freedom from the wire

[Ray T. Bentley]

Congratulations, Rob!

Those of us who used RCT have been "free of the wire" since we started with
RCT.  It has an automatic noteswitcher.  When I used SAT, I was very happy
with the thumbswitch arrangement.  I never used the foot switch, because I
thought it would be a pain, just like you've found it to be.

Once, again, your genius is to be congratulated!

Ray T. Bentley, RPT
Alton, IL

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Goodale <rrg@nevada.edu>
To: PTG <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 11:15 AM
Subject: freedom from the wire


> ANNOUNCEMENT!
>
> I have just successfully completed an invention that has plagued piano
> technicians your years, (oh, I can just hear the applause already... ).
>
> As an SAT II user I have shared the frustration with countless others on
> dealing with the dreaded foot pedal.  Always dragging the tangled mess
> out, untwisting it, then winding it back up, and so on.  Then every
> couple of years the wire shorts out internally and you have to break out
> out the soldering iron and replace it.  Have you had enough of the wire?
>
> For some time now I've been thinking about how to eliminate the dreaded
> wire-  a wireless remote switch if you will.  I began exhaustive
> research on the subject over six months ago.  I chose not to discuss
> this publicly until I had a working model.  I soon discovered that
> building such a device is much more involved than I originally
> conceived.  It sounds simple enough-- a single channel uni-directional
> transmitter/receiver.  I sought out for companies that made such units.
> Hours of web searches, phone calls and visits to local suppliers with
> only marginal results.  Pre assembled remote modules are generally too
> expensive and over the counter units are bulky and impractical largely
> because they are built for commercial applications.  I even looked into
> key chain remotes for auto alarms.  The transmitters are perfect-- very
> small and cheep. The receivers, however, are integrated into other
> systems and are very expensive.  The same story with remotes for garage
> door openers and no one wants to sell you just the remote components-
> and if they did again it would be too expensive.
>
> The solution turned out to be relatively simple one although I did spend
> considerable time experimenting and making the necessary modifications.
> Having already done it now I imagine that I could build another one in
> about a tenth the time.  The solution stems from your local Radio Shack
> store- a wireless doorbell chime, (stock #63-874).  It costs only
> $19.99.
>
> You are required to remove the circuit boards from both the button unit
> and the bell unit to install in a new chassis, (You could use the button
> as it is if you want to get creative and find a way to attach it to your
> tuning hammer but it is slightly bulky for that).   The ringer part of
> the receiver must be disabled, (unless you want it to go "bong" overtime
> you change notes).  I installed the transmitter inside a new small
> chassis box, (available at any electronics supplier), along with a
> heavy-duty switch that has a feel similar to the wired foot pedal.  I
> also added a second on/off switch and an LED which lights up when the
> unit is transmitting.  With the heavy switch and the battery the weight
> of the unit is perfect.
>
> The receiver is also installed in it's own compact chassis box. Some
> significant analyzing of the circuit was required to trace the output of
> the RF receiver before it goes to the ringer circuit.  Sure enough once
> located, (off one end of a particular resistor), there is a clear and
> simple on/off binary logic output.  From here I have a 6" cable leading
> from the chassis box to plug into the SAT.  I again included an on/off
> switch and an LED that lights up whenever the unit is receiving.  My
> first intention was to install the receiver directly inside the SAT
> unit.  There is in fact barely enough room for it to fit.  Unfortunately
> my experimentation revealed that there is too much RF interference from
> the CPU which prevents the receiver from working properly.  An RF shield
> around the receiver would prevent this but at the same time it would
> block off the signal from the transmitter.  Nevertheless the external
> unit is relatively small and can be stuck on the outside with velcro.
> It can then simply be removed for storage in your tool kit when you are
> done.
>
> both units feature a three channel encoder and I mounted the circuit
> boards in a position so that the slide selector switch is accessible
> through a slot in the side of the chassis box.  If you are tuning in a
> customers home and discover that Ms. Jones' garage door is on the same
> channel you can simply change the channel- POOF! problem solved.
>
> I spent a considerable amount of money going through the trial and error
> experimentation process but at this point knowing what I'm doing I could
> probably build the system for around $45.00.
>
> Well that's my show and tell for today.  Now more wires for this cowboy!
>
>
>
> Rob Goodale, RPT
> Las Vegas, NV
>
>
>
>