Robot Mower Says No Loop Signal or Lost Satellite? Fixes

On this page4 sections

1. Wire-based (loop signal) causes
2. Wire-free (satellite) causes
3. Fixes to try in order
4. When it is the mower, not the lawn

What is going wrong

• 1The containment fieldThe loop does not fence the mower in physically. It radiates a signal the machine reads as the edge, so the working area exists only while current runs the whole way round.
• 2The breakCopper can be severed inside insulation that still looks perfect from above, so the fault is usually invisible until you cut in.
• 3Dock terminalsA loose or oxidized terminal produces the same fault as a cut wire, and is the only join you can check without digging.

Wire-based (loop signal) causes

• Broken or cut boundary wire. A single break anywhere in the loop stops the signal around the entire perimeter. Cuts come from digging, edging tools, frost heave, and rodents.
• No power to the base station. A tripped outlet or unplugged supply leaves the loop with nothing to energize it, so the mower reads no signal even with the wire intact.
• Loose wire terminals. The loop ends can back out of the base station connectors, especially after weather or vibration.
• Interference. Nearby buried cables, metal, or another mower’s loop can disturb the signal near certain sections.

Wire-free (satellite) causes

• Blocked sky view. The reference antenna or the mower under dense tree canopy, next to tall buildings, or beside a solid fence cannot lock onto enough satellites.
• Reference station moved or unpowered. The fixed antenna needs a stable, powered, open-sky position. If it was moved or lost power, the mower loses its correction.
• Connection dropout. RTK systems rely on a data link between the reference and the mower. A weak link in far corners breaks the precise fix.

Fixes to try in order

1. 1

   Station powered

   Confirm the base station has power.

   Check the outlet and the supply indicator. Restore power and watch whether the signal light returns to a steady state.

2. 2

   Terminals seated

   Reseat the loop connections.

   On wire systems, open the base station and make sure both loop ends are firmly seated in the correct terminals.

3. 3

   Spliced

   Find and repair a wire break.

   Walk the perimeter for disturbed ground and visible damage. Many models signal a break with a specific indicator pattern, so check the base station lights against the manual. Splice cleanly with a waterproof connector.

4. 4

   Clear sky view

   Clear the sky view.

   On RTK systems, confirm the reference antenna sits in the open, is powered, and has not shifted. Trim overhanging branches and move the antenna away from walls and metal.

5. 5

   Far zones

   Re-check corners and far zones.

   If the fix drops only in certain areas, the problem is local: a wire section near interference, or a spot where satellite coverage or the data link is weak.

6. 6

   Restarted

   Restart the system.

   Power the base and the mower off and on so both re-establish the signal or satellite fix from a clean state.