Fitting A Tracking Device

[chris301up]

Hi all. Now that I have my Wisper Works 705SE electric bike sorted I was thinking of fitting a tracking device. I know its not a new model and not the best but I want to have a chance of recovery should it get stolen. I did buy one of those cheap Chinese magnetic trackers, but it simply didn't work. I have been thinking of fitting one of these from EBay. (Tracking Device). Just wondered if anyone else has fitted one and, if so, how is it and how did you manage connections?

 

[thelarkbox]

Great idea, had similar thoufghts myself .. Then i thought through a recovery scenario.. Did i want to track down my bike to 3 or 4 semi detached council houses in a not so friendly area just to camp out for how ever many hours it takes to pin point which house.. Then call in favours to 'borrow' the time of 2-3 sons of pals.. to make the confrontation.. - nah, i would be happy to just claim on the insurance tbh..

 

[chris301up]

Great idea, had similar thoufghts myself .. Then i thought through a recovery scenario.. Did i want to track down my bike to 3 or 4 semi detached council houses in a not so friendly area just to camp out for how ever many hours it takes to pin point which house.. Then call in favours to 'borrow' the time of 2-3 sons of pals.. to make the confrontation.. - nah, i would be happy to just claim on the insurance tbh..

That's fair comment and I understand what your saying. I have had several bikes (not electric) stolen over the years and never managed to recover them. It is insured through my home insurance but thought a little extra help would be beneficial? I, personally, would be quite happy to try to locate this and confront whoever this may be, either on my own, or with some help if needed?

 

[thelarkbox]

an apple airtag with its speaker removed ( very easy see utube) is an easy solution, aliexpress sell great thumb-ding type bike bells with a hidden airtag slot for a couple of quid. . - thats how far i got .

 

[Saracen]

I can not understand the fascination of trackers, I suppose if you want bits back after the best bits are taken.

A good lock is surely more sensible, or two

 

[guerney]

I have been thinking of fitting one of these from EBay. (Tracking Device).

Doesn't that tracker require the internet to function? Cheap to buy, more expensive to run because there will be an internet connection charge. I use this, which communicates via SMS. Alternatively, it can connect and track via the internet, and that's what I briefly had to do a few months ago when SMS mysteriously stopped working... but then it mysteriously resumed sending me SMS messages after a couple of months. Has worked fine since. I expect these bands will be sacrificed eventually for 90210G² or whatever, but for now it's a cheap solution for my track and retrieve operations gang of bosseyed bloodthirsty cutthroats.

Network GSM/GPRS
Band 850/900/1800/1900Mhz
GPS accuracy 5M
Require sim card Yes, it require GSM sim card, we recommend vodafone, EE, o2, giffgaff, tesco sim card for you.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Motorcycle-Location-Tracking-Wheelchair/dp/B07XLHWDJF

 

[chris301up]

Doesn't that tracker require the internet to function? Cheap to buy, more expensive to run because there will be an internet connection charge. I use this, which communicates via SMS. Alternatively, it can connect and track via the internet, and that's what I briefly had to do a few months ago when SMS mysteriously stopped working... but then it mysteriously resumed sending me SMS messages after a couple of months. Has worked fine since. I expect these bands will be sacrificed eventually for 90210G² or whatever, but for now it's a cheap solution for my track and retrieve operations gang of bosseyed bloodthirsty cutthroats.

Network GSM/GPRS
Band 850/900/1800/1900Mhz
GPS accuracy 5M
Require sim card Yes, it require GSM sim card, we recommend vodafone, EE, o2, giffgaff, tesco sim card for you.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Motorcycle-Location-Tracking-Wheelchair/dp/B07XLHWDJF

Hi again. The cheapo one that I recently purchased required an active GPS SIM card and that was that. Works the same as a mobile phone but without all the frills. Unfortunately it didn't work too long so thought I'd invest in something a little better but not too expensive.

