Wait... you can talk?!
please use caution
- Thread starter mitbr
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Wait... you can talk?!
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2003
- Messages
- 1,162
I installed a do-it-yourshelf no hard-wiring alarm system from a company called SimpliSafe, check it out.
russellmaher
KC1ANC
Hello Tex. I have been to the site and checked out the alarm system. It sounds like a good deal for the product and the monitoring service. I'm giving it some serious consideration.
Thank you for posting this.
Russell
Thank you for posting this.
Russell
I will echo his suggestion for it as a good system.
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2003
- Messages
- 1,162
You are welcome and I am very happy with this system.
Pretty reliable tools and will get the job done.
Never post your details on the forum, or call sign, they just can look up. Just asking for trouble to show up. Post Office Box for the address is always recommended. You have to think like them and don't leave them a away in.
Spankymedic7
Member
At my home, I have 7 layers of security before they get to the front door.
Then, two more layers of security inside.
Then, Crimson Trace Lasers.
Then, the muzzle flashes from my Glocks do very well for emergency lighting.
But, I don't advertise my ham call, just in case.
Rich
Edit: I forgot to mention the nine HD security cameras and instant video upload/storage to the internet so I have a record even if they ever could get to any of the computers or cameras.
One of the security cameras is VERY noticeable.
It always catches that ................. oh sh-- look!
And an early morning prowler!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyNWAOxxt6A
I absolutely love the "muzzle flashes from my Glocks"...classic.
Posting pics, security aspects, etc.
I too have a substantial investment in radio gear mounted in my vehicle. Custom counsol and all. It's my hobby. I like to take it with me. That said, even with alarm systems, LoJack, (including notification via cell phone texts if the vehicle is moved when left unattended), I still get nervous every time I park it. When they can take a car thief out of prison (because he supposedly was very good at stealing cars, and wanted to test the latest anti theft devices of the day) and gave him his tools, he was into the car and off the lot in under 5 minutes! This was years ago, GM sponsored the demonstration, and anti theft capabilities have become much more dependable, but it's the old story... If man invented it, man can overcome it! The big barking dog idea is probably still one of the best ideas to date. Just make sure the windows are slightly open and park in the shade.
I too have a substantial investment in radio gear mounted in my vehicle. Custom counsol and all. It's my hobby. I like to take it with me. That said, even with alarm systems, LoJack, (including notification via cell phone texts if the vehicle is moved when left unattended), I still get nervous every time I park it. When they can take a car thief out of prison (because he supposedly was very good at stealing cars, and wanted to test the latest anti theft devices of the day) and gave him his tools, he was into the car and off the lot in under 5 minutes! This was years ago, GM sponsored the demonstration, and anti theft capabilities have become much more dependable, but it's the old story... If man invented it, man can overcome it! The big barking dog idea is probably still one of the best ideas to date. Just make sure the windows are slightly open and park in the shade.
902
Member
At least I can serve as a bad example...
I may have brought this up in other threads, but not in this one.
I lived in Northeastern NJ, Sopranoland, for 32 years and never had a problem. I lived in the Midwest for over a decade after that, also no problem. I moved "down south" and had two vehicles stolen. The first one is on me. My oldest was in high school at the time and she decided to cut class and go to the beach (we have one nearby). Some POS was apparently waiting as she decided keys and her personal items would make her behind look big. So, no one would find any of that hidden in the car, right? Wrong. She and her friend come back and the car is gone... along with everything else inside of it. Now PD speculated that her friend was involved in baiting her to an area where someone else was waiting to take the vehicle. Personally, I don't think that's impossible, but like UFOs and conspiracy theories, I don't think her friend and others were that well-organized to pull this off. But who knows? Maybe they were in with other really bad people for drugs? I'll never know. A few days go by. Being in the position is like being on the outside looking in. Nobody returns your phone calls. Nobody keeps you updated. You're just... stuck. A few days later, I get a notification that the vehicle was recovered.
I pull up after all the "fun" had taken place. Some 20-something single mother found the thing on an online classifieds "List" and paid $1,200 cash for a "really good deal." She went to the registration office and tried to get plates for it. The motor vehicles people told her, "Why don't you just have a seat over there..." (that phrase is never good, BTW) and she was promptly detained. After some explanation and descriptions, she was taken back home and the vehicle processed. The plates were gone. They left the radio in the car (!). I had a dual-band ham radio in there with a hole-mount antenna. The seller's explanation was that "That's a CB I used for work, you can have it." Gone were other items from the car, including my oldest's ID and set of keys.
Fast forward one year, almost to the day. I'm awakened by the kids at about 3 AM saying they heard a noise and MY car drove away out of the driveway. By this time, I had already learned a lesson with the first vehicle and changed all of the license plate hardware to unusual nuts and bolts that one needs special tools to assemble and disassemble. This car was going to BE hot. At the same time, the thieves listed the vehicle on that Thief's List website as a similar model (they knew I'd be looking for it) and got another fish on the hook. There are abrasion marks where they unsuccessfully used a drill to drill the plate hardware off. If they did manage to take it off, I painted "THIS CAR IS STOLEN" under the plate. Somebody must have crapped his pants if they got that far. According to PD, at the hand-off, the mark gave the thief like $1,500 cash and, cash in hand, the thief ran off to an awaiting car and they drove off at a high rate of speed dumping the hot car with the mark. Again, anything that was installed in the vehicle was still there, anything that wasn't bolted in was stripped. PD took fingerprints, but I have no idea how the rest of the story played out.
