Main cause for signal dropouts?

[Kelly_W_S4W (Kelly)]

Hi,

Looking for any help to try and establish the weak link in my setup. Have been on Zwift for over 2 years and mostly been stable but having certain phases of signal dropouts on every ride for unknown reason. I purchased a new MacBook Air 2 months ago which seemed to fix the dropouts initially but now they are back for some reason and ruining most of my rides having to hammer it back to group full gas or it is killing a race completely!! Frustrating! I have noticed there are certain points in routes which seem worse (eg when routes cross each other) but other times it is random. Here is my setup if anyone can see a possible issue I would really appreciate it! Also am in a dedicated zwift room so there shouldn’t be other interference close by.
Kickr16 - FEC selected
Garmin Ant+ - ext cable next to trainer
MacBook Air - HDMI cable to tv
Kickr headwind fan - BT via app
Tickr HR Monitor - ant+
Wahoo cadence sensor - ant+
Using 2 separate iPhones - 1 for ZC app & fan and other for BT headphones & music
BT Keyboard & usb linked mouse

Many thanks!
Kelly

[B_CN (B)]

I’ll try…

• Can you switch all devices to BT?
• Try cutting off all 2.4GHz WiFi (5G is ok)
• Which devices drop out?

… and, possibly, try to cut down on the wireless device list to the absolute minimum required (for tensing purpose only…)

[Lin_Alan (Lin)]

Move your WiFi to 5G
Run your log file thru Zwiftalizer

[Gerrie_Delport_ODZ (Gerrie)]

Hi @Kelly_W_S4W

I see a lot of BT devices, mixed with ANT+.

Can you eliminate one phone, so you the same phone for everything.

Do a ride with the KB turned off.

Change WIFI chanel to 1.

I assume you pair the trainer as ANT+ FEC

This is a wild suggestion but worth a shot, try to ground your bike. Sound crazy but I would get a lot of static while riding before I did that.

I know this is not easy when it is intermittent.

[Kelly_W_S4W (Kelly)]

Thanks all for your replies!
I will try all your suggestions, just dropped file into Zwiftalizer and the analysis actually said ‘Yikes!’ Apparently my ant+ signal was up and down a lot throughout my ride today. I did only have one dropout but it needs sorting! It has given me a list of things to try so have ordered a new USB ext cable and will try the router channel again although last time this interfered with Husbands work set up
Will try again with one phone Gerrie - I thought 2 would be more stable with back and forth of all the apps I am using but worth trying for sure. It is FEC selected.
Many thanks!

[Gerrie_Delport_ODZ (Gerrie)]

I hope you have some luck, I wish I could tell you fix X and no more problems.

But using Zwiftalizer to minimize your ANT+ signal losses will help, at least that is something you can easily check.

What is your signal strength, mine is typically between 3 and 4. (I don’t know what a good value is )

[Mike_Rowe1 (Mike)]

@Kelly_W_S4W

Kickr16 - FEC selected

Not sure if the older Kickr can now estimate cadence like the new ones, if so you could eliminate the cadence sensor.

Also, make sure the fan isn’t near the ant cable or dongle, they can interfere too. The further away the fan is the better.

[Kelly_W_S4W (Kelly)]

Thanks Gerrie, could you please show me where the signal strength is shown if possible? Here is my report from today:

The hectic ant+ analysis at the start I wasn’t actually riding it was searching for my HR & cadence! Any help to make more sense of this report is really appreciated!
Thank you!

[Kelly_W_S4W (Kelly)]

Thanks Mike - my older Kickr doesn’t have the cadence included in update unfortunately - checked as Husband has a Kickr core which does have it included! Thanks though worth trying everything

[Gerrie_Delport_ODZ (Gerrie)]

@Kelly_W_S4W

signal strength

The left scale yours is 4 as well. Except for the drops at 11:35.

the thing with ANT+ is sometimes when one thing drop the others then to follow.

But it look like the Kickr is the culprit here.

I don’t know where your dongle currently are but can you put it closer to the Kickr. Maybe on top or bottom of the support?

[Anders_Grund (Anders Grund5765)]

Offical info from wahoo what to avoid;

Signal Interference with Wahoo Smart Trainers

I don’t use bluetooth at all, use kinetics ant+ dongel, have laptop within 1.5 meter from kickr.
use ethernet kabel to laptop too, hdmi kabel to tv. changed channel on borth wifi
Usually works, can see reconnect in zwift logs sometimes, but never have dropous anymore.
i think headwind & tickr hr can use ant+, if i don’t remember wrong.
Make sure bt is disabled in TV also.