Upgrades - wireless control

Lots of news here from Patio Rails and this week should see some catching up on the blog front: have been busy playing with (and understanding how they work) the new toys.

First up is wireless control.

It had always been the plan to go wireless at some stage.  The Tangle of wires resulting from putting up an indoor test track for some of the other new purchases proved a bit much and the decision was made to go sooner rather than later.  The nice people at Glendale Junction had a second hand receiver in stock, so it was only a question of buying a transmitter new.  That should be the last of the technology upgrades for a substantial while, and it works (at least) from the corner of the garden to the dining room (40-50 foot) so will easily work around the garden/patio.

The black box that is the receiver is sitting in the plastic container.  There's an aerial that is just visible out of the black box - probably 4-5".  Glendale Junction suggested that it be put in a tupperware container to protect it from the weather, and this container is what we have found to date that is of the right size.  Ultimately I will see about painting it grey/white as a silo or fuel tank (and cut off the handle).

Snapping in the batters proved somewhat tight into the handset.

At roughly the same time I discovered how to (and the need to) convert from serial operation to parallel operation.  Aside from operating quicker now, it also meant that some of the functions on another new purchase worked.....