On 08/30/06 01:43 pm Kurt Gavin wrote:

I'm talking about those standard roadside USPS boxes.

Mine's in front of the house and I'm wondering if there's a gadget that can
tell you by sight, or maybe electric trip switch, if there's something in
the box.

Radio Schlock used to[1] sell a system with a light-triggered
transmitter that goes in the box and a receiver (with a wall wart) that
goes in the house. When the box is opened, the light triggers the
transmitter, and an audible and visual alarm goes off at the receiver --
the sound is temporary, the flashing light continues.

[1] I say "used to" because I think that when we bought ours at a
fraction of its original price it was because they were discontinuing them.

Ours has not been foolproof. Sometimes the alarm has gone off several
times in one day. Sometimes it has not gone off at all even when the box
was opened, but our mailbox is across the street, so of course the truck
is between the transmitter and the receiver and reduces the signal strength.

Maybe there is another similar device but better.

Perce