RadioPopper PX - Manual (Page 11)

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RadioPopper PX Radio Wireless System
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About This Section
We have put much consideration into the design and operation of the PX system. We are confident you will experience
simple and worry free operation. Please refer to this section if you do experience any trouble while operating your PX’s.
This section is split into three segments focused on the types of mis-fire or malfunction issues you are likely to encounter.
Smart PX Units
Your RadioPopper PX units have been designed with some of the most advanced digital radio technology available. The
radio system itself includes significant error correction and background signal rejection technology. Additionally, the
computer and operating system of the PX units actually understand the information being sent and processed by your
flash units. The overall design makes for a very robust, reliable, and long range radio system.
The PX units include various feedback and diagnostic features which make it easy for you to determine if the PX units
themselves are functioning normally.
Once the PX units are properly installed and your flash units are themselves properly configured, you should experience
solid and reliable operation of your flash system - even at long ranges.
PX System Trouble Shooting
Let’s first make sure your PX system is operating properly.
1) The PX Transmitter will not send any radio information while in the Menu mode. If your PX Transmitter does observe
you have taken a shot while in Menu Mode, it will immediately save your settings and exit back to normal operation, so
any follow-up shots should be transmitted normally.
2) The PX Receiver however will not automatically drop out of Menu Mode. If you have just set a channel for evaluation
or changed a setting, then attempted to activate a test shot while the menu is still displayed on the PX Receiver, the unit
will not activate. You must exit the menu before your PX Receiver can resume normal operation.
3) Clear Menu Mode by tapping the “P” button to tab through the menus. After the “r E” menu, your unit should resume
normal operation. Observe for the yellow LED to strobe at this point. This confirms the radio system is operating and is
ready to transmit or receive a signal.
4) Make sure all PX units are set to the same radio channel. Tab to the “CH” menu by tapping the “P” button. Then press
the “X” button *one* time to display the current radio channel without actually changing it. To modify the channel
values, use the “X” button to reach the desired channel.
5) Ensure the proper Hardware Mode is set. The default mode is Canon. Set the “H” menu from “C” to “n” if you are
shooting Nikon gear.
6) Shoot and observe the Link LED strobes momentarily following the shot on both the PX Transmitter and all PX
Receiver units. This is an indication that a radio transmission packet was sent and properly received by each PX unit.
Occasionally, the Link LED may not strobe on PX Receivers if the PX Transmitter is placed extremely close to the PX
Receiver. The new digital radio modulation used by the PX system is quite powerful, and the PX Receiver is extremely
sensitive. At very close range (within 12 inches or so) the PX Transmitter may “over-drive” the radio of the PX Receiver.
This will not damage the units, but it may prevent the radio packet from being clearly received. Perform all testing
within a few feet of separation between units.
7) You may optionally set Feedback Mode (F) to 3 on all units. In this mode, the PX Transmitter will show the number of
data bits sent on the display. Each PX Receiver will then display the number of data bits received. These numbers should
be the same for each individual shot. (They may be different numbers from shot to shot - this is perfectly normal).
8) Finally, you may reset the factory default settings of your PX units. Tab to the Reset menu (r E), press and hold the “X”
button for 5 seconds to initiate the reset. The next time your unit powers on, it will completely check itself and display
any hardware errors which may be present (the unit would begin blinking “E “ followed by a number on the display).
You should observe the software version, followed by a segment test of the display “88”, then power off. The LED lights
should gradually gain then dim in brightness.
If these tests are complete with expected results, then any issue is most certainly related to either the installation of the
PX units on your Master and Slave flash devices, or the configuration of your flash units themselves.
Flash Unit Configuration - Trouble Shooting
Once you’re sure your PX units are properly installed and operating normally, please check that your actual flash units are
properly configured for wireless flash operation.
1) Remove the PX Receiver from your Slave flash. Place your Slave flash such that it has a clear line of sight to the Master
flash on your camera, at a range of 3 to 5 feet. Now attempt to operate your flash system using the “line of sight” IR
system already built into the flashes. Your Slave flash should activate reliably and as expected at this time. If your Slave
flash does not operate as expected, then your Master and Slave flash units themselves are not properly configured.
2) Set the flash on your camera as “Master”, and set all of the remote wireless flashes to “Slave” or “Remote”.
3) Ensure Master and Slave flash units are both set on the same ETTL/iTTL. This channel is not related to the Radio
Channel set in your PX units.
4) If your flash units still do not operate, even without the PX units installed, please consult the owner’s manual supplied
with your particular brand and model of flash units. Refer to the manual’s section regarding wireless operation.
Trouble Shooting