I finally bought a "poor mans lojack"

So this is a 60$ smart phone I bought from Tello. Then activated it with their cheapest minutes card, $10. This card expires in 180 days. Then I'll renew with another $10. Then I downloaded lookout security app. After setting it up, I can stash the phone wired permanently into the truck in a secret spot, and the truck will be tracked using the cell tower system anywhere it goes. Seems to work great! Locates it down to about 50' or less.

Anyway this could be used on a lot of things like bikes, tools, and my personal favorite, a car battery that I've carefully opened and drained 😈

 

That's a good work finding that solution.

I should have posted this in the other security thread. More then a decade ago I had things stolen from my truck, in my driveway. It's why I have a driveway camera now. But right after that I put this label on the truck, printed on my P-Touch. Not a real company, but might dissuade the low energy person.

But I really like your inventive approach. New truck, I'd do it.

 

I've used that approach too. On eBay you can order alarm stickers. Only problem is with tinted windows and stuff they don't work as well. I've had a blinking red led installed too. Funny because I'll rip any alarm out but I'll install fake alarms eagerly lol.

 

Mine is on the outside, yellow a good contrast on the factory tint window.

 

I have always tried not to leave the cell phone in the truck (like at the hunting lease) because of the temperatures that can be reached in the cab (yes it can be in the 90's here during the start of hunting season). I have always heard that the high temps can damage a phone. Is that just an "old wives tail", or a valid concern?

 

I've left my phone in the cab on a summer day and it shut off because it was too hot.

 

I don't think it will shut down the phone unless it's in direct sun which gets it a lot hotter than the hidden phone will. I guess I'll find out. I've stuffed it up behind the fuse panel and wired it into the cig lighter circuit.

 

Lithium batteries don't like being over heated. Check the temp of the location
your going to stash the phone just to be safe. Because with a constant charge
your at risk of a battery failure. aka : FIRE



Be Safe

 

I appreciate the concern for safety but I'd also like to point out that right now as we speak there are at least one trillion cell phones, iPads, nav devices etc in cars, in the sun, on charge and not blowing up. So, I'm pretty sure, Like 99.9999% sure that I won't be worrying about that particular problem. Ymmv.

 

One idly wonders if it routinely gets to 100+ degrees in Oregon on a regular basis.

In-vehicle temps can easily exceed 150 degrees here in TX during August, especially when the outside temp hits 110+.

Also, no cellphone is completely immune to software errors. There WILL be times when the thing shuts itself down, even if there are no temperature problems. COUNT on it being unavailable at some point.

-blaine

 

This is the biggest worry and luckily I can test it easily anytime so I'll do that routinely. Also, I just noticed on Tello website that the rules are changing on the cards. They know require some form of useage, like a test of the location that uses a small bit of data, every 3 months. After that the minutes/texts/data never expires! So, we might be able to get this thing down even cheaper than 1$/month.

 

Easy fix. Cell phones don't use a lot of current in the "STBY" mode. Simply build a little regulated 3.8V DC power supply that runs on 12v and toss the "lion" battery!

Texas Inst (along with many others) has a small surface mount DC-DC switcher:
Since there's 2 HUGE 12v batteries powering this thing, it would still power the cell phone LONG after the truck wouldn't start

There's a family of switching type (adjustable and NON-adjustable) DC-DC up and down converters that are usually surface mount, and only cost a few bucks (in single qtys).

For you geeks out there, here's a great article on building one using a Ti device, complete with schematic and PC board pics etc......
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...idDCAy0Qaql8-w

One need only bread-board it into a circuit to provide power to one of those phones eliminating the battery altogether.

If you think it's going to run hot, locate the entire mess in a small sealed plastic box outside the cab someplace.

Cheers

Rick

 

thats the spirit. I'm not gonna do any of that but it would be a semi fun project I suppose. Have any of you ever personally heard of one single incident of a cell phone burning or causing a fire? Because I haven't. I don't mean a YouTube or web clip. Fact is it doesn't happen.

 

Well, since I fly jets for a living, I know of several incidents......And not only with CELL phones.

The FAA has mandated putting a fireproof bag complete with fire proof gloves in the cockpit for handling ANY Lion battery powered device that decides to runaway with itself in a pressurized tube full of people! Since we cannot open the window and throw it out, it has to go somewhere!!

If I was going to do a cell phone "Lojack", I would build a power supply and toss the battery.


AND LET ME ADD........I NEVER leave a Lion equipped device powered anywhere in my house if I'm not around!

 

Turn the RINGER off. Just wait until "survey"-marketers (formerly telemarketers) get informed your # has been assigned. They'll be calling your "GPS Locator" to ask if you heard about the "recent electric rate increase", "do you have concerns with your water", etc..

I get few calls a week both our mobile and home numbers.