This is an update to include my final setup as well as some experience along the way...
With the baseline CM15A, I was able to use the palm pad remote from around a room away (maybe 30 ft through 1 or 2 walls). That does not work in my home let alone the motion sensors outside! So, the first thing I did was to modded the CM15A to add an F-connector and a new antenna. I started with the following setup:
CM15A (f-connector modded) -> RG6 coax whip antenna (18" stripped to the center core).
With this setup, I found that I could get signals from much farther and showed that the antenna could make a dramatic difference to the receiving performance of the CM15A beyond baseline. My next step was to try a better antenna. Enter the Radioshack 20-176.
CM15A (f-connector modded) -> 6ft RG6 coax -> Coax-to-SO239 adapter -> Antenna (RS 20-176)
I located this setup in my office as before and was VERY pleased to find that I could now use the palm pad remote from anywhere on my 5 acre property. After testing for a few days, I decided to install the antenna in the attic similar to what bcondemi did in his home (
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=12292.0). My run was as follows:
CM15A (f-connector modded) -> 3ft RG6 coax -> gold 90° connector -> Wall plate (zinc? coupler) -> RG6 coax to basement structured media box -> gold coupler -> RG6 coax to attic -> Coax-to-SO239 adapter -> Antenna (RS 20-176)
With this setup, I could get better coverage than the original antenna, but I certainly lost some range. I had other projects going on, so this one sat this way for several months. When I saw dave w's post (
http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=25109.0) around 1 or 2 months back, it made me start thinking about this again since I need to get the rest of my motion sensors set up. I purchased an in-line amp from Radio Shack (15-369) and installed it as follows:
CM15A (f-connector modded) -> amplifier power inserter -> 3ft RG6 coax -> gold 90° connector -> Wall plate (zinc? coupler) -> RG6 coax to basement structured media box -> gold coupler -> RG6 coax to attic -> in-line amp -> Coax-to-SO239 adapter -> Antenna (RS 20-176)
With this setup, I could get access to all of my house and quite a ways away from the house with the palm pad. I though I was done! Well, when I started playing with the keychain remote and the MS16A motion sensors, I found that I get spotty coverage where I need them. So, I added a passive 18" whip to 2 and a 9" whip to the other. With this setup I get reliable coverage from the specific locations I tried. BUT, now I would have long wires hanging from these units which would dramatically reduce the all important WAF.
So, I purchased a second in-line amp from ebay. There are lots of them out there, but I chose the one with the attached picture. It's a wide frequency amp that works with DBS, cable, radio, TV, etc. Since I already have a power injector from the RS unit, this one is all that's needed provided that it's located on the correct side of the power filter from the RS inline amp. Anyway, here's my final setup:
CM15A (f-connector modded) -> amplifier power inserter -> 3ft RG6 coax -> gold 90° connector -> Wall plate (zinc? coupler) -> RG6 coax to basement structured media box -> in-line amp (ebay) -> RG6 coax to attic -> in-line amp (RS) -> Coax-to-SO239 adapter -> Antenna (RS 20-176)
With this setup, I can now remove the whips from the motion sensors and the keychain remote can be received from ~200ft! Now, I've only had this setup since last night, but so far, so good! Granted, this is not the easiest setup and certainly costs more than the stock CM15A on its own. BUT, it works much better. I suspect that if I had just gotten the V572 (
http://www.wgldesigns.com/v572.html), I would have been pretty close to the same performance. I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money for something that I couldn't try out and return if it failed. This setup is all available from RS locally (well, except for the extra amp which was only $6 on ebay).
Oh, one thing that's worth mentioning I suppose. If I had a power filter that was separate from the inline amp, I probably could have simply replaced the RS and ebay amps. The RS is rated at 10dB gain whereas the one from ebay is 30dB.