Faulty Personal Transponder
11-19-2004, 11:39 AM
#1
Faulty Personal Transponder
My personal will work on check in and the first lap but on the 2nd lap the score keeper will have to count me by hand. The weird thing is when the race is over I check the transponder and the light is still on.
Anybody know of any tips to get my personal transponder to work correctly?
I've already changed the plug and lowered the location and moved it to the front bumper for better transmission of signal....
Anybody know of any tips to get my personal transponder to work correctly?
I've already changed the plug and lowered the location and moved it to the front bumper for better transmission of signal....
11-19-2004, 01:37 PM
#4
Yes, I had this happen with the LRP speedo. Apparently it only puts out 5.8v while the rest of the speedos out there puts out 6v. So if you run a digital servo and a LRP speedo, it doesn't have enough voltage to constantly feed to the personal transponder, therefore the transponder is on and off. I run KO equipment so the 301F receiver suffers from this, but the new 302F receiver's got a new circuitry inside that sustain the necessary 6v. I'm going to try that out this weekend and see if that fix the skipping transponder problem 
I'll keep you guys posted.
Steve Wang
I'll keep you guys posted.Steve Wang
11-19-2004, 05:27 PM
#5
Seriously, that should not be the problem. The AMBrc personal transponders can work fine in a range from 4.8v to 6.0v. We have been using them in Mini-Z for a few years and they work fine at 4.8v. The only place it is an issue at 4.8v is if you put the pickup loop at the end of the straight where you have to jump on the throttle and it drops a little below 4.8v. In this scenario, laps will get missed and we have reproduced and corrected the problem by moving the loop. I can almost guarantee that having 5.8v is not the problem. The question is if it is draining lower than that and you don't know it. One easy way to check is fire up your car and peg it full throttle. If there is a power delivery problem, the LED in the transponder will dim considerably or even go out like it will on the Mini-Z.
I have mounted AMBrc in just about every class car from Mini-Z to 1/5 scale and there aren't too many things that cause it to miss count. Other things to look at is how it it mounted in the car. Some people didn't get their instructions but make sure the transponder is not mounted vertically or it will not count right. Some people have claimed metallic (chrome) paint is a culprit but I am dubious of those claims as well since I had a full chrome paint job and my old beat up transponder never missed a beat.
You also need to watch where it is mounted in the car top to bottom. If you have a bridge loop, make sure it is mounted high enough and without obstruction. Conversely, if you have a buried loop in the ground, try to get that sucker as low as you can.
The last thing I have seen that causes problems has happened to me too. Check the plug. Sometimes the metal contacts dont make a tight enough fit around the pins in your receiver and can cause sporadic power to the transponder. There are also some plastic plugs that don't fit well in the receiver openings and can cause the contacts to be flaky so watch out for that too.
MikeR, what kind of "signal strength" and "hit count" are you getting at the computer? Check with the person running the computer and have them watch this for you. See if these numbers are lower than the others that are working. If they are within range, you may have a defective transponder.
Check it out and let us know what you find.
I have mounted AMBrc in just about every class car from Mini-Z to 1/5 scale and there aren't too many things that cause it to miss count. Other things to look at is how it it mounted in the car. Some people didn't get their instructions but make sure the transponder is not mounted vertically or it will not count right. Some people have claimed metallic (chrome) paint is a culprit but I am dubious of those claims as well since I had a full chrome paint job and my old beat up transponder never missed a beat.
You also need to watch where it is mounted in the car top to bottom. If you have a bridge loop, make sure it is mounted high enough and without obstruction. Conversely, if you have a buried loop in the ground, try to get that sucker as low as you can.
The last thing I have seen that causes problems has happened to me too. Check the plug. Sometimes the metal contacts dont make a tight enough fit around the pins in your receiver and can cause sporadic power to the transponder. There are also some plastic plugs that don't fit well in the receiver openings and can cause the contacts to be flaky so watch out for that too.
MikeR, what kind of "signal strength" and "hit count" are you getting at the computer? Check with the person running the computer and have them watch this for you. See if these numbers are lower than the others that are working. If they are within range, you may have a defective transponder.
Check it out and let us know what you find.
11-19-2004, 06:06 PM
#7
Sounds like a Personal problem to me.
I agree with Fraz.
The transponder should be mounted flat, facing forward with the wires coming out the back and high fo a bridge and lower for a ground or below track level loop. It is clearly in the directions you ge with the transponder. Try not to mount it directly on carbon fiber or metal too I think it says in there.
The transponder should be mounted flat, facing forward with the wires coming out the back and high fo a bridge and lower for a ground or below track level loop. It is clearly in the directions you ge with the transponder. Try not to mount it directly on carbon fiber or metal too I think it says in there.
11-19-2004, 07:05 PM
#8
Re: Sounds like a Personal problem to me.
Originally posted by Silver Cup
I agree with Fraz.
The transponder should be mounted flat, facing forward with the wires coming out the back and high fo a bridge and lower for a ground or below track level loop. It is clearly in the directions you ge with the transponder. Try not to mount it directly on carbon fiber or metal too I think it says in there.
