GPS tracking devices

[andygates]

Has anyone used a GPS tracking device?  They're devices that text their location to you when asked, for tracking cars, flyaway quadcopters  , errant partners and the like.

Like this, taking SIM a battery and an optional power input and reporting back to you by text message.  With a PAYG SIM with a few quid credit, as long as you remember to have it ping you once a month or so, it should last forever. 

Anybody used one hands-on?

[woollypigs]

I have looked into getting one for a potential runaway dog. Though the ones for the pet industry are very expensive.

I was wondering about just having a small and old smartphone, GiffGaff and use Google Latitude, but sadly the latter have closed its doors. Couldn't one just used the Google/Android remote tracking of the phone for when you have lost it.

[andygates]

But a phone is the size and weight of a phone, which matters on small aircraft and probably on dogs.

[Manotea]

And dogs dont have pockets, so wouldnt have anywhere it put their mobile.

And they are not very good at touch screens. Their noses are just too big...

[woollypigs]

Tilley got a harness which we can attach pockets to, perfect for a small HTC wildfire. And she can drive a touch screen just fine, she opened up ebay today on Peli's phone

[Andrew Br]

What did she buy ? 

Joking aside, I've been wondering if there's a small device out there that I could use as a back-up to a Garmin to record tracks for submission to validate audaxes.
I'm thinking about something that has a long run-time on AA/AAAs that I could stick in a bag/pocket and leave alone until the ride was finished.
Afterwards I'd like to be able to download the track to back up the Garmin.

[Ningishzidda]

http://www.traxfamily.com/

Like this?

[andygates]

That's clever, and creepy, and very expensive.

[Diver300]

<blatant commercial plug>
www.mtrak.co.uk
</blatant commercial plug>
They are primarily designed for vehicles, but they can have an internal battery.

This is the sort of result they can give.

http://www.mtrak.co.uk/show/Tvn8XL4g9h or even http://www.mtrak.co.uk/show/vandenberg

[hazeii]

We've done this, with a cellphone/cell modem and PIC micro to show realtime position on gmaps, using GPS data from a bar-mounted Garmin (details here). For quick updates and 2-way comms we used GPRS (much cheaper than SMS too, if you're doing fast updates). Nice feature with the Garmin is the external pack can provide power as well as suck out GPS position, so the tradeoff is simply run time vs update frequency for a given battery size (we used 60s updates).

For non-real time, there are loads of solutions. Google for 'Trackstick' which is a pretty good gadget to sling in a backpack and record 24-hour type rides (any longer and you'll need extra batteries).

Smartphone apps will do the job too,of course - as long as you don't want to go long.

[chrisbainbridge]

https://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=101
I had thought of one of these.  I usually cycle alone which worries my wife and one of these would allow her to check up on me.

[Oscar's dad]

I'd be interested in an iPhone app. Battery life shouldn't be a problem as I can charge stuff off my dynohub. Are there any apps that folks would recommend?

[PloddinPedro]

.... a small device out there that I could use as a back-up to a Garmin to record tracks for submission to validate audaxes.
I'm thinking about something that has a long run-time on AA/AAAs that I could stick in a bag/pocket and leave alone until the ride was finished.
Afterwards I'd like to be able to download the track to back up the Garmin.

I had the same thought until I realised that if I needed a backup device because my primary GPS had failed, I would need the backup to be able to guide me around my route. Which is to say that it needs to be a fully fledged GPS, loaded with all the ride data, just like the primary unit. So my answer was to get the more affordable small eTrex, which will give about 20 hours or more if not scrolling on the map page on a pair of AA cells.

[frankly frankie]

50 hours has been recorded on an older Etrex, loaded with lithium cells, running the map and occasional backlight use at night.  On very long linear routes a spare GPS is probably lighter and more space-efficient than carrying paper maps as backup.