Kaku reception problems

Post by **DutchAdept** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:15 am

I recently bought the RFXcom receiver/RFXmitter and have been playing around with Homeseer HS2. I'm really happy with both products, but have a slight problem with my current setup. Reception of KaKu signals (AC, Chime) is extremely poor and intermittend (verified with the RFXcom receiver tool). I tested the receiver with several different antenna's (original, ground plate flexible and omnidirectional) and this had no influence on said reception. Then I disabled protocols one by one and with the disabeling of the Homeeasy EU protocol, reception of KaKu signals became flawless (with any antenna setup). I really need both protocols to work since my the bulk of my switching is done by Homeeasy units, but I also use KaKu AC remotes and "specialty" units like the Sun-500/Chime etc. I use the RFXcom USB receiver with both 433,92 and Visonic modules, and an USB RFXmitter.

Post by **Jeroen Bartels** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:36 pm

I also use a RFXcom tranceiver. It took me a year to find out that the supplied antenna is a telescopic antenna [:I]. There is a 'ideal antenna length.
With attached link you can calculate ideal length.
http://k4far.home.att.net/calc.html

Good luck.

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:46 pm

I think I cannot improve KAKU reception if HE is enabled but I will do some tests next week.
The problem has something do with the protocol timing and (if possible) it must be corrected in the receiver firmware and cannot be solved by using another antenna.

Post by **Brunt** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 1:32 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JayBee
 I also use a RFXcom tranceiver. It took me a year to find out that the supplied antenna is a telescopic antenna. There is a 'ideal antenna length.
With attached link you can calculate ideal length.
http://k4far.home.att.net/calc.html
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If using that site, then should one be using 1/4, 1/2, or full-wave antenna?

I had no problem noticing that the supplied antenna with my RFXCOM receiver was telescopic. I've just extended it as far as it will go, which is close to the 1/2 wave length for 433MHz, which is about 33cm.

Over in another thread, it seems that I fixed a reception problem by placing a 33cm piece of wire (unattached) close to my RFXMeter (transmitter) as a passive re-radiating antenna. I think I know the theory for this - with an unconnected wire, you'll have a node (no oscillation) at each end, and an anti-node in the middle - so 1/2 wave.

I note that the 'yellow pice of wire' antenna on some of the RFXCOM devices is around 1/4 wave (16.5cm). Perhaps a node at the unconnected end, and an anti-node at the attached end.

But what's the theory with the telescopic antenna - 1/2 (as it seems to be), or 1/4 ?

Post by **DutchAdept** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:07 pm

That's what I was thinking too Bert. Hope you find a fix for it, otherwise I'll have to do the Marktplaats thing again and go for Homeeasy all the way [;)] Anyway, it gave me an interesting lesson in antenna's and wavelength [:D]

Post by **r_255** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:01 pm

Also not working is kaku ( new version dimmers not x10 ) and he eu dimmers together.

Switchting on kaku and of works but since the he eu upgrade it does not dim direct anymore.

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:16 pm

r_255,

The discussion was receiving of KAKU together with HE EU.

I don't know what your problem with the RFXmitter is but it should operate using KAKU and HE EU. There is nothing to configure in the RFXmitter and both protocols are functioning.
Are you sure that you have dimmer modules and not appliance modules!

Post by **r_255** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:53 pm

Well must be dimmers must be as they did work before.

1st time my set was broke due to my own fault. You also updated my software as that was fairly old.

That was also the 1st time i saw my kaku dimmers (ac dimmer) work with the direct dim option.

And as far i recall they never came on after the rfxmitter update wich i thaugt was a known thing, but i must have misunderstood that.

Post by **Stevexyz** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:24 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JayBee
 With attached link you can calculate ideal length.... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I'm not sure how good that calculator is. If you multiply the frequency by the wavelength it returns you always get around 2.998x10E08 m/s which is the speed of EM radiation in a vacuum, not the speed of electrons in a wire!

Steve

Post by **DutchAdept** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:24 pm

I can confirm that KaKu and HE EU dimmers can be used together without any problems. As stated, controlling devices with different protocols works excellent, with good range and response. Just receiving KaKu and HE EU together is problematic for the KaKu part. By the way, KaKu wa willing to take back at least 4 of my dusk till dawn sensors.... pretty good service from the guys there. [^] One thing I noticed though is that on the RFXcom interface page I have to enable HE EU every time, the checkmark disappears. All other selected protocols keep their respective checkmark nicely.

Post by **DutchAdept** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:42 pm

So I went and got the HE Chime today, to finally get the doorbell into homeseer....but I ran into another problem. The HE Chime is not supported with pluging version 13.0.0.11 (the one on the homeseer update list). I saw in the current RFXcom documentation that starting version 13.3 the HE Chime is supported. So I would like to know: how to obtain that version [:)]

Post by **b_weijenberg** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:57 am

It is not possible to change the receiver so that all HE and KAKU can be received with one receiver. The timing is too close and the HE and KAKU remotes do not use a calibrated timing.

Solution: use only HE or KAKU remotes or use an additional receiver, one configured for receiving HE and the other for KAKU.

Note: the transmitter can control both HE and KAKU, no problem

Post by **DutchAdept** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:50 pm

Thanks for the checking it out Bert, I was thinking about a second receiver anyway because I'm getting up to 65 sensors, and I get the feeling that with my 20 m13e2 occupancy sensors the receiver is rather busy....