Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: mantamania on 07 April 2016, 10:59:43
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Hi all,
Is there a way of extending the range of the remote keyfob for the central locking. I have had a couple of face lift omegas and have found that the range is not great even with new batteries.
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Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.
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As long as it opens before you get to the car, how far away do you want/need to be able to open it? ::) My Merc will open from that far away, that it's locked itself again before I can walk to it! ::) ::) (But I have to stand next to it for the infra red total closure to work ??? ???)
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As long as it opens before you get to the car, how far away do you want/need to be able to open it? ::) My Merc will open from that far away, that it's locked itself again before I can walk to it! ::) ::) (But I have to stand next to it for the infra red total closure to work ??? ???)
That's probably so that you can be sure that nothing is in the way of the windows etc as they close... otherwise a window could stop and the car would remain unsecured ;)
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Omega's never have been good on range, strangely Ive always found the Estates to worse than the saloons. :-\
You could in theory extend / relocate the receiver aerial pickup on the vehicle side if your up to it, but a lot of fuffing around for a tad more extra range.
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How much do you need? My estate opens from the other side of the street, or several parking spaces, which is plenty.
Have you checked the condition of your fob? A loose battery holder could be the cause
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i vaguely remember something on here about doubling the voltage by putting in two thinner cell batteries to replace the one. try at your own risk/try on a spare - may damage your unit.
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How about you try it and report back ::)
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i vaguely remember something on here about doubling the voltage by putting in two thinner cell batteries to replace the one. try at your own risk/try on a spare - may damage your unit.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Great plan that. Or, wire it directly to the mains - You can unlock it from Zambia then! ::)
Seriously though - I do see why you would want the car to respond to the key further away - When a thunder storm has set the alarm off, when the Missus needs to get something from the boot (and you are (like me) too bone idle to walk there), etc etc.
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IME, range is not that important for locking/unlocking, as it is for closing windows via remote locking.
It proved to be a great feature when suddent and strong rain strucks, and your car is outside, with opened windows.
Mine has range of som 20m on open ground.
And yes, holding it next to your head increasses range noticably (don't know if the size of the head is a factor ;D ;D).
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Omega's never have been good on range, strangely Ive always found the Estates to worse than the saloons. :-\
You could in theory extend / relocate the receiver aerial pickup on the vehicle side if your up to it, but a lot of fuffing around for a tad more extra range.
My MFL TD Estate responds better than my FL Elite saloon! ??? :y
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How about you try it and report back ::)
works fine just not sure I would leave them both in there hence the warning ::)
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How about you try it and report back ::)
works fine just not sure I would leave them both in there hence the warning ::)
Then you haven't actually tried ::)
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How about you try it and report back ::)
works fine just not sure I would leave them both in there hence the warning ::)
What a great idea - but would it not be better to connect it to a 12v car battery? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
There's certainly a waft of cattle around your post. ::) ::)
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i vaguely remember something on here about doubling the voltage by putting in two thinner cell batteries to replace the one. try at your own risk/try on a spare - may damage your unit.
I would advise OOFers NOT to try this. At best, range won't be improved unless your old battery is as flat as a witch's tit. At worse it will mean a new fob + programming.
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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.
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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
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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
;D
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Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.
Yep, all done that one :y, and yes it works :D
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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.
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Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.
Yep, all done that one :y, and yes it works :D
I've used it in the past, and yes it does, but why? ??? ??? ???
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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. ;D
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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. ;D
Showing your age ;D. Everyone in the 80's had a 'arry Moss.
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Hold the key next to your head, sounds silly I know but increases the range by quite an amount.
Yep, all done that one :y, and yes it works :D
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.