GPS Not Locking

John K4SQC

Flex 6700 on 1.4.3 - At power down rig used to go dark, now LED stay orange.  On power up, goes from green to solid orange.  Radio setup tells me GPS is active but no data.  I am suspecting an antenna issue.  Currently out side on the north side of the roof.  Lock used to take a while but it did ultimately lock (flashing blue to solid blue).  Suggestions?
John K4SQC

KY6LA_Howard

is it seeing any satellites on the GPS Tab?

Tim - W4TME

Try disabling and then re-enabling the GPSDO in the Settings->Radio Setup->GPS tab.  If that doesn't help, check the GPS antenna connection and the position/orientation of the GPS antenna.

Like Howard said, you should be seeing an indication of satellites.

John K4SQC

Folks,

I guess not - no matter what I do it comes up in the :hold over" mode.  I have changed and relocated the antenna, still no joy.  Frustrating thing is it was working, now it is not.  I do not know how to do other diagnostics.  Buy yet another antenna when up at Dayton?  Is there a way to test the antenna(s) to see if they are good?  I know the unit puts out power over the coax - anyway to see if there is still power? 

John K4SQC

Reg

John:

If you decide to buy a new antenna here is an inexpensive suggestion that works.  My FLEX antenna died so I bought a Tram 8" Marine GPS Antenna on Amazon.  I had previous used one on a large boat where it was mounted very close to the rotating 12 KW RADAR antenna.  I assumed that it would therefore be safe below legal limit aluminum.  It works great for me.  I mounted it outside and with a little elevation so it can see satellites in all directions all the way down to the horizon.

Has your radio been shipped since the GPSDO module last worked?  I sent my 6700 to FLEX for the enhancement and when it came home the GPSDO was inopoperative because it was loose in the socket.

I love the GPSDO.  I use the 10 MHz reference signal OUT from the 6700 to provide a near-perfect reference frequency to a Rigol DGA-815-TG spectrum analyzer, Rigol DGA4162 Function/Waveform Generator, Rigol MSO4034 oscilloscope, and Kenwood TS-990S.

Good luck.

Reg

John K4SQC

Greg,

Pretty sure the issue is no power to the GPS antenna.  When I measure it I get zero volts on the center conductor.  Is this something that can be handled by swaping out GPS units?  Or is there some other trick to turn the power to the GPS antennna back on?

John K

VA3AE

Any further insights on this? I have a similar issue.

The Pulse antenna had been giving me a lock for the first few days, and then inexplicably losing the lock and never regaining it. 

Thinking the antenna or it's tiny cable might have been damaged, I have swapped it for a Magellan at1675.  It is quite a good commercial unit I picked up used but working, and the specs say the AT1675 will run from +4.25 to +15 VDC, which I believe the GPSDO module in the Flex can supply comfortably.
Unfortunately after a day it still hasn't got a lock.  I'll test the voltage on the connector tonight and see what I get...
David