The Wires-X system attached to the UHF repeater on EGO quit working (was only generating digital noise and an analog tail squelch) some time before the end of March. Standard resets of the Windows PC and node did not help.
Brad (VE7WBM) was able to move the Wires-X node from the UHF repeater to the VHF repeater on the 5th of April as the node is at his QTH.
A trip up to EGO was done on the morning of the 10th April, firstly to check the status of the repeater and secondly, to allow Interior Communications to see the site and tower to provide us with a quote for minor tower repair, cable replacement and putting a better antenna up for the UHF link.
When we entered the shack it was noted the repeaters and associated equipment were running on DC backup. A quick check showed that the small UPS between the mains and the equipment had a blown/cracked battery - it had swollen so much the front cover was popped off the unit.
The UPS was removed and the systems plugged directly into the mains. At that point the AC took over.
We turned off the repeaters AC again and the power was cycled on the DC side by removing the plugs from the back of the repeaters.
A phone call to Terry (VE7TRZ) allowed him to do some remote checking through the raspberry pi in the shack. He noted the door sensor was still showing the door as closed (when in fact it was open), and when we had the door open the fan stayed on (it is set to only work when the door is closed). The door sensor wire was wiggled around and all came back to proper operation. The sensor was removed from the door to check for loose or broken wires and there were none. It may have been one of the wires made contact with the metal door frame and became a dead short, telling the system the door was closed. The sensor was screwed back to the frame and it stayed working just fine. Terry has confirmed the last door closing when we left showed up in the log/email he gets.
While on site, other tests were done by Terry remotely as we watched power and measures voltages to the repeaters. He switched off both AC and DC power to the repeaters and all worked as expected.
So, it is unknown how the previous remote shutdowns via the pi did not reset the 'stuck' UHF repeater, but we did note that it took nearly a minute for the DC power to reach zero volts. In future, remote shutdowns will leave the power off longer to see if this was the issue with the power cycles not resetting the repeater. I have been told the UHF repeater had previously locked up Wires-X due to a bad packet quite some time ago - this may have been the original cause this time as well.
While testing was going on the Interior employee looked at the site/tower and we also removed one of the Samlex chargers to take up to RSS to be installed there when the new battery backup goes in.
Brad has moved the Wires-X node back to the VHF repeater so it is now as it was before.
The mini UPS is at Paul's to see if removing the battery allows it to power up. It may be scrap, we shall see.
Thanks to Brad (VE7WBM), Cary (VA7MXY) and Terry (VE7TRZ - remotely) for assistance.
73
Paul (VE7KWA)