Re: alarms

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>   >>I'm planning on installing my 10 disc changer in the bucket seat base
>   under
>   the driver.. make a hole just big 'nuff on the front of the seat base
>   for
>   the access panel, and you're set.  Mount the changer as high up as
>   possible
>   to avoid any water issues.
>
>I'd thought about this space, but my changer won't fit.  (10 disc, Denon)

Wow, must be one big changer!  I bought a blemished or refurb Sony
AM/FM/Cass headunit and 10-disc changer for $400 a year and a half ago.. the
10-disc changer sat on the floor under the driver's seat for quite some
time.. I still haven't mounted it permanently (which is caused partly by the
truck being held ransom!)

>What about alarms?  I've been thinking of cooking up a homemade alarm

I was just thinking I would order my alarm this month.. I'm going to just
order one of the $200 complete alarms from Crutchfield.. you have to get the
$200 unit with all the bells n' whistles because it's the only one that
includes the MOTION SENSOR.. the $100 unit can be upgraded, but the sensor
is around $60.. 

So I'll have the Shock (light bump, or good whack) sensor and the microwave
2-zone motion sensor (interior/exterior), along with the usual "door light"
and other type triggers.  The motion sensor is the big one.. when you take
the top off, there's no reason to open the doors to get inside! 

>Maybe I could also incorporate a glove box door alarm.  What if you powered
>the door itself, then made sure that it didn't conduct to the dash --

How about taking an off-the-shelf alarm, rigging a switched light inside
your glovebox, and using that for the alarm trigger?  For that matter, a
simple "temp-off" push-button switch would work great.. glove box door shut,
it's "pushed" to "off".. open the glovebox door, and the switch releases
going to an "ON" state, tripping the alarm.

I was thinking of running some small copper wire around the steering wheel,
and running that to the coil via a bypass switch.. if the switch isn't in
place, the coil juice (or maybe just one spark plug) goes to the steering
wheel.. fun, eh? :-)

I'm also going to add another $100 or $120 option to my alarm system.. a
PAGER.  $300 for a stupid alarm to keep folks that don't know enough to stay
away, away.  $300 is a new Lockrite..

But, in any manner, I can then configure the alarm to be silent.. rather
than blowing a siren or horn or whatever annyoing thing car alarms do that
everyone ignores, it'll page me.  2 miles or something for the range.. good
'nuff in most cases.  When I go to sleep I'll arm it to make noise, but the
rest of the time it'll just page me.

Oh, I forgot the other part of my alarm system.. the $500 pistol.  That's
the last line of protection.. the alarm is tripped, the pager notifies me,
and then I calmly walk outside, .45 in hand, and *I* am the theft
deterrent.. and the whole time, the alarm never makes a sound, the thief
never knows it's there!

People ignore the alarms, and the thieves disarm the sirens quickly, or they
just drive off with your truck.  People DO NOT ignore large caliber hand guns!

>Is any of this remotely feasible, or am I coming down with a case of
>Manderitis?

Probably coming down with something, but I don't know of any good cure..
except staying away from the computer and your Scout for a LONG time, and
TRYING hard not to think about it.. be warned, once you start down the path,
it's hard to go back up, and I don't think there's a 12-step program yet...

-Tom