# WRL-08950 434MHz RX: Tips for usability?

**URL:** <https://community.sparkfun.com/t/wrl-08950-434mhz-rx-tips-for-usability/18065>\
**Category:** Wireless & IoT\
**Created:** [November 5, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/wrl-08950-434mhz-rx-tips-for-usability/18065 "2010-11-05T21:27:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Blackfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@Blackfin](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Blackfin)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/wrl-08950-434mhz-rx-tips-for-usability/18065/1 "2010-11-05T21:27:07Z")

</div>

I’m interested in using the “RF Link 4800bps Receiver - 434MHz” (WRL-08950) RF receiver in conjunction with the “RF Link Transmitter - 434MHz” (WRL-08946) for a home project over perhaps 30 feet through a cinder block wall and drywall. I chose them for their simplicity and the fact that I was truly looking for a “cable replacement.”

I received a couple of samples today for test using a PSoC 29466. When I powered everything up. '08950 receiver’s data output was toggling at a furious rate as might be expected in a 434MHz-rich environment. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that much racket in a typical suburban environment – maybe short bursts now and again but not the non-stop continuous output I’m seeing now. There’s no way I could send a 5 or 10-byte packet across this link; there’s simply zero “idle time”.

My power (5V) and ground look fine and the noise is there with a 17cm “antenna” wire there or not. It does seem worse with the antenna (which makes sense…)

I haven’t built the transmitter-side yet for my test but I was wondering: Does the receiver have any sort of AGC? If so, perhaps I could begin my transmission with a fairly wide “break” signal to allow the receiver AGC to throttle back. I’d follow the break with my message and repeat this once every second or so.

I looked at the datasheet for the module:

[http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Wire … RX3400.pdf](http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Wireless/General/MO-RX3400.pdf)

and for the RX3400-LF chip:

[http://www.princeton.com.tw/downloadpro … 3400\_3.pdf](http://www.princeton.com.tw/downloadprocess/downloadfile.asp?mydownload=RX3400_3.pdf)

and don’t see mention of gain control.

Before I waste time on building a TX, any tips on making use of the DATA output of the RX? Any tips from those who’ve actually used it?