Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Although I just set this unit up today, I just wanted to write up a quick review of a few things I learned or think might be helpful for others that own this unit or and considering purchasing it. So far I am very impressed with this unit. I will update my review after I spend some more time with the unit. As for my setup. I have this unit setup on a remote heavily wooded 40 acres. The air temperature here is currently -33 F. My driveway is 1,300 feet long. I have the PIR sensor (motion sensor) mounted 4 feet high on the trunk of a tree. I have the base unit sitting on my kitchen counter approximately 1,000 feet from the PIR sensor. I do not have the base unit by a window. I have it stuck in the corner on top of my counter. It is too cold out right now to measure the exact distance between the base unit and the PIR sensor, but 1,000 feet is a very good estimate. As I said before the acreage is heavily wooded. The woods are so thick that in the winter with all the leaves off the trees you are still hard pressed to even see 30 feet into the woods. The unit works excellent in these conditions! I was actually very surprised because of the cold temperatures, distance between the base unit and the PIR sensor and the fact that I have nothing even close to line of sight between the two. As for the test. I drove my ATV up and down the driveway three times and every single time it signaled an alert. I used my cell phone to tap into an IP cameras microphone I have in the kitchen by the base unit and could hear the alert tone come from the base. The base never signaled an alert while driving toward the PIR sensor but did signal every time I drove away from the sensor. More on this later. The take away from this. The unit has OUTSTANDING range at my 1,000 foot distance. In cold climates such as mine, use Lithium ion batteries. Normal alkaline batteries (lose power) in cold conditions. Although lithium ion batteries are a little more expensive they are absolutely critical in cold conditions so don't cheap out on this!!! Now finally positioning and understanding of how the PIR sensor (motion sensor) works are also critical. The PIR sensor detects inferred radiation. The best way to explain what that means is to think of the PIR sensor as a sensor that actually doesn't detect motion but detects heat motion. The PIR sensor looks for something in its view that is a different temperature from its surroundings. This gets back to why the PIR sensor did not detect me driving an ATV toward the PIR sensor but detected the ATV every time when I drove away from the PIR sensor. The PIR sensor could not detect any temperature differences between me and the ATV I was driving and the surrounding temperature. The ATV is parked in a unheated garage so the entire ATV is the same temperature as the surroundings.......-33 degrees F. The PIR sensor didn't detect me while driving the ATV either because I was wearing boots, snow pants, jacket, gloves and face mask. All of these coverings were also -33 degrees F. Making my temperature the same as my surroundings. The PIR sensor did however detect me driving the ATV away from the PIR sensor after passing it. This is because the PIR sensor had a clear view of the exhaust and exhaust pipe system which was probably a couple hundred degrees hotter than the surrounding tempature therefore triggering an alert. The biggest mistake I see people making with this unit is positioning the PIR sensor at 90 degree angle to the driveway. Try positioning the PIR sensor to have a view up the driveway to maximize the time the vehicle is in the view of the PIR sensor and it also gives the PIR sensor a good view of the back of the vehicle to detect the heat signatures coming off the exhaust system of the vehicle. I will try to clean up this review up soon. Sorry if it's a little choppy. I am writing it with my three little rug rats running all over the place.