Yes, there are plenty of ways to differentiate them other than the transmitted data. Some possible items would be: spectral content; number of carrier cycles before the first phase change; and pseudo-random (but known) transmission pattern. None of these would affect the data.

possible discriminations
 

Maybe that's what the useless Informations like bumper temperature, receiver voltage and unused channel clock speed are gathered for.
The transmission pattern deriving from this bouquet of informations doesn't even have to be known, as long as it is not constant.

Hello Howard,
I.ve been reading this incredible dense thread over the last days.
I'm really not very good at electronics, but I can sold correctly and follow parts lists and drawings. As there are a lot of messages with corrections, modifications, comments... I don't now any more where are the definitive instructions to build the loop amplifier and the decoder. Could you please help me by sending files in emails? There is some chip programming needed. How can I get a chip with the code in it?
I.m the manager of a club in France, and we really can't afford the fu... 3000+ Euros MyLaps decoder. I agree to pay a licene for the software, but the hardware is just innacceptably priced. Almost all drivers have personnal transponder in France.
I would be very pleased to get info from you ;-)
Albert

Send me a private message through RCTech, and include your email address. I can send you zip files containing all of the documentation I mentioned on the thread, and information on how to obtain the programmed microprocessor. The schematics require TinyCAD freeware, and the boards require FreePCB freeware. You may use the documentation for your own private, non-commercial purposes.

This is an extremely complex project, so you'll need extensive knowledge in electronics to succeed, and be able to do construction from the schematics and parts list. An oscilloscope will be necessary for most troubleshooting.

If you haven't bookmarked it yet, here are the specifications for the decoder:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/12222187-post251.html

For all of our readers: It has been almost four years now since the thread started, and activity here has substantially decreased, so I will likely discontinue support at year's end.

Never in my wildest dreams would such a technical and arcane thread end up gathering over 145,000 views, and attract input from so many talented people. Thank you!

Thank you Howard for these fantastic projects! Both the decoder and the transponder which I have successfully built and is using.

I would like to propose that you consider putting the source code in open source form from now on. That may enable others to pick up from where you left and the project can live on. If you put a donation link on the docs I think you may even get some well earnt cash from a lot of people as well for years to come.

Best regards
Kristian

Aww! I just got the components, was just going to ask you for chips... :)

Let me know what you need!

totally agreed !!

you see Howard, this post will again "substancially" increase again from now :-)

I think the time might have arrived to release the source code. That would prevent it from disappearing if I got squashed by a bus. It would also be a good source of giggles for software guys to see code created by a hardware guy.

I'll see what I can arrange.

That would be awesome and give folks like me with a working system the ability to keep it going.

Can I also add my thanks (again) to you for doing this and sharing your designs. I have a little knowledge, enough to build to your design but not enough to figure out how to do it in the first place and it has really helped my little local RC club to get a timing system running and we see remarkably few miscounts or errors.

You are awesome!

Greetings from France!
I'm about to source the differents components for Canno decoder and loop amp. Does anyone of you have extra PCBs to sell?
@ Howard: in your files, what is the "PT..." files for ? Another device?
Thanks for your support!

The files marked "PT" are for the personal transponder design in my other thread: http://www.rctech.net/forum/radio-el...er-design.html

Hello everyone I would like to make this decoder but I am a little lost in all messages. On other answer you give a link (here) but it no longer works.
Would you have the schematic to make this decoder and the amplifier box?
Thank you