Rangecast FAQ
[FAQ-1272] INDEX - Radio Receiver Site (feed site) - Feed site software (sender)


Page Type: INDEX


OVERVIEW

Topics related to Rangecast software running on the PC that is physically connected to the radio receivers


REFERENCE


[FAQ-1090] SOP for quality assurance verification of feed site configuration

Whenever changes are made to the Rangecast configuration on a PC -- including adding, removing, or renaming any scanner or VOX sender -- this process must be followed to ensure that various configuration settings and reference information is correct.




[FAQ-1088] How to stop Rangecast software on a feed site PC (temporary stop, not decommission)

Rangecast software on a feed site PC includes a "watchdog" process that monitors for software faults, and may automatically relaunch the software if it is not closed correctly. The correct way to stop Rangecast is to click the Rangecast icon, and then press the Stop button.




[FAQ-1077] Rangecast will clear some problems automatically - It may be best to wait 20 minutes.

The Rangecast system is designed to be self-healing from many common problems. Although errors are generally reported quickly so you can be aware of performance and current operations, for many errors, it is often advisable to wait for 20 minutes and see if the problem corrects itself without intervention. If the cause of the problem is that some computer is temporarily offline (e.g while rebooting, undergoing maintenance, or subject to a temporary network outage), this allows time for the computer to recover and resume normal operations. Similarly, some aspects of the Rangecast system are designed to wait for a few minutes before attempting to automatically reconfigure or correct problems.




[FAQ-1137] What is Multisync?

Multisync is software included in the Rangecast feed site package that coordinates the scanning pattern of multiple scanners sharing the same programming, so that each transmission is received by only one scanner in the cluster, while other scanners are free to detect simultaneous transmissions on other channels.




[FAQ-1091] Special Settings parameter on PC feed site configuration screen

Special Settings is a field on the PC feed site configuration screen for customizing various aspects of software features and performance. Commands entered here may affect all audio sources on the PC, or be directed to a specific scanner or audio source.




[FAQ-1092] Format of PC identification (Location Note) on Configuration screen

A short name is associated with each PC, to help identify that PC within the a hub. The maximum length of a name is 16 characters. Recommended content includes (a) city location (e.g. 'Norfolk VA'), (b) facility (e.g. 'studio', 'tower'), (c) distinguishing features within a group of co-located scanners (e.g. 'VHF'), (d) if multiple PCs would be similarly described, a numerical ID (e.g. '2'). Care must be taken to ensure the text does not exceed 16 characters, as this is not enforced in the user interface. City names may often need to be abbreviated due to space constraints. For space efficiency, the name of the hub should generally not be included. This text is always reported along with the Rangecast ID of a sender (which includes the hub name), so text is only needed to supply additional information, such as a description of the geographical location or particular PC unit.




[FAQ-1145] Launching Rangecast as a service (instead of an application)

On feed site PCs where customer requirements make it impossible for the PC to automatically launch into a Windows user account when the PC boots up, it is possible to configure Rangecast to start automatically when the PC boots, and operate without the PC being logged into any Windows user account. In this configuration, Rangecast operates as a service instead of an application (and will operate this way automatically when the PC boots), but can be switched into application mode when desired. This is only recommended when the PC is unable to automatically log into a Windows user account when the PC boots.




[FAQ-1131] Bad Password (feed site sender error message)

Hubs may require a password for feed site senders/scanners to submit audio content into Rangecast. The password is entered on the PC in the Rangecast configuration screen. If the supplied password is not on an approved list (maintained by the hub administrator), the sender will show a red box with the error messsage "BAD PASSWORD"




[FAQ-1132] Network Error (feed site error message)

The Rangecast feed site sender software will display a red status box with the error message "Network Error" if the software cannot communicate with the Rangecast server. This may be due to a network problem, DNS error, or Rangecast service outage.




[FAQ-1136] Rangecast start page 'counting down' with a very large value on the timer

When Rangecast is started (either manually by someone using the PC, or automatically when the PC boots up), the entry screen (with start/stop/configuration buttons) has a 60-second countdown timer, and will automatically launch the software after 1 minute. However, if Rangecast has detected a technical problem that entirely prevents operation, and either (a) a reboot does not clear the problem or (b) the Rangecast software has been instructed to never reboot the PC, the timer will count down for 30 minutes (the display countdown shows seconds - this is 1800 seconds) and retry only every half-hour.




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