Author Topic: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)  (Read 21468 times)

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Offline kasia

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WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« on: July 24, 2009, 09:58:51 AM »
Hi all,

Some weeks ago I described my troubles with establish connection between my WMR200 and sensors. After your tips I change location of main unit but connection was broken from time to time. I read some tips posted in various forums about improve antenna signal but without success. Over 10 days ago I try to use... paper clip from my office. Currently my station looks as on the picture:



I tried many position of clip and the best way for me is turn clip (with both "arms" opened) directly into the sensors location. From that time my problems with loosing signal was finished!! :) I also try to remove clip and it bring problems with connection again, the same troubles were when i close arms clip.

I don't really know why it works but it works!! Maybe someone try to use "clip mod"  ;)

Best whishes
Tom
« Last Edit: July 24, 2009, 10:02:20 AM by kasia »

Offline mackbig

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2009, 10:51:52 AM »
nice one MacGyver

Andrew

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2009, 11:00:47 AM »
    8-) 8-) Now that is using your noggin!  I am going to pop one of those on my
OS WMR968.  Thanks for sharing your idea. =D>
                            Mark

Offline W3DRM

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2009, 12:05:54 PM »
Not that it matters now that you have a solution to your problem but how far away is your console from the transmitter? If distance isn't an issue it may be that you have some metal between the transmitter and receiver that is causing you problems. The clip faced broadside to the transmitter is merely picking up more of the transmitted signal.

This is a great (and cheap) solution to what sometimes can be a difficult problem...  =D>
« Last Edit: July 24, 2009, 12:08:07 PM by W3DRM »
Don - W3DRM - Emmett, Idaho --- Blitzortung ID: 808 --- FlightRadar24 ID: F-KBOI7
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Offline kasia

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2009, 01:19:28 PM »
I described location of my unit at forum (http://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=4615.0). As I wrote  I used WMR200 in office which is located at 1st floor but external buliding facade has steel constructions. Accordingly to your suggestion I changed location of WMR to keep "line of sight" transmission through a window. Finally I found place where WMR 200 works quite good - distance between unit and sensor is over 50 meters but sensors lost signal form time to time. After adding "clip mod" station works fine and signal is very stable.

It worth to notice that best results I have when clip arms are open like on the picture.

Tom

Offline W3DRM

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2009, 09:47:06 PM »
Well, as the saying goes - whatever works works...

I'd say your setup looks almost like a bow-tie style antenna (used in the olden days of analog TV) but, it's only more "metal in the air" and that is what is capturing a little more of the signal coming from your transmitter.
Don - W3DRM - Emmett, Idaho --- Blitzortung ID: 808 --- FlightRadar24 ID: F-KBOI7
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2009, 10:13:31 PM »
   I have one question.  Is there a rubber covering on the antenna?  It looks like a different antenna than the WMR968 antenna.  I have applied a clip to my 968 but was wondering if it would work with the rubber covering on the antenna. :-k

Offline LarsWX

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2009, 11:46:03 PM »
I taped a 6 inch piece( 1/4 wavelength at 433mhz) of stainless antenna whip (solid copper wire #10 to #16 should work also) along side the antenna on my outside temp/humidity sensor, and no more disconnects for me. 8-)

Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2009, 11:48:05 PM »
The ARRL will have to add an addendum to their handbook about our newly discovered antenna passive reflector elements.  :mrgreen:

When my VP ISS board was on it's way out I had a coil of copper wire extended up on the indoor console antenna.  Kept it running for another week or so until the ISS transmitter chip finally stopped operation completely.  Once desperation set in my thoughts of it having an antenna already fine tuned for a specific frequency of operation went out the window and was replaced by the search for anything that might reflect a tad bit more signal down the pipe.  Having intermittent signal was more irritating I think then having no signal at all.   ](*,)
« Last Edit: July 24, 2009, 11:49:47 PM by Mark / Ohio »
Mark 
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Offline killwilly

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2009, 12:32:51 AM »
Good tip Tom. I don't have a problem with reception with my WMR200, but I shall remember it for the future.

Alan.
Alan

Offline ale22

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2009, 02:38:16 AM »
The ARRL will have to add an addendum to their handbook about our newly discovered antenna passive reflector elements.
 :lol:

Who will be the first to build a 5-element Yagi for his weather station ? :mrgreen:
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Offline SlowModem

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2009, 03:09:53 AM »
   I have one question.  Is there a rubber covering on the antenna?  It looks like a different antenna than the WMR968 antenna.  I have applied a clip to my 968 but was wondering if it would work with the rubber covering on the antenna. :-k

My thought exactly!
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline killwilly

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2009, 04:27:20 AM »
   I have one question.  Is there a rubber covering on the antenna?  It looks like a different antenna than the WMR968 antenna.  I have applied a clip to my 968 but was wondering if it would work with the rubber covering on the antenna. :-k

My thought exactly!

