Tracking devices

Yup, see:

They are (generally) activated by you calling the police, getting a reference number, then phoning tracker who try to find where the vehicle is. The little box is really a bit of a glorified mobile phone, and has a backup battery. It's best not to put "I've got a Tracker" notices all over the vehicle, as the theif will look for that first and remove/disable it. Well, unless it's very well hidden and otherwise totally inaccessible, that is!

Plenty of alternatives, low and high tech. I've been playing with a few things involving GPRS mobile phones and GPS's - I'm also of the opinion though, that leaving a dog in the vehicle is the best option in terms of preventing the opportunist theif - but this isn't always practical in the summer.. .

Someone stole my favorite truck back in 1986. So I tried to think of some way to prevent my car from disappearing. I purchased a electric valve that is normally used to switch fuel tanks on motorhomes (purchased it at a travel trailer supply shop), connected it to the fuel line leading to the pump. Connected it in such a way where it took power to keep it "on". Anotherwords, I hooked the inlet to the inlet, the outlet to the side that took 12v to keep the valve shuttled in that direction, thus allowing fuel to flow. Then placed a toggle switch under the dash that only got power when the ignition was on.

With the switch "off", the vehicle would only run for a few seconds until the carb ran out of fuel. My thinking was it would confuse the potential thief when they found themselves fighting to start the vehicle again. I also had to jump the lead of the switch with a maintained push button just in case I ran out of fuel and needed the switch to stay engaged while cranking. This could easily be accomplished by dumping fuel into the carb instead thus saving the extra wiring.

Mark

The RAC have an option that alerts as soon as the vehicle is moved. It looks the best option (and the most expensive). It's a good idea if you keep expensive equipment on-board as you should get it back - possibily within the hour. (One of my vehicles is fitted with a Tracker - I've never needed to use it!) Jon

..Snipped> Simon are you a licensed ham? If so iv'e got the answer, but only if your a ham as you'll need to track via radio links.d:-) Dave PS. If you pay postage from Manchester to ? I'll send you my device that I made for my 110 CSW. I advertised it free to the first person to mail me with no takers?????? just needs a close coupled paddlock. and works just fine, although its not what your asking for, its the very next best thing.

How does it indicate that the vehicle is being moved, by calling\sms to you?

The apparent lack of hidey holes is one reason I asked if anyone had fitted one. What size are the units, large mobile size? Did they tell you where it is installed as well, I remember my boss at my previous job telling me that he didn't know where the unit was in his Alpina B3.

Large mobile phoneish, yes, 6 inch by 2 by 1.5 I reckon. They are actually quite easy to hide away, but remember the ant needs to be housed too, which is only a wire about 3 foot long. Now, having said this, I defy anyone to find the unit in either Grumble or the Disco. Grumble especially, as even I couldn't get to it easily recently to check the battery.

Although they will tell you where it is, they don't always like doing so - to avoid you fiddling. When the chap came to install it in Grumber I showed him where I'd thought it best to put it - thinking he'd tell me to f*** off, but he replied that it would be 'like chucking a banana up the high street', which tended to make me think he'd had harder install jobs!

This site is worth a look too. Had one fitted to my previous Discovery but never needed to use it so can't say how effective it was. Left it in-situ when I sold her and got quite a premium from the deal - more than it cost anyway :-)

Regards Steve G

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I seem to remember reading somewhere about a device that sends you a text message on your mobile if the car is broken into and you can text back to immobilise it. Can't for the life of me remember where I read it though ... failing memory comes with age ... I'll be brain dead by thirty :-(

Regards Steve G

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This was a trial run in Japan a couple of years ago (was on Tomorrows World). To my knowledge it has not seen a mass rollout in Europe yet.

How often does the battery need checking then, is there not some automatic notification of impending failure?

Not from Tracker, no. I guess I only wanted to check it because I'm a sad techie who does that sort of thing ;-)

My reckoning is that the battery is good for 3 years, then will work effectively for another two. After that, it's not really worth having it.

Mine tested perfectly and it's been in there 2+ years, but then again, I really do like the Yuasa batteries, for this very reason.

Hmm, how do you know if the tracker is working, do they carry out some sort of regular comms check? Just because the battery is charged it doesn't follow that the unit is working correctly.

I guess you are thinking of TrakM8

GPS Warehousesells them

Mike

Is this what you are thinking about

Tony B,

Yup, I'm also currently building another system with the '2 way' sms trigger idea. All based around a cut-down RedHat linux install blown onto an eprom (well, that's the theory).

Found it! No wonder I couldn't remember where I'd seen it - it was LRM.

It's called Text Lock and is available from Tomcat Motor Sport - 01522

683733 - or Central Fire Systems -0115 955 9129 - (sorry dunno the URL). It comes in two varieties too... expensive and bleedin' expensive :-) LOL Steve G

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Hi Simon

I would think a handbrake lock on a Landy could be ineffective. The handbrake is relatively easily accessible from under the car, and all you would need to release the vehicle is to slacken off the brake adjuster on the back of the drum.

A gear lock would be a better option, if the design of the gearbox tunnel would allow.

Cheers! Graham Carter Harare Zimbabwe.

Can anyone who has one of these handbrake locks comment on them? I think the're called Jetlock or similar.

Well, if you think that anyone that is going to rob you of your vehicle will bother whether they wreck the box or the braking system, think again. the most effective way is surely to immobilise the vehicle as far as you can. I can appreciate comments like if they cant start it/move it, they will damage it anyway, but a