Weak Radio Signal Solved

[Brett Chappell PLS]

Lately I have been having trouble with distance from my HPT435BT. I thought it might be a software issue
since I have been updating quite a bit in the past few months. It wasn't. Yesterday I was on a site survey establishing control for a Drone Test area. Fortunately the client that I was working with had Radio training in the Military. He narrowed the issue to a cable/antennae issue. We found the probable culprit after looking at the antennae and cable system. It was the connection near the 5/8" thread. We lightly wiggled the cable to test its connection. It seemed fairly weak. I set it down on the tailgate and it came apart. See picture attached. I have been careful with these cables and was surprised that it broke. My client said that this area need reinforcing due to the connection stresses.

I have a concern with the radio itself. Hopefully it did not damage the radio due to the weak connection sending out a strong signal. Once I get a new cable, is it a matter of field testing to determine if the radio was not damaged, ie, distance test?

Thanks for the support.

-Brett

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

Good! Intermitant electrical can be a big pain. Finding it is awesome!

 

[Adam]

Good find Brett, It makes me wonder based on location if it may be due to twisting the cable as you put it up for storage. Think of coiling up a water hose, you have to let the cable freely spin in your hand while coiling it up, If not stress is placed right where yours broke. I placed a 1/4" think rubber tube around my cable in the location too, to make it stiff out past the ground plane.

 

[Darren Clemons]

Brett, I had the same issue on the first antenna cable they sent me. It broke in a matter of months. That original design was indeed very flawed. We went to a ground plane disk, then attached the cable to the edge of the ground plane with a screw.

I just bought an extra whip antenna and cable for one of my guys trucks and they have re designed it like it should've been to start with. Much, much more flexible cable and a greatly improved connection with guard around the connection.
My HPT435BT did not seem to suffer any affects after the first cable had broken.

 

[toivo1037]

My cable also had the same problem, and came out of the box broken like that. I also have a ground plane, and clamped it up like Darren did.
I wish that cable was 100 times more flexible. Hardware wise, this is by far my least favorite part of Javad equipt.

 

[Brett Chappell PLS]

Darren,
I like that design, does Javad sell/replace with the new design shown in your picture? Although the cable broke, I was able to perform the fast
static which worked great. Radio Range or Broken Cable, the Job was completed with the advanced software developed by the Team. Mucho Gracias!
I do wind/coil my cables carefully since the average cable replacement is the North side of $100. I learned that lesson early I'm my career.

Thanks for the help/support!

 

[toivo1037]

Brett,
Alos drop back and read this older post about the issue: https://support.javad.com/index.php?threads/radio-antenna-transport.473/page-2