fig1 illustrates a rain - gutter cleaning system embodiment of the present invention referred to herein by the reference numeral 100 . a rain gutter 101 that needs cleaning may be high on the eaves of a one or two story house . an agitator head 102 and video camera 104 are held aloft on a control boom 106 . a telescoping extension pole 108 is fitted with a control cable 110 . means are provided to automatically take up any slack in the control cable 110 . a control panel 114 allows the operator to control activity within the agitator head 102 . a display monitor screen 116 is connected to the video camera 104 and allows the operator to look into the rain gutter 101 . in alternative embodiments of the present invention , the display monitor screen 116 includes a video tape recorder , e . g ., am 8 mm type , that allows the before and after condition of the rain gutter to be recorded . such recording can be used to increase customer good will , or used in legal proceedings to prove or disprove liability . a vacuum cleaner 118 has a collection bag 120 for loosened debris that flows down from the agitator head 102 through a suction hose 122 . in alternative embodiments of the present invention , the extension pole 108 and suction hose 122 can be partly or totally replaced by lightweight rigid pipe sections . the vacuum cleaner 118 and collection bag 120 could also be mounted on a truck , or they could be replaced by a shop vacuum , instead of being carried by the operator . an adjustment knob 124 or switch is used to adjust the height of the telescoping extension pole 108 through a system of concave rubber rollers . the necessary operating power for the agitator head 102 , video camera 104 , display monitor screen 116 , and vacuum cleaner 118 , can be provided by a small gasoline - powered engine , battery , or electrical extension cord . such power alternatives are represented by a back - pack power unit 126 . each different kind of power source has its own advantages and disadvantages . in alternative embodiments of the present invention vacuum 118 , collection bag 120 and power unit 126 can be replaced by using flexible ducting that connects to a remote vacuum that may be portable or truck mounted . embodiments of the present invention are portable and enable operators to clean rain gutters while standing on the ground . a gas engine or other power unit maybe mounted in a back pack , much like a conventional leaf blower . the engine powers a vacuum system , attached to which is an expandable suction tube capable of reaching the rain gutters on a one and two story house while the operator is standing on the ground . fig2 a - 2c represent an agitator head 200 that could be used in system 100 . the whole is sized to fit and slip longitudinally within a typical rain gutter at a roof edge . agitator head 200 comprises a vacuum and paddles chamber 202 , a paddle transmission 204 , and a vacuum connection 206 for a hose . a motor 208 mounted to a bracket 209 powers the transmission 204 to turn two rotating hub assemblies 210 and 212 and double - ended and synchronized paddles 214 and 215 . a paddle tip is just visible in the perspective views of fig2 a and 2b protruding from the open bottom of the paddle and vacuum chamber 202 . fig2 c shows paddles 214 and 215 more fully . gears and chain drives inside the transmission 204 are connected to the two rotating hub assemblies 210 and 212 and rotate one rotating hub assembly and paddle clockwise while the other rotates counter - clockwise . fig3 shows one such arrangement in greater detail . the paddles 214 and 215 are typically aligned on their rotating hub assemblies 210 and 212 so that their two tips will point at each other every 180 ° of rotation . fig2 c shows this configuration , and such helps to beat debris between the paddles to break it up . the rotating paddles also act to partially block and then open the vacuum that reaches the bottom of the gutter being cleaned . such pulsating vacuum also aids in dislodging debris . as shown in fig2 b , a crane 216 is fitted at its distal end with a loose gimbal 218 such that the agitator head 200 can dangle below . a bracket 219 is used to attach the lower end of the gimbal 218 to agitator head 200 , preferably at a point that allows the agitator head 200 to hang with its bottom edge level both laterally and longitudinally . such gimbal 218 is relatively loose given the weigh it supports , and its configuration allows a limited range of pivoting , twisting , and swiveling of the agitator head on the crane 216 . a wire tie 220 is used to dress a power wire cable 222 for motor 208 . the crane 216 can be attached to the end of a long telescoping pole , as shown in fig1 . alternatively , power wire cable 222 could be run down inside crane 216 and the telescoping pole . fig3 represents a paddle transmission assembly 300 that could be used for the agitator head of fig2 a - 2c . the paddle transmission assembly 300 comprises a base plate 302 with a motor and paddles mounted on the backside . a driven gear 304 meshes with a drive gear 306 and has a 1 : 1 ratio . driven gear 304 is sistered to a chain sprocket ( not visible ) on a free axle 308 . similarly , drive gear 306 is also sistered to another chain sprocket ( not visible ) on a motor drive shaft 310 . a small dc electric motor , like motor 208 in fig2 a - 2c , is mounted to the backside of the transmission 300 , and it receives operating power on a connecting wire run down a pole to the ground and an operator . such motor could be powered in forward and reverse directions by switching the electrical polarity . faster and slower speeds could be realized by changing the applied voltage and / or gear ratios . the two chain sprockets turn in opposite directions due to the gear meshing . a first chain 314 drives a sprocket 316 clockwise , e . g ., on a spindle hub 318 . a second chain 320 drives a sprocket 322 counter - clockwise , e . g ., on a spindle hub 324 . these rotate paddles 330 and 332 in opposite directions , but synchronized such that their respective tips will come close together twice each rotation . the rotating paddles slap and beat debris within their reach to loosen it for vacuuming and removable . in general , the rotating paddles slap and beat debris up in the space between them . but in some situations it may be advantageous to reverse their mutual rotations . the gearing and motor speeds to use should be empirically selected to produce the best cleaning action of debris from a rain - gutter . a variable control may also be advantageous when conditions and debris materials vary in the field . the hardness and stiffness of the paddles 330 and 332 can also be adjusted for best operation . in a prototype that was built that produced good results , the paddles were cut from two thicknesses of rubber very similar to that used in heavy duty automotive tire inner tubes . of course other materials and configurations may produce better results in particular situations . a method embodiment of the present invention for cleaning rain gutters includes dragging an agitator head along inside a rain gutter to collect debris with a vacuum . a pair of oppositely rotating paddles are mounted in a bottom edge of said agitator head . the debris is beat and slapped with the pair of oppositely rotating paddles , and they are synchronized to come close together at their tips twice each rotation . the agitator head can be lofted above ground to a roof edge with a telescoping pole . the performance of the agitator head above ground can be monitored with a video camera . it can also be advantageous to reverse the rotation of the pair of oppositely rotating paddles . although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated , such is not intended to limit the invention . modifications and changes will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art , and it is intended that the invention only be limited by the scope of the appended claims .