Topic: Wireless Vantage Pro 2 random loss of signal

[DHaney]

My weatherstation randomly loses the ISS signal on a daily or near daily basis.  Today so far it lost signal from 2:58 to 3:18 am and 8:23 to 9:18 am.  Sometimes it'll go long stretches without a loss and then will come back with clusters like this.  I have tried moving the ISS closer, then line of sight and then taken the unit out to the ISS with no changes to the failure.  I have replaced the complete ISS and it remains a problem.  I have had this weather station since 2007 or so and the problem started about 3 or 4 years ago.  Is there a firmware update that would correct this?  Not sure what I'm missing but really hate losing data.  Any ideas would be appreciated.

[droiddk]

Problem with console - I had the same issue, old station as yours, and I replaced the entire station but also kept the old console running, getting the signal from the new ISS. No issue with new console but many resyncs and missed packets with old console.
Lesson to learn: Be careful buying old/used VP2 gear.

Or maybe you have some radio-noise at random intervals, nothing to do about that, i'm afraid.

[dalecoy]

What do the Console Diagnostics and Reception Diagnostics show?  (Pages 36-39 of the manual).

Have you checked for other transmitters in the area? (Page 35-36 of the manual).

Have you tried changing the Transmitter ID, to see if that might help?

[DHaney]

The diagnostics all look to be within normal specs.  Background noise is 15.  Have used every available channel.  Current version of firmware is 1.70 (US).  How do I know if my console is pre/post-2006?  The MFG code is
A71001E12N.  So would that be 10/01/07?

[dalecoy]

Today so far it lost signal from 2:58 to 3:18 am and 8:23 to 9:18 am. 

The diagnostics all look to be within normal specs. 

Really?

[johnd]

What's the range of the RSSI numbers? (2nd diagnostic screen)

[dalecoy]

Please list the values of items 3 through 11 on the Statistical Diagnostic Screen.
And items 2 through 5, and 7 through 9, on the Reception Diagnostic Screen.

[dalecoy]

My weatherstation randomly loses the ISS signal on a daily or near daily basis.  Today so far it lost signal from 2:58 to 3:18 am and 8:23 to 9:18 am.  Sometimes it'll go long stretches without a loss and then will come back with clusters like this. 
  Any ideas would be appreciated.

Let's get a bit more information.
Where do you see this loss of signal?  (Console - WeatherLink software - Other software - Website - etc..)
What is your equipment?  [Logger type, etc.]
How is your console powered?
Is there any other electronic equipment near the console?  (cell phone, etc. etc.)
How far is it between the ISS and the console?  What is in that space? 
[I recall a case where there was a driveway between the console and the ISS, and occasionally a truck would park there for an hour or so....]
Details may be important.

[DHaney]

Please list the values of items 3 through 11 on the Statistical Diagnostic Screen.
And items 2 through 5, and 7 through 9, on the Reception Diagnostic Screen.

3 - 249
4 - 457
5 - 97%
6 - 12933
7 - 3
8- 2
9 - 0
10 - 199
11 - 2

Reception
2 - 0
3 - 97%
4 - 40
5 - 8
7 - 0
8 - 0
9 - 6

[DHaney]

My weatherstation randomly loses the ISS signal on a daily or near daily basis.  Today so far it lost signal from 2:58 to 3:18 am and 8:23 to 9:18 am.  Sometimes it'll go long stretches without a loss and then will come back with clusters like this. 
  Any ideas would be appreciated.

Let's get a bit more information.
Where do you see this loss of signal?  (Console - WeatherLink software - Other software - Website - etc..)
What is your equipment?  [Logger type, etc.]
How is your console powered?
Is there any other electronic equipment near the console?  (cell phone, etc. etc.)
How far is it between the ISS and the console?  What is in that space? 
[I recall a case where there was a driveway between the console and the ISS, and occasionally a truck would park there for an hour or so....]
Details may be important.