 

[guerney]

Hi again. The cheapo one that I recently purchased required an active GPS SIM card and that was that. Works the same as a mobile phone but without all the frills. Unfortunately it didn't work too long so thought I'd invest in something a little better but not too expensive.

The one you linked appears to require internet access to communicate GPS position using the internet via an app on your internet connected phone, which will be a per megabyte daily charge or monthly - clarify with the seller before buying. Request a manual.

The listing does state:

"You only need to prepare a SIM card with the Internet access function."

Instead of an app on your phone, they might operate a tracking gateway which can be accessed via a browser, but either way that tracker looks like it needs internet access. Last I checked, the internet isn't free.

 

[chris301up]

Doesn't that tracker require the internet to function? Cheap to buy, more expensive to run because there will be an internet connection charge. I use this, which communicates via SMS. Alternatively, it can connect and track via the internet, and that's what I briefly had to do a few months ago when SMS mysteriously stopped working... but then it mysteriously resumed sending me SMS messages after a couple of months. Has worked fine since. I expect these bands will be sacrificed eventually for 90210G² or whatever, but for now it's a cheap solution for my track and retrieve operations gang of bosseyed bloodthirsty cutthroats.

Network GSM/GPRS
Band 850/900/1800/1900Mhz
GPS accuracy 5M
Require sim card Yes, it require GSM sim card, we recommend vodafone, EE, o2, giffgaff, tesco sim card for you.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Motorcycle-Location-Tracking-Wheelchair/dp/B07XLHWDJF

This is no longer available.

 

[guerney]

This is no longer available.

I believe this is the same as mine and works the same way, but verify with the seller. Ask for a link to the manual too. Also check if it's cheaper from other AliExpress sellers. I use a Giffgaff PAYG sim, which uses 02 (and electricity). £10 credit lasted almost 2 years.

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006208005748.html

 

[chris301up]

I believe this is the same as mine and works the same way, but verify with the seller. Ask for a link to the manual too. Also check if it's cheaper from other AliExpress sellers. I use a Giffgaff PAYG sim, which uses 02 (and electricity). £10 credit lasted almost 2 years.

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006208005748.html


View attachment 58058

Thank you buddy. Will have a look at this in a bit

 

[guerney]

Thank you buddy. Will have a look at this in a bit

Bear in mind, at some point they'll be switching off bands it uses to communicate. I've seen similar units which appear to function the same way, but without the light - easier to conceal, but harder to keep powered long enough, because of tiny capacity batteries. I've considered powering one via my ebike battery charging a larger hidden power pack.

 

[chris301up]

Bear in mind, at some point they'll be switching off bands it uses to communicate. I've seen similar units which appear to function the same way, but without the light - easier to conceal, but harder to keep powered long enough, because of tiny capacity batteries. I've considered powering one via my ebike battery charging a larger hidden power pack.

That was one of the main reasons I was thinking of buying the original tracker I mentioned. That could be powered by the bike battery.

 

[guerney]

That was one of the main reasons I was thinking of buying the original tracker I mentioned. That could be powered by the bike battery.

I might have to buy something like the one you linked someday, when they kill the band my tracker light uses - after which it'll cost about £8 a month or somesuch unless... I make a little robot to push the SIM card into the unit after receiving an instructions via LoRa that @StuartsProjects is so fond of, thus only using the internet when the bike is stolen, thereby incurring a small per megabyte charge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa

 

[StuartsProjects]

I make a little robot to push the SIM card into the unit after receiving an instructions via LoRa that @StuartsProjects is so fond of,

LoRa is very very good for some applications.

Tracking high altitude balloons or low cost satellite communications, low data rate sensor or mesh applications are others.

Its also extremly good at searching for stuff that you have lost, a balloon that has landed or pet thats gone wandering. You can get out and go and search with your own equipment.

However, there is no universal coverage, no installled network of Gateways that can pick up your trackers signals as you rest at home. For that type of application GSM based trackers are a lot better since, at least in urban areas, there is fairly good mobile coverage.

