Information Discussion for Gate Guards

[mdbass]

Thought I'd start a new topic for Gate Guards to use for comments. Like the moderator suggested-keep technical stuff, recipes, mechanical, etc. where they belong. Lets hear from everyone sucking down that caliche dust.

[arft]

mimi55 wrote:
I have been seeing alot of adds in "workamper news" for Loma. Any input on this company?

Loma is a good co. to work for talk to serval of their workers and they seem very happy. You see all gate guarding is the same just some busy than others and after 30 years in the oil patch and owning and operating wells, the truth is if it wasnt for the picky ranchers there would not be and gate guards cause the oil companys sure would not spend one more penny than they have to so as soon as you think your important for a gate your just someone the oil co puts up with to please the landowner. So sorry but the way it is.

[arft]

The Texan wrote:
Go to Andy's forum and read the comments from those that work for them......They appear to be headed the same way as TK.

tex can you not make up who you are going to go to work for and why are you going to leave ggs after all the talk you did about ggs was the only one to work for. Would you like me to call jamie and tell him you are real unhappy with ggs for some unknow reason rember i am the one that got you to go with ggs and leave time keepers. Let me know

[The_Texan]

Go to Andy's forum and read the comments from those that work for them......They appear to be headed the same way as TK.

[mimi55]

I have been seeing alot of adds in "workamper news" for Loma. Any input on this company?

[chilinut]

Our old gate is available. Fairly busy and located near Fowlerton. Call Raoul at 361-318-3039. You can also contact Justin@oilgates.com. We enjoyed working for him and he pays 1099. I can answer questions too. PM me for phone and info. Needs to be filled asap!

[cfward]

Abusman40, the model is CWA2000, that's what is on the box. I'm sure you can find it online at a better price but when got ours we needed it then.

[abusman40]

cfward wrote:
Blondie Girl, We use a Chamberlan Wireless motion alert. We got it at Radio Shack. It is somewhat pricey at $80.00 but you can run 2 sensor heads off the same inside unit just a different tone for each. What I really like is the volume control that you can turn down very low at night when someone is sleeping. Also it range is much better than the H/F unit, one of our sensors is about a 1/4 mile and the other one about 100yds.It also has a sensitivity control to keep down false readings. They claim 1/2 mile range but we have never tried it that far out. By the way Texan, we are 11 mile no. of Cuero on FM766 now and will be here until end of Aug. before going home to Tenn.

What is the model # of the unit your using. Did a Google search and it turns up a lot of different models and online stores where one can purchase.

[chilinut]

We use the Mighty Mule driveway sensor. You can purchase it at Home Depot. BTW we recently covered this here-look a few pages back. Andy also has some good discussion about this on his blog and forum.

[cfward]

Blondie Girl, We use a Chamberlan Wireless motion alert. We got it at Radio Shack. It is somewhat pricey at $80.00 but you can run 2 sensor heads off the same inside unit just a different tone for each. What I really like is the volume control that you can turn down very low at night when someone is sleeping. Also it range is much better than the H/F unit, one of our sensors is about a 1/4 mile and the other one about 100yds.It also has a sensitivity control to keep down false readings. They claim 1/2 mile range but we have never tried it that far out. By the way Texan, we are 11 mile no. of Cuero on FM766 now and will be here until end of Aug. before going home to Tenn.

[GGup]

Thanks Texan for the info. Not being from TX I was not sure how it works here.

We have the same sensors that you have the link to. Some of the problems I have had is IF you are close to the Hiway they will sometimes give false signal for the big trucks going by. Then sometimes the wind will set them off with moving branches or weeds.

In the winter they worked the best. It is an option and not that expensive, and I put mine in a plastic bag to keep the moisture off so they would work on wet mornings.

I would like a better setup but know it would cost more. We leave the bell outside and have started to double it on one end and single on the other. This way when they come in you get like 2 bells per axle and when leaving they only trip it once per axle.

Just what I have experienced.

[The_Texan]

Blondie Girl wrote:
I need some info on the driveway sensors that some of you use:
What brand is the best?
Where do you buy them?
Do you have a lot of false alarms?

I think with our new RV, the alarms may work better for us.

Any info will be greatly appreciated...Thanks!!

we use both the bell and an electronic sensor from Harbor Freight. We run the bell hose inside under the slide seal and it works fine. Can mute it with a towel if needed. We use the bell on one side and the electronic sensor on the other, so we know which direction they are approaching from. Here is a link to the one we have and it works great. It has a on/off switch and a hi/lo switch for volume.

[Blondie_Girl]

I need some info on the driveway sensors that some of you use:
What brand is the best?
Where do you buy them?
Do you have a lot of false alarms?

I think with our new RV, the alarms may work better for us.

Any info will be greatly appreciated...Thanks!!

[The_Texan]

GGup wrote:
When you are hired as employee or employees...does the income come to each person. Naturally if you are only one it would. But, if you are on a gate for 24/7 how are you paid as an individual different than if two people work it?
Why could you not still get all the pay to one person like you are now Blondie and still keep your husband from showing income>

Just do not understand how one is paid for 24/7 as an employee. What is the difference other than SS sharing and FICA? Is there a law in TX that anything over 8 hours a day is overtime or 40 hours a week?

There just does not seem to be a BIG or ANY advantage to being an employee..vs the deductions and depreciation one can take as a contractor.

Can someone explain it?

In order to save on expenses, the companies split the pay so that each is paid for 8 straight and 4 O/T, to cover the 24 hours. That is why it works out to $180/day. If they were paying only one person on a 24 hr gate, it would be 8 straight and then 16 O/T which would up the cost to the company, by a considerable amount. Yes, by law, they are required to pay O/T for every hour over 40 week or over 8 per day, depending on how their pay period is structured, in any 7 day pay period.

[GGup]

When you are hired as employee or employees...does the income come to each person. Naturally if you are only one it would. But, if you are on a gate for 24/7 how are you paid as an individual different than if two people work it?
Why could you not still get all the pay to one person like you are now Blondie and still keep your husband from showing income>

Just do not understand how one is paid for 24/7 as an employee. What is the difference other than SS sharing and FICA? Is there a law in TX that anything over 8 hours a day is overtime or 40 hours a week?

There just does not seem to be a BIG or ANY advantage to being an employee..vs the deductions and depreciation one can take as a contractor.

Can someone explain it?

[Blondie_Girl]

I want to stay working as a contractor as long as possible. Hubby is on Social Security and is limited to how much he can make in a year until he turns 65(or 66?).