sets whether the MCR is enabled only when a host request is received, or if it is enabled at all times. When used in the Host Request mode, the host system sends a request to the MtP400 to enable the Magnetic

Card Reader. “Swipe Card Now” will be displayed and the MCR Indicator will flash to indicate that the card may now be passed through the MCR slot, or “swiped”.

When used in the Always On mode, the card may be swiped at any time and the data will be immediately sent to the host system.

For more information, please refer to the MtP Series and FieldPro Programmer’s Manual for more information.

MCR Data

Possible Values: 1 Track*, 2 Track, 3 Track Note: This item is only available when using the Mobile Setup Utility. This item sets the number of data tracks to read when a card is swiped.

Print All Logos In Memory

This menu item is only available using Control Panel Setup and is only available if downloaded fonts and/or logos are currently stored in the printer’s memory. Selecting this item causes the printer to print out a directory of all fonts and logos, and to print a copy of all logos.

PRINT ALL LOGOS IN MEMORY

Menu Item Values Default Value

Print All Logos in Memory n/a n/a

Panel



Utility

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

Modify From

Control

Setup

Hardware Menu

The items contained in the Hardware Menu are used for printer hardware option configuration. These items should not be changed unless directed by Technical Support personnel.

The table below lists the menu items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark.

Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value.

HARDWARE MENU

Menu Item Values Default Value

Burnin Mode Off, On Off Bluetooth Not Installed, Installed Model Specific ConnectBlue Bluetooth n/a Model Specific NSC Bluetooth n/a Model Specific WiFi Not Installed, DPAC WiFi Installed Model Specific Magnetic Card Reader Installed, Not Installed Model Specific Reset to Factory Defaults Hold Power 10 Sec. n/a

Panel

      

Utility

Burnin Mode

Possible Values: Off*, On This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

Bluetooth

Possible Values: Not Installed*, Installed This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

ConnectBlue Bluetooth

Possible Values: n/a This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

Appendix A – Printer Configuration

NSC Bluetooth

Possible Values: n/a This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

WiFi

Possible Values: Not Installed*, DPAC WiFi Installed This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

Magnetic Card Reader

Possible Values: Not Installed*, Installed This item is for factory use only. Do not change this value.

Reset to Factory Defaults

Possible Value: Hold Power 10 Sec. When this item is displayed, holding the Power Button will cause all setup items in all menus to return to their

factory default values. Do not use this item unless instructed by Printek Technical Support.

Lever

Cover

Connector

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

Every FieldPro RT43 printer is equipped with a Universal Port which contains a Serial Interface. The Serial Interface may be used for either RS-232C or USB communications depending upon which optional cable is used.

To attach a cable to the Universal Port, access the connector by moving the lever in the direction shown in Figure 13 to unlock and remove the connector cover from the bottom of the printer. The connector location is shown in Figure 14 and the pin assignments are shown in Figure 15.

Figure 13 - Removing The Universal Port Cover

Figure 14 - Universal Port Connector

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

Pin # Signal Description

1 COM Logic Common 2 TXD Transmit Data (From Printer) 3 RXD Receive Data (From Host) 4 Reserved Do Not Connect 5 CTS Clear To Send (From Printer) 6 COM Logic Common 7 RTS Request To Send (From Host) 8 Reserved Do Not Connect

Figure 15 - Connector Pin Assignments

Caution: Do not make any connection to pins 4 or 8. These pins are used only for Printek accessories and

improper connections with these contacts may cause severe damage to the printer. Such damage will not be covered by the printer’s warranty.

Selecting the Serial/USB Interface

In order to use the Serial Interface, it must be the currently “selected” interface. If your printer does not have an optional Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® interface installed, the Serial Interface will always be selected. If one of the optional interfaces is installed, you may either perform a printer self test as described on page 6, or you may perform the following procedure to determine if the Serial Interface is currently selected.

1. Make sure the printer is powered on.

2. Press and hold the Paper Feed button until a second “beep” is heard and then release the button.

3. The set up parameters for the currently selected interface will be printed. If the items printed are as

shown below, the Serial Interface is selected and you may skip the remaining steps.

4. To change the selected interface, press and hold the Paper Feed button until a third tone (a “double

beep”) is heard and then release the button.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to verify that the Serial Interface is now selected.

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

Modify From

Control

Setup



Serial Interface Configuration

When using the Serial Interface for RS-232C communications, the baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bit(s), and handshaking method (XON/XOFF, ETX/ACK, RTS/CTS) must match the settings on the host computer. If these settings do not match, errors and/or lost data may occur.

When using the Serial Interface for USB communications, the printer’s default values of 57,600 Baud, 8 Data Bits, 1 Stop Bit, No Parity, and RTS/CTS=Yes must be used.

The table below lists the menu items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark.

Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value.

The Serial Interface Menu items may be configured using either the Mobile Setup Utility or the Control Panel Setup feature built into the printer. Before using the Mobile Setup Utility, please read the following note.

Note: In order to use the Mobile Setup Utility, communications must first be established between the host

device running the utility and the printer. This may require that you first use the Control Panel Setup to establish communications and then use the Mobile Setup Utility for final configuration or to configure items in other interface menus.

INTERFACE MENU – Serial Selected

Menu Item Values Default Value

Print Interface Settings n/a n/a Emulation Printek, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS,

HexDump Radio Pass-Thru On, Off Off Baud Rate 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 57600 Parity None, Even, Odd None Data Bits 7, 8 8 Stop Bits 1, 2 1 XON/XOFF On, Off On ETX/ACK On, Off Off RTS/CTS On, Off Off

Printek

Print Interface Settings

Panel

 

       

Utility



      

Possible Values: None Selecting this item will cause the current interface setup item values to be printed for reference. Note that this item is only available when using Control Panel Setup.

