Colin Wilson wrote:
Been having a bit of trouble with the remote central locking on the medway
handyvan this week.
I suspect I need a new battery in the key because the range that it works at
is steadily getting smaller.
So, I've been using the 'hold the remote to your head' ploy - which to my
surprise actually works - it easily doubles the range of the remote.
How the hell does that work? It certainly isn't the power of my
brain.........

What make of vehicle was it again ? - I believe some Citroens (?) have
the alarm sensor built into the roof of the somewhere, so it could be
that holding it to your head just brings it closer :-}

Another "trick" i've heard of is to hold it near to your mobile phone
(I think you need to be calling out for this to work though) -
apparently in some circumstances this can even work "remotely", i.e.
if you've locked your keys in the car - phone the missus, and get her
to press the alarm key at _home_ near the mobile (!)

Fascinating - must try that before I next have to take a taxi journey to
SWMBO's workplace to collect my car keys from her handbag. (bless...)

Out of interest, how many different systems are there for 'plips'? I
thought mostly they were I/R which presumably wouldn't fare well via a
mobile phone! eg, with my car you need to aim the plip at the receiver
built into the car roof from about 1 metre away, whereas with SWMBO's
you can do it from 5 metres away through the kitchen window.

David