There have been multiple threads on this forum concerning trailer security. Everyone has their own opinion and method and I agree that, depending on your personal beliefs, they could include simple diligence, locks, fences, chains, whips, guard dogs, guns, cameras, claymore mines, trunk monkeys and a moat. Those folks that are un-inclined to subscribe to any of the aforementioned tactics seem to just rely on good insurance. I employ some of these methods myself but if my trailer suddenly sprouts legs and walks off, I want to be able to find it and perhaps use some of the other methods on those folks that helped it along. I started investigating electronic counter measure devices to do just that. I looked at the SPOT Satellite Messenger. I didn’t find the initial cost of about $150.00 too bad. It uses your GPS location and sends it and preselected message to communication satellites which route your location and message to the appropriate network to get you help. It is obviously designed for and intended to be used by a person while traveling in remote regions and it does have good coverage. The best service plan will cost about $200.00 per year. For those folks that may only travel a few weeks of the year, that might be beyond what they are comfortable spending. I continued to look. There are several out there but none seemed to do what I wanted or cost more than I wanted to pay.
I finally found what I thought would do everything I wanted at a reasonable price and I installed it in the Outlaw
Oliver. I have it set up so that:
When the trailer is unattended and sitting still (either here at home or anywhere else) and moves over 300 feet, it will send a text message to my iphone that includes a hyperlink to a Google Map page with an icon on it indicating where the trailer is. It will continue to send these until I tell it to stop.
If the door is opened it will set off a local alarm and send a text message stating that the door has been breached and includes the same hyperlink.
I can call it with my iphone and it will send the hyperlink.
If the main power source is removed (trailer batteries) it will send the hyperlink. There are internal lithium batteries that power it if the external power fails and it will alert you if these become low.
I can text it and tell it to switch between tracking and monitoring. In Monitor mode I can listen in on anything going on inside the trailer via a hidden microphone.
I can authorize up to five phones that can access it. Family can always tell where we are.
If we push the “panic” button it will send out a help message to all phones.
All programing is done via text messages and in addition you can arm/disarm it with an included key fob remote.
There are dozens of other functions that it will perform. You can set up multiple virtual GEO fences that will alert if the trailer is moved into or out of. You can have it text you if it is going over a MPH that you have pre-set as maximum. It has an internal SD slot that will log all this data. The list goes on and on.
This piece of equipment is (I’m sure) made in China, as its manual is printed in Chinglish and thus has somewhat of a steep learning curve but it cost me less than $50.00 including the SIM card with 200 prepaid text messages. There are no monthly fees. When you’ve used your allotted text messages, you just reload it with another $10 worth. It operates in conjunction with the GPS and Cell phone systems. And it works just like it said it would.
These photos are of the aluminum mast and mount that I made for my remote control GoLight and the two antennas for the tracker. Both of these items are now being offered as options on the
Oliver Elite II.
looking forward to their sailboat adventures some day. The spot at 8 bucks a month seems like a good deal to me.
The Outlaw Oliver
Linear Mode
