I want to have one circuit generate a radio frequency and have another circuit act on the presence of that radio wave, to turn a transistor ON and light up a LED for example. Just a simple as that, I don't need to send any data through the air.
I tried this by having the transmitter circuit generate AC from DC at I don't know exactly what frequency but fast enough not to see the oscillations through a LED, and making that current alternate through a long wire acting as an antenna. The receiver circuit was the one from this experiment: http://www.creative-science.org.uk/mobile_LED.html. It didn't work and I don't know if it is the transmitter or the receiver or both that don't work.
So, how do you send a simple On/Off signal through radio waves? Any schematic would be greatly appreciated.
ARRL Handbook
is a good resource for ham radio circuits... not only circuits but RF techniques. Assuming you are in USA,Title 47 CFR Part 15
governs low-power, unlicensed radio transmitters. \$\endgroup\$ – MarkU Feb 20 '15 at 10:19