Recently my SBS-1 box has developed a fault where I seem to lose signal. I can 'see' aircraft out to around the 250 mile mark but suddenly and without warning the received aircraft drop off the screen and I can then only see aircraft that are very close by.
Any ideas as to what is happening? If I close down Basestation, recycle the USB cable and restart BS normal service is resumed but after a period of time I suffer loss of signal and only closing down BS and pulling the USB cable again will fix the situation.
The antenna is a dedicated 1090MHz antenna (Diamond I think!?) and the cable is RG-213 which I checked with my 2m/70cm transceiver.
Andrew
Welcome Andrew.
Do you have the basic magmount antenna that was shipped with the SBS-1? What version SBS-1 do you have? Does it have an SMA or BNC antenna connection?
Check the cable and connecrorts at each end? Are they secure and dry?
It's an old unit, I've had it about 10 years now. It has a BNC connector and the cable is fine, I checked it when I had it connected to a 2m/70cm transceiver and antenna.No idea where the original antenna is but I might try substituting the antenna over the weekend.
It would be good to test with an alternative antenna just to eliminate that as the cause.
Similar happened to mine! I found a cure by accident I dropped the box! which cured the problem for a short while. Thats one of the symptoms of a dry joint so I opened the box and reheated all the connections from the antenna input I could see. it seems ok now.
rgds
BJ
Just in case anyone else encounters this problem I managed to fix the issue by reinstalling the firmware. SBS-1 has been running fine since!
Andrew
Thanks for the update.
Slightly surprising "fix" but as long as it works.
I have a similar problem with loss of signal.
My SBS-1 had been operating for about 18 months continuously without a problem with aircraft being picked up as far as away as on the approach to BHX (I lived on the Hogs Back at the edge of Guildford).
I have moved elsewhere within Guildford and now my SBS-1 does not seem to want to operate for more than six hours without the need to restart the PC and/or restart the SBS-1.
My PC is using Windows 10 and I'm on the latest Basestation soft and firmware.
Any useful hints?
thanks
Brian
Welcome.
What prompts the "restart"? Does the BaseStation screen clear of aircraft?
How are you connecting to the SBS? USB or Ethernet?
Hello!
The screen will go from showing about 75 aircraft down to about 5. It's connected by USB cable.
Thanks
Brian
Thanks.
Does the number of illuminated blue lights on the SBS drop at the same time?
Check the antenna connection. Try swapping the USB port and or cable.
Next time, do not reboot the PC (it shouldn't be necessary). Instead, remove and reconnect the USB cable.
Yes, the blue lights go out as well, and I think the green light. I have swapped the USB cable over for another one and switched the USB port.
Thanks.
Check the antenna and cable too.
After a couple of days where it initially picked up about 80 aircraft then after an hour it was down to 9 aircraft, I switched the PC off overnight and restarted it in the morning. I'm now into the second day of picking up about 80,000 aircraft positions as opposed to the 1,000 it was doing when signals were dropping. Long may it continue.
The issues continue with one day getting 92,000 positions reported, the next day it's 1,500.
Have you checked the antenna and coaxial cable?
Hi Brian
I understand you checked the connectors mechanical and DC-continuity OK
With the deficiency comeing and and going at random
a hair-crack might be causing this.
At a time when reception is normal
one way to probe is applying Iceing Spray
(the TV-guys used it at times where boards still were repaired)
Only just one connection at a time (anyway where accessible)
e.g. In the past it was reported that the box's Ant connector had to be
resolderd.
or the other way is spot heating by hairdryer.
Watch or have someone watch for any remarkable change of blue lights.