Ran across an article a while back on this. Seems the Zwave frequency for the US roughly cycles at around 12.99 inches (there are charts to look this up), recommended antenna lengths are 1/4 or 5/8 of the cycle length depending on who you read.
You start with the full wavelength which is a factor of the speed of light and the frequency of the signal. That, as @thebearmay pointed out, is ~12.99". Then, also as the bear pointed out you can then use a factor of that wavelength for the actual antenna (1/4, 1/2, 5/8). Running through the math you're probably closer to 3.25" (12.99" x 1/4) than 3.1".
Thanks, @wecoyote5 & @thebearmay, I would have just put a really long piece of wire on it by myself. 
I seems like adding an external antenna, if it's only 3.25" long, will barely get the antenna physically up/out of the blinds enclosure, which I assumed would be the goal to improve reception. If I need more length to get the antenna out of the enclosure, I think you're saying I can also use 1/2 and 5/8 as the factors, so I could also use a wire 6.49 (1/2) and 8.1 (5/8) if I wanted to. Or is there a drop off in efficiency using the larger factors? And should I aim for vertical or horizontal orientation?
I did find something I had missed before, what looks like the spot for the antenna to exit the motor case - I hadn't noticed but there is a small hole near the area on the PCB where the antenna solder point is. Looks like it's there to feed the antenna up/out of the motor case w/out drilling any new holes. It's offset about around 3/4" to the right from where the antenna would be soldered for some reason.
You can use the 6.5" and you want it parallel to the HE's antenna radiation pattern. You'd need to determine the orientation of the HE's antenna (I think that was discussed in another thread) and factor in how you have HE's actual box mounted.
i.e. I think that HE's ZW antenna radiates vertically so if you mount your unit flat then your antenna should be vertical. Picture the hub in the middle of this, the vertical lines radiate from the hub in this pattern. You'd want your wire to be parallel with those lines, so in this case vertical.
Cool, thanks. I have my hub sitting on a hutch on an office desk, so it's in a "normal" orientation so vertical looks like the way to go. I'll confirm your expectation on the orientation.
Looking forward to hearing back from iBlinds support on if/how the external antenna can be set up. Given they retained the solder point and the antenna exit hole in the case, I'm hopeful that this will be relatively simple to do. [Fingers crossed.]
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Can you get UHF with that?
Out of curiosity, while you're waiting for iBlinds and while you have the unit out of the blinds. Did you try to put it together and include it close to hub, leave it there, and see how it operates? Just to rule out an issue other than coverage? I don't know how it would like not having a hardware stop but it shouldn't hurt to try.
Did the v3 early-ship iBlinds need a firmware update?
Does the HE firmware updater work?
Which firmware version?
Thanks for any advice.
Yes, the first shipments needed an update, I believe 3.02 is the latest and I've read mixed experiences on the updater.
Thank you, Mark.
Would you suggest another method instead or just see if it works?
I put a GE Z-Wave switch/repeater right under my blinds.
That should help with the Z-Wave signal/antenna issue, correct?
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That's the only method I know of right now (my iBlinds haven't been shipped yet so I haven't investigated any further). And yes, there should no issues at all with coverage in your layout.
I've been using my motor with the firmware it shipped with and it's been working, avoided the close/open command altogether and just stuck with set level.
Yes, trying exactly that.
Last night I took the stubborn blinds to our office and put it on a desk four feet from the hub, and joined it w/ease. I have been monitoring its connectivity and it appears to be very happy in that location...has not gone off and clobbered my mesh yet. So I am going to let it ride in that spot for a while and if I get the go ahead on the external antenna I'm going to try to wait a few days (patience required - uh oh!) and see if it stays solid when near the hub before I make any mods.
Also thinking I just might add a Ring range extender directly beneath it (plug under the kitchen sink, the blinds are over the kitchen sink) and see if that helps before I do the antenna. However, I have good repeaters (Z-Wave Plus switches and a Hank plug) in the kitchen already that the blinds have routed through, but haven't seemed to have been able to help the blinds stay connected.
