AirNav Systems Forum

AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com => AirNav RadarBox and RadarBox24.com Discussion => Topic started by: Santi on July 19, 2009, 08:56:56 AM

Title: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on July 19, 2009, 08:56:56 AM
After waiting almost two months for the RB to arrive after purchase, I feel quite frustrated since it appears to be quite deaf.
I live close to a quite busy airport (about 5 NM away), have a clear horizon for the operations of the airport and far beyond (sea horizon), live in a penthouse and the antenna sees any flying object until it dissapears beyond the horizon.
The matter is that my RB only detects "my traffic" now and then and only within about 10 NM around my home, arcraft appearing and dissappearing from the screen even when I (and the antenna) have it in sight at short distances. Antenna connections etc. checked for good connections.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Allocator on July 19, 2009, 09:14:02 AM
Santi,

Welcome to the forum!

Is your antenna located inside your apartment behind the windows or have you got it outside?

Where about in the world are you, there might be another RadarBox user nearby who can compare the traffic that they are receiving.

Regards

Allocator
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on July 19, 2009, 10:23:19 AM
Living in Barcelona, Spain. Antenna located outside.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Allocator on July 19, 2009, 10:46:07 AM
OK Santi, you should be getting traffic OK there I would have thought.  Do you get more than 10 aircraft showing in the MyFlights aircraft list, or are you saying that you get plenty of aircraft in the list but only 10 give you positions?

If you look at the plug on the end of your antenna lead, is the centre pin sticking out far enough to go into the socket on the Radarbox receiver?

If you look at the Hardware properties for RadarBox, do you see the correct driver installed? - see this video on the AirNav support page for an explanation:

http://www.airnavsystems.com/radarbox/video/Drivers.wmv
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Allocator on July 19, 2009, 10:55:41 AM
A screen shot of traffic in your area as showing via the network right now.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: malc41 on July 19, 2009, 11:27:18 AM
Santi is it possible for you to take your radar box mobile, and see if that is any better?
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: AirNav Support on July 19, 2009, 12:43:16 PM
Santi,

"The matter is that my RB only detects "my traffic" now " Not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying your can't see network traffic?
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on July 20, 2009, 07:53:24 AM
Santi,

"The matter is that my RB only detects "my traffic" now " Not sure what you mean by that. Are you saying your can't see network traffic?
I ment "The matter is that my RB only detects "my traffic" now-and-then", meaning in a discontinuous way (intermitently)
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: atcukmatty on July 20, 2009, 12:30:05 PM
have you got any filters set...just as a possibility? Check by going to the Filter bar, then advanced and click range make sure the box is unticked
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: fatkat on July 20, 2009, 12:37:04 PM
as suggested you need to take the unit and a computer to a location that has a good clear alround view ...  and see if the box works..

check to make certain the aerial is connecting properly ....the gold pin is in place ..

make certain the small aerial is sat on its metal disc   and is as high as you can get it ....

Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: malc41 on July 20, 2009, 02:37:47 PM
as suggested you need to take the unit and a computer to a location that has a good clear alround view ...  and see if the box works..

check to make certain the aerial is connecting properly ....the gold pin is in place ..

make certain the small aerial is sat on its metal disc   and is as high as you can get it ....



usually find this sorts out the good box from the deaf one
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on August 09, 2009, 06:05:03 PM
Back home from holidays.
I have checked the continuity of the center lead of the antenna cable and found it open (infinite resistance). Is there any capacitor in serial connection to this lead in the base of the antenna? or, simply, have I a broken antenna cable? 
 
 
 
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on August 09, 2009, 11:23:11 PM
I have had enough guts and have the antenna base opened: EUREKA!!!
Ihave found the inner lead of the cable was not soldered to the antenna attachment piece. It was not long enough to keep in touch to the antenna piece.
There was a tiny ball of soldering material at the bottom of the antenna piece but it didn´t enclose the core lead of the cable. I have made a tiny extension of the lead by soldering some copper wire to it,  just to reach the soldering point at the base of the antenna attachment. Now I have a good electrical connection between the antenna and the SMB connector. I expect that tomorrow will see what other people see with their RB´s.
.... No capacitors in there....
I guess these are not good news for Airnav Systems and, particularly, for its Quality Control department.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Fenris on August 10, 2009, 10:59:31 PM
I have had enough guts and have the antenna base opened: EUREKA!!!
Ihave found the inner lead of the cable was not soldered to the antenna attachment piece. It was not long enough to keep in touch to the antenna piece.
There was a tiny ball of soldering material at the bottom of the antenna piece but it didn´t enclose the core lead of the cable. I have made a tiny extension of the lead by soldering some copper wire to it,  just to reach the soldering point at the base of the antenna attachment. Now I have a good electrical connection between the antenna and the SMB connector. I expect that tomorrow will see what other people see with their RB´s.
.... No capacitors in there....
I guess these are not good news for Airnav Systems and, particularly, for its Quality Control department.

