218 RF Remote Display
Put the display where the cable cannot go
The 218 RF puts a display across a yard, a rail spur or a road with no data cable to trench. The radio reaches up to 1,000 ft (305 m) outdoors in line of sight and 300 ft indoors, best case. The indicator-side modem, its power supply and the DB9 cable ship with the display, so the radio link comes in one order. AC power is still needed at the display.
It is the 5.0 in. 218 with a radio modem built in. The housing is the same NEMA 3 painted steel, with a visor. The indicator's RS232C output feeds a second modem. Digits, legends, learn mode and the 300 ft viewing distance are those of the wired 218.
Features & benefits
902-928 MHz radio link, modem pair supplied
The display modem is factory fitted; the indicator-side modem, power supply and DB9 cable are in the box.
Up to 1,000 ft outdoors in line of sight, 300 ft indoors
Best-case figures; steel walls and brick shorten them, and a vehicle between the antennas interrupts the data.
No modem setup with TS600, TS-3200 or IS-3000
Those links come up without a laptop; other indicators may need modem setup on site.
5.0 in. triple-row LED digits, 300 ft viewing
The same digit as the wired 218, in the same NEMA 3 steel housing.
Full 218 feature set over the radio link
Learn mode, LB, KG, GR and NT legends, and in-display time and date all carry over.
Addressable modem pairs
Each pair is set to its own address, so more than one RF display can run at a site.
Power and transmit LEDs on the external modem
A red power LED and a pulsing green transmit LED confirm the link at commissioning.
What's included
- 218 RF display, 5.0 in. digits, NEMA 3 painted steel enclosure
- Visor over the display face
- Rear wall mount bracket
- Factory-installed internal RF transmitter and receiver
- Stand-alone indicator-side RF modem with power supply
- DB9 RS232 indicator-to-modem cable
- Accessory 334 DB9 connector kit, item 13486
The radio link, indicator to display
- The indicator's RS232C output feeds the supplied modem over the supplied DB9 cable.
- The indicator-side modem and its power supply ship with the display. A red power LED and a pulsing green transmit LED confirm the link at commissioning.
- The indicator-side antenna mounts separately, in line of sight of the display and clear of the traffic lane. A vehicle between the antennas interrupts the data.
- 902–928 MHz radio: up to 1,000 ft outdoors in line of sight and 300 ft indoors, best case. Steel walls and red clay brick shorten the range; drywall has little effect.
- The display's antenna is factory fitted, and the display needs AC power at the pole. No cable runs between the indicator and the display.
Data, cable and radio Power and antenna cable
The technical picture
The 218 RF is the 5.0 in. 218 with a radio modem built in. The indicator's RS232C output goes into a second modem, supplied with the display, which sends it to the display on the 902-928 MHz band. Digits, legends, learn mode and the 300 ft viewing distance are those of the wired 218.
Radio range is up to 1,000 ft outdoors in line of sight and up to 300 ft indoors. Those are best-case figures, and the site sets the real one: drywall has little effect, while steel walls and red clay brick shorten the range. A vehicle between the antennas interrupts the data, so the indicator-side antenna goes clear of the traffic lane.
The cable goes; the power stays. The display and the indicator-side modem each need AC power. With a TS600, TS-3200 or IS-3000 the modem pair needs no configuration. Other indicators may need modem setup from a laptop on site.
At a glance
| Type | Remote Display |
|---|---|
| Display | Six-digit, seven-segment high-intensity red LED; decimal and colon; LB, KG, GR and NT legends |
| Digit Height | 5.0 in. (127 mm), three rows of LEDs per segment |
| Viewing Distance | Up to 300 ft (91 m) |
| Data Link | 902-928 MHz radio, best case up to 1,000 ft (305 m) outdoors in line of sight and up to 300 ft (91 m) indoors; RS232C from the instrument to the supplied modem |
| Enclosure | NEMA 3 painted steel, with visor |
| Material / Mounting | Wall bracket included; pole hardware ordered separately |
| Power | 117 VAC ±15%, 50/60 Hz, 100 mA at the display; the instrument-side modem has its own power supply |
| Operating Temperature | -20 °F to 120 °F (-29 °C to 49 °C) |
| Certifications and standards | NEMA 3 rated painted steel enclosure |
Complete specifications are in the product documents below. Confirm current figures with your distributor before specifying.
Options & accessories
Item numbers and availability are confirmed at quotation. Ask your distributor to verify configuration and compatibility before ordering.
Added in the field Order any time
Temperature module
Field installed in any 218 display. Shows temperature from -50 F to 150 F, in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
Remote display pole mount plate
For the 5.0 in. displays. The plate needs one clamp set to fit a pole: 15808 for 3 in., 15809 for 4 in. or 15810 for 5 in.
Pole clamp sets3 in. / 4 in. / 5 in.
One set mounts plate 15807 to a pole of the matching diameter. Order the clamp that matches the pole, not the display.
8 ft pole kit4.5 in. OD aluminum pole, natural finish
A 4.5 in. OD x 8 ft aluminum pole with base, pole cap and drill-in-place anchor bolts. Pole mount plate 15807 and a clamp set are ordered separately.
LED traffic light
A separate 5 in. green dot and red X signal, wired and powered independently of the radio link. AC power is hard wired in the field; mounts on slipfitter 86573 or wall plate 29769. Control box 30006 and relay box interface card 30920 are ordered separately.
Manual traffic light control box
For 218T and ACC 778 lights only. Box 11340 is for the 85293 and 86019 lights and must not be used with a 218T or an ACC 778.
Specifier & operator FAQ
How far can the 218 RF be from the indicator?
Up to 1,000 ft outdoors in line of sight and up to 300 ft indoors, best case. Drywall has little effect; steel walls and red clay brick cut the range substantially. The display's own 300 ft figure is a different number: how far away a driver can read the digits.
What still has to be wired?
AC power at the display and at the indicator-side modem, and the DB9 RS232 cable from the indicator to that modem, which is supplied. No cable runs between the indicator and the display, so interface cable 17216 is not part of the order.
Which indicators need modem configuration?
None with a TS600, TS-3200 or IS-3000. With other indicators the modem pair may need configuring from a laptop on site, and programming each modem before installation is recommended.
Does the 218 RF lose any features against the wired display?
No. The triple-row 5.0 in. LED digits, the LB, KG, GR and NT legends, in-display time and date and the optional temperature module are all present.
Where do the antennas go?
In line of sight of each other and clear of the traffic lane. The display's antenna is factory fitted; the indicator-side antenna mounts separately. A vehicle parked or passing between the two interrupts the data. The link runs on the 902-928 MHz band.
Is the 218 RF legal for trade?
No NTEP Certificate of Conformance and no Measurement Canada approval number is published for the 218 RF. NTEP and Measurement Canada are separate approvals, and neither implies the other. Some states require a remote display on a truck scale; check with the local weights and measures office.
Manuals & literature
In the same family
218 Series 5.0 in. Remote Display
Driver-facing LED remote display: six 5.0 in. digits readable at up to 300 ft, in a NEMA 3 steel housing, with RS232C, 20 mA and RS485 inputs standard.
218T Remote Display with Integrated Traffic Light
The 5.0 in. 218 weight display with a 5 in. green dot and red X LED traffic signal in the same NEMA 3 housing, so one pole carries both.
218 Series 1.5 in. Remote Display
LED remote display with six 1.5 in. digits in a NEMA 4X stainless housing, readable at up to 75 ft, for washdown rooms, benches and packing lines.