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Author Topic: CM15A RF Mod  (Read 39895 times)

side068

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CM15A RF Mod
« on: August 13, 2010, 02:12:16 AM »
Has anyone tried replacing the receiver of the CM15A with the  RM1SG receiver? as I'm running dual antennas with the  ZSC-2-1  it was fine for 4 months but now there is lots of interference in the 310MHz band I read somewhere the CM15A's receiver can be replaced with RM1SG but haven't heard any results with the receiver swap.
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side068

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2010, 01:46:08 AM »
Ok, since nobody has tried this mod I went ahead and ordered the RF reciever RM1SG 315MHZ from EBAY for $6 and removed the Himark board from my CM15A installed the RM1SG of course the remote only worked next to the reciever to fix this there is a tuning screw on the RM1SG and after turning the screw counterclockwise I had good range about 75ft in a high interferance area with the KR22a remote that the old setup was 5ft at times and 20ft due to the AGC.. one thing I did discovered was the KR22A is at 311.8MHZ the MS14A is 309.4MHZ-310.2MHZ depending on the production date now the problem is the motion sensors have less range than the KP22a.
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Brian H

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2010, 06:11:35 AM »
Thanks for the information.
You may have been the first user to try the RM1SG module in the CM15A.

I am not surprised with your frequency differences. X10 does not use precision parts and it is an LC oscillator.
Good news is some modules are now using a SAW device to determines the frequency.
I know the B&D Freewire Modules and the later RS Security Modules used SAW devices. The latest Nstinct Icon also uses a SAW devices.
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side068

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2010, 02:31:46 AM »
your welcome as most around here are unhappy with the CM15A RF performance and have gone to great lengths to increase it enough to cover all sensors, 1 thing about the KP22a is they have a tuning slug I was able to re tune them to back 310MHZ! but this RF module is cheep and works good now that I think about it could have just piggybacked the modules and have 2 RF recievers each with their own antenna thus saving me the cost of the ZSC-2-1!
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kilo

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2010, 02:33:10 AM »
Do all the pins line up just like the original receiver?  Do you have any pics of your mod with the new receiver?  Thanks
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side068

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2010, 10:54:13 PM »
you have to bend the pins to line them up a the RM1SG is 4 pin (2 grounds) and the CH15a is 3  but both recievers are labled so it was easy to figure out just remember the reciever is 315MHZ so you have to put the transmitter right up to the unit to get it to respond then adjust the tuning slug counterclockwise until max range is found..
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SPED

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2011, 07:32:00 PM »
Maybe this could help ?
http://www.cdadapter.com/srtune.htm
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Brian H

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2011, 07:44:40 PM »
SPED; Thank you. That is a great tip.  >!
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Rabbit

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2011, 02:46:31 PM »
I just bought a brand new CM15A - and I wasn't happy with the range, so I did the Modification using the RM1SG board

It seems to work better than the original HiMark board. I drilled an additional hole for the ground - used a large drill bit to relieve the original ground hole (so as to not short the secondary signal line to ground) scraped away some solder mask where the new ground hole was drilled. I did not have to bend or distort any of the four leads on the RM1SG board. I used a scope to adjust, and so far, I'm impressed. I'll come back later and report any issues.






Cheers! Rabbit  ;D

The correct pinout of the RM1SG


« Last Edit: February 26, 2011, 03:32:46 PM by Rabbit »
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Brian H

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2011, 04:06:24 PM »
Thank you for the information on adding the RM1SG.
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dhouston

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2011, 09:06:55 AM »
My apologies for reviving an old thread but I just came across it.

I suspect my web page article on the CM15A was where the suggestion of using the RM1SG came from.
The reason for the significant increase in range is probably due to two factors. The RM1SG has 103dB receive sensitivity (about the same as the HiMARK RX3310A) and is very wideband compared to the HiMARK which is a superheterodyne receiver (and even wider than most other superregenerative receivers) so it hears poorly tuned X-10 transmitters that are not transmitting right on 310MHz better than the HiMARK. I haven't measured the bandwidth but it was able to receive from a Chamberlain 312MHz garage door indicator. (The supplier gave me the bandwidth but I cannot recall it offhand.)

I also tried to persuade the supplier to route pin 3 of the op-amp to one of the two RX pins so it could be used for an RSSI indicator but had no luck - I suspect the gear is manufactured by a different company than the one selling it.

The well documented mod is one more way to get acceptable RF range with a CM15A. Of course, it voids the warranty but it looks like X-10 may not be honoring warranties, anyway. A contact in China is trying to find the manufacturer.

It performs even better with an eggbeater antenna BUT it seemed to be overwhelmed when a preamp was added. I did not do extensive testing and the preamp was adjacent to the receiver which may have been the cause. Or, it may just be that the wider bandwidth was being buried in noise due to the reduced selectivity. If I get some time, I'll try to test it anew with the preamp located remotely. I should have prototype RR5x5TM PCBs in about two weeks and I'll breadboard one with an RM1SG.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2011, 09:08:26 AM by dhouston »
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mike

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2011, 08:01:12 AM »
Quote from: side068 on August 13, 2010, 02:12:16 AM
Has anyone tried replacing the receiver of the CM15A with the  RM1SG receiver? as I'm running dual antennas with the  ZSC-2-1  it was fine for 4 months but now there is lots of interference in the 310MHz band I read somewhere the CM15A's receiver can be replaced with RM1SG but haven't heard any results with the receiver swap.

very interesting thread....  wondered sid068 if you are still around, what you meant by after 4 mo now you had more interference in the 310mhz band?  I believe in Dayton, OH here I have cyclic periods every few weeks where x10 wireless (and 2 different garage door openers) basically stops working over 5' distance for a few days to a week or so at a time then come back.....
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Doc_Robotnik

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2012, 11:00:33 AM »
Hi, I found a nice way to increase the CM15A at very low Cost. So i share it to you Guyz.

I Bought an Telescopic RF antenna form Ebay for 0.99$, i removed the fake Plastic original Antenna, i skinned the antenna wire and screwed the anntenna on it. i was obligated to do a new hole in the module to install the new antenna. For peoples who like statistic, my module was in basement so i get only 15 Feets of Range at outside of the house, now whit that new antenna i got aroud 50 feets of range.

There some pic...






____________
Doc Robotnik
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Brian H

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2012, 11:39:38 AM »
Looks good.
Thank you for sharing it.
Helpful from me
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HA Dave

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Re: CM15A RF Mod
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2012, 06:02:19 PM »
Nice Job Doc_Robotnik.
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