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Walkie-talkie conversion to numerical code sender

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magnumcalib

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Hi, this is my first post on here and have an interesting question/request. I have recently read a certain book (for legality sake I won't say the the title) and the "Author" of the "Diary" created a tool, where he was able to modify a radio transmitter, so that it could attach to a standard (numerical obviously) calculator and could transmit a numerical code over the radio, and have it received by another device, hook up the same way, and have the numerical code displayed via the calculator screen. I would just like to know how/if this is possible, and most of all, if there is an easier way of doing so, thanks.

-Magnumcalib
 
One thing about electronics is that pretty much anything is possible. The main limitation is the COST to develop such a device. If you want such a device, and you are willing to spend a couple of grand developing a one-off, then yes, its possible. A bit silly tho, considering a cellphone with text will do the same thing.
If you are talking about a McGyver or 007 senario, done clandestine with a walkie talkie, scotch tape, rubber band and a paper clip, its a bit doubtful...as a matter of fact...Im willing to say impossible...which around here just leaves me wide open to public ridicule.
The important thing is that writers rely on the general publics mistaken belief that ANYTHING can be done electronically...cheaply, quickly and easily.This can be borne out here by constant requests by people who know nothing about electronics for items that they think can be easily designed...but would cost thousands of dollars, and hundreds of man hours designing.
 
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here is a quote from the book (I'm going for it, it's not illegal to read right?)
Our receivers are even simpler than our transmitters and are a sort of cross between a transistorized pocket broadcast receiver and a
pocket calculator. They remain "on" all the time, and if a numerical pulse with the right tone-coding is broadcast by any of our
transmitters in the area they will pick it up and display and hold a numerical readout, whether they are being monitored at the moment
or not.
The Turner Diaries by Andrew Macdonald.

=====

anyway, does this seem possible to build? the book was written in the '70's I believe so it seems it would be a bit basic if it is able to be built. I would be willing to spend say 45-50 per unit to build if possible, thanks by the way.
 
Have you considered that this scenario already exists in handheld remotes, garage door openers ( code pulses) and Call Display from the telco provider? I can visualize 2-way radios capable of broadcasting Morse code ( tap into the mic with a switch) and telephone tones. Anyone remember a magazine project called Morse-A-Word ( ASCII codes transmitted by radio)?
 
....that's what being awake almost 20 hours does for me, I completely forgot about those. How would you propose going about this? maybe tap the display from the calc. to the microphone button of the radio, have a switch so it can go back and forth between display and sender. then hook up the speaker to the chip to recognize the numerical command from the keys (on the calc.)
 
The Turner Diaries by Andrew Macdonald.

So are you a racist? I am sure the FBI will find your post interesting. I urge everyone that reads this post to not help this person. His motives can only be for something bad.


The Turner Diaries is a racist, antisemitic novel written in 1978 by William Luther Pierce (former leader of the white Nationalist organization National Alliance) under the pseudonym "Andrew Macdonald".[1]
Bible of the racist right

The "explicitly racist and anti-Semitic" [7] book has been labeled the "bible of the racist right" by the FBI. [8] According to the Anti Defamation League, it is "probably the most widely read book among far-right extremists; many have cited it as the inspiration behind their terrorist organizing and activity." [9] The Simon Wiesenthal Center calls it a "hate" book. [10]
 
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see this is the reason I DIDN'T say the title, I am not a racist, I have no problem with other people's origins and such. I read it just so I could get a taste of the other side of the way people think. I didn't agree with 99% of the book, the only thing I did agree with was the fact that the government is getting too large. I don't agree with bombing, killing or racist slurs that were mentioned in the book.

The only reason I was interested in doing this was for fun, I thought it would be kinda cool to hack a walkie talkie, I have always been interested in electronics and thought it would be cool to be able to send a numerical "text" instead of audio (hunting and such). If anyone will help me and not take what I read, as a description of who I am, I would greatly appreciate it. (maybe you should learn to get the whole story before calling me a racist)

And yes, I know it's "the bible for racist movements" and such, but that doesn't mean I am a racist. and this is why my Country, AMERICA is the best there is. anyone can label a book "bad" and "racist" but that doesn't MAKE it. I have the right to read what ever the hell I please to.
 
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Yes it can be done, use DTMF to transmit numbers over audio and there are plenty of standard off the shelf ICs for doing it.

Seriously though, if you want to cheat in your exams then use a mobile phone like everyone else. :rolleyes:
 
You don't have to attach it to the walkie talkie.

The DTMF generator could be connected to a low powered amplifier (e.g. the LM386) and a speaker). When you push to talk, put the speaker next to the walki talkie microphone to transmit the tones.

The DTMF receiver could be connected to a microphone and pre-amplifier with an LCD/LED display driver and decoder connected to its output. Put the micropone next to the walki talkie speaker to recieve the tones.
 
Ah, alright thanks. Know of a decent cheap one? I'm a bit low on budget right now between mother's day, anniversaries and birthdays haha
 
Here we have a bit of a problem...this is a fairly complex project, even for someone with a decent understanding of electronics design and construction... that a person with ZERO understanding of electronics wishes to try.
Im NEVER against anyone trying to learn electronics...but lets be honest, this is soooo far over the ops head, that he doesnt stand a hope in hell of making anything this complicated...even if someone provided a full schematic and circuit description.
lets be honest, changing a calculator over to generate tones for each individual numerical character, then adapting another calculator to decode these many, many tones into a display is a HUGE undertaking.
The average inexpensive eveyday calculator cant even be hacked... its simply a circuit board with a COB covered with a blob of epoxy.
Does the average inexpensive walkie talkie even have the audio range to accuratly reproduce the tones being sent. Every one that I have used had really crappy audio reproduction.
If this book was written a few years later, Im certain the author simply would have had his charaters using cell phones with text, and only devised this silly calculator conversion idea, because no technology existed at the time that would do this.
I know Im gonna be pissed all over for killing a newbies dream...but maybe he should start with how a transistor works, or how to use it in a circuit...or even what its denotation in a schematic is, before taking on such a huge project.
As well, remember that the OP has also specified that he is willing to shell out all of $45 to $50.00 for each unit....making this a bit difficult as well.

And, as far as someone being a Racist......reading a book about Racism doesnt automatically turn someone into a Racist...Ive read Mein Kampf, and Im not a Natzi.
 
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That's what I needed to know, I mean, I liked the idea of it, but that's why I didn't know if it was possible and really something I as a newb would be able to do, I ain't gonna be the one pissed at you for "ruining a dream" haha.

And thank you, I appreciate your support on the racist thing.
 
You don't need to be an expert to build this kind of thing but you do need some knowledge.

Here's an example of a DTMF remote control using a single transistor FM transmitter and a transistor radio. It controls four relays using four switches. If the transmitter is replaced with a speaker and amplifier and the transistor radio is replaced with a pre-amp and microphone you have the basis for your circuit. All to need to do is connect a BCD encoder and decoder (rather than the switchs, flip-flops and relays) to the DTMF encoder and decoder ICs and you have it sorted. Alternatively, you could use push button switches and LEDs to give you a binary readout which could be manually converted to BCD.

**broken link removed**
radio remote control RC using DTMF circuit diagram
Dual-tone multi-frequency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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