How I accidentally Improved my MiEV remote

So I had the plastic trim by the passenger sail window pulled out trying to relocate the antenna for my OVMS module. It was having trouble with staying on the network, not very surprising since I put the antenna horizontal behind the radio. When I popped the smaller piece off, I noticed the wire for the MiEV antenna was unplugged. Not sure if working the plastic unplugged it or not, but looking at the form of the wire, it was plugged into the antenna connector backwards and popped out when the plastic trim released. Either way, I routed my antenna wire for the OVMS down through the dash and to the module, plugged the MiEV antenna back in, and re-assembled the dash. Yesterday morning, I also accidentally dropped my remote.

Now, my remote works farther away from the car with the antenna down than it did before with the antenna extended, AND the car now responds to the remote when unplugged.

I don't recall it ever responding unless the car was plugged in.

Does anybody else's car respond when the remote is turned on without the car plugged in (ie. the remote does the descending tones and comes back with battery charge instead of error-ing out)? Before, if I turned the remote on, it would error and not send anything back unless the car was plugged in. Also, what kind of remote range are you seeing? I'm 100 feet away from the car through 2 block walls, got an error with the antenna down, but a response with the antenna up.

We routinely check the charge level using the remote when the car is not plugged in. It has always come back with the 1-3 bars level on the remote, so we know if we have enough or need to plug it in for the next day's driving.

We only have about a 20 ft (from our foyer to garage) through a single door/wall, so I don't know what kind of range I get on the remote. - Dan

Hmmm, I sometimes have connection problems if I don't raise the remote antenna. The signal's going about 30 feet through a gypsum/wood siding wall plus a very shallow angle through an asphalt shingle roof and wood soffit. Provided the remote connects, I've always been able to check SOC even when unplugged.

Love this forum, as I learn something new every day! I knew we couldn't energize heating or cooling with the Remote when the car is disconnected, but it never occurred to me to check for charge level. Thanks!
Hint to Mitsubishi: in the future, how about making SoC be a number instead of bars (or in addition to bars if you wish), on both the Remote and the dashboard? Just how innumerate are we supposed to be?