Mapping and GIS Solutions Community

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Hi Kara,
I think these are simply manufacturing date codes on the cables with the second number being the year. I have cables here from /15 and my new one is also /21.
The firmware should be fine with any good cable.

Other than the GNSS signals, the cable also supplies some power from the Geo7X up to the antenna and that's what your Geo7x is complaining about. So you may have a leakage/short problem with the new cable/connectors, or possibly a legacy issue in the devices resulting from the previous cable.

There are a couple of basic checks you could do to help isolate:
1. If you still have the old cable, reconnect it. If it all works without the message, then the Geo7X & Zephyr themselves are OK and confirms the issue is with the new cable.
2. Get the new cable checked with a multimeter if you can get access to one. There should be continuity between the center pins at either end, and also between the outsides of the connectors at either end. And there should no continuity at all between the center pins and the outside of the connector.

As a guide, my meter here on a good cable shows less than 1 ohm resistance between the center pins, and also between the outside shields. And it shows no reading whatsoever (>40 MΩ) between the center pin and outside connector.

------------------------------
John Winkler
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 12:27
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 1/3/2023 10:40:00 PM
From: John Winkler
Subject: RE: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Hi Kara,
I think these are simply manufacturing date codes on the cables with the second number being the year. I have cables here from /15 and my new one is also /21.
The firmware should be fine with any good cable.

Other than the GNSS signals, the cable also supplies some power from the Geo7X up to the antenna and that's what your Geo7x is complaining about. So you may have a leakage/short problem with the new cable/connectors, or possibly a legacy issue in the devices resulting from the previous cable.

There are a couple of basic checks you could do to help isolate:
1. If you still have the old cable, reconnect it. If it all works without the message, then the Geo7X & Zephyr themselves are OK and confirms the issue is with the new cable.
2. Get the new cable checked with a multimeter if you can get access to one. There should be continuity between the center pins at either end, and also between the outsides of the connectors at either end. And there should no continuity at all between the center pins and the outside of the connector.

As a guide, my meter here on a good cable shows less than 1 ohm resistance between the center pins, and also between the outside shields. And it shows no reading whatsoever (>40 MΩ) between the center pin and outside connector.

------------------------------
John Winkler
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 12:27
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Thank you Joel, that is a helpful website and will check it out.



------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-04-2023 09:57
From: Joel Cusick
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Suggest you purchase a well made, ruggedized Geo7x cable from Western Cable.   I've thrown out every Trimble stock black antenna cable that came with the kits long ago.  You'll fight the skinny cable connection and as John suggested its a power leak.  Western Cables are the best.

https://www.wscable.com/geo-7x/

Joel Cusick

GIS Specialist

Region 11 - Alaska Regional Office

240 W. Fifth Ave.

Anchorage, AK 99501-2327

cell:907 280-9724  wk:907 644-3549 

Help Desk: akro_gis_helpdesk@nps.gov

AK GPS Rental and Training Calendar

Original Message:
Sent: 1/3/2023 10:40:00 PM
From: John Winkler
Subject: RE: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Hi Kara,
I think these are simply manufacturing date codes on the cables with the second number being the year. I have cables here from /15 and my new one is also /21.
The firmware should be fine with any good cable.

Other than the GNSS signals, the cable also supplies some power from the Geo7X up to the antenna and that's what your Geo7x is complaining about. So you may have a leakage/short problem with the new cable/connectors, or possibly a legacy issue in the devices resulting from the previous cable.

There are a couple of basic checks you could do to help isolate:
1. If you still have the old cable, reconnect it. If it all works without the message, then the Geo7X & Zephyr themselves are OK and confirms the issue is with the new cable.
2. Get the new cable checked with a multimeter if you can get access to one. There should be continuity between the center pins at either end, and also between the outsides of the connectors at either end. And there should no continuity at all between the center pins and the outside of the connector.

As a guide, my meter here on a good cable shows less than 1 ohm resistance between the center pins, and also between the outside shields. And it shows no reading whatsoever (>40 MΩ) between the center pin and outside connector.

------------------------------
John Winkler

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 12:27
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Thanks for your assessment. This makes sense that the cable itself might be bad. I will see if they have another one to try first before heading to the other website Joel suggested.

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 20:39
From: John Winkler
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Hi Kara,
I think these are simply manufacturing date codes on the cables with the second number being the year. I have cables here from /15 and my new one is also /21.
The firmware should be fine with any good cable.

Other than the GNSS signals, the cable also supplies some power from the Geo7X up to the antenna and that's what your Geo7x is complaining about. So you may have a leakage/short problem with the new cable/connectors, or possibly a legacy issue in the devices resulting from the previous cable.

There are a couple of basic checks you could do to help isolate:
1. If you still have the old cable, reconnect it. If it all works without the message, then the Geo7X & Zephyr themselves are OK and confirms the issue is with the new cable.
2. Get the new cable checked with a multimeter if you can get access to one. There should be continuity between the center pins at either end, and also between the outsides of the connectors at either end. And there should no continuity at all between the center pins and the outside of the connector.

As a guide, my meter here on a good cable shows less than 1 ohm resistance between the center pins, and also between the outside shields. And it shows no reading whatsoever (>40 MΩ) between the center pin and outside connector.

------------------------------
John Winkler

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 12:27
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------

There are pro's & con's either way with the cables so it's a personal choice.



------------------------------
John Winkler
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 01-04-2023 12:04
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Thanks for your assessment. This makes sense that the cable itself might be bad. I will see if they have another one to try first before heading to the other website Joel suggested.

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 20:39
From: John Winkler
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Hi Kara,
I think these are simply manufacturing date codes on the cables with the second number being the year. I have cables here from /15 and my new one is also /21.
The firmware should be fine with any good cable.

Other than the GNSS signals, the cable also supplies some power from the Geo7X up to the antenna and that's what your Geo7x is complaining about. So you may have a leakage/short problem with the new cable/connectors, or possibly a legacy issue in the devices resulting from the previous cable.

There are a couple of basic checks you could do to help isolate:
1. If you still have the old cable, reconnect it. If it all works without the message, then the Geo7X & Zephyr themselves are OK and confirms the issue is with the new cable.
2. Get the new cable checked with a multimeter if you can get access to one. There should be continuity between the center pins at either end, and also between the outsides of the connectors at either end. And there should no continuity at all between the center pins and the outside of the connector.

As a guide, my meter here on a good cable shows less than 1 ohm resistance between the center pins, and also between the outside shields. And it shows no reading whatsoever (>40 MΩ) between the center pin and outside connector.

------------------------------
John Winkler

Original Message:
Sent: 01-03-2023 12:27
From: Kara O'Neill
Subject: Geo7x using a Zephyr 2, cable no longer connects

Wondered if anyone might know a bit more than I do about the Zephyr 2. The old cable was dying and purchased a new one. The only change made was the cable and now we are getting this error, "Receiver power output cannot be enabled because this receiver does not support it." Same part numbers, only difference is one says 34/16 coaxial cable and the replacement cable is a 18/21.  Would the outdated firmware have any effect on this?

------------------------------
Kara O'Neill
------------------------------