To understand how to get good remote control range you need to firstly understand a little about how remote controls work. In laymans terms the remote control hand transmitter sends a coded radio signal out in all directions, which is then picked up by a receiver, decoded and if valid will open the gate.
Ideally this radio signal works best with nothing in the way. Any objects between the transmitter and receiver can block the signal. The closer the transmitter is to the antenna the stronger the signal is, so the less likely it will be blocked. But if you double the distance between transmitter and receiver, the signal strength reduces by 1/4, so can be blocked more easily. The remote controls own signal can also bounce off other objects and interfere with itself also reducing range.
What can block/reflect a remote controls signal?
Anything metal including Steel and Aluminium Gates/fences and Concrete walls with reinforcing steel will block and reflect the signal. This includes wire mesh, which acts the same as a sheet of metal. Timber and fibre sheeting fences are generally ok, they don't really effect the signal much at all. The ground can also effect the signal so antenna's near the ground generally won't work as well as those up high. Trees and bushes will be fine in dry weather but as soon as it rains the water suspended in the leaves can block the signal.
What makes the best antenna?
For 433.92 Mhz remote controls a piece of 1mm2 wire 160mm long set vertically in a straight line works fine as an antenna. With 315Mhz the same but the ideal wire length is slightly longer at 220mm. But generally with automatic gates the receiver is in the control box, which is installed behind the gate post near the ground, which isn't the best position for the antenna. If the gate and fences are timber and there are no bushes near the gate then a piece of wire hanging down from the antenna terminal should work fine.
If the receiver is surrounded by metal gates/fences, reinforced concrete and/or bushes then the antenna must be placed well above all this to work properly. If you just run a longer length of wire up the gate post this WON'T WORK!. The cable running up the post must have an earthed shield with 160mm of unshielded cable sticking above the post acting as the antenna. The simplest way to do this is to use a length of 50 Ohm CCTV coaxial cable and strip the shielding back at one end by 160mm to form the antenna and the other end connected to the antenna terminal of the receiver and the shielding connected to the ground terminal. A piece of outdoor heat shrinkable tubing can then be put over the antenna to protect it from the weather and to stiffen it so it will stick up in the air above the fence post. You can make these yourself. They can simply be installed using cable clips.
Grant's Automation also has 433.92 Mhz and 315Mhz Antenna's available that come complete with 3m coaxial cable and a mounting bracket.
Installing the cable for Antenna
The cable for this antenna should be run in PVC conduit to protect it or run inside a Hollow metal post.
A 20mm hole should be drill at the base of the post and a 10mm hole at the top near the antenna. Then drop a flexible wire in the top hole until it can be seen in the bottom hole. Then fashion a hook out of some 32 Gauge fencing wire (or old wire coat hanger) and hook the cable pulling it through the bottom hole. Now tape this to the coaxial cable for the antenna and pull it through.
Getting around Interference
If you continue to have serious range problems it is likely there are other devices around that are interfering with the remote control signal, reducing range considerably. If the range comes and goes then the interference may only occur when someone in the neighbourhood turns on the interfering device.
It also depends on what type of receiver you have, if a receiver is a "regenerative" type with a wide band width and fixed gain then it is much more likely to pick up interference and won't work nearly as well as a "Superhetrodyne" type with automatic gain control that has a very narrow band width. Grant's Automation uses only this type of receiver to get the best operating range.
If you wish to upgrade your remote control system for a better one you will need to replace your remote control hand transmitters and install a new Receiver unit too. Our receivers can be installed on any Automatic Gate or Garage door system that has 12V or 24VAC/DC available and control input terminals. See our remote controls page for more information.