Longggggg Range Communication

Archiver

I just know that Stampers are the smartest people in the world and if anyone
knows it will be you guys.

I was wondering what options may be available for long-range communications.
(say 10 – 20 miles).
The only thing I can come up with, would be to somehow pigtail some cellular
tower.
I’m not sure what you could do with RF. The data would be very small packets
(about 50 bytes) needing to be sent about every 10 to 30 seconds.

Has anyone ever done any cellular communications with a stamp or any other
device?

Thanks,
Wayne Fulcher
wayne@d...



[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Archiver

Ham radio operators have been doing this for a long, long time, using
the X.25 protocol (like the internet.) Hams call it "packet radio".
The PC interfaces to a TNC (node controller) that interfaces to a LF,
VHF or UHF transciever. Worldwide communication is the norm, signals
are repeated through nodes.

Check out the ARRL handbook next time youre in the library. I'm
reasonably sure your answers await you in those pages..

Regards

Rich
AA2DN

--- In basicstamps@y..., "Wayne Fulcher" <wayne@d...> wrote:
> I just know that Stampers are the smartest people in the world and
if anyone
> knows it will be you guys.
>
> I was wondering what options may be available for long-range
communications.
> (say 10 – 20 miles).
> The only thing I can come up with, would be to somehow pigtail some
cellular
> tower.
> I'm not sure what you could do with RF. The data would be very
small packets
> (about 50 bytes) needing to be sent about every 10 to 30 seconds.
>
> Has anyone ever done any cellular communications with a stamp or
any other
> device?
>
> Thanks,
> Wayne Fulcher
> wayne@d...
>
>
>
> [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Archiver

Get a nocode technician ham license, use packet radio. ( as long as the
application is non-commercial that-is) You may still be able to operate
packet radio on some business band frequencies with the appropriate license
as well. This is all assuming that you don't have a nice convienent
network connection at each end already :-)

Good luck

Archiver

At 15:16 08/08/01, Phil Hebert wrote:
>Get a nocode technician ham license, use packet radio. ( as long as the
>application is non-commercial that-is) You may still be able to operate
>packet radio on some business band frequencies with the appropriate license
>as well. This is all assuming that you don't have a nice convienent
>network connection at each end already :-)

The amateur radio solution also presumes you don't run telemetry or control
links on frequency bands where they are prohibited. Not a severe
restriction by any means, but beware of it.

73 de Jim, KB3PU

Archiver

> I just know that Stampers are the smartest people in the world and if anyone
> knows it will be you guys.
>
> I was wondering what options may be available for long-range communications.
> (say 10 – 20 miles). The only thing I can come up with, would be to somehow
> pigtail some cellular tower. I’m not sure what you could do with RF. The data
> would be very small packets (about 50 bytes) needing to be sent about every 10
> to 30 seconds.
>
> Has anyone ever done any cellular communications with a stamp or any other
> device?

You didn't say whether this is for a fun thing or a business thing, or what
your budget is but assuming that you have some moeny to spend,
commercial packet radio is whet you're looking for. We're talking real radio
modems and licensed radio frequencies here, but that's what it takes. Have a
look at www.dataradio.com for starters.

There should be some cellular possibilities, but the monthly fees quicly add-
up to a point where you're better-off with radio.


Mark Hillier, VE6HVW
President, HVW Technologies Inc.
Canadian Distributors of Parallax Products and other Neat Stuff
Tel: (403)-730-8603 Fax: (403)-730-8903
See our NEW BASIC Stamp Prototyping tools !
http://www.hvwtech.com/stampstack.htm

Archiver

At 02:59 PM 8/8/01 -0400, you wrote:
>I just know that Stampers are the smartest people in the world and if anyone
>knows it will be you guys.
>
>I was wondering what options may be available for long-range communications.
>(say 10 * 20 miles).
>The only thing I can come up with, would be to somehow pigtail some cellular
>tower.
>I’m not sure what you could do with RF. The data would be very small packets
>(about 50 bytes) needing to be sent about every 10 to 30 seconds.
>
>Has anyone ever done any cellular communications with a stamp or any other
>device?
>
>Thanks,
>Wayne Fulcher
>wayne@d...
>
>
>
>[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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Wayne,

Something to consider is, going with license free bands, to avoid on going
costs
for licenses, cell carrier cost etc. Not to mention that you have total
control
over your system.....not reliant on third party suppliers etc.
Look at the MaxStream 9XSTream credit card sized modules, they are
distributed by Lemos International in Auburn Ma. These modules are
intelligent....just feed your data in, and watch it dribble out the other
end :-)
They take care of addressing, data packet formatting and basic network
management etc. They have data rates from 1200 to 115kbaud, in 900
and 2.4GHz. Naturally, range is affected by the bandwidth specs of the module
you choose.
Lemos also have plug and play development kits for the modules too.....

Jack Chomley
Australia.