Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

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Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby catinmoon » Tue Aug 15, 2017 11:23 am

Hi, I've got the trailer now in the city and would like to put some sort of tracking on the trailer. I am not fully understanding the options. I don't have a battery in the trailer, so the device would need its own power, I assume.

I saw some devices that run on small batteries, but they have a limited range. My idea is if someone took off in the trailer and drove it away, trying to find it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Stephanie
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby friz » Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:49 pm

https://www.findmespot.com/en/?cid=128

This is my fav. Uses satellite for tracking and alerts to cell or email. $150 yearly subscription.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby catinmoon » Tue Aug 15, 2017 1:19 pm

Thanks, this looks promising. Of course it would be nice to find one without a subscription. Do you know if you can turn the subscription on and off? I did see a monthly option so maybe that's the trick.

Stephanie

friz wrote:https://www.findmespot.com/en/?cid=128

This is my fav. Uses satellite for tracking and alerts to cell or email. $150 yearly subscription.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby QueticoBill » Tue Aug 15, 2017 2:37 pm

I have a Spot for canoeing and that is the general hit on Spot - 12 months and only allow auto renewal. Does upset some folks. They practically give away the device for the subscription - like software companies are doing more and more.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby GuitarPhotog » Tue Aug 15, 2017 7:39 pm

You aren't going to find anything that has real range (miles instead of meters), that doesn't have a subscription fee. The ones with real out of sight range have to use the cell phone system to send the location data to you or the service. And that costs money. Unless you have a private satellite ;-)

The rated battery life on that Spot system using AA batteries doesn't look great. Much better on USB 5VDC power (i.e., 12 V battery).

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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby DWT77 » Tue Aug 15, 2017 9:17 pm

I can't remember if I saw someone post about turning an old cell phone into a GPS tracker on this forum or if it was somewhere else.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/gps-enable ... ng-device/
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby Bill n Robi » Wed Aug 16, 2017 6:28 am

I was going to try the use an 'old cell phone' tracking system. I can add a phone to my plan for $5 a month unfortunately my older iPhones won't do 'find my iphone' app. Still plan on adding something in the wall, behjnd the converter, and tap into the battery wire. Even if the battery is disconnected, hopefully they would plug it back in. In after thought, if someone stole my 6 volters they may never add a 12v to it so I am thinking about adding a small battery, diode isolated so it will stay charged and the iphone can use either the main system or this small battery. That might keep the phone alive for a couple weeks and it can be recovered.

I think OP's best bet would be a small sealed battery connected to a phone that can be traced. Hide it in a wall. Maybe start by hooking it up, measuring the voltage and leave it on for a week and recheck it to determine how long it should work and add a calendar reminder to remove it and recharge the battery periodically.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby QueticoBill » Wed Aug 16, 2017 7:08 am

The spot device does offer some seemingly useful features, like notifying you if its moving or if batteries needs replacing or if its turned off. My spot device works in a tent or some tree cover, not in most buildings, anywhere in the world. The cell device obviously only works where there is service and might be affected by some building. I have no idea where a teardrop theif takes his booty.

I guess theft is not something I've ever considered since im just in midst of first build. Hmmm.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby catinmoon » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:20 am

Thanks for the ideas. I had considered a gps device when my elderly father was still driving, for his car, and at that time I thought I had found something cheap and simple, but now can't figure out what it was. It's possible I was pricing the device and not considering the subscription. I will garage the trailer in the winter, and have some locks in place, but thought I would investigate tracking options. Like everything, there are lots of options and considerations.

Stephanie
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby Dale M. » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:44 am

I would start with Google search "GPS Tracking Device"... And go from there...

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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby nemoskull » Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:46 pm

you can get a smartphone with a solar charger and track using google maps. but that like 45 a month
im looking at right now a 2g phone board with gps. its basically the tx/rx part of a cell phone with a gps built it. all you get is the board. you need a computer to make it work.
tho on the other hand, ting has a sim card to sell you and will only charge you what you use. so this is what im getting put in my teardrop with daily updates of location.
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Re: Latest on GPS/tracking for trailer without 12V battery?

Postby John61CT » Fri Sep 08, 2017 7:55 pm

Better to use a mobile provider that actually has good geographic coverage where you are.

ATT or Verizon service is available through Tracphone for $12.50 per month, all the MBs roll over, accumulate long as you keep the account topped up.
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