Regarding iBlinds FW versions, according iBlinds support:
- All V3 units to date have shipped w/current official release - 3.01
- Some had different version numbers as they changed their FW versioning, unfortunately. So some may show 3.1 instead of 3.01. However, I have four and all of them came w/3.01.
- FW 3.02 (which I posted above in this thread) - It turned out this is a Beta version (they didn't tell me this at first when they gave it to me to try) and should not be installed unless you like to experiment and don't try to get me or iBlinds to help you out of trouble. They gave me the beta version because of the early problems I reported to them w/my charge adapter button not working via single press to open or close blinds. They had had another report of that problem and thought initially it might be a FW issue, but it really just turned out to being about having to press the button once really fast to get it to work. No more than 1/3 second push.
So my general advice would be don't update from 3.01 unless iBlinds tells you to.
If you do decide to do the update, I did my FW update using PC Controller and UZB stick, w/the blinds connected only to the PC Controller, not w/PC Controller as a secondary controller on Hubitat.
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Cool! It's really nice when these things open/close as planned.
I have both blinds hooked up again (the first two in the kitchen/family room) and had some wonkiness this AM but believe it was due to a mistake by me. I've revised my open automation and will confirm it's working tonight/tomorrow AM.
My "wonky" kitchen blind that keeps wanting to fall off the mesh survived one night in place on the window, hopefully it will be settled now and stay on the mesh w/out having to resort to an external antenna. I have a Ring Range Extender plugged in directly below it under the sink (maybe 6' away) but it's not using that for routing, but has a reasonable route now through a switch very near the hub.
Other two motors will be installed later tonight or tomorrow AM, they are actually in the same room as the hub (office) and have maintained a direct connection to the hub so I don't expect any problems w/those! [Though fingers still crossed.] 
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I've been checking in on this thread for a few days, since I setup my new v3 iBlinds and started testing various drivers. I can relate and confirm the iBlinds devices/drivers seem to yield varying results, especially, if you attempt to change between drivers.
I've had my three v2 (translucent model) iBlinds setup and working nicely since May. Open/close almost flawlessly since install. I used the 'iblinds' community driver...never changed...until recently. No need, because basic operation, including Alexa routines, worked just fine (by far, the most admired automation in my home).
When I got the three new v3 units, I used the same driver for several weeks without fail. Then, I decided to get ambitious and try the 'iBlinds v3' community driver. They didn't respond very well, likely, due to what someone noted higher up in this thread - you should let everything "stabilize" for a few hours. Regardless, I lost connectivity to one of the v3 units & had to exclude and re-include. The others didn't handle the Reverse correctly.
Long story less long... these devices work quite nicely if you install them, settle on a driver and don't touch them! Once you do, buyer beware... they are VERY temporamental! I suspect the metal headrails and antenna placement. But, I'm no expert, by any means.
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Thanks for the info on your V2/V3 experiences. I think your advice is good advice in general for using HA devices...giving them time to settle establish routing is often the best approach.
At this point my experience is that the V3 units will play the best w/the V3 community driver, probably because that driver is aware of/makes use of the V3's additional status communication capabilities and settings. I've had the best results w/the V3 community drivers w/my V3 blinds.
My main issue is simply keeping one of my installed blinds on my mesh, which appears to be a communication/antenna problem. When left in the office near the hub, no issues. When moved to their desired placement in the kitchen (40' and one wall away) has repeatedly fallen off the mesh, even w/nearby dedicated repeaters and Z-Wave Plus switches to route through. Another V3 blind probably 10' to 15' farther away has stayed connected w/out issue, and I have other Z-Wave devices much farther away that stay conneced just fine.
I am hoping that new efficiencies in the Z-Wave communication included in the current hub FW beta (which I am participating in) will help my blinds to stay connected this time.
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