I am an Australian inventor of a number of things. I run a weather
organisation and need to use electronics for a number of things. I am
interested in getting some people to work together on some community
projects. They include:
1. Making or finding a transmitter that can act as a remote control to
switch a device on an off possibly over a kilometer away.
2. Amplifying a low voltage range so that it will scale between 0 and 5
volts
3. Finding or creating software that will activate a relay to operate a
motor through a cable connected to the printer or serial PC port.

I would also be interested in your group and swapping links with your
website. The weather network and plans for other community groups are
linked to http://weather.org.au

Could you, or do you know who could help with some of these projects or
do you have any ideas? Also, do you know of any Internet electronics
forums where we can share ideas and ask questions.

Could you possibly share this letter with other people who may be able
to help?

Please see more information below.

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Remote switching by radio transceivers.
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I am wondering if you know of an affordable remote control that can
transmit over about 1 km. I have heard it can be done using a 433 MHz
transmitter.
I have an idea to remotely activate a switch by a radio transceiver. I
have two applications at this moment. One is for an irrigation sensor I
have invented. It works on evaporation and turns a switch on when a
container of water loses weight and overbalances an arm. It activates a
micro switch to do this. The sensor is best placed out in the field
under the sprinklers that replace the water. However, a problem for some
people is that a long length of cable has to be laid out between the
sensor and the solenoid valve that the switch turns on. I thought a way
to overcome the problem would be by using a common low cost radio
transceiver or a 433 MHz transmitters/receiver like the ones at Electus
Distribution with a number of ZW-3100 and ZW-3102. There may also be a
unit already made up to do what I want.

It would be good to have a transmitter at the irrigation sensor so that
when it’s micro switch turns on it can activate the transmitter that
sends a signal back to a receiver at the solenoid valve or pump which
turns the water on.

I could also use the idea to make a rain sensor for a community project
so that a leaf wetness sensor out in the field a couple of kilometers
away could send a signal back to sound a buzzer to alert us when rain is
coming.

I do not know enough about electronics to make one or even what parts to
order. Do you know anyone who could help me make up the kits? I also
have some other community projects in mind that would benefit many
people. However, I would need people to make them up. Do you know who
could or any groups that may be able to help?

Is there a remote control already made up that would do what I want, and
if so, what would it cost?
If not are there any kits available and how long would they take for
someone to make up?

Another way and probably the cheapest is radio CB transceiver which
could be the solution and some people said it could do the job. However,
I also heard that there could be problems with interference and that if
I send a continuous signal on it for some time it may interfere with
other people communicating. However, there may be a solution to still
use it if I could have a directional antenna and also have the receiver
that is in something like a pipe so that it will only pick up signal
from the transmitter that the pipe is pointed at. Do you think that this
could work? The transceivers claim to go about 5 KM. Also I could work
it so that it sends a beep every so often instead of a continuous signal.

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Amplifying a low voltage to range between 0 and 5 volts.
**********************************************************

One thing I want to make up soon is a leaf wetness sensor that outputs a
voltage range of between 0 and 5 volts, depending on the amount of
moisture on it. I have received information in an electronic diagram of
how one could be easily made in an earlier thread about this subject. It
is at http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/science/015/
I have sourced some places where I can buy the sensors but they need to
be modified so that they output the correct voltages.

I have a data logger that collects data so that the weather can be
graphed out. It is then automatically uploaded on to a public site
linked to http://www.weather.org.au/tolga/ The logger requires between 0
and 5 volts. The voltage values are saved in a text file and pasted into
Microsoft Excel to be converted into the values I need and graphed out.
It would be good if very light drizzle registered at perhaps the lowest
voltage and heavier drizzle was logged at a higher voltage so that a
graph could be created. Also it would be good to put an alarm on the
wetness sensor so it would buzz even when light drizzle is falling on
it. The buzzer could be switched off and separate to the computer and
data logger.

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Software to operate solenoids through serial or printer port.
***************************************************************

I am trying to set up a camera to rotate to take digital still shots of
the weather. To get the rotator to work it would be good to have
software that will induce a voltage down some cable linked to either the
printer or serial port on the PC. This would then activate a relay to
rotate the camera. Also I plan to have a door in front of the lens that
is normally closed to protect the camera from the weather

I have a spare printer and serial port on my computer. I would need two
circuits connecting the port. One circuit would control one relay that
would activate a solenoid to open a door on my camera box. When the door
opens it would expose the lens so it can see the weather. Then a photo
will be taken and I have software to take the photographs. After the
photo is taken I would need to switch off the voltage to the relay so
that the door closes. Then I would have to activate another circuit to
activate another relay. This relay will activate another solenoid or
motor to rotate the camera about 45 degrees. I have made up a rotator to
do this so that a windscreen wiper motor can rotate it into the next cog
that is at about 45 degrees. About a second is all that is needed to
have this rotating motor on for. After that time I will want to switch
it off by turning of the circuit and relay through the port. The process
will then be repeated 8 times with maybe 10 or 15 seconds between them
so that the camera will rotate 360 degrees. On my rotator I have a
method so that it will reverse after that time so cable will not be
twisted. The 8 cycles, rotation and photos are done every hour at this
stage.

So I thought the easiest way to do this would be to get a simple
software program that could only have 4 buttons on it. One button would
start a voltage from perhaps the printer port so that it will be induced
perhaps through two wire cores in category 5 networking cable. Another
button would be nearby to stop to voltage which would stop the first
solenoid via the relay.
A third button would activate the second circuit which could go through
another two wires on the category 5 cable via the printer port. The
fourth button could switch this circuit and relay off.

I already have software that can to automatically move my computer mouse
curser to click buttons. So I would not need a timer on the software.
However, I could use a timer to time the on and off times as an
alternative to save as many mouse clicks. However, it would be not worth
doing this if it will take you much more time as the mouse moving
software is very easy to program and I can do it.

I am hoping to only use 4 thin wires from the printer port to go through
the category 5 cable that is planned to be about 50 meters long. Two
wires would be the positive and negative for the first circuit and the
other two would be the positive and negative for the other circuit.

I have Windows 2000.

Do you know of any software that can do this or could you possibly write
it or know who could?
If so, would it be much trouble to do and when could I get it by?
If you can think of an easier way, please let me know.

Some ideas for a weather network are at
http://weather.org.au/instruments.htm

I also have many different sites with rare information that could
benefit many people. They include community groups to help many people
by searching for extraordinary people or methods that are significantly
better than those widely available. Please see
http://www.advantagein.com/overview.htm
Do you want to swap links?
It would be appreciated if you could share this letter.
Any feedback is welcome.

Your help will be appreciated,
Regards Richard