Primex XR PERSONAL SERIES User manual

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XR Series Transmitter
Troubleshooting Guide
Primex XR 72MHz Synchronized Time Solution

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2XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting Guide

Contents
XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting 4
Site and Transmitter Evaluation Procedure 4
Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol is not
displayed on front display 6
Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol
displayed, but no parentheses 8
Red LED flashing and Transmitter has no S symbol with NTP Time
Source 10
Transmitter front display does not light up 12
Transmitter front display time and date are not correct 13
Transmitter continues to power cycle and does not stay synced 16
Overview of Front Display 17
VWSR error code 21
Bad Output Power error, no or low output Transmitter power 23
Bad Output Power error, no or low output Transmitter power 25
Extremely weak or no signal 26
Weak signal and limited coverage area 28
Support 30

XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting
Learn more about common troubleshooting procedures for XR Series Transmitters. Before beginning any troubleshooting be sure
to perform the Site and Transmitter Site Evaluation Procedure.
Site and Transmitter Evaluation Procedure
Before completing any troubleshooting on an XR Series Transmitter, it's recommended to complete the procedure below. Also
learn about the Transmitter Broadcasting Frequency and Clock Signal Search Frequency, and when use to a Transmitter’s
Diagnostic Error Codes.
Procedure
Completing the steps allow you to observe and log the current state of the system clocks and Transmitter(s).
1. Record all issues reported from the system clocks.
lAre all the clocks involved or just some clocks?
lIf just some clocks, where are they installed and how many? Smaller quantities could be clock issues and not Transmitter
related.
2. Once it's determined to check a Transmitter, look it over and take notes of the information below.
lIs the red LED flashing on front display of the Transmitter?
lWrite down all information displayed on the Transmitter front display, including the time displayed. It's recommended to
take a photo of the front display.
lGPS time source: is the GPS communication symbol displayed in the upper right hand corner of the Transmitter's front
display? When the symbol is displayed, this indicates the Transmitter and GPS Receiver are communicating. If the symbol is
not displayed, complete steps in Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol is not displayed
on front display.
lNTP time source: is the NTP communication symbol displayed in the upper right hand corner of Transmitter's front
display? When the symbol is displayed, this indicates the Transmitter is communicating with its NTP time source. If the
symbol is not displayed, complete steps in Red LED flashing and Transmitter has no S symbol with NTP Time
Source.
Transmitter Broadcasting Frequency and Clock Signal Search Frequency
Broadcast (Transmit) Schedule Transmitter with Internal Antenna: broadcasts its synchronized time continuously to the
system clocks and devices.
Broadcast (Transmit) Schedule Transmitter with External Antenna: broadcasts its synchronized time to the system clocks and
devices from the 39th to the 6th minute of the next hour and changes to a standby mode during the 7th to the 38th minute of the
4XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting Guide

hour (standard broadcast schedule). During initial power-up, the Transmitter broadcasts for 8 consecutive hours. After the 8 hour
power-up period, the Transmitter reverts to its timed broadcast schedule.
Analog Clock signal search frequency: six pre-scheduled times a day at 10:01, 2:01 and 6:01 a.m. and p.m. lock time (not the
actual time of the day), a clock's receiver turns on to search for a Transmitter signal to receive a time update, starting with the
previously stored channel number.
Digital Clock/Timer signal search frequency: every 10 minutes on the 5's (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55 minutes) of the hour, a clock's
receiver turns on to search for a Transmitter signal to receive a time update.
Diagnostic Error Codes
XR Transmitters are able to diagnose some issues, but when troubleshooting these units, it's important to clear up preliminary
issues first before exploring the Diagnostic Error Codes. For additional information on the Transmitter display, Overview of
Front Display.
As a first step in troubleshooting, perform all procedures provided in the troubleshooting topics to resolve any issues. Once
issues are resolved, then review the Diagnostic Error Codes, clear all errors, and determine if the Transmitter logs any new error
codes. If new error codes, refer to the related Error Code troubleshooting topics.
5

Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol is not displayed on
front display
Symptoms
All or some of the below symptoms may be present.
lRed LED is flashing on the Transmitter front display.
lGreen LED may or may not be illuminated. When the green LED is illuminated, the Transmitter is currently broadcasting
(broadcast mode). When the green LED is NOT illuminated, the Transmitter is not broadcasting (standby mode).
lTransmitter front display does NOT display its GPS communication symbol , this indicates it's not communicating with the
GPS Receiver.
lClocks may be displaying a visual signal loss indicator due to they have not received a time update for three days; Analog
Clock second hand is stepping and a Digital Clock/Timer colon is flashing.
Problem
Transmitter is not receiving a time update.
Analyze
1. From the switch panel on the back of the Transmitter, verify switch #1 is set to GPS and switch #2 is set to Local.
2. Reseat all GPS and cable connections, check to make sure they are not wet or corroded, and look for damage to the cable.
3. Is there is a GPS extension cable in use? Identity if it's a factory supplied cable or is not factory supplied. If it's not factory
supplied, is it longer than 200 ft. and/or is the pin out correct? Step 3 will identify if the extension cable is an issue.
4. If the GPS communication symbol is not displayed and extension cables are in use, take the GPS Receiver from its location
and plug it directly into the back of the Transmitter.
If the GPS communication symbol appears, the extension cables are the cause of the issue and are required to be replaced. If
the GPS communication symbol is not displayed, replace the GPS Receiver as the first step.
5. If after replacing the GPS Receiver and/or cable and the GPS communication symbol is NOT displayed, the import on the
Transmitter may be bad, which will require the Transmitter to be replaced.
6. Poor power output at the Transmitter can also be the cause of the Transmitter not being able to pull the time update.
Complete the steps in Extremely weak or no signal
7. From the Transmitter front display screen, verify the GPS communication symbol is present, which indicate it's
communicating with the GPS Receiver. If the symbol is present, watch for parentheses coming towards the GPS
6XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting Guide

