(TIP) Increase reception RFXcom433

[globalassist]

Do you guys know if there is a way to transmit the signal through network cabling?

Here's the why behind my question:
My server and RFXTRXe are in the attic on 1 side of the house (facing the garden, since most of my equipment I use is there), but now I want to use a door-sensor on the first floor (4 ceilings between them) on the other side of the house.
I can not get a signal there, not even with a new antenna, but I do have network (CAT5e) there connected.
So how to achieve this? A 433 to lan to 433 converter of somesorts?

Thanks in advance!

[b_weijenberg]

If another location for the RFXtrx433 solves the problem you can connect the RFXtrx433 on LAN.
If Domoticz runs on a Windows server you can use a Conrad LAN-USB interface.
For other systems (and also for Windows) you can use a Linux system, for example Raspberry PI, with socat to connect the RFXtrx433 to LAN.

Important is to use a good power supply free of RF noise and position the RFXtrx433 as far as possible away from the Raspberry PI.

[globalassist]

You mean to connect another RFXtrx433e? That's an option but pretty expensive. Any other ideas?

[b_weijenberg]

I say "If another location for the RFXtrx433 solves the problem".

So does it help if you install the current RFXtrx433E on another location?

[globalassist]

Ah right, my bad. No that does not solve the problem, because then the devices in my garden are out of reach. Thanks for the quick replies btw!

[Bernd]

I also had issues with sensors and switches in the garden.
I replaced the original antenna with a piece of wire of 17 cm long and had an increase with at least 1 point in reception level. All sensors in my (big) garden can now be received and the switches do react.

There must be something wrong with the original antenna of the RFXtrx433E I am using, or with the end stage of the transceiver. The used wire is a single core copper wire which fits in the SMT-connector when I bent it double.

[NickHead]

rfxcomant.jpg (7.59 KiB) Viewed 10362 times

I made my own out of some brass rod, works better than the standard one.

[ThinkPad]

The original antenna seems to be quite small actually, someone discovered: http://domoticz.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=6772
So it is not a miracle that a other/longer one is working better.

[Hesmink]

I just bought this cheap 433 receiver for my RFXcom433 and all switches increased from 4 to 6. Most went 2 up.

You can stick it anywhere you want. And it has an nice long cable.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 0935792243

Hi, I have the same one.
Reception is ok in house, but there is no way for me to receive signal from temperature sensors outside my sliding door on the balcony.

Does this antenna need a specific orientation for optimal reception?

[ThinkPad]

You could also mod your temperature sensors, replacing the default internal antenne for a 17cm copper wire.

[Hesmink]

You could also mod your temperature sensors, replacing the default internal antenne for a 17cm copper wire.

That will be the next step.
Hope it works, because my standard weather stations also won't work through the glass pane. Somehow it's very efficient in blocking signal.

[ThinkPad]

I once read on this forum (can't find it back unfortunately) that someone modded his Cresta TX320 temperature sensor with a antenna like i described.
After the modification he had no problems going through a concrete floor and the sensor outside would send through HR++ glass.

[Hesmink]

I just bought this cheap 433 receiver for my RFXcom433 and all switches increased from 4 to 6. Most went 2 up.

You can stick it anywhere you want. And it has an nice long cable.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 0935792243

Hi, I have the same one.
Reception is ok in house, but there is no way for me to receive signal from temperature sensors outside my sliding door on the balcony.

Does this antenna need a specific orientation for optimal reception?

I tested some more, and for me this antenna is no better than the standard one.
Weirdly, even without any antenna at all, the reception is only slightly lower than with stock or ebay antenna.
Not bad though, I have level 5 for the living room, trough a lot of concrete.

[pwhooftman]

I once read on this forum (can't find it back unfortunately) that someone modded his Cresta TX320 temperature sensor with a antenna like i described.
After the modification he had no problems going through a concrete floor and the sensor outside would send through HR++ glass.

Don't know if that was a post of me, but i replaced the antenna of my Cresta TX320 sensors with 17 cm stiff wire ones. Inside the TX320 there is a little coil antenna much like the original Rfxcom one. Just desolder it and solder a 17 cm wire in place.A strand of telephone wire works perfectly, and i drilled a small hole in the bottom of the casing were the wire sticks out,. No more reception woes.

