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NOTICE: This version of the NSF Unidata web site (archive.unidata.ucar.edu) is no longer being updated.
Current content can be found at unidata.ucar.edu.
To learn about what's going on, see About the Archive Site.
Hello all, There is a major, repeat, MAJOR firmware update for the NovraS75+ that was released 11 days ago. This firmware fix solves two serious problems that rejects many packets unnecessarily, AND reduces reception quality significantly, despite what is being shown. I reported the reception problem to Novra after the following incident occurred.
I have a 3.7 meter dish 60 miles west of Chicago, using a Norsat 3120 LNB (reference/broadcast quality). I was losing anywhere from 50 to 400 packets per day. VBER was zero; signal strength, a solid 79; clock offset, 28-ish. I'm happy.
Then I put on a snow cover on the dish this past fall. Right away, there was a reception issue. I was losing thousands, up to 10,000 packets per day, with reception of packets somewhere between 97% and 99%. I really wanted 99.99999% reception like I pretty much had before. I was disappointed, to say the least, even though the snow cover did the job.
I have been pondering what to do about it over the last month. Repointing the dish at least 4 times did nothing; got strong signal, but was still losing 20 packets or more every 30 seconds. Engineers told me dish covers typically cause .5 dB or less signal loss, so I was perplexed, especially since the signal strength was still saying I was good, but I now noticed during heavy transmission periods, the VBER would drop down to 1 x 10 ^ -6, or even less. I reported this to Novra; they said they would look into it, but hadn't heard of any issues.
Then Jose Nieves on the Yahoo! NOAAport User Group last week wrote that Novra put out a new firmware version for the Novra S75+. He stated that this included major fixes for reception and packet decoding issues. He put out, with Novra's permission, the firmware update on his site at http://www.noaaport.net (look under "software"), and I grabbed it. Then, still having the FTP password to Novra's site, I grabbed the latest GUI from them...and this morning, headed to my satellite dish and receiver.
I had flashed the firmware from version 4, revision 6 to version 4, revision 10 this fall, with no help in signal or reduction in packet loss noted. Today, I flashed it to version 4, revision 13, dated January 8, 2010 at 16:30Z, or 10:30 AM Central U.S. time.
Over the last 9.5 hours since I flashed the firmware, I have lost a grand total of *four* packets. I don't think I have ever lost that few in a near 10 hour period. Signal strength is still 79; VBER is still zero; clock offset, 30 as I type this. We have 30 MPH west winds and horizontal snow right now, and yet everything is coming in fine. Comparing my reception to UNIDATA's older S75 receiver, I am now right in line with them, and maybe a hair ahead with their 3.8 meter dish:
http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/rtstats/iddstats_vol_nc?NEXRAD3+burns.unidata.ucar.edu http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/rtstats/iddstats_vol_nc?NEXRAD3+noaaport.admin.niu.eduIf you hit the site quick enough, you'll see where I flashed the firmware by the product number received bump around 17Z.
So, if you own a Novra S75+ receiver, I *very strongly* recommend you get this update from support@xxxxxxxxx, or download the tool to do this,
available at Jose's website, at: http://www.noaaport.net/software/novra-s75plus-firmware/I used the GUI instead of the simple tool included in that zip file; Jose used the provided tool in the zip file with no trouble. Either way, this will ensure you have the best possible reception from your Novra S75+. As for the Novra S75...I do not know if a firmware update was issued for that device; you may want to check with Novra support.
******************************************************************************* Gilbert Sebenste ******** (My opinions only!) ****** Staff Meteorologist, Northern Illinois University **** E-mail: sebenste@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx *** web: http://weather.admin.niu.edu ** *******************************************************************************
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