6 seconds to break into your garage

[dcdoug]

One of our local CACC members (Jack Mogus, AKA BLACKJACK) responded to my post on the CACC site with this (granted he's a security expert). Thought it was worth sharing:

THANKS, DOUG. HOWEVER - - - - WITH REGARDS TO THAT PARTICULAR GARAGE - -

1. THE "HEADER DROP" (ABOVE THE DOOR) IS NOT NEARLY DEEP ENOUGH. SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF FOUR INCHES. THIS CAN BE FIXED BY SCREWING A 2x6 TO THE BOTTOM OF THE EXISTING HEADER AND PAINTING IT TO MATCH.

2. THE DOOR IS IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED. THE "DOWN-STOP" MICRO SWITCH SHOULD BE MOVED FORWARD AT LEAST TWO INCHES IN ORDER TO FORCE THE DOOR AGAINST THE HEADER PREVENTING THE INSERTION OF THE WIRE.

3. THE FLEXIBLE VINYL "SEAL" THEY ARE USING IS DESIGNED FOR USE ON THE SIDES OF THE DOORS. THE TOP SEAL SHOULD BE MUCH NARROWER.

IF ANYTHE ABOVE DEFICIENCIES ARE CORRECTED THE INTRUDER WILL BE FOILED.

ALSO - - NEVER KEEP A COBRA (OR ANYTHING ELSE OF VALUE) IN A GARAGE WITH GLASS WINDOWS. QUICK & EASY SUGGESTION: SPRAY THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOW GLASS WITH WHITE KRYLON PAINT. IT OBSCURES THE VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE AND WILL STILL LET IN SOME LIGHT.

**** MY GARAGE DOOR HAS A "WIDE-GAP MAGNETIC CONTACT". THE CONTACT TERMINALS ARE "SHUNTED" BY A RELAY OPERATED BY THE GARAGE DOOR OVERHEAD LITE. AS LONG AS THE OPERATING LITE IS ILLUMINATED THE DOOR CAN BE OPENED AND CLOSED.

**** I ALSO HAVE TWO PASSIVE INFRA-RED MOTION SENSORS IN THE GARAGE.

**** THE TIME DELAYS FOR THE GARAGE DOOR AND THE P.I.R.S ARE SET TO 90 SECONDS - - I NEED THE EXTRA TIME GET MY BUTT OUT OF THE COBRA AND OVER TO THE CONTROL PAD INSIDE THE PASSAGE DOOR.

**** A DEVICE CALLED A "FREQUENCY SLAMMER" IS FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE "DUDE WITH A WIRE". A "SLAMMER" RUNS A STRING OF TRANSMITTED FREQUENCIES THROUGH THE FREQ. RANGE USED BY GARAGE DOOR OPENERS. IT CREATES AND VARIES A FREQUENCY MATRIX AND COMBINES THE SLIDING FREQUENCIES MATHEMATICALLY. IT "CROSS" THE FREQUENCY USED BY YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENER AND OPERATES IT IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS.

**** THE LOGICAL DEFENSE AGAINST A SLAMMER IS TO UNPLUG YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENER IF YOU ARE GONE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. I HAVE A SEPARATE AUDIO ANNUNCIATOR ON MY NIGHT STAND. IF THE GARAGE DOOR IS OPENED - BY ANY METHOD - IT WILL ALERT ME AND GIVE ME TIME TO LOAD A ROUND IN THE 12 GAGE CHAMBER AND GET TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN TIME TO INTRODUCE THE BASTARDS TO CHRISTIANITY IN THE FORM OF "00" BUCK SHOT.