Antenna?

[stefxx]

Hi,

I have a RFXCOM from October 2008, the order confirmation shows:
- LAN 2 COM 433,92MHz transmitter + X10/Oregon receiver set (87005)
- 868,95MHz Visonic slave receiver (40079)

I have an increasing problem with the range, especially on the OS sensors. Not sure if it is the age of the RFXCOM/modules, or just more interference in the neighborhood. Anyway, I like to improve the range so I can reliably use the RFXCOM again.

I was thinking about using better antennas. Currently there is one fixed antenna (not telescopic), I think this is for the 433MHz transmitter or receiver. The other two antennas are just wire antennas.

Can anyone suggest antennas that work optimal with this setup? Or any other tips?

Thanks in advance!

[stefxx]

I found some antennas at www.conrad.nl, should I just replace all antennas with those?

433MHz (one for transmit and one for recieve I assume): 190073
868MHz: 190123

[AshaiRey]

The RFXCom documentation have also a plan for a ground plane antenna that will cost you just a few euro's to make your own.
I have one for receive and one for transmit and they work quiet nice. (433mhz, for 868mhz they will be even smaller)

[stefxx]

I can't find that document, on how to make a groundplane antanne. And I can't find the CD that came with the RFXCOM.

Couln't find anything on the RFXCOM site as well. Anyone willing to share it?

[b_weijenberg]

any reason why you don't send an email to support?

[stefxx]

Only reason is that I did not think about that yet

[Phaeton]

Sddroog: have you bought or build the antenna you needed?

Can you use single antenna for sending and receiving? Or do you need two? I need to improve range because of some outside sensors.

[AshaiRey]

You need 2 antenna's

[stefxx]

Sddroog: have you bought or build the antenna you needed?

Can you use single antenna for sending and receiving? Or do you need two? I need to improve range because of some outside sensors.

Not yet, but will soon. And you will need two antenna's.

[stefxx]

I finally choose not to build them but to buy them. I only connected the receiving antenna but I am impressed with the improved receive quality and range. I use to have 10 to 15 comm. errors a day, and since I connected the antenna two days ago I have none!

I need to buy and connect the BNC "inbouwbus" for the transmitter before I can connect the other antenna.

[DJF3]

Did you set your OS sensors to use different channels? I added the channel number in the device name so I can see if one channel is used many times in 1 place.