Quick Navigation

Having Range Problems with your X-10 Alarm Components?

Try Tuning Your Remote!

WARNING: The following information is for educational purposes only.

Altering the range capability of this or other similar license-free wireless

devices may result in violation of Part 15 of FCC regulations. Do not undertake this

procedure unless you are willing to familiarize yourself with all applicable regulations

and you agree to accept all liability for compliance.

Detailed Procedure

Please note that this procedure totally blows away your warranty, so if you are concerned--DON'T DO IT !

What you need: * Analog Multi-meter * Suitable Test Probes * Clip-lead(s) * Main Console (49-2551A or similar) * Transmitter (61-2676 or similar) Set up your equipment as shown at the left. Set your meter to read low D.C. voltages (2.5V scale is ideal). Connect the negative lead of your meter to the negative pole of the battery clip on the console. A gripper-type probe will spare you a great deal of frustration when trying to keep the positive probe on the R27 test-point. (see details below)

With your equipment set up correctly, you should see idle deflection on the meter somewhere well shy of full scale. With the transmitter at a fixed distance from the console, press a key to begin transmitting. You should see a pulsing deflection upscale--but not full-scale--as long as the key remains depressed. If the meter deflects too far, simply move the transmitter a bit further away. The distance is not critical since we will be tuning for a relative gain and not a specific field-strength.

Now that you have established a reference point, you are ready to tune your remote. You should mark the transmitter location, so that you can repeat measurements and judge the relative results. Bear in mind that any "tuning" done here will tend to be quite broad, given the nature of the regenerative receiver used in consumer electronics of this type. You will, however, almost certainly be able to improve upon the range of such equipment by centering the transmitted signals in the console receiver's passband.

Carefully open the remote and locate the antenna tuning loop; Tuning is performed by changing the orientation of this loop, relative to the main PCB. In other words, moving it closer or further away from the PCB. The most convenient way to do this is to drill a hole in the housing to allow access to the loop when the unit is fully assembled.

IMPORTANT: Use a plastic (or at least a non-ferrous) tuning wand to minimize stray reactance effects. Using metallic tools around tuning circuits of this type interact with the circuit and produce meaningless results. Use a toothpick if you have to, but keep metal away!

With the equipment set up as described, key the remote transmitter and tune for maximum deflection on the meter. When you are satisfied that you've squeezed as much performance as possible from the remote, button everything up and test the range again. This technique will take a little patience, but with some practice you'll find that the results are worth the effort.

You can use a similar process on other wireless X-10 components too, including the keychain remote, wireless door sensor and IR detector - Happy tuning!

copyright © 2001 Solderhead.com - all rights reserved

X-10 is a trademark of X-10, Inc.

Plug 'n Power is a trademark of Radio Shack, a division of Tandy Corporation