An irrigation control device with a controller, antenna, power supply and battery charging device, such as a solar array, all contained within a housing, such as a rotor body. The controller receives signals through the antenna. The controller updates one or more watering schedules stored in a memory module, based on the received signals, and generates control signals to execute a watering schedule. The battery charging device recharges the power supply and the irrigation control device requires no external electrical connections for power or control. Control signals are generated in a central controller remote from the rotor, and are preferably transmitted to the rotor antenna through a commercial paging or other type of public broadcast network.