GPS locator alarms

[cruiser_guy]

With the threads on stolen BJ60's again I'm once again thinking about the GPS type alarm since in Central America there is NO theft insurance on my truck.

Can anyone tell me for sure if the GPS locator alarms return a location world wide or only in the region they are sold in?

The reason I ask is that I know you subscribe to a service that will locate your vehicle but when I look at those demo's they show ONLY Canada and the USA. What happens if I'm not in Canada or the USA, will my location be treated as an error by the system or will I get GPS coordinates? The help lines have not given me any conclusive answer.

 

[97 FZJ80]

The GPS type of alarm is typically tied into a wireless service that extracts the Lat-long from the device and reverse-geocoded to an address on a map on the server. If the monitoring service does not have wireless coverage or maps for your region, you are SOL.

 

[cruiser_guy]

Thanks, that was sort of what I thought and I didn't go for the system because of that.
So in summary, the system has a GPS that calculates the vehicle location and then sends that info out over a cellular or similar system (not satellite based) to the service provider?

 

[97 FZJ80]

Thanks, that was sort of what I thought and I didn't go for the system because of that.
So in summary, the system has a GPS that calculates the vehicle location and then sends that info out over a cellular or similar system (not satellite based) to the service provider?

Yep

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

You may be able to assemble a unit with some investment, but no ongoing fees. I haven't done this, but have been considering doing something similar using amateur radio and its APRS functionality.

The easier method would require you to be within range of a 2M repeater, if you don't have that, I think everything becomes more complicated (and expensive) using HF.

- Use a small, old, dedicated 2M radio hard wired to your battery or a 2nd battery
- Similarly, use a cheap GPS for position
- Use one of the small TNCs to integrate. I think there are some new version that integrate GPS as well
- Use an APRS site to monitor location

If I was to do this, I would have all the electronics powered on by a hidden switch, you can then turn tracking "on" when needed. Could do with HF, but woulkd involve leaving HF in the truck, etc and have to have good signal as well.

Cheers, Huigh

 

[cruiser_guy]

CDN_Cruiser, that sounds interesting. I've got a Ham radio in the truck though I'd probably prefer to use another cheap one.

Where abouts are you located? I'll be laid up recovering from hip replacement for the next two months or so in the Lower Mainland of B.C. I'd like to talk about that in more detail and maybe work something out.

 

[ginericLC]

I'm working on this right now. I have a tiny Track 3 Plus. by www.byonics.com I need to add a resistor the radio and do some soldering to make it work but then I'm good to go. Total cost with the radio, tracker, antenna and cords is less than $100. I already had the GPS.

Eric V.

 

[cruiser_guy]

If you don't mind posting up I am VERY interested! Vehicle hijacking is rampant in Central America. I personally have not been hijacked but I know of several folks who've been hijacked at gun point, one of whom sustained a gunshot to the leg and another who was hog tied over night in a tree stripped to his boxers!
It would be less problematic to surrender the vehicle if you know that you can probably find it again with a GPS locator. Here they generally part out the stolen vehicles.
Does your system offer a history of the vehicle location? I'm concerned that if a thief makes off with the truck, drives to a shop and disconnects the battery, your hopes of recovery vanished with the disconnected battery. With a history you'd see where the system lost power.

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

Sorry to hear about the hip :-(

Yes, the TinyTracker is the integrated TNC that I was thinking of. My sense is that you only need to add a used radio (I have a FT-857, and I wouldn't leve that in the truck). I believe the APRS sites do show last known position.

I think it would also be fairly easy to use a smallish gel cell battery hidden as part of the pack so that if the main batter is killed, you still have power. Alternatively, a HT with some remote antenna would allow you to run a battery pack and allow 12V charging.

I think it would be interesting to see the project, as I've mentioned, I've been thinking of this for some time, but haven't done anything yet as I woud need to buy (another ) HT.

Cheers, Hugh

 

[cruiser_guy]

Any progress on this yet? I'm interested but I don't know enough to launch into this on my own.