preheat engine via cell phone activation?

My hangar has electricity but no land line. I can get a relay that would activate my sump and/or other electric heat to prep my plane before I get there. I need some method of using a cell phone to do this. Any phone guys out there with any ideas. Any other alternatives?

Well,

Here's one idea:

http://www.apogeekits.com/remote_control_via_cell_phone.htm

Judith Mountain

I have been using the Judith Mountain Beeper Box for the past 3 years and love it.

http://www.goflying.cc/

I just got a cheap pager at $6/mo to trigger it and when I want to fly - do the page and everything is nice and warm when you get to the hanger.

Cheapskate Approach

Wow, that Judith Mountain unit looks real nice. I'm a sucker for anything mounted inside a pelican case

I looked into this a couple years ago, and bookmarked this site, which looks similar in that it uses a pager:
http://aerothermheaters.com/remote_starter.html

I always figured that you could do this with ham radio and avoid the subscription fee. Seems to me I even found something that would work but I can't find it now. What say ye, ham-mers?? Is there something available which would allow use of a repeater and maybe a touch-tone DTMF code? Those of you who earned your ham license for APRS, maybe this would be a 2nd "killer ap" for ya!

What I ended up doing is pretty cheap (but not remotely started). I use one of these "Thermo Cubes" http://www.thermocube.com/ which turn a couple light bulbs stuck up inside the cowl on whenever the temp gets below 40F. If you put the cube in the cowl as well, your engine will never go above like 60F, unless the bulb burns out. That's why I use 2 bulbs. Total cost of the "system", under $25.

Pre Heat

Not sure how remote your hangar is.. is it possible there is any wireless access points there, possibly in the FBO?
If so, it would open the opportunity of being controlled by IP.
Even if the FBO is a few hundred feet or more away, it is easy to get a directional antenna that will reach a 1/2 mile or so...

Here's another one which offers remote starting and stopping via a pager. In addition to the kit, you will also probably want to purchase a box and rehostat (the kit part is marginal) from Radio Shack. Total cost is less than $40. I have one on order - one of the guys across the apron from me has been using this unit for the past two years. Works great.

www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/elec/ck1607.htm

Terry

Sorry. The part to possibly replace is the potentiometer. Also, if you wire in a converter, you can eliminate the 9v battery.
Terry

Hey, I'm all into the fun geek toys, but the simple line break thermostat tucked inside the blanketed cowl is sure a simple and cheap way to go. The engine compartment never thinks the temperature goes below 70 degrees. Uses a few dollars per month of electricity, obviously depending on temps.