Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[TheBoy]

I'm quite lucky as I can reprogram keys to my hearts content.

I have noticed that individual fobs seem to have different ranges, with no obvious ways of predicting which will be better. A colleague some time ago had a Vectra-B and his fob had a stonkingly good (for a Vauxhall, which are generally quite poor) range. So when he traded it in for a poxy Audi, I programmed one of my shittier fobs to his Vectra, and nicked his good one and programmed to the Bullet.  The range was reduced slightly in the Omega, but still quite good.

[MonzaGSE]

You shouldnt complain about range unless you have the old infrared remote system like me:) i have to hold the key right up against the window, aim it at the roof and protect it from sunlight. With brand new batteries i can unlock the car as far away as through the tailgate window:p

[05omegav6]

You shouldnt complain about range unless you have the old infrared remote system like me:) i have to hold the key right up against the window, aim it at the roof and protect it from sunlight. With brand new batteries i can unlock the car as far away as through the tailgate window:p

[DrAndyB]

Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.

Yep, all done that one  , and yes it works 

[Nick W]

You shouldnt complain about range unless you have the old infrared remote system like me:) i have to hold the key right up against the window, aim it at the roof and protect it from sunlight. With brand new batteries i can unlock the car as far away as through the tailgate window:p

Or you could try a clit where the sensor fills with rainwater when the aerial leaks. Then you find the only doorlock on the car has never been used so you can't get it in. Renault; they can't be trusted.

[Shackeng]

Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.

Yep, all done that one  , and yes it works 

 I've used it in the past, and yes it does, but why?

[YZ250]

In the olden days my old Linwood/Harry Moss alarm had a key fob range of about half a mile. If you put the key fob to your head you could operate it from the next village.     Oh, and you got a Knightrider style motion scanner that came with it.   

[TheBoy]

In the olden days my old Linwood/Harry Moss alarm had a key fob range of about half a mile. If you put the key fob to your head you could operate it from the next village.     Oh, and you got a Knightrider style motion scanner that came with it.   

Showing your age . Everyone in the 80's had a 'arry Moss.

[zirk]

Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.

Yep, all done that one  , and yes it works 

 I've used it in the past, and yes it does, but why?

There's 2 theories as to why this works and possibility a mixture of both, thoery 1 is your head has a high water content so this will act as RF shield, as well as acting as a shield means it will act as a Reflector, so by putting the Fob between your head and the car will give the effect of pushing most of the Transmitted RF towards the direction of the Car.

If you mount an Vertical Antenna (ie, Dipole) on a Vertical Mast the Boom that holds the Dipole is normally long enough away from the mast so as to give a near Omni Directional pattern, if you shorten the Boom and move the Antenna closer to the Mast (the Mast starts to become a reflector) it starts to become directional meaning the Antenna will start to have effective gain in that direction.

Theory 2 is that most Key Fobs are designed so that the Fob Antenna which is probably part of the PCB design is mounted away from the Key Blade and the rear Fob Key Ring, so the Antenna is probably on the side(s), most people point the Key Blade towards the Car when operating meaning the theory is most of the Transmitted RF is at 90 degrees towards the Car, by holding the Fob against your Head will probably mean pointing the Key Blade towards the sky and the Antenna now has a better line of sight towards the Car.

As said, possible a mixture of both the above theory's.