Why Does My Alarm System Display Check LngRng Radio?

If you are experiencing an issue with your ADT or Honeywell alarm system, where the system displays a message reading “Check LngRng Radio” or the error code 6F, bF on a fixed English keypad, don’t worry – you’re not alone. This message is a common error that can occur for various reasons. This article will explain what causes this error and how to fix it.

Why Does my alarm system display Check LngRng Radio? The Check LngRng Radio message stands for check long range radio. This message is always followed by a four-digit error code on Honeywell and ADT alarm systems indicating a trouble condition with the system’s cellular communicator. On fixed English keypads, this error message is displayed as bF, which stands for backup failure.

This message indicates that your system cannot communicate with the monitoring station whether you have a Honeywell or ADT alarm system. Several different things can cause this.

Note: The ADT Safewatch series alarm systems are a rebranded version of the Honeywell Vista series alarm systems. Both systems are identical with the same error codes. Read on to see what these error codes mean.

Why does my alarm system display bF or Check LngRng Radio?

Most modern alarm systems rely on a cellular communicator to report alarms and troubles to the central monitoring station. The system uses radio frequencies (RF) to communicate with the cellular towers.

The alarm system will display the check long range radio error message if communication is lost with the network or a trouble condition exists with the communicator.

There are a few reasons why this error might occur. Below is a list of trouble codes that will be displayed on the keypad.

Note: fixed English keypads only display the letters bF without the following error codes. You will have to contact your alarm company to find out the trouble condition.

• 0000 – The alarm system’s control panel lost communication with the cellular communicator.
• 000F – The cellular communicator is not registered. Activate the radio.
• 0005 – Lost communication with the cell network.
• 0019 – Communicator Shutdown.
• 0060 – low battery.
• 0400 – Communicator power on/reset, and the control panel lost communication with the communicator.
• 0880– Tamper detected – The cover is not on all the way.
• 3000 – Primary power loss.
• 8000 – Battery charger failure.
• 0C80 – Communicator power on /reset and tamper detected.
• 08E0 – Communicator tamper detected, and the battery is low.

What do the Long Range Radio error messages mean, and what can I do about it?

For the most part, the Check LngRng Radio error is nothing to worry about. It simply means that there is a trouble condition with the system’s cellular communicator. In most cases, the error can be easily fixed by following the troubleshooting steps below.

Some of these trouble conditions can be easily fixed by the homeowner, while others will have to be dealt with by your alarm company.

0000 – The control panel lost communication with the communicator:

This error can occur if there is a problem with the wiring between the control panel and the cellular communicator. Check the wiring to ensure it is secure and free of any damage.

Check the wiring of data wires in the communicator if this is a brand new installation and the error 0000 is displayed upon power-up. The wiring color codes should be as followed for pins 3 through 6.

3- Red
4- Black
5- White/Yellow
6- Green

000F – The cellular communicator is not registered:

Your alarm system must be registered with a monitoring company to communicate with the cellular network.

This error can appear after a programming change has been made to the communicator. Contact your alarm company and ask them if they made any changes and have them register the unit.

0005 – Lost communication with the cell network:

This error can occur if there is a problem with the cellular signal in your area.

1- If your communicator’s signal strength is weak, the connection between the network is constantly being lost.

Contact your alarm company and ask them to check the signal strength of your communicator. If the signal strength is weak, request that they install an external antenna or relocate the communicator.

2- There may be times when the cellular providers have to shut down a nearby cellular tower for maintenance or software upgrades. This type of trouble may last for only a few minutes and will restore itself.

0019 – Communicator Shutdown:

This error can occur if the cellular communicator has been turned off.

0060 – Low Battery:

This error can occur if the battery in the cellular communicator is low. The battery inside the communicator has a shelf life of only 3-4 years. Try replacing the battery with a new one.

0400 – Communicator power on/reset, and the control panel lost communication with it:

This error can occur if the power to the cellular communicator has been interrupted.

This error can happen if your alarm company has made programming changes to your communicator.

Check to ensure that the power transformer is plugged in and that the outlet is working.

0880– Tamper detected – The cover is not on all the way:

This error can occur if the cover of the cellular communicator is not on all the way. Try putting the cover back on and making sure it is snapped into place.

3000 – Primary power loss:

This error can occur if there is a problem with the electrical power to the communicator.

• Check to ensure that the power transformer is plugged in and that the outlet is working.
• Check the circuit breaker for the electrical outlet where the communicator is getting power and make sure it is in the on position.

8000 – Battery charger failure:

This error can occur if the battery charger for the cellular communicator is not working. Try plugging the charger into a different outlet. If the problem persists, try replacing the communicator.

0C80 – Communicator power on /reset and tamper detected:

This error can occur if the cellular communicator has been turned off and then turned back on with the cover removed.

08E0 – Communicator tamper detected, and the battery is low:

This error can occur if the cellular communicator has been tampered with and the battery is low. Try replacing the battery with a new one. If the problem persists, contact your monitoring company.

If you see any of these error codes, follow the instructions associated with each code to try and resolve the issue.

Conclusion

If you see the error code “Check Long Range Radio” on your Honeywell or ADT alarm system, it could mean a few different things. First, ensure that the power transformer is plugged in and that the outlet is working. Then, check the circuit breaker for the electrical outlet where the communicator is getting power and make sure it is in the on position.

If the problem persists, contact your monitoring company. They may be able to help you troubleshoot the issue further. Thanks for reading! We hope this article was helpful. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions. Have a great day!