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Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 2:27 pm
by Spider-Vice
Might sound like topic stealing but it's not my intention, as I found a topic about strange behaviour on a 1.9.2 build I decided to post here too. I don't know what's going on but it seems like since I upgraded to Cumulus 1.9.2 (the latest build), after a while I seem to get more lost sensor contact messages and the station stops transmitting. Not absolutely sure of this but it looks like when I close Cumulus, it starts transmitting sort of well again. It's weird how it started happening just today (and it has another day), yet it's very hot outside, I don't know if it could be that. The station is a PCE-FWS-20 (should be the Watson WH1080..?).

If this sounds like topic stealing feel free to merge this into a new topic or delete the post.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 2:37 pm
by steve
I moved your post, you have a different type of station.

I'm afraid I can't even begin to imagine how Cumulus could cause 'sensor contact lost' conditions; all it does it look at a flag in the data that it reads from the station.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 2:42 pm
by Spider-Vice
Oh okay, I thought it just could have some kind of bug, who knows :D Anyway I guess it might be batteries or just some interference and maybe because of the abnormal October heat outside. ;) I'll need to investigate that.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 3:00 pm
by steve
It's a common problem. I usually suggest 'batteries' because that's about the limit of my hardware expertise. Changing the relative alignment of the transmitter and console can help. I have mine propped up against the wall on my desk, and when a cat or whatever knocks it over, I quite often get 'dashes' as a result (which Cumulus would show as lost contact if it were running). Sometimes I notice dashes on it even when it hasn't been knocked over. I don't know how much 'lost contact' is required before the dashes display.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 3:08 pm
by Spider-Vice
I think it's at the first unsuccessfully sent batch of data, it says Lost Sensor Contact and dashes out. I've got it on another position, seems to be fine now. Curious thing is that Cumulus once even said the station had been unplugged while it was plugged :shock: But as I said it seems fine now.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 3:17 pm
by steve
Spider-Vice wrote:Curious thing is that Cumulus once even said the station had been unplugged while it was plugged
Cumulus just reports what Windows tells it. The station can appear to be not connected to Windows even if the cable is in place.

Re: Sensor contact lost

Posted: Wed 05 Oct 2011 3:23 pm
by Spider-Vice
Yeah I just found it weird. It seems to be transmitting well now in another position, thanks for the help anyway, Cumulus ftw. :D