                        QMODEM-Maxwell Modem Setup

This is a report on setting up the Racal-Vadic Maxwell modem using
QMODEM. As far as I have been able to tell, complete compatability
is not possible, but I have gotten it to work well enough. There are some
problems that the user should be aware of to avoid them.

    1.  The modem can only sync comm parameters in idle mode. It will not
sync while in command mode. This relates especially to the next item.

    2.  When a dial sequence fails to connect, QMODEM has no way to
automatically reset the modem to idle mode; it stays in command mode.
Hayes, of course, automatically returns to idle after a command sequence.
This results in the following conflicts:

         A. If you dial another number at a different baud rate, the modem
            will fail to sync. See #1. QMODEM starts the dialing
            sequence or "Comm param change msg" at the new rate before
            issuing the I{. You must manually set to idle before redialing
            at a new baud rate.

         B. If you try to redial any other number with a ^E as your first
            character in the dial prefix, you will get an error from the
            modem. The first character in the dial prefix must be I{ as
            follows:

                Modem Dial prefix  |   I{~^E{~~D

            Dialing at the same baud rate proceeds normally with this
            setup. In any other situation you must reset to idle manually.
            I assigned a function key to I{ to reduce the aggrevation as
            much as possible.

         C. The pauses are necessary to give the modem a chance to respond
            with its "HELLO, I'M READY" at 300 baud, if you use it. You
            need one also after the I{. One in each position can be
            eliminated at 1200 baud.
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         D. The Redial screen gets confused with the extra reports that the
            modem issues. But you can get around the idle thing by setting

                Cancel Redial chars  |  ^MI^M

            and it will reset to idle from Redial.

    3. You cannot have the modem's hangup enabled during file uploads.  It
seems every file in the world has the equivilant of a ^(CD) in it some
where. I have been hung up on during every file upload I attempted with it
active. Even R-V disables it in their George software. If you are not
uploading it can be left active. The string length allowed in QMODEM is not
long enough to turn it on, issue the command and turn it off, like I
suspect they do in George.

    4. Whenever you issue a ^E in a command string, you must allow for a
delay for the modem to respond, (See 2C above) as in the setup string. This
is mainly for 300 baud, but a short one is needed even at 1200 to be sure.
If the next command comes too fast, it stores it, but loses the carraige
return and everything after it. In the case of dialing at 300 baud, it will
loose the CR and the first 5 numbers, and then pick up the last 2 numbers
to be dialed.

    5. The only total solution is to use the Hayes mode. But then you
loose the call progress reporting, which is too nice to do without.
Besides, they don't support the full Hayes command set anyway.


Operation  of the Maxwell on my noisy phone lines has been flawless, and
the price is right.  And I love QMODEM, so I'm willing to put up with the
remaining incompatability.  If there is a way around them, I couldn't find
it in four evenings of trying. I tried, really tried, to like George, but
it is too obnoxious for even a mother to love.

If anyone else has had better results with this, I would be glad to hear
about it. I would sure like to get the hangup feature available.

Steve Tobin
Hampton, MN
463-2813
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