Newsgroups: rec.autos

In Reply to: holowczk@rwja.umdnj.edu (Richard Holowczak) / 12:19 pm  Sep 27, 1992 /

Good post.  Here some of my $.02 worth....

# to "Just stick a blinking LED on your dash. This will ward off all
# thieves because they are stupid."  I also got a wide range of stuff
# in between.
I'm not even sure of the usefulness of the LED.  I think it only give the
thief an edge. Now he knows he needs to disarm the car first...  As such
my LED is located so that it only can be seen from certain angles.

# ...  I also found out the installer who does the UNGO
# box was under investigation by the police for following customers
# home and stealing their cars.  
This is one reason I did my own installation...

# 
# Arming and Disarming beeps
# --------------------------
# Most alarms give you an audible alert when the alarm is armed or
# disarmed.  This serves two purposes. One is to let you know the
# alarm is working and on the job.  The other is to let others
# (thieves) know you car has an alarm.  The Viper does one simple
again... gives the theif an edge....

# chirp for arm and two for disarm. Some alarms have really long
# annoying arming sequences that go on for ever. In a quiet
# neighborhood, this is not appreciated I assure you.  
IMHO any chirp is annoying in a queit neighborhood. Last week I as out of
town on business and somebody parked right outside my hotel window late at
night. CHIRP-CHIRP!!  Do those around you a favor and use some silent method
of indicating arm/disarm.
 
# One great feature on the Viper system. Every time you arm or disarm
# the system, you have the option of doing so silently.  Most other
# alarms give you this choice at installation time only so you are
# stuck with one or the other.
Code Alarm uses jumpers to select features. If you want to select between
features, just run a wire to an external switch.

# Motion sensor
# -------------
# Some alarms like the UNGO box and others have a motion sensor.  In
# the UNGO Box's case, it is a tube filled with mercury surrounded by
# a wire coil.  When the car moves, the mercury moves within the tube
# causing current to flow in the coil.  This is what sets the alarm
# off.  Other have some type of spring with a weight on it so when
# the car moves, the weight bobbles back and forth and makes contact
# with the casing causing the circuit to be completed.  The former
# method has a patent, the latter has no patent because it is
# worthless.  If you have ever heard a parking lot full of alarms
  ^^^^^^^^^   very good point.  Other companies use an impact/shock sensor. I
  think it's similar to a audio discriminator...

# The UNGO Box's sensor is highly adjustable, however, if you adjust
# it to eliminate all false alarms, then you have basically disabled
# its usefulness for triggering real alarms IMHO. Some people swear
# by this sensor so I leave it to you to decide.
I used my "fat" (18#) cat to set sensitivity. I figure a cat running accross
the car or jumping from the roof or nearby object to the car should not trip 
the alarm. It still catches door impacts and fairly soft raps on the glass.
 
# Automatic Door locks/Unlocks
# ----------------------------
# 
# I did something a bit different. When I arm the alarm (or the alarm
# arms itself passively after 30 seconds), all of my doors are locked
# automatically.  However, when I disarm the alarm, the doors remain
# locked. I did this so if someone is approaching my car, all of my
# doors won't suddenly become unlocked when I go to get in.  Also, if
# a thief somehow scans my transmitter code and disarms the alarm, he
# will still have to break in to the car to get it unlocked (not that
# this is at all difficult).  I have heard various arguments on both
# sides of this but I think my solution makes sense for me.
Your setup presents a potential for disaster IMHO. I also had that option
(passive arm locks doors) but disabled it.   Murphy implies the following
senerio:
   you're in the middle of no where
   you stop to make a phone call or get gas
   you turn off the car and leave the keys in the ignition, because your
      standing right next to the car.
   45 seconds later, you watch in horror as the alarm arms and locks you out...
   in your case, even if you have the remote separate (which most people don't)
      you're still hosed

# Other hints
# -----------
hidden fuel pump switch...
 
NEVER attach the remote to your ignition key.  If you lose the key, the person
finding it has everything they need to drive away quietly...
----------


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*   John Schubert;  Hewlett Packard, ISD    |  The opinions contained herein *
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