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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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POSSIBLE CAUSES OF POOR SIGNAL STRENGTH / SIGNAL LOST

On Fugro Receivers

1. Problem on AERIAL SIDE (antenna cable and antenna)

a. Poor & Deteriorated condition or Defective RF antenna cable, connector and connector joints
During installation, antenna connections and joints are tight and sealed with rubber tape to maintain watertight integrity.
Due to passage of time, cable connection can be loosen due to vibration, water starts to sip inside the cable, corrosion
builds up and problem of poor or lost signal starts. Sometimes problem can be intermittent. This is noticeable when the
receiver works them suddenly will loose signal after it rains.

b. Defective antenna

Remedy:

1) Check Antenna and antenna cable as an assembly using a Multimeter

• Disconnect the antenna cable connection from the back of the receiver. (Note: Turn-OFF the receiver first)

Disconnect power cable

Disconnect Antenna cable from receiver

Using a multimeter, put the Red test lead on the center pin and the black test lead to shell.
The resistance reading will be increasing. Reverse the test lead position, the reading will be
decreasing. This is a capacitance effect inside the antenna and this shows a good antenna.

Some antenna resistance reading has

a fix resistance when measure with a
multimeter.

• If the resistance reading is shorted (zero ohms) or open (infinity ohms), there could be a problem on the cable, cable
connection and/or antenna is defective
Additional Info: Fugro receiver’s antenna connector has a DC voltage to provide power to the antenna LNA amplifier.
If voltage is not present, RF section circuit of the receiver is defective and receiver will not receive GPS and DGPS
signals.

Using a multimeter, measure the voltage (VDC) of the antenna output at the back of the receiver.
RED test lead on the center pin, Black test lead on the shell: Measured dc voltage varies on the receiver model.
Standard is about 5vdc, 9vd or 12vdc
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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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2) Check Antenna and antenna cable as an assembly by swapping

• If Antenna cable and joints are suspected to be the cause, isolation of the cause can be easily pinpointed when the
vessel have dual system.

• Swap the aerial from working receiver to the problem receiver. If the problem receiver works, it’s confirmed that the
problem can be the antenna cable, joints or the antenna.

3) Checking of Antenna cable and connectors

• Check cable connector joints and antenna connector joints for corrosion or water ingress. Clean as necessary.

Picture 1 show a heliax type cable where water sipped inside due to deteriorated rubber tape sealing
causing loss of signal and needs replacement.

• While connectors are disconnected from the antenna, using a multimeter, check if cable center pin and shell is open
and not shorted.

• Using a multimeter, check continuity of the cable by shorting the center pin and the shell at one end and measure the
shell and center pin at the other end. Result should be a “short”

4) Checking of Antenna only

• Use a multimeter, measure the resistance of the antenna at the antenna connector. IT IS DEFECTIVE if
measurement is “shorted” or “open”.

• Put the Red test lead on the center pin and the black test lead to shell. The resistance reading will be increasing.
Reverse the test lead position, the reading will be decreasing. This is a capacitance effect and this shows a good
antenna.

• Some antenna resistance reading has a fix resistance when measure with a multimeter.
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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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2. ANTENNA IS BLOCKED – NO DGPS SIGNAL (No correction)

When the vessel is near a platform or tall structure, there is a tendency that the geo-stationary satellite broadcasting
Fugro correction is blocked.
Signal power indication of the Fugro receiver could be showing very low or 0 percentage. If this happen, the receiver
loose lock to the satellite and correction signal will not be received.

Remedy
If blockage is suspected, try to use other geo-stationary satellite available in the area. Then check the signal strength.

In worst case scenario where the area has only two available satellites and the other satellite is blocked, TEMPORARY
use only one satellite for both receivers, at least, two receivers are still working.

There are three high power beam satellites where coverage is overlapping in Asia Pacific Region: AUSAT (location:
143° 30’ E), IOR (location: 064° 00’E) and POR (location: 178° 00’ E).

In pictures 2 & 3 below: The Vessel is near the platform. Onboard, two Fugro receivers. One unit is locked to IOR and
the other unit is on POR. The one on POR could have problem receiving the correction since the antenna is blocked
by structure. For this instance, it is best to use other available satellite like AUSAT.

