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GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon
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svenakela
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Waldemar Sikorski wrote:
DIY if anyone is interested.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Athena-The-Global-Car-Tracking-System/?ALLSTEPS


Oh man that's sweet, I have so many features to add up in an Arduino now I probably need to start with a Mega. Smile
Combining the GPS idea with a accelerometer/gyro it can start sending message if someone is in the van too.
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SactoSteve
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks kourt!

Yeah, I've long thought about getting a fuse block but didn't yet have anything I really needed it for. This might be the thing.

In the winter, I plug the primary battery into a Battery Tender trickle charger, but during the summer it may go a few weeks without being started. Maybe I should set up a trickle charger on the secondary battery as well.
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kourt
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do wire the GPS to draw from a secondary battery.

I suggest buying an aftermarket fuse block or power distribution point for this type of thing. Google it.

If you're not driving the van regularly, checking the battery condition every two weeks should become a habit.

Also, I've moved my GPS tracker service to my Ting mobile service, using a GSM card. No more AT&T GoPhone. Now I only pay for service that I use--so I only pay fractions of a cent for any texts I send to the tracker or receive from it.

Lately I have had more peace of mind when parking in doubtful areas through the use of this tracker. With the tracker integrated into the door wiring harness, I simply arm the van and walk away... if anyone opens a door, starts the van, or moves the van, I get a text message. Still going strong over a year later!

kourt
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SactoSteve
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:11 am    Post subject: Connect to primary or secondary battery? Reply with quote

I just got one of these devices, and I'm wondering if anyone has advice on where to pull the power for it from.

It will be continuously drawing power, and my van can sometimes sit for weeks without being driven. I'm afraid that if left too long without being driven, the GPS will drain the battery. It might be better to have it drain the secondary battery, instead of the primary battery, yes? And I believe my secondary is a "deep cell" battery, which is designed to better handle being drained, right?

Thanks!
-Steve
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veloandy
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Adding another +1 for http://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Drive-Vehicle-Track...ps+tracker

Thanks to this thread, I bought one and have been super-happy. It was only $5/month to add an additional text-only line to my T-mobile family plan to run it.

The unit has an internal battery that lasts a long time and takes minimal power to keep charged up. Even after I have had both my starting and house batteries 4+ days, the unit still responds to texts.

I parked deep in a subterranean Denver parking garage (with no chance for GPS coverage) and texted "google" to the device to see what would happen. Initially I got no response, as I expected. Then I drove outside 40 minutes later, and soon I got a text with a link to my current location on Google maps and my current speed.

I'm not sure if the message was queued up by T-mobile and delivered to the device when I drove outside, or if the message was received by the device in the parking garage and the device queued up the response until it could see a GPS signal. Either way, I was extremely impressed.

I leave my Vanagon unlocked now...hopefully I will never get a broken window. And if someone steals it, I'll just go get it back from the ba$tard who takes it Twisted Evil .

Thanks a million to dobryan for starting this thread!
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

4x4BNB wrote:
Jon_slider wrote:
> zoombak.com

$110 plus $20 a month

fwiw, for tracking my daughter I have used Find my iPhone. It is free, but Im not strapping a phone to my Van..

still waiting for someone to post that they found a GPS device with NO monthly fees. Or did I miss it?


I have an old iPhone 4. And, att has a service plan for $10 a month. I think, stateside, I can use the find my IPhone app. Just need to provide a constant power source? In theory, $120 a year.

And....in the event of an emergency, you have a phone!


If you can keep your iphone active without a data plan this would be a good alternative IMO to a GPS tracker like I just installed, no cost for the equipment.. Very Happy
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4x4BNB
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 6:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jon_slider wrote:
> zoombak.com

$110 plus $20 a month

fwiw, for tracking my daughter I have used Find my iPhone. It is free, but Im not strapping a phone to my Van..

still waiting for someone to post that they found a GPS device with NO monthly fees. Or did I miss it?


