CM15A mod to increase range using TM571 Antenna - (With Pictures)

[Prodigious Juggalo]

Has anyone tried aslamma's mod?

I'd love to hear the results!

I think I'm going to go for it.  I've got many, many boxes of X10 stuff sitting unopened because I'm so disappointed in the range my CM15a has been able to reach.  This to me seems like the first EASY to do mod for the CM15a and is actually the exact thought I've been contemplating for quite a while now but didn't have the nerve to do it yet!

Instead, I've been looking at stuff from WGL (ie: V572RF32)....but as I've already dumped money into the system that I'm getting absolutely no use from... that option seems a bit pricey to try... even with all of the great reviews I've read about it.

Anyway.   If anyone else has tried this, please let me know.  If I actually get a chance to do this, I'll try to document it and report back with pictures and achievable range information.

[Alan V]

Has anyone tried aslamma's mod?

I'd love to hear the results!

I think I'm going to go for it.  I've got many, many boxes of X10 stuff sitting unopened because I'm so disappointed in the range my CM15a has been able to reach.  This to me seems like the first EASY to do mod for the CM15a and is actually the exact thought I've been contemplating for quite a while now but didn't have the nerve to do it yet!

Instead, I've been looking at stuff from WGL (ie: V572RF32)....but as I've already dumped money into the system that I'm getting absolutely no use from... that option seems a bit pricey to try... even with all of the great reviews I've read about it.

Anyway.   If anyone else has tried this, please let me know.  If I actually get a chance to do this, I'll try to document it and report back with pictures and achievable range information.

I added an F-connector to the CM15A and constructed a dipole antenna from instructions found here in the forum.  I saw no difference in range after the mod.  I then purchased the V572RF32 and the range has been excellent.

The best price I found was at automatedhomeoutlet.com (no affiliation).  For me it was a worthwhile purchase.  I've never looked back.

[Jim Clark]

I agree with Alan V, the V572 works great. Before I had it I was lucky to get a 25 feet range with a palm pad and my motion sensors and stick up switches were useless with out the addition of several transceivers. With the V572 I get 100 feet plus range with palm pads, motion sensors, keychain remotes and motion sensors. I got mine before they had the RF32 version so mine will not work with the X10 security devices. My next X10 related purchase will be the V572RF32.

[Prodigious Juggalo]

I added an F-connector to the CM15A and constructed a dipole antenna from instructions found here in the forum.  I saw no difference in range after the mod.  I then purchased the V572RF32 and the range has been excellent.

The best price I found was at automatedhomeoutlet.com (no affiliation).  For me it was a worthwhile purchase.  I've never looked back.

Awesome!  Thanks for the feedback.  I checked out automatedoutlet.com and agree that the price is good.

I agree with Alan V, the V572 works great. Before I had it I was lucky to get a 25 feet range with a palm pad and my motion sensors and stick up switches were useless with out the addition of several transceivers. With the V572 I get 100 feet plus range with palm pads, motion sensors, keychain remotes and motion sensors. I got mine before they had the RF32 version so mine will not work with the X10 security devices. My next X10 related purchase will be the V572RF32.

Thanks too, Jim.  Just from the review that I've read at Hometoys , this is definitely something I've been eying for a while.  I'd say that I get about the 15-25ft range too.  I'd love to see that quadruple (or better!).

I've looked at the information about this unit on the site at WGL and I've downloaded the documentation but nothing I've googled seems to tell me whether or not this unit works with Activehome software.

Do you use yours with Activehome?  Any loss of functionality?  What did you do with your CM15A? (chunk it ?)

[Prodigious Juggalo]

Do you use yours with Activehome?  Any loss of functionality?  What did you do with your CM15A? (chunk it ?)

Well..... I just saw a pic in another thread , posted by PajamaGuy and I'm confused.  It appears he is using both?  Is that how the setup is supposed to work?  Mount the CM15a close to the V572RF32 so that it can send the commands for the V572 to then transmit?  Am I confusing myself.... ?

[JeffVolp]

The main difference is that the CM15A receives RF directly, and can take action on that.  The V572 must first relay the RF command to the CM15A over the powerline.  That causes about 1/3 of a second delay when triggering a macro in the CM15A.  There is no problem using both units in the same installation.  But, the CM15A should be set to not transceive housecodes that are handled by the V572.

Jeff

[gringler]

I followed the instructions, and installed the TM751 antenna in my CM15A.

Amazing results !     

Before this, I could barely get more than 10 - 15 ft range...
Now, my CM15A can "hear" the DS10A I installed in my garage ! (at least 50 ft away), thru a couple of walls !

Thanks indeed for this suggestion and the detailed instructions !

[HA Dave]

Amazing results !     

I also tried aslamma's mod. It works well.. and looks good.

[astrothug]

nice mod, when i received my cm15a i noticed that my range was less then 30 feet, I didn't have a antenna handy so I cut a 4 foot piece of stereo speaker cable and wrapped it around the exciting Antenna wrapped some black tape around both securing both then strung the speaker cable up the wall and used a tack to keep it in place...lol.. not the nicest looking antenna but it does the job temporarily.

[Duck69]

aslamma,
This is the cleanest mod to the CM15A that I've come across.
Your documentation of the project was very well done.

You deserve a "Helpful" rating for this post. So, I gave you one. 

[ekuhlman]

aslamma,
This mod worked perfectly. Out of the box, the CM15a would not respond well to remote signals... even from as close as 10 feet away and aiming it right at the CM15A. I never knew what units would trigger when I would press an on or off button on my remote(s).
With this mod (great instructions and pictures) every remote works exactly the way it is supposed to. Amazing how an improved antennae could make such a difference.
I actually used the antenae from an old no longer used x-10 transceiver... the large box type that you had to set for either 1-8 or 9-16 for receiving signals. The antenae is exactly the same one used in the TM751 receiver, so the instructions were the same.
I did solder the wire to the antenae base rather than glue it, though. I was sure to not get too much solder on the antenae base and oriented the wire so it would still rotate freely in the CM15A without breaking the connection.

Thanks much for the mod... It saved a lot of frustration over using the CM15A.

[cloe]

 -:)Hi, 
I have the same possession with mine 
cameras wirelles X10 but CM15A and TM571 
they don't send sign of all the six cameras 
for my TV LCD. 
I already made out all the tests and inside, with 
the transceiver and recevier in several places 
but I didn't get to solve the problem. 
 
I liked his suggestion, but not yet 
I understood as well as I can make that 
I already asked the support for help X10 but 
they don't solve. Can I help myself? ???Thanks

[Brian H]

cloe; Are you having problems turning the cameras on and off or with the signal reaching the receiver connected to the TV?
Do you have any noise filters or a phase coupler in your system?
Any more details on exactly what you have may help us in your questions.

[Bill59]

Radio Shack has a nice little antenna for around 5 or 6 bucks. It's a telescoping type which allows for half or quarter wave or somewhere in between. Works great also. about 150 ft. range outside. Basically the same reconfiguration as this one.

[BillB3857]

I just did the antenna mod on my CM15A and it is working great.  A question for the technically more proficient than I:  What is the gray wire for that wraps around the top of the battery carrying cover for the CM15A?  It ties to a second daughter board about an inch away from the one the antenna ties in to.  Is it some kind of ground plane for the external antenna?