Present status of the gates:
Gates each have 3 receivers for different transmitter frequencies and types.
Fenwick Blvd: All three receivers are working properly, however the older gray transmitters are no longer usable at this gate. See image below..
Western: All three receivers are working properly.
If you have an issue with a transmitter please submit the issue using our online form. Also, confirm with our management company that your account is not delinquent on HOA dues. See https://fenwickgated.org/payment-of-dues/
These are the old gate remotes that no longer function at the Fenwick Blvd entrance.
Future fun project: It would be great to use a Raspberry Pi with a camera and AI to detect a U.S.P.S, Amazon, FedEx, UPS or school bus and open the gate based on live imagery.. however it may not work in the morning sun, it would take a crazy amount of time to teach AI what we are looking for, and it would likely require dedicated Internet and not function offline. Any college students out there looking for a senior project?
2025: We need to replace the UbiTalk VoIP modules at each gate. This allows a person at the gate to look-up a resident and have the gate call their telephone number. The resident can then press ‘#’ to open the gate for them. We average about 5 calls per day. It is also the Fenwick Gated HOA gate voicemail for gate issues.
We also need to replace the section of blacktop at the Fenwick Blvd exit gate that has significant cupping. This will also require replacing the magnetic detection loop, etc..
Apr – Nov 2024: On 29-Feb 2024 the Western exit gate was struck by a vehicle resulting in additional damage including a few broken welds. The gate operator was not damaged thankfully. We requested quotes and met with many vendors for gate replacement. Once replaced and being impressed with the work we continued and replaced the entry gate. We then had all iron fencing and bollards repainted. The gates have operated fairly well since.
Feb 2024: These very old gate controllers (the keypad and LCD display) appear to be having a problem with this February being a Leap Year. The gates quit opening for school busses on Fridays and they apparently are observing Sunday as Monday. Hopefully when we get into March this will return to normal. Otherwise everything has been normal maintenance. We replaced the fading LCD displays and replaced the weather stripping. We’ve replaced some broken anchor bolts. Our next maintenance task is to use a portable air compressor to blow out the dust in the video camera caps and gate controllers. We will also replace the Earth ground safety wire.
Aug 2023: The Western Entry gate’s center loop controller stopped working, causing the gate operator sense a car parked on the loop and holding the gate open. The gates opened Sunday Aug 13 for realtor showings and never closed. We’ve had issues with this controller for the past few years but normally a reset resolves it. This time I had to call out AGR of Oklahoma to further diagnose and repair. Gate was back in service Thursday. Also I programmed the gates for school busses and have been monitoring to ensure the gate clocks remain accurate. This year we are opening entry and exit gates to reduce the likelihood of a gate strike as school busses rush through a gate as the open timer expires.
March 2023: The Western Entry gate’s belt has worn down and is slipping, causing issues with opening and closing. We have the gate open presently and the belt replacement will be underway soon. The Fenwick Blvd gate belt is also worn and we will have it replaced at the same time.
Jan 2023: Replaced the emergency operations battery backup at both entry gates. After replacing the batteries I switched-off the electric breaker at both to confirm the gates would open using battery power. I used AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries as they will better withstand the heat/cold and will last longer.
Oct 2022: The Western Exit gate has a hinge that has disintegrated and therefore we have the gate locked open. We have a quote for repair and repair will be underway soon. New hinges were installed and the gate was returned to service.
Dec 2021: The Fenwick Blvd entry gate loop detector was unearthed by the roadwork crew and we are determining the proper order to proceed with roadwork and repair of the loops (in addition to the other loops that may be unearthed).
15-21 Nov 2021: Video cameras configured and testing/documenting setup. Gates are working properly and radio receivers are working well. We can now program the Linear gate controllers over the network at high speed instead of using dial-up! The ATT business dial-up line disconnect has been issued, dramatically reducing the cost to homeowners. Hopefully a welder will be out next week to review the bollard at Fenwick Blvd and repair.
15 Nov 2021: Western gate = COX trenched underneath the driveway and installed Internet service for the video cameras.
12 Nov 2021: The tops of the brick columns were installed!
10 Nov 2021: Observed a bollard at Western is bent over with a lot of new yellow paint on it. Will look into adjusting if possible after a rain. All bollards here need to be repainted as well.
09 Nov 2021: One bollard at Fenwick Blvd has been broken off by a heavy vehicle. Will look into repair after road repair crew is gone.
5 Nov 2021: COX was supposed to arrive with a trenching unit today but they only sent a regular installer. He obviously cannot trench under the exit gate driveway so he has submitted a request for the correct crew to come out next week. This was all in the original site engineering but apparently nobody reads. So we are delayed once again. If only we could use Starlink but where would we hide Dishy McFlatface?
Thursday I pulled the concrete bump stop back through the pedestrian gate and I noticed the pedestrian gate was leaning further in than usual. Friday the pedestrian gate was worse and I discovered the bottom hinge weld was broken off the post. AGR of Ok will be out Monday to weld it back.
