Horse Tech Support

11 years ago

The woman who runs the barn where my wife keeps her horses has a mare that is due to have a foal any day now. She has a system that detects when the delivery is starting which then dials several different phone numbers to summon people to the barn.

She tried to set the system up but couldn't get the dialer portion to work, so she called me. A quick check showed that the phone line was dead at the network interface (meaning its the phone companies responsibility) Five days later they had fixed the phone lines but the system still didn't seem to dial, so she called me in again tonight.

The phone jack on the dialer was corroded, and all attempts to clean it were fruitless. We checked online, but even if a place had the exact model of dialer in stock, it likely wouldn't ship until Monday, and not arrive until Wednesday -- likely too late. So I brought it home, open it up and started poking around with the ohmmeter. Long story (slightly) short(er) I un-soldered the corroded phone jack and soldered in a replacement, and the system now works. I'm so awesome :-)

Featured Answer

susanjf_gw

11 years ago

you know how mothers are! they never can be trusted to not cause a panic! hoping for a easy delivery...please let us know asap when the new arrival comes....

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Comments (20)

PKponder TX Z7B
11 years ago
you are awesome! I couldn't do that!
User
11 years ago
Wow. I hope the birth is much more uneventful, I other words, really easy.
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Jasdip
11 years ago
You're a hero Bob!!!! I love reading your stories about your wife and her horses.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
That's so great, Bob! 100% awesome.
socks
11 years ago
Awesome, and humble too!! Lol!! Great fix.

Keep us posted on the blessed event. Lots of horse lovers here.
prairie_rose
11 years ago
Cool! We don't have a calving barn, but I know a couple that do, and they have something similar. Sure beats having to drive through the herd to check. Good luck with the foaling!
chisue
11 years ago
Now why am I channeling Might Mouse's theme song? ("Here I come...to save the day!") Good on you, Bob.
janey_alabama
11 years ago
Way to go Bob!! Now you know you will have to post pictures of the foal.
Alisande
11 years ago
Maybe she'll name the foal Bob. ;-)
Yayagal
11 years ago
Love the humility lol lol
bob_cville
Original Author
11 years ago
I felt a little bit like I was channeling my father who passed away about a year ago. He always felt he could fix anything, he was often right, but sometimes he'd get in over his head, and the parts would be put in a box and be put on a shelf, and there it would stay.

We bought the system three years ago when we had a foal, and subsequently sold the system to her, so I felt a little responsible for making sure it worked.
blfenton
11 years ago
Good job! It is always cool to see ones attempts at fixing or doing anything outside of your normal bailiwick work out. You are awesome.
sheilajoyce_gw
11 years ago
I am in awe.
socks
11 years ago
How does this work. Is something attached to the mare to detect when foal is coming?
sjerin
11 years ago
You are SO awesome, Bob!! You must be pretty darned handy to have around the house. :)
nanny98
11 years ago
Ditto...Always GREAT to give it a good try. (as the ear-worm has its' way with me!)
bob_cville
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
socks,
Yes a small, special propose transmitter device is attached to the mare to detect when the birth process is starting. It signals the receiver which then in turn triggers the dialer I fixed yesterday.

As of yet we haven't received a call from the system, so no foal as of yet.
kayjones
11 years ago
Now YOU are what I call a GOOD FRIEND and a smart one, too! Good on you!!!
bob_cville
Original Author
11 years ago
Dang it. Around 8:15 P.M. we received a call from the Foalert system. We drove over to the barn and found the barn owner was already there, and it was a false alarm. The mare had rubbed the transmitter out of position which triggered it. Unfortunately it seemed to cause the transmitter to stop working. So now someone need to watch the mare all night until a new transmitter can be shipped out. I don't think that is something I can fix.