RLC-3 Version 1.45 is a bug fix and contains no new features and no
documentation changes since V1.41.  The card roms labeled V1.34 that
were used with motherboard EPROM versions V1.34 through 1.44 (a beta
version) had a bug that could cause several variables in memory to
be changed incorrectly when certain rare conditions occured.  (For
those of you that are programmers, when certain interrupts occured
at the same time, the stack overwrote part of the variable storage).
This bug reportedly caused the following symptoms:

- A port would spontaneously start sending dial tone.  This dial tone
  was generated by the card, not the autopatch.

- The access mode of a card would change without being told to by the
  motherboard.  C006 would still report the correct access mode, but
  the card would act like it was in a different access mode (sometimes
  no access).  Executing C005 again would fix it temporarily.  This
  could have caused the following reported problems:

  - Inability to access a repeater.  It acts like it is not hearing you.
    Control codes are not accepted like normal (although they can be
    executed by following them with a '*').

  - Reverse autopatch refuses to answer the phone.

  - When make a normal patch call or autodial call, the controller dials
    the number but the person using the autopatch hears only silence.
    If the phone is answered, they may hear "Autopatch Off", then hear
    the phone hang up.  I am not sure that this problem is related (or
    solved), as it happens inconsistently and is difficult to test throughly.

- There may be other side effects of this bug that I don't know about.
  If you discover any of these, please let me know.

Although these problems do exist with the V1.34 card software, they happen
infrequently and can be resolved by resetting the controller when they do
occur.  For these reasons, it is not essential that all V1.34 EPROMs be
replaced immediately, although they should be replaced with V1.45 EPROMs
when it is convenient.  Please note that the motherboard EPROMs do not
need to be changed.  The file needed to burn V1.45 EPROMs can be ftped from
ftp.netins.net in directory showcase/linkcomm/rlc3/v145.  They can also be
obtained from Link Communications, although there will be a delay as there
are too many controllers to update all at once.

If you have any questions, please call or email me.

Steve Strobel
Link Communications, Inc.
(406) 482-7515
linkcomm@netins.net