I contacted IF with the same problem. A R-21 Collar. The solution is easy to find.
Try the collar on someone else’s property.If it still only works from 6 inches, the problem is the collar. If it works fine, it’s the transmitter. If the wire is broken, the collar won’t work at all and the light will flash on the transmitter.
I have the exact same problem except my unit is only about 4 years old. But I don’t know anyone with the fence so I can test the collar. Actually, as I think about it, I have 2 collars and I did test both collars. So it must be the sending unit. I wonder if I could just put a little amplifier on the wire to increase the signal strength. Even when the unit worked good the collar had to be withing about 3 feet of the wire to respond.
RE: Weak signal from invisible fence by Anonymous :: NR0 :: Show
I have the exact same problem except my unit is only about 4 years old. But I don’t know anyone with the fence so I can test the collar. Actually, as I think about it, I have 2 collars and I did test both collars. So it must be the sending unit. I wonder if I could just put a little amplifier on the wire to increase the signal strength. Even when the unit worked good the collar had to be withing about 3 feet of the wire to respond.