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an alternative to a car alarm?
02GF74 - 25/1/21 at 10:47 PM

As we know most people ignore car alarms so how about a GPS tracker with SIM card that talks to your mobile phone to tell you when your vehicle has been stolen and locate it?

It looks like a car relay and you can define a zone that once the vehicle has left it, will trigger an alarm on your phone plus it has the ability to remotely turn off the fuel pump !!! (note the advert says oil pump but that wouldn't make sense). Potentially it would be possiible to rig up a bluetooth camera connected to a phone to take a photo of the perp and have it texted to you?

ebay linky £ 15.89

GPS tracker

steve m - 25/1/21 at 11:12 PM

All it seems to be is a Fuel relay with some stuff in it, not exactly rocket science,

so, just remove the fuel relay, with a dud, that wont start the car

02GF74 - 25/1/21 at 11:26 PM

Unless I've missed, from what I read in the description, it has gsm receiver and slot for Sim card so it is capable of sending GPS location information to be displayed on an app running on a smart phone. Whist it isn't rocket science, I'd like to see you put one together.

And it doesn't start the car, it stops it after it had been stomo.

[Edited on 25/1/21 by 02GF74]

gremlin1234 - 26/1/21 at 12:06 AM

similar ones have been around for years, you can set geo fences and all sorts.
the biggest downside is, you have to effectively pay a mobile phone contract/ payg to get the data.*

another fault with this design is the fuse box is usually under the bonnet, with a large metal bonnet over it, which stops gps, and significantly impairs mobile signals.

* however, since three do a sim with 200MB mobile data per month free, it can be free to use, (but you need a 3g/4g version of the unit.)
but round here the three signal is so poor, it just dont work ;-(

rf900rush - 26/1/21 at 07:20 AM

I built a prototype of one of these a few years back.
No were as tydy as this.
I used a small microcntroller with a GSM and GPS module.
Total parts was about £50.

Mine just sent Text messages using a PAYG sim.

I do not like the idear of interupting the fuel line on such a cheap device tough.

Slimy38 - 26/1/21 at 08:21 AM

I'm assuming the cutting of the oil pump is just a poorly translated chinglish word, the image says 'cut off fuel'.

Interesting device though, I've often wondered about something similar in my cars. Not necessarily to disable them (as mentioned it seems a bad idea on such a cheap device), but definitely to track them. I've always been tempted to get a cheap mobile phone and do the same, just hide it behind the glove box or something? Leave it permanently plugged in, PAYG SIM with the required three or six month phone call to keep it alive.

The use of built in alarms has become it's own worst enemy. They're so sophisticated and integrated into the car that the weak point is the key itself. Smash a house window, grab the key, car gone. At least this gives a chance of recovery.

swanny - 26/1/21 at 08:25 AM

i still like the simplicity of a hidden fuel cut off switch. i have one in the kit car and sometimes even i cant find it, and i know where it should be!

[Edited on 26/1/21 by swanny]

Russell - 26/1/21 at 08:48 AM

I've got the bigger version of the same item. It works well with a PAYG SIM and is very accurate.

The downside is that the operating software seems quite flaky. You configure it by sending text messages and it replies 'SET OK', but often it hasn't set the requested value at all. I'm on my second one (two different models) and I've been unable to make either one turn on geofencing.

Check out Amazon because because they're often discounted and cheaper than eBay (and easier to return when they don't work properly!!)

ianhurley20 - 26/1/21 at 09:59 AM

I used to have a 'Snitcher' which is by datatool in 2008 on a motorcycle. Very similar device. If movement was detected it would send a text to you and you could send a command reply for it to do something, they set it up to sound an alarm but I wired it to an imobiliser which would cut all the electrics. Never tested in anger thankfully. You could also track the sim so you would know where the bike had gone although GPS wasn't enabled with this one. Must be many similar devices now.

02GF74 - 26/1/21 at 10:50 AM

I was just letting folks aware that it is possible to track your car for very little money; there is another similar device for around £ 10 which is in a less convenient package ... and there are other ones that cost £ 150+

quote:
Originally posted by rf900rush
I built a prototype of one of these a few years back.
No were as tiddly as this.
I used a small microntroller with a GSM and GPS module.
Total parts was about £50.

Mine just sent Text messages using a PAYG sim.

I do not like the idea of interrupting the fuel line on such a cheap device tough.


Ok, I did think about what is involved and it is doable - does the £ 50 cost take into account your time, in particular to develop the SW??

I am not sure what the running costs are, it may be that it sends a message periodically in which case money on PAYG soon disappears.

