Solved: Texecom GSM module -113db and ATS fault - good signal

[skyhawker]

I had a GSM module installed and all was working my fine. I then tried to show off by sending a SMS message to panel and from then it stopped working. I get permanent -113db under status (though I know that isn't correct because the LED on the module is flashing). It keeps throwing up com 1 fault and atf error. I have tried everything. I have been through all the options with texecom support and now have had the unit exchanged but same issue!

Only thing I haven't tried is changing the com port but I have a com WiFi on com 2 and would prefer not losing all the settings unless one of you learned guys believe that could help.

I am using Vodafone sim.
Signal is low but led 3 is flashing to show that it should work.
Was working great for a few weeks. I had even sent messages to the panel in the past.

Under com 1 on the modem commands when I press reset it keeps saying auth0 and ATZ

This was an expensive purchase and I really liked the functionally.

Any thoughts?

 

[secureiam]

-113db is a bottom value, if I recall it needs to by below 90 for it to function properly.

sending a command should not have any such implications as you suggest.

give us a call when your there should be able to get it sorted possibly but no promises.


credit on the sim and you didn't put the sim in whilst the gsm was powered up?

do you have Vodafone on your mobile, have you checked the Vodafone network service?

 

[skyhawker]

-113db is a bottom value, if I recall it needs to by below 90 for it to function properly.

sending a command should not have any such implications as you suggest.

give us a call when your there should be able to get it sorted possibly but no promises.


credit on the sim and you didn't put the sim in whilst the gsm was powered up?

do you have Vodafone on your mobile, have you checked the Vodafone network service?

Thanks a lot for your reply and kind offer.

In the interim I decided to switch the com ports and presto all sorted! (Didn't lose any settings, just set both com ports to nothing fitted and then changed the cables around and set com ports and wintex just reconnected no problem).

This is after trying literally EVERYTHING. No idea why this worked , I had done port resets and everything but it did work.

Hope this can help someone in future.

 

[skyhawker]

I recall someone else posted a similar issue with -113db showing when though he was in good signal area. The definitive indicator on reception is the LED 3. If it is flashing then you have marginal signal which is way above -113db. It seems certain errors will just show up as-113db.

 

[secureiam]

the -113db is at the time you view it, to ensure it works all the time it needs to be lower number or rather the signal higher.

I can get 5 bars in some rooms in the house and 1 bar in others so its not as straight forward as your in a good signal area, often the gsm aerial isn't positioned well.

For example I cam move my GSM com aerial less than 5 cm and the signal drops right off, why I can only guess its the environment its in.

To give you an idea, the aerial on the panel I am referring to is sat on top of the metal 48 above the transformer/PSU area, move it 5 cm away from the psu the signal drops and becomes unreliable and come up with alerts.

The LED's do indicate the status of the unit.

Historically I have always placed the gsm module on com 2 if the comip was available, as the com ip operate faster and the baud rate on com1 auto adjusts as I was told and the com port 2 the baud rate was set in setup modules.

All that said when its on its own I have run it on com1, so in theory there is no difference, although nowadays the comip and com wifi are probably more popular.

putting comports to not used just like zones and putting them back performs a reset on that zone or comport.

yes the -113bd is a bottom value indicating no connection/ poor signal.

It was working before on com 1, so the question I would ask now, does it work putting it back?
You should always put to not used before moving the leads although most of us don't bother.

 

[secureiam]

when sending a command in or a signal out there is a period of time and its not long where it wont respond if you do something else, without testing it I cant confirm how long it is, a few seconds if I recall correctly.

 

[secureiam]

Out of interest which command was sent and did you send it with engineer code or user code?

Don't know if all the commands available are in the manual they didn't used to be.

 

[skyhawker]

Out of interest which command was sent and did you send it with engineer code or user code?

Don't know if all the commands available are in the manual they didn't used to be.

It was just a message HELLO to show up on the panel, sent with user code.

What extra commands are possible with engineer code?

 

[secureiam]

You cant arm with an engineers code but you can send an Engineer reset command, if the system is user reset the user can send the reset command. I was wondering about the command sent and whether the user/ engineers code had caused it to flip out.

I'll have a look at the manual to see what commands are included and what aren't

 

[secureiam]

The Creston message (home automation equivalent of the panel mess command)
The Log (the log command requires the number of the log to be recalled, ie log 123 (recalls event 123 in the log) pretty pants as once you have done the remote command the messages move.

one for credit would be very useful but they don't have that at present.

 

[skyhawker]

The Creston message (home automation equivalent of the panel mess command)
The Log (the log command requires the number of the log to be recalled, ie log 123 (recalls event 123 in the log) pretty pants as once you have done the remote command the messages move.

one for credit would be very useful but they don't have that at present.

I agree, credit would be really helpful.

 

[secureiam]

I cant see it being so hard to do either others have managed it.

 

[secureiam]

just had a gsm module go, during a storm, seems to have recovered now signal bottomed out, but popped back up when storm had moved on.