I have a simple toy robot that is controlled by an infra red remote that I would like to transform into radio controlled.
I think the easiest method (least alterations) to do this is to fit an opto coupler setup to both the remote and the robot - In this case an infrared diode receiver or transmitter and a bit of cardboard tube with the signal via a radio transmitter.
I can not remake the controller as the data it transmits is very specific.
Not being very up on electronics I need to find a simple radio receiver \ transmitter circuit that will allow this. (The IR Carrier will be around 40KHZ)
I imagine that the IR transmitter receiver diodes would simply replace the speaker or mic if this was an audio circuit.
I only need enough power to transmit room to room. About 10 meters or so.
Anyone know of any simple circuits I could have a go at building or modifying or a kit? Any projects online?
For radio transmission I am in the UK so guess certain frequencies wouldn't be legal.
What about just moding one of those very basic radio controlled toys to transmit the IR signal.?
I have looked at buying an RF IR booster but they are too expensive for what the are.
I do not want to use an IR to IR booster. These re a few pennies to make but still have a line of site problem.
Under UK regulations needs then to be used on the RF bands for Radio Controlled models (surface).
I assume this is one way data from remote to toy robot. A reverse channel is possible under UK regulations.
You will probably need to demodulate the Infra Red (IR) to a serial data stream, send the serial data stream in a manner to suit the band you would be using, at remote end remodulate the serial data into IR data.
Not possible, 40KHz and probably square wave is way outside the frequency allocation for Radio Control models on any band, the best you can get under UK regulations is 25KHz channel bandwidth (which is more than DATA rate). Even at 25KHz I would be loathed to send any heavily filtered serial data at a baud rate greater than 4800 baud, without also using modem chips.
Only ultrasonic transducer operate at 40KHz, standard speakers and mic give up before 20KHz, because of human ear limitations. Most 'walkie-talki' radios have limits of 5 to 10KHz as like phones they are meant for speech only.
I am not sure how you have worked out the IR carrier to be 40KHz, most IR devices are pulsed transmissions (i.e. only on while data being sent). Basically to prolong battery life of remote controls.
The radio transmitter/reciever will need more batteries, and probably operate on 6V or more.
If you do do something like your suggestion, please ensure you are using it on a farm with nobody else around for miles, to avoid problems you could cause by not being able to test your radio transmissions are correct. Do NOT publish, sell or give away the ideas or product to do it, you will be breaking the law and have visits from officials. Using something which is going to be sending 40KHz plus signals on any of the Radio Control Model bands will also potentially get you visits, as some parts of some of the bands have other uses.
See above..
They have more in them than you realise.
Unless you can tell us more about the IR data stream, buy the RF IR booster as that to be sold should have various badges on it to show it meets type approval for the RF bands it is to be used on. This is part of the costs to ensure you don't potentially mess up other peoples RF transmissions.
There are some telemetry bands near some of the band you would need to use which could cause all sorts of things to mess up.
Remote telemetry for various applications Some remote access to alarm systems Some of the domestic weather stations with remote wireless sensors
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