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

Emulation

Possible Values: Printek*, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL, MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS, HexDump This item sets the family of printer commands that may be used by a host application program to control the

various capabilities of the printer. The printer will only respond to commands valid for the currently selected emulation. For more information, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Note: HexDump is a diagnostic mode used to assist software programmers in determining the actual data

values being received by the printer. In this mode, printer commands are not processed, but are printed along with their hexadecimal value. For more information, please refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual.

Radio Pass-Thru

Possible Values: Off*, On This item allows direct communication to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface, if installed. When “On”, this

feature allows use of a terminal emulation program to access advanced configuration options. Please contact Printek Technical Support for details.

Note: This item is not available serial only models.

Baud Rate

Possible Values: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600* This item sets the baud rate for the Serial interface. The value must match the setting used on the host system.

Data Bits

Possible Values: 7, 8* This item sets the number of data bits in the serial character frame. The value must match the setting used on

the host system.

Stop Bits

Possible Values: 1*, 2 This item sets the number of stop bits included in the serial character frame. The value must match the setting

used on the host system.

Parity

Possible Values: None*, Even, Odd This item sets the parity checking requirements for the data bits in the serial character frame. The value must

match the setting used on the host system.

XON/XOFF Handshaking

Possible Values: Off*, On This item enables or disables the XON/XOFF (DC1/DC3) character handshaking method used to control data

flow from the host system to the printer. When enabled, an XOFF character will be sent by the printer

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

whenever the printer’s input buffer is nearly full. An XON character will be sent whenever the printer’s input buffer becomes nearly empty.

ETX/ACK Handshaking

Possible Values: Off*, On This item enables or disables the ETX/ACK character handshaking method used to control data flow from the

host system to the printer. When enabled, an ACK character will be sent by the printer after an ETX character has been received and processed out of the input buffer. ETX characters used for handshaking cannot be part of an escape sequence.

RTS/CTS Handshaking

Possible Values: Off, On* This item enables or disables the RTS/CTS hardware handshaking method used to control data flow from the

host system to the printer. When enabled, the printer will activate the RTS signal whenever the printer’s input buffer becomes nearly empty or when the printer’s control panel Setup Menus are active. The RTS signal will be deasserted whenever the printer’s input buffer becomes nearly empty.

Likewise, the printer will not send data to the host system if the host has asserted the CTS signal.

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface

In addition to the standard Serial Interface, your FieldPro RT43 may be equipped with an optional Bluetooth® Interface. To determine if this interface is installed in your printer, you may look at the model description on the serial number label on the back of the printer. You may also refer to “Performing A Printer Self Test” on Page 6.

The Bluetooth Interface uses wireless, radio frequency signals to communicate. Bluetooth interfaces are built into some Smartphones and PDA’s and may be added to most others. Bluetooth interfaces may also be added to notebook or desktop computers.

The FieldPro Bluetooth Interface acts as a “serial port adapter” operating as a “server”. Being a serial port adapter means that the printer may appear as a “Serial Device” when discovered, rather than as a “Printer”. Operating as a server, other devices such as a PDA or other host computer may initiate the connection to the printer.

When discovered, the default name that will appear will be “FP-aaannnnn” where “aaannnnn” is the printer’s serial number. To obtain the printer’s Bluetooth name, you may print the printer’s test page by holding the Paper Feed button while turning the printer on. For pairing, the default PIN value is “0” (if this value does not work, contact your system administrator).

To conserve battery power, application programs should disconnect from the printer whenever possible.

Selecting the Bluetooth Interface

In order to use the Bluetooth Interface, it must be the currently “selected” interface. To determine if the Bluetooth Interface or the Serial Interface is selected, you may either perform a printer self test as described on page 6, or you may perform the following procedure.

1. Make sure the printer is powered on.

2. Press and hold the Paper Feed button until a second “beep” is heard and then release the button.

3. The set up parameters for the currently selected interface will be printed. If the items printed are as

shown below, the Bluetooth Interface is selected and you may skip the remaining steps.

4. To change the selected interface, press and hold the Paper Feed button until a third tone (a “double

beep”) is heard and then release the button.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to verify that the Bluetooth Interface is now selected.

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface

Modify From

Control

Setup



Bluetooth Interface Configuration

The table below lists the menu items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark.

Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value.

The Bluetooth Interface Menu items may be configured using either the Mobile Setup Utility or the printer’s internal Control Panel Setup feature as described in Appendix G. Before using the Mobile Setup Utility, please read the following note and then refer to Appendix F.

Note: In order to use the Mobile Setup Utility, communications must first be established between the host

INTERFACE MENU – Bluetooth Selected

Menu Item Values Default Value

Panel

Print Interface Settings n/a n/a Emulation Printek, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS, HexDump

Radio Pass-Thru On, Off Off Pairing Mode Paired, Unpaired Paired Security On, Off Off Role Policy Defer, Master Defer Discoverability On, Off On Pin Up to 16 Numeric Characters 0 Local Name Up to 16 Alphanumeric Characters

Printek

FP-Serial#

Print Interface Settings

Possible Values: None Selecting this item will cause the current interface setup item values to be printed for reference. Note that this item is only available when using Control Panel Setup.

 

    

Utility



     

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface

Emulation

Possible Values: Printek*, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL, MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS, HexDump This item sets the family of printer commands that may be used by a host application program to control the

Note: HexDump is a diagnostic mode used to assist software programmers in determining the actual data

Radio Pass-Thru

Possible Values: Off*, On This item allows direct communication to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface, if installed. When “On”, this

feature allows use of a terminal emulation program to access advanced configuration options. Please contact Printek Technical Support for details.

