GPS device tracking for security

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Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#279726 3-Nov-2020 23:15

Unfortunately I had my dirt bike stolen over the weekend :(

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I wish I had some sort of GPS tracking system on it. Are there any good systems these days that would allow you to hide something on the bike, will be powered off it's own battery (this sort of bike doesn't have a battery), and can upload it's location somewhere every so often?

Tried searching for existing threads but they are all pretty old and most of the links are now dead. Ideally it wouldn't be relying on a 3rd party subscription or service that may disappear in a year or 2.

davidcole

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#2597356 4-Nov-2020 07:20

I think finding the hardware is the biggest challenge. I have a 3g capable tracker, that was supposed to have battery but doesnt. I can't remember is @scottjpalmer got a battery one for his bike?

REgarding the service that will go away, you cna roll your own. In the past I've use gpsgate (windows) and now using traccar.

As long as you're relatively comformtable setting up a machine (raspberry pi will do for traccar) and port forward a port for the tracker to talk home (a static ip from your isp helps here) - or can do all this on a vps. Then you can roll you own.

I suspect there are services you can just pay for, but I've never investigated them.

Previously known as psycik

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scottjpalmer

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#2597368 4-Nov-2020 08:01

I didn't settle on anything. I'm interested in what you find.

Cheers

Benjip

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#2597375 4-Nov-2020 08:33

Fingers crossed Apple's AirTags will be announced at their event next week, as it sounds like they would be exactly what you're after.

If the rumours are to be believed, they will "use" any and every iOS or Mac device that comes near them in order to determine their location.

Kind of like Tile (but actually used by more than 7 people).

Delphinus

611 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2597392 4-Nov-2020 09:22

Thanks @davidcole - Traccar looks like what I'm after. But yes like you say finding a suitable device looks difficult. What tracker are you using?

@Benjip - I suspect for this case the AirTag might not be suitable. Provided the thieves have ios devices you might be able to see it's movements after being stolen, but if it ends up in someones rural farm I suspect you will have lost the final location.

Benjip

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#2597397 4-Nov-2020 09:28

Delphinus:

@Benjip - I suspect for this case the AirTag might not be suitable. Provided the thieves have ios devices you might be able to see it's movements after being stolen, but if it ends up in someones rural farm I suspect you will have lost the final location.

If anyone nearby has an iOS device during the item's journey from your place to its final location (eg. people in their cars on the motorway), the AirTags should theoretically pick up the location the entire way there – the tracking would only stop if/when there were no iOS devices around for it to ping off.

You're probably dead right if it's sitting in farmland in the middle of nowhere, though.

davidcole

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#2597567 4-Nov-2020 12:10

Delphinus:

Thanks @davidcole - Traccar looks like what I'm after. But yes like you say finding a suitable device looks difficult. What tracker are you using?

@Benjip - I suspect for this case the AirTag might not be suitable. Provided the thieves have ios devices you might be able to see it's movements after being stolen, but if it ends up in someones rural farm I suspect you will have lost the final location.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32815110144.html?channel=twinner

I prefer devices with external GPS antenna.