Voyager Wireless Camera - Signal interference?

[ZeviB]

Greetings,

Until recently, the Airstream Voyager wireless camera paired to the monitor and functioned flawlessly.
That is, as long as I was towing our 2019 FC27FBT with the F-150.
I am now the proud owner of a 2022 GMC 2500 AT4.
But the camera does not share my joy...
Several pairing attempts, powering up and down sequences - I get a "No Signal" message. Every 20-30 seconds or so the image from the camera will show up on the monitor (as a still image) - but after 1-2 sec it goes away.
Repeated pairing attempts seemed to be successful: I get the "Save Data" message, but it follows by a dark screen and "No Signal". I tried positioning the monitor in the rear seat area (to shorten the distance to the camera) - no difference.
Is there something special going on with the new GMC that causes this? Anything else I'm missing? Why did it work in the F150 but not the GMC? Is there a way to boost the signal?
On a side note, the new truck came with an OEM trailer camera accessory which I would love to use, but I can't see how to do it without "decorating" the Airstream with the unsightly black cable.

Your help in troubleshooting/solving the camera issue is highly appreciated - thanks in advance!
Zevi

[Jeff7176]

Probably not helpful to your situation, but I had the Voyager work for my F-150 and also F-250 ( with a little more distance to cover). It was decent, but I ended up swapping it for a Haloview 10inch variety which has been exceptional.

I don’t see any reason the GM would cause issues, and the distance from camera to monitor should be similar to my F-250.

[kittmaster]

You could be getting interference from all the new databus controls like CAN, FlexRay, GMLAN within the new vehicle. They usually do a very good job of ensuring it won't interfere with other devices....but you never know.

The trick to figure that out is to take the monitor and hand hold it OUTSIDE the truck like in the bed (as far as the cord will let it go) and see if you can pair, connect, and get a stable image.

If so, and by moving the monitor back in the cab it cuts off.....then you have interior interference.

The voyager camera is RF, so you may be seeing object interference just like a radio station....antenna over here, ok, over there...no good.

Give that a try and let us know.

[Ephraim]

You need and extension antenna kit to move the external camera antenna closer to the cab of the truck. The airstream is metal and RF doesn’t like to go through metal. You end up with a weak signal.

https://www.rvcams.com/mm5/merchant....re_Code=rvcams

That gives you 10 feet which may be enough. If you have a 30’ or longer trailer or if your gmc is noisy or well shielded you may need to bring the antenna to the front of the trailer. Add this cable to the above external antenna and you can move the antenna to the front. I placed mine at the joint between the roof and the front curve of the trailer.

RP-SMA Extension Cable, RFAdapter... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YJHFPRG...p_mob_ap_share

[markcox0349]

Turn your headlights to "Manual". The automatic headlights setting interferes with the camera.

[ZeviB]

Thank you all for the suggestions!
Some of these I have already tried, some I tried after they were suggested - but nothing solved the problem: lights were manually turned on (not "auto"), monitor was pulled outside the vehicle even all the way to the bed of the truck with an extension cord - nothing helped.
BUT:
The good news is that ASA has an exemplary customer service. When I called, they knew what I was talking about and said that the newer GMCs with the advanced trailering packages prevent the camera from getting a solid power signal. There's a special pigtail cable made with a resistor that should be installed (spliced) into the line that feeds the camera, so as to provide steady power to the camera.
And she was sending it to me for free!
I received it today, and after I install it I'll keep you posted with the results.
Thank you all for your help!
Zevi

[kittmaster]

Originally Posted by ZeviB

Thank you all for the suggestions!
Some of these I have already tried, some I tried after they were suggested - but nothing solved the problem: lights were manually turned on (not "auto"), monitor was pulled outside the vehicle even all the way to the bed of the truck with an extension cord - nothing helped.
BUT:
The good news is that ASA has an exemplary customer service. When I called, they knew what I was talking about and said that the newer GMCs with the advanced trailering packages prevent the camera from getting a solid power signal. There's a special pigtail cable made with a resistor that should be installed (spliced) into the line that feeds the camera, so as to provide steady power to the camera.
And she was sending it to me for free!
I received it today, and after I install it I'll keep you posted with the results.
Thank you all for your help!
Zevi

My guess is that it is a simple load resistor that tells the truck to keep the power on all the time. I bet they are doing a modulation on the 7 pin and the ASA camera power supply is not happy with the power being turned on/off at a high rate of speed to maintain its internal power demand. I do find that strange though as all the lights/leds are not "flickering" due to power slicing.

The camera is directly powered by the single wire from the running lights and ground from the truck and independent of the trailer power systems.....yet if there is a "power problem" that they don't exhibit in the marker leds....but I guess only an oscilloscope would be able to tell us because maybe they are refreshing that power line above 30 cycles per second and just like the interior cabin lights on the dimmers, our eye can not see the refreshing of the lights at that speed.

Do me a favor before you install the fix....(if not done already).

Take your phone, assuming it shoots HD like an iPhone or galaxy or any phone with HD camera...connect the trailer and the truck.....turn on the running lights, set the camera app to VIDEO and literally...point the camera at any of the marker lights....

