Warwick, at 14:51 on Apr 10 1996, you wrote to All ...

WE> I hope someone here can give me an answer?
WE> I have a USR Sportster v34+ (33600). I have considerable 
WE> difficulty making this modem connect to the 3 BBS's which I 
WE> mainly log on to. More often than not, the modem will make 2 
WE> rings, and then drop out, and cycle to the next number I have 
WE> marked. The comms program, (Telix for Windows) will show the
WE>  message "Last attempt busy". I sometimes have to try 10 to 
WE> 15 times to make a connection, yet on other occasions, it 
WE> will pick up the BBS on the first ring. As a test, I have 
WE> dialled my mobile phone,(but not answered it), and mostly, 
WE> the modem will keep on ringing (as it should do?) Just in 
WE> case the message was correct (last attempt busy), I picked 
WE> up another handset, connected to the same line, after the 
WE> dialling started, and listened. The modem dropped the line 
WE> after the 2nd ring, but as I had the line still open with the 
WE> other handset, the BBS picked up the call, and went into 
WE> the normal handshake mode, thus proving that the BBs was not 
WE> busy, and thus (to my mind), showing that the fault lay with 
WE> the modem. As a further test, I tried using QL2Fax, which 
WE> came with the modem. Same result, drop out on the 2nd.
WE> ring. 
WE> However, once I do connect, the modem performs flawlessly, 
WE> giving me a cps of on average 3100-3200. As regards receiving 
WE> calls on file transfer from another modem, it works well, 
WE> picking up the call on the 1st. ring and transferring the 
WE> info with no problems. Before I forget, mine is an internal 
WE> version, which when plugged in, fired up straight off.
WE> Hoping one of you whizzes out there can put your finger on 
WE> my problem. NB. Don't get too technical with an answer, as I 
WE> am easily lost . Regards...........Warwick.

Check the setting of the S register for "wait for carrier" S7 -
it defaults to 60 seconds according to that manual (and is set to that in
my Courier).  You may have is set to a ridiculously low number.

Your comms package will also have a setting for this.  Check that it too
has a reasonable number of seconds set.

David
@EOT:

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