Freelander alarm / central locking

1998 Diesel Freelander.

Havin' murders trying to lock and unlock it with the remote.
Gotta press the buttons several million times whilst virtually leant on the vehicle in order for it to actuate.
This is the case with both fobs, and I have just put new batteries in both of them.
They both do actually work, but after many, many presses. No fun in the rain when ya wanna get in sharpish.
QUESTION: Where is the 'sensor' / receiver for the fob? I have tried it pressed up against both sides drop glasses, up to the windscreen, up to the tailgate drop glass. I wondered if perhaps I have the 'sensor' obstructed with something, since this is the car derived van version and is used as a bit of a work horse.. ahem, so to speak (its a tip inside).
If the 'receiver' is an antenna wire, where might it be located, what colour is it and would lengthening it make it more receptive?
Anybody else had this prob?
Fingers crossed you can help me, guys.

Casp, Have you resynchronise the fobs since you put the new batteries in.

Hi mate, no I haven't to be honest.
I didn't know I had to do owt like that, especially since they do work every now and again.
How do ya do that, mate?

Stand close to the car and press any one of the buttons five times quickly.(thats how the drivers handbook says to re sync them).good luck

Might be worth a try:

Freelander - REDUCED ALARM HANDSET RANGE - Land Rover

Casp, i'm not saying thats what the solution is but you are surposed to resync the fobs if you fit new batteries.
you can either stand at the drivers door and press either of the fobs buttons five times in quick succession or put your key with fob in ignition and turn it to position 'II' and it should automatically resync.
Never have both fobs beside each other in the car or ignition because they interfere with each other somehow.
Hope this helps if not atleast there resynchronised and its one item of the check list

changing the subject [the guys are correct about re synchronizing] if you put an infra red alarm fob up to your nose and point at your motor. . . . . you will get at least twice the distance, me and ma mutt Porky [eaze er furra bread] have conducted scientific tests on this phenomenon and it is in fact true [we call it the Ming effect] try it if you don't think its true

somebody else told me that, told me to press the remote on my head and point at the motor - thought they were havin' a giraffe!
Guys, tried that re-synch.
Pressed it 5 times, and get this... the tailgate window dropped on the 5th press. That proves that something is receiving a signal from the remote obviously. Still had a terrible job locking it again tho, and then unlocking it again to test it I had to press it 11 times before the blinkers blinked, etc.
The plot thickens....

Try switch cleaner on the switch/button and battery contacts on your remote controls.

I think that the receiver module & antenna is mounted inside the speedo housing/sunshield. clipped to the top/rear of the speedo/revcounter module.
(you cant see it unless you dismantle the housing)

so you should have pretty good all round line of sight to the housing.