BL> You need a radio link hooked up to an alarm. Those kid's two-ways at
BL> Dickie Smith or Kmart cost about $20 (batteries not included) the pair
BL> over 30 metres, or Dickie sells a slightly better version for $70 over
BL> 200 metres (no licence required). Just sleep with the receiver shoved
BL> in your ear. 

I don't have line of sight to my unit from the car, is that a problem? I
suppose I could take a punt on the $20 one.

BL> Then you need a simple alarm, hooked up to key the transmitter.

BL> Probably the simplest would be one of those infrared alarms that
BL> turns the lights on (about $25, lights not included, at Dickie or
BL> Kmart).

Actually, it's a lot simpler on that side, I just need to hook into the
circuit that switches the internal light on when I open the door.

Except there's a problem - the light doesn't come on when I open the door.

I thought that was a simple case of the light bulb missing, but I got
another bulb and tried putting that across the contacts and nothing
happened.  I checked the wires from the doors, and they exist, but I was
unable to chase them back to where they are connected, by visual
inspection.  I'll have to take screwdrivers down and try again.

BL> Hook up one of the lights to a plug pack that runs the transmitter
BL> ($25 at Dickie, batteries not needed) with the transmit key taped
BL> down. To make it silent, just don't fit the other light bulb. It'd be
BL> nice to have the lights come on when you go to the car, anyway.

I don't want to alert the thieves!

BL> An electrician would charge $80 to wire up the alarm/lights if there
BL> is a power line somewhere handy in the garage, or god-knows-how-much
BL> if he has to run a line.

I don't want to run a power line into my car, even if I am allowed to
(remember that I live in a unit).

BTW, I have a council meeting on Monday, and I was thinking of getting
permission to run a normal cable from my balcony down to my car.  It's a
fairly long way, but I've taken a look, and I think I can do it
unobtrusively.  It's going to be a pain having to disconnect and reconnect
it whenever I use the car though, and I'm not dead sure that I could make
it undetectable by the thieves.  Basically radio transmission would be
best.

I haven't priced wire, so I don't know how it compares with a walkie-talkie.

I'll ring Tandy on Monday to see if they have this thing John T is talking about.

BFN.  Paul.
@EOT:

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