It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA


--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.

On 1/21/2016 11:43 AM, KenK wrote:
It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

Depends on the style of mailbox. If you have the "traditional" rural
box with the rounded top, there used to be an outfit that made a pop up
flag (yellow panel parallel to the roadway for high visibility at the
house) that attached to the top. The trigger was just an extension that
slipped beneath the mailbox door when YOU closed it (armed itg) which
would allow the flag to pop up when the carrier opened the door to
deposit your mail.

Should be easy enough if you're at all handy to make up something along
that line. Alternatively, maybe a yellow tennis ball on a nylon cord
rigged to fall out when the door is opened (hint: forewarn the carrier
so he/she doesn't get upset) and would hang there in plain site when the
mail was delivered.

Lastly, I think I've seen radio alert units that do the same thing
sending a signal to a receiver in the house.

On 1/21/2016 12:43 PM, KenK wrote:
It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA


About three decades ago, Popular Mechanix
had a gadget in article. It was a swing
arm. When the letter carrier opened the door,
the swing arm showed over the top of the mail
box. My first thought was the first snow or
freezing rain, and it would not pivot. I can
remember it well enough to draw it on paper,
if you want.

This isn't it:
http://www.amazon.com/AVM-AVM-01-Aut.../dp/B0044V5RTU

but might do your required task.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 1/21/2016 12:43 PM, KenK wrote:
It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA



Is the mailbox visible from the house? I have a mailbox made by
Rubbermaid that has a flag that comes up on the side when the box is
opened. It is on the left side looking from the house.

I've also seen some other pop up flags that can be added, but never
looked at the details. Would be nice to have an alarm of sort go off.
Probably exists too!

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 14:12:56 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:


I've also seen some other pop up flags that can be added, but never
looked at the details. Would be nice to have an alarm of sort go off.
Probably exists too!

Wireless ~ 250-300 ft. (various models)

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mail-Reminder-Notification-Alert-Wireless/dp/B005XQYKHU/ref=pd_sim_60_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31XwoVO6DvL&dpSrc=sim s&preST=_AC_UL160_SR139%2C160_&refRID=171VWRC3QCWJ K2FBQ2N2

On 21 Jan 2016 17:43:05 GMT, KenK wrote:

It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

Way back in 1957 there were lots of devices that did this. They set
a yellow flag that we could see from our house 120 feet from the box.

Oours only had 3 metal parts counting the yellow flag, plus a screw
and a metal weight. Ours used the weight to make the flag go up.
Others used a mechanical arm forced down by the door to pull up the
flag.

I think a radio would be fine if you couldn't even see the mailbox,
but otherwise it's far more cost and trouble than need be.

TIA

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 15:27:21 -0500, Micky
wrote:

On 21 Jan 2016 17:43:05 GMT, KenK wrote:

It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

Way back in 1957 there were lots of devices that did this. They set
a yellow flag that we could see from our house 120 feet from the box.

It had to be reset every time the box was emptied.

google yellow mailbox flag or mail.

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Mail...-Flag/27047336
http://www.amazon.com/Yall-Got-Mail-.../dp/B000BKKZJA
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...llow+mail+flag

Oours only had 3 metal parts counting the yellow flag, plus a screw
and a metal weight. Ours used the weight to make the flag go up.
Others used a mechanical arm forced down by the door to pull up the
flag.

I think a radio would be fine if you couldn't even see the mailbox,
but otherwise it's far more cost and trouble than need be.

TIA

On 01/21/2016 02:27 PM, Oren wrote:

I've also seen some other pop up flags that can be added, but never
looked at the details. Would be nice to have an alarm of sort go off.
Probably exists too!

Wireless ~ 250-300 ft. (various models)

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mail-Reminder-Notification-Alert-Wireless/dp/B005XQYKHU/ref=pd_sim_60_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31XwoVO6DvL&dpSrc=sim s&preST=_AC_UL160_SR139%2C160_&refRID=171VWRC3QCWJ K2FBQ2N2

A few years back we had something from RadioShack that operated on the
same principle, but it didn't work very well. It was light-activated, so
it "triggered" when the box was opened, but probably the presence of the
mail van in between the transmitter and the receiver was the main problem.

Perce

On 1/21/2016 11:43 AM, KenK wrote:
It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002MSR2E?psc=1

or

http://www.amazon.com/Mail-Reminder-...QCWJ K2FBQ2N2

Per Unquestionably Confused:
Lastly, I think I've seen radio alert units that do the same thing
sending a signal to a receiver in the house.

My #2 daughter gave us one of those a couple years ago.

