I decided to do a quick distance check with my new Pulse wireless probes and the S1G antenna. The results must be viewed as limited and not scientific. My house is two stories. My SnS kettle sits just outside our back sliding door off the dining room/kitchen area, about 15' away from that door under a deck. It is 100' from the front gate that is on the same side as the SnS with no obstructions.
I set a cup of water with the 2 probes on the grate and then covered the kettle. Placing the FB2 with the S1G antenna next to the front gate, both probes showed up just fine. I then went into the house and placed the FB2 on the kitchen counter - maybe 35'-40' from the sliding door. Again, solid connections to the probes. Then I went upstairs to the front bedroom that is the furthest from the back and the kettle. Estimated 125' from the backyard and kettle. Within a few minutes, both probe connections were "lost".
I figured the distance through the house with flooring, a full-length mirrored closet door provided enough blocking material to cause the disconnects. I moved the FB2 to a desk that has a straight shot view to the back of the house (open hallway, no doors closed except the upstairs sliding door to the deck). Nope- still no connections to the probes.
I then moved the FB2 to the master bedroom at the back of the house, about 40' linear distance to the kettle. Both probes reconnected. I took the S1G antenna off the FB2 to use straight Bluetooth. Both probes dropped their connection.
The last thing I did was to take the lid off the kettle with the FB2 back in the front upstairs room, furthest from the kettle. Viola! Both reconnected with the S1G plugged into the FB2. Unplugged the S1G and both probes disconnected. I consider this test, with the lid off, as mostly meaningless since almost all cooks would be with the lid on, or in the case of my gasser, with the lid shut.
So, my amateur test tells me that the S1G antenna does help, but I did not get the 150' obstructed distance that Fireboard shows for the S1G. My estimate for my situation shows maybe 50'. For me, then, the S1G is marginal in benefit. Placing my FB2 next to the kettle using regular Bluetooth to connect the probes works for me because my FB2 connects to our WiFi just fine from where the cookers are sitting. I get the benefit of no wires and the full Fireboard App capabilities for monitoring and recording my cooking sessions.
I'm going to be really interested in how the Thermoworks RFX works with their RFX gateway for distance.
I set a cup of water with the 2 probes on the grate and then covered the kettle. Placing the FB2 with the S1G antenna next to the front gate, both probes showed up just fine. I then went into the house and placed the FB2 on the kitchen counter - maybe 35'-40' from the sliding door. Again, solid connections to the probes. Then I went upstairs to the front bedroom that is the furthest from the back and the kettle. Estimated 125' from the backyard and kettle. Within a few minutes, both probe connections were "lost".
I figured the distance through the house with flooring, a full-length mirrored closet door provided enough blocking material to cause the disconnects. I moved the FB2 to a desk that has a straight shot view to the back of the house (open hallway, no doors closed except the upstairs sliding door to the deck). Nope- still no connections to the probes.
I then moved the FB2 to the master bedroom at the back of the house, about 40' linear distance to the kettle. Both probes reconnected. I took the S1G antenna off the FB2 to use straight Bluetooth. Both probes dropped their connection.
The last thing I did was to take the lid off the kettle with the FB2 back in the front upstairs room, furthest from the kettle. Viola! Both reconnected with the S1G plugged into the FB2. Unplugged the S1G and both probes disconnected. I consider this test, with the lid off, as mostly meaningless since almost all cooks would be with the lid on, or in the case of my gasser, with the lid shut.
So, my amateur test tells me that the S1G antenna does help, but I did not get the 150' obstructed distance that Fireboard shows for the S1G. My estimate for my situation shows maybe 50'. For me, then, the S1G is marginal in benefit. Placing my FB2 next to the kettle using regular Bluetooth to connect the probes works for me because my FB2 connects to our WiFi just fine from where the cookers are sitting. I get the benefit of no wires and the full Fireboard App capabilities for monitoring and recording my cooking sessions.
I'm going to be really interested in how the Thermoworks RFX works with their RFX gateway for distance.
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