Picture 1: POR is blocked by rig

Picture 2: Since POR is blocked, use AUSAT instead

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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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3. ANTENNA IS BLOCKED – NO GPS SIGNAL

A minimum of four satellites is required to calculate a 3-dimensional position. In general it can be said that every
increase in the number of visible satellites will result in an increase in the systems’ accuracy.

As the GPS satellites orbit the earth the number of visible satellites will change in time.

The GPS constellation has been designed to provide a minimum of 4 visible satellites at any location at all times.

The number of visible GPS satellites can be decreased due to blockage by objects such as Oil rigs and tall structures.
Less than 4, there will be no position fix.

If there is no position fix, GPS correction is no use. Receiver will not work….. No position to correct.

Since there are many visible GPS satellites at any location at all times, blockage of ALL GPS satellite from platform or
tall structure in the middle of the ocean is seldom. Unless the vessel is between two tall structures on both sides of the
vessel especially when it is in shipyard or in port, then it may track less than 4 GPS satellites.

Actually, it helps to check if the aerial is good or bad. If the receiver is receiving GPS satellites, means the aerial is
working.

Picture 3: Only Two GPS satellites are in view. Not enough GPS satellites. No position fix.
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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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4. Signal Interference
Although the Fugro receiver and antenna has been designed to provide optimal system performance under most
circumstances, due to the nature of radio communications it is possible, that the system performance degrades as a
result of local signal interference sources.

When interference levels are too high, the receiver may even lose lock to either or both the Fugro geo-stationary
satellite (L-band signal) or the GPS satellites (L1 and L2 Bands).

Interference sources include radio and television transmitters, radars, microwave ovens, poorly shielded spark plugs
and aeronautical radio navigation systems, in short: any device producing electromagnetic energy (directly or through
harmonic frequencies) in the 1525 - 1580 MHz band.

Signal interference problem is intermittent and very tricky to troubleshoot. Sources can be internal or external.

Internal sources can be from Mini M, Vsat, satellite phones. Most likely to happen when a new sat phone is install
onboard and transmitting near a GPS/DGPS antenna. This interference can cause total knock-off of both GPS and
DGPS signals.

External Source can be transmission from other vessels or rig nearby or telecommunication installation on shore.

Suggested remedy:
For internal source: monitor if the interference happen when any satellite transmitter is transmitting.
For external source: Monitor if GPS/DGPS signals on both Fugro receivers and other GPS receivers like Furuno,
Magnavox … are knock-off. Move away from the area and monitor if the receivers works again.

Picture 4: Signal transmissions from outside sources. Example below:

Vessel is currently on berth, other vessels around the area are possible sources of signal interference from
transmitting equipment. GPS and DGPS signal can be knocked off by the interference signal.
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Fugro Satellite Positioning Pte Ltd

Possible causes of Poor signal strength/ signal loss on Fugro DGPS receivers
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5. Erratic Operation of the Receiver

a. Power ON and OFF the receiver just like a normal computer that hangs-up.

b. Clear the unit’s memory ram by doing a factory default setting. Refer to Receiver Manuals for factory default
procedure. Note: before doing the factory default, the configuration settings of the Fugro receiver must be recorded.
This will be used as reference to restore original setting. Contact Fugro customer support for assistance.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT Singapore Office:

Tel No. +65 65425001
Technical Support Email: fsp.support@fugro.com.sg
Technical Support 24h Duty Phone +65 82237098

Support Engineers:
Yeo Lee Yip email: YeoLY@fugro.com.sg contact number: +6596448094
Adib Adam email: a.adib@fugro.com.sg contact number: +6598354687
Brian Garcia email: b.garcia@fugro.com.sg contact number: +6597289811

CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND 24HR HELP LINE

NCC PERTH AUSTRALIA

Phone: +618 93229138 or +61 (0)8 9445 0000
E-mail: perth.ncc@fugro.com

Fugro Seastar Norway: + 47 21 50 14 20

Email: seastarservice@fugro.no