Our (steel) mailbox is about 100' from the house and I thought it was
the dumbest thing I'd ever heard of: "Dinky little radio inside a steel
box, AAA batteries... give me a break!"

Works like a charm and the batteries last at least 3 months - maybe
six... I haven't been keeping that close of a track.
--
Pete Cresswell

KenK posted for all of us...



I'e not tried Googling yet.


Let us know when you find what you want.

--
Tekkie

Can't you make sort of a reverse flag that falls down below the box when the postman opens the door to put mail in the box? That's what one of my neighbors has done.

Our mail sometimes comes as early as 2pm, and sometimes as late as 8 pm. It used to be you could set your watch by our mail lady, 3 pm +/- 15 minutes.. But after she got transferred to another route, the times went to 5pm +/- 3 hours. No pattern to the variations that we can figure out. And, calls to the Post Office have fallen on deaf ears.

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:37:04 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 1/21/2016 12:43 PM, KenK wrote:
It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to tell if
the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten forget to check by
that late in the afternoon - busy with other things like making my supper.
My delivery time varies, I suspect because different deliverers. Currently
it's late in the afternoon, sometimes after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA


About three decades ago, Popular Mechanix
had a gadget in article. It was a swing
arm. When the letter carrier opened the door,
the swing arm showed over the top of the mail
box. My first thought was the first snow or
freezing rain, and it would not pivot. I can
remember it well enough to draw it on paper,
if you want.

This isn't it:
http://www.amazon.com/AVM-AVM-01-Aut.../dp/B0044V5RTU

but might do your required task.
In Canada many rural mail boxes had a red flag on them that the mail
carrier would pop up when he put mail in the box.

On 1/21/2016 9:39 PM, wrote:

In Canada many rural mail boxes had a red flag on them that the mail
carrier would pop up when he put mail in the box.


We use that flag to let the carrier know we have mail to be picked up.

Here in the USA, at least every place I know of, the red flag is put up when there is outgoing mail, and when you can see the flag is down, then you know the mailman/woman has come and picked up your outgoing mail and maybe left you something.

My neighbor has a second flag (sort of) that is released when the mailbox door is opened, and it falls down so they know the postman/woman has opened the door.

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 22:01:41 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/21/2016 9:39 PM, wrote:

In Canada many rural mail boxes had a red flag on them that the mail
carrier would pop up when he put mail in the box.


We use that flag to let the carrier know we have mail to be picked up.

There's something about which way the box is turned too - Long time
since I had to deal with a rural mail box. facing the road=full,
parallel to the road+ empty?

wrote:
"Our mail sometimes comes as early as 2pm, and sometimes as late as 8 pm. It used to be you could set your watch by our mail lady, 3 pm +/- 15 minutes. But after she got transferred to another route, the times went to 5pm +/- 3 hours. No pattern to the variations that we can figure out. And, calls to the Post Office have fallen on deaf ears. "

Budget cuts, route consolidations. Guess my situation isn't that bad
after all! .... 3pm +/- 2hrs. No pattern here either. Now how many
DECEASED carriers is the P.O. still paying pensions to?

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 21:23:18 -0600, wrote:

On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 22:01:41 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 1/21/2016 9:39 PM, wrote:

In Canada many rural mail boxes had a red flag on them that the mail
carrier would pop up when he put mail in the box.


We use that flag to let the carrier know we have mail to be picked up.

There's something about which way the box is turned too - Long time
since I had to deal with a rural mail box. facing the road=full,
parallel to the road+ empty?

Not in my part of the U.S. The boxes are solidly mounted with the
door facing the road. It's red flag up to alert the mail carrier to
stop. The carriers keep moving it they have no mail to drop off
and the flag isn't up.

--
Using Opera's mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

wrote:

Can't you make sort of a reverse flag that falls down below the box when th=
e postman opens the door to put mail in the box? That's what one of my nei=
ghbors has done.

I bought my folks a battery operated transmitter. It chimes in the house and
lights a red led when the mailbox door is opened. Works very well for them, but
I don't know what the range is. I bought it from Heartland, but I don't think
they stock them anymore. You might check Amazon.

wrote:

There's something about which way the box is turned too - Long time
since I had to deal with a rural mail box. facing the road=full,
parallel to the road+ empty?

The side flag is for pickup. I've seen some box designs tht also have a small
flag on top that pops up when the door is opened.

I saw a setup once where the box & post swayed back and
forth whe mail was put in it. The swaying could be stopped
when the owner retrieved their mail. I once drove down a
street it must have been just after delivery because half
the boxes there were swaying. I thought it was what I had
for lunch until a proud homeowner saw me stopped, and
came out to explain what she and her neighbors had
installed(!) She got her mail out of the box and pressed a
button on the post - the box stopped swaying.

