Thanks for the reply.
I've learned that the signal isn't true spread spectrum. The unit broadcasts identical data across 8 frequencies (why?) between 910 and 920.
I wouldn't think they're doing anything for security reasons... it is very basic, non sensitive data. I think whatever they're doing, its going to be for costs savings and (more important) reliability. It appears, from some of the searching I've done, that the readers these companies sell can read other brand meters and vice versa.
It seems as recently as December 2009 there was an OpenAMR.org project going, but it is currently down.
The readers from Neptune (and similar) cost like $5k
again, I don't think that's to keep people like me out... I think its just economics and the fact that they don't have a large market for readers.
Anyway, I'll keep searching.
Oh, and I did just stumble upon something that discourages me a little. I realize now that the unit broadcasts every 14 seconds, but only updates what it broadcasts every hour. So the resolution of data isn't what I had hoped. I wanted to be able to have the software recognize, for example, when a toilet flushed. But with hourly updates that's not possible. Still, monitoring my usage hourly is still better than quarterly!
Did you know that if my irrigation blows a line (happened twice in the past 5 years before we got metered) it can pump out $142 per day worth of water!?!
A leaky toilet can cost some $200 a month and you might never know it until you're a grand in the hole.
That's (part of) my motivation.