Receiver problem

[labtec]

Two days ago my USB receiver got problems with receiving 433.92 signals, I checked if there is anything changed but I can't find anything.

Only devices nearby the receiver one the same floor have no problem, also Visonic devices working fine. It seems that there is a problem with the
receiving distance, but this happens suddenly two days ago

I have shutdown and restart the HS server, disconnect and connent the USB receiver, I have the latest RFXcom driver.

Very strange ..................what can I do to fix this, I don't know where to begin.

[b_weijenberg]

I suppose there is another RF signal disturbing your normal 433.92 sensor signals.
In most caes this is an X10 MS13 with an almost empty battery. Or a wireless microphone, wireless head set or something like that.

[labtec]

Hi Bert, I checked, for so far I know, everthing. Receiving Visonic signals is no problem.
Only 433.92 devices nearby the receiver (2-3 meter) on first floor where my receiver is installed causes no problems,
but all 433.92 devices (oregon, motion sensors, SS13, etc) on the ground floor have problems since a few days.

It is very strange, the only thing I can do is replace the antenna by an ground plane version. May-be this helps to a better
reception of the 433.92 signals.

The strange thing about this all is that it all worked fine for about a year or more.

[b_weijenberg]

For that reason I guess it is most probably that there is an RF noise signal at 433.92!!
Or the antenna wire is disconnected from the antenna connector,
Or a static discharge (lightning strike close by) has destroyed the receiver input.

Are you sure you do not have MS13's? If so please remove the batteries from all MS13 you own.
You do not have a remote with a book or something else on it that presses a button?

No one of your family or neighbors has got a Christmas present with an RF transmitter?

[labtec]

Hi Bert, I checked the antenne wire, a lightning strike? I doubt if this is the problem because
i receive signals if they are close to the receiver.

I removed the batteries of my MS13, this did'nt solve the problem.

I the problem is caused by receiving signals from remote controlls, Christmass stuff, etc can I see those
signals in the HS log? or the RFXcom log?

This is wat I see in the HS log, the only device you see is the Visonic doorsensor. I don't know what the packets it
receives came from.

1-1-2012 22:43:13 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:42:30 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:41:47 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:41:04 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:40:21 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:39:38 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:39:03 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 29932704FBAE80
1-1-2012 22:39:03 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 291327847BAE80
1-1-2012 22:39:03 RFXCOM (display_S) Security: DWS[1327AE]S Device:\7 Cmd:2
1-1-2012 22:38:55 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:38:12 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:37:29 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:36:46 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:36:03 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:35:20 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:34:37 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D601740063CE0
1-1-2012 22:34:15 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 29932704FBAE80
1-1-2012 22:34:15 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 291327847BAE80
1-1-2012 22:34:15 RFXCOM (display_S) Security: DWS[1327AE]S Device:\7 Cmd:2

[b_weijenberg]

Any weak RF noise signal will stop receiving of sensors on a larger distance. It does not need to be a known sensor so if for example an RF headset is transmitting at 433 you will have the same behavior. For example in Emmeloord owners could not open their cars using the remote key, the source of the problem was a checkout in a nearby shop producing an RF signal.

Please thrust me: A nearby lightning strike, even if not a direct hit, can destroy the RF amplifier and will make the receiver deaf.

Can you check with RFreceiver and give the Enable All RF command to be sure that protocols are enabled in the receiver?
Stop Homeseer before you start RFreceiver, or assign temporarily an unused COM port to the receiver in the HS configuration to disconnect the receiver from HS.

If still no other sensors are received:
The sensor that is received is this one:
501A2D403D601740063CE0 TH1[15620] THGN122N,THGR122NX,THGR228N,THGR268 CH 3 addr:3D temp:17,6°C | 63,68°F hum:64 Normal Battery OK bits=80
I don't think so but to be sure, remove the battery from that Oregon sensor. Maybe this sensor is producing RF noise when not transmitting its data.

[labtec]

Ok, I will check the signals with RFreceiver. I see all the signals coming in with RFreceiver, could it be that the setting of
RFreceiver by it self was changed? I did't change anything.

Now I receive the signals also in HS as before I still see a lot of packages received in HS log. I wiil also check all the Oregon
sensors for problems.

2-1-2012 10:21:28 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D20A4312170453749
2-1-2012 10:21:17 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D001880053A94
2-1-2012 10:20:58 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 44EA4C10FD8006902413
2-1-2012 10:20:47 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D20A4312170453749
2-1-2012 10:20:34 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D001880053A94
2-1-2012 10:20:19 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 44EA4C10FD8006902413
2-1-2012 10:20:06 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D20A4312170453749
2-1-2012 10:19:51 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 501A2D403D001880053A94
2-1-2012 10:19:40 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 44EA4C10FD8006902413
2-1-2012 10:19:34 RFXCOM (RecRxChar) receiver #1 packet: 29242B8C73DA80


Thanks!

[b_weijenberg]

It was not a setting in the receiver that was changed. If that was the case you would have received all or no oregon sensors and not only one specific.
I guess the RF noise source disappeared or as we say in Dutch "vraag niet hoe het kan profiteer er van"

[piotr]

I have the exact same problem, my Cresta sensors have worked perfectly for 7 months and now I have the same problem as described above. I have changed the batteries etc. I do get updates from the sensors every now and then but sometimes only once per hour. Only the windmeter doesn't give any problem at all (the only sensor I didn't touch or replaced the batteries). Funny thing is: the windmeter is the furthest away from my rfxcom. Any suggestions on how to further debug this problem ?

[b_weijenberg]

You do not have X10 MS13 sensors installed?
Do you have other sensors with (almost) empty battery?
Have you installed new sensors?
What happens if you remove the batteries from the wind sensor?

If you can't find the problem you can use a spectrum analyzer to find the source.
http://rfexplorer.com/models/
Or contact RFXCOM support.

[piotr]

I have no X10 sensors
I have no sensors with almost empty batteries
I have not installed new sensors, I have removed 2 temp-sensors (didn't solve the problem)
I will try and see what happens when I remove the batteries from the windmeter (note: this is the only stable sensor at the moment and it is at longest distance from the receiver).

About the RF Spectrum Analyzer: that's an expensive tool to debug this problem and I wouldn't know how to use this. Can I do some kind of analysis with rfxmanager ?

[piotr]

Update: someone was kind enough to let me use a spectrum analyzer. I've played around a bit with it and I do see a peak when i push the button on a kaku remote but apart from that: I don't know how to locate the source of the problem. Am I looking for a frequent peak ? Constant peak ? And on/around what frequency ? I'm a bit lost, even bought a new Cresta sensor but this one has the same problem: very poor reception.

[b_weijenberg]

If your friend has also a beam antenna connect this to the spectrum analyzer and try to find the RF source. The signal will increase if the beam is positioned in the direction of the RF source.

Or walk around with the spectrum analyzer and try to find the source. It is probably a very small signal of < -60dB

[piotr]

I don't know what a beam antenna is, this one has just a piece of coax connected. When I press a button on the remote it peaks to about -20db. I've walked around a bit with this machine but I haven't noticed any peaks. I've also asked around in the neighbourhood but there are no weatherstations etc nearby. My direct neighbour installed a wifi-extender but we've already ruled that out as the possible source. The neighbours on the other side started using a few kaku switches around the same time my problems started but that must be a coincedence. What would be the most probable cause ? I've googled on the subject and I've found a few stories about weatherstations with low battery.