The paging system is broken – Eight steps to help you troubleshoot paging issues
In this blog post ‘The paging system is broken- Eight steps to help you troubleshoot paging issues’, I walk you through eight different ways to find, and fix paging related problems. If you are a service engineer or technician, you will encounter customer’s having paging related problems.
Here I share these 8 steps to help you identify paging issues=
- 1.- Group Paging Capacity
- 2.- Loudspeaker paging – Overhead Paging
- 3.- PBX Hardware
- 4.- Paging Amp
- 5.- UPAM or Paging Relay
- 6.- Other Tips
- 7.- Power Bricks
- 8.- How to prevent it from happening
- *.- Resources
Start by identifying and check the existing equipment. Normally if I can’t determine a bad part by just looking at it, I will start troubleshooting at the PBX side. Most PBXs will use a page port (this could be a factory designed port by the manufacturer, a line port, or analog station port.).
Group Paging Capacity
For those users that can’t access the paging feature through a Group-Page or Intercom Group, most likely those users are not allow, or are part of the group. I will recommend that you heck your PBX Capacity and verify that the right amount of users are assigned to each group, and also check your Class Of Restrictions and Class Of Service to verify they are allow to use it.).
Loud-peaker Paging – Overhead Paging
Usually the PBX will have a dedicated port assigned for paging.
Find the page port – First connect your Butt-Set to the Page Port physically located in the system, remember that a port can be a line, station or physically attached to the processor in some cases.
PBX Hardware
Once you have identified the port, continue by accessing the phone system and testing the designated port.
Test by dialing – Dial the paging access, or feature code, having your Butt-Sett on speaker-phone will allow you to hear the page through it. if you get busied signals, then check the port designated for paging, and run the maintenance commands. If all fails, then assign a new port, or replace the defective board.
Once you are able to hear your voice coming through your Butt-Set, and the paging still doesn’t work, then move on to test the Paging Amp.
Paging Amp
Refer to the Paging Amp manufacturer’s manual and confirm the connections were made correctly.
Testing the Paging Amp – Connect your butt-set to the 70V, and Common output screws, frequently located in the left side of the Amp. Once you have the butt-set connected try by dialing the paging code and see if it works.
If you can’t hear the page while having your test-set connected to the 70Volts and Common screws, then move on to troubleshoot the UPAM or paging relay.
UPAM or Paging Relay
Testing the UPAM – (Universal Paging Amplifier Module) it’s use to amplify and condense the PBX paging transmission. Connect the Butt-set to the Line-in clips first, then page. If it doesn’t work, then replace the UPAM or whatever interface it’s used.
Other Tips
Using a Tone-Generator – If you do hear the Tone-Generator blasting through the Loud-Ceiling-Speaker, and Horns, then the Relay needs to be replaced. (the relay will be something like a UTI-1, TAMB-2, UPAM, etc.).
Power Bricks
If you are using power to the Relay box, confirm that the connections are made from the -48/-24 Volts. In most cases if the problem relies in the relay, most likely the power brick is defective, or there’s no power been provided.
How to prevent this from happening
Surge Protectors – If your issue was port related, install a line surge protector between the Relay and the PBX. In case of already having one installed, make sure the fuses are working properly, or add one more surge protector; depending on your Building Ground Readings you might need to add more protection to the line.
Group-Page / Intercom Groups – If the problem was related to the amount of paging stations assigned to a particular group, you need to unassign the least important ones, until you meet the system capacity. Leave your programming instructions with your Local PBX Administrator
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.