Extending/Converting signal on old 49mhz toy?
03-02-2007, 09:17 AM
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Extending/Converting signal on old 49mhz toy?
I'm new to the forum so hell everyone.
I had a question to ask, I am beginning a hack involving a 49mhz RC Toy, before I go any further with it I need to try and extend the signal distance in any way possible, right now it is an analog remote with the "antenna" being one of those cheap paperclip-like rods, then inside of the actual toy it just has wire glued in a zig zag over the inside of the toys casing for its ant.
It can only go a few feet before losing the signal.
I am looking for ANY way to make a decent signal, whether its soldering some sort of antenna to the car, remote or both. Whether its having a retransmitter/emitter type device?, somehow having the signals from the remote sent into another type of transmitter, then attaching another receiver to the inside of the car, anything!
I really am not sure about how radio signals, amplification, conversion, etc. works. I bought the ARRL Radio Handbook 2006 and have been reading, but I really just want to learn what I need to get me so far, do something pratical with it, then learn more, rather then having to read hundreds of pages to do this one hack. So if anyone with some knowledge could shed some light on any possible methods of increasing the signal, whether its the signal I already have, running through a pc, converting to another signal-type or anything else that could work, I want to be able to control the device from my pc and have the toy move all around the house.
Thanks for any help
*EDIT*
One theory I came up with, unsure about though... is as I was planning to connect the remote to a parallel port, and that port to a 25 pin to USB... If I shoved that whole mess inside the robot... and connected the 25 pin to USB to my pc through some sort of wireless usb device?
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...g?t=1172853672
I had a question to ask, I am beginning a hack involving a 49mhz RC Toy, before I go any further with it I need to try and extend the signal distance in any way possible, right now it is an analog remote with the "antenna" being one of those cheap paperclip-like rods, then inside of the actual toy it just has wire glued in a zig zag over the inside of the toys casing for its ant.
It can only go a few feet before losing the signal.
I am looking for ANY way to make a decent signal, whether its soldering some sort of antenna to the car, remote or both. Whether its having a retransmitter/emitter type device?, somehow having the signals from the remote sent into another type of transmitter, then attaching another receiver to the inside of the car, anything!
I really am not sure about how radio signals, amplification, conversion, etc. works. I bought the ARRL Radio Handbook 2006 and have been reading, but I really just want to learn what I need to get me so far, do something pratical with it, then learn more, rather then having to read hundreds of pages to do this one hack. So if anyone with some knowledge could shed some light on any possible methods of increasing the signal, whether its the signal I already have, running through a pc, converting to another signal-type or anything else that could work, I want to be able to control the device from my pc and have the toy move all around the house.
Thanks for any help
*EDIT*
One theory I came up with, unsure about though... is as I was planning to connect the remote to a parallel port, and that port to a 25 pin to USB... If I shoved that whole mess inside the robot... and connected the 25 pin to USB to my pc through some sort of wireless usb device?
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...g?t=1172853672
03-06-2007, 12:44 PM
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RE: Extending/Converting signal on old 49mhz toy?
If you want to learn take a good look at the some of the antenna formulas (radio theory) that you will find in the ARRL handbook ...HINT.. use the VHF one to figure out a new length ant for the rx. and solder on a new wire ant cut to the size u have just figured out using that formula and have the ant exit the vehicle and keep it extended by using an ant tube, And yes you will need a calculator, paper and pencil, small soldering iron for electronics ..and some thought to accomplish this. It can be done with a little bit of time and math. As for the computer controlling it you need more electronic and programming experience. However by changing the electrical wavelength you can in theory increase the distance the r/c toy can receive a signal at, from its original transmitter. If you want using the same formulas you could technically make an antenna for the transmitter as well.
Good Luck
Chris.
Good Luck
Chris.