I see the loss of signal at the console - on my virtual weather and on wunderground
Weatherlink USB
Plugged in via adapter
wireless phone under the console about 3 feet
25 feet - part of a garage.  (have moved the iss to various locations between 20-30 feet, clear line of sight as well)
times of signal loss vary.  sometimes I get dashed lines and other times it sticks on the last number.  The X always becomes an L.  I have taken the console and put it within 3 feet of the iss during an outage with no improvement.  It did not make the data come back any faster.

[dalecoy]

I see the loss of signal at the console - on my virtual weather and on wunderground
Weatherlink USB
Plugged in via adapter
wireless phone under the console about 3 feet
25 feet - part of a garage.  (have moved the iss to various locations between 20-30 feet, clear line of sight as well)
times of signal loss vary.  sometimes I get dashed lines and other times it sticks on the last number.  The X always becomes an L.  I have taken the console and put it within 3 feet of the iss during an outage with no improvement.  It did not make the data come back any faster.

Thanks.  When I have an hour or two, I'll look at all of those numbers, etc.  A couple of details:

1.  Could we have the ID of your weather underground (and perhaps your virtual weather URL?)

2.  When you took the console near the ISS, (a) what did you unplug; and (b) did you completely power down the console during the move?

[Note: there have been occasional reports of nearby electronic devices (including cell phones) causing problems like this]

[dalecoy]

...... Have used every available channel. 

Current version of firmware is 1.70 (US).  How do I know if my console is pre/post-2006?  The MFG code is
A71001E12N.  So would that be 10/01/07?

Does the first statement above mean that there are other nearby Davis stations?  Or just that you have tried all of the VP2 channels?

A firmware update is unlikely to help this situation, but having the most current firmware is a good idea.  johnd can confirm the manufacturing date.

[DHaney]

No other Davis stations close - just used the available channels of the ISS.

[DHaney]

I see the loss of signal at the console - on my virtual weather and on wunderground
Weatherlink USB
Plugged in via adapter
wireless phone under the console about 3 feet
25 feet - part of a garage.  (have moved the iss to various locations between 20-30 feet, clear line of sight as well)
times of signal loss vary.  sometimes I get dashed lines and other times it sticks on the last number.  The X always becomes an L.  I have taken the console and put it within 3 feet of the iss during an outage with no improvement.  It did not make the data come back any faster.

Thanks.  When I have an hour or two, I'll look at all of those numbers, etc.  A couple of details:

1.  Could we have the ID of your weather underground (and perhaps your virtual weather URL?)

2.  When you took the console near the ISS, (a) what did you unplug; and (b) did you completely power down the console during the move?

[Note: there have been occasional reports of nearby electronic devices (including cell phones) causing problems like this]

My wunderground station is KWIMILWA32. 
When I took the console out I unplugged power and the usb datalogger.  I did not reset or power down the console.

[Mattk]

When I took the console out I unplugged power and the usb datalogger.  I did not reset or power down the console.

That's not a good thing to do. You would be best to reset the unit, remove all power and re-plug the logger then re-power.

[dalecoy]

When I took the console out I unplugged power and the usb datalogger.  I did not reset or power down the console.

That's not a good thing to do. You would be best to reset the unit, remove all power and re-plug the logger then re-power.

To emphasize what Mattk said:  Never remove or install a logger, with the console powered - and that includes battery and AC power.  Remove all power, take the logger out, wait a minute, put the logger back in, and restore power.

But that probably isn't what's causing your signal dropouts.

[dalecoy]

From all of the available information, here's my best guess:

Plenty of signal strength.

There are entirely too many bad packets, including CRC error packets and other bad packets.  Longest streak of good packets is 199- which is about 8 minutes of data. 

This looks like something caused by an external, interfering RF signal.  It might be something in your house, an adjacent property, or......

I see you are very near Badger Meter Inc. -  "a manufacturer and marketer of products incorporating flow measurement, control and communication solutions"  Among other things, they make meters that can be read remotely, just by sending a RF query to the meter.  I'm fairly sure they test what they make and sell.

I'm not saying that's the cause - just noticing things.

Here's what I recommend:

Change the channel you're using.  Consider relocating any electronic devices that are within a few feet of the console (that includes on the other side of the wall, if the console is on/near a wall).

