Many inventions/hack
Using cheap 315MHz wireless radios, I will show you how to create a wireless snail mail notifier.
Many inventions/hack
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This project was designed to get you used to working with cheap and simple RF modules while providing a cool, practical application. There is much room for improvement here. For instance, if this were a long-term project, much code optimization would need to be done to have the processor "sleep." Also, for alerting purposes, perhaps an LED or some audible alert could be added.
In O'Reilly's "Arduino Cookbook," in recipe 14.1 Sending Messages Using Low-Cost Wireless Modules, there is much more information about using these RF modules.
You can get the book here at the Maker Shed.
For another mailbox alert system, check out Matt Richardson's Snail Mail Push Alerts project.
And for lots more Arduino, take a gander at the Make: Arduino page.
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Hey guys didnt see these comments. Sparkfun is looking still for a replacement. However it looks like these are the same / similar from Speeedstudio.
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/315mhz-rf-link-kit-p-76.html
Enclosure:
I made these for my projects. For now I am not selling them. However I might soon.
If you try this with the seeed rf modules let me know.
Riley
Looks like you can get the pair here.
I think this is the 433 Mhz version however it should work just as the 315Mhz one I used did.
Riley
JD,
I am glad you liked the project! As for the case. I own a laser cutter. I also own a side business that cases like these. I however have designed these cases. I have not put them on my webstore. I have got more than a few requests for these. I just have been wrapped up as of late. Layering laser cut acrylic + etching is a bit of a time consuming process for the laser cutter. That means that to sell these cases they would be in the range of the price of the arduino it self. You see my issue. However I am wrapped up with a work project for then next few weeks. I will try to put something up on my website.
http://www.synthetos.com/webstore
This was very helpful. Thanks for the nice article.
The only big hurtle I had was figuring out that I needed to download the virtualwire library, as it doesn’t come with the Arduino IDE. Whether or not it was the correct place to get it, I downloaded it here. http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_libs_VirtualWire.html
How long do the batteries typically last?
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In the mailbox sender code I see you have the line “sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin);” to read the light sensor (photoresistor), then there is a 10-minute delay before reading the sensor again. What happens if the mailbox is opened during the 10-minute delay? Won’t it miss the event when the mailbox was opened?