The WMR200 antenna doesn't have a rubber covering, but it is hard plastic.

Alan.
Alan

Offline sam2004gp

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2009, 08:30:58 AM »
The ARRL will have to add an addendum to their handbook about our newly discovered antenna passive reflector elements.
 :lol:

Who will be the first to build a 5-element Yagi for his weather station ? :mrgreen:


A yagi....

Hmmm....

 :-k
SAM --->>> http://www.mountcrawfordweather.org
OS WMR-968 with a Dedicated PWS Weather Computer running VWS v13.01 p09


Offline W3DRM

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2009, 01:02:22 PM »
The ARRL will have to add an addendum to their handbook about our newly discovered antenna passive reflector elements.
 :lol:

Who will be the first to build a 5-element Yagi for his weather station ? :mrgreen:


A yagi....

Hmmm....

 :-k



Here 'ya go - available from Davis to solve all your signal problems. Has a gain of 11dbi and extends your range to 5000 feet!
Don - W3DRM - Emmett, Idaho --- Blitzortung ID: 808 --- FlightRadar24 ID: F-KBOI7
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Offline Mark / Ohio

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2009, 11:12:13 PM »
Signal from that should jump the 25' through the window to my console with no sweat!   :lol:


The guys with wired stations are probably just shaking their heads and rolling their eyes at us by now.   :mrgreen:
Mark 
2002 Davis VP I Wireless, WeatherLink (Serial), GRLevel3, VirtualVP, StartWatch, Weather Display, Windows 10


Offline port1

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2009, 11:52:14 PM »
 :-) That yagi is nice.  Excellent!
Too bad Oregon Scientific doesn't sell one.
I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  ;)

Henry
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Offline sam2004gp

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #17 on: July 26, 2009, 03:42:14 PM »
:-) That yagi is nice.  Excellent!
Too bad Oregon Scientific doesn't sell one.
I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  ;)

Henry

Don't you know it.  Same here.
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Offline port1

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #18 on: July 26, 2009, 04:46:32 PM »
 :-k Do you think modding our consoles with that yagi will void our warranties?
I won't tell!  [-(

Man...I really want one of those!  8-)

Henry
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Offline Downlinerz2

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #19 on: July 28, 2009, 04:28:14 PM »
   I am becoming a believer!  I put a clip  on my 968 antenna and I have not had a dropout since :shock:.  Before, I would usually have one or two a week.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  It may be a coincidence but I am going to be optomistic!!! =D>
       Mark

Offline Jumpin Joe

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2011, 07:11:59 PM »
Hello Everyone!

I am a newbie and very green... just wanted to say I had the same problem and the flying paper clip did the trick.

Thanks,

Joe
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Offline DanS

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2011, 07:18:03 PM »
Hi Joe and welcome to the forum! =D>

Happy to hear your comm link issued got resolved easily. :lol:

Offline stevebrtx

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #22 on: March 25, 2011, 12:45:39 PM »
Too bad OS doesn't sell a station that doesn't need owner mods. Although my 100 still receives just fine pretty much anywhere, the 200 is exactly 8' directly under the sensor on the roof and can't receive consistently even with a modified second element attached to the original antenna.

Offline stevebrtx

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #23 on: April 18, 2011, 03:27:16 PM »
For a change I'm not complaining - much. After two years of moving the 200 everywhere, trying every antenna trick, I finally stuck it propped up against a window in the powder room adjacent to the computer area. At the risk of saying this out loud, it's been working for nearly 2 weeks now. Of course you have to go into the bathroom to read or reset, or download from it and it's not near any connectable PC equipment, but it's working and we actually had our first rain Saturday after 200 dry days and of course the power promptly went out, but I was able to download the data logger into a netbook (while appropriately seated no less - seemed appropriate) and then update the dbase.csv, the calibration offset, all 3 bin files and the rainfall file and so all is well - after a fashion. Of course, it would be nice if the 200 would work while connected, but I digress.

Offline LTCSZ

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Re: WMR 200 - improve antenna signal - my working trick :)
« Reply #24 on: May 13, 2011, 11:33:36 AM »
Added the "flying antenna" mod to my WMR-200A...Haven't had a dropout yet! Thanks for sharing this...Cheapest and easiest mod I ever performed!

Steve
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