Car Alarm goes off at one location - post 9/11 question
 

Just today my car alarm has started to go off at a self storage center
I use. I've been there everyday the past week and just today anytime I
drive in to the complex and get mid way through the alarm starts going
off. If I turn off the car the doors keep locking and unlocking and the
alarm will go off after a minute or so. This continues until I drive
out if the complex. It does not do it anywhere else and does not
prevent me from starting the car while the alarm is going off, the
alarm goess of in valet mode where it never has before.

I've had the car for three years and the alarm was installed by the
dealer. Card is a 2001 Ford Focus and the Alarm is an Audiovox (not
great I know).

Being what the world is post 9/11 I'm wondering if something bad in one
of the storage centers could be causing this. I talked to the mangement
and they stated nobody else has reported any issues with car alarms as
of yet (its a slow place).

Before I make a phone call to a government agency to see if they think
this is something they might want to look in to I thought I'd check to
see if anyone out there has any ideas what may be causing this or if
something like radiation could cause this. Being it is a storage center
with at least a thousand units, the mangement stated they have no idea
what could be in any given unit that could cause this.

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> drive in to the complex and get mid way through the alarm starts going
> off. If I turn off the car the doors keep locking and unlocking and the

low power, check the battery.

> alarm will go off after a minute or so. This continues until I drive
> out if the complex. It does not do it anywhere else and does not

Weird

> prevent me from starting the car while the alarm is going off, the
> alarm goess of in valet mode where it never has before.

low power!!!

> I've had the car for three years and the alarm was installed by the
> dealer. Card is a 2001 Ford Focus and the Alarm is an Audiovox (not
> great I know).

> Being what the world is post 9/11 I'm wondering if something bad in one
> of the storage centers could be causing this. I talked to the mangement

Oh please, it's not an alien transmission that's causing your dismay!!

c'mon now, back down to earth and diagnose this problem -- what have you checked
so far?

> and they stated nobody else has reported any issues with car alarms as
> of yet (its a slow place).

duh!!!

> Before I make a phone call to a government agency to see if they think
> this is something they might want to look in to I thought I'd check to
> see if anyone out there has any ideas what may be causing this or if
> something like radiation could cause this. Being it is a storage center
> with at least a thousand units, the mangement stated they have no idea
> what could be in any given unit that could cause this.

paronoid -- hey, you never know!!! -- Did you happen to see the guy in a turban?
<grin>

also check the loose NUT behind the wheel!!

BBA

On 11 Feb 2005 21:25:34 -0800, wrote:

>Just today my car alarm has started to go off at a self storage center
>I use. I've been there everyday the past week and just today anytime I
>drive in to the complex and get mid way through the alarm starts going
>off. If I turn off the car the doors keep locking and unlocking and the
>alarm will go off after a minute or so. This continues until I drive
>out if the complex. It does not do it anywhere else and does not
>prevent me from starting the car while the alarm is going off, the
>alarm goess of in valet mode where it never has before.
>
>I've had the car for three years and the alarm was installed by the
>dealer. Card is a 2001 Ford Focus and the Alarm is an Audiovox (not
>great I know).
>
>Being what the world is post 9/11 I'm wondering if something bad in one
>of the storage centers could be causing this. I talked to the mangement
>and they stated nobody else has reported any issues with car alarms as
>of yet (its a slow place).
>
>Before I make a phone call to a government agency to see if they think
>this is something they might want to look in to I thought I'd check to
>see if anyone out there has any ideas what may be causing this or if
>something like radiation could cause this. Being it is a storage center
>with at least a thousand units, the mangement stated they have no idea
>what could be in any given unit that could cause this.

I don't know if anybody else is responding to this message, but
a) contact the authorities ANYHOW
b) your metal chassis is a good Faraday Shield agains Radio Frequency
radiation, but the window glass isn't. So it is possible some kind of
RF Security System ( obviously HIGH POWER ) is doing this, but not
likely.

The only RF I know of that will do that is an Amateur Radio Linear
Amplifier running at a full 1.5 kilowatts Peak to Peak, because -I-
have done worse with such a rig, although not intentionally.

IOW, there is some kind of antenna putting out an enormous amount of
RF, an absolutely almost dangerous amount of RF, in order to do that.

Have it checked out by _somebody_ no 2 ways about it.

Lg
KD9OZ

> KD9OZ < wtf is that -. --- .-- .. .- -- ..-. --- .-. . ...- . .-. -..
... ... - ..- .-. -... . -..

>Just today my car alarm has started to go off at a self storage center
>I use. I've been there everyday the past week and just today anytime I
>drive in to the complex and get mid way through the alarm starts going
>off. If I turn off the car the doors keep locking and unlocking and the
>alarm will go off after a minute or so. This continues until I drive
>out if the complex. It does not do it anywhere else and does not
>prevent me from starting the car while the alarm is going off, the
>alarm goess of in valet mode where it never has before.