Pairing Mode

Possible Values: Paired*, Unpaired This item allows Bluetooth pairing to occur between the printer and the connecting device whenever Security is

required by either device. Pairing requires that the PIN on the printer and the connecting device exactly match each other.

Security

Possible Values: Off*, On Setting Security to On forces the printer and the remote device to use pairing. Setting Security On requires that

Pairing is set to Paired and that a PIN has been entered that matches the PIN in the remote device.

Role Policy

Possible Values: Defer*, Master This item selects the role of the printer’s interface in the Bluetooth network. If the device attempting to communicate with the printer is having trouble discovering the printer, setting the

value to Master may correct the problem.

Discoverability

Possible Values: Off, On* This item is used to set whether the printer may be discovered by other Bluetooth devices. It should only be set

to “Off” after the printer has been discovered and paired with a host computer.

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface

Possible Values: 0*, Up to 16 Numeric Characters. Note that this item is only available if Paring Mode is set to Paired. The PIN value must exactly match the PIN

value set on the host computer.

Local Name

Possible Values: FP-aaannnnn*,

Up to 16 characters of “0” through “9”, “A” through “Z”, “a” through “z”, “-“, “_”, SPACE

This item sets the name that will be displayed by most host systems when “discovering” the printer. When shipped from the factory, the default value for the Bluetooth Local Name is “FP-aaannnnn” where “aaannnnn” is the printer’s serial number. This name may be changed to any combination of letters, numbers, dashes, underscores, and SPACEs. The name may be up to 16 characters in length.

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

In addition to the standard Serial Interface, your FieldPro RT43 may be equipped with an optional Wi-Fi Interface. To determine if this interface is installed in your printer, you may look at the model description on the serial number label on the back of the printer. You may also refer to “Performing A Printer Self Test” on Page 6.

The Wi-Fi interface uses wireless, radio frequency signals to communicate. Wi-Fi interfaces are built into some PDA’s and may be added to most others. Wi-Fi interfaces may also be added to notebook or desktop computers and as an “access point” to a wired network. To communicate using the Wi-Fi Interface, it must be selected as the currently active interface.

The FieldPro Wi-Fi interface acts as a server and will accept connections from a host device such as a PDA, notebook computer, or a network server.

When operating in Infrastructure mode, the printer will attempt to conserve battery power whenever possible by placing the Wi-Fi interface into a low power mode when not communicating. However, according to the IEEE

802.11b standard, the printer must be granted “permission” from the network’s Access Point before operating in the low power mode. Since different Access Point manufacturers implement this feature differently, the amount of power saving actually achieved varies. The actual power saving also varies with the amount of network traffic.

Selecting the Wi-Fi Interface

In order to use the Wi-Fi Interface, it must be the currently “selected” interface. To determine if the Wi-Fi Interface or the Serial Interface is selected, you may either perform a printer self test as described on page 6, or you may perform the following procedure.

1. Make sure the printer is powered on.

2. Press and hold the Paper Feed button until a second “beep” is heard and then release the button.

3. The set up parameters for the currently selected interface will be printed. If the items printed are as

shown below, the Wi-Fi Interface is selected and you may skip the remaining steps.

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

4. To change the selected interface, press and hold the Paper Feed button until a third tone (a “double

beep”) is heard and then release the button.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to verify that the Wi-Fi Interface is now selected.

Wi-Fi Interface Configuration

The table below lists the menu items available, the values that may be selected, and the factory default value. Which setup method may be used to change values is indicated by a checkmark.

Following the tables are detailed descriptions of each setup item. In the detailed descriptions an asterisk (*) indicates the factory default value.

The Wi-Fi Interface Menu items may be configured using either the Mobile Setup Utility or the printer’s internal Control Panel Setup feature as described in Appendix G. Before using the Mobile Setup Utility, please read the following note and then refer to Appendix F.

Note: In order to use the Mobile Setup Utility, communications must first be established between the host

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

INTERFACE MENU – Wi-Fi Selected

Setup Method

Menu Item Values Default Value

Emulation Printek, O’Neil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

MPL, IPL, ESim, Hex Dump Pass Through Mode On, Off Off SSID Any Type Access Point, Ad Hoc Ad Hoc Channel 1 Encryption WEP 64, WEP 128, WPA, Open Open Authentication Open PSK, Shared PSK, PSK, Leap Open PSK Auth Protocol PAP, MS-CHAP v2 PAP Use WEP Key # 1 IP Method DHCP Address 192.0.0.192 Subnet 255.255.255.0 Gateway 192.0.0.1 Printer Server Port 8023 Advanced Features Contact Printek Technical Support

Printek

Control

Panel



Setup Utility

Web

Page



            

             

Print Interface Settings

Possible Values: None Selecting this item will cause the current interface setup item values to be printed for reference. Note that this item is only available when using Control Panel Setup.

Emulation

Possible Values: Printek*, O’Neil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL This item sets the family of printer commands that may be used by a host application program to control the

Note: HexDump is a diagnostic mode used to assist software programmers in determining the actual data

Radio Pass-Thru

Possible Values: Off*, On This item allows direct communication to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface, if installed. When “On”, this

feature allows use of a terminal emulation program to access advanced configuration options. Please contact Printek Technical Support for details.

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

WLAN Type

Possible Values: Infrastructure*, Peer-to-Peer This item specifies the type of wireless network the printer will be attached to. An Infrastructure network

consists of nodes that connect to each other and/or a wired network through an Access Point. A Peer-to-Peer , or Ad-Hoc, network consists of nodes that connect directly to each other without the control of an access point.

