FAQ's and Troubleshooting

1. Connect the Spectracom Model 8178T or 8179T TimeTap into the serial port of a laptop computer. A standard DB9 to DB25 adapter may be required with an 8178T TimeTap.
2. Using the terminal emulator screen, you should see a line on your screen every second that looks similar to one of the three samples below (depends on selected Data Format).
   
   
   
   1. A. 306 13:23 STZ=05 (Data Format 0)
   2. B. THU 11NOV99 13:23:36 (Data Format 1)
   3. C. 99 315 18:36:14.267S (Data Format 2)
      Note: If there is a "?" or "*" at the beginning of the line, the Master Clock is not time synched. Contact Spectracom Customer Service for assistance.
3. Refer to the sections below for evaluation. If the line is present, the TimeTap output is fine. The problem is with the cabling from the TimeTap to the device or with the device itself. Contact the equipment vendor for assistance.
   If the line is not present, check the settings of the terminal emulator. If the settings are correct, verify the 8178T or 8179T TimeTap is installed correctly. Refer to the appropriate TimeTap Instruction Manual. If you need further assistance, contact Spectracom Customer Service.
   
   You can also refer to
   Verifying RS-485 with a TimeTap