You could get a microcontroller, and use it to make a code of pulses for the transmitter (controller), and another microcontroller for the reciever, that only will activate with the code.
Many microcontrollers have an easy code for pulses.
There is a pretty good APP note on the Microchip web sight for a dimmer, and for IR comms. You could use this as a starting point, I made something similar some time ago but I'm not sure where the code is now. When you say "new to electronics" just how new are you ?