I would suspect that you are having a problem with RF (radio
frequency) noise. Many electronic devices are susceptible to this. I
have an alarm clock in my bedroom that the display goes nuts and the
alarm goes off every time the cell phone rings if the cell phone is on
the bedside table. Poorly designed cheap product in that case with no
shielding.

There must be something in that storage place that is putting out a
heck of a lot of interferencce. Usually you have rows and rows of
metal buildings in those places. Perhaps a local cell tower is having
a strange interaction with them or something like that.

It's probably nothing to worry about but why not give them a call
anyway? Better to let them make the decision on whether to look at it
or not rather than all of us here who are just guessing at the
problem. It looks to me like each state has their own HomeLand
Security webpage and most have online incident reporting. Google for
your state and HomeLand Security.

Steve B.

I would suspect a strong RF transmitter in the area.

Professor
www.telstar-electronics.com

Billy Bad Assr=A9 wrote:
> > KD9OZ < wtf is that

'that' is why he, as well as I, as well as others, think there is some
strong RF in the area the alarm is going off..

but it's more information that I'd be willing to post in a public
forum..

Regards,

Jim

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 01:22:00 -0800, "Billy Bad Assr©"
> wrote:

>> KD9OZ < wtf is that -. --- .-- .. .- -- ..-. --- .-. . ...- . .-. -..
>.. ... - ..- .-. -... . -..
>

Now I am forever disturbed

Lawrence Glickman wrote:
<snipple>
>
> I don't know if anybody else is responding to this message, but
> a) contact the authorities ANYHOW
> b) your metal chassis is a good Faraday Shield agains Radio Frequency
> radiation, but the window glass isn't. So it is possible some kind of
> RF Security System ( obviously HIGH POWER ) is doing this, but not
> likely.
>
> The only RF I know of that will do that is an Amateur Radio Linear
> Amplifier running at a full 1.5 kilowatts Peak to Peak, because -I-
> have done worse with such a rig, although not intentionally.
>
> IOW, there is some kind of antenna putting out an enormous amount of
> RF, an absolutely almost dangerous amount of RF, in order to do that.
>
> Have it checked out by _somebody_ no 2 ways about it.
>
> Lg
> KD9OZ

Lg,
Do you think the FCC would investigate this if he contacted them.
I mean, if it weren't just some security system or something on that
premesis, the FCC boys have equipment to identify type and source of the
offending RF. I know they frown on illegal transmitters operating at
high power. I'm curious to know what is causing this. It does not sound
like his auto is the cause (low power in the keyring transmitter or
something like that)




--
Paul
'91 XL1200 '77 GL1000 (W.I.P.)
"I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me
live my life, the way I want to." Hendrix

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 12:51:25 -0500, Sportster4Eva
> wrote:

>Lawrence Glickman wrote:
><snipple>
>>
>> I don't know if anybody else is responding to this message, but
>> a) contact the authorities ANYHOW
>> b) your metal chassis is a good Faraday Shield agains Radio Frequency
>> radiation, but the window glass isn't. So it is possible some kind of
>> RF Security System ( obviously HIGH POWER ) is doing this, but not
>> likely.
>>
>> The only RF I know of that will do that is an Amateur Radio Linear
>> Amplifier running at a full 1.5 kilowatts Peak to Peak, because -I-
>> have done worse with such a rig, although not intentionally.
>>
>> IOW, there is some kind of antenna putting out an enormous amount of
>> RF, an absolutely almost dangerous amount of RF, in order to do that.
>>
>> Have it checked out by _somebody_ no 2 ways about it.
>>
>> Lg
>> KD9OZ
>
>Lg,
>Do you think the FCC would investigate this if he contacted them.

Yes, I am certain they would want to know what is going on there.
They have a specially equipped van; I know this as they have visited
my station once already !!!

But if they don't know about it to begin with, there is little they
will do.

>I mean, if it weren't just some security system or something on that
>premesis, the FCC boys have equipment to identify type and source of the
>offending RF. I know they frown on illegal transmitters operating at
>high power. I'm curious to know what is causing this. It does not sound
>like his auto is the cause (low power in the keyring transmitter or
>something like that)

To me, from the sounds of things, it is Radio Frequency Interference,
and that is disallowed under Federal Law, if the source is Illegal and
not licensed, or running out of legal parameters.

I highly suspect a bootleg Citizens Band station nearby, with perhaps
an indoor antenna or one that is well hidden.

I wouldn't hesitate for a second to blow the whistle on such a rig.

Lg