I expect that they buy in the antennas from a supplier, so actually it's their supplier that needs to be made aware of these faults. It may be that they have already done this.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: 73TORANA! on August 10, 2009, 11:10:09 PM
Also If you suffer from the box droping out try another USB lead I had to keep removing my lead then refit it to the USB port to get it going again . A new USB lead fixed it.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: radarspotter10 on August 10, 2009, 11:32:54 PM
I have had enough guts and have the antenna base opened: EUREKA!!!
Ihave found the inner lead of the cable was not soldered to the antenna attachment piece. It was not long enough to keep in touch to the antenna piece.
There was a tiny ball of soldering material at the bottom of the antenna piece but it didn´t enclose the core lead of the cable. I have made a tiny extension of the lead by soldering some copper wire to it,  just to reach the soldering point at the base of the antenna attachment. Now I have a good electrical connection between the antenna and the SMB connector. I expect that tomorrow will see what other people see with their RB´s.
.... No capacitors in there....
I guess these are not good news for Airnav Systems and, particularly, for its Quality Control department.

I expect that they buy in the antennas from a supplier, so actually it's their supplier that needs to be made aware of these faults. It may be that they have already done this.
hi.
I work for a taxi company there 300 drivers using autocab dispatch system data heads in there car, and believe me my head is sore listening to drivers saying there data head is not working property, when it was there aerial all the time, drivers have to buy there own aerial. Good point Mr.Ferris
all the best pat
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Santi on August 11, 2009, 07:28:16 AM
Reception of my RB has improved dramatically: I can see every aircraft surrounding Barcelona Apt (Some times up to fifty aircraft). I can see traffic departing/arriving from/to LEPA airport that is about 110 NM away from my home, at the minimum altitude of 6000 ft.  Considering I have not the antenna placed on the best location yet, this is a pleasant performance of the RB.
 To Fernis, regarding the faulty antenna: Since Airnav Systems is the seller of the entire equipment I have bought, this takes the ball on Airnav´s roof, no matter who has supplied the materials they are selling.
I would like to thank every one who has tryed to help me: THANKS, THANKS, THANKS.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: AirNav Support on August 11, 2009, 07:51:41 AM
Santi,

Great to hear everything is working fine. This is the first complaint we have had regarding the insides of the antenna. Then again not many have actually opened it up.

We will check with them. Apologies.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: radarspotter10 on August 11, 2009, 10:08:28 AM
Reception of my RB has improved dramatically: I can see every aircraft surrounding Barcelona Apt (Some times up to fifty aircraft). I can see traffic departing/arriving from/to LEPA airport that is about 110 NM away from my home, at the minimum altitude of 6000 ft.  Considering I have not the antenna placed on the best location yet, this is a pleasant performance of the RB.
 To Fernis, regarding the faulty antenna: Since Airnav Systems is the seller of the entire equipment I have bought, this takes the ball on Airnav´s roof, no matter who has supplied the materials they are selling.
I would like to thank every one who has tryed to help me: THANKS, THANKS, THANKS.

hi Santi
Great to hear that, wait till you get the aerial in the right place, or better still wait till you get the outdoor aerial would be magic.
enjoy from pat
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: malc41 on August 11, 2009, 06:17:14 PM
Santi

Thanks for sharing you problem with us, it might help other users
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Fenris on August 12, 2009, 09:00:23 PM
To Fernis, regarding the faulty antenna: Since Airnav Systems is the seller of the entire equipment I have bought, this takes the ball on Airnav´s roof, no matter who has supplied the materials they are selling.

Oh yes, quite! I was just pointing out that like the RB itself, the antenna is sub-contracted. I'm sure Airnav will turn their attention to this and ensure that any quality issues are resolved.
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: nortonbeak on August 13, 2009, 08:11:40 AM
Great to hear everything is working fine. This is the first complaint we have had regarding the insides of the antenna. Then again not many have actually opened it up.

We will check with them. Apologies.

Not entirely true.

See post #4 in this thread.

http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=1183.msg8948#msg8948 (http://www.airnavsystems.com/forum/index.php?topic=1183.msg8948#msg8948)
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: effbordo on August 18, 2009, 06:19:40 PM
Hello Guys
Reporting same problem with my new RB unit.
I have had to open the antenna base and resolder the wires to the base.
This was after 6 days of good reception, started to have bad reception, checked the continuity was fully opened.
Enrique
Title: Re: Defective RadarBox?
Post by: Fenris on August 18, 2009, 09:42:16 PM
Hello Guys
Reporting same problem with my new RB unit.
I have had to open the antenna base and resolder the wires to the base.
This was after 6 days of good reception, started to have bad reception, checked the continuity was fully opened.
Enrique

Batch problem?

I checked my antenna the other day, it's just fine. Purely for reassurance!