DAVIS Wireless Repeater (7626, 7627) - Manual (Page 7)

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Wireless Repeater Introduction
The wireless repeater extends the range of a Davis Instruments weather station network
and can help overcome obstruction or interference problems present in a given network.
The transmission distance between a station and a receiver (known as radio-link range)
can be impaired by walls or other objects. When planning to use repeater(s) to lengthen
transmission distance from a station to a receiver keep the following information in mind:
• The typical radio-link range of all Vantage Pro2 stations and repeaters (models #7626,
#7627 only) is:
• Line of sight: 1000' (300 m).
• Under most conditions (some visibility but small obstructions): 500 - 800' (150 -
250 m).
• Through Walls/Around Large Obstructions: 200 - 400' (60 - 120 m).
• The range for a standard wireless repeater has the same range limitations as all
Vantage Pro2 stations.
There are many things that can affect radio-link range and performance, and they should
also be considered when planning a network. They fall into two categories, obstructions,
and interference.
• Obstructions — These can include but are not limited to: walls, structures, rocks,
land, trees, foliage, any metal including mounting poles, fences, etc. For example,
your console or Envoy receiver will most likely be indoors. That means that there is
one or more walls between the receiver and the station(s) it is listening to. Depending
on the number and construction of these walls, the radio-link range can easily be
reduced to only a few hundred feet. While land (terrain) will completely block radio
signals, other items like trees and foliage will only reduce the radio-link range. Wet or
snow covered trees, foliage or walls will further reduce radio-link range.
• Interference — This can include: cordless phones, baby monitors, cell phones, cell
towers, ham radios, or any high-powered transmitter nearby. This can reduce the
range, because the radio can only receive what it can decipher over other
transmissions.
Antenna height can also affect radio-link range. Generally, the higher the better. Mount-
ing the radio/antenna as high as possible will not only get better radio-link range, but it
will be more likely to create a line-of-sight over some obstructions.
By placing repeaters between station transmitters and your receiver, you can increase the
range of your weather station network, keeping in mind the limitations discussed here.
You can go around obstructions, extend line-of-sight distances, or increase the signal
strength in noisy environments by placing radios closer together.
Note: Even longer line-of-sight distances can be achieved with the Long-Range Wireless Repeaters #7653,
#7654. See our website at www.davisnet.com for more about our Long-Range Wireless Repeaters.