Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
RF Device Suitability — Parallax Forums

RF Device Suitability

edgellmhedgellmh Posts: 85
edited 2009-09-23 15:34 in General Discussion
I am interested in building a cistern water level reporting device and the Parallax RF transceiver seems like an excellent way to get the information from the cistern to inside the house. Does anyone have experience that would indicate whether that transceiver would work well sending a signal less than 30 feet but through an adobe wall penetrated with a closed door and closed windows? I imagine the antenna penetrating through the top of the cistern cover but no antenna penetration from the house to the outside.

marshall edgell

Comments

  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2009-09-23 15:34
    High frequency RF signals to not travel well through earthen materials.· I recently used an RF transmitter to located a buried wire.· The wire is around 12" to 18" below the surface.· Initially, I tried a transmitter in the 400 MHz range, and I couldn't pick up a signal at all.· After doing some research I found that buried wire detectors normally operate in the AM radio band around 500 KHz to 1 MHz.· This frequency band works much better.

    Adobe may allow more RF through than soil.· It seems like the only way to know for sure is to run a few tests.

    Dave
Sign In or Register to comment.