[NLRS] RF read water meters

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

Its likely in 902 -928 our shared band with part 15 devices because then 
they need no license. The range is short and the amount of data is 
small, so power is low and bandwidth smaller. When the display on the 
post quit, the rural water association here put in a remote readable 
device, and their newsletter hints they may go to a mobile meter reader 
instead of customers reading the meter. I know for several months after 
they installed the new meter and reader, that I detected truck tracks in 
the gravel driveway a couple times a month as they apparently checked to 
see if it was really reading right. I'm using less than 10% of the water 
the previous home owner did each month. Low flow faucets do work.

If I run low on projects I could fire up a general coverage receiver or 
scanner and see if I can identify the reader and meter transmissions and 
their characteristics. I expect a 300 baud FSK signal based on the time 
delay for a 7 digit display.

73, Jerry, K0CQ

On 7/20/2012 10:43 AM, plefever at cpinternet.com wrote:
>
>
> Jim,
>
> I live in Burnsville and they came through a few years ago
> and retrofitted all the meters in the city with RF read
> modules.
>
> I was home the day the tech came to install the module. They
> sure love it when you move the water softener and clean and
> vacuum the area around the meter and provide a work light
> for them! I had the same question for the tech and I asked
> him what frequency the meter was on. He stated that I was
> the 2nd person to ask that and he asked if I were a ham too.
> At first he was hesitant to tell me but he saw the bench
> with the scope and spectrum analyzer on it and he said he
> thought I could probably figure it so he just told me the
> exact number. I don't recall the frequency but like Gary's
> it was in the 900 Mhz range.
>
> I don't think the module on the meter talks unless its
> polled so I don't think you will hear anything from it. I
> don't have anything on 900 Mhz personally so I have no
> actual experience though.
>
> 73
>
> Phil, KB0NES