[olug] Real time utility reading / software defined radio

[Rob Townley]

Anybody managed to read the Radio Frequency signals from their water,
gas, electric or utility meters?  If not, somebody has to have a
software defined radio itching for a useful project to use it on.

For the most part, i think Omaha utilities are inexpensive and do a
great job and am glad utility bills are seemingly low.   However,
multiple times over the last several years i have asked whether a home
computer outfitted with a receiver could automatically read the
utility usage, but no Omaha utility has a public plan for allowing
this.  There may be a way with OPPD to read it from a webpage, but the
last time i looked, it was far from real time.  i am still contacting
people about it, but time is becoming of the essence.  A local utility
seems to be heavy handed with the FUD about needing to install an RF
meter reader or we risk being disconnected.  i have no problem with
it, but i want my money spent on systems that allow consumers to
monitor energy usage in real time.  Better for me, better for Omaha,
better for the environment.  That is why we have elections.

Homeowners wanting to receive the meter RF broadcasts should have been
put into the design years ago and some communities have carried that
out.  Or if the utility usage is automatically uploaded to a website
hourly, then a way for the consumer to retrieve it.

For more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_meter_reading
www.utilimetrics.org