 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Need an auto-dialer....
| Author | Message | ||||
Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9945 |
Hi all.  Does anyone know where I can get a reasonably priced auto-dialer unit? They are not that common now, and in some cases illegal, as there were a whole lot of phone-scams being run by them not that long ago. However, in my case, I have a legitimate reason to need one. 1) Push a button 2) Auto-dialer dials after-hours emergency help staff member 3) Plays pre-recorded message stating that location X needs extra help. It's the way places seem to be doing things now, in order to cut down on wage costs by having more then one person on duty. I'd also be very interested in any kind app that could simply be installed on the staff cellphone that would do the same thing - touch a "Button" on the app, and it would auto-dial the A/H support person. "Why doesn't the on-duty person just call the A/H person themselves?" Good question, but management want it done this way - perhaps for reasons of privacy of the A/H help number or location or something. In any event, they want it button-driven. Anyone got any links or suggestions? Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
||||
| zeitfest Guru  Joined: 31/07/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 674 |
Is it going to detect a real human answering ? Otherwise the message maybe just sent to limbo. There is a very similar device in the current issue of Silicon Chip, there is a short intro on the SC website but I can't read the rest as I don't have a subscription  |
||||
mikeb Senior Member  Joined: 10/04/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 178 |
Hi Grogs. Try this link. I've used these with our Building Automation Systems. Works well. https://australism2m.com.au/4g-iot-serial-modem/ You can send text messages via serial and AT commands, trigger preset messages with digital inputs, escalate to the next number should the party not respond, etc. Very versatile little unit and well priced. Download the manual and see if it suits your purposes. Regards, Mike B. Edited 2026-04-29 16:59 by mikeb There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those that understand binary and those that don't. |
||||
| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1872 |
Just an FYI re: phone app. I believe that the following is true but I'll check when I get to my desk. Google has tightened-up "security" and therefore, they prohibit dialling and texting apps on PLAY, including the programming languages that facilitate this. I use RFO-BASIC (interpreter) for Android and if I want to incorporate dialling/texting in my app, I need to download the unrestricted version of the language directly from them. My app would not be allowed in PLAY which doesn't bother me. The language is a doddle to use. I'll update after I have a play, later on. ð |
||||
| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1872 |
This will call the number (string expression) without showing the number on the screen (keeps it hidden)  RFO-Basic Manual 1.91 De_Re_BASIC!.pdf |
||||
panky Guru Joined: 02/10/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1122 |
G, The following may be of use - brother and I developed to allow Mum a single button call ( as well we had movement detection or lack thereoff). The dialer is a Holtek HT9200a-1.pdf  DTMF Generators - the circuit - MM-Dialer.pdf - and finally the program we used - mum-mon224.bas.zip Cheers, Doug. PS. We even designed a PCB shield for the dialer if you are interested. Edited 2026-04-30 09:17 by panky ... almost all of the Maximites, the MicromMites, the MM Extremes, the ArmMites, the PicoMite and loving it! |
||||
| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9945 |
Thanks for all the replies, chums!  I will read through all this in detail tonight, and check out the links. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
||||
| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1872 |
Graeme, I just tested this on a later edition of Android (to see if Google had crippled it) and sure enough, that simple one line is all that's required: Phone.call "1234567890" Type this is in the editor (with a valid number), on the Android device and select RUN from the menu. The number dials  The bit about the number being hidden is not true, though. It shows. However, there are all kinds of tricks available in this language and I would expect that disabling this would be doable. I installed the Basic_191.apk Further info: What about creating an app that can be distributed? There is a compiler that runs on the device. It creates a ".apk". This is not really compiled, the code is still interpreted. It's actually a "packager". The end-user sees it as any other apk file. Edited 2026-05-01 01:12 by PhenixRising |
||||
Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8800 |
All the old autodialers in the UK are going to be in trouble with the big switch-off of PSTN. :) Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
||||
| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1872 |
Further thoughts: The dedicated device could be sealed in a plastic box and triggered by some other device via Bluetooth or WiFi. Both of which are just as easy to program as dialing a number. |
||||
| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9945 |
I'm gonna push them a LITTLE harder for an answer as to WHY they don't just have the on-duty staff memeber call the A/H support. I mean - it's dead-easy to do via a speed-dial number on the staff cell-phone, and you then have human-to-human communication. This whole "Press a button to contact the A/H support team" is - frankly - more trouble then it's worth, IMHO.  I'm still going to investigate all the ideas posted on this thread though, but I don't really see the point of this, as it is making things more difficult then they need to be, if you see what I am getting at.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
||||
phil99 Guru Joined: 11/02/2018 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3180 |
Had been wondering about that too. Speed-dial is an auto-dialer. The only thing I can see is if they are very busy and don't want to wait for you to answer. They just press a button then you have to call them and wait for them to answer. |
||||
| zeitfest Guru Joined: 31/07/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 674 |
Decades ago I was clobbered with a system that would fax results out, designed by visiting consultant (of course) who then went back overseas. The fax server would try multiple numbers three times each and had a success/fail report. In practice if there was a problem the numbers would often be engaged as the lines were chocka with people trying to fix problems. They would then ring to say they were not receiving their faxed results.. It was not a health related system thankfully. But, seriously, there are systems like that used in health organisations, to me that is basically unethical. It is even worse when you add VOIP with poor bandwidth and call centres with unintelligible speech. Each system has a lifetime guarantee right ? |
||||
 Print this page |
 |
The Back Shed's forum code is written, and hosted, in Australia. | © JAQ Software 2026 |
