Originally Posted By: Mac
There's an easy way to locate your modern vehicle when it is somewhere in the big parking lot.

The Radio Keyfob.

Most only think of the keyfob as a way to unlock the car doors when they get to the car.

But, since it is actually a Radio Control device, with most of them in the States on the 300MHz band, we can take advantage of that fact to find our vehicle if we also know a little bit about radio propagation.

Most Keyfobs today also have a button on them for PANIC - the button is typically RED and if you push it in proxinity to your vehicle, it will start the horn beeping in Alarm Mode. Another push of the same button will shut that off again.

But you can't just hold the little keyfob with its built-in tiny antenna at waist height and expect the transmitter to be able to cover the distance from door of store or sidewalk across that parking lot full of metal vehicles and get to the receiver in your own vehicle.

Instead, hold the keyfob as high as you can above your head, without having your hand cupped all around the keyfob so that the signal can radiate, then push the red button and, while holding it down, ROTATE THE KEYFOB above your head, over the area where you thik your car may be. This can greatly extend the coverage area and your horn will likely start beeping, your lights may flash on many models as well.

When you get close to where the beeping and flashing car is, simply push the red panic button again to turn that off.

Good idea to experiment with your keyfob a bit before heading out, practice turning on the beeping horn and flashing lights with the red button on the keyfob, and also turning them off again using the same button.

TIP: You can also use the red button to momentarily distract the attention of a baddie who may be between you and your vehicle. Heh.


--Mac


Mac, this is actually a pretty good suggestion but I must admit I am cracking up at the image of a bunch of us old guys wandering around a parking lot, keys over our head, multiple cars blaring out their panic alarms! Guess we could call it Band In A Parking Lot!