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I haven't fully research this yet, but it may be a cheap solution....
www.thetrackr.com
Check out the crowd GPS function..... any user's phone can report the location of your stuff - automatically !
Less than $20 per device. Toss one in the car, trailer, toolbox
The proviso for these things is (are)...
1). SOMEONE must come within around 30 feet of the car (or whatever item the device is attached to).
2). That someone must be running the 'find anyone' app with Bluetooth turned ON.
3). That someone must also recognize WHEN he/she passed that location and where it was... or must also be running LOCATION ON.
4). Both owner and finder must subscribe to the service and register their devices. (have no idea of that cost).
Not that it won't work, but I think it's a ways down the road to become mainstream. SOMEDAY .. it might actually work reasonably well. Blue tooth is certainly much more prevalent than it was ... even last year .. Heck, even *I* have a couple of BT devices that I can connect to via my phone. However, if you ... or the (stolen/lost) item are in a remote area ..even like industrial.. forget it. It won't work if it's parked in the last row of a motel and you are checking in at the front desk.
Yes - they are <$20/device ($19.99) .. if you buy enough of them. I think that was THIRTY devices last time I checked. May be down to TWENTY by now. Realistically, they are currently more useful for someone that might lose an item on their own property .. or along a route that they frequently travel. If it falls out the window (or passes you going the other way), you're NOT going to pick it up. It takes some 20-30 seconds of "contact" for BT devices to communicate and ID each other.
OH... and INSIDE a closed toolbox would be useless as well. Wouldn't get more than a few inches outside the toolbox at best.
So the main office of TrackR is about 4 blocks away from my office - so I dropped by.
Small operation moving tons of product in a very high-rent downtown Santa Barbara location.
Spent about 15 minutes talking to a couple of developers there. Everyone is a UCSB student or graduate.
To address you points:
1 - Its 50-100ft depending on coverage, etc.
2 - yes, the app/bluetooth must be on to record devices found
3 - No and yes. If location is ON and the app is on, the location of seen devices is automatically sent to their website - unknown to the "finder".
4 - The service is free.
Yep - has its problems but its a very cheap "social" / participation thing. Unlike GPS radios, these guys don't spend a dime on the network.
They gave me a device to try. A Wallet device. My biggest concern is how quickly a device can be seen. I asked about a possible high-power device and they seemed disinterested.
Its worth playing with.
The very definition and parameters associated with Bluetooth prohibit high power devices. so no matter what the field of coverage is going to be quite small.
Look at TrackMate
Just needs constant 12V power.
https://www.trackmategps.com/
FAQ
https://www.trackmategps.com/Home/FAQ
I wonder if you could provide that with a small solar panel for a parked trailer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Revs2-12k
I'm sure that would work just fine. I also wonder what the 'key hot' power line does .. IOW....is it needed for something ? There would, of course never be such a thing for a trailer .. so you could only let it HOT or COLD all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Beartrax
Changes the frequency of reporting. That one is intended for a driven vehicle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Davis
Turn it on and it reports....
from their site:
"update positioning every 60 seconds when engine is on and every 30 minutes when engine is turned off."
This is interesting. 3 year battery life. No antenna. Just bolt on somewhere. $15/mo.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MI58DG8?psc=1
I would want some sort of fiberglass cover to disguise it....
Hi Guys,
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Our system:
- Monitors your battery and will let you know if it falls below 10V
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Ron Carter
760-576-3003 x 703
ron@geoskygps.com