Note: When using Control Panel Setup to change the WLAN Type to Peer-to-Peer, the following items will

also be changed. To change these items back to their original settings will require the use of the Printek Mobile Setup Utility.

IP Address Assign will be set to “Static” IP Address will be set to “192.168.0.2” WLAN Channel will be set to “1” WLAN WEP will be set to “Disabled”

WLAN Channel

Possible Values: 1* … 14 Note that this item is only available if the WLAN Type is set to Peer-to-Peer. This item sets the radio channel to be used when communicating in a Peer-to-Peer network. When in an

Infrastructure network, the radio channel is automatically assigned by the interface and Access Point.

WLAN SSID

Possible Values: any*,

Up to 16 characters of “0” through

“9”, “A” through “Z”, “a” through “z”,

This item specifies the “name” of the network the printer will connect to. This allows communications to be controlled, or routed to the appropriate nodes when multiple wireless networks are present. When set to “any”, the printer may connect to any available network(s).

WLAN WEP Bits

Possible Values: 0*, 64, 128 This item specifies the level of Wired Equivalent Security to use. If set to “0”, security is turned off. If set to

a“64” or “128” bit encryption level, a WEP Key must be entered that matches the key on the other nodes on the network.

WEP Key 1, WEP Key 2, WEP Key 3, WEP Key 4

Possible Values: 10 or 26 character user specified hexadecimal string Note that this item is only available if WLAN WEP Bits is set to 64 or 128. This item specifies an encryption “key” or password that is used to encrypt/decrypt data on the network. If

WLAN WEP Bits is set to “64”, a ten character hexadecimal string must be entered that matches the key on the other nodes the printer will be communicating with. If WLAN WEP Bits is set to “128”, a 26 character hexadecimal string must be entered.

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

WLAN Auth

Possible Values: Auto*, Open, Shared This item specifies the authentication method that will be used when establishing connections on the network.

The method may be to use an open key or a shared key. If set to “Auto”, the printer will automatically match itself to the method used by other nodes.

IP Address Assign

Possible Values: DHCP*, Static This item specifies whether the printer will obtain an IP address from a DHCP server, or if a an IP address will

be manually assigned.

IP Address

Possible Values: 0.0.0.0*, User specified This item specifies the IP address for the printer. Note that this item has no effect if IP Address Method is not set to “Static”.

IP Subnet Mask

Possible Values: 0.0.0.0*, User specified This item specifies the range of addresses, or the size of the network, that the printer’s IP address belongs to. Note that this item has no effect if IP Address Method is not set to “Static”.

IP Gateway

Possible Values: 0.0.0.0*, User specified This item specifies the network node where data destined for a node outside of the LAN should be directed. Note that this item has no effect if IP Address Method is not set to “Static”.

Tunnel Port Number

Possible Values: 00000 … 08023* … 65384 This item specifies the TCP/IP port to be used for data that are to be printed..

Modify From

Control

Setup



Modify From

Control

Setup



Appendix E – Printer Setup Menu Summary

The following is a complete list of setup menus for the FieldPro RT43 printer. For details on the items listed in each menu, please refer to the appendix listed below each summary.

INTERFACE MENU – Serial Selected

Menu Item Values Default Value

Print Interface Settings n/a n/a Emulation Printek, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS,

HexDump Radio Pass-Thru On, Off Off Baud Rate 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 57600 Parity None, Even, Odd None Data Bits 7, 8 8 Stop Bits 1, 2 1 XON/XOFF On, Off On ETX/ACK On, Off Off RTS/CTS On, Off Off

Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface

Printek

Panel

 

       

Utility



      

INTERFACE MENU – Bluetooth Selected

Menu Item Values Default Value

Panel

Print Interface Settings n/a n/a Emulation Printek, Oneil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS,

HexDump Radio Pass-Thru On, Off Off

Pairing Mode Paired, Unpaired Paired Security On, Off Off Role Policy Defer, Master Defer Discoverability On, Off On Pin Up to 16 Numeric Characters 0 Local Name Up to 16 Alphanumeric Characters

Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface

Printek

FP-Serial#

 

    

Utility



     

Appendix E – Printer Setup Menu Summary

Modify From

Control

Setup

INTERFACE MENU – Wi-Fi Selected

Setup Method

Menu Item Values Default Value

Emulation Printek, O’Neil, ZPL-II, Mt3, CPCL,

Printek

Control

Panel



Setup Utility

Web

Page



            

             

Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface

IMAGE MANAGEMENT

Menu Item Values Default Value

Panel

Print Contrast -75 to +125 0 Default Font SansSerifA at 4.2, 5.5, 10.2, 10.7,

16.9, 18.5, 20.3, 34.0 cpi; Courier at 12.7, 13.5, 14.5, 15.6, 16.9, 18.5,

20.3, 22.6, 25.4, 34.0 cpi; FGothic

3.0, 4.6, 6.1, 7.8, 11.2, 18.4 cpi; 23x21OCR; ROT OCRA; or Downloaded fonts if present.

Scalable Font Set Default Scalable or Downloaded

font sets if available.

