simple wireless transmitter and reciever to call an elevator

[batman]

I live in a high rise building that is about 30 years old.
Unfortunately the 2 elevators which service my floor are completely
retarded and seem to be completely un aware of each other as they
sometimes will both open when called or not stop on floors or other
obscure behavior.

In general this is not too big of a problem since eventually they do
come to my floor and take me where i need to go. During peak travel
times, however, I can wait for the elevator to get to my floor (out of
20) for as long as 5 minutes before it gets there.

knowing this, i have even gone in the hallway, pressed the button, gone
back inside, brushed my teeth, come back out, wait a minute and finally
see it arrive.

being somewhat technically savvy and in need of a fun project- i would
like to install a simple receiver inside the button panel in the
hallway and have a small fob in the apt. ideally, i want to be able to
"press" either the up or the down button from my apt so that i can call
the elevator in advance before i get to the panel. i don't have too
much interference- perhaps 40 feet max with 4 walls in between.

i have never done any wireless projects but envision a simple 2-button
transmitter and a receiver which will momentarily short the same
circuit that the button does when it is pressed. in a perfect world,
the receiver would be powered by some circuitry already in the panel
and the fob would be like a car alarm fob or a garage door opener type
of transmitter.

Any help (including parts i actually would need [with weblinks]) is
much appreciated.

 

[SioL]

In general this is not too big of a problem since eventually they do
come to my floor and take me where i need to go. During peak travel
times, however, I can wait for the elevator to get to my floor (out of
20) for as long as 5 minutes before it gets there.

Well, how about walking down the stairs?

Healthier and faster...

SioL

 

[jorogume]

I live in a high rise building that is about 30 years old.
Unfortunately the 2 elevators which service my floor are completely
retarded and seem to be completely un aware of each other as they
sometimes will both open when called or not stop on floors or other
obscure behavior.

In general this is not too big of a problem since eventually they do
come to my floor and take me where i need to go. During peak travel
times, however, I can wait for the elevator to get to my floor (out of
20) for as long as 5 minutes before it gets there.

knowing this, i have even gone in the hallway, pressed the button, gone
back inside, brushed my teeth, come back out, wait a minute and finally
see it arrive.

being somewhat technically savvy and in need of a fun project- i would
like to install a simple receiver inside the button panel in the
hallway and have a small fob in the apt. ideally, i want to be able to
"press" either the up or the down button from my apt so that i can call
the elevator in advance before i get to the panel. i don't have too
much interference- perhaps 40 feet max with 4 walls in between.

i have never done any wireless projects but envision a simple 2-button
transmitter and a receiver which will momentarily short the same
circuit that the button does when it is pressed. in a perfect world,
the receiver would be powered by some circuitry already in the panel
and the fob would be like a car alarm fob or a garage door opener type
of transmitter.

Any help (including parts i actually would need [with weblinks]) is
much appreciated.

Maybe this site can help
http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/remote1.htm

I don't know much about RF but this project looks interesting.-->
http://www.rentron.com/RF-Remote.htm

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Well, how about walking down the stairs?

Healthier and faster...

SioL

Not if you can't climb the stairs. Not everyone is in good health
and has two good legs.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[AndyS]

Andy writes:

You are looking for a high tech solution to a simple
problem.

Here is a better idea:

Push the elevator button and lean a broom against
the elevator doors.

When the elevator arrives, the doors will open.
The broom will fall down, into the elevator.

The elevator doors will be unable to re-close
because the broom will be laying across the
threshold, blocking them.

Finish brushing your teeth and the elevator
will be waiting for you. Remember to
take the broom with you, and tell no one
what you are doing.....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( retired engineer who prefers low tech solutions to
low tech problems )

 

[[email protected]]

Andy writes:

You are looking for a high tech solution to a simple
problem.

Here is a better idea:

Push the elevator button and lean a broom against
the elevator doors.

When the elevator arrives, the doors will open.
The broom will fall down, into the elevator.

The elevator doors will be unable to re-close
because the broom will be laying across the
threshold, blocking them.

Finish brushing your teeth and the elevator
will be waiting for you. Remember to
take the broom with you, and tell no one
what you are doing.....

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( retired engineer who prefers low tech solutions to
low tech problems )

Well, uh, the OP mentioned "peak travel times"... what's to keep a
manager from picking up the broom and throwing it out?

 

[AndyS]

Well, uh, the OP mentioned "peak travel times"... what's to keep a
manager from picking up the broom and throwing it out?

Andy comments:
Nothing, if the manager finds out what's going on....

If he happens to come up to that floor and the broom falls
down, he'll just think some careless person left it there.......
and set it outside. Then the OP will know that he has been
discovered.... And change to another method..... He's
smart.... He can adapt.....

