Recommendations on gps tracker

[Joe]

There are a plethora of trackers available, but almost all require a monthly fee. Most of those that do not operate off a battery, which must be replaced periodically, or they plug into the OSB port. If a car is stolen, one plugged into the usb port would be obvious and tossed out the window in short order.
Of course, our old cars don't have an osb port, so that is irrelevant.
I'd like to have one that I can hide in the car and have it attached to the car's electrical system.
I've not found one like that that doesn't require a fee.
It seems if you can buy one that works off a replaceable battery, and doesn't have a fee, one like I want would be popular.
I guess maybe someone could wire the battery terminals to the car's wiring somehow, and use it that way.
Any advice?
Joe
Colorado Springs
Horizon Blue 1965 230SL

[FresnoBob]

Just don't buy the Brickhouse Security device.  The software has said for years that they will offer Geo Fencing of new locations "soon", but it hasn't materialized.  The device is only useful from your home location as you can't set a new one, such as when you are traveling.  I'm interested to learn if someone finds a better device. 

[GM]

Joe - I'm searching for a similar solution.
For what it's worth, I've been "following" (sorry for the pun) this AirBolt GPS device on Kickstarter. No endorsement here, just for anyone's interest.
Although it has a monthly fee of $4.99 USD per month for international coverage, the features look interesting.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/airbolt/the-airbolt-gps

[mdsalemi]

GPS is a one-way service, broadcasting a signal from all the geosynchronous satellites in orbit, which a GPS receiver (maybe a SATNAV, NAV system or your phone) receives to locate a position of the receiver.

A "GPS Tracker" uses the GPS to provide the location but also requires an uplink to a bidirectional communication device. In most cases this is the cellphone network. So, basically, any built-in device (such as a GM OnStar, or a FordPass Connect) requires the vehicle to have its own dedicated cell phone built in for that communication. In some cases, such as OnStar, it's a paid service. The FordPass Connect is free on certain cars. We have it on two of our cars, and not only can the car's location be found, but you can remotely lock/unlock and start the car, check fuel level, tire pressure, find nearby parking, etc. I believe Ford and GM have arrangements with multiple wireless providers to maintain and supply service.

So, you should know that any add-on GPS tracker, a device you want to bury in your Pagoda such that you can locate it if stolen--is going to cost you something on a monthly basis...until someone figures out a way to bombard you with advertisers that will pay for it!

[franjo_66]

Hi Joe

Have a look at the Garmin DriveSmart units.
They don't need to be hardwired in and can also be teamed up with the Garmin BC 30 wireless camera.
Totally wireless.

High quality units with lots of features, and you can move them seamlessly from car to car.
The BC 40 camera uses simple mounting to fit onto rear licence plate withoput drilling etc.

Regards
Franjo

[mdsalemi]

Have a look at the Garmin DriveSmart units.

Unfortunately the DriveSmart is just enhanced nav system, perhaps similar to most OEM units found in anything from a Hyundai to a Mercedes-Benz. It is NOT a GPS tracker that would allow you to locate your car if stolen.

Yes it has some nice bells and whistles attached; a POI system, real time traffic, etc. etc. not any different than that supplied in my daily driver Fords, or available on WAZE running on a smartphone.

[Peter van Es]

In Europe my company RFIDPlaza sells a BumbleBee IOT tracker with a GPS unit, and a battery which lasts up to 5000 messages. It is set-up in such a way that it logs and sends its GPS coordinates at an interval (say one per hour, or one per day), but it stops transmitting when the speed is over 5 km/hr.

It uses the Sigfox network but I'd have to check if the device works when crossing borders in Europe, or indeed if it works in the US. The device costs Eur 140 including an annual licence/comms fee of Eur 35 for the first year only.

However, if a car is moved into a shipping container, or indoors away from windows or an open door (say 20 meters into a building) the network is not reachable and it cannot send its position. If the device is placed in a spot of the car where it can't have a free connection to Sigfox antennas (e.g. under the hood) range may be compromised or zero. In fact that is a problem with every hidden tracker... for GPS to work, and for it to be able to transmit data, it should have an external antenna. And that means that the device can be found by a crook and be removed.

So for this to work, you should really look for a purpose built car tracker, with a separately mountable antenna, with its own power source.

[mdsalemi]

...In fact that is a problem with every hidden tracker... for GPS to work, and for it to be able to transmit data, it should have an external antenna. And that means that the device can be found by a crook and be removed...

Well, not exactly as I mentioned...

GPS is simply a one way system that broadcasts a static signal from geosynchronous orbiting satellites, that devices receive; devices generally need four signals from four different satellites. The receivers "do the math" with real time clock data, and "triangulate" the global position to within a few meters. (If you are the US Military they'll get it the accuracy within inches). The receivers and logic are cheap, they are built into almost every phone, and even a lot of very inexpensive cameras. Remember cameras? They were these things that took pictures before smart phones.

For the trackers to work, they need an uplink system, such as your aforementioned SigFox system (never heard of that, but it is apparently in the USA) but more likely they all use a wireless provider network. You don't need large visible antennas; the antennas in all smart phones today (as opposed to the old analog phones with actual antennas) are hidden inside. Ditto for those in the cars. It is because they all use the cell phone network that they require a monthly fee.

These location-finding devices sometimes use a combination of GPS and triangulation from the  cell phone towers.

Most of the better equipped Ford products today have built in geolocation, and I would defy one to find the hidden antennas. Shouldn't matter much, there are so many Audis, Mercedes-Benz, Range Rovers, and far more desirable for thieves cars around I certainly don't need to worry much about our Fords. Mostly they'd want the wheels off a Mustang, the airbags or maybe the CAT. You don't need to steal the car for any of that. But, if one were to be stolen I could tell the police in a heartbeat precisely where it was.

The pioneer of the car tracker was LoJack. https://www.lojack.com  That's the only system directly tied to law enforcement. I believe they use a proprietary system on radio bands dedicated to law enforcement, not on the cell phone bands. The inventor was a Kojack lookalike who used to live in the town I lived at in Massachusetts.

[Peter van Es]

Most of the better equipped Ford products today have built in geolocation, and I would defy one to find the hidden antennas.

When I wrote what I wrote I was specifically thinking about using such a unit in our Pagoda's with a soft top. An antenna like the one you need may be small, but it will be visible. Sure, in a modern car such antennas are easily hidden somewhere.

Notice how the LoJack must be installed by a specialist installer and the entire website has no picture of the device and the antenna?

[mdsalemi]

Notice how the LoJack must be installed by a specialist installer and the entire website has no picture of the device and the antenna?

Yes of course! If you know what it looks like...you'll know what to look for. This isn't some cheap POS made in some third world country and sold on Amazon that you install. These guys pioneered the concept before there was a cell phone network. and you'll note it is the only one directly linked to law enforcement; YOU go to the POLICE and THEY locate the car. That's bit different than the other schemes. No I don't have one and am not trying to sell one, but this is the real deal. Even if you look at the trackers with a monthly fee, the ones I've seen do not have visible antennas. Like your phone doesn't have one. Sure they are there but not visible outside the car. LoJack has been around for about 40 years, that's a reasonable sign that they know what they are doing and do it well.

Now I don't end up leaving my Pagoda somewhere where it is apt to be stolen. But if I did, I might consider a LoJack device...or I'd move!