Trimble RNGRBTWFR Users Manual

TDS Ranger

Getting Started Guide

Limited Warranty & Liability Limitations

This product is limited warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for twelve

(12) months from the original date of purchase. Ranger accessories and peripherals are limited

warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for ninety (90) days from the original

date of purchase. If notice is received of such defects during the limited warranty period, the

proven defective product(s) will either be repaired or replaced, at the manufacturer’s option.

Replacement products may be either new or like new.

The manufacturer does not warrant that the operation of the products will be uninterrupted or

error free. If the product is not, within a reasonable time, repaired or replaced to a condition as

limited warranted, the customer will be entitled to a refund of the purchase price upon prompt

return of the product.

Limited warranty does not apply to defects resulting from (a) improper or inadequate maintenance

or calibration, (b) software, interfacing, par

t

s, or supplies not supplied by manufacturer, (c)

unauthorized modifi cation, or misuse, (d) operation outside of the published environmental

specifi cations for the product, or (e) physical damage due to external causes, including accident,

abuse, misuse or problems with electrical power. Water damage caused by improper installation

of the CF-Cap is not covered by warranty. Removal of the back case voids the limited warranty.

There are important seals that will break and the Ranger will no longer be waterproof.

To the extent allowed by local law, the above limited warranties are exclusive and no other

warranty or condition, whether written or oral, is expressed or implied, specifi cally disclaiming

any implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, satisfactory quality, and fi tness for a

particular purpose.

To the extent allowed by local law, the remedies in this limited warranty statement are the

customer’s sole and exclusive remedies. Except as indicated above, in no event will the

manufacturer or its suppliers be liable for loss of data or for direct, special, incidental,

consequential (including lost profi t or data), or other damage, whether based in contract,

tort, or otherwise.

Reference Materials

Ranger support (TDS):

E-mail: [e-mail]

Web site: www.tdsway.com. Click on Support/Downloads.

Windows Mobile:

www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/default.mspx

Accessories:

You can expand the Ranger handheld computer’s capabilities by purchasing

accessories. Go to www.tdsway.com/ranger_accessories.

NOTICE for TDS European Union Customers

TDS is pleased to announce a new recycling program for our European Union

customers.

At TDS, we recognize the importance of minimizing the environmental impacts of

our products. We endeavor to meet your needs, not only when you purchase and use

our products, but also when you are ready to dispose of them. That is why TDS and

our parent company Trimble Navigation are actively pursuing the expanded use of

environmentally friendly materials in all our products and why we have established a

convenient recycling program.

As TDS and Trimble make additional recycling facilities available for your use, we

will post their locations and contact information to our Recycling Instructions Web

page.

For current product recycling instructions and information, please go to:

www.tdsway.com/environment

Recycling in Europe:

To recycle TDS or Trimble WEEE*

Call [phone] and ask for the “WEEE Associate.”

Or

Mail a request for recycling instructions to:

Trimble Europe BV

c/o Menlo Worldwide Logistics

Meerheide 45

5521 DZ Eersel, NL

*WEEE - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. (Any product that runs on

electrical power)

©2005 Tripod Data Systems, Inc. Tripod Data Systems, the TDS triangle logo, Ranger, CF-Cap,

PowerBoot Module are trademarks of Tripod Data Systems.

ActiveSync, Microsoft, Outlook, Windows and the Windows logo are registered trademarks

or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft

products are licensed to OEMs by Microsoft Licensing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of

Microsoft Corporation.

Other brand names and trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Display images shown may vary slightly from actual display. Specifi cations subject to change.

Contents

Welcome 1
Device Hardware 2
Unit Set Up 3
Working with Your Unit 6
Settings on Your Unit 17
Connecting to Your PC 18
Communication 19
Caring for Your Unit 29
Environmental Considerations 31
Hardware Specifications 33
Environmental Specifications 33
Safe Use of Your Unit 34
Troubleshooting and FAQs 35
Regulatory Information 39
Declaration of Conformity 40

Welcome

Congratulations on your purchase of one of the most advanced
handheld computers available on the market today. The rugged
design of your handheld allows you to work in harsh outdoor
environments. You can operate your unit in blazing heat, subzero
cold, driving rain or dusty job sites – places you coul d not take a
consumer-grade handheld computer.

NOTE: Not all the features discussed in this manual will apply to
every unit, as many of the features are offered as options. If the
feature described does not apply to your unit, please disregard that
section.

