Security & Theft Securing tractor from theft

[Egon]

Anyone still using a Khipu for record keeping?

 

[RWolf]

Cut my teeth on S-360 30/40, Trash 80 etc. Even worked with a hobby group that built their own system. I've always been a hardware guy. Made my TRS-80 switchable from it's standard speed to load cassette tapes to a whopping 4mhz and able to do it without crashing the CPU. Load, switch and have fun. Did a little programming with the IBM stuff but preferred the hardware. Anybody remember micro-code? Hint it doesn't have a thing to do with any operating system or programming. I'm still a network admin for a few more years. Bad thing is I won't work on computers outside of work anymore except for my own and then it might take me six months to get to it.

 

[denmansoft]

Didn't anyone else here hand build an S-100 from kits and wire wrap?
6Mhz Z-80 with 256K ram and Dual PerSci 8" floppies.
That thing would heat my whole basement....

Back to the real thread...
400mhz transmitter idea with lack of response triggering the alarm is most foolproof, except for false positives, caused by power failures and equipment failures. Most electronics don't really like the environment my tractor has to survive in.

I agree the best spent money is probalby insurance even though I HATE insurance.
I tried to get insurance for my tractor but could only get coverage for when it is in a secured building.

 

[gemini5362]

Cut my teeth on S-360 30/40, Trash 80 etc. Even worked with a hobby group that built their own system. I've always been a hardware guy. Made my TRS-80 switchable from it's standard speed to load cassette tapes to a whopping 4mhz and able to do it without crashing the CPU. Load, switch and have fun. Did a little programming with the IBM stuff but preferred the hardware. Anybody remember micro-code? Hint it doesn't have a thing to do with any operating system or programming. I'm still a network admin for a few more years. Bad thing is I won't work on computers outside of work anymore except for my own and then it might take me six months to get to it.

I went to college at the university of southern colorado. One of my classes was on microprogramming. We built a 4 bit processer out of discrete components then wrote the microcode to run it. Probably the best computer class I have ever taken.

 

[denmansoft]

That sounds as much fun as the QM-1 research machine we played with in school.
All wire-wrapped. You had to load in nano-code to run your microcode to run you base machine. It could handle anywher from 6 to 38 bit data words. Interesting excersize but I always wanted to interface the computers to the real world.

Salmon, eagles, elk, cougars, cars, trucks, alzheimers, autistic kids. Most of the trackers I have worked on developing could be easily hidden on the smallest CUTs.

 

[gemini5362]

Ok since we are getting into old computers. The first computer I worked on was an analog machine it used synchros and resolvers and resistor banks to make computation. It only computed a small set of analog outputs from several inputs.


The second computer I worked on was made by Univac. You had to manually enter in address locations to boot it up. Then you fed it a paper tape to load the program you needed. It replaced the analog computer and was a bit slower.

I have worked a bit on some world war 2 analog computers. They were not my primary job but I helped the guys that worked on them once in a while.

 

[patrick_g]

Ok since we are getting into old computers.

My first computer training came during an 8 month series of courses at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois. It was all analog. The Link brand instrument flying trainer (Link model C-11-c) which was a mockup of a T-33 trainer complete with sliding canopy. Everything about it was analog computers. It used both position and rate servos, synchros, selsyns, autosyns and so forth in all TUBE TYPE circuitry. It used shaped card potentiometers to model things like air density vs altitude and such. Only solid state electronics in it were rectifiers and some of those were selenium (which we used to call selenium rectum fires because of their foul smell when they burned up.)

It was quite a collection of interacting analog computers which continuously solved the equations of Newtonian mechanics relating to flight. Such things as alpha and beta, the angle of attack and true flight path elevation angle. There was even sound simulation including the engine, slipstream, landing impact, static on the radio from atmospherics and lightning. These training devices were used through the sixties and on.

While on vacation passing through Fayetteville, Arkansas several years ago we spotted an air museum and stopped to have a look. When we entered and started the self-guided tour the first exhibit was, dare I say it, a Link C-11-c instrument flight trainer (inoperative.) This was one of the first times I FELT OLD.

As we departed I commented to the docent, a retired USAF bird colonel, that I had been trained on that exact machine. He said some electronic types had looked at it and declared it unfixable. I think they just didn't have the specialized knowledge required to understand what it did and how it did it. Unfortunately during an earlier rash of cleaning house my personalized copies of all the schematics for it were tossed out as not possibly needed for anything. With them I could have got it flying, albeit with some serious searching for tubes and or solid state substitutes. Ahh... kick the tires, light the fire, and blast off! (Condensed preflight checklist.)

Pat

 

[John47]

I'd be careful in using anything that operates within the 420mhz-450mhz band, as it's the amateur radio band used as a shared band with the US government, ie military. Check with FCC rules to find out if the equipment is legal first. If not, you could be slapped with a fine double what your tractors worth and or a spot in club fed!
They don't take kindly to intentional interference!
There's so much RF equipment being imported that doesn't have FCC approval, it's well worth checking to find out if the retailer is selling approved equipment, and cheaper in the long run.
AND don't take the word of the retailer, the FCC won't listen to your argument if your arrested. Check the FCC's site and if what your looking for isn't there, email them.

 

[patrick_g]

John, There are other considerations as well. Using a "SHARED" frequency allocation is not conducive to peace of mind regarding the reliability of your alarm system. If for example you are using a "walkie talkie" and there is QRM and or QRN (interfering transmissions or noise) that temporarily gives you difficulty it is no big deal. With an "I'm OK" sort of alarm setup temporary noise or on freq interference can cause a false alarm. Sufficient false alarms will render a system useless.

When I was 13-14 I helped a WW II vet pilot (B-25 in Pacific theater) build and fly RC model planes. In one plane we used a simple regenerative receiver with escapements to control flight surfaces. This particular plane was rudder only control with a "bang-bang" escapement (powered by twisted rubber bands. The receiver was tuned to 27.255 MHz (if I recall correctly) and if anyone transmitted close to that frequency with enough power to interfere with our signal then our plane would end up in a vertical dive cork screwing toward the ground. IF the radio user unkeyed his mike before we crashed then the plane would shoot a few loop the loops bleeding off excessive airspeed and resume normal flight. If not then we bored a hole in the ground.

CB was not all that universal at the time but that freq was in the CB band. A local chiropractor or doctor had a "diathermy" therapy machine that operated in that band too and we had to stay away from his location because he would interfere with us as well.

Pat

 

[John47]

I'm aware of that Patrick, I'm a licensed ham, have been for many years.