Those devices are working well and it’s really easy to transmit data by the use of a pic.
But I noticed the following with RLP434 module:
When no RF signal is transmitted, there is some random data on the digital out pin. It seems to be noise. It is not difficult to make the difference between noise and real signal by the use of a synchronization preamble for example.
But I just want to know if this is normal behaviour to see this random data.
Yes this is noise, and depending on the area you live in you could see alot of noise. I tried using pin RB0 and and interrupt on reception of data.
Ya, Right… My program was always in the interrupt loop, when I hooked the data pin up to my scope I saw all the noise. So I had to rewrite the program and all is good.
Using a good whip I get impressive distances in my home and around my property.
as long as you are answering that question, what whip antenna are you using and where did you get it? I assume it’s a 1/4 wavelangth antenna. I just cut a piece of stiff wire to, iirc, 6.25" and I seem to get decent distance but I need something weather and ball resistant.
I’m curious to know if these things are only in matched pairs, or if different transmitters will work with the same receiver? And how likely is it for these things to drift over time?
The whip comes from Reynolds electronics “www.rentron.com” go to their remote control store.
Sure I’ll share some code. Its in Pic Basic though.
I think once you go and look through Reynolds web site you will find all kinds of code snipits as well.
My wife is in the hospital, so I’ll send more info this weekend.
No they seem to work with out being matched. You can tune the RLP’s but be very careful. If you so much as breath on the tunable coil it will change the freq. Use all of the required plastic tuning tools, scope, and freq. counter.
I have for example 1 transmitter to 3 receivers no problems.
the rf sprinkler system sounds very interesting. I have a larger garden area irrigated via 32 zones. keeping track of all that is a royal pain. especially when i want to tweak up or down watering times. There is a product that adds onto my controllers (I have 2) that allows rf control but it’s a) expensive and b) extremely limited in functionality (more like completely stupid). My goal is to hook it up to WiFi so i can program the controllers via the network. Sit at my computer and tweak up watering times by a minute or two for hot weather or down for cooler weather.
Please add my wishes for a rapid and complete recovery for your wife. I don’t know about you, but hospital stays and even visiting hospitals takes a lot out of me.
I would also appreciate seeing your PICBasic transceiver code. I use Proton+ and I’m in the process of consolidating my weather station, door sensors, and a few other home automation goodies, and broadcasting the data to multiple receivers around the house. The timing of your post is perfect.
It would be nice to have an area to post files even if they have to be moderator approved. Perhaps that is something that can happen in the future.
I got my wife out of the hospital today. Yaa, I agree hospitals are a very stressing enviroment. The smell, the aura of people in pain, its all to much some times. And if anyone offers to sneak you back to see your loved one in primary recovery, please resist. I was shocked, I had to go outside and have a good cry.
I use Homeseer as my automation controller. I got bored with the standard X10 protocol, and the lack of the extended data processes. So I use Rf to USB, Rf to UDP with a siteplayer then to Homeseer.
I have circuits and beginning code snipits for a Rf motion / temperature sensor. I also use Rf for my sprinklers through USB. I bought one of those 16F877 USB development boards, added a RTC, extra ROM, and an HT12D that transmits to 4 zone recievers.
Becouse of the lack of being able to link files Please send me a pm with your email and I’ll send what I got. I figure the more people I get looking at this stuff the better it will get, through feedback and other ideas.
Glad to hear that your wife is at home and doing better!
My home automation has been built in bits and pieces over the years, and it is time to bring things up to date. I have pretty much the same basic components as you, just different manufacturers. Instead of SitePlayer, I have a Dallas TINI module I picked up at a JavaOne conference a few years back. That gives me my web server, RS-232, and ethernet connectivity. I also have various weather instruments - temp, humidity, rain gauge, wind speed and direction, but these are not integrated as a master system. There is also an RFID reader and various X-10 components. I built almost all of these sensor modules based on various flavors of PICs. I also have a 16F877A Olimex board that I use for prototyping.
My X-10 results have been problematic. Most of the time, it works okay, but often I suffer from interference, the source of which is unknown. A number of years ago, I traced one problem to a faulty heating pad that was generating RF noise like crazy. So I don’t depend on the X10 system for much, mostly to turn a few lights (especially the Christmas lights, during the season).