1

Device Hardware

Front Panel Back Panel

Removable CF-Cap covers two

CompactFlash slots and one SD slot

Stylus
holder

Notification
LED

CF-Cap

Power

Hand strap

PowerBoot
Module

PowerBoot
coin screws

Top View- without Cap Bottom View

CompactFlash and SD card slots

CF slot #1

type I

SD

NOTE: Be sure to read the warranty and safety information in this

manual prior to using your unit.

CF slot #2

type I & II

USB
host

Serial

port

USB

client

External

power

2

Unit Set Up

1. Attach the PowerBoot Module

The PowerBoot ModuleTM that contains the
batteries is shipped detached from the unit.
Align the PowerBoot Module with the contacts
facing down. Insert the top end of the
PowerBoot Module first as shown, and then
drop the PowerBoot Module into the unit.
Secure by tightening the two screws with the
stylus, a coin, or a screwdriver.

2. Attach the hand strap

Insert the strap as shown onto the two
small bolts located on the back of the
unit, near the bottom of the PowerBoot
Module.

Now stretch the hand strap and insert the
other end of the strap onto the two bolts at the
top of the unit.

3. Charge your unit

The AC charger that ships with your unit comes with ad apters to fit
almost every electrical outlet and voltage. Connect the correct
adapter to the charger, plug the charger into an electrical outlet and
plug the DC jack barrel end of the charger into the external power
port on the PowerBoot Module. Charge the PowerBoot Module for
approximately 4.5 hours.

Warning! Be sure to always use
the charger included with your
unit. Use of other chargers will
void your warranty.

3

4. Turning your unit on and off

To turn your computer on, press the green Power
key on the lower left hand corner of the keypad.
To turn the computer off, press the Power key
again.

One of the most convenient features of the unit
is “instant on” and “instant off” that happens
every time the Power key is pressed. Also
known as “suspend/resume”, it means that there
is no waiting for the computer to boot up ev ery
time the unit is turned on. “Instant on” does not
occur on the first boot-up.

Power

5. Align the touchscreen

When the unit first turns on (or after a hard reset) the touchscreen
may require alignment. A series of targets is displayed in sequence
on the screen. Use the stylus to tap the targets firmly and accurately
to align the touchscreen. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the
alignment procedure more than once to provide a satisfactory
calibration.

6. Using the CF and SD expansion slots

Your unit contains two CompactFlash (CF) slots and one Secure
Digital (SD) expansion slot. The SD slot is located within the walls
of one of the CF slots. The SD slot is for memory cards only. SDIO
devices such as cameras or GPS receivers will not operate in this
slot.

To access the CF and SD expansion slots,
remove the CF-Cap
the screw on the top of the CF-Cap using
the stylus, a coin or a screwdriver as
shown, and slide the cap off the main un it.

NOTE: When using smaller CF cards (such as memory or
Bluetooth), it is critical that you attach a CF Card Pull Tab to the
CF card before sliding the card into the slot. A Pull Tab will allow
you to easily remove the CF card from the slot. Pull Tabs are part of
the accessories included with your unit.

4

TM

. To do this, unscrew

yp

yp

With the CF-Cap removed, the 2 CF and 1 SD expansion slots are
visible. The CF slots are side by side, and the SD slot can be seen
inside the CF slot #2 cavity.

To insert a CF or SD card:

- CF cards must be inserted with the
front of the card facing toward the
display side of the unit. CF slot #1
supports Type I cards. CF slot #2
supports Type I and II cards.

- SD cards must be inserted with the
front of the card facing away from
the display.

CF Slot #1

e I

T

SD

CF Slot #2

e I & II

T

- Again, be sure to attach a Pull Tab to the smaller CF cards
(such as memory or Bluetooth) before sliding the cards in to the
slots.

- Gently insert the CF card or SD memory card into one of the

two CF slots. Do not force the card into the slot. The pins can
be damaged if the card is not aligned correctly.

When replacing the CF-Cap, first be sure it is oriented correctly.
The stylus holder in the CF-Cap is towards the front of the unit.
Replace the CF-Cap and tighten the screw to reseal. The cap should
be securely tightened, but do not over-tighten the screw.

NOTE: Be sure to correctly orient the CF-Cap when you are
reattaching it. The unit is NOT sealed when the cap is off or
attached backwards. Water damage caused by improper installation
of the CF-Cap is not covered by warranty.

5

Working with Your Unit

Using the stylus

The touchscreen on your unit works like a mouse on a PC. Use the
stylus to navigate and select objects on the screen.

Tap: Tap the screen with the stylus to select or open an item.
Tapping is equivalent to clicking an item with the left mouse on
your PC.

Touch and hold: When you touch and hold, a circle of blue dots
appears around the stylus to indicate that a pop-up menu will soon
appear. Touching and holding is equivalent to right-clicking your
PC mouse button.

