Whey does holding remote door lock to chin increase range

[spidey07]

Anybody know the exact, documented reason why holding your car's keyfob to your chin increases its range dramatically?

It works with RF, so it would have to be something with transmission power or gain.

 

[Kenazo]

Reminds me of this snopes article.

 

[jpeyton]

Uses your body as an antenna.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Uses your body as an antenna.

yeah, but why is the chin such an ideal place? You can't very well stick it in your belly and get the same results.

and overall output is still the same. Where is the gain taking place and why? The skeleton? The water in the brain?

 

[CChaos]

I read something about this awhile back, and I believe the explanation of why you hold it to your chin had something to do with the shape of the human skull.

 

[sciencewhiz]

http://home.olemiss.edu/~atef/head/head.html

 

[memo]

i've never seen anyone do this.

 

[Linflas]

They had an MIT (I think) physicist on Click & Clack and his theory was that it was probably 1 of 2 things at work. Because they are limited range devices he theorized that most people continued to walk closer to their cars while trying to use the device and by the time they got around to holding it to their chin they were within the device range. His other thought was that it had to do with line of sight and height of the device from being held at your side versus being held a couple feet higher at chin level.

 

[wiredspider]

Originally posted by: memo
i've never seen anyone do this.

Yea me either

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: wiredspider

Originally posted by: memo
i've never seen anyone do this.

Yea me either

try it. walk away from your car until you are out of range. walk another 10 feet to ensure you are totally out of range and the car will not lock/unlock.

hold keyfob to chin and it will lock/unlock.

I mean it really DRAMATICALLY increases the range.

 

[ajskydiver]

I've tested this with my Tacoma.

Walked to just outside of the range (approx 10m) and waved the fob all over to see if it would work...it didn't. Held it to my chin and it worked for an additional 2-3m. (I did this to show my wife since she didn't believe me.)

~AJ

 

[Phoenix86]

I'd guess it's the skeleton, because the chin has little fat/skin between the bone and the outside world. I wouldn't be surprised if the elbow worked as well, the chin is just easier to get to...

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Phoenix86
I'd guess it's the skeleton, because the chin has little fat/skin between the bone and the outside world. I wouldn't be surprised if the elbow worked as well, the chin is just easier to get to...

that's what I was thinking.

But the all powerful intarweb has yet to provide the answer.

 

[Bulk Beef]

What I really want to know is why does the picture on the TV always fix itself when I get close enough to adjust the rabbit ears, and then get sh*tty again as soon as I walk away? It's like it's fvckin with me or something.

 

[Tremulant]

Originally posted by: sward666
What I really want to know is why does the picture on the TV always fix itself when I get close enough to adjust the rabbit ears, and then get sh*tty again as soon as I walk away? It's like it's fvckin with me or something.

Ahaha, my old tv did that. Actually, just depending on where I was in the room would seem to adjust the picture.. and ofcourse, the more that I was out of the way of the tv, the better the picture would look. I don't know why though, this was using cable, not rabbit ears/antenna.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Kenazo
Reminds me of this snopes article.

hahaha, what kind of moron would actually believe that...

 

[Rkonster]

You guys better watch out! Microsoft has a patent on using the body to transfer information!

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: sward666
What I really want to know is why does the picture on the TV always fix itself when I get close enough to adjust the rabbit ears, and then get sh*tty again as soon as I walk away? It's like it's fvckin with me or something.

With my TV it was because of the connector on the back was loose and the floor panels would cause the TV to move very slightly. So if you stepped in front of the TV and caused it to slightly move, you may cause it to gain reception. And stepping away would cause it to lose that contact again.

 

[spidey07]

from the "info" I've read and gathered it "may" have something to do with the skull acting as a directional antenna.

I've worked some in RF and it seems to make sense. take an omni transmitter and give it some direction = longer range.

Can be tested by looking away from the car when trying it.

 

[Vic]

Learn something new every day I always say...