Airnav and ground problem...?

[silviogo]

Dear Airnav an users,
We have just upack the radarbox arrived yesterday, correctly installed on Xp machine, and starting to try it ad it performing a problem that seems to be corelated with ground...

With the antenna connected it's no capable of reciving any signal and blinking only the blue USB led, but if you put a fingher on it the white led starting to blinking.....It's supose that the hand is used as a ground!?!?

To test it we are using a Vaio VGN-T2XP with USB 2.0 and windows XP onboard.
We have found this video on youtube that describe exactly the problem

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=6AQbTb8eX-w

Have someone experienced this ground problem or it's a failed unit with no ground connection?
Best regards

Silvio

[ChrisGR]

Just for youtube video.
In most cases if you check with a spectrum analyzer the spurious emissions of some modern switching power supply's of computer you don't believe how it is.
This guy pout the RB receiver on top of the computer power supply.
This makes lot of interference to RB receiver and makes to front end of them to work in core situation.
This is for video.
In your case AirNav has lot knowledges of course to solve your problem.
Regards
Chris

[AirNav Support]

Check the connector for the antenna is not loose, it looks like its been damaged in transit and they the antenna is not connecting fully.

The video was taken a while ago, with the same issue where the device had been damaged in transit.

[silviogo]

Check the connector fot the antenna is not loose, it looks like its been damaged in transit and they the antenna is not connecting fully.

The video was taken a while ago, with the same issue where the device had been damaged in transit.

I don't understand well the meaning of your message...but..

The cable and antenna are properly connected to the Airnav radar box throught the SMA conector, and the are in great exterior condition (they are new we have received the airnav yesterday!). As I mentioned before, the problem is similar to the video on youtube. The Airnav radarbox is far from any Pc or Notebook at least 2 meters.

The problem in my Ham experience seems to be related to the Ground, and not to the cable bcause with the antenna connected, if i put simply a finger on airnav seems that i made the ground with my boy and airnav working great and track signal far from here more than 300 km...

Please let me know

[AirNav Support]

That would indicate the case is loose in some way, as we mentioned it may have been damaged in transit.

Best thing to do is to send it back to us and I afraid and we will fix it and send it back. Contact support for details.

[dermjohn]

It was I, who made this video, trying  to explain the problem to airnav before sending the box back in order to be fixed. 
 Silviogo, it’s not about ground, the female jack of my  box is problematic. It has to be pulled up a little in order to work. I just emulate this, putting a little object under the jack and then pushing with my finger on the box.
I received the box damaged from the beginning. I was so disappointed and I decided to open it and see if the connection of the jack was ok. It seemed to me that everything was fine and close the box back and asked  for airnav support. I sent my box to them (35 euros), and they told me because the box was already opened, I had to pay 100 euros. I refused (because I had not touch anything inside), and they sent it back to me ,unfixed.(By the way, thanx Airnav for the great support ;)
Chris, the box was on the pc just for making the video (greetings by the way ;)
Yiannis

[Allocator]

Dermjohn, you decided to open the RadarBox hardware receiver - maybe that wasn't a good idea.  It's very unusual for a manufacturer to honour the guarantee once you've had a look inside.  I don't think that AirNav are being unreasonable.

I know how frustrating it is, but that's the way of the world.  I've done exactly the same thing with items than I have, either to modify or repair them, but I wouldn't expect a free repair if I broke something in the process (I'm not suggesting that you broke anything, but once you've been inside, it's difficult to prove that you didn't).

As you've got the box back un-repaired, you might just as well have another look at it.  It can only be a poor solder joint or a broken socket on the back of the RadarBox.  I think that I would have rather paid the EUR 100 to get the box working again though.

Allocator

[dermjohn]

Allocator, I know the rules very well,
I paid so much money (first price last July), and I received a faulty box.
But I ‘ m here in Greece, they are in Portugal. I tried to avoid all that process, just in case it was something simple. I just OPENED it, didn’t touch anything. Maybe my mistake.
They  had the box there, in the service. I think they could fix it if they had a little bit understanding and good will, bypassing the official rules.
Or they could tell me at least to pay the price , minus the shipping costs that I paid.
Why to pay for sending it back? It was not my fault that I received it damaged.
Anyway, it’s not about money, it’s about attitude. I would rather burn this 100 euros than giving to them  ;)
Yiannis Dermitzakis
Greece-Crete

[Allocator]

OK Yiannis, I understand what you are saying.

Maybe it's worth approaching AirNav again to see what they say?  I'm sure they would much rather have a satisfied customer sharing data, rather than somebody who is as disappointed as you and a "black hole" over Crete.

All the best

Allocator

[silviogo]

It was I, who made this video, trying  to explain the problem to airnav before sending the box back in order to be fixed. 
 Silviogo, it’s not about ground, the female jack of my  box is problematic. It has to be pulled up a little in order to work. I just emulate this, putting a little object under the jack and then pushing with my finger on the box.
I received the box damaged from the beginning. I was so disappointed and I decided to open it and see if the connection of the jack was ok. It seemed to me that everything was fine and close the box back and asked  for airnav support. I sent my box to them (35 euros), and they told me because the box was already opened, I had to pay 100 euros. I refused (because I had not touch anything inside), and they sent it back to me ,unfixed.(By the way, thanx Airnav for the great support ;)
Chris, the box was on the pc just for making the video (greetings by the way ;)
Yiannis

Thats seems to be a problem similar to our Airnav .
Probably the female SMA connector is sliding a lillte up and down and this cause the ground problem (when it touch / not touch the metal case). Tomorrow we will write to Airnav and I'll keep Updated.
Thanks a lot to all for your suggestions, It's quite disapponiting opening a new product and have problem with it.

Silvio

[AirNav Support]

Silvio,

We did mention the antenna connector in our very first post as being the potential cause. We share your disappointment but all RadarBox are QA tested before leaving. We can only point the blame at the delivery services not treating the package properly.  Anyhow whatever you do NOT open the RadarBox.

Yiannis,

Unfortunately we do have to be strict about this, as others have opened there RadarBox to experiment with parts and understand what is actually going on in the box, damaged something and then sent it back saying that's the way they got it. Sometimes the damage is minimal other times its requires a total change.

The simple fact is that you opened the RadarBox which invalidated your warranty even though say "I know the rules very well", if we replaced yours we will have to do it others as well and we simply cannot justify that costs on ourselves and set a precedent for others to play with the insides of the RadarBox without the fear of losing the warranty.

The RadarBox is not designed to be opened by anyone except our engineers so even just taking a look without using anti static etc.. can cause damage.

[silviogo]

Silvio,

We did mention the antenna connector in our very first post as being the potential cause. We share your disappointment but all RadarBox are QA tested before leaving. We can only point the blame at the delivery services not treating the package properly.  Anyhow whatever you do NOT open the RadarBox.

Dear,
Sure we DO NOT for any reason try to open or modify the product, as you probably know, we need it to make a reviews... Now we have the radarbox in it's original packaging and shipping envelope, ready to be shipped back to Airnav, and be substitute with a working one, may be with a safer shipping envelope (If you think that the problem occurred during the shipping by DHL).

Please provide us the information regarding where we can ship the Radarbox back to you and the shipping creteria.

Best Regards,
Silvio

[AirNav Support]

Please contact support via the website or through our email. They will provide the details. We don't want to give out ref numbers via the forum.