Another Hive question/problem

[JBR]

We have just had a Hive system installed. It worked perfectly after installation, but this morning it failed to turn on. The thermostat is on the living room wall, exactly where the previous one was mounted, which worked perfectly.
I found that if I moved the thermostat lower down in the same room, it connected. Similarly, if I moved it into a room more remote from the boiler. I tried it in the bedroom (nearer to the boiler) and it connected again. Back on the wall, no connection.
The strange thing is that moving it to a room at the opposite end of the house to the garage, where the receiver is sited next to the boiler, it connects every time.
Why should that one location prove such a problem? I can't find any large metal plates in the line of sight from thermostat to the receiver!
Any suggestions?

 

[bernardgreen]

Wireless propagation is a black art with a bit of science.

The transmitter aerial in the thermostat is very likely to transmit more power in some direction(s) than it does in other directions, likewise the aerial in the receiver will be more sensitive to signals from some directions than it is to signals from other directions.

A small piece of metal that is close to either thermostat ( transmitter ) can make a change in the directions of the strongest "beam" of energy from the transmitter. If the length of the metal is such that the metal is resonant at the wireless frequency then the change in direction will be a major change. Like wise for the receiver,

 

[JBR]

Wireless propagation is a black art with a bit of science.

The transmitter aerial in the thermostat is very likely to transmit more power in some direction(s) than it does in other directions, likewise the aerial in the receiver will be more sensitive to signals from some directions than it is to signals from other directions.

A small piece of metal that is close to either thermostat ( transmitter ) can make a change in the directions of the strongest "beam" of energy from the transmitter. If the length of the metal is such that the metal is resonant at the wireless frequency then the change in direction will be a major change. Like wise for the receiver,

Yes, indeed. I'm sure it must be something attenuating the signal, but the old thermostat that came with the Worcester-Bosch (er, don't mention that on the plumbing forum!) boiler, in exactly the same position, never had a problem.
I have tried to think where such a 'barrier' might exist, and the only thing I can think of is the mains cable from the light switch which is directly below the thermostat position.
In any event, I've decided to remove the mounting plate as it is unusable and, instead, use the portable stand that we bought with the Hive system. We'd use that anyway in order to move the thermostat from room to room.