Resident Font Set Default Resident or Downloaded

font sets if available. Character Placement Fixed Width, Fixed Space Fixed Width Character Space (%) 0 to 100 0 Line Spacing 0 to 10 Lines 3 Long Lines Wrap, Truncate Wrap

Appendix A – Printer Configuration, Image Management

16.9 Courier

Default

Scalable

Default

Resident

 



 



Utility

 



   

Appendix E – Printer Setup Menu Summary

Modify From

Control

Setup

Control

Modify From

Control

Setup

DEVICE SETTINGS

Menu Item Values Default Value

Appendix A – Printer Configuration, Device Settings

Front Mark, Distance

Distance

ADVANCED

Menu Item Values Default Value

Panel

       

Setup Method

Panel

    

 

Utility

       

Setup Utility

       

PRINT ALL LOGOS IN MEMORY

Menu Item Values Default Value

Print All Logos in Memory n/a n/a

Appendix A – Printer Configuration, Print All Logos In Memory

Panel



Utility

Appendix E – Printer Setup Menu Summary

Modify From

Control

Setup

HARDWARE MENU

Menu Item Values Default Value

Appendix A – Printer Configuration, Hardware Menu

Panel

      

Utility

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

The Printek Mobile Setup utility provides an easy to use tool for configuring your FieldPro RT43 printer from a Windows Desktop computer or a Windows CE or Windows Mobile device.

The Mobile Setup utility, version 2.0 and greater, supports printer firmware versions 6.0 and greater. A similar tool, “Universal Remote Setup”, is available for printers with firmware versions less than 6.0.

Installation

Windows Desktop Installation

To install Mobile Setup on a Windows desktop PC, create a new folder and copy “Mobile Setup.exe” to that folder. The first time the program is run, it will create a “cfg.txt” file containing default program parameters in that same folder.

Note: Requires Microsoft .Net Framework version 2.0 or later.

Mobile Device Installation

To install Mobile Setup on a Windows CE or Windows Mobile device, refer to the instructions for your mobile device to create a folder and copy the “Mobile Setup.exe” file to that folder. The first time the program is run, it will create a “cfg.txt” file containing default program parameters in that same folder.

Note: Requires Microsoft .Net Compact Framework version 2.0 or later.

Windows CE 5.0+ and Windows Mobile 5.0+ should already be compatible.

Starting the program

To run Mobile Setup, simply open “Mobile Setup.exe”. The opening screen is shown below. You may select “Help and Options” to obtain brief instructions on how to navigate the various screens and menus.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

Communications Set Up

Mobile Setup will allow you to modify the parameters for any interface installed in the printer, but it will only communicate with the interface that is currently “selected” in the printer. If your printer is equipped with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface, you may use either that interface or the cabled interface (an optional Serial or USB cable is required).

If you are unsure which interface is currently selected in your printer, perform the following steps.

1. Make sure the printer is powered on.

2. Press and hold the Paper Feed button until a second “beep” is heard and then release the button.

3. The currently selected interface will be printed along with its current set up parameter values. If this is

the interface you wish to use, you may skip the remaining steps.

4. To change the selected interface, press and hold the Paper Feed button until a third tone (a “double

beep”) is heard and then release the button.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to verify that the desired interface is now selected.

To make sure the interface parameters in Mobile Setup match those currently set in the printer, you may check and/or modify the Mobile Setup parameters by selecting “Help and Options” and then select the tab for the desired interface. The default parameters for each interface are shown below.

Once you have reviewed the parameters, select either “Save Options” or “Cancel” to return to the opening screen. If desired, you may the select “Test Page” next to the selected interface to verify that Mobile Setup can communicate with the printer.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

Mobile Setup Utility Basics

Connecting to a Printer

To connect the Mobile Setup utility to a printer, select the “Connect via …” button for the desired interface.

Once connected, Mobile Setup will advance to the “Main Menu”, as shown below. This menu provides access to the printer setup menus and additional features of the Mobile Setup program. Note that the printer’s serial number and firmware version are shown in the title bar.

Note: While Mobile Setup is connected to a printer, the printer’s control panel is disabled.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

To navigate Mobile Setup, use the cursor arrows and the enter key, or the directional pad on a Windows Mobile device. Use Up/Down to highlight one of the choices. On the “Use …” lines, you may use Left/Right or +/- to change the value. Note that when changing the value on the “Use Interface:” line, the menu options below it change accordingly. On all other choices, use Enter, the center of the directional pad, or the Select Button to select that item. The function of each of the choices on this menu are as described below.

Use Interface: Selects the printer interface that will be selected after changes are saved to the

printer. Changing this value will change the interface menu presented and allow changes to be made to any interface in the printer.

Cable Menu > Available when “Use Interface: Cable” is displayed.

Advances to the Serial Interface Menu and presents the items described in “Appendix B – Using the Serial/USB Interface”.

Bluetooth Menu > Only available when printer has a Bluetooth interface and “Use Interface:

Bluetooth” is displayed. Advances to the Bluetooth Interface Menu and presents the items described in “Appendix C – Using the Bluetooth® Interface”.

Wi-Fi Menu > Only available when printer has a Wi-Fi interface and “Use Interface: Wi-Fi”

is displayed. Advances to the Wi-Fi Interface Menu and presents the items described in “Appendix D – Using the Wi-Fi Interface”.

Use Emulation: Selects the printer emulation language that will be used when changes are

saved to the printer.

Image Management > Advances to the Image Management Menu and presents the items described in

the “Image Management” section of “Appendix A – Printer Configuration”.

Device Settings > Advances to the Device Settings Menu and presents the items described in the

“Device Settings” section of “Appendix A – Printer Configuration”.

Advanced > Advances to the Advanced Menu and presents the items described in the

“Advanced” section of “Appendix A – Printer Configuration”.

Printer Utilities > Advances to selections where the current setup values may be stored in, or

retrieved from, a file. Additional printer maintenance functions are also provided.

Save Changes? Advances to selections where any changes may be saved to the printer or

discarded, and then disconnect from the printer. Note: Make sure the “Use …” selections in the Main Menu are correct

before saving changes to the printer. These will be “selected” when changes are saved to the printer. Saved changes will take effect immediately after Mobile Setup disconnects from the printer and the printer completes an internal reset.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

Mobile Setup Utility Examples

Example: Changing the Default Font and Print Contrast

This example shows the steps required to change the font selection from 16.9 cpi Courier to 18.5 cpi Courier, and then continue on to change the print contrast from 0 to +10.

