would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

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Zot
 
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:42 am

would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by Zot »

I am having trouble getting signal from an XBEE run by battery to the computer. I currently have the chip models (standard adafruit receiver kit).

I have a few choices:
  • Different XBEE (cost $)
  • Add an antennena (this can be tricky to get impedance to match)
  • Place the xbee in a parabolic antenna (working on some ideas, I have a spare satellite dish)
  • Or switch from 3V to 5V (easy, I have to move to line power anyway).
I have no reason to believe to it will help, but I thought I would ask.

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amberwolf
 
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Re: would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by amberwolf »

I don't know their specs, but are those xbees 5V compatible? If not, you'd potentially destroy them with 5V.

If you want to use a directional antenna, you could use a simple pringles-can cantenna, if that's in the 2.4ghz band. There are many sites detailing how to calculate and use them.

felis
 
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Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:56 pm

Re: would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by felis »

Amberwolf wrote:I don't know their specs, but are those xbees 5V compatible?
They are not.

Zot
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:42 am

Re: would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by Zot »

Actually Lady Ada's connector takes 5V in, but looking at the
Schematic it appears to drop it to 3V before going to the XBee.

Looks like fun with Tin Foil happens next.

BTW I am glad I checked my random Skil wall wart, it says 2.9 (center of Digi's spec range), but it is measures 2.2 (lower end). This may explain why it did not recharge the car vac I bough oh so many years ago!

adafruit
 
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Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by adafruit »

id move to a pro and/or put a larger antenna on. see: http://www.ladyada.net/make/tweetawatt/expand.html

Zot
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:42 am

Re: would going from 3v to 5v increase the range?

Post by Zot »

Update: I posted an Instructable

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