Wireless Intercom Systems

[dwco5051]

Have just about completed building my new shop and it has just about everything I thought I would need. Ten foot garage doors to make it easier to back a boat in at night, 20 amp receptacles no more than 5 feet apart along every wall, enough lighting that it could be a movie set, etc.

Well just about everything, it now has dawned on me that when I trenched for water and power I did not add any wire for communication with my house. It is about 200 feet™ to my house and since I live on the side of a ridge every thing is either up hill or downhill from each other. I am now looking into a wireless system and would like it to be able to do the following;

1 Have a loud attention getting signal when it calls be that I could hear over shop equipment. As I am only days away from reaching the 3/4 century mark years of competitive shooting, working in boiler rooms of ships, and operating chainsaws have somewhat diminished my hearing.

2 Possibly also have a light or other visual signal. (See #1)

3 Not eat too far into my gun and toy funds


I have tried the wireless phones I have in my house which have an intercom feature but they will only work in the shop if I stand right next to the shop window on the house side.

I am sure there are others on this site that are in similar situations that may be able to recommend a brand that works for them or know of some way to increase the signal on my current phone system. I see a lot of the systems advertised say they have 1000 foot™ capabilities but that may be in an ideal area.

 

[foodfisher]

In the ear bluetooth?

 

[Twidget]

Is the new shop a metal building?

 

[rbh]

Good luck with finding a reliable wireless intercom
Is the power direct buried or in conduit?
If it is in conduit you "may" be able to pull in a dielectric fiber optic cable, no induction issues,.
if not its trenching time again.
(remember to get a grease filled outside plant direct bury cable - sealpic 4-6 PR- 22 GA-

 

[dwco5051]

Is the new shop a metal building?

Pole building with 1 inch hemlock board and batten.

 

[dwco5051]

Good luck with finding a reliable wireless intercom
Is the power direct buried or in conduit?
If it is in conduit you "may" be able to pull in a dielectric fiber optic cable, no induction issues,.
if not its trenching time again.
(remember to get a grease filled outside plant direct bury cable - sealpic 4-6 PR- 22 GA-

In conduit but there isn't any way to pull more wire through it. 2/O plus ground in 1 1/2 plastic.

 

[nwcove]

dont laugh....but there are some very good two way talk baby monitors available, night vision cams, with soothing lulaby feature!! dont think you would hear it over a mini grinder, but that type of product would double as a security system.

 

[dwco5051]

dont laugh....but there are some very good two way talk baby monitors available, night vision cams, with soothing lulaby feature!! dont think you would hear it over a mini grinder, but that type of product would double as a security system.

I think I over thought my problem. When I mentioned the baby monitor her first reaction was “That’s all I need when your old buddies come over and decide to play music in the shop I will have to listen to it.” She then said what about a couple of two way radios. For once she may have hit upon the solution to a problem of my own making. So I will be getting a couple more radios with individual chargers so I don’t have to remember to turn them on when I am in the shop.

As a side note she didn’t use the word buddies but it did start with a B. She also refers to them as guys who should not be driving after dark and play the last song of every set extra fast because they all have to run to the bathroom and P after ten minutes. As you may surmise she is not a bluegrass fan.

 

[no704]

Not sure bout an intercom, but there are things that you can get to run speakers thru your ac lines. How about a wireless door bell to get your attention?

 

[dwco5051]

Not sure bout an intercom, but there are things that you can get to run speakers thru your ac lines. How about a wireless door bell to get your attention?

Might try that for in the Winter. I have an extra one up in the shop on my other property. We do have an iron dinner bell that my wife will use that I can hear no matter which side of the ridge I am on. My neighbors down the lane also have one they use if they need their five kids back home but the two have different tones and we can tell thim apart. Mine has more of a bell sound and theirs sounds like an iron triangle even though it is a bell.