Note that either of these values may be overridden by your software application. When this occurs, selecting a different value in Setup will not change the output printed by your application. This may also apply to some other items within the Format Menu.

After connecting to the printer as described previously, move to and select the “Format Menu” line.

To change the default font size from 16.9 cpi Courier to 18.5 cpi Courier, move to the “Sys Font” line and increment the value twice.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

To change the default contrast from 0 to 10, move to the “Contrast” line and increment the value twice.

Now return to the Main Menu. You may move to and select the “Back” line, or you may select the Main Menu button.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

In the Main Menu, move to and select the “Save Changes” line, and then in the Save menu, select the “Save Changes & Exit” line.

Mobile Setup will now write the changes you have made to the printer’s non-volatile memory and disconnect from the printer. The printer will perform an internal reset and the printer is now ready to use with the changes you have made.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

Example: Changing the Wi-Fi TCP/IP Address

This example shows the steps required to change the TCP/IP address from 192.0.0.192 to 192.168.0.10. Additional Wi-Fi values may also need to be changed unless the printer has already been on your network.

Note that at the beginning of this example, Mobile Setup is connected to the printer using an optional serial cable and then the “Use Interface” value is changed to “Wi-Fi” to access the Wi-Fi Menu. If the printer is already on your network, you may connect to it using the Wi-Fi interface.

After connecting to the printer as described previously, move to the “Use Interface: Cable” line and increment the value so that “Use Interface: Wi-Fi” is displayed. Notice that the Menu options below this line have changed to correspond with the interface selected.

Move to and select the “Wi-Fi Menu” line.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

Now move to and select the “Address” line. Note that this line is not available if the IP Method is set to “Auto”. If this is the case, move to that line, increment the value to “Manual (Static)”, and then select the “Address” line.

Mobile Setup will now present a text box where you may enter the new IP Address. Enter the new address and press Enter or select the “OK” button.

Appendix F – Mobile Setup Utility

The IP address has changed as shown below. You may now move to other lines in this menu and make any other changes necessary to connect to your network. When finished making changes, move to and select the “Back” line to return to the Main Menu. You may also use the “Main Menu” button.

In the Main Menu, make sure the “Use Interface” value is set according to which interface you want to be “selected” after changes are written to the printer. If you wish to continue using the serial interface, change the value back to “Cable” before saving changes.

With “Use Interface” set to the preferred interface, move to and select the “Save Changes” line, and then in the Save menu select the “Save Changes & Exit” line.

Power

Paper Feed

Button

Appendix G – Control Panel Setup

Control Panel Setup allows the user to configure some features of the FieldPro RT43. Some may require using the Printek Mobile Setup Utility described in Appendix F.

The list below describes where, in this manual, you may find detailed information for each of the setup menus. Each section begins with a summary table which describes which setup method(s) may be used.

Control Panel Setup Basics

Control Panel Setup makes use of the Power and Paper Feed buttons and printing to step through the menus of items and values that may be changed. Install plain receipt paper for this task.

Button

Figure 16 - Control Panel

Entering Setup

To enter Setup, press and hold the Paper Feed Button while turning on the printer with the Power Button. The printer will print a test page which shows most of the menu items and their current values. At the end of the test page, “PRESS FEED FOR SETUP MENU” will be printed. Pressing the Paper Feed within the next four seconds will cause the Setup mode to be entered. If the button is not pressed within four seconds, the printer will return to normal operation.

Using Setup

After the Setup mode is entered, instructions will be printed indicating that the Power Button may be used as a “Select” button and that the Paper Feed Button may be used as a “Next Menu” button.

As instructed, press the Power to select each menu or item to be changed, and press the Paper Feed to skip to the next menu or item. Upon selecting an item inside a Menu by pressing Power, the displayed setting will change to the next value available for that item.

Press Paper Feed to skip to the next item in the menu. When EXIT MENU is displayed, press Power to exit the current menu and go to the next menu.

Appendix G – Control Panel Setup

Shortcuts

Exiting the Current Menu - When at any item within a menu, you may press and hold Paper Feed until it beeps a second time to exit the current menu. If changes have been made, the printer will exit the current menu and automatically advance to EXIT SETUP SAVE CHANGES. If no changes have been made, the printer will return to the beginning of the current menu where you may re-enter the menu by pressing Power or advance to the next menu by pressing Paper Feed.

Selecting the Factory Default Value - When at any item within a menu, you may press and hold the Power Button until it beeps a second time to set the current item to its factory default value.

Exiting Setup

After you have finished making changes, press Paper Feed to proceed to either of the following exit menu choices.

To save the changes you have made, press Power when the EXIT SETUP SAVE CHANGES Menu selection appears.

To exit without saving changes, press Power when the EXIT SETUP DISCARD CHANGES Menu selection appears, or at any time you may press and hold the Power Button until the printer beeps and turns off.

Appendix G – Control Panel Setup

and display the first item and its current value.

Press Power to select the next value.

Control Panel Setup Examples

Example: Changing the Default Font and Print Contrast

This example shows the steps required to change the font selection from 16.9 cpi Courier to 18.5 cpi Courier, and then continue on to change the print contrast from 0 to +10..

PRESS FEED FOR SETUP MENU

SETUP MENUS: ============ POWER -> SELECT FEED -> NEXT MENU

---------------------------- ------------------------------

INTERFACE MENU

FORMAT MENU

Font: 16.9 cpi Courier Font: 18.5 cpi SnsSrfA Font: 18.5 cpi Courier

Scalable Font: Default Scalable

• • • Print Contrast: 0 Print Contrast: + 5 Print Contrast: +10

EXIT SETUP SAVE CHANGES

When INTERFACE MENU is displayed, press Paper Feed to advance to the next menu.

