Yes, several times.
Your latest post made me sad.
When doing initial assembly of the data center, the manual they sent said to slide a piece over just the HaLo antenna, insert a pin and a clip. I searched and searched, no such piece or pin or clip. Instead, I found a strange bar with a loop on each end, not referenced anywhere in the manual. I was bewildered, so I called support. He first insisted I must have the parts, I just need to look harder, but I insisted they are not there. So, he said they will send me those parts. I said, āBefore you arrange that, tell me what the plastic bar with two loops is for.ā He had no idea, and put me on hold. When he returned he said someone explained to him that the pieces shown in the manual are no longer provided, instead the bar is used simply by sliding it over the HaLo and RTK antennas. So, that is what I did. (He also told me Yarbo is looking into updating the manual they send.) After everything was assembled I saw a single black rubber washer that I couldnāt figure out what to do with it, so it still is in the box. But, I have only one such washer, and zero SMA barrel connectors.
- What is the purpose/benefit of the washers and connectors? How might they help in my case?
- Do you think I need to pursue having Yarbo send them to me?
- I canāt visualize exactly how they should be setup from your description. Do you know where I could find a photo or diagram online?
I donāt think it is exactly vertical, I didnāt realize that would matter.
I cannot mount the data center on the top of the TV antenna because the TV antenna rotates.
Itās hard to tell from the photo, but is the rotor box over the data center?
I havenāt tried one of these but they look like they may be helpful in your case. I like that they donāt penetrate the roof.
Has anyone tried one of these?
@badstuff9 If you want to know more about the diagnostics page there is a writeup here.
This is from Copilot, not my personal knowledge.
A TV reception antenna can interfere with an RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) antenna, though it depends on several factors. Hereās a breakdown of how and why interference might occur:
-
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI):
- TV antennas and their associated electronics (amplifiers, splitters, cables) can emit EMI that may affect sensitive RTK receivers.
- This is especially true if the TV antenna uses active amplification or is poorly shielded.
-
Radio Frequency Overlap:
- RTK systems typically operate in the L-band (e.g., GPS at 1.575 GHz), while TV signals are in the VHF/UHF range.
- Direct frequency overlap is rare, but harmonics or spurious emissions from TV equipment could bleed into RTK bands.
-
Physical Proximity:
- If the TV and RTK antennas are mounted close together, they may cause multipath interference or signal reflections, degrading RTK accuracy.
- Metal structures or coaxial cables can act as unintended reflectors or conductors of noise.
-
Grounding and Shielding Issues:
- Improper grounding of either antenna can create ground loops or introduce noise into the system.
- Shared grounding paths or poor isolation between systems can exacerbate interference.
Mitigation Strategies
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Maintain Separation:
- Keep antennas at least several feet apart, ideally with clear line-of-sight for the RTK antenna.
- Use directional antennas to minimize cross-talk.
-
Use Shielded Cables:
- Opt for high-quality coaxial cables (e.g., RG6 or RG11 with solid shielding) for both systems.
-
Check for Amplifiers and Filters:
- If the TV antenna uses a signal booster, ensure it doesnāt emit spurious signals.
- Consider installing band-pass filters on the RTK system to block unwanted frequencies.
-
Ground Independently:
- Ground each antenna system separately and according to code to avoid shared noise paths.
So Iāll caveat that this kit is sent for severe cold weather issues. However I know they use the bar now for holding the HaLow antenna instead of the clip. I do not know what components of this kit they include with new units now though. See if any of this looks familiar. This is from a dealer I trust, so if you want to order anything or this kit from him, heās a solid choice and all around great guy.
The rotor is higher than the data center, but not directly above it.
Thanks.
Hereās what I just cannot understand: Why would the TV antenna cause interference with only the RTK antenna on the data center, but not with the RTK antenna for the Mammotion robot which is right next to it? Shouldnāt both RTK antennas be similarly impaired?
Iām wondering if the bar itself is blocking some of the signal since the washer isnāt there.
Thanks!!!
Only the bar and one washer look familiarā¦. because thatās all I received.
If it helps with cold weather, I better buy it: We get brutally cold winter temps.
I still donāt understand, though: HOW does it help with cold weather? And, how might it help with my current problem of weak signals?
It has longer pin contacts to deal with the contraction of the metal due to the cold. As I mentioned above, I think the plastic bar might be blocking some of the signal since without the washer it is covering some of the antenna itself. Just a theory that is easily tested by removing the bar and see if the signal CNR values jump up. Not sure if you really need the kit unless you deal with a lot of negative degree cold weather days. But, for $6 it wonāt hurt.
There are a bunch of variables. For example, the filters and shielding used in each antenna can affect performance; this is true for both receivers and transceivers. Iām by no means an expert but I got my Technician and General HAM license about 20 years ago and got my Extra about six years ago. In that time, I have played around with a lot of radio equipment and antenna position. I have been able to fix quite a few issues by just separating the different antennas I have in use. There are RF Spectrum Analyzer tools available to assist with troubleshooting this kind of stuff but those require that you have a good understanding of RF propagation and cost money.
I donāt recall whether or not you tried this, but have you powered down all the other antennas to see if that helps? Even if they are powered down, they can still cause interference but itās something simple you can do to help troubleshoot.
Yes, I did power down the other antennas, did not appear to make any difference.
Have you tried rotating the TV antenna to see if the signal improves? Just a thought.
Good ideaā¦ Sadly, when I tried that, it seemed to have zero impact.
Hi there,
Could you please provide your support ticket number so I can reach out to our field service engineer for further advice? I understand it may be inconvenient for you to troubleshoot multiple times, and Iād love to help you get all the necessary troubleshooting steps at once!
It turns out all I needed to do was to install the kit @bryan.wheeler suggested ( https://c3x1ev-c1.myshopify.com/products/data-center-adapter ). Once that was installed, the data center worked perfectly. I did not need to move the data center at all.
(These parts were not included in what Yarbo sent me, plus the manual Yarbo included is out of date (a Yarbo person confirmed that for me), so when I initially set up the data center I had to kind of wing it to figure things out, and I assumed I had all the parts I needed. It seems I guessed and assumed wrong.)
Sorry, I did not see this until now. The problem was fixed by installing the data center adapter kit.