What happened? Well, my vehicle has a chip key. When they stole my oldest's stuff, they had my address and the chip key that was on her key ring. A year later, when they thought I'd be complacent, they came back in the middle of the night and just took it.
Some takeaways:
1) The vehicles were listed on Thief's List and phony titles were printed on official-looking security parchment in time for a quick buy. These people were well organized. A Jersey guy like me might use the word "racket."
2) They used the same cellular telephone number in the listing from the previous year.
I got into APRS because of this. I'm a bad ham because I don't care about the hobby aspect of the mode. I'm in it for its utility. Any hobby niftiness (and I do "like" it) is secondary. All of the APRS stuff is hidden deep in the car with its own power supply. Cutting the battery won't stop the position indications. Taking the antenna off won't do anything because it's a decoy and the real antenna isn't seen.
I also remove my stuff when the vehicle won't be used. It does impact professional-looking installs. My stuff can be easily disconnected, pulled out, and taken by design. I take it before anyone else does.
I won't buy "good cars" anymore. The second vehicle that was stolen was ultimately replaced by a $500 car. It's comfortable and my son put some work into it to make it reliable, but it's not going to make the thieves a quick buck. Otherwise, it's going to be more appealing to take someone else's car.
Moral of the story - predators are out there.
I may have brought this up in other threads, but not in this one.
I lived in Northeastern NJ, Sopranoland, for 32 years and never had a problem. I lived in the Midwest for over a decade after that, also no problem. I moved "down south" and had two vehicles stolen. The first one is on me. My oldest was in high school at the time and she decided to cut class and go to the beach (we have one nearby). Some POS was apparently waiting as she decided keys and her personal items would make her behind look big. So, no one would find any of that hidden in the car, right? Wrong. She and her friend come back and the car is gone... along with everything else inside of it. Now PD speculated that her friend was involved in baiting her to an area where someone else was waiting to take the vehicle. Personally, I don't think that's impossible, but like UFOs and conspiracy theories, I don't think her friend and others were that well-organized to pull this off. But who knows? Maybe they were in with other really bad people for drugs? I'll never know. A few days go by. Being in the position is like being on the outside looking in. Nobody returns your phone calls. Nobody keeps you updated. You're just... stuck. A few days later, I get a notification that the vehicle was recovered.
I pull up after all the "fun" had taken place. Some 20-something single mother found the thing on an online classifieds "List" and paid $1,200 cash for a "really good deal." She went to the registration office and tried to get plates for it. The motor vehicles people told her, "Why don't you just have a seat over there..." (that phrase is never good, BTW) and she was promptly detained. After some explanation and descriptions, she was taken back home and the vehicle processed. The plates were gone. They left the radio in the car (!). I had a dual-band ham radio in there with a hole-mount antenna. The seller's explanation was that "That's a CB I used for work, you can have it." Gone were other items from the car, including my oldest's ID and set of keys.
Fast forward one year, almost to the day. I'm awakened by the kids at about 3 AM saying they heard a noise and MY car drove away out of the driveway. By this time, I had already learned a lesson with the first vehicle and changed all of the license plate hardware to unusual nuts and bolts that one needs special tools to assemble and disassemble. This car was going to BE hot. At the same time, the thieves listed the vehicle on that Thief's List website as a similar model (they knew I'd be looking for it) and got another fish on the hook. There are abrasion marks where they unsuccessfully used a drill to drill the plate hardware off. If they did manage to take it off, I painted "THIS CAR IS STOLEN" under the plate. Somebody must have crapped his pants if they got that far. According to PD, at the hand-off, the mark gave the thief like $1,500 cash and, cash in hand, the thief ran off to an awaiting car and they drove off at a high rate of speed dumping the hot car with the mark. Again, anything that was installed in the vehicle was still there, anything that wasn't bolted in was stripped. PD took fingerprints, but I have no idea how the rest of the story played out.
What happened? Well, my vehicle has a chip key. When they stole my oldest's stuff, they had my address and the chip key that was on her key ring. A year later, when they thought I'd be complacent, they came back in the middle of the night and just took it.
Some takeaways:
1) The vehicles were listed on Thief's List and phony titles were printed on official-looking security parchment in time for a quick buy. These people were well organized. A Jersey guy like me might use the word "racket."
2) They used the same cellular telephone number in the listing from the previous year.
I got into APRS because of this. I'm a bad ham because I don't care about the hobby aspect of the mode. I'm in it for its utility. Any hobby niftiness (and I do "like" it) is secondary. All of the APRS stuff is hidden deep in the car with its own power supply. Cutting the battery won't stop the position indications. Taking the antenna off won't do anything because it's a decoy and the real antenna isn't seen.
I also remove my stuff when the vehicle won't be used. It does impact professional-looking installs. My stuff can be easily disconnected, pulled out, and taken by design. I take it before anyone else does.
I won't buy "good cars" anymore. The second vehicle that was stolen was ultimately replaced by a $500 car. It's comfortable and my son put some work into it to make it reliable, but it's not going to make the thieves a quick buck. Otherwise, it's going to be more appealing to take someone else's car.
Moral of the story - predators are out there.
DJ11DLN
Member
Precisely one of the reasons I always drive beaters and don't complain about mediocre performance from an antenna inside the passenger compartment. My "newest" vehicle is 17 years old, the pickup is pushing 20, neither are "cherries." And I wouldn't hesitate to take off on a cross-country road trip with either of 'em.:wink:
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