Elsema Remote systems

[Graham]

Novel Ways have been major agents and stockists of the Elsema brand remote control equipment in NZ for over ten years. We have incorporated these platforms into clients' equipment, and also supplied functional blocks and expertise to other businesses, to allow them to add value.

All this experience means that we will most likely be able to solve your problem, or add real value to your own manufacturing. Remote control with basic aerial structures can be achieved over distances of 5km or more (omnidirectional) and even further if directional aerials are used.

Please use this forum to discuss any issues with Elsema platforms (27MHz, 433MHz, 915MHz), and we will strive to post the solutions.

[Graham]

For industrial applications, we are moving more and more to the 921MHz (915MHz) platform from Elsema. This is a frequency approved for free use in NZ, and at that frequency the aerials are fairly small, and noise immunity is high. The 921MHz system is frequency-hopping, which means you have good security, and you can press two buttons or channels on the remote and have both receiver channels getting a signal. Even better, the remotes and receivers use the familiar DIP-SWITCH setup for locking addresses to custom settings. That means easy replacements of remotes and other parts if anything should go wrong. We already have several customers using this platform (1,2,4,8,12,16 channel), and have reasonable stocks on the shelf.

[Graham]

Last week we tested the triggering distance of the latest Batt-Latch BOSS remote control. This allows a farmer to activate the release of one of four Batt-Latch timers located portably somewhere on the farm. The special Batt-Latches still run on solar power, and have a receiver fitted, with 30cm external aerial, using the 27.145 MHz Elsema system. Special code has been written to increase the range, and we have achieved 10km over flat ground with shelter belts etc. in the line of sight. Considering the test Batt-Latch was resting in a metal fenceline, we think that's a great result.

This means we have gone some way to providing a low-cost, reliable telemetry system for farms, that has some chance of working in and around hills and bush, unlike cellular technology.

[Graham]

Since 2010, we have helped numerous customers, some big, some small, with remote control additions to their hardware.

The Batt-Latch remote system continues to be used on some farms, but we have recently sold the first production models of a cellular modem upgrade for the latest timers. Still one battery issue to resolve, but these are very popular with the few farmers who have tried them. It's a 2G system at the moment, with a 3G upgrade due out soon. When complete, the upgrade will cost just $295+ GST extra, but you will need to pay a small amount for texts each year, if using it.