How to recorder a low noise, for someone with no knowledge

If you are sure this is coming from outside why not conceal a recording device in the most likely place the sound would be coming from, hallway,sidewalk,entrance etc. to try and get a clearer recording
Putting it on the outside of the house is not an option because they will definitely steal it to keep me from collecting evidence against them and to be able to prove the extent of what they are doing. Now, I have tried putting in my windows of my home, I even did put it outside in my back yard once with my camera on it in the day time of course. The only thing is it picks it up at a distance but when hearing it with my own ear inside my home they are way closer than what the Zoom H2n recorder is picking up. I know I have to keep playing around with the sound on H2n a lil more. Just was looking for a little guidance with sound as I am a complete beginner with this, never needed to this before so just want to learn & understand all
 
The H2n should be picking up stuff that you don't even hear. It's quite common for someone to set up a mic to record, and then after going back, they hear stuff that is normally tuned out. I once did a vocal track upstairs in the bedroom and when I put headphones on and started listening closely, I could hear an airplane fly over the house. I rarely ever hear airplanes unless they are quite noisy. I turn off the fan to my HVAC, don't do laundry and close the door to the cabinet that my computer sits in as the mic will easily pick up that sound. Even my external hard drive sitting on the desk, which REALLY quiet, gets picked up if I turn the mic towards my desk. (Rule #1 is set up the mic to point away from the noise source. ) ECC83 once posted a recording he did in his room and I could hear the clock ticking.

If you can hear voices, cup your ears and spin around until you get the highest level, then point the H2n that direction and turn up the recording gain. If there is sound there, the recorder will pick it up. Once recorded, it's easy enough to bump the gain digitally to make anything stand out.

The only other thing I can think of is if sound is being transmitted though the walls, if you're in an apartment or condo. If you're in a normal house, you shouldn't have any issues with sound conduction through the structure.
 
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