We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What Is Telemetering?

By Benjamin Arie
Updated Feb 15, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGeek is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGeek, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

Telemetering is a process that is used to receive data from technical instruments. This technique also sometimes called remote metering, while the information gathered is referred as telemetry. Data collected through telemetering can be sent via physical cables, radio signals, or other remote transmission methods.

The word telemetering comes from the Greek term for "remote measure." Remote metering was first developed in the mid 1800s. In 1845, information from the Tsar of Russia's palace was monitored by the Russian Army. French scientists in Paris monitored weather sensors located on Mont Blanc in 1874. Both of these early examples of telemetering used physical wires to transmit information from one location to another.

It was not until 1930 that remote metering using wireless methods became practical. Both French and Russian scientists developed wireless telemetry projects in that year, and used Morse code to send weather measurements to monitoring stations. Wireless telemetry became a vital part of missile and rocket launches in the middle of the 20th century. Experts in Russia and the United States used remote metering to track guidance and atmospheric measurements during the space race between these two countries.

Several methods of telemetering are available. Signals can be sent over long distances using radio waves. Similarly, infrared signals can also be used. Infrared telemetry requires a direct line of sight to be available between the receiver and the transmitting location. Despite this disadvantage, infrared remote metering signals are less prone to interference than radio telemetry.

Telemetry signals do not always move directly from the monitored location to a receiver. Sometimes, remote metering uses a network of repeaters to increase the range of the signal. The wireless cellular network in the United States is one example of this method. Data gathered from one side of the country, for instance, can be sent hundreds or thousands of miles as a text message over the same network that is used to make phone calls. Using existing infrastructure such as cellular or satellite networks greatly increases the range and simplicity of modern telemetering processes.

Sending data is a vital part of many activities, and is not limited to scientific or military use. Monitoring the speed of a race car and tracking the location of ambulances are two common examples of remote metering. Even such common conveniences as vending machines and automatic teller machines often send telemetry containing updates on how much currency or stock they hold.

WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Related Articles

Discussion Comments

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.