I need to find a suitable transmitter.

Thread Starter

Lambda

Joined Feb 28, 2011
28
I am trying to find a transmitter for a project that involves transmitting serial data. Since I am using the arduino, the obvious choice would be an xbee. But I need it to do more than I think the xbee can handle.
The device itself will be a portable remote control unit for stage lighting dimmers. It will be used when focusing lights. The receiver will be located in the equipment rack that contains the dimmers. This absolutely has to work 100%, at all places within the auditorium, including high in the air surrounded by metal pipes and girders. This is a problem because the rack is separated from that space by a foot of concrete. In addition, directly above it is a very large metal air duct. Depending on how people may use the device in the future, it may be necessary for it to transmit through multiple walls. The effective range of the device, walls and all, should be a couple hundred feet.
Communication only has to be one way, and fast baud rate is not important. It can be as low as needed, because I will only be transmitting short strings of numbers. The number one priority is reliability. If it can't work 100% of the time, I might as well not build it at all.
So is there a transmitter out there that can suit my needs?
 

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
Please have a look at this site:
http://www.linxtechnologies.com/news/

It's 3000 feet in line of sight, I guess it could work for a couple of hundred feets indoor. Important will be that you follow their antenna recommendations.
They also have decoders that, if you use a transceiver, can give a confirmation back to the sender that the signal was received.
 

Thread Starter

Lambda

Joined Feb 28, 2011
28
The linx modules do appear to fit my needs, but it seems that all they have are surface mount. It also seems that the pads are UNDER the chip for compactness. I have neither the tool nor the skill to solder SMD's. And then, to use those, I'd have to have a PCB printed, wouldn't I?
I really wish that I could use this, because it does seem pretty great.
Is there anything else that's through-hole?
 
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