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RF Efficiency - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: RF Efficiency (/thread-962.html)


RF Efficiency - Barrow4491 - 17-12-2016

XI have now got my Pro2 Plus receiver on line and all is good, it is a great move forward, I love it!!
I have a question re the RF efficiency reported at only 14% (Tx packets (24hrs) 16657 RX packets (24hrs) 2326.
Could you please explain what this means and suggest any ways to improve it, as I am sure 14% is not good!
Regards
Jim

RE: RF Efficiency - werk_ag - 17-12-2016

Hello Jim,

Looking for some of your oldest posts, it's clear that you are facing a problem with the RF signal since your first installation.
Those numbers only expose the problem. Your RX unit is only receiving a very small part of the data packets sent by the TX unit. Indeed, a 14% efficiency is a very low value, and doesn't assure a reliable operation of the system.

The better recommendation I can give you, is to try playing with the orientation of the antennas, both in the RX and TX units (in my case they work better in horizontal position). You can also try to find a hot spot inside your house, moving around the RX unit (or just the antenna if it have a cable) until you get a better RF signal. The TX Led (on the receiver) is a good visual sign of good reception, it should blink more or less at each 5 seconds, some times even more frequently.

I think that the metal roof is certainly your bigger problem, but I don't know.
There are on the forum some topics about the RF signal and types of antennas, please search for them, maybe you find on them some ideas. This is something you really should invest some time, without a reliable RF link, you will lost a great amount of data.

Regards

RE: RF Efficiency - Barrow4491 - 17-12-2016

(17-12-2016, 04:13)Werk_AG Wrote:  Hello Jim,

Looking for some of your oldest posts, it's clear that you are facing a problem with the RF signal since your first installation.
Those numbers only expose the problem. Your RX unit is only receiving a very small part of the data packets sent by the TX unit. Indeed, a 14% efficiency is a very low value, and doesn't assure a reliable operation of the system.

The better recommendation I can give you, is to try playing with the orientation of the antennas, both in the RX and TX units (in my case they work better in horizontal position). You can also try to find a hot spot inside your house, moving around the RX unit (or just the antenna if it have a cable) until you get a better RF signal. The TX Led (on the receiver) is a good visual sign of good reception, it should blink more or less at each 5 seconds, some times even more frequently.

I think that the metal roof is certainly your bigger problem, but I don't know.
There are on the forum some topics about the RF signal and types of antennas, please search for them, maybe you find on them some ideas. This is something you really should invest some time, without a reliable RF link, you will lost a great amount of data.

Regards

Werk,
You are right, I have been battling Rf issues for some time and am certain that the metal roof between the Tx and Rx is causing the problem. 
In the new year I intend to put an antenna in the ceiling (below the metal roof) and see how that goes. With the new display and software I can now analyse the changes.
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it, and I would like to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year
Kind Regards
Jim

RE: RF Efficiency - AllyCat - 17-12-2016

Hi,

(17-12-2016, 06:46)Barrow4491 Wrote:  In the new year I intend to put an antenna in the ceiling (below the metal roof)

Is that the Transmitter or Receiver Antenna?  If it is the receiver, then it will probably make the reception even worse; radio signals just cannot pass through a metal sheet.  If the antenna is on the "correct" side of the sheet, then locate it a quarter-wavelength (about 18 cms) away from the sheet, which may then act as a "reflector".  Maybe you might even arrange linked (dipole) antennas (18 cms lengths of horizontal wire) on each side of the sheet as a "passive repeater" (but not easy).

What you probably need to do is bouce (reflect) the radio signal off a large (ideally metal) object "in sight" of both the transmitter and the receiver, perhaps a water tank?  Note that the antennas are most sensitrive "side on", so if the transmitter is predominantly above the receiver (but in line of sight), then the antennas should indeed be horizontal.

Cheers,  Alan.

RE: RF Efficiency - Barrow4491 - 03-02-2017

Werk,
I have been addressing my RF issues, and as mentioned previously, have now got my Tx antenna extended (RG 58U cable from the Tx) to below the steel roofing and attached on the underside of the plaster ceiling. I am getting RF efficiency readings on average of 84% a vast improvement !!
I have a couple of questions regarding this reading from the Pro2 Plus,
It appears to reset daily and I assume the reset is 24 hours from the last start time ??? After the restart I initially get readings of between 103% to as high as 136%, (the RX packets exceeding the Tx packets) and then it settles after some time to the average mentioned before.
Is this expected behaviour or some issue?
Is it possible to have a slightly larger font for this detail on the second screen?
Is there a problem running two recievers at once?
Apologies for all the questions, I love the new RX and will post some photos and details shortly when the construction is complete.
Regards
Jim

RE: RF Efficiency - werk_ag - 03-02-2017

Hi Jim,

It seems you have very good news.  Smile


Quote:I have been addressing my RF issues, and as mentioned previously, have now got my Tx antenna extended (RG 58U cable from the Tx) to below the steel roofing and attached on the underside of the plaster ceiling. I am getting RF efficiency readings on average of 84% a vast improvement !!

Yes, it is. You should be receiving data very nicely now. Don't expect ever reach anything close to 100% . Please keep in mind that any value above 65% is enough to allow the system to work well.


Quote:It appears to reset daily and I assume the reset is 24 hours from the last start time ??? After the restart I initially get readings of between 103% to as high as 136%, (the RX packets exceeding the Tx packets) and then it settles after some time to the average mentioned before.
Is this expected behaviour or some issue?

Yes, the counter does a reset every 24 hours (or after a restart), and getting values above 100% during the first minutes after the counter  reset is a normal behaviour.
The way the RF Efficiency works is very simple, the TX unit counts every data packet sent, and periodically also sends this value to the receiver unit, which then compares this value with the total of data packets received. Each 24 hours the TX unit resets the data packet counter, and instructs the receiver to also reset its own counter.

The RF Efficiency value should be seen as an helper to allow users find the best reception possible, and not as a precision indicator.


Quote:Is it possible to have a slightly larger font for this detail on the second screen?

By changing the code everything is possible, but I can't help on that, and not recommend it.


Quote:Is there a problem running two recievers at once?

No problem at all. Currently, no matter the hardware version of the receiver units, all of them can receive data from the TX units.

Quote:Apologies for all the questions, I love the new RX and will post some photos and details shortly when the construction is complete.

I believe that all of us like to see photos of each personal installation. Every picture is most welcome.
Thank you.