communication symbol which indicates the GPS Receiver unit is receiving a time update from the GPS satellites. If the
parentheses are not displayed, complete the steps in Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol
displayed, but no parentheses
Solution
1. If the GPS communication symbol is displayed when direct to the Transmitter, replace the GPS extension cables.
2. If no GPS communication symbol is displayed when direct to the Transmitter, replace the GPS Receiver.
3. After replacing all GPS components and the GPS communication symbol is not displayed and the power supply is good, the
Transmitter may need to be replaced. For further assistance, contact Primex Technical Support at 1-262-729-4860.
7

Red LED flashing and Transmitter GPS communication symbol displayed, but no
parentheses
Symptoms
All or some of the below symptoms may be present.
lRed LED is flashing on the Transmitter front display.
lGreen LED may or may not be illuminated. When the green LED is illuminated, the Transmitter is currently broadcasting
(broadcast mode). When the green LED is NOT illuminated, the Transmitter is not broadcasting (standby mode).
lTransmitter front display has a GPS communication symbol , but does not display the parentheses to the right of the
symbol.
lClocks may be displaying a visual signal loss indicator due to they have not received a time update for three days; Analog
Clock second hand is stepping and a Digital Clock/Timer colon is flashing.
Problem
Transmitter is communicating with the GPS Receiver, but is not receiving a time update from the GPS satellites.
Analyze
1. Is the GPS Receiver inside? If it’s mounted to a window or mounted where its signal has to go through the roof, the GPS
Receiver may need to be relocated outdoors. A GPS Receiver located indoors may not allow for an adequate signal. Low-E
glass windows are coated with a transparent metal layer that reflects infrared heat rays; which can also reflect the GPS signal.
2. Check the GPS Receiver mounting location. Verify its mounting did not slip or change and it has a clear view of the sky.
Resolve any obstructions.
3. There may be local interference affecting GPS signal reception. Try moving the location of the GPS Receiver to improve
reception. Weather conditions, solar flares, time of day, and exact satellite position may also effect signal reception; however,
these conditions are normally of a short duration.
4. Poor GPS cable connections or a faulty GPS Receiver can cause the unit not to pick up a signal. If steps 1 and 2 do not resolve
the issue, replace the GPS Receiver and its extension cables.
5. Poor Transmitter power output can also result in the Transmitter not being able to pull the time update. Check voltage at the
Transmitter by completing the steps in Transmitter continues to power cycle and does not stay synced
Solution
8XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting Guide

1. Move the GPS Receiver into a better location; outdoors with a clear view of the sky.
2. Replace the GPS Receiver and its extension cables.
3. After replacing all GPS components and still no parentheses, the Transmitter may need to be replaced.
4. If none of the above steps resolved the issue, the import on the Transmitter may be bad and need replacing. For further
assistance, contact Primex Technical Support at 1-262-729-4860.
9

Red LED flashing and Transmitter has no S symbol with NTP Time Source
Symptoms
All or some of the below symptoms may be present.
lRed LED is flashing on the Transmitter front display.
lGreen LED may or may not be illuminated. When the green LED is illuminated, the Transmitter is currently broadcasting
(broadcast mode). When the green LED is NOT illuminated, the Transmitter is not broadcasting (standby mode).
lTransmitter front display does NOT display its NTP communication symbol (upper right hand corner of front display
screen) - indicates it's not communicating with its NTP time source.
lClocks may be displaying a visual signal loss indicator due to they have not received a time update for three days; Analog
Clock second hand is stepping and a Digital Clock/Timer colon is flashing.
Problem
Transmitter is not receiving a time update.
Analyze
1. From the switch settings on the back of the unit: verify dip switch #1 is set to NTP and dip switch # 2 is set to LAN.
2. Verify an Ethernet cable is connected to the Transmitter Network LAN Port and the cable is properly inserted into an active
LAN port.
3. Verify the Ethernet cable and network port drop does not have any damage or degradation.
4. Verify the Transmitter Network LAN Port is indicating an active network connection - 1 flashing LED and 1 solid LED.
5. Contact the facility's IT staff to inquire as to what may have changed on the system or their site's designated NTP time source
(server), that may be causing the unit to not see its configured NTP time source.
6. Request assistance from the facility's IT staff to access the Transmitter to verify the configured NTP server. You will need a
laptop with the Firefox web browser for this process.
7. Poor power output, can result in the Transmitter not being able to pull the time update. Check voltage at the transmitter by
completing the steps in Transmitter continues to power cycle and does not stay synced
8. If none of the above steps resolved the issue, the import on the Transmitter may be bad and need replacing. For further
assistance, contact Primex Technical Support at 1-262-729-4860.
Solution
10 XR Series Transmitter Troubleshooting Guide