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Poor Man's LoJack

2K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  AstroWill 
#1 ·
Some of you may know that I no longer drive taxi, but have been driving semi for some time. In order to ease my family's mind when I've been out on the road, I've used an app that tracks my smartphone (and with it, me) and can show my location to an accuracy within 50 feet at times. Seems to me this would be a foolproof and easy way to track a vehicle in the event of a theft.

Get a cheap cell phone that has a built-in GPS, or this is a good way to recycle an old phone if it still works. Activate the phone and register its phone number with Life360 (the app I use) or some other such nanny app normally used for keeping track of where your kids/spouses are. NOTE: These apps generally use data and also can triangulate wi-fi hot-spots for better accuracy, a smartphone is best. GPS and mobile data MUST be on for this... Leaving Wi-Fi on will boost accuracy.

Next, run a dedicated 12V unswitched circuit for an auxiliary cigarette lighter socket into an area it won't be easily noticed, plug the phone into a 12V charger, and plug the charger into the cigarette lighter. The Astro and Safari have hidden storage compartments in the cargo area that are perfect for this.

Make sure the phone is in a case, it will protect against breakage. Prevent accidental breakage from vibration by securing it properly. The phone will always be on charge and can be tracked for perhaps DAYS after the theft. Even if the battery is disconnected, the phone's battery should last long enough to pinpoint the location. You now have a lo-jack for as low as $5-10 a month. You're welcome. ;)
 
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#4 ·
You might get by with a cell provider like Ting or one of the other Sprint resellers at that rate, but the problem isthat coverage will be limited to Sprint's prepaid network.

Better option is something like the SPOT Tracker that's satellite based. Right now some dealers have a rebate that makes the unit free, and basic tracking service is 9.99 a month, or $ 99.99 a year if you pay a year at a time. Most of the satelllite phone providers and rental places sell the various SPOT products like the Rescue Beacon and Tracker. Random link to one of them here. http://www.satphonestore.com/spot-trace-theft-alert-tracking-device.html?utm_source=google_shopping
 
#5 ·
One thing that I'd add to that is to put the phone on mute so that it does not arbitrarily ring from someone dialing a wrong number. Also a cool mod for the setup would be to wire up an old microphone to somewhere close to the dash so that you can hear what the thief is saying if you enable auto-answer and dial into your phone.

At first I thought about a few clever places to hide the microphone but I realized that you don't have to hide it at all. The thief will be so busy stealing the van and trying not to get caught that he won't give that "button" looking thing on the ceiling a second thought.
 
#7 ·
tedanderson said:
One thing that I'd add to that is to put the phone on mute so that it does not arbitrarily ring from someone dialing a wrong number. Also a cool mod for the setup would be to wire up an old microphone to somewhere close to the dash so that you can hear what the thief is saying if you enable auto-answer and dial into your phone.
My answer to that one is how I have my phone set up. Basically, my default ringtone is silent (or a 2-second clip of silence), and people I WANT to talk to are in a group that is assigned a real ringtone. Voila. No telemarketers, telephone surveys... And my voicemail greeting is this (In my best impersonation of Buford T. Justice)...

"Hold up on that phone call, gen'a'men... Now, you folks, just, leave a message, with a phone number... There might be some TELEMARKETERS around, that wanna, SELL something... And don't go home... And don't go to eat... And don't... PLAY wit' ya self. It wouldn't... sound NICE on my voicemail. Oh, you can... THINK about it... But DOOOONNN'T do it." :whistle:
 
#8 ·
Don1806 said:
Better option is something like the SPOT Tracker that's satellite based. Right now some dealers have a rebate that makes the unit free, and basic tracking service is 9.99 a month, or $ 99.99 a year if you pay a year at a time. Most of the satelllite phone providers and rental places sell the various SPOT products like the Rescue Beacon and Tracker. Random link to one of them here. http://www.satphonestore.com/spot-trace-theft-alert-tracking-device.html?utm_source=google_shopping
NICE... Wasn't aware they'd gotten that cheap. :rockon:
 
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