Celular Switch for Pre-Heater

[Electrogunner]

Originally Posted by Pilot135pd

STILL haven't been able to get it to work

I have an H20 sim so it should be getting a very strong signal like it does when I place the sim in a iphone (gets calls and texts perfectly in the iphone) but that light still flashes once per second when I place the sim in the controller and it doesn't accept any commands. I just borrowed an android phone because apparently it's easier to program the box with it and an app that isn't available on IOS. We'll see. Very frustrated with this.

Try the free app from switchbox. That's what I used with the H20 sim and it was easy to set up.

[Pilot135pd]

If you have a good T-mobile signal go for it. It seems H20 and T-Mobile have both worked for others, it might be I have a bad box !

[dmattmul]

OK, from what I've discovered it's the xG that seems to matter. The cheaper GSM "relays" are 2G and most networks are operating 3G and higher. The Sim can work in your IPhone because the Iphone is 3-4G and then not work in the Chinese gate opener because it's 2G. What confuses all of us is the RTU5024 comes in 2G, 3G and 4G all with the same model number RTU5024.

http://www.waferlife.com/downloads/RTU5024-NEW.pdf

Don't ask me why but if you get the 2G is most likely will not work in less densely populated areas such as rural airports. (Ask me how I know) If you are lucky enough to have a carrier that still supports 2G AND they have cell towers in rural areas the RTU5024 and most other "Cheaper" relays work.

I'm going to get a relay that is suppose to work 2-4G sim cards and then try in different cities I travel over the next month. It's price is ~ 100 bucks and we will see.

The fall back position is to keep my Ipad in the hangar and then use it as a hot spot.

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by dmattmul

OK, from what I've discovered it's the xG that seems to matter. The cheaper GSM "relays" are 2G and most networks are operating 3G and higher. The Sim can work in your IPhone because the Iphone is 3-4G and then not work in the Chinese gate opener because it's 2G. What confuses all of us is the RTU5024 comes in 2G, 3G and 4G all with the same model number RTU5024.

http://www.waferlife.com/downloads/RTU5024-NEW.pdf

Don't ask me why but if you get the 2G is most likely will not work in less densely populated areas such as rural airports. (Ask me how I know) If you are lucky enough to have a carrier that still supports 2G AND they have cell towers in rural areas the RTU5024 and most other "Cheaper" relays work.

I'm going to get a relay that is suppose to work 2-4G sim cards and then try in different cities I travel over the next month. It's price is ~ 100 bucks and we will see.

The fall back position is to keep my Ipad in the hangar and then use it as a hot spot.

Verizon turned off their 2G a while ago and their 3G at the end of 2019 and most carriers have either done it already or are about to. Everybody is moving everything to 4G (LTE ) or 5G. That's why the old thing about AT&T and T-Mobile being GSM and Verizon and Sprint being CDMA is old news now.

AT&T hasn't turned off their 3G because they use it for vending machines, ATMs, and trucking companies but their plan is to have everything moved over by 2022. They won't activate a 3G phone though.

That's why you see that you need a sim card for all companies because they're all operating LTE and are replacing their legacy GSM and CDMA systems, even though everybody keeps calling them "GSM".

[dmattmul]

King Pigeon S130-150 is the same producer as the RTU 5024 except the S130-150 units are 3G and 4GLite capable which brings the technology 5+ years into the future. I was able to source a S140 unit and it is 3G (I can't tell if it's also 4G Lite but the name plate says it is) for $ 99.99. It has way more capability than needed and the S130 would also be ok if you can find one. Some positives, it has an external antenna and battery back-up for all the programmed capabilities you don't need. (The external antenna I think is good as I can place it pretty high in the T - Hangar) I have 4 SIM cards from the "cheap" off brand network tag a longs. Ultra Mobile, US Mobile and H2O Wireless and one more I can't remember. All 4 were able to talk to there mother ship (Signal light blinks every 2 seconds as opposed to every 0.8 seconds) in my urban home using the S140 as apposed to when I tried the 5024 one connected and another connected sometimes and the other 2 nothing. I need to take the S140 to my hangar and try. I've been out of the country and probably can't get back to the mid-west till early April. I am a snow bird this time of the year. These units are better than the 5024 which is 2G (most models) so might work. I'll update later when probably nobody needs the engine heater.

