Signal device guide - Aka ringing someone close by without a phone.

[Michael Wade]

I have a buddy that is phone adverse ( they don't like using it and the battery runs out a lot. No I cannot get their cheap ass to get another one) so I need another way to get their attention when off work and vice versa.

I want something that has one or two way "communication" over a few blocks that can ping or be turned on by another person to indicate that "hey let's hang out" or something to that effect. For example I had an idea for a button, camera or signal watch but I don't know if that's remotely practical. The main thing is range and battery life. Any ideas?

 

[Michael Wade]

In a perfect world this is what I would want.

 

[herefortheactualthreads]

a pager?

 

[Michael Wade]

a pager?

Could work, but its not easy to set up depending on the state. I was thinking something you could set up for a particular room of a home. Meshtastic and Wuloo Intercoms Wireless are probably what I'm looking for, but they are a combination of obtuse and low range. I need a bit more then a mile.

 

[888Flux]

a pager?

Pager systems are really expensive and fall into two categories:

The first is the kind you see in restaurants. These share the same frequency range as something like a garage door opener. They have very limited range (<100 meters).
The second is cellular pagers used in hospitals. These require a SIM card or other form of network to operate.

Your best bet, if you want something really portable, is a handheld or car mounted CB radio. You should get over / under a mile range with one.

 

[Michael Wade]

Pager systems are really expensive and fall into two categories:

The first is the kind you see in restaurants. These share the same frequency range as something like a garage door opener. They have very limited range (<100 meters).
The second is cellular pagers used in hospitals. These require a SIM card or other form of network to operate.

Your best bet, if you want something really portable, is a handheld or car mounted CB radio. You should get over / under a mile range with one.

I think I may have solved this problem in a roundabout way with Grok. I can get a solar camera with a SIM card and have set up in such a way that when it's turned on I'll get a notification. It's crazy but I think it might work.

 

[Kiwi Velour]

Use walkie talkies and scanners as a pager system. Leave the scanners programmed on your channel and use the walkie talkie when you want to send a message.

 

[888Flux]

I think I may have solved this problem in a roundabout way with Grok. I can get a solar camera with a SIM card and have set up in such a way that when it's turned on I'll get a notification. It's crazy but I think it might work.

what?

 

[Fascist Frederick]

Yelling really loud?

 

[XYZpdq Jr.]

aren't there walkietalkies that go a few miles

 

[Michael Wade]

aren't there walkietalkies that go a few miles

I think so, but I tried that once and it didn't work. The problem with walkie talkies is that if there's a bunch of stuff in between you and the target and it isnt an open field the range can decrease significantly.

 

[A Cardboard Box]

Any ideas?

A fucking landline?

 

[Doxmatix]

Alternatively, get a cheap doorbell camera pointed at a whiteboard that he can write messages on and you login to view it. Or those pet cams people use to spy on their cats when they go to work. Actually, if he has internet access you could just share some free virtual whiteboard and message that way.

Much better idea - train some pigeons.