Praise be to God. I have had ISSUES with my GPS Radios for nearly 2 yrs. Intermittent limited range, FUZZ on the radio, and sudden loss of Radio at BAD times.
Well, it finally got so bad, that we went after it yesterday. I was really praying. I did not want to send it to momma for help.
We cleaned all the connections, with Zero Residue Cleaner. We changed channels. We took the rover apart, changed it's battery, (And discovered that Trimble/Pac Crest had installed an UNDERSIZED battery).
Well, on my base, there is a PATCH wire, to EXTEND the radio antenna, up to 16'- 20' high. And, we replaced it.
Suddenly, range is back, and the little light on the ROVER radio blinks FIRMLY, on and off. (It was dribbling, on and off).
So, this bad wire has been harassing me, and causing me GRIEF for a long time. Glad to be running properly again. I even have moved my base around, looking for a "Clean" area, with "No radio interference".
I am so glad to get good clear data corrections from my base. A long time ago, I found Big Help winding the wires TOO TIGHT, (To put the base away) and mildly told him not to do this, as it caused premature wear inside the wires. He told me yesterday, that it was possibly his fault. (I so love that about him, he is cheerfully willing to accept fault, if he thinks it is his) I told him it is possibly related, but I am not sure. The wires sometimes get banged around anyway.
There is NOTHING like clear data from the base.
As a side note, the ROVER RADIO has it's own battery, (Mentioned above, that PAC CREST undersized) and when the Rover Radio battery gets low, I am told it DRAWS from the 12v ROVER battery. Well, with the PROPER sized Rover Battery Now, the 12v rover pack has run for 2 days straight now, and is only down at 96%. I now get Radio corrections from the base, in placed before that were a LONG wait, and turn the rover for optimum reception, and be patient, as it had latency issues.
I am so thankful. The background worry that something was wrong, well, I can park it, and think about my job now. I like it!
The relief is enormous.
Laus Deo is all I can say. Intermittent electrical problems, that show up when you are far from the base, and in a hole are horrible.
And, I have a minor bit of advice:
IF your RADIO link light is not clearly flashing, at the rover, ON OFF ON OFF, but is flickering any, dribbling any, FIND THE SOURCE, before you need signal, down in a HARD TO GET TO place.
God Bless Everybody.
Sign me "HAPPY NATE"
I have felt your happiness a few times.
Congrats.
Randy
Nate, You da man. Nice work. Now go pay yourself for your time and efforts.
Nate,
I am wondering what model base and rover radio's youre using?
Paul
Glad you found it!
It can be interesting with this surveying equipment with all the electronics/electrical/radio stuff involved. I have been trying to figure out why my Trimble GPS bass and rover where having a hard time with radio lock all summer. I replaced and check cables and I know your frustration. I only need the GPS every other week or so, so I did not want to pay big repair dollars. Then my very old DC went out on the TS. Bought a new/used DC with SurvCE and it has GPS also. Tried it out the other day and WOW, great radio lock! The problem was in the Trimble DC or software?
So happy with the Carlson SurvCE, that I do not even care what was wrong with the Trimble DC, it will be on the self for the rest of my life.
Base is a PAC Crest of some kind. Yellow, with fins on it. It has been sold as a blue one, for Ashtech, and as a Yellow one for Topcon. Not sure the model num. I'll look later.
Rover is a PDL 4500, about 9" tall, and 2" diameter, with an antenna on top.
Thanks guys for your encouragement.
Working Radios, "Nothing Like it"
non Working Radios "Nothing Like it"
🙂
Nat
“(I so love that about him, he is cheerfully willing to accept fault, if he thinks it is his)”
You have obviously done one heck of good job raising “Big”. Now THAT'S something to be really happy about.
Have a great weekend! B-)
FL GA, thanks. Big Help is an incredible guy.
N