Snipe2 working well but getting an error... (1 Viewer)

[RichardB]

Hi all
My Snipe2 is working well and having no real problems with it, except I keep getting an error on the controller.

After locking on to a satellite after about 20 minutes I get "COMMUNICATION error" on the display.
I then need to power off and back on again - thats ok but each time I power off/on it resets the dish back to the home position and I need to wait reset up the dish.

Does anyone else have a Snipe2 and do you get these "COMMUNICATION errors" - The company that fitted it are coming back out to have a look when they fit some other stuff for me, but just wondered if anyone had any idea what could be causing it...

Thanks
Richard

 

[ericroy]

No, not getting this problem with our self-fitted Snipe2.

It does sound like we might use it differently to you though? We tend to switch on the controller, wait for GPS to home in and then start it searching. Once it has locked onto the satellite, we then turn the controller off to save electrons until it is time to park it ready for moving. Then we switch it back on for long enough for it to return to Home position.

From my recollection of the "COMMUNICATION error" description, it seems like a catch-all report that something has gone wrong with the link between controller and dish. This could be caused by a poor connection at either end or possibly by some form of interference? I guess the fact that we turn ours off once in position would reduce the likelihood of us ever seeing this...

 

[RichardB]

we then turn the controller off to save electrons until it is time to park it ready for moving. Then we switch it back on for long enough for it to return to Home position.

Thats what we did at first, but I have plenty of batteries/solar and read in manual that if you leave power on to the controller and drive off forgetting to put it into the home position, the snipe GPS can detect your moving it lowers the dish...Better safe than sorry....

Richard

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[ericroy]

I read in manual that if you leave power on to the controller and drive off forgetting to put it into the home position, the snipe GPS can detect your moving it lowers the dish...Better safe than sorry....

I don't remember reading that bit! As we tend to turn off the 12v supply to everything except fridge when we move, that wouldn't help us at present, although it does provide food for thought.

 

[RichardB]

I had mine wired directly to the leisure battery so that it would not go off when the van started specifically so I couldn't drive away with it up! Is your a Snipe or a Snipe2?

 

[ericroy]

It is a Snipe2. May have to do a test with mine now to see the self-parking in action!

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[ericroy]

The result of my test is that my model does NOT self-park on detecting movement. There could be two reasons for this:

1. My Snipe 2 is a different model to the one used by the OP
2. The feature is added by a software upgrade to the controller firmware (My version 15126)

A PM has been sent to the OP.