[Heisenberg]

I once read on this forum (can't find it back unfortunately) that someone modded his Cresta TX320 temperature sensor with a antenna like i described.
After the modification he had no problems going through a concrete floor and the sensor outside would send through HR++ glass.

Don't know if that was a post of me, but i replaced the antenna of my Cresta TX320 sensors with 17 cm stiff wire ones. Inside the TX320 there is a little coil antenna much like the original Rfxcom one. Just desolder it and solder a 17 cm wire in place.A strand of telephone wire works perfectly, and i drilled a small hole in the bottom of the casing were the wire sticks out,. No more reception woes.

Do you have some pictures of the mod you made?

[Hesmink]

I once read on this forum (can't find it back unfortunately) that someone modded his Cresta TX320 temperature sensor with a antenna like i described.
After the modification he had no problems going through a concrete floor and the sensor outside would send through HR++ glass.

Don't know if that was a post of me, but i replaced the antenna of my Cresta TX320 sensors with 17 cm stiff wire ones. Inside the TX320 there is a little coil antenna much like the original Rfxcom one. Just desolder it and solder a 17 cm wire in place.A strand of telephone wire works perfectly, and i drilled a small hole in the bottom of the casing were the wire sticks out,. No more reception woes.

I'm waiting for a ws1700 type sensor from ebay. I might try this mod on this sensor.

[pwhooftman]

Don't know if that was a post of me, but i replaced the antenna of my Cresta TX320 sensors with 17 cm stiff wire ones. Inside the TX320 there is a little coil antenna much like the original Rfxcom one. Just desolder it and solder a 17 cm wire in place.A strand of telephone wire works perfectly, and i drilled a small hole in the bottom of the casing were the wire sticks out,. No more reception woes.

Do you have some pictures of the mod you made?

No, sorry. But open up the TX320 and its obvious where the original antenna is located & how to desolder it.

[Toulon7559]

Old trick to slightly improve reception&transmission.
Make a 'curl' of electrical installationwire with a straight section corresponding to wavelength.
Put it over the original antenna like shown on the picture [showing a TFA_Nexus PWS-console].
Principle of operation is inductive coupling between the add-on antenna and the original antenna of the receiver/transmitter.

Antenna extension for Nexus-Console/RFXCom

IMG-20141227-00411 (Small).jpg (25.18 KiB) Viewed 10003 times

No-cost solution, therefore always worth a try.
In this way I got better reception for my Nexus-Console for its wireless meteo-sensor-signals.

When increasing antenna-gain, mutual positions of equipments however sometimes become (more) critical.
When trying it for my RFXCom, for my setup with RFXCom and Nexus-PWS this solution was even too powerful:
with the antenna-extension the RFXCom-transmissions blasted too much power towards the near 'extended' Nexus-Console, 'confusing/blocking' the Nexus-Console .....
Therefore at my place now only a 'curl' at the Nexus-Console and not at the RFXCom.
;-( Always those compromises .......

[ThinkPad]

I once read on this forum (can't find it back unfortunately) that someone modded his Cresta TX320 temperature sensor with a antenna like i described.
After the modification he had no problems going through a concrete floor and the sensor outside would send through HR++ glass.

Don't know if that was a post of me, but i replaced the antenna of my Cresta TX320 sensors with 17 cm stiff wire ones. Inside the TX320 there is a little coil antenna much like the original Rfxcom one. Just desolder it and solder a 17 cm wire in place.A strand of telephone wire works perfectly, and i drilled a small hole in the bottom of the casing were the wire sticks out,. No more reception woes.

Do you have some pictures of the mod you made?

See https://www.brunier.nl/?p=622 for a example from someone else.


I bought this antenna: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281126334307 and pulled the plastic off.
Then desoldered the standard coil, and attached a 17cm stiff wire of a networkcable to it like this:

IMG_20150808_131500.jpg (69.19 KiB) Viewed 9998 times

Drilled a small hole in the top of the plastic tube so the wire can go through it, pressed the plastic tube back on to the connector and ta-da! Works fine and will cost you little.

[Hesmink]

Would they have done the same with these sensors:

http://www.weerstationkopen.nl/accessoi ... oot-bereik (Link in Dutch)