Increasing the range of the X10 receiver?

[Rupp]

Do any of you guys know of a way to increase the range of the factory antenna about 20-30 more feet for the X10 camera receiver? I have X10 cameras scattered about the house and I find it nearly impossible to pick them all up at once without turning the antenna a bit. I guess what I need/want is an omni directional antenna hack.

Please do not start the age old debate about these cameras and how there are better solutions. I have high quality cameras and these but this question is about increasing the reception range of the antenna.

Thanks

 

[AutomatedOutlet]

Rupp,

I have seen people use extra senders and receivers to basically act as a reley station for the signal. You could try that.

 

[jrfuda]

Rupp, have you looked at using some hi-gain omnidirectional wifi antennas for the receiver? You'd probably have to hack the receiver to make it fit...

Our cat knocked a camera receiver off of its perch and caused the antenna "dish" to break open. Inside it was a piece of copper cable with a steel plate behind it. I think the cable is the antenna and the steel plate was a reflector, which is what gave it its directional properties.

You could try removing the steel plate, leaving you with an omnidirectional antenna.

You could take BSR's X10 RF antenna design and modify the lengths of the legs to receive 2.4 ghz and mate it to the copper antenna (need to cut the copper antenna close to the receiver as possivle, mate it to an F connector, then run coax from the F connecctor to another F connector on your homemade antenna).

Regardless of what you do, don't mutilate the original antenna so bad that you can't put it back on the receiver (with a little solder) if you need to.