UHF

[K Davis]

For three days in a row I went to 2 different projects in 2 different areas of an adjacent county and after about 45 minutes to 1 hour I lose UHF from the T1M. The signal goes down to between 5% and 20% even within full view of the base less than 500 feet away. Yesterday I went back to the base and switched UHF frequencies and was able to work for another 30 minutes and it lost UHF again. Today went to a project in a different part of the county and kept the frequency I switched to yesterday and it went down to 5% after about 45 minutes. Would this be some type of interference? All 3 times this happens after about 45 minutes into the session.

 

[Shawn Billings]

Weak battery, maybe?

 

[K Davis]

The battery was fully charged today went I went to the first site and this happened. I then tested it on 2 other projects here in my home county late this afternoon and had no problems, but I didn't work as long. Is it possible the battery shows charged on the base but is in fact weak?

 

[Shawn Billings]

Maybe. What color was the battery LED?

 

[K Davis]

Started out as green, but it will turn yellow sooner than it used to, usually in less than an hour, maybe sooner. But I would think if it is the battery, I wouldn't be able to get shots until I charged it. However in 2 of the last times it did this I was able to keep working. Yesterday I worked another 30 minutes before it happened again (after changing UHF frequency). Today, I went to 2 more projects and got over an hour more work.

 

[Shawn Billings]

You could test by running it with external power.

 

[K Davis]

Here is a screenshot today when this happened. The radio signal button went totally red and stayed that way for 3 minutes while I went back to the base.

 

[K Davis]

There is a military base about 15 miles west of here. Maybe they are pumping something out?

 

[K Davis]

You could test by running it with external power.

Can I hook up external power directly to the T1M?

 

[Shawn Billings]

It's just showing your base broadcasting. When you're standing close to the base it bleeds over to the other frequencies. You have to stop the base to get an accurate scan.

 

[Shawn Billings]

Can I hook up external power directly to the T1M?

Yes

 

[K Davis]

Thanks Shawn, I didn't think about the external power supply. Weather permitting I am heading out tomorrow to see if that helps.

 

[Matthew D. Sibole]

If it is a battery issue it will need an RMA. This unit is just over a year old. The batteries should last much longer than that.

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

I used to run external pwr. On all my topcon legacy e units.
One of the cheapest insurances you can have is a backup power setup.
Forget to charge, or get a sudden change in schedule, and you did not charge the night before... And a backup batt. On base makes sense. My 2 cents...

 

[Shawn Billings]

It might not be the battery. It's just my first thought when I hear that the radio works for a while then the range falls off. Interference is the other possibility. If someone is broadcasting on your frequency our radio will stop transmitting.

 

[K Davis]

My first thought was the battery, but then wondered about that because I was still able to work after moving to another job. Going out to work now if the T-Storms hold off.

 

[K Davis]

After today I don't think this is a battery issue. I used an external 12 volt battery today for an external power supply. I worked about 3 hours and 45 minutes today doing stakeout and everything was fine. Then it started again, going down to between 5% and 40%. I was within 500 feet of the base. I walked back to the base and waited a few minutes while I decided whether to stop the base or not and it went back to 90% and no delay. Staked out another point and then it went back down to 5% to 15%. I shut the base down, took a 30 minute break and went to another job here in town, and it did fine for 30 minutes or so. It appears to be a random issue and I'm not sure how to determine if it is interference or not. If it is interference it is something coming from a 3 county wide area. It is almost impossible that it is another Base/Rover user.

 

[K Davis]

Also my 35 watt radio is not working as a repeater. The power light comes on but it does not transmit and receive.

Edit: No problem with the repeater, had to go back to 461.025

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

K Davis,
I know how frustrating that can be.

N

 

[K Davis]

K Davis,
I know how frustrating that can be.

N

This is the first time I've run into this. It's acting like I'm on the edge of the broadcast area when I'm really only 500 to 1000 feet away in open ground.

Here is a screenshot, maybe something jumps out as out of place?