remote release DIY 2 way radio- solenoid

[dog trainer iowa]

heres my project and or idea.... im trying to use a two way radio to signal another two way radio. i have 12 VDC magnetic solenoid thats hooked to a bird launcher(big sling shot used for training retrievers). when solenoid receives power it retracts in turn releasing the latch.... i have done this with remote/recievers bout online and they work well to about 250 yards. i need to go out to about 500+ yards... so ive tried hooking into a recieving two radios headset jack and soldered onto the speaker leads with no luck. from the two way radio tje thought was to goto a low voltage trigger(pac tr-4) which woild be hooked through a 12V sealed battery and then to a 12VDC relay then to tje solenoid.....

the first major issue is getting the two way to trigger the solenoid? please any help would be great... thanks

 

[djsfantasi]

Have you thought of using an op amp to scale the audio output to a 0-4VDC (or whatever you need) signal, then running it through an RC envelope follower to make a DC signal which you can use to switch the load? I used this technique in an animatronic. Detailed schematic is here. There is a lag, but it can be minimized by reducing the capacitance in the envelope follower sub-circuit b

 

[MikeMl]

What kind of radios?

To get better range with any given (line-of-sight) radio system, you need better antennas, or possibly more elevation of the existing antennas...

 

[dog trainer iowa]

there Motorola radios.....

 

[dog trainer iowa]

there Motorola radios..... heres the pdf that i assumed worked when i started this project.... dsfantasi it will take me a bit to research what your refuring too. as relays are about as far as my knowledge goes... but i feel your on the right track as the radios have the range im wanting. im just not getting the voltage out of the radio that i thought i would....

 

[dog trainer iowa]

Have you thought of using an op amp to scale the audio output to a 0-4VDC (or whatever you need) signal, then running it through an RC envelope follower to make a DC signal which you can use to switch the load? I used this technique in an animatronic. Detailed schematic is here. There is a lag, but it can be minimized by reducing the capacitance in the envelope follower sub-circuit b

im thinking correct if im wrong. if i take the signal sent by the receiving two way to an op amp which switched the(i believe this but not sure what type of signal im recieving) aduio analog signal to a 4VDC that should be enough to trigger the low voltage trigger in turn setting off relay and solenoid....and FM as my boss calls it....
im not sure what op amp to buy though?

 

[djsfantasi]

LT1013... all the information you need and more is on the schematic I posted. Here is the article that describes the circuit in detail.

 

[dog trainer iowa]

RC circuit to smooth out the remaining audio oscillations. I used a Schottky diode to minimize DC signal loss.

is the schotyky diode what is refered to as an envelope follower?

so in layman's terms... head phones port of two way, to the op amp. from there im going to take that one wire pos. into tje envelope follower.. that should give me somewhere around 4 VDC. then if that voltage triggers the relay im good if not into the low voltage trigger yadyada yada... am i close?

 

[dog trainer iowa]

could i get tje right diode just put out 12 volts... that i can use to set off the rwlay?

 

[djsfantasi]

could i get tje right diode just put out 12 volts... that i can use to set off the rwlay?

A Schottky diode is not an envelope follower. That function is served by the RC network after the op amp. The op amp amplifies the audio signal from typically an AC 1v peak to peak signal and amplifies / scales it to a 0 - 4v (est.) signal.
The diode has nothing to do with the output. In fact, I've come to believe that it's unnecessary. If you were to power the op amp with 12v, you may be able to get a 12v signal on the output (after the RC network). It depends on how much gain you can get, and I'm away from my reference materials.

Importantly note that the output is the envelope of the sound input (refer to the pics in the article) What you need is a circuit that can latch, based on levels. Such as a Schmidt trigger feedin a flip flop.

Can you figure that out or do you need help?

 

[Reloadron]

The suggestions you have are fine. If I were to do this with your existing walkie talkies I would use a Tone Encoder and Tone Decoder much like The LM567x Tone Decoder. Pretty common chip requiring minimal parts. A popular encoder was the CEX-4000 used in telephone key pads. A DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) telephone keypad would offer 12 buttons or 12 channels. A Google of DTMF Encoder and DTMF Decoder circuits should bring up dozens of results. Transmit a known tone and have the receiving walkie talkie respond to the tone. You only need one channel so a single LM567 on the receiving end. Anyway, given a choice I would try something along those lines with your existing walkie talkies. Just something else to think about.

Ron

 

[dog trainer iowa]

The suggestions you have are fine. If I were to do this with your existing walkie talkies I would use a Tone Encoder and Tone Decoder much like The LM567x Tone Decoder. Pretty common chip requiring minimal parts. A popular encoder was the CEX-4000 used in telephone key pads. A DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) telephone keypad would offer 12 buttons or 12 channels. A Google of DTMF Encoder and DTMF Decoder circuits should bring up dozens of results. Transmit a known tone and have the receiving walkie talkie respond to the tone. You only need one channel so a single LM567 on the receiving end. Anyway, given a choice I would try something along those lines with your existing walkie talkies. Just something else to think about.

Ron

https://m.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-4CH-D...Remote-Controller-Switch-Module-/281730353887

im pretty sure this is what i need.... after a few hours of diggin i learned a bunch and also learned that i dont know much after just scratching the surface.... if i couldnt have found this circuit board all ready set up i think i would have went with and atleast tried to do it with the op amp. i felt i could understand more of how things were working.... my eyes have been opened though and as long as this is the right part pending your guys approval. i will report back as to how it comes out

 

[Reloadron]

During the Early 1980s a gentleman named Forrest M. Mimms wrote several small circuit books for Radio Shack. This is a link to one of his drawings using the CEX-4000. The tone generator could be had from any old used DTMF telephone keypad. Note how way back then he used some CB Walkie Talkies. I would say your link has possibilities that should work for you.

I have a 4 channel key fob unit sitting here but never got more than 100 yards unobstructed from it. I like the walkie talkie approach.

Ron

 

[dog trainer iowa]

the DTMF tones hit home, as I've installed PBX's and worked with telephony for the last 10 years. I'm just not good at reading schematics.... the kind of just intimidate me.... if I can physically see that that's a resistor an thats a relay. I can get it.

this is a link to what I currently use. and works great out to 250 yards. as we're usually setting up multiple Marks. if you could make something like this what the long-range capabilities of the two ways, there would be a market for it for sure. as long as you can stay within a reasonable price range.... current setups on the market that can do that or $500....
https://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?nav=item.view&id=350869187382&alt=web