[atbukc]

My Weatherduino system is installed and running well, it comprises a PRO2 TX PCB v 2.50, WeatherDuino Pro2 PLUS Receiver both located in a garden shed, and a WD 4PRO v1.30RevA located 20M away in the main house and an AQM that is in a test location in the house also.

The system is performing well, except that the Air quality data is not ever being shown on the WD unit, it is however displayed perfectly well on the RX unit.

Any pointers what I should check? I’m guessing it is a misconfiguration in the Arduino code somewhere..

Andy

[werk_ag]

Just for me to try to have a better figure of what may be happen, can you please tell me what broadcast method are you using?

// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Broadcasting Data to Wireless Display Units
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#define BROADCAST_DATA 0 // 0= Disables Data Broadcast, 1= Broadcast by WiFi, 2= Broadcast by RF

If you have WiFi coverage on the garden shield, preferably define the BROADCAST_DATA to 1

[atbukc]

Just for me to try to have a better figure of what may be happen, can you please tell me what broadcast method are you using?

// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Broadcasting Data to Wireless Display Units
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#define BROADCAST_DATA 0 // 0= Disables Data Broadcast, 1= Broadcast by WiFi, 2= Broadcast by RF

If you have WiFi coverage on the garden shield, preferably define the BROADCAST_DATA to 1

My setting is 
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//   Broadcasting Data to Wireless Display Units
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#define BROADCAST_DATA       2          //

I have wifi in the shed but it can be patchy sometimes so I would prefer to stick to RF, seems odd that all other fields receive data fine, just not the AQM fields, how often is the AQM data transmitted?
Maybe if I am at the limit of the RF range my WD keeps missing the AQM packets if they are only transmitted infrequently perhaps?

[atbukc]

Just for me to try to have a better figure of what may be happen, can you please tell me what broadcast method are you using?

// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Broadcasting Data to Wireless Display Units
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#define BROADCAST_DATA 0 // 0= Disables Data Broadcast, 1= Broadcast by WiFi, 2= Broadcast by RF

If you have WiFi coverage on the garden shield, preferably define the BROADCAST_DATA to 1

My setting is 
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//   Broadcasting Data to Wireless Display Units
// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#define BROADCAST_DATA       2          //

I have wifi in the shed but it can be patchy sometimes so I would prefer to stick to RF, seems odd that all other fields receive data fine, just not the AQM fields, how often is the AQM data transmitted?
Maybe if I am at the limit of the RF range my WD keeps missing the AQM packets if they are only transmitted infrequently perhaps?

I have completed some further testing this evening, if the WD is close (less than 10M) then the AQM data shows up within about 1 minute of switch on, but if the WD is much further away then even after several hours the AQM data does not appear, very odd!

[werk_ag]

I have completed some further testing this evening, if the WD is close (less than 10M) then the AQM data shows up within about 1 minute of switch on, but if the WD is much further away then even after several hours the AQM data does not appear, very odd!

Hello Andy,

Thanks for being tested.. The more tests you do, the better you will know it, and the better it will work.

Supposing that when the WD unit was on its previous position, it was receiving frequent data updates from the RX, then you could try the other way around: move the position of the AQM.
If the AQM is too close to the WD the situation you have described can happen, I already saw it happen here.
I will try to explain: The radio receiver on the WD unit, receives all data packets sent by the AQM or any existing TX, just don't process them, it only processes the data packets sent by the RX base unit. If a transmitter (TX unit or AQM unit) is very close to the WD unit, the radio signal received by the radio module on the WD is quite strong and its AGC lowers the gain. As your main RX retransmits the data packet as soon (300ms delay) as it receives it (in this case the AQM data) when it reaches the WD, the AGC wasn't yet increased the gain to be able to receive weaker radio signals as those sent by the main RX (weaker, by comparing with a closer TX source).
Due to may poor English I have some difficulties when I try to says how things work on WeatherDuino. Hope my attempt makes sense for you.

Whenever possible, broadcast data to WD units using Wifi is preferable, not only to avoid any of the issues we are talking, but mainly because reception of data packets from the TX units increase considerably, in this case not because any RF interference, but because broadcasting by RF each data packet take around 300ms, and any incoming data packets which arrive during this processing time is lost. By WiFi, broadcast take only a few ms. If you cold try it you will see that the RF Efficiency numbers will increase 10% or more.

Rgs

[atbukc]

I have completed some further testing this evening, if the WD is close (less than 10M) then the AQM data shows up within about 1 minute of switch on, but if the WD is much further away then even after several hours the AQM data does not appear, very odd!

Hello Andy,

Thanks for being tested.. The more tests you do, the better you will know it, and the better it will work.

Supposing that when the WD unit was on its previous position, it was receiving frequent data updates from the RX, then you could try the other way around: move the position of the AQM.
If the AQM is too close to the WD the situation you have described can happen, I already saw it happen here.
I will try to explain: The radio receiver on the WD unit, receives all data packets sent by the AQM or any existing TX, just don't process them, it only processes the data packets sent by the RX base unit. If a transmitter (TX unit or AQM unit) is very close to the WD unit, the radio signal received by the radio module on the WD is quite strong and its AGC lowers the gain. As your main RX retransmits the data packet as soon (300ms delay) as it receives it (in this case the AQM data) when it reaches the WD, the AGC wasn't yet increased the gain to be able to receive weaker radio signals as those sent by the main RX (weaker, by comparing with a closer TX source).
Due to may poor English I have some difficulties when I try to says how things work on WeatherDuino. Hope my attempt makes sense for you.

Whenever possible, broadcast data to WD units using Wifi is preferable, not only to avoid any of the issues we are talking, but mainly because reception of data packets from the TX units increase considerably, in this case not because any RF interference, but because broadcasting by RF each data packet take around 300ms, and any incoming data packets which arrive during this processing time is lost. By WiFi, broadcast take only a few ms. If you cold try it you will see that the RF Efficiency numbers will increase 10% or more.

Rgs

Ah! Yes your explanation makes perfect sense, thank you.
The further away from the RX unit I go with the WD, the closer I get to the AQM so this must be what is happening.
I have now moved the AQM so it is in the shed with the RX and now the WD is receiving the AQM data quikly & perfectly.


When I get time I will try to convert my system so it sends the data over wifi.

Ady

[werk_ag]