If Fostex A4 can *be* a preamp, why won't mine record?

[Submetrognome]

Hi

At first I thought my Fostex A4 wasn't recording because it needed a signal boost. Then I read that someone uses the A4 as a preamp for a microphone.
So I'm stumped.
I'm patching a keyboard through my FA-101 mixer to the Fostex A4.
The A4's record lights are flashing, and when I activate the playback monitors the piano's signal plays clearly, back through my mixer to the speakers running from the mixer.
I guess that means the reel-to-reel is receiving and relaying the signal well, but I'm just missing a fundamental step when I press Play/Record.
I've re-read the A4 user manual numerous times. Maybe I'm so preoccupied with what-ifs that I miss critical information in the manual every time I should be reading it.
Any thoughts on where I'm being the missing ingredient here?

 

[mixsit]

Just a wild shot here I only had the 1/4'" eight track (80' I think?) but 'record lights flashing'.. might that be armed but not recording?


Eeh, never mind. The real reel guys'll surely be along shortly

 

[A Reel Person]

True enough,...

When you go from Rec-Enable (ready) to Play-Record (active recording) the tape should move forward and blinking LEDs should go solid red.

However, we're missing a lot of detail & going on assumption at this point.

Is the head spotlessly clean and shiny like a mirror? A heavy oxide on the heads would prevent recording to tape.

Is the tape threaded properly? It has to be correct. Is the shiny side of the tape facing the heads? Is the tape threaded over the lifter (which would technically be under, sorry if this description is confusing). Let's say, "under" the lifter which would be furthest "away" from the head. NOT between the lifter and the head itself. Do you have a manual or reference diagram? Is the tape head shield retracted? I've heard of users threading tape over the head shield.

I've not looked at the manual, but is the rec-funct-enable section properly set? Monitor from sync head? (etc)

Start at the basics and work up.

 

[Submetrognome]

Hi

Thanks for the replies; sorry for the delay writing back.
That FA-101 'mixer' I later discovered is a kind of router but not a mixer in the sense that it can boost a signal. I've since bought a small mixer that does have a signal-booster, and I'm finally exchanging signals with the Foxtex.
I'm still not sure how the Fostex Reel-to-Reel uses its pre-amp, but my trouble was corrected when I realised I wasn't using the sort of mixer I thought it was.

Thanks again
SubMetroGnome