Would parabolic antenna ruin stealth?

[protryon]

I want to have 2 parabolic antennas on my van (WiFi and 4G/LTE). I figure I can make them removable, but ideally I can just leave them up there. Do you guys think anyone would think someone is sleeping in a Ford E150 otherwise 100% stealth if it had parabolic antennas (satellite dishes)?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I want to have 2 parabolic antennas on my van (WiFi and 4G/LTE). I figure I can make them removable, but ideally I can just leave them up there. Do you guys think anyone would think someone is sleeping in a Ford E150 otherwise 100% stealth if it had parabolic antennas (satellite dishes)?

I'd think it was an undercover FBI surveillance van . . .

 

[protryon]

I hope people are apprehensive about telling a FBI surveillance or NSA van to move along! ... not encouraged.

 

[hepcat]

Just make sure your router or hotspot is broadcasting "NSA Surveillance Van" as its name. No one will even look twice.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I hope people are apprehensive about telling a FBI surveillance or NSA van to move along! ... not encouraged.

Unless through sheer dumb bad luck you happen to park near a Mafia hangout . . .

 

[John61CT]

OP must be joking right?

Even a MaxxAir on the roof would make people in some areas take more notice.

I think if you need a parabolic on the roof you're better off with a full RV underneath than an otherwise plain cargo van.

No stealth either way, but likely fewer calls to the cops, less odds of being shot at.

 

[highdesertranger]

stealth is overrated, the only people you are hiding from are the people who don't care. highdesertranger

 

[protryon]

stealth is overrated,  the only people you are hiding from are the people who don't care.  highdesertranger

Do you think stealth is overrated in areas like San Francisco and Silicon Valley? I was under the impression those are the areas that really crack down, unlike most of the country where they simply can't if they wanted to.

 

[Dgorila1]

Do you think stealth is overrated in areas like San Francisco and Silicon Valley? I was under the impression those are the areas that really crack down, unlike most of the country where they simply can't if they wanted to.

You shouldn't need a dish in the city to pick up WIFI though. A low profile antenna should do the trick fine.

 

[eDJ_]

For the 4G LTE,  Wilson has an interesting system you may want to look at.  Very small.
These look like a lot of antenna on Cars today.

http://www.ubersignal.com/wilson-sleek-4g-a-for-at-t-4g-lte-815326.html

A small WIFI signal booster can be made easily like in this "Instructables" site.
After dark,  it may not be too visible if spray painted flat black.   I can imagine it
being rigged to raise through a roof vent where it could be rotated like a periscope.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wifi-Signal-Strainer-WokFi/?ALLSTEPS


Your creativity is your only limit.

 

[highdesertranger]

what I am saying is anybody who wants to "crack down" on you knows you are sleeping in your van. highdesertranger

 

[hepcat]

Do you think stealth is overrated in areas like San Francisco and Silicon Valley? I was under the impression those are the areas that really crack down, unlike most of the country where they simply can't if they wanted to.

what I am saying is anybody who wants to "crack down"  on you knows you are sleeping in your van.  highdesertranger

I'm with HDR here.  Who, exactly, are you trying to 'hide' from anyway?  Anyone who knows what they're looking at and/or for (cops?) is going to know that your van is inhabited just by looking at it.  Of course doing stuff like mounting a parabolic antenna on the top would likely even attract the attention of passers-by, especially in Silicon Valley and SF.

 

[John61CT]

Can't help about those that figure it out, but the point in such high-risk and expensive downtowns, is to keep that number to a minimum, in order to reduce the odds of calling in a complaint.

I see it as similar to ensuring privacy and anonymity on the Internet.

Saying the goal is hopeless or pointless applies only to the 99% of us willing to compromise, but for those to whom it is **the** critical priority, it is entirely achievable to be largely undetectable, especially in mild weather, except against those specifically looking for us with special equipment, which I believe is still very rare to non-existent.

 

[hepcat]

Saying the goal is hopeless or pointless applies only to the 99% of us willing to compromise, but for those to whom it is **the** critical priority, it is entirely achievable to be largely undetectable, especially in mild weather, except against those specifically looking for us with special equipment, which I believe is still very rare to non-existent.

Special equipment?  You mean like someone's eyes?  

Any "new" van parked in a residential neighborhood that doesn't "belong" there gets noticed by someone.   Any van with a privacy curtain in the windshield or behind the cab is likely has someone sleeping in the back, whether it's on a street or in a parking lot.  Every van body moves on its suspension when someone moves inside it.  ANY noise coming out of a van like voices, radio, TV or the clanking of dishes indicates occupancy.  Light peeking out from the sides of the curtains or roof vent at night is a dead give-away.  An open roof vent or door windows that are cracked open a little is indicative of occupancy.   

There are LOTS of casual ways to tell that a van is occupied if that's what 'someone' (like a cop or nosy neighbor) is looking for.  You don't need any 'special equipment' like FLIR to tell.  The best you can do is try to be inconspicuous and blend in as best you can and hope that most folks are too preoccupied to care.

 

[wagoneer]

Here in San Francisco I would be more worried about people stealing the antenna than concerned about the user. I use a truck camper It's a little house on wheels but am able to close the tailgate I leave some curtains open. The upside is all my neighbors know me and my camper I run a clean ship and share my on the road tales with them on a regular basis. Most are envious 6 figure million dollar neighbors I am still able to move from the cab to the camper through the windows, but thats getting harder for me to do.

 

[deadwood]

I do think stealth is over rated. Think about it. How many times have you gone somewhere and saw a van or car parked either on the streets or a parking lot and you look right at it and know someone is living in it. We notice these other vehicles because we do it too and are very in tune with our surroundings. I think the police know who is most likely sleeping in their vehicles but really just do not care. Unless someone is making a complaint or you are doing something that warrants a visit from the police they will pretty much ignore you.

Even though I think stealth is over rated I think going un noticed is not. To me that's what stealth really is. It is just blending and not drawing attention to yourself. Not staying in one place more then a night or two. Keeping your vehicle clean. Things like that. For the most part people just do not pay attention to what is going on around them. If a van is parked on the road with a bunch of other cars and trucks that's all it is. A van parked. Nobody looks twice at it.

I really would not be too concerned about putting the antennae's up. Yes. Some people will notice them but most won't even look twice. They might think it is a work vehicle. I think as long as you are not being so obvious as to what you are doing that people will just not notice you. It is the ones that are so blatant or causing some sort of problem that at some point someone will call the police and at that point they have no choice but to come have a chat with you.

 

[caretaker]

going 55/65 mph down the highway with parabolic antennas facing into the wind,,,aint gonna be doing it long,,,,,be pretty cool to watch tho

 

[caretaker]

i wonder if the roof will leak when it rips loose