When FORMAT MENU is displayed, press Power to enter the menu

Enter Setup by pressing the Paper Feed Button after performing self test.

Setup Menu Instructions are Displayed.

Press Power to select the next value.

With the desired value displayed, press Paper Feed to advance to the next menu item..

Press Paper Feed to select the next item.

Continue pressing Paper Feed until Print Contrast is displayed.

Press Power to select the next value. With the desired value displayed, press and hold

Paper Feed to exit this menu.

Press Power to select this choice to exit and save the changes.

Appendix G – Control Panel Setup

Example: Changing the Serial Interface Baud Rate

This example shows the steps required to change the serial baud rate from 57600 to 38400.

PRESS FEED FOR SETUP MENU

SETUP MENUS: ============ POWER -> SELECT FEED -> NEXT MENU

---------------------------- ------------------------------

INTERFACE MENU

Print Interface Settings Emulation: Printek Radio Pass-Thru: OFF Baud Rate: 57600 Baud Rate: 9600 Baud Rate: 19200 Baud Rate: 38400

EXIT SETUP SAVE CHANGES

When INTERFACE MENU is displayed, press Power to enter the menu and display the first item and its current

Enter Setup by pressing the Paper Feed Button after performing self test.

Setup Menu Instructions are Displayed.

Press Paper Feed to select the next menu item. Press Paper Feed to select the next menu item. Press Paper Feed to select the next menu item.

With Baud Rate displayed, press Power to select the next value. Press Power to select the next value.

Press Power to select the next value.

With the desired value displayed, press and hold Paper Feed to exit this menu.

Press Power to select this choice to exit and save the changes.

Appendix H – Power Considerations

FieldPro printers are designed to provide superior output using as little power as necessary. This provides the longest possible battery life. The printers may also be operated from an external power adapter when used in a more permanent installation in a vehicle or office. The following discussions indicate how the printer accomplishes this power conservation using features such as Standby and Auto Power Down.

For more information on battery charging, please refer to “Battery Care” on page12.

Standby Operation

When operating on battery power, the printer automatically enters a Standby mode one minute after the last computing event (i.e., receiving data, printing, a front panel button is pressed, or a magnetic card reader swipe operation). When in Standby, the printer will flash the Power Indicator.

While in Standby the printer turns off as many power consuming components as possible. However, the printer remains fully capable of receiving data or responding to a control panel button. The printer will automatically “wake up” when it begins to receive data from a host system, or when any front panel Button is pressed.

Auto Power Down

To conserve even more battery power, the printer may also be configured to turn itself off after a specified number of minutes of inactivity. When the printer powers down, this is equivalent to turning the printer off using the Power Button and the printer will no longer respond to incoming data.

To enable Auto Power Down, please refer to the Advanced settings on page 23.

Operation Without A Battery

FieldPro printers may be operated without a battery installed. Power adapters are available for use with 100240VAC/50-60Hz and for 12/24VDC vehicle applications.

Caution: Use only Printek power adapters designed specifically for your FieldPro RT43 printer. Using a

different power adapter may cause damage to the printer and will not be covered by the printer’s warranty.

Appendix I – Print & Font Samples

Print Samples

Appendix I – Print & Font Samples

Courier Font With International Extended Character Set

Courier Font PC Line Drawing Extended Character Set

Sans Serif Font

Appendix I – Print & Font Samples

Appendix J – Specifications

Printer Specifications

Printing Specifications

Printing Method: Direct Thermal Printing Resolution: 203 dots per inch (8 dots per mm) Printing Speed: Up To 2.8 Inches Per Second Printing Width: 832 Printing Elements for up to 4.1″ (10.41 cm)

Fonts/Characters/Bar codes

Fonts: A wide range of font types and sizes, from ~ 4 cpi to 34 cpi plus scaling depending

on emulation chosen

International Characters: An expanding catalog available for download Bar Codes: Code 39, Code 128, Interleaved 2 of 5, EAN08 & 13, PDF-417, and UPC

depending on emulation chosen

Downloads: Downloadable fonts, graphics, logos, and additional bar codes

Connectivity

Serial: RS-232C (Standard), USB (Optional cable required) Wireless: Bluetooth® (Optional) - 2.0 including L2CAP, RFCOMM, SDP protocols and

GAP, SDAP, SPP profiles.

Wi-Fi 802.11b/g (Optional)

Universal Port: Data and power port allows connection of external devices such as Printek barcode

scanners, signature capture pads

Emulations: Printek, O’Neil, ZPL-II, Printek Mt3, CPCL, MPL, IPL, ESim, TEC, EPOS Software Available: Drivers for Windows 98/2000/XP/7/8

Setup utility for configuration from Windows 98/2000/XP/7

Compatible with Windows CE/Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, Android, and iOS

SDK’s

Data Input

Magnetic Card Reader: 3 Track, Simultaneous Read (Optional)

Power Management

Battery: 7.4 V, 2200mAH rechargeable 2 cell Lithium Ion Endurance: Over 3,500 inches of print per charge Internal Charging: 2 hours (requires optional power adapter or external charger) Battery Free Operation: Printer may be used with optional external power adapter, with or without battery

Appendix J – Specifications

Physical Specifications

Size: 6.1 x 5.9 x 2.7 inches, 15.5 x 15.0 x 6.9 cm (LxWxH) Weight: 20 Ounces (.57 kg) with battery