It's a heck of a lot more likely to work than having an
amateur whose never built anything taking apart the
elevator and putting in some claptrap electronics stuff, and
maybe being billed for the repairs when it is discovered....as
well as vandalism, violating a lease, and I don't know what-all.....

No, a broom is good. Maybe a walking stick.... Remember,
it will only be used for a minute or so, so he can get to
the elevator before the doors close and it goes away......Heck,
he can tie some cowbells to the handle so he can
hear it fall.......It ain't rocket surgery... :>)))

... we are, of course, assuming the manager doesn't read
this newsgroup... :>)))))

Andy in Eureka, Texas

(where there's not an elevator within 20 miles )

 

[[email protected]]

Andy comments:
Nothing, if the manager finds out what's going on....

If he happens to come up to that floor and the broom falls
down, he'll just think some careless person left it there.......
and set it outside. Then the OP will know that he has been
discovered.... And change to another method..... He's
smart.... He can adapt.....

Brilliant! So even if the elevator comes down from another floor, and
is full of people, someone would just put put the broom back outside.
You're right... it's a broom, not an EMP shock rifle or anything
unusual...

It's a heck of a lot more likely to work than having an
amateur whose never built anything taking apart the
elevator and putting in some claptrap electronics stuff, and
maybe being billed for the repairs when it is discovered....as
well as vandalism, violating a lease, and I don't know what-all.....

No, a broom is good. Maybe a walking stick.... Remember,
it will only be used for a minute or so, so he can get to
the elevator before the doors close and it goes away......Heck,
he can tie some cowbells to the handle so he can
hear it fall.......It ain't rocket surgery... :>)))

... we are, of course, assuming the manager doesn't read
this newsgroup... :>)))))

Highly unlikely. Unless the manager got his MBA after getting his
engineering degree... my cousin did that...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

(where there's not an elevator within 20 miles )

Wow, a city of 340 people? Neato!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka,_TX

Regards,

Michael

 

[AndyS]

Wow, a city of 340 people? Neato!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka,_TX

Regards,

Michael

Andy writes:
Heck, we got a lot more now than in the 2000 census. I bet at
least 30 or 40 more have moved here...

We have no traffic lights, no police, no jail, no liquor stores,
and only one cemetery. Situated on the shores of the third
largest lake in Texas, this idyllic wilderness setting is home to
an amazing diversity of wildlife, including the legendary
Texas redneck. In fact, in 2000, the Texas wildlife association
counted approx 340 nesting rednecks, secure in their wild life.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If you have more than four singing fish on the walls in
your home, you might live in Eureka, Texas )

 

[Jim Thompson]

Andy writes:
Heck, we got a lot more now than in the 2000 census. I bet at
least 30 or 40 more have moved here...

We have no traffic lights, no police, no jail, no liquor stores,
and only one cemetery. Situated on the shores of the third
largest lake in Texas, this idyllic wilderness setting is home to
an amazing diversity of wildlife, including the legendary
Texas redneck. In fact, in 2000, the Texas wildlife association
counted approx 340 nesting rednecks, secure in their wild life.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If you have more than four singing fish on the walls in
your home, you might live in Eureka, Texas )

Does your house have wheels, or is it propped up on cinder blocks ?

...Jim Thompson

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Andy writes:
Heck, we got a lot more now than in the 2000 census. I bet at
least 30 or 40 more have moved here...

We have no traffic lights, no police, no jail, no liquor stores,
and only one cemetery. Situated on the shores of the third
largest lake in Texas, this idyllic wilderness setting is home to
an amazing diversity of wildlife, including the legendary
Texas redneck. In fact, in 2000, the Texas wildlife association
counted approx 340 nesting rednecks, secure in their wild life.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If you have more than four singing fish on the walls in
your home, you might live in Eureka, Texas )

If you know who Jeff Foxworthy is, you ARE a redneck! ;-)


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[Jim Thompson]

If you know who Jeff Foxworthy is, you ARE a redneck! ;-)

I have my Sirius radio essentially permanently tuned to CH 103 ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[AndyS]

If you know who Jeff Foxworthy is, you ARE a redneck! ;-)

Does your house have wheels, or is it propped up on cinder blocks ?
...Jim Thompson


Well, our local school had a car wash to raise money to buy
a new trailer hitch for city hall....

And Jeff Foxworthy's birthday is a school holiday. All the city
services shut down, and the gas station doesn't open back up
till the mayor runs out of bait......

Andy in Eureka, Texas

( If your local owl population is used to keep stray cats in
check, you might live in Eureka, Texas )