[Jay]

I picked up a mighty mule driveway alarm from my Lowes. They're on sale for $55 in a special display in the lighting section.

It's magnetic and is designed to detect vehicles. It's wireless. You trench the sensor which is connected to to the transmitter which sits on top a PVC pipe. Detection range is 3-12 feet adjustable.

The receiver can be up to 400 feet from the trany according to the mfg. Mine is about 50 feet.

Out of the box, it was useless to me as all it does is sound a beeper and turn on the 'visitor' LED.

I modded it.

The beeper is DC powered so I measured the activated voltage and found it was in the input range of a X-10 Powerflash. I soldered 2 wires across the beeper, cut a slot in the enclosure to pass the wire and connected the Powerflash. The beeper volume control changes the voltage; I keep mine on full.

Works great! I'll get another one for the other drive after the steel dumpster is removed. (Some day.) There are dip switches in the trany and rcvr to change the code so you and your neighbors don't trigger each other or in my case, to define which drive a vehicle is moving in.

When a vehicle moves, HS plays a wav file, announces it and activates the outside house lights - like so:
sub main()
if hs.ison("L1") then
hs.execx10 "L1","off",0:hs.waitsecs 3:hs.execx10 "L1","on",0
elseif hs.isoff("L1") then
hs.execx10 "L1","on",0:hs.waitsecs 3:hs.execx10 "L1","off",0
end if
end sub

[Jay]

I may add a loop for the lights to cycle several times and I'll tell ASEL to switch to the 180 degree cam which can see both drives AND, I may send IR commands to TVs to switch to the drive cam.
Other possibilities are to turn on DVR to capture lost time in a TV show and pause the Blu-ray while displaying the drive cams.

[Skibum]

Nice
If I ever had visitors I might consider it.

[Jay]

Well, ya might wanna know you made it home

[Jay]

Got my other one. Still on sale for US$55. Bought an adz while I was there since the sensor wants to be buried.
Left old one at gladwyne.com for the new owner.

[Jay]

Oops. I'm a Chaucer guy. Etymology: Middle English adse, from Old English adesa.
One end looks like a pick, the other also curves but has a flat blade. I put this in 'cause it don't Google good.

[nsisman]

I've had one for years - excellent for trenching and especially chopping out old tree roots ( Lilac's etc).

Now I mostly let my son run it !

Always called it the "adz axe"

Princess Auto sells 'em up here.

Newer ones have nice fiberglass handles as well.

Ski could have used one doing his garage renovation !

[Skibum]

You mean there is a tool better than a coal shovel??

[Jay]

[Jay]

Neil, et al.
Just remembered. It's also called a 'pick ax'. Unlike the rich earth in PA, excavating on Kiawah is kinda like digging into a matress. It's sand with tough fibres and roots. The adz clears the way easily.

Anyway. new unit is defective and was obviously returned to the floor pile.
Made the mod, saw it was screwed up, then noticed it was repackaged. Why do they do that??? Send it back to the disty!

Anyway, (Ski) Home Depot, unlike a certain fast food chain, has a great return policy.

Only bitch is that because of island living, it's a long way to swap out a new one.

[Skibum]

My ASEL is currently collecting dust.... let me know if you need an additional unit.

[Jay]

Mine has been too. So you aren't switching cams locally any more?

I'll just be doing the 180 degree for both drives and the other for the lagoon.

Go a new drive detection unit, tested and mod'd it and will install when the reno is done. Some day.

[Skibum]

All my cams came down when I did the exteroir of the house.
If I do it again it will be with megapixel IP cams.

[Jay]

So you won't be doing video level at all?

I'd think you'd like to be able to look around while sitting in front of your HDTV.

[Skibum]

Video level is soooo turn of the century...

[Jay]

Which one?

Oh, driveway magnet is picking up deer and bobcats wandering thru with GPS collars!

[cbskate19]

Video level is soooo turn of the century...

" turn of the century... "? Cb use still in use? Catch ya on ch. two four? Thanks.

[Skibum]

CB is "retro"

[cbskate19]

CB is "retro"

What do we use now to stay in touch?

Crocodile Club?
http://www.lakecompounce.org/forum/viewtop...?f=1&t=3135

Internet web camera chat rooms?

Cell phones?

Ham radio?

Police radio scanners?

What two way radio is being used these days?

{Finney County EMS, and Finney County SO are encrypted. Rural Fire units have the ability to encrypt when necessary.}

Will 2 way comunication become encrypted or is two way radio encryption digital 700 mhz trunked and cell phines making it so we can't even monitor wireless radio communication transmissions over a police radio scanner anymore?

So, what's your contact phone number?

Thanks.

[Skibum]

Personally I still use the CB.
I monitor the MURS VHF band and use a mobile phone with full data.
Used to Ham.... not anymore.
I have a Digital police scanner for receiving those "tough" broadcasts.
I don't think encryption per se is gonna happen, just the eventual transition to digital broadcasts. (Like Ct. State Police)

My contact number?? Whatcha need?