I have an old iPhone 4. And, att has a service plan for $10 a month. I think, stateside, I can use the find my IPhone app. Just need to provide a constant power source? In theory, $120 a year.

And....in the event of an emergency, you have a phone!
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4x4BNB
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 26, 2015 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nemobuscaptain wrote:
hans j wrote:
So does the microphone pickup and record what's said inside? Doesn't seem to be much info on that one. Would make sense if it had a SD card installed.

Probably not unless you want to violated federal wiretapping laws.

That's why there never is audio on security cams.



Only where someone has "standing" or a "reasonable expectation" of privacy. Someone inside a stolen car, or car being prowled, or in a building (in the event of a burglary or trespassing), has no standing or reasonable expectation of privacy.
In other words....if you don't have the right to be there...you can't claim your right not to be audio recorded....
Of course, depending on the state in which you live....
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Waldemar Sikorski
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DIY if anyone is interested.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Athena-The-Global-Car-Tracking-System/?ALLSTEPS
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Gruppe B
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blackberry has a free service that will track your Blackberry anywhere within cell or wifi coverage.

It allows you to view location, ring phone (to find if missing), display a message on screen, lock the device and wipe the device.

The location is shown on Google Map with address and accuracy approximation.
Very accurate due to the phones built in GPS.
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Gruppe B
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blackberry has a free service that will track your Blackberry anywhere within cell or wifi coverage.

It allows you to view location, ring phone (to find if missing), display a message on screen, lock the device and wipe the device.

The location is shown on Google Map with address and accuracy approximation.
Very accurate due to the phones built in GPS.
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone have luck (or knowledge about) using a out-of-service mobile phone.

All phones including ones out of service can be used to dial 911 (kids had my old out-of service phones before they had their own lines)

I am wondering if having one on all ways and then getting the police/phone company to triangulate when reported stolen would work.
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djkeev
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

FYI
New Information added at the end of the first post on page one.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While in Key West I installed this tracker. Awesome!

malibu wrote:
The wife got me this one for my birthday. I will post back once I get a sim and start testing it before install.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


http://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Drive-Vehicle-Track...ps+tracker


This is the map link sent via text message from the tracker.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Very accurate! 😀
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Dave O
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MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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kourt
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I think any old SIM configured for local use would work. Swapping SIMs in a foreign country is common.

kourt
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almo
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like this setup!!

Question:

Do you think this will work south of the border?
Would I be right in saying I would have to get a Mexican sim for it to work while I'm there?
Or Roaming with a US sim?

thoughts?


Cheers
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kourt
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Howdy,

The GPS accuracy for the TK103B family of trackers is typically accurate to within ten feet. I have not had any problems getting pinpoint GPS coordinates, applying them to a map, and correlating that information to reality.

kourt
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yiucycle
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 9:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kourt, Do you know how accurate the GPS while its moving and stationary? I was looking at the TrackR,(Bluetooth Crowd Source Tracking) and the review is really bad(from not working to couple 1000ft off).
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Last edited by yiucycle on Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:40 am; edited 1 time in total
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kourt
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I posted an extensive review of my install and use of a member of the TK103B GPS tracker family on page 4 of this thread... but here's a link to the review:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6946473#6946473

I'm still using it today. It's been very reliable and I have it fully featured in the van--both the panic button and the fuel pump shutoff relay are installed. I have the door triggers wired to the device as well. I can determine the location of the van by calling or texting it. If the tracker's alarm is armed, it will warn me by SMS if anyone opens a door, starts the van, or moves the van (even without starting it).

There is no "service" fee but the pay-as-you-go GSM SIM card in the tracker costs about $10 per month.

Considering all these features (door alarm notification, ignition notification, movement notification, plus the GPS tracking, and other extensive features not listed here), I have yet to see any product (and that includes Spot) which comes close to this device in terms of overall function and value.

kourt
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Waldemar Sikorski
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 3:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone using something like this (TK103B Gps Tracker)?


Link
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