Re: XTB II Review

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:rVxmh.628292$QZ1.143215@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:Y6udnc5km_5cwQfYnZ2dnUVZ_sCinZ2d@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> > My vote would be an RF signal strength meter with some sort of display
> that
> > reads X-10 signal strength on an LED bargraph.  Now that the XTB has
> solved
> > the signal strength problem, I need a solution to the all-too-frequent
> > "stuck" button problem.  It happened again today.  Although I ran it to
> > ground as soon as I applied deductive reasoning instead of rote
> > troubleshooting, I just *hate* wasting time that way.
>
> Interesting suggestion that wouldn't be hard to do using a receiver with a
> signal level output.  There may not be enough demand for something like to
> justify the effort for a finished product.  However, it could be an easy
> do-it-yourself project.

DIY?  Who, me?  Why do you think I buy XTB's fully assembled!  Phat
Phingers!

> I wonder if one of those RF sniffers used to find bugs and other RF
sources
> would work?

Dave has suggested that as well.  I'll have to look into them although I was
hoping that something could be jury rigged out of surplus X-10 gear.  Too
bad the Firecracker is transmit only.  If it received as well, it could form
the core of a cheap detector.   A battery-powered COTS X-10 receiver would
be something even I might be able to work into a DIY project.

This weekend I was about to drag out the 100' extension cord, an old 12"
parabolic reflector, a TM751 and the Monterey analyzer to make a "sniffer"
that might work directionally.  I managed to find the stuck Palmpad before I
assembled the gear.  It sure would be nice to have something like that in a
very small, portable package.

I found one site that talked about reading X-10 signals but it pointed out
that the signal strength is so low that meters have to be very close to pick
up the signal:

http://billfernandez.com/bfd2/hobbies/home_automation/X10_xmit_strength.txt

I guess I'll look at Ebay to see if any of the units Dave mentioned are
available cheaply.  The stuck button problem has happened often enough that
I am pretty sure it's going to happen again.  This time my wife wasn't home
so I dodged a bullet but I haven't been that lucky in the past nor do I
expect to be in the future.   Since she's never caused a button to stick,
it's something that's a black mark on my record when it happens and X-10's
already made enough of those!

--
Bobby G.