Then, PLEASE, come back here in a few days, bring the same data from those 2 diagnostic screens, and let us know how things are going.

[DHaney]

So I changed the settings from 1 to 3 and moved only source of signal disrupter I could think of.  No change in regards to losing signal or locking up for extended periods.  Last night was locked for an hour.  Numbers below.

Diagnostic      
   CH1   CH3
3   249   211
4   457   317
5   97%   97%
6   12933 10489
7   3   0
8   2   3
9   0   0
10   199   199
11   2   12
      
Reception      
   CH1   CH3
2   0   -1
3   97%   97%
4   40   39
5   8   6
7   0   0
8   0   0
9   6   132

[Aardvark]

Back when Davis had the VP1   the big issue was RF interference.  Since back then the transmitter was limited and the use of repeaters to boost the signal was necessary to get even 85% of the transmission.   One thing you could try, move the console  from where it is now to somewhere closer to the ISS.   IF  the signal improves, then it is something between where it was relocated  and originally.   

We have so many devices in our lives that have signals around where the ISS broadcasts it is tough to figure out. I have  a water meter, gas meter and electrical meter that gets polled at different times of the day for usage by the utilities.  We have meters that measure stuff underground that the city has in place and now canister type cell phone relays appearing. the city is going with IP cameras here and there (I think they watch too many cop shows on tv).   There are two guys within a short area just got their HAM towers and have been fiddling with frequencies.  Yea, I have told them, quit fiddling or I am reporting you to the FCC.  One guy got himself a nasty dog in response.

So do this,  Move the consoles around the house to see if you get a better or worse or the same pattern of signal loss.    If none of this works, contact Davis Instruments and tell them what you have done and if they would be so kind as to send you a loaner while your unit is in for repair.

[chief-david]

I have a theory that all of these new waves going through the air are making people nuts.
Not just having a cell phone next to you.  Everything. WIFI, bluetooth, cell, water meter.

Just a theory.

[dalecoy]

Thanks for posting those diagnostics - they are very similar to the previous ones, as you noticed.

So I changed the settings from 1 to 3 and moved only source of signal disrupter I could think of.  No change in regards to losing signal or locking up for extended periods.  Last night was locked for an hour.

OK.  That essentially eliminates the channel setting and any in-home RF interference.  And the rest of your setup is OK (it continues to send barometric pressure to WU, so it's not actually "locked up"). 

I agree with Aardvark's conclusion that it's external RF interference - but I am skeptical that moving the console will help (although it's worth a try if that's convenient). 

(And the problem started 3 or 4 years ago) 

And I'm still a bit curious about Badger Meter.  Would you be comfortable contacting them and asking if any RF testing they are doing might correlate with the dates and times that you are seeing extended outages?

How to fix this (other than replacing the wireless system with a cabled system)?  The classical answer would be to try shielding the console, on the side away from the ISS, with a sheet of conductive material that's connected to "ground" (a cold water pipe or ...).  Conductive material (for a test) could be a piece of aluminum foil, or metal screen wire, or just a baking sheet or similar.  But that may not be convenient for you.

Sorry I couldn't help more.  And if you contact Badger Meter (or solve the problem), please let us know.

[DHaney]

And I'm still a bit curious about Badger Meter.  Would you be comfortable contacting them and asking if any RF testing they are doing might correlate with the dates and times that you are seeing extended outages?


I did contact Badger Meter and they are checking into a couple things for me regarding frequencies and such.  He noted they also have a Vantage Pro 2 on the roof that they use.  We'll see but at least they were nice enough to call me back and talk with me...

[dalecoy]

And I'm still a bit curious about Badger Meter.  Would you be comfortable contacting them and asking if any RF testing they are doing might correlate with the dates and times that you are seeing extended outages?


I did contact Badger Meter and they are checking into a couple things for me regarding frequencies and such.  He noted they also have a Vantage Pro 2 on the roof that they use.  We'll see but at least they were nice enough to call me back and talk with me...

Great!  And perhaps they can see whether their VP2 has the same "problem".

Thanks for keeping us informed.

[WeatherRick2]

Any update on this. Was the signal loss related to the meter? Was the meter sent in for repair?