AN/TRC-3A

Happiness.

I picked up a cheap old Radio Shack scanner today for about $30. The reason I needed one was that my AN/TRC-3A seismic intrusion detectors (the wireless ones…I have both kinds – wired and wireless) didnt come with the receiver for the frequency they operate on.

The scanner, however, picks up that freq. juuuuuuuuuust fine. So, I threw some 9v batteries in my ‘#4’ unit and set it on the floor, turned up the sensitivitiy, walked into the kitchen, turned on the scanner and tapped my foot on the floor a few times.. beepbeepbeepbeep. Ah….four beeps, indicating that something has tripped sensor #4.

Setting it up in the yard and adjusting the sensitivity it would go off whenever a vehicle went by on the road about 20 yards away.

Handy devices.

What do I need them for? Well, for one thing, theyre darn handy if youre going camping or hiking and want to know if anyones mucking with your stuff while youre away. I’m sure you can figure out the other useful applications.

Where do you get such fine defensive technology? Why, eBay, of course!

9 thoughts on “AN/TRC-3A

  1. Police Scanners

    are very useful items for the survivalist. Every LMI should own at least one, preferably a couple. Particularly useful are the ones with the “Close Call” or “Signal Stalker” feature that detect and monitor nearby radio activity. They make great sensor systems to alert you of nearby radio activity.

    You can wire up any number of sensors from clothespin switches to PIR detectors to a transmitter for use as wireless intrusion sensors. Here’s one using a CB Walkie talkie, and the Commo Station we use in the field.

  2. They would also be good to setup in an area you want to establish a cache at in order to determine if people move in and around your prospective cache site .

    Like the scanner idea

  3. two problems

    heavy rain storms can mask ground pickup; the second is frozen ground can mar performance too. nothing like a barking dog to warn of strangers afoot. Wildflower 06

  4. I don’t see why not. It’s simply a matter of:

    a) having a makeshift landmine
    b) not being in jail because of a
    c) not being exploded because of a
    d) constructing the appropriate ignition train to respond to a certain number of beeps from the transmitters, tripping the detonator, and detonating the mine

    I can think of a few ways to do d, but it’d require a lot of experimentation…and time, which I sadly lack.

  5. Don’t want to go there.

    The line between intruder detection systems and intruder retirement systems is a very fine one indeed.

  6. TRC-3’s

    You gotta be careful with those things! Don’t reply to heavily on them because they can be defeated. And anyone who intends to come in can with the help of their own scanner and ear bud. Unless they end up right on top of the geophone they can be crawl right past. It only lakes a frw minutes to figure out a pathway in. Better have an electro geek wire you an activator switch to spot lights through or connected to the receiver. This way you add another layer to your security with lights kicking on when a signal is received. Infrared motion sensors are OK but if you “slowly” crawl parallel to the detection field you can also get past them. But just to be on the safe side, have them also wire an electric release to the gate on the rottweiler pen! This way your property is already being searched before you are out of bed!
    Plus the screaming tends to make them real easy to spot!
    Cheers
    Grumpy

  7. Re: two problems

    Yes I agree with the rain part, that little pitter patter does become a pain quickly. But the frozen ground part I have to disagree with. we used them in Norway 200+ K above the arctic circle and you would never be able to get them very deep but if there is a heavy crust it just amplifies the waves plus the crunching is is big help too!
    But the frozen ground did tend to also amplify the foot fall of individuals and animals and what few vehicles there were it also carried the range of sensitivity farther. Low flying helos also set them off like crazy. Especially when the pilot changes the pitch of the blades and it really starts thumping.
    But then again what do I know. Heck most of this junk is being sold as antique surplus anyway, man I feel old……

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