Cell phone activated power switch

dell30rb

dell30rb

Final Approach
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Wondering what the latest solution for this is. Did not find anything decent with a quick search on Amazon or eBay.
 
Someone needs to come up with a 4G version using a Raspberry pi or Arduino. Jim Weir, you out there?

One thing to be aware of is that everyone but T-Mobile has dropped the 2G technology, and T-Mobile plans to drop it in 2020. GSM = 2G technology.

So, if you buy a GSM switch, you'll have to use T-Mobile, and you're using technology that has built-in obsolescence.
 
kyleb said:
So, if you buy a GSM switch, you'll have to use T-Mobile, and you're using technology that has built-in obsolescence.
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Anything cellphone related has built-in obsolescence. Frequency bands are a fixed resource. The only way to introduce new technology is to reclaim a frequency band by getting rid of old technology
 
asicer said:
Anything cellphone related has built-in obsolescence. Frequency bands are a fixed resource. The only way to introduce new technology is to reclaim a frequency band by getting rid of old technology
Click to expand...

True but GSM/2G will be gone in 3 years, and the service network is smaller than 3/4G.
 
dell30rb said:
Wondering what the latest solution for this is. Did not find anything decent with a quick search on Amazon or eBay.
Click to expand...
There are a number of options or you can make your own...Philip's Switchbox is the fastest/easiest way to get up and running, altho not the cheapest.

Other options include
https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Control-Switch-Electric-Wireless/dp/B00L70ZYB2
http://www.gsm-auto.com/
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/gsm-switch

Here's the Arduino versions
http://www.instructables.com/id/Control-the-relays-via-GPRS-SMS/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Using-GSM-Shield-to-Switch-on-and-off-multiple-bul/
 
dell30rb said:
Wondering what the latest solution for this is. Did not find anything decent with a quick search on Amazon or eBay.
Click to expand...

I purchased a "mobile hotspot" from my cell provider. Now i have internet in the hangar and I can use wifi locks, camera and THIS to turn on heater.
 
I have a GSM Auto (in fact, I might be convinced to part with it as now I am in a heated hangar and don't need it). It's essentially the same guts as the one that the guy keeps hawking here, though I had to put the AC plugs on it.

I had prior to that a 7-day intermatic timer and a thermostat that turned on the heater any day it was less than 45 degrees at about 2AM and left it run until the morning. If you want to build one of those, the instructions are easy. Requires no phone service.
 
Badger said:
I purchased a "mobile hotspot" from my cell provider. Now i have internet in the hangar and I can use wifi locks, camera and THIS to turn on heater.
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Man... good call. Although it looks like these require a monthly subscription of $15 or $20 depending on the device.
 
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kyleb said:
Someone needs to come up with a 4G version using a Raspberry pi or Arduino...
Click to expand...

My hangar neighbor has done just that. His article should come out in EAA magazine either next month or March.
 
dell30rb said:
Man... good call. Although it looks like these require a monthly subscription of $15 or $20 depending on the device.
Click to expand...

There are a few pay as you go hotspot providers out there that only charge based on data used. I use 'Karma' which has data which doesn't expire but their login stuff would make using a WiFi switch difficult without paying their extra fees. FreedomPop might be an option with possibly free data, as well as a company called Internet-go/Internet on the go which also looks to have not-expiring data, probably on Sprint. But, yea, it looks like $15 is the minimum buy-in for most.

If there's an FBO maybe they'll let you use a directional antenna and WiFi repeater to steal, er, borrow Internet from your hangar.
 
I just through my GSMAuto on the family plan with my other AT&T phones.
 
This kind of stuff is trivial with a rPi and an appropriate relay, what are you guys after?
 
bkervaski said:
This kind of stuff is trivial with a rPi and an appropriate relay, what are you guys after?
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The goal is something that will activate a relay and which can be triggered by a text message or phone call to turn off or on. It needs some intelligence to only act on calls or texts from specified numbers or it needs a password. The ability to activate 2 independent relays would be better.

Ideally, either relay would be able to handle 1500 watts or so, although one relay and 500w (12v) would work in my situation.
 
This would be trivial .. I could write the software for a rPi for this in about 20 minutes .. You could use a service that sends SMS messages to a remote host if it's internet connected or even use a cell card and get SMS messages directly, however a simple IoT system would work better.

The relays work with any power level, they are just relays, the power doesn't actually go through them, just the voltage. I've used 12v and 120v relays with great success.

If there is already internet at the location it all good, if not you will need to add a USB mobile/cell modem to the rPi, there would be a monthly cost but if you are on Verizon you could bundle it with your existing data plan and just pay the device charge which I think is only $10/mo.
 
The GSM auto has two 20A relays in it. All you need to do is wire the plugs/receptacles. Cost $100 for the unit itself.
I had to get a throwaway cell phone because I couldn't convince the dweeb in the AT&T store to give me a sim and a number without a phone. I just put it on my family plan.

Note everything worked fine until I shut my hangar doors (entirely metal clad hangar). Fortunately, I had some coax and was able to extend the antenna out the eaves of the hangar roof.
 
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