[time-nuts] Trimble Thunderbolt has No satellites

[Gregory Beat]

Jan -

Your Posted Display (Thunderbolt Monitor)
shows that NO GPS Signals are being Received / Data Output to your Computer.
—
CHECK your Antenna, Coax, and Connectors : Your problem is appears to be there.

Use a SECOND +5 Volt GPS Antenna ... to Verify Thunderbolt is Not at Fault.
CAUTION: NEWER GPS Antennas are often ONLY +3.3 Volt ... 
and could damage pre-amplifier within GPS antenna or Thunderbolt.
—
I have a Trimble Thunderbolt (RED), Surplus from a 911 Call Center when 2019 WNRO Event occurred.
Running very well with Lady Heather version 6.14 Beta.
** IF you are using a Serial to USB converter ... Latest Windows 10 has a BUG for USB 3.0 hubs.  
Microsoft promises “fix” ASAP (likely next 4 weeks). ** 
==
Week Number RollOver (WNRO) is a known GPS issue, 
NOT corrected by MANY GPS manufacturers (firmware oversight, planned obsolescence, etc.)
https://www.trimble.com/WNRO/

The First GPS WNRO event occurred in 1999.  
The Second WNRO occurred on April 6, 2019, at GPS Midnight.
—
The Trimble Thunderbolt (RED and older OEM models) is NOT Upgradable by Trimble.
http://www.leapsecond.com/pages/tbolt/Thunderbolt-2003-11.pdf

Trimble sells the Thunderbolt-E (BLUE label) as the replacement.
https://www.trimble.com/Timing/thunderbolt-e.aspx

—
LADY HEATHER (LH) version 6.xx BETA for Windows corrects the WNRO date that LH displays. Trimble Thunderbolt still outputs (serial data) the incorrect date.

Mark Sims (texaspyro) posted the Link and Instructions on EEVBLOG (February 22, 2018)
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/lady-heather-v6-beta-for-windows-exe/msg1434005/#msg1434005
===

greg, w9gb
chicago
===
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 2020 08:51:43 +0100
From: <jan.catrysse at gmail.com>
To: <time-nuts at lists.febo.com>
Subject: [time-nuts] Trimble Thunderbolt has No satellites

Hello,

I am new to this, so advice is welcome.

I had a Trimble Thunderbolt running the whole summer and when checking today, 
it seems I lost satellite tracking. 

But I don't know what is wrong or how to diagnose it. 
I tried a power cycle and factory reset. 

In the Thunderbolt Monitor (Application):
1. All Alarms are Green.
2. All Signal levels (SV and AMU) are empty with a question mark.
3. I seem to get an accurate time.
4. The Timing outputs seem be ok and quite stable, nothing compared to a
first start.
5. I get a GPS position.
6. RCVR mode = (7) Overdetermined Clock (time)
7. GPS status = (0) Doing fixes

It seems the time is getting in, but no satellite fixes.
I checked the bias of the antenna, it was about 5 volts.
What could be wrong? Or how could I check it further?

The GPS antenna is about 5 meters from the house but only about 50cm from
the ground. Could this be seasonal? Is my house blocking the signal this
time of year?

I added some screenshots on the EEVBlog forum:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/trimble-thunderbolt-nu-satellites-128752/new/#new

I'm a bit lost, to be frank.

Thank you.  -Jan