TK103B tracker

[captain Byrne]

Anyone know how to turn off the device without having to physically switch the button? I just really want to disarm the shock sensor but I can't find the SMS command. I can cancel the movement alarm but not the shock sensor. Silent mode disarms the alarms but with my model (TK103B) it will send a text when it detects movement via the shock sensor, so the only way I can see to prevent text alerts is to keep the van unlocked. I ask because I'm going on an overnight ferry trip & I don't want to get constantly texted with movement/shock alerts. I'm hoping there's a simple SMS I should send but I've read the instructions back to front & I can't seem to find anything.

[Wychall]

How about just winding down the sensitivity of the shock sensor? Or unplugging it from the tracker for the duration?
I am not aware of there being a SMS override for it.

[captain Byrne]

Cheers Brian,
Could try turning down the sensitivity but this is a British summer - we could have gale force winds!. Might just unplug the sensor.
P.

[keith]

Cant you just turn it off with the remote.....mine arms and disarms the plug in shock sensor.

[captain Byrne]

Keith,
I'm assuming that's the silent mode? But according to the instructions: "Press in disarm state for 0.5 second, the siren will beep one time, the car will enter ARM & Silent mode and lock door at the same time. Siren won’t be sound after alarm is triggered, but tracker will send alarm SMS to authorized numbers"
So if I read it correctly, the silent mode disarms the siren but will still send SMS texts?

[MidLifeCrisis]

Can you not just disarm the system and lock the doors with the keys?
(It's unlikely to get nicked from a ferry!!)

[CJH]

I'm assuming that's the silent mode?

No, silent mode is a mode that you can put the alarm in while it's armed - I think so that anyone breaking in doesn't know that you know. Keith is referring to just disarming the alarm function altogether. When it's disarmed the tracker is still 'on' and able to respond to texts/report coordinates etc, but all the things which trigger the alarm (door opening, ignition power, shock sensor) will be disarmed.

If you're taking your van abroad, have you checked that the sim card in your tracker allows roaming? If it's not enabled, your tracker isn't going to work while you're out of home coverage. Also, I'm not sure whether the numbers that the tracker sends messages to need to be stored in international format (00 44 7......). While you're abroad it would be a UK sim card in the tracker, sending texts to a UK mobile (yours), via a roaming network - I've never been sure about when the international country code prefix is required in those situations.

[captain Byrne]

Thanks guys,
Ok - so the best thing would be to disarm it on the ferry & lock the doors with the key. Makes perfect sense now.
My sim is GiffGaff & does allow for roaming whilst abroad so it should work fine. I'm pretty sure all you do is change the number prefix to +44 & remove the first '0' so 07711999888 would be +447711999888

[CJH]

I'm pretty sure all you do is change the number prefix to +44 & remove the first '0' so 07711999888 would be +447711999888

Sure, but your tracker is currently programmed to respond to calls from, and send messages to, the 07711999888 number. So I'm not sure whether it will recognise an incoming call from your mobile as the same number when you place the call from a roaming network (because it will look like 00447711.....), and I'm not sure that messages that the tracker sends to the 07711.... number will reach your phone while it's roaming. I really don't know how the tracker will deal with roaming - it might well be intelligent enough to 'just work' when roaming.

If you haven't left yet, it might be worth adding the the version of your mobile number with the international prefix as an authorised number - use the "admin" command.

Or you could wait till you get there to test it, and if it works you don't have to do anything. If it doesn't, that may be because it's not recognising the incoming calls from your international number, so you'd have to use the method of calling the tracker 10 times to set a new master number.

Does anyone reading this have experience of using a tracker whilst roaming?

[captain Byrne]

Really interesting point CJH.
I've altered my tracker number to include +44 & it still talks to my mobile ok. I'll add my mobile number with a +44 prefix to the tracker admin list & see what happens when I'm abroad. Fingers crossed it should work.

I'd still like to know if anyone's successfully used theirs abroad.

[MidLifeCrisis]

I'd be interested to see how this works out ....
My only experience is when in France, I was able to text from a UK phone to a UK phone, both of which were in France using only the standard mobile number (i.e. without the international dealing code or a '+44'; just the usual 07702 ....)
But I'm just not sure how that worked or where the 'cleverness' lived - is it my phone that is clever, the French mobile network, the UK network, or the recipients phone - or all of the above?!?! Or does it vary by network and by phone ?!?!?!
Looks like captain Byrne might be the test subject for this!!!!!

[CJH]

I've altered my tracker number to include +44 & it still talks to my mobile ok.

Yes, the international prefix works even when it's not needed, at home, so this is safe.

But I'm just not sure how that worked or where the 'cleverness' lived.

Exactly my point, and I don't know either. I distinctly remember an overseas holiday when mobile phone technology was less mature, and the international prefix was needed to communicate between UK phones. So things have improved, but without knowing which part of the chain is responsible it's difficult to say whether the tracker will work.

[keith]

It costs me 6p evertime i get in my van now.....never remember to disarm.

[captain Byrne]

Worth every penny!

[captain Byrne]

Can't seem to get the shock sensor working. This is the second one I've bought & nothing seems to happen.
The light doesn't come on & it doesn't trigger the alarm when I move it - I must be doing something wrong. No instruction & nothing in the tracker instructions. Surely I can't have bought two duffers?
Any help/advice appreciated.