What is this thing?

[RickJ]

Seems like Gregjazz has correctly identified the device.  The imprint of what it replaced looks like the water meter reading socket on my house.   So the city/county or who ever provides water probably installed it as an upgrade so they can read the water meter more easily.

Have you looked on your or any other neighbor's house lately?  It's likely that such a device is your near future also.   

I have wireless internet.  The radio and antenna are self-contained and sealed in a shallow rectangular box which is mounted on a pole that sticks out of my roof about 6 feet or so.  At night you can see a number of multi-colored, blinking, LEDs.  I think that some of my neighbours think I'm a space alien or something bgut who cares! 

[TerranRich]

RickJ, you should put on a tin foil hat and man the roof every so often, just to keep the neighbors in check!

[RickJ]

Hehe,  Terran, I taught my cat to climb the ladder so every now and then he and I go up there and hang for a while.   

[lo_res_man]

I e-mail'd the FCC and got this as reply
The applicant for the item is Badger Meter Inc and the equipment is DXX
- Part 15 Low Power Communication Device Transmitter.  It is a pit and
remote transmitter for water pit or vault installations that are
subject to flooding or submergence.
preatty much what you said