On 1/21/2016 9:39 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 21 Jan 2016 13:37:04 -0500, Stormin Mormon
This isn't it:
http://www.amazon.com/AVM-AVM-01-Aut.../dp/B0044V5RTU

but might do your required task.
In Canada many rural mail boxes had a red flag on them that the mail
carrier would pop up when he put mail in the box.


Or, the resident would put the flag up if there
was a letter going out.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

Per (PeteCresswell):
Works like a charm and the batteries last at least 3 months - maybe
six... I haven't been keeping that close of a track.

That being said, I still like the spring-loaded pop-up flag idea better.

No batteries, no questions.... just works.
--
Pete Cresswell

On 1/22/2016 8:21 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per (PeteCresswell):
Works like a charm and the batteries last at least 3 months - maybe
six... I haven't been keeping that close of a track.

That being said, I still like the spring-loaded pop-up flag idea better.

No batteries, no questions.... just works.


Until it gets wet and freezes?

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

KenK wrote in
:

It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to
tell if the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten
forget to check by that late in the afternoon - busy with other things
like making my supper. My delivery time varies, I suspect because
different deliverers. Currently it's late in the afternoon, sometimes
after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA



I seem to recall that back when I was a kid living or visiting rural
places that the mailbox flag system was just the opposite of that
nowadays. Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

TIA



--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.

Per Stormin Mormon:

Until it gets wet and freezes?

Has anybody got experience with the mechanical approach?

In my little fantasy world, I would think that a strong-enough spring
and, maybe, polyethylene moving parts would be pretty much
freeze-proof...

I visualize a wand that gets bent over and is secured by a trigger-like
latch that gets released when the box is opened.

i.e. No moving parts save the latch - and that has to release if/when
the box gets opened.

But that's just my little fantasy world and the Real World does not
always get the word...
--
Pete Cresswell

Per KenK:
Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

Around here (suburban, not rural), the flag is always used to signal
outgoing mail and the carrier flips it down when he picks up the mail.

So, pending a conversation with the carrier, maybe the solution is for
the resident to always flip the flag up when they collect mail - whether
there is outgoing or not.... and have the carrier, as usual, flip it
down when they deliver.
--
Pete Cresswell

On 1/22/2016 7:51 AM, KenK wrote:
KenK wrote in
:

It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to
tell if the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten
forget to check by that late in the afternoon - busy with other things
like making my supper. My delivery time varies, I suspect because
different deliverers. Currently it's late in the afternoon, sometimes
after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA



I seem to recall that back when I was a kid living or visiting rural
places that the mailbox flag system was just the opposite of that
nowadays. Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

Seems like that would be extra work for the carrier. Undoubtedly it
would lead to a grievance and, perhaps, overtime or a salary bump for
those additional dutiesg

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote:

I visualize a wand that gets bent over and is secured by a trigger-like
latch that gets released when the box is opened.


You really don't need to reinvent the wheel...

http://www.amazon.com/Mail-Yellow-Mailbox-Alert-Driveways/dp/B0002MSR2E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1453475777&sr=8-6&keywords=mailbox+flag

On 22 Jan 2016 13:51:35 GMT, KenK wrote:

KenK wrote in
:

It would be nice to have something to use with my rural mailbox to
tell if the mail has come when I don't have any outgoing. I oten
forget to check by that late in the afternoon - busy with other things
like making my supper. My delivery time varies, I suspect because
different deliverers. Currently it's late in the afternoon, sometimes
after 4 PM.

I'e not tried Googling yet.

TIA



I seem to recall that back when I was a kid living or visiting rural
places that the mailbox flag system was just the opposite of that
nowadays. Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

TIA
He did both. He put the flag down if he picked up mail and did not
deliver any. He put the flag up if he delivered mail but did not pick
any up. He left the flag up if he picked up and delivered mail. The
flag just meant "I need attention"

From what I remember anyway - but it's been over 45 years.

On 01/22/2016 08:00 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per KenK:
Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

Around here (suburban, not rural), the flag is always used to signal
outgoing mail and the carrier flips it down when he picks up the mail.

So, pending a conversation with the carrier, maybe the solution is for
the resident to always flip the flag up when they collect mail - whether
there is outgoing or not.... and have the carrier, as usual, flip it
down when they deliver.


I'm in a suburban neighborhood, and the mail carrier usually ignores the
red flag. Doesn't stop unless there's mail to be delivered. Almost never
puts the flag down afterward.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"I don't mind those who are born again, just as long as they don't think
that they get twice as many rights."

Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 01/22/2016 08:00 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per KenK:
Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense
to me. Probably amother false memory. Comments?

Around here (suburban, not rural), the flag is always used to signal
outgoing mail and the carrier flips it down when he picks up the
mail. So, pending a conversation with the carrier, maybe the solution is
for the resident to always flip the flag up when they collect mail -
whether there is outgoing or not.... and have the carrier, as usual,
flip it down when they deliver.


I'm in a suburban neighborhood, and the mail carrier usually ignores
the red flag. Doesn't stop unless there's mail to be delivered.
Almost never puts the flag down afterward.

Ever leave him cookies ? Maybe a bag of fresh-picked muscadines ? We get
superb service here , I'm on a first-name basis with my mail carrier .
A couple of fresh cucumbers goes a long ways ...
--
Snag

I seem to recall that back when I was a kid living or visiting rural
places that the mailbox flag system was just the opposite of that
nowadays. Mailperson put the flag up when you received mail, instead of
putting it down when outgoing mail was picked ip. Makes more sense to me.
Probably amother false memory. Comments?

TIA
He did both. He put the flag down if he picked up mail and did not
deliver any. He put the flag up if he delivered mail but did not pick
any up. He left the flag up if he picked up and delivered mail. The
flag just meant "I need attention"

From what I remember anyway - but it's been over 45 years.


I remember the " rotate the mailbox " signal - same as the flag -
- mailbox facing the road means - something is here -
- mailbox facing parallel to the road means - I'm empty ...
I always understood that the flag meant the same thing -
used by the homeowner and by the mail-man.
This was for my area in southern Ontario Canada.
John t.




--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

Per Mark Lloyd:
I'm in a suburban neighborhood, and the mail carrier usually ignores the
red flag. Doesn't stop unless there's mail to be delivered. Almost never
puts the flag down afterward.

I'd have a word with whoever runs the local delivery operation.
--
Pete Cresswell

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 8:27:53 PM UTC-5, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Mark Lloyd:
I'm in a suburban neighborhood, and the mail carrier usually ignores the
red flag. Doesn't stop unless there's mail to be delivered. Almost never
puts the flag down afterward.

I'd have a word with whoever runs the local delivery operation.
--
Pete Cresswell

its no biggie because the postal service is about to mandate central mailboxes in neighborhoods nationwide.

thecentral mailbox hold perhaps 50 boxes, which the carrier fills , saving tons of time and money

coming nationwide along with mon, wednesday, and friday deliveries only, closing of over 1/2 of all bost offices nationwide

Bob Haller wrote: "- show quoted text -
its no biggie because the postal service is about to mandate central mailboxes in neighborhoods nationwide.

thecentral mailbox hold perhaps 50 boxes, which the carrier fills , saving tons of time and money

coming nationwide along with mon, wednesday, and friday deliveries only, closing of over 1/2 of all bost offices nationwide "

Cite source for this, please.

On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 9:03:53 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Bob Haller wrote: "- show quoted text -
its no biggie because the postal service is about to mandate central mailboxes in neighborhoods nationwide.

thecentral mailbox hold perhaps 50 boxes, which the carrier fills , saving tons of time and money

coming nationwide along with mon, wednesday, and friday deliveries only, closing of over 1/2 of all bost offices nationwide "

Cite source for this, please.

its part of a modernize and streamline the postal service proposal in congress.

fine by me, since the postal service is mostly a junk mail delivery service

bob haller:

Specific news source or other source please.

On 1/22/2016 8:57 PM, bob haller wrote:
On Friday, January 22, 2016 at 8:27:53 PM UTC-5, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Mark Lloyd:
I'm in a suburban neighborhood, and the mail carrier usually ignores the
red flag. Doesn't stop unless there's mail to be delivered. Almost never
puts the flag down afterward.

I'd have a word with whoever runs the local delivery operation.
--
Pete Cresswell

its no biggie because the postal service is about to mandate central mailboxes in neighborhoods nationwide.

thecentral mailbox hold perhaps 50 boxes, which the carrier fills , saving tons of time and money

coming nationwide along with mon, wednesday, and friday deliveries only, closing of over 1/2 of all bost offices nationwide


Cutting delivery days is OK by me. Cluster boxes can be a PITA though,
but down from me they do have five to 10 together already.

Seems like Amazon is using the Postal service more and more, even for
Sunday delivery for Prime.

Per Ed Pawlowski:
Cutting delivery days is OK by me. Cluster boxes can be a PITA though,
but down from me they do have five to 10 together already.

Anybody know what the procedure is when the box will not hold all the
mail ? I'm thinking packages and junk mail around Xmas.
--
Pete Cresswell