 

[thelarkbox]

Balloon chasing was much more fun pre gps and similar finding tech a car with a sun roof and a full tank and a map.... good job they are huge sometimes roads just dont follow anything close to a flight path and eyes were the only tools available..

 

[Ghost1951]

Just alter the seat post with a large spike powered by a spring which when connected to an armed system will fire the spike up through the saddle into the ar se of the scum who stole it. This should be fine as long as you keep your wits about you and don't absent mindedly forget to disarm the spike up the ar se device, and catch yourself out.

Works for me.... Whether our modern 'Be a sheep and submit yourself to the wolves' society would like it, is another matter.

Alternately, I have an idea for another system which involves handlebars equipped with wolf traps which could function in a similar way. This delux version also secures and incapacitates the thief since their hands would be held by the serrated jaws of the trap. It would be impossible to escape without assistance with both hands secured.

One advantage over the more passive systems is that there is no need to operate any electronic system to find your bike, or to know when the system has caught a scumbag. You will be automatically informed by the howling malefactor. There are some minor inconveniences though. I suggest the returning owner may need some suitable anti -septic wipes to clean off the blood of the would be thief.

If any manufacturing partner wishes to contact me we can come to some sensible arrangement on paying for my intellectual property and they can make as many of these as they like for a moderate one off payment.

 

[Ghost1951]

Balloon chasing was much more fun pre gps and similar finding tech a car with a sun roof and a full tank and a map.... good job they are huge sometimes roads just dont follow anything close to a flight path and eyes were the only tools available..

Small radio beacons can be lashed up quite easily. I did some of this in the 1980s. You do need a bit of radio skill to DF the balloon when it comes down. We also made timers which fired a small pyrotechnic charge to separate the electronics package from the balloon at a predetermined time.

 

[guerney]

LoRa is very very good for some applications.

Tracking high altitude balloons or low cost satellite communications, low data rate sensor or mesh applications are others.

Its also extremly good at searching for stuff that you have lost, a balloon that has landed or pet thats gone wandering. You can get out and go and search with your own equipment.

However, there is no universal coverage, no installled network of Gateways that can pick up your trackers signals as you rest at home. For that type of application GSM based trackers are a lot better since, at least in urban areas, there is fairly good mobile coverage.

When my simple tracker which communicates via SMS stops functioning because they've killed the bands it uses, I'll probably simply pay about £8 a month for the internet connected GPS tracker... but if I was feeling stingy, I could carry a small firework with a tiny LoRa transmitter, which I could launch dramatically high into the sky when my bike got stolen, sending a very short signal to activate the robot or solenoid to push the SIM card into the slot or against the SIM card contacts, which would switch on the unit and connect it to the internet, enabling the sending of the location of my stolen bike; simultaneously saving me a monthly internet connection fee. A one-off connection fee is about a quid on most PAYG plans.

Seems a bit silly spending something like £96 a year for a tracker's internet connection, when I pay about £5 a year now. No brainer at £5 a year, £96 is more than a year's worth of Laka insurance for my bike.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I could carry a small firework with a tiny LoRa transmitter, which I could launch dramatically high into the sky when my bike got stolen

Thats not too far from a practical test I carried out way back in 2016.

https://stuartsprojects.github.io/2016/08/15/how-to-search-500-square-kilometres-in-10-minutes.html

Height is king for most UHF comms, you can increase the detection range of a tracker by maybe 100 times or more, if you can get high enough. Carrying a plane like I used above is not so practical, but there are these days hand size drones that weigh under 250g.

I recently aquired a Mavic Mini drone, not because I want pictures of neighbours sunbathing in gardens, but for putting a LoRa relay on it, just to see how far you can search for a LoRa tracker. Pocket sized, it can be in the air in a few seconds. It does seem possible that with such a simple setup you could search a average city for trackers fairly quickly.