As for cutting off fuel, I'll admit I skimmed through the details but one of these mentioned that the oil pump (has to be fuel pump as who as an electric oil pump!?!?) is interrupted to slow the vehicle down prior to stopping it fully. The slightly worrying part is in case a bum call to the SIM triggers the shutdown ... but then when engine alarm/immobilisers first came out, there was the same unfounded fear they would do the same, there may have been isolated cases but that is no longer a concern, and yes, I'm comparing a £ 15 device compared to a factory fitted device that has been through very stringent design and QA.

craig1410 - 26/1/21 at 11:51 AM

I think I'd rather get some sort of alert ideally before the theft or worst case during the theft rather than after the theft, even if the fuel pump is disabled after it leaves the geo-fence area.

I reckon a good enhancement to the "hidden fuel pump switch" idea is to make it a 2 way switch and connect the other way to the horn! That way, if you've not toggled the switch to the correct position then turning the key makes the horn go off instead! Although in my case I think the V8 engine with straight through exhausts is probably louder than the horn!

All sorts of other options spring to mind with a two way switch, from electric shocks through the seat to spraying purple dye in the face of the driver but these depend a lot on how confident you are to remember to disable the system when you get in yourself!

[Edited on 26/1/2021 by craig1410]

Slimy38 - 26/1/21 at 01:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by craig1410
I think I'd rather get some sort of alert ideally before the theft or worst case during the theft rather than after the theft, even if the fuel pump is disabled after it leaves the geo-fence area.


I did think about this, would I really want to be in the way during the theft? That's when things get really messy. Before the theft? That would be ideal but I'm not sure how that is done.

That kind of leaves 'after the theft', and as long as the car isn't immediately loaded into a container and shipped off to another country, then it might be nice to track down the vehicle and alert our nice colleagues in blue.

cliftyhanger - 26/1/21 at 01:42 PM

Most of this is about risk management.
I know sierra cosworth owners are paranoid, many won't take their cars to shows in case somebody sticks a tracker on the vehicle and later steals it. Takes all the fun out of ownership.

But yes, if you are concerned about somebody starting the car up and driving it away, a cutout switch is a good idea. Mechanical stuff is good too, I have a stoplok pro, not as good as a disclok, but much easier to live with.
A tracker is helpful for recovery if it is stolen, but be aware blockers are available easily and cheaply, so easy for thieves to overcome.

So I stick with the stoplok, although hard to steal at the moment as STILL up on stands as BGH have not done my gearbox yet. (getting impatient)

And make sure the car is properly insured.

craig1410 - 26/1/21 at 02:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
quote:
Originally posted by craig1410
I think I'd rather get some sort of alert ideally before the theft or worst case during the theft rather than after the theft, even if the fuel pump is disabled after it leaves the geo-fence area.


I did think about this, would I really want to be in the way during the theft? That's when things get really messy. Before the theft? That would be ideal but I'm not sure how that is done.

That kind of leaves 'after the theft', and as long as the car isn't immediately loaded into a container and shipped off to another country, then it might be nice to track down the vehicle and alert our nice colleagues in blue.


Whether you get in the way or not is up to you but at least you have the choice and can switch on lights, set off the house alarm, call the cops, take photos, set the dog on them, fire rock salt at them.

When I said before the theft I was thinking in terms of PIR lights, garage door open chime or alarm, dogs barking etc.

Generally, the sooner you can call the police, the more chance they have of catching the crooks in the act which is the only way that they will be taken off the streets for any decent amount of time. This is true whether they catch them at your house or 1/4 mile down the road when the carb float chamber is empty. The decision to intervene or not is a secondary issue.

coyoteboy - 26/1/21 at 04:47 PM

Silent logging and a geofence is all you need, the sooner you alert them to your virtual presence, the sooner they find a way to disable it.
Find where they are, report them to the police/your large group of friends with baseball bats.

rf900rush - 26/1/21 at 05:10 PM

Oil pump is for all you smelly diesel owners.

My diy built version no time included in the cost. As for the software, many hours just for a crude version.
Mine had a simple fixed geo fence. and if I sent it a text it replied with is loction.

With a good knowlable (not me) programmer many features could be added.

Another thing most old phones now have GPS / GPRS and with the right APP it could be used in the same way minus the fuel relay.
IE tracker only, with a hidden fuel switch.

Mine was for use with either a Boat or Caravan which can just be towed away.

coyoteboy - 27/1/21 at 11:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rf900rush
Oil pump is for all you smelly diesel owners.


My diesels all smell wonderful.

02GF74 - 27/1/21 at 12:04 PM

..... talking of smelling wonderful, I bought two 5l tubs of screenwash from Halfords, now it is available in citrus and berry flavours!!

Whatever next - EP90 smelling of rose and coconut???

(I bought the berry one in case you were wondering).

Toys2 - 27/1/21 at 01:32 PM

Mr Whippy - 27/1/21 at 04:44 PM

I would have issues with just how unsafe that's going to be in a crash. There's similar things available for landrovers but I'd rather loose the car than my legs.

Mr Whippy - 27/1/21 at 04:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Originally posted by rf900rush
Oil pump is for all you smelly diesel owners.


My diesels all smell wonderful.


Not to those choking in your trail of soot