[dmattmul]

King Pigeon S130-150 is the same producer as the RTU 5024 except the S130-150 units are 3G and 4GLite capable which brings the technology 5+ years into the future. I was able to source a S140 unit and it is 3G (I can't tell if it's also 4G Lite but the name plate says it is) for $ 99.99. It has way more capability than needed and the S130 would also be ok if you can find one. Some positives, it has an external antenna and battery back-up for all the programmed capabilities you don't need. (The external antenna I think is good as I can place it pretty high in the T - Hangar) I have 4 SIM cards from the "cheap" off brand network tag a longs. Ultra Mobile, US Mobile and H2O Wireless and one more I can't remember. All 4 were able to talk to there mother ship (Signal light blinks every 2 seconds as opposed to every 0.8 seconds) in my urban home using the S140 as apposed to when I tried the 5024 one connected and another connected sometimes and the other 2 nothing. I need to take the S140 to my hangar and try. I've been out of the country and probably can't get back to the mid-west till early April. I am a snow bird this time of the year. These units are better than the 5024 which is 2G (most models) so might work. I'll update later when probably nobody needs the engine heater. You also don't need to program this unit as the manual calls for if you just want to use as a switch for a heater using relay output 1. (Their are 2)

[Pilot135pd]

Originally Posted by dmattmul

King Pigeon S130-150 is the same producer as the RTU 5024 except the S130-150 units are 3G and 4GLite capable which brings the technology 5+ years into the future. I was able to source a S140 unit and it is 3G (I can't tell if it's also 4G Lite but the name plate says it is) for $ 99.99. It has way more capability than needed and the S130 would also be ok if you can find one. Some positives, it has an external antenna and battery back-up for all the programmed capabilities you don't need. (The external antenna I think is good as I can place it pretty high in the T - Hangar) I have 4 SIM cards from the "cheap" off brand network tag a longs. Ultra Mobile, US Mobile and H2O Wireless and one more I can't remember. All 4 were able to talk to there mother ship (Signal light blinks every 2 seconds as opposed to every 0.8 seconds) in my urban home using the S140 as apposed to when I tried the 5024 one connected and another connected sometimes and the other 2 nothing. I need to take the S140 to my hangar and try. I've been out of the country and probably can't get back to the mid-west till early April. I am a snow bird this time of the year. These units are better than the 5024 which is 2G (most models) so might work. I'll update later when probably nobody needs the engine heater. You also don't need to program this unit as the manual calls for if you just want to use as a switch for a heater using relay output 1. (Their are 2)

If it works for you post a link, we?ll use it with a fan during summer

[DesertNomad]

I have a Switchbox with the T-Mobile Ultra SIM in Reno, NV. For a while my box would take 20min to 2 hours to respond to text messages, so I sent it back to NY and it was replaced. That worked for a few months.

Now when I send a message, the box does the power switch within 5sec to 2 minutes most of the time (80%), but I don't get the reply/confirmation message for 8-24 hours.

I really don't know if it is the box or a problem with T-Mobile. I have an AT&T phone and my wife has a T-Mobile phone. Text messages between our phones are nearly instantaneous. The box is currently in my office where both phones have full signal strength.

Are these boxes just flakey or will I likely have better luck if I switch to AT&T?

[pa38112]

I cant speak to the Switch box, but with my T-mobile plan on my system I get a response within 10 seconds.

[dmattmul]

I went back and based on reviews on-line purchased this RTU5024. (Below) You need to be careful as there are several out there with the same model number. It's based on AT&T sim card technology. It does seems to be 3G and 4Glte compatible. The trick is to find a network that works at your hangar. I tried 3 of the off brand sim cards and H2O had the best signal strength. The only way to find this out is to have a phone that is unlocked and you can place the sim card in the phone and check the signal strength. For 40 bucks you can buy a used Iphone 3GS if you don't have an unlocked phone that you can place a full size sim card in. The newest IPhones use a micro sim and slightly older a mini sim and even older a regular sim card. The Sim card you buy normally can be punched out to fit whatever size you need but save the pieces you will need to use a full size sim in the RTU5024. You will need to use a phone with the same cell system as the RTU5024 which is AT&T. Mine works fine now so ready for next winter. (I hope) The Sim switch (RTU5024) needs to be at least 3G and your sim card needs to have a signal at your hangar. That seems to be the trick. If either one is off the system will not work. My cost is $ 3.00 a month and good for 60 text messages a month. You will need a relay as the relay in the sim switch is only good for 3 amps. When you open or close the switch you get a confirmation within 10 secs so you know it works.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1