Epson Multi-mode Data Controller MFJ-1278B - Manual (Page 125)

MFJ-1278B MULTI-MODE ADVANCED OPERATION
The timing of the automatic entry into data-transfer mode depends on whether you or the
other station initiated the connection. If you receive a connect request that your MFJ-1278B
accepts, then you will enter data-transfer mode, when your MFJ-1278B sends the connect
acknowledgment (ACK) and displays the message:
*** CONNECTED TO <callsign>
on your computer monitor screen.
If you initiate the connection with the CONNECT command, then you can control the timing
of the mode change with the command NEWMODE. If NEWMODE is OFF, the mode
will change when the connect ACK is received and the *** CONNECTED TO: <callsign>
message is displayed on your computer screen. If NEWMODE is ON, you will enter data-
transfer mode immediately, without waiting for a successful connection. Any text sent to the
MFJ-1278B at this point will be queued up in packets which will wait for a successful
connection before being sent. If the connect attempt fails, you will be returned to Command
Mode. You will also be returned automatically to Command Mode when either station
disconnects and ends the QSO.
Converse Mode
The data mode used most often for ordinary QSOs is Converse Mode. In Converse Mode,
the information you type is assembled by the MFJ-1278B into packets and transmitted over
the radio. The send-packet character causes the input to be packetized for transmission. If
you type a full packet-length of characters without typing the send-packet character, your
input will be packetized and transmitted anyway.
The default send-packet character is <CR>, but you can specify any character with the
command SENDPAC. You may also choose to have the send-packet character transmitted in
the packet or not. If the send-packet character is <CR> it is natural to include it in the packet
as part of the text as well as interpreting it as a command. This is accomplished by setting
CR ON. If you use some other character to force packet transmission, you may want to set
CR OFF and inhibit transmission of the send-packet character. If you set the send-packet
character to something other than <CR>, you can cancel packets of more than one line with
the cancel-packet character, that is set with the command CANPAC. Single-line packets can
be canceled with either the cancel-line character or the cancel-packet character.
In order to return to Command Mode from Converse Mode, you must type the Command
Mode entry character, or send a BREAK signal over the serial port. A BREAK is not a
regular ASCII character, but it can frequently be transmitted by typing a special key on the
keyboard.
A BREAK signal is a continuous space (or 0) signal on the serial port Transmit Data line