I agree with Fraz.
The transponder should be mounted flat, facing forward with the wires coming out the back and high fo a bridge and lower for a ground or below track level loop. It is clearly in the directions you ge with the transponder. Try not to mount it directly on carbon fiber or metal too I think it says in there.
11-19-2004, 11:31 PM
#9
Motor Madness
Just wanted to make sure you new the title of my post was just a joke. 
It is a Personal problem, you dog-gon Personal is giving you some fits!! 
That is wierd that it works with a stock motor vs. the mod motor. Pullin' out more juice with a mod eh!! 
It is a Personal problem, you dog-gon Personal is giving you some fits!! That is wierd that it works with a stock motor vs. the mod motor. Pullin' out more juice with a mod eh!!
11-20-2004, 12:07 AM
#10
Hi Guys,
This information was actually passed along to me from the tech support over at KO Propo USA, and I've only started to experience this problem since I started using digital servos (no problem with analog servos). I also have two personal transponders (both were skipping laps with the same other equipments) and I even changed out the receiver, and it was still skipping laps. I've also tried different locations around the car for the transponder, so I firmly believe what the tech said over at KO Propo. Tomorrow I have a KO-302 series receiver that's suppose to solve this problem, we'll see what happens
Steve Wang
This information was actually passed along to me from the tech support over at KO Propo USA, and I've only started to experience this problem since I started using digital servos (no problem with analog servos). I also have two personal transponders (both were skipping laps with the same other equipments) and I even changed out the receiver, and it was still skipping laps. I've also tried different locations around the car for the transponder, so I firmly believe what the tech said over at KO Propo. Tomorrow I have a KO-302 series receiver that's suppose to solve this problem, we'll see what happens
Steve Wang
11-20-2004, 12:25 AM
#11
I acutally have one transponder that does the same thing Mike is describing. It has actually happened at two different venues. Other than going to another unit I have yet to find a fix.
Unlike some of the others I do not use the LRP stuff, the Personal is mounted far forward in the car and away from the servo (tried with digital and analog) and have the unit mounted horizonal.
The unit will register the counting system on the initial lap and check in but nothing beyond.
Unlike some of the others I do not use the LRP stuff, the Personal is mounted far forward in the car and away from the servo (tried with digital and analog) and have the unit mounted horizonal.
The unit will register the counting system on the initial lap and check in but nothing beyond.
11-20-2004, 12:39 AM
#12
Mark- You've tried it with the Spektrum system and it still does this?
Fraz- yes, changed the plug as you can see here but of coarse no luck that race day. All three rounds had the same results.
Otherwise the whole system has been working fine with this current set-up since Reedy. Just out of the blue I've been having this problem.
I think I will have to try Gary's suggestion for now- try it in someone elses car.
Fraz- yes, changed the plug as you can see here but of coarse no luck that race day. All three rounds had the same results.
Otherwise the whole system has been working fine with this current set-up since Reedy. Just out of the blue I've been having this problem.
I think I will have to try Gary's suggestion for now- try it in someone elses car.
11-20-2004, 12:48 AM
#13
Originally posted by MikeR
Mark- You've tried it with the Spektrum system and it still does this?
Fraz- yes, changed the plug as you can see here but of coarse no luck that race day. All three rounds had the same results.
Otherwise the whole system has been working fine with this current set-up since Reedy. Just out of the blue I've been having this problem.
I think I will have to try Gary's suggestion for now- try it in someone elses car.
Mark- You've tried it with the Spektrum system and it still does this?
Fraz- yes, changed the plug as you can see here but of coarse no luck that race day. All three rounds had the same results.
Otherwise the whole system has been working fine with this current set-up since Reedy. Just out of the blue I've been having this problem.
I think I will have to try Gary's suggestion for now- try it in someone elses car.
It has to be something in the unit. I have not started hunting for service center the AMB Personal. I was meaning to ask Jiles Groskamp when I saw him in FL. but forgot to.
By the way, the Spektrum unit is AWESOME. You racing this weekend in SD?
11-20-2004, 12:57 AM
#14
Just found info for AMB here in the US.
AMB i.t. US Inc.
3200 Highlands Pkwy, #104
SMYRNA, GA 30082
U.S.A.
TEL: (678) 816-4000
FAX: (678) 816-4001
[email protected]
www.amb-it.com
AMB i.t. US Inc.
3200 Highlands Pkwy, #104
SMYRNA, GA 30082
U.S.A.
TEL: (678) 816-4000
FAX: (678) 816-4001
[email protected]
www.amb-it.com
11-20-2004, 10:00 AM
#15
By the way, the Spektrum unit is AWESOME. You racing this weekend in SD?
Originally posted by MDawson
Just found info for AMB here in the US.
AMB i.t. US Inc.
3200 Highlands Pkwy, #104
SMYRNA, GA 30082
U.S.A.
TEL: (678) 816-4000
FAX: (678) 816-4001
[email protected]
www.amb-it.com
Yeah I'll be racing in Poway Sunday, being hand counted