Drag: Hold the stylus on the screen and drag across the screen to
select text and images. Drag in a list to select multiple items.

PowerBoot Module

The PowerBoot Module includes the batteries to power the unit, the
power port used to charge the unit, and the I/O ports that are used to
communicate with other devices (such as a PC) using a USB or
serial cable.

Battery life: Battery life is very dependent upon the application and
operating environment. You can expect about 30 hours of battery
life. Typical usage includes using the unit in moderate or high
outside temperatures without using the backlight, and using low
power CF and SD cards, such as memory cards.

Cold temperatures, heavy use of the backlight and the use of high
power consumption CF cards (such as GPS) will all significantly
reduce the battery life.

Tips for extending the battery life:

- Use the backlight only when necessary. Use the Fn +
keys to toggle the backlight on and off. Tap

Backlight

on when the unit is idle.

6

to minimize the amount of time the backlight stays

Settings / System /

Power

- Use the most energy efficient CF cards that are available for
your application and use them only when necessary to perform
the desired task.

- Use the embedded wireless capability (Bluetooth or wLAN)
only when necessary. Turn off (turn Flight Mode on) when not
in use.

- When working in cold temperatures, keep the unit as warm as
possible. If feasible, keep the unit inside your co at or in a
vehicle when not in use.

Battery warnings: There are two different warnings that will
indicate when the battery life is getting low:

Low battery warning Critical battery warning

The Main Battery Low warning notifies you when your battery
level reaches a low level and needs to be recharged. You have only
5% or less of your battery life remaining, so start saving your data
as soon as possible.

The Main Battery Very Low warning indicates that the battery level
is at a critically low level and you may have only minutes before the
unit shuts itself off. Save your work immediately an d turn the unit
off.

NOTE: Be aware that the accuracy of the battery warnings will
vary depending upon temperature, power consumption, and
applications. Experimentation with your particular situation will
give you a better feel for how the warnings correspond to actual
remaining battery life.

7

If the battery level gets too low, the unit will go into an emergency
suspend and will turn itself off. Either charge the PowerBoot
Module or swap it out with a fully-c harged PowerBoot.

Charging the batteries: The PowerBoot Module can be charged
either in or out of the unit.

The AC charger comes with adapters that will fit most electrical
outlets worldwide. Attach the appropriate adapter that fits your
electrical outlets to the charger. To charge the battery, plug the AC
charger into the wall socket. Insert the DC jack barrel connector
into the power port on the PowerBoot Module. The unit will be
fully charged in approximately 4.5 hours. The acceptable
temperature range for charging the battery is between +5°C and
+35°C (+41°F and +95°F).

The PowerBoot Module also has an LED that provides an indication
of charging status. The LED states are shown in the following table.

Normal usage:

Off No charger present, or charger

unplugged.
Fast blink Fast charge.
Slow blink Topoff charge.
On Charging complete.

Error conditions:

One short flash Battery temperature too cold to charge.
Two short flashes Battery temperature too hot to charge.
Three short flashes Wrong charger.

NOTE: When the unit is finished charging and is still connected to
the AC charger, the status found in Settings / System / Power will
report the battery power remaining as if it is still on battery power.

Swapping the PowerBoot Module: The PowerBoot Module is
designed to be quickly swapped in the field. If the current
PowerBoot Module runs low on power, replace the Module and

8

continue with your work. (This assumes that you have purchased
additional PowerBoot Modules.)

When turned off, the unit saves enough power that you can swap the
battery without triggering a hard reset if you can swap in the new
PowerBoot Module within a couple of minutes. If the saved power
runs out before the new PowerBoot is connected, the unit will
perform a hard reset when the PowerBoot Module is reattached. All
data, configuration, drivers and settings not saved in Built-in
Storage or on a flash memory card will be lost. Therefore, it is

strongly recommended that you perform a Sprite Backup before
swapping the PowerBoot Module. See the Backup and Restore

section for more information.

To change a PowerBoot Module, perform the following steps:

1. Back up your data to Built-in Storage using the pre-installed
Sprite Backup program. (See information on Backup and
Restore).

2. Press the Power key and turn the unit on. (The unit will
automatically turn itself off when you loosen th e screws in step

4.)

3. Remove the hand strap from the unit.

4. Using a screwdriver, a coin, or the flat head of the stylus,
unlock the 2 screws on the PowerBoot Module by turning them
counter-clockwise until the PowerBoot can be removed.
Unscrewing the screws turns the unit off and puts it in a special
state that prevents it from turning on during alarms and
notifications.