17 Oct 2021: The home made antennas are mounted inside the brick columns and working very well (Amateur Radio skills are beneficial again). I used a PVC pipe hanger and copper clad steel wire and double-shielded coax and built 3 vertical 1/2 wave antennas for each gate controller (each has 3 receivers).
10 Oct 2021: A gate controller stopped tracking time-of-day. It was discovered when the gate was not open for the school bus for a few days. I determined the problem was the CPU not the Interface board where the real time clock and Lithium battery are located. I moved the CPU from Western to Fenwick Blvd and the problem followed the CPU. I found a replacement CPU on Ebay and left the Fenwick Blvd entry gate locked open until it was working again. Before buying parts on Ebay we reviewed the cost to replace both Linear units with the Doorking 1837. We agreed to maintain the existing Linear system for a few more years if we can find parts.
9 Oct 2021 Receiver Range: I have temporarily resolved the receiver ranges at Fenwick Blvd and Western entries. The antennas provided by manufacturers are hardly even 1/4 wavelength and with the new plastic box mounting the antennas were no longer configured as dipole antennas, so the coax shield was functioning as the missing antenna. I an thinking about building 1/2 wavelength antennas to mount inside the brick columns, but I need to build them in a way that will last for 20 years.
6 Oct 2021: I reinstalled the LiftMaster receiver at the Fenwick Blvd entry and it is working properly.
4 Oct 2021: The radio receiver at the Fenwick Blvd entry, LiftMaster CPWR3, was manufactured in 2010 and was discontinued sometime after it’s replacement was released in 2014. The transmitters (clickers) it supports were also discontinued and the replacement model is not backward compatible. Tonight I switched the receivers at Fenwick Blvd on the Linear controller (Weigand port 1 to Weigand Port 2 and visa versa) and the problem moved with the receiver. Then I removed the receiver from Fenwick Blvd and moved it to Western and again the problem moved with the receiver. This confirms the problem is the receiver not the Linear controller. I then focused on what was happening with the receiver and possibly uncovered the problem (intermittent closure of switches or seating of a chip in a socket on the circuit board). I will reinstall the receiver at Fenwick Blvd at my next opportunity. This would explain why we have received intermittent complains about Fenwick Blvd for several years. If the problem was exasperated by the expanding and contracting of the components due to heat in day vs night then it’s a tough problem to track down. Also, no good deed goes unpunished, by taking everything apart and rebuilding and shaking things around, anything that was working intermittently will likely quit working.
3 Oct 2021: This weekend we received several complaints regarding the little gray “LiftMaster Passport” transmitters. They work at the Western gate but not at the Fenwick Blvd gate. One resident loaned me his to help troubleshoot the issue (these were discontinued and cannot buy them anymore (except e-bay). I have found that the Liftmaster Passport receiver at Fenwick Blvd is displaying an output code format error. I checked the wiring and the programming and everything is correct. We may need to order a replacement unit if they can still be purchased. Still working on this.
27 Sept 2021: Gates were opened by emergency services sometime before noon. OKC Fire from station 37 visited and unlock them for us around 9 PM.
25 Sept 2021: Fenwick Blvd gate now migrated to use Google Voice via an OBi200 and we’ve replaced the dial-up programming with an RS/232 over Ethernet link. The Western gate will be updated next when the metal fabrication shop has the new tops completed and after we get COX Internet installed (hopefully by Nov 6).
17~18 Sept 2021: Gates opened programmatically for Fenwick Garage Sale and returned to regular programming 19-Sept. This weekend we also implemented online payment for gate transmitters, at minimal cost for all of us homeowners.
16-Sept-2021: The brick column construction was completed, the rewiring was completed and the gate controllers were reconnected to the gate operators. Everything is back in operation and we are awaiting materials to begin the next phase of the project. We’ve been told it may be another 8 weeks before fabrication of the ‘top hat’ is completed.
Delays are expected as construction is hitting high demand. We actually were delayed (5) months waiting for Acme Brick to manufacture our bricks!
31-Aug-2021: Our project, which began planning and testing stages over a year ago, has begun! Disassembly of the gate controller pedestals and wire tracing began. This will be followed by a mason pouring a foundation and building a brick column at each entry. Then the electronics and radio receivers will be reinstalled and the gates will be back in service. The metal ‘top hat’ that will house security cameras has been ordered but like everything else, it’s delayed. Goals of this project:
- Replace the wiring that was installed, we suspect, in 1996. It’s been cut so many times that it’s too short and ground wires are missing!
- Switch from copper telephone lines to VoIP (OBi 200) for “telephone access request” from gate controllers.
- Implement video cameras to monitor vehicles that strike the gates and to deter criminal behavior. This will be a system we own and monitor as opposed to paying a 3rd party.
- Replace dial-up gate programming with direct RS232 programming over IP (StarTech RS232 serial over IP)
- Improve the appearance of the entry way.