. . . . . . " in FIG. 3A, interfaceable with a host computer system for transferring symbol character data collected from an automatically-activated bar code symbol reading device of the present invention as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2A, 2I, 2J, 3A, 3D, 3E, 7A, 7B, and 7C; [0160]FIG. 34B is an elevated side view of the portable data collection base unit shown in FIG. 34A; [0161]FIG. 34C is an elevated end v" . .