Data transfer using audio/cell phone
 

Hi all, not sure if this has been asked before but I'll ask it again
and you can moan if it has :)

I'm looking to place a remote metering device approximately 25 miles
from my house - the only wireless method of data comms i can find is
using gsm technology. The price of a GSM specific board is seriously
prohibitive, especially as a) the device will be in a fairly insecure
location and b) is only a fun project. I do, however, have a stack of
old cell phones sitting around-anyone know if i can modify one of the
older types to accept serial data from my device and be
'dial-into-able' from a standard modem so I can grab current data? I've
seen a fair few companies about it but they all quote 500+ for this
sort of setup, which is just beyond a students limits lol.
Anyone know of anyone who has done a similar thing before? Seems like
something someone would have attempted, if you see what i mean?

Any help appreciated, google is only good at returning commercial
solutions.
Cheers
James

Hi take a look at this
http://www.autospeed.com/cgi-bin/bro...dd=1003707670&

and also http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_102670/article.html

its a sms controller kit, which I'm going to use on a pay as you go system,
hope this helps.

regards

Stevie P

"Coyoteboy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all, not sure if this has been asked before but I'll ask it again
and you can moan if it has :)

I'm looking to place a remote metering device approximately 25 miles
from my house - the only wireless method of data comms i can find is
using gsm technology. The price of a GSM specific board is seriously
prohibitive, especially as a) the device will be in a fairly insecure
location and b) is only a fun project. I do, however, have a stack of
old cell phones sitting around-anyone know if i can modify one of the
older types to accept serial data from my device and be
'dial-into-able' from a standard modem so I can grab current data? I've
seen a fair few companies about it but they all quote 500+ for this
sort of setup, which is just beyond a students limits lol.
Anyone know of anyone who has done a similar thing before? Seems like
something someone would have attempted, if you see what i mean?

Any help appreciated, google is only good at returning commercial
solutions.
Cheers
James

The text message thing would work ... wheather you want to use that depends
on the type of data your sending ... You can just build a serial connection
on your board and add some code to your PIC to control the GSM phone, using
it's AT command set ... to send a text message AT+CMGS followed by the PDU
.... or use ATDnum to make a data call back to yr modem ....

"brit-dub" wrote in message
...
Hi take a look at this

http://www.autospeed.com/cgi-bin/bro...dd=1003707670&

and also http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_102670/article.html

its a sms controller kit, which I'm going to use on a pay as you go
system,
hope this helps.

regards

Stevie P

"Coyoteboy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all, not sure if this has been asked before but I'll ask it again
and you can moan if it has :)

I'm looking to place a remote metering device approximately 25 miles
from my house - the only wireless method of data comms i can find is
using gsm technology. The price of a GSM specific board is seriously
prohibitive, especially as a) the device will be in a fairly insecure
location and b) is only a fun project. I do, however, have a stack of
old cell phones sitting around-anyone know if i can modify one of the
older types to accept serial data from my device and be
'dial-into-able' from a standard modem so I can grab current data? I've
seen a fair few companies about it but they all quote 500+ for this
sort of setup, which is just beyond a students limits lol.
Anyone know of anyone who has done a similar thing before? Seems like
something someone would have attempted, if you see what i mean?

Any help appreciated, google is only good at returning commercial
solutions.
Cheers
James

I'm looking into using a nokia mobile linked to the pic via an mbus
cable - should be able to do what i require - got a few nokias hanging
around :) just got to get the phone set up on a 'charge-the-recipient'
sim card, if possible.

J