Whilst trawling the internet for something else, I came across these little devices.
"Made in China small sized Anti GPS Tracking Device, powered by and for use with any car that has a standard Cigarette Jack for power and supplys 12V . Operation is incredibly easy, as all it take to work is pluging it into the cigarette lighter and it's on and working! The Anti-Tracker will knock out GPS logging or GPS tracking systems that may be operating on your vehicle. Using our Anti-Tracker will make it very hard for any one to keep tabs on you or your vehicle"
Try looking up "GPS Blocker" on Google, there are lots of them starting at around £25. These gadgets can obviously clearly defeat any GPS caravan tracker. Some have quite a range so could be used in the towing vehicle. Obvously illegal, but I bet most caravan thieves know about them by now!
Quote: Originally posted by beyondhelp on 10/11/2008
Since it would know when it failed, it could perhaps call home on it failing so at least you would know when you lost it..?
These blockers work by stopping not only the incoming GPS sygnal but also the GPS tracker from transmitting anything back. They also block mobile phone signals.
Are you sure about that? (I've not looked) but to do such a thing across such wide bands would knock out everything locally to. Also not that a thief would care, but such a device would be illegal too. I should point out that to make such a device cover phones and gps etc etc would really only be effective in a very short range, and there would be no guarantee that it would work, in fact I suspect in reality it would be very unlikely to - block GPS - Easy, block phones + gps etc much harder.
Interesting however. I may have to get hold of one and put it under tests to see what it would actually do in reality, and what kind of interference signal it actually generates.
I mentioned these devices to a friend who is a police officer and is a specialist in surveillance and tracking. Apparently the police use trackers to apprehend theives by "bugging" various items and waiting for the theives to strike. Whilst he acknowledges that there may be technically possible to create devices to block GPS signals, he has never come across one and if they were available they would certainly cost a damn sight more than these are being advertised at. My opinion is that these are merely gadgets on sale to con the gullable thief. After all, I cannot imagine a thwarted thief trying to ask for a refund because he was caught when his tracker blocker failed
------------- hawk
"Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone"
I have the body of a greek god - its in my freezer
Just googled 'mobile phone jammer' and the first on the list has a range of about 30 feet. Battery operated. So if you break into the gas locker, pop in the jammer and off you go. £145. Not a bad price when you think the van cost you nothing!!!!! http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/rx9000.htm
That will be due to the new RTTE/CE laws then. Prevents even the SALE of such items unless they comply and are tested (with proof) of new regulations. I did wonder about that....
I am sure that those who would require such a piece of kit, especially if they are into the "get a caravan for nowt and flog it to the highest bidder" brigade, would not be too bothered about obtaining and using an illegal item as stated under EEC rules.
The mere fact that these things are being advertised is enough to know that those who could use them, will be using them.
The only good thing about having a Tracker fitted now, is the savings on your insurance policy, but how long that will last for now that these things are on the go is anybodies guess.
I actually dont think this is something to worry about. There is no way to know if the cloaking device is working, and I suspect in reality it would be very risky to try it.
I'm not unduly worried - the range of such a device (if it actually exisits/works and isn't just a con for the guillable) would be so small that it would have to be in the caravan to block the tracker - breaking into any part of our caravan (including the front locker) sets the alarm off, which is directly linked to the monitored tracker. So the act of breaking into the 'van to fit the jammer would set the system off - Phantom would contact us (and the police) and we would know something untoward was happening - at least we'd get a head-start, which we wouldn't get if we didn't find out about the theft until we (or the storage site owner) noticed the 'van had gone.
Quote: Originally posted by Scampi on 14/11/2008
So the act of breaking into the 'van to fit the jammer would set the system off - Phantom would contact us (and the police) and we would know something untoward was happening - at least we'd get a head-start,
IF these devices have a range of 30 feet? then all they need to do is fit them to their own vehicle and park next to your caravan and we are led to believe that will jam the tracker during the theft and the towing away.
Of course the thief will need to ensure the jammer is active until he has found the tracker so there is always the chance he will unplug it at which point the tracker will send out its signal.
Depends of course how well hidden the tracker really is.