^RR — RFID Retry
Plain English
Sets how many times the encoder will **re-attempt the read or write against the same physical tag** before declaring the operation failed. A "failure" is any of: (1) **read-back mismatch** — written value does not match what was just programmed (the most common failure mode, indicates a partial write or bad coupling), (2) **weak / no signal** — the inlay is missing, dead, or the antenna alignment is off, (3) **blank tag response** — the tag answers but reports no value where one is expected, (4) **protocol error** — Gen2 NACK or password failure on locked memory. **When all `n` attempts are exhausted**, the printer voids the label (paints the configured void pattern across it via `^MMV` settings or the global void style) and feeds the next blank tag, where a fresh attempt begins. The voided-label count then increments toward the `^RS` `e` ceiling — too many consecutive voids halt the printer.
When to use
**Default 3 is the right answer for typical Gen2 inlay batches** — it absorbs intermittent coupling glitches without masking real problems. Bump to 5–10 only when you have evidence of borderline-encoder-positioning issues or marginal antenna alignment that you cannot fix at the hardware level. **Avoid high counts (>10)** — they hide genuine defects (dead inlays, wrong protocol, mis-set encoder power) and waste media: every retry costs another encode attempt before the label gives up. If you find yourself raising `^RR` past 5, run `~JC` to recalibrate, verify `^RS` matches the inlay protocol, and check encoder antenna position before adding more retries. Pair with `^RS` `e` to control how many voids in a row trip the halt-on-batch-failure safety.
Syntax
^RRn
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
n | Number of retry attempts per tag operation; typical 3 (default), max usually 10 (firmware-dependent). High values hide real problems |
Example
^XA ^RS8 ^RR3 ^RFW,H,0,12,0^FD0123456789ABCDEF01234567^FS ^XZ
After Gen2 setup, allow up to 3 attempts to write 12 hex bytes (24 chars) to the EPC bank. If all 3 fail (read-back mismatch, weak signal, or blank tag), the label is voided (printed with the configured void pattern) and the printer feeds the next blank tag for a fresh attempt. The voided count increments toward the `^RS` `e` ceiling.