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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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jwallis
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dgbeatty
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Joined: October 26, 2006
Posts: 487
Location: Sacramento
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 Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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I expect to receive a tk419 on 23th Nov, paid a bit extra for faster shipping.
Currently I have a tk103 (2G GSM only) installed. It is configured with fuel pump disconnect and starter inhibitor. Both of those features are failsafe in that if the the tk103 is disconnected normal operation is restored. Both are enabled if the van is outside the virtual fence location and the speed exceeds 10mph. They work in conjunction with an inexpensive Crimestopper alarm.
Because our van has been stolen once already, and recovered three weeks later, I am
a bit paranoid and also have a Spot Trace installed. Both are powered by the starting and house batteries via largqqish diodes and a small 4ah LFP battery. Overkill, maybe? I am a belt and suspenders man.
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When all else fails read the instructions. Schau in das Buch |
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Steve M.
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Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 5171
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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cmayna
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Joined: August 18, 2014
Posts: 948
Location: SF Bay area, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:02 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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After reading the link you provided,,,,aha! Something I might consider using for my old chebbie truck.
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'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig |
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Steve M.
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013
Posts: 5171
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:56 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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| dobryan wrote: |
OK.
$115.00 for 2 units (includes shipping).
I think this one will work for my needs.  |
Let us know the shipping time!
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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cmayna
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2014
Posts: 948
Location: SF Bay area, CA
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| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:24 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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Do these sim cards notify you via text or whatever that your rig is being touched, moved? Or is it an after the fact, means of allowing you to track(locate) your rig?
_________________
'90 Westy / automatic.
If I'm not working on the camper or my '50 Chebbie truck, I'm either fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
Craig |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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Abscate 
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 15222
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 5:23 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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Legacy Verizon was CDMA ONLY which didn’t work in EU
No longer an issue since iPhone 5 on up.
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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dobryan
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Location: Brookeville, MD
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dgbeatty
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2006
Posts: 487
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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A Amazon link is. is.gd/tME7Cj. This a link to the manufacturer. is.gd/vbiRUY. . The seemingly endless variants available is typical for a global product. The variant sold thru Amazon appears to have the most desireable mix of options, we will see in a couple of weeks.
My current thinking is to simply move my sim card to the new device for testing of the GSM and to then a new LTE sim. As I understand it the device with search for LTE and work its way down to 2G as necessary to have the best possible coverage.
BTW what frequency bands do you need for your travels? This a short and sweet list. is.gd/6DF9o0 . Note that they are different from the US if I am reading it correctly.
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When all else fails read the instructions. Schau in das Buch |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:31 pm Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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| dgbeatty wrote: |
I have not read the entire topic.
Has it been discussed that different regions of the world use different and incompatible frequency bands. Not many trackers are "global" ie useable everywhere.
The tk419 is "global" is the one you are considering global?
We pay USMobile less than $10 per month for service, there are no other fees for the "tk" series of trackers.
Last Word.
2G AND 3G are both being discontinued in the US to make room for 5G. In some areas of the US they have already been discontinued. Most all will be by Dec 2021. The same situation in Europe but 2G may outlive 3G in some areas. So 2G and 3G devices are basically door stops by Jan 2022 |
For travel in Europe I should be fine with standard cellular service. It is pretty ubiquitous everywhere.
And yes on the phase out of 2G/3G. I realized that the unit I speced is 3G which will be a problem.
Hmm. Can you post a link to the latest tk419? I searched Amazon and it did not show up.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
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
The West Coast Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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dgbeatty
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2006
Posts: 487
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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I have not read the entire topic.
Has it been discussed that different regions of the world use different and incompatible frequency bands. Not many trackers are "global" ie useable everywhere.
The tk419 is "global" is the one you are considering global?
We pay USMobile less than $10 per month for service, there are no other fees for the "tk" series of trackers.
Last Word.
2G AND 3G are both being discontinued in the US to make room for 5G. In some areas of the US they have already been discontinued. Most all will be by Dec 2021. The same situation in Europe but 2G may outlive 3G in some areas. So 2G and 3G devices are basically door stops by Jan 2022
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When all else fails read the instructions. Schau in das Buch |
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:58 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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| stuzbot wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
Are the SIM cards in Europe good in all countries or are they specific to a region? |
You can use them throughout Europe. Calls and SMS used to cost lots more when you were in a different country from the one in which the SIM was based [called roaming charges]. These were ridiculously high --like 50p per text vs. 10p per text when using a UK SIM in other European countries and similarly eye-watering charges per minute for phone calls.
However, the EU has recently ruled that providers aren't allowed to charge more for using your SIM outside your home country, so roaming charges are no longer a problem:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm
I don't now how likely it is that Brexit will affect this with regards to continuing to be able to use UK SIMs at not extra cost throughout Europe. But, just to be sure, you'd probably be better off buying a SIM from one of the other EU countries, if you end up having to get one. |
Thank you very much for that clarification!
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
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
The West Coast Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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stuzbot
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2018
Posts: 365
Location: Lying in a Puddle under a Van
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:55 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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| dobryan wrote: |
Are the SIM cards in Europe good in all countries or are they specific to a region? |
You can use them throughout Europe. Calls and SMS used to cost lots more when you were in a different country from the one in which the SIM was based [called roaming charges]. These were ridiculously high --like 50p per text vs. 10p per text when using a UK SIM in other European countries and similarly eye-watering charges per minute for phone calls.
However, the EU has recently ruled that providers aren't allowed to charge more for using your SIM outside your home country, so roaming charges are no longer a problem:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm
I don't now how likely it is that Brexit will affect this with regards to continuing to be able to use UK SIMs at not extra cost throughout Europe. But, just to be sure, you'd probably be better off buying a SIM from one of the other EU countries, if you end up having to get one.
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 12694
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:12 am Post subject: Re: GPS locator to find a stolen Vanagon |
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| stuzbot wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
| ...And I'll go with a Google Fi data-only SIM... |
Will that still work, while your van is in Europe? We don't have Google Fi over here [as far as I know].
Those Google Fi monthly fees seem quite high to me. When you could just get a PAYG SIM card when you arrive in Europe [most telephone co.s will send you a PAYG SIM for free, or you can pick one up in a supermarket for a few pennies]. Then you could stick €5 or €10 credit on it, which would likely last you several months, as long as you weren't getting the tracker to ping you constantly. |
Hmm. I'll have to see about the monthly cost for an account. That would be a deal breaker most likely.
I think as long as you open your account in the USA it can be used in Europe. Google Fi shares cell towers with the major providers. They do not have there own network of towers.
And if it does not work out then I can do exactly what you recommend with the SIM card.
Are the SIM cards in Europe good in all countries or are they specific to a region?
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
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
The West Coast Westy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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