5. Remove the PowerBoot Module by taking it out of the unit.

6. Quickly insert the new PowerBoot Module onto the unit.

7. Screw the PowerBoot Module securely into place by turning
the 2 screws clockwise until they are fastened.

8. Replace the hand strap.

9. Press the Power key and turn the unit on.

NOTE: The screws MUST be tightened before turning the unit on
or data could be lost.

9

Memory and Built-in Storage

The memory in the unit is used to store software applications,
configuration information, drivers and data. The unit ha s two kinds
of memory, flash and RAM. Flash memo ry is generally known as
Built-in Storage.

Built-in Storage memory is nonvolatile storage. Th e contents are
unaffected if the battery is removed or discharged. Therefore, you
should keep your data and software application programs in Built-in
Storage. The amount of Built-in Storage in your unit will vary
depending on your unit configuration. Windows Mobile™ 2003
software for Pocket PC’s uses approximately 26 MB of Built-in
Storage. The balance is available for your use. Third-party CF or
SD memory cards can be used to increase the amount of available
storage memory. They work the same as Built-in Storage, except
they are removable.

RAM is volatile. This means the contents will be lost if the battery
is disconnected or discharged. RAM memory is used to run
programs and is often used as the initial storage area for data. The
amount of RAM in your unit will vary depending on your unit
configuration. Approximately 18 MB is reserved for the operating
system. To save RAM memory contents into Built-in Storage, use
the pre-installed Sprite Backup program. See the next section
"Backup and Restore" for more details about backing up data to
memory. Any data in RAM that is not stored to Built-in Storage wil l
be lost if the battery is removed or discharged. We strongly
recommend regularly saving your data.

The following illustration shows the different kinds of memory as
they appear within File Explorer (Start / Programs / File
Explorer). The nonvolatile Built-in Storage is shown under the top
level My Device at the top of the list
change folders.

10

. Tap on the desired folder to

Built-in Storage: The contents
are found in this folder in File
Explorer.

Storage Cards: If memory cards
are present, the contents are
found in these folders in File
Explorer.

RAM: All other files and folders
displayed by File Explorer are
stored in RAM and will need to be
backed up.

Backup and Restore

Many programs and unit configurations reside in RAM and
collected data is sometimes stored in RAM. RAM memory is
volatile and all data and programs residing in RAM will be lost if
the battery is disconnected during use or is completely discharged.
To prevent such data loss, it is important to regularly back up the
RAM to Built-in Storage. Your device comes with a pre-installed
backup utility program called Sprite Backup.

Sprite Backup: Sprite Backup is an easy-to-use program that backs
up data from RAM to the Built-in Storage memory. To run a
backup, tap Start / Programs / Sprite Backup.

Once the program loads, tap
Backup Now and the backup
process will begin immediately.
When the backup is complete a
chime will sound and the screen
will show Operation Complete.
When this occurs, tap OK. This
will bring up a message box once
again telling you that the
operation has completed. Tap OK to restart (soft reboot) your
system. Your backup is now complete. All programs and data are
stored in a backup file and stored in Built-in Storage.

11

We recommend that you run Sprite Backup often to ensure that you
never lose any data due to an unforeseen hard reset. Because it’s
easy to forget to do, Sprite Backup offers scheduling automatic
backups as an advanced feature. To set this up, tap Start /

Programs / Sprite Backup. In the lower left corner tap Options /
Switch to Advanced Mode. Next, access the scheduling page by

tapping Options / Scheduled Backup / Change Scheduling. Here
you can set single, daily, or weekly automatic backups to run at a
particular time. Select the desired frequency and the backup time
and tap OK to set the schedule.

NOTE: While scheduled automatic backups will help protect you
from data loss, even a daily restore may not be enough in an
intensive work environment. When collecting a lot of data,
remember to backup often. If a hard reset occurs, any data collected
between the last backup and the hard reset will be lost.

If you experience a hard reset for any reason, you can easily restore
your data from your last backup. After a hard reset, the unit will
automatically prompt you to do a restore. To run restore manually,
tap Start / Programs / Sprite Backup / Restore Now. Once the
restore is complete, you will be prompted to do a soft reset. After
the reset, the unit is restored to its pre-hard reset state.

Power key features

The Power key turns the unit on and off and performs a number of
additional functions.

Turn backlight on/off:

and then the
off until it is toggled back on. Screen taps and key presses will not
cause it to turn on.

Power menu:

display a countdown. Continuing to press the Power key will cause
a soft reset when the countdown reaches zero. If you release the
Power key while the countdown is proceeding, you access the
following menu. Tap an option or OK to exit.

12

Power

Hold down the Power key for about 3 seconds to

To toggle the backlight on or off, press Fn

key. Once toggled off, the backlight will stay