No need to record, just observe the phones screen....does the marker light "flash" or "strobe" in any way?...…or is it a "fixed" light source with no flickering/flashing/strobing?

If it flashes or strobes.....then that truly answers the question that they are using PWM (pulse width modulation) to "turn the lights on"...but so fast we just can't see it (flickering)......or if it is constant power to the lights.

I'm just curious how a resistor on a power line for a device "solves" the issues...well, I do know, technically it is creating a "ramp" for the voltage to stay above some level so the camera's input voltage is high enough to maintain its power supply...but I also have to assume it uses a diode to isolate it from the rest of the running light circuit...or something like that....clearly they are aware of something most are not and how to solve their product issue...It would just be helpful to others who going forward will most likely run into this issue as it will be present in newer TVs going forward.

ASA seems like a stand up company, good to know that they stand by their product even out of warranty. (I know as I'm on my 3rd camera on my 2019 and I asked what happens in the future...and they said contact them and will help me out......that's service!)

Regards,
Chris

[ZeviB]

Originally Posted by kittmaster

…
Do me a favor before you install the fix....(if not done already).

Take your phone, assuming it shoots HD like an iPhone or galaxy or any phone with HD camera...connect the trailer and the truck.....turn on the running lights, set the camera app to VIDEO and literally...point the camera at any of the marker lights....

No need to record, just observe the phones screen....does the marker light "flash" or "strobe" in any way?...…or is it a "fixed" light source with no flickering/flashing/strobing?

If it flashes or strobes.....then that truly answers the question that they are using PWM (pulse width modulation) to "turn the lights on"...but so fast we just can't see it (flickering)......or if it is constant power to the lights.
…

So I put the fix in, and we’re back in business - camera works like a charm ! The fix did not come out as inconspicuous as I was hoping (see image). That resistor (or whatever they have there) is too thick to get through the existing hole in the AS skin, and I am not ready at this point to hack the Aluminum… If I had a choice, I’d opt to buy the Furrio dongle adapter that’s goes on the 7-pin cable; but they are not available wherever I looked.
I’m upset that due to a GM’s truck issue I have to compromise the originality of the AS wiring system.

As to your question Chris: even though I saw your post after I installed the fix, I still could do the experiment you wanted, because the fix only affects the power supply to the camera - all the other power coming from the truck to the AS external lights in not impacted.

You are correct: looking closely through the iPhone camera at the orange marker lights I can see an ever-so-slightly flicker. I captured it as a video but the forum unfortunately does not allow for video uploads. BTW: I could not notice such flicker in the red marker lights. Maybe it’s my old eyes or the frequency of the flicker combined with the spectral wavelength of red vs. orange. Maybe if the lights are blue it was more noticeable.

Cheers, Zevi

[kittmaster]

Originally Posted by ZeviB

So I put the fix in, and we’re back in business - camera works like a charm ! The fix did not come out as inconspicuous as I was hoping (see image). That resistor (or whatever they have there) is too thick to get through the existing hole in the AS skin, and I am not ready at this point to hack the Aluminum… If I had a choice, I’d opt to buy the Furrio dongle adapter that’s goes on the 7-pin cable; but they are not available wherever I looked.
I’m upset that due to a GM’s truck issue I have to compromise the originality of the AS wiring system.

As to your question Chris: even though I saw your post after I installed the fix, I still could do the experiment you wanted, because the fix only affects the power supply to the camera - all the other power coming from the truck to the AS external lights in not impacted.

You are correct: looking closely through the iPhone camera at the orange marker lights I can see an ever-so-slightly flicker. I captured it as a video but the forum unfortunately does not allow for video uploads. BTW: I could not notice such flicker in the red marker lights. Maybe it’s my old eyes or the frequency of the flicker combined with the spectral wavelength of red vs. orange. Maybe if the lights are blue it was more noticeable.

Cheers, Zevi

Thanks for doing the test....the data is valuable.

I did a quick search for:

7 pin pwm fix gmc

and this thread popped up immediately:

https://www.etrailer.com/question-617970.html

My guess was right and other camera systems are suffering from this as well.

Not sure why GMC feels this was the smart way to go supplying PWM power to an attached device (trailer lights/circuit) not designed by them.

Of course an analog control is always more bulky and less efficient than a PWM controller, but as we are finding out going forward, a LOT of devices and typically camera systems do not like PWM controlled power vs constant current power sources.

Shame, they are really making people lives harder in some ways, easier in others. I call this a bad implementation by GMC.

[PC Conner]

Originally Posted by markcox0349

Turn your headlights to "Manual". The automatic headlights setting interferes with the camera.

I always have to turn my headlights to manual to power the camera. I still experience this problem. I purchased a longer antenna (14" I think). It seemed to reduce the drops but certainly did not eliminate them. Sure would like to have a booster antenna.

[bluebirdrad]

Same problem with my new 2023 Silverado. After reading this discussion I emailed ASA customer service. The part arrived in a couple of days. No charge and no proof of purchase or other rigmarole. Great customer support for a problem not of their making.

Etrailer sells the part for 50 bucks or so:
https://www.etrailer.com/question-420241.html