Netonix Forums

To date I've never had an issue with water in a jumper. However starting Friday when we had a unusually heavy rain we've had issues with one of our 5G backhauls. My CCQ from our head-end to the tower fluctuates a lot 6-70%, mostly it tends to stick to 6%. While the other direction runs 50-80%, while mostly maintaining 77%. This is an AC link, and I'm still able to push 60-70Mbps from the HE to the tower but, previously I was pushing 300+Mbps. I'm still able to push 360~ Mbps from the tower to the HE over the link.

My first though was interference, so I've tried multiple channels and it's the same regardless the channel. I raised my TX power just in case. My current signal levels are -46. SNR 60-62dB.

The link consists of two RD-M5-30's and two RB911G-5HPacD's

Does this sound like a water issue? Any advise on which side to look at first?

Thanks,

Didn't you have the radios inside an RF Armor shield kit box??

If not, and water is suspect, don't necessarily think that replacing the jumpers will fix it. Once water gets into the connectors on the radio (it's worse with 5GHz than 2.4GHz) you are somewhat screwed. You can try slowly drying them in a low temp oven packed in silica gel, but sometimes the insulator material will get stubborn and not give up the moisture, permanently degrading the signal through the connector. We learned our lesson several years ago and that is why we follow the rule that we do not even open connectors outdoors during high condensation periods of weather.

The other possibility, I have a vague recollection that some of the early Rocket Dish feed elements were prone to leaking and getting ruined that way. Chris or Josh might have a better recollection of this??

Are both chains still close on signal level?

Also, if it was just water in a jumper, I would think it would attenuate equally in both directions. Now if that water acted as a low enough impedance, I guess it would be more likely to hurt the RF output amp stage and drop Tx performance from that end.