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Odd problem

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:19 pm
by 0ldman
RB711-5Hn, 26dBi Pac wireless grid, 3ft LMR 400, 14 miles connecting to an XR5 + 12dBi omni.

One of my newer towers, hasn't been upgraded to a dedicated ptp shot yet. signal was around -75, close to -83 during really nasty weather.

It went deaf early Saturday morning. I got a backup going until I could get the equipment swapped out. I log in this morning and the 711 has connected to the main AP. I do a scan and it can't see the AP, then loses everything again.

Didn't see the local 5GHz AP Saturday, now it doesn't see anything, . Does this sound more like water in the cable or a fried board?

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:45 pm
by gcs
I had a simular problem with RB433Ah and R52 card. I replaced the dish and lmr 400 still had bad signal. could not see any radio in scan mode even other radio on tower. But the other side could see it. Turned out that the RX side of the R52 went bad. I replaced the card got it working then later reinstalled the dish. The grid I had sub did not have a good signal.

So could be water in cable but knowing you as a long time ISP I am sure you water proofed your N connectors. So maybe radio and since the RB711 has the radio built in I guess replace whole RB711 board.

Good luck let me know what it was. It is good to have feed back.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:56 pm
by 0ldman
I am probably going to swap the entire unit and figure it out on the ground. Wouldn't hurt to have a 29dBi up there in place of the 26 anyway.

I'll update when we get it swapped.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:28 pm
by 0ldman
The link came back up, 24/24, -82/-77, CCQ 60/90.

Btest shows 10mb RX, 300k TX.

It has been dry and windy since the storm. I think it may be water. I'm going to push it and see what it does.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:12 am
by 0ldman
and now its running the system again, -76/-77, 36/36, 90/90.

??

Gotta be moisture getting in somewhere.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:21 pm
by 0ldman
Just got around 2 inches of rain and the temp went from 80F to 48F with pretty decent winds, a weaker storm with very similar conditions to the other night, link is still going strong.

Doesn't sound like moisture was the problem. ??

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:00 pm
by Aug
Gotta love this business. :lol:

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:51 pm
by 0ldman
Really!

At least now I'm not losing too much sleep over it, except for those days when I'm working on it instead of sleeping.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:04 am
by 0ldman
Rained and rained, cold and windy, worked fine for days. Light drizzle this morning, link went down and won't come back up.

It has to be moisture or something. As soon as my climber is ready I've got another antenna, cable and extra MT hardware just in case. Considering the link worked perfectly for days then died again after rain it has to be weather related.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 3:13 am
by changeip
post a picture of how you taped the connectors. probably all wet inside of the threads.

Re: Odd problem

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 7:14 am
by 0ldman
I doubt it is that obvious. I've been doing this for a few years now.

I have had a few cables come apart where the N type connector was crimped to the cable. Free replacement of a $15 cable isn't worth much. I need to buy my own kit and make them myself.