[time-nuts] NTGS50AA caution notice

Bob Camp lists at rtty.us
Sun May 12 21:57:39 UTC 2013


Hi

Sounds like somebody at Trimble got lazy checking pin numbers on the layout …. Good information to have.

Thanks!

Bob

On May 12, 2013, at 5:01 PM, EB4APL <eb4apl at cembreros.jazztel.es> wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> My NTGS50AA began doing weird things after I moved it to a new enclosure.
> Upon power up the monitor LEDs showed some activity and after a few seconds D2, D3 and D4 remained on.  In normal operation D1 and D4 are on and D2 is off.  D1 indicates comm failure with the cell tower equipment, which is normal (I don't have a cell tower) and D4 is the lock indicator.  More annoying was that fact that Lady Heater was nor able to communicate with the equipment neither Trimble's GPS Monitor.
> After several hours tracing signals with astonishing findings I began to write a message to this group asking for help, I was assuming that the CPU had entered in a strange mode, maybe with a baud rate change or changed the message protocol, and I found that the GPSDO was sending data at 9600 Bd to pin 1 of the interface board but this pin is unconnected !!!.
> I was reviewing my photos in order to get more info for better documenting my call for help when I realized that the cable from the main board to the interface was plugged in the wrong way.  I had connected it in the "right" way, pin 1 of the plug to pin 1 marker in the socket, but Trimble decided that instead of twisting the cable they laid it flat and used plugs without keys so they can be inserted reversed.  I reversing one of the plugs and it worked ok. The weird and misleading thing is that the LEDs worked quite well, so I never thought of a cable reversal, now I marked both sockets in red where wire 1 should be connected, disregarding the factory triangle marking.  It looks like the first time I assembled the unit I had the pictures in front of me and connected the cable following it.
> 
> I send this notice to the list for the benefit of new users (and old ones like me also) because it can drive you nuts (and not of the time variety).
> 
> Regards,
> Ignacio EB4APL
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