Re: 5834-4 key fobs intermittently stop working with 5881-ENH receiver connected to Vista 20p

[Jim Davis <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 2:05:37 PM UTC-5, Roger Horwitz wrote:
> On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 9:30:36 PM UTC-7, HOGAN wrote:
> > Well, by the description in your above story, you appear to be a homeow=
ner or a not very experienced technician since you "successfully" programme=
d the remotes.=20
> >=20
> > All that aside, you also mention that the unit is in the closet next to=
 the panel box. You failed to mention if the house is multi-story, or if th=
is closet is in the basement, or that perhaps there is structural materials=
 that could be interfering with the transmission of the fobs, like a refrig=
erator, water heater, concrete or the like. Those fobs you bought, do not h=
ave the power of a microwave.
> >=20
> > There is not enough information available to come to any conclusion to =
your dilemma.
> >=20
> > The ideal location for the receiver is the highest spot in your house, =
away from any steel, aluminum, or any material dense in its atomic structur=
e- fobs will not work in an X-ray room since it is shielded with lead. If y=
ou do not have any available location near the panel box that is free of "i=
nterference materials", then perhaps find a location close to any of your k=
eypads, to install the receiver. The receiver uses the key-bus wiring anywa=
y and that is what keypad wiring uses. Perhaps you have a keypad that is on=
 a wall adjacent to a closet where you could relocate the receiver. It is n=
ot rocket science, fobs just need no interference with other conflicting wi=
reless, and they don't work thru dense materials like steel, lead, aluminum=
, etc.
> >=20
> > I have used a lot of wireless from different manufacturers, and it is r=
are for Honeywell keyfobs to not work properly.... except in the case of wi=
reless interference--in that aspect they do come to the top.
> >=20
> > Since you took the long and expensive route to keyfobs, you should inve=
stigate using the after-market fobs that work on many different systems- th=
ose should have topped out at less that $50 for the receiver and 2 fobs... =
and they also comes with a button on the remotes that activates a small lig=
ht beam... way ahead of Honeywell.
> >=20
> > The light blinking on the fobs is there only to tell you that it sent '=
the "WIRELESS BEAM" out into the wonderful expanse of the ether. It does no=
t mean that it communicated with the receiver.
> >=20
> > If you can stand by the receiver and use the remotes, and the system co=
nsistently arms and disarms, then it is either interference by dense materi=
als or interference from other wireless sources.
> >=20
> > It is best to hold the remote firmly with the left hand, and using the =
finger of the right hand to activate the remote. Make sure that you stand f=
lat-footed first. Soothing music in the background is also encouraged... no=
 hard-rock.
> >=20
> > ...A little laughter helps on any day.
> >=20
> > Hogan
>=20
> Hogan, thank you for your insightful albeit condescending response.  I=E2=
=80=99m glad I was able to brighten your day with my post.  I=E2=80=99ll gi=
ve your advice to move the wireless receiver a try.
>=20
> FWIW, the reason I posted this asking for assistance is that the behavior=
 doesn=E2=80=99t make sense.  On any given day at any given time, I can be =
standing with a fob in each hand and one might work while the other won=E2=
=80=99t.  Wouldn=E2=80=99t interference affect BOTH the same?=20
>=20
> If you=E2=80=99re going to post a response, would you mind doing so with =
a bit less sarcasm, maybe just answering the question or ask for more infor=
mation in a civil way?  Yes, I=E2=80=99m a tech savvy homeowner.  No need t=
o put me down for that.

Most of what Mr Hogan says is accurate.=20

If you can stand near the receiver and the remotes work every time and when=
 you move away, they don't =E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6.. then the problem can be cau=
sed by any number of circumstances. Interference. Although,  you didn't say=
 if your alarm system was a wireless or hardwired system. If your alarm sys=
tem is a wireless system and you are not experiencing any problems it's not=
 likely and interference problem. More likely it is some sort of signal blo=
ckage. Moving the receiver to a new location could conceivably help. You'll=
 have to experiment. Connect a long wire between the panel and the receiver=
 and walk around and try placing it at other locations in the house that yo=
u can get a wire from the receiver to either the panel or a keypad.=20

If this has never worked then another possibility is simply that you have a=
 defective receiver.=20

Due to wave length considerations which frequency bands being used, sometim=
es just moving the receiver a couple of feet can cure a problem. You have n=
o idea what wave patterns are being set up in your home due to metal object=
s. Radio waves are bouncing off of  and being impeded by every object in yo=
ur home. Beat frequencies, oscillations and clashing with other wireless de=
vices in your home can create havoc =20