Environmental Specifications

Operating Temp: -4° to 122°F (-20° to 50°C) Storage Temp: -4° to 140°F (-20° to 60°C) Humidity: 10% to 90% RH (non-condensing) Rating: IP54 per IEC 529

Operator Controls and Indicators

Indicators: Power/Wireless Connection, Battery Status, Fault Controls: Power, Paper Feed Sensors: Paper, Paper Door Open, Black Mark Detection

Memory Capacity

Flash: 2MB RAM: 1MB

Durability and Reliability

Drop Test: Survives multiple 4 foot drops to concrete (each face), conforms to IEC 68-2 MTBF: 10,000 hours in normal use

Regulatory Approvals

Approvals/Markings: FCC Class B

CE Mark RoHS UL listed AC adapters E-mark on In-Vehicle adapters

Warranty

Printer: One year including print head and battery

Optional extended warranties available

Printer Specifications

Media Specifications

Receipt Paper

General Specifications: 0.0022 to 0.0065” (0.056 to 0.089mm) Thick

2.9 to 4.125” (73.66 to 104.78mm)Wide

1.75” (44.45mm) Maximum Outside Diameter

0.750” (19.05mm) Core Diameter Recommended

Black Mark Sensing On Printed Side

Approved Vendors: Kansaki: P300, P310, P350, P354, P390*, P530UV, TO281CA,

OP200, TO381N, F180, F380, F550

Jujo: TF-50KS-E2C Honshu: FH65BV-3 Appleton: Resiste 900-3.0* *Standard Printek Offering

Black Mark Position

For automatic ticket printing, the black mark should be positioned as shown in the figure below. When using Mark Sensing mode, FieldPro printers will automatically position the output for tear-off and printing following a Form Feed command or by pressing the Paper Feed button.

For non-automatic paper positioning, refer to the MtP Series & FieldPro Programmer’s Manual for sensing and positioning commands.

Perforation or tear position

Black Mark should span width of paper for best results.

0.15”

Figure 17 - Black Mark Position

Appendix J – Specifications

Supplies and Accessories

Supplies

Battery: 7.4V, 2200 mAH Li-Ion

Available separately or in 5 or 20 packs.

Media: 3.125” and 4.125” wide standard receipt paper

3.125” and 4.125” wide premium receipt paper Available in cases of 36. Other sizes available on request. Cleaning Supplies: Print head cleaning pens

Magnetic Card Reader cleaning cards

Accessories

Power Adapters: 100-240VAC/50-60Hz Wall Adapters

12/24VDC Vehicle Adapters Carrying Options: Shoulder Strap Cables: RS-232C – RJ45 to DB-9F

USB – RJ45 to USB-A

String of characters beginning with the escape (ESC) character which is used to

Glossary of Terms

802.11 Wireless networking communication standards created by IEEE. access point An interface between a wireless network and a wired network. Ad-Hoc A Wi-Fi network consisting of only stations (no access point). Same as Peer-

to-Peer. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. authentication The process a Wi-Fi station uses to identify itself to another station. bandwidth The amount of data that be transferred in a given period of time. baud rate The rate at which characters are transmitted over a serial interface. This is also

often referred to as bits per second. binary Base two numbering system. Digits are represented by the characters 0 and 1. bit A single binary digit. Bluetooth A definition for short range radio frequency communications. client Any node on a network that requests services from another node (server). control code A single, non-printing character which is used to control the configuration or

operation of the printer. character pitch The horizontal spacing of characters. Measured in cpi. cpi Characters per inch. current line The line upon which the next character will be printed. current print position The column on the current line where the next character will be printed. default Value or configuration assumed when the printer is powered on or reset. DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A method used to centrally control the

assignment of IP addresses on a network. dpi Dots per inch. Generally used to refer to graphics density or resolution. escape sequence

control the configuration or operation of the printer. The characters which are

part of this string are not printed. font A group of characters of a given shape or style. hexadecimal Base sixteen numbering system. Digits are represented by the characters 0

through 9 and a through f. IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers infrastructure A Wi-Fi network consisting of stations connecting to a wired network or other

stations via an access point. interface The connection between the printer and the host computer.

Glossary

ge of data with another system. Must be

A network consisting of only stations (no access point or central server). Same

IP Internet Protocol. A specification for packets, or datagrams, of data and an

addressing method to allow the exchan combined with another protocol such as TCP to create a complete connection

with the other system. LAN Local Area Network. LCD Liquid crystal display. LED Light emitting diode. line pitch The vertical spacing of rows of characters. Measured in lpi. lpi Lines per inch. margin An area along any edge of a form where data may not be printed. MSB Most significant bit. In a character, this refers to bit seven (of 0 to 7). node Any device connected to a network. parity A method used for detecting errors within a single character transmitted or

received via an interface. Peer-to-Peer

as Ad-Hoc. reset Initialization of various operating features of the printer to the value or state

assumed when the printer is powered on. RS-232C An EIA standard for serial data transmission. server Any node on a network that provides services to another node (client). SSID Service Set IDentifier. An identifier attached to packets on a Wi-Fi network

that identify the particular network the packets are intended for. TCP Transmission Control Protocol. A specification that controls the connection

between systems on a network. top of form The vertical position where the first line is printed on the paper. Also the

position the paper is advanced to when a form feed (FF) character is received

from the host or the Form Feed button is pressed on the printer's control panel. USB Universal Serial Bus. WAN Wide Area Network. Refers to connections that allow one LAN to

communicate with another LAN(s). WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy. A security protocol for wireless LANs designed to

provide data security similar to a wired LAN. Wi-Fi Refers to any of the IEEE 802.11 standards. WLAN Wireless Local Area Network. A LAN made up of wireless nodes.

Printek FieldPro RT43 Series Operator's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual