Adding a remote control to dove decoys? Help!

Electronics
#1

I don’t have a clue…what else is new?

I’m looking to add some remote controls to my Mojo Elite dove decoys. I found an old YouTube video on adding them to the Mojo Voodoo dove decoys. I don’t need anything super special, just turning the motors on/off would be fine. DIY remote control with decoy timer for Mojo voodoo dove, duck and any motorized decoys. - YouTube …but he does something weird using one remote to turn it off and another to turn it on…which seems odd.

These remotes popped up on Amazon but I don’t know if there are other/better options. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019TDCI0I?psc=1&pf_rd_p=f432e763-8872-4b0e-8b69-92927cc4af32&pf_rd_r=H4W349K0RVEKGTWKD8NM&pd_rd_wg=9oWbw&pd_rd_i=B019TDCI0I&pd_rd_w=4fQez&pd_rd_r=33eb26e3-76fa-4448-a656-9783f764f45c&ref_=pd_luc_rh_ci_mcx_mr_huc_d_01_01_t_img_lh Having the intermittent timer component thing would be great if I could get it to work and this looks similar to the remote used the video posted above.

Ultimately, I don’t wanna burn up the motors and am looking for some someone to walk me through it. I don’t mind doing it myself, I just don’t know anything about the components to know if they would be compatible. Mojo makes remotes but only for their duck decoys and they are fancy bluetooth ones only compatible with Elite line of duck decoys, not the dove decoys.

#2

I recommend a book: “Making Thing Move” by Dustyn Roberts. It covers adding motion to items from a non-electronics-nerd perspective. The target audience is artists wanting to add animation to projects rather than folks wanting to become EE majors.

It covers simple to more elaborate, complicated approaches - you can probably find something to match your technology comfort level.

You could probably make it work using a Node MCU (arduino-like micro with built-in WiFi support that costs less than $10 on Amazon). You’d need an H-Bridge motor controller to control DC motors. The arduino tells the H-bridge to activate the motor and the H-Bridge then handles the heavier current that the motors require.

The Node MCU could run a web server: your phone could then connect to the server and and click on simple “on off” buttons on a web page to activate/deactivate the decoys.

The Node MCUs don’t have a huge WiFi range, though - 30 feet or so - perhaps more when out on the water with no other interference.

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#3

for ranges longer than wifi, could use ISM band transceivers like these:

step back a minute and ask yourself if you want to control

  1. 1 mojo
  2. a handful of mojo all at the same time
  3. a handful of mojo individually addressable
  4. 20+ mojo

The design requirements and wireless solutions really depend on what your ultimate dream output would be.

Take a look at this discussion:
Long range (at least 500m to 1km in rural area) with NRF905 RF transceivers. | Forum for Electronics (edaboard.com)

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#4

eMylo DC 12V 15x 1CH 433Mhz Wireless RF Relay Remote Control Light Switch 2pcs Transmitter with Receiver

Could control a dozen mojo, wired like a light, those dc motors dont have too much a amperage inside the fake birdies.

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