🚀 go-pugleaf

Ok - hopefully someone will have some idea of what I can do with this thing...

I have a hand-held unit made by Norand Data Systems.  It is one of those
things that you might see store clerks at places such as K-Mart, Wal-Mart,
etc. walking around with when checking out the current stock.  It has a
port that allows the plugging in of a bar-code reader also.  
  Upon power-up, it executes a self-test, and then prints:
    "PORTABLE RADIO   FWPORT5 V5.0  3"  (it has a two-line, 16-char. display).
 Then, after about 20 seconds, it switches to: "COMMUNICATIONS LOSS"

Apparently, in the store, it would establish a connection with the stores
main computer and allow the user to input things such as number of remaining
items in stock for each item, price, etc....  (it obviously is trying to
send/recieve from somewhere as it has about a 3-inch ANT on the top and
an operating frequency on the back.

If anyone has an information on how to use this properly (as in - in the
actual store) - or have any ideas on how I might build/buy some sort of
computer/receiver interface for it - please let me know.

Thanks.

 - The Gypsy (Mike)    [gypsy@silver.lcs.mit.edu]