GPS Tracker for £2 a month

[01wellsd]

Just saw this GPS tracker from Vodafone and it looks quite good.

£20 up front, then £2 a month.
7 days battery life
Waterproof

Curve, The Smart GPS Tracker | Vodafone Smart Tech

Curve is a smart GPS tracker with 4 different types of tracking technology for a more reliable connection to your favourite things.

eshop.v.vodafone.com

 

[oyster]

I'd want to see what Apple announce before making any choices about such things.

https://www.macrumors.com/guide/airtags/

Likely more expensive, possibly much more expensive, but might put pressure on other products/vendors.

 

[RossG]

Or you could put a fake GPS sticker on your bike warning any would be thief if they nick it you'll track em down
Download an image from the internet and print your own onto an adhesive label.

 

[oyster]

Or you could put a fake GPS sticker on your bike warning any would be thief if they nick it you'll track em down
Download an image from the internet and print your own onto an adhesive label.

Rather an assumption that a bike thief can read.

 

[richtea99]

It looks about 5cm across, so where do you hide it on a bike?
If it's in sight, it will be discarded by a thief in about 10 seconds.

 

[RossG]

Rather an assumption that a bike thief can read.

Whoops .. I forgot about that !

 

[WallyM]

I don't see its good use. The power off button allows the thief to simply switch it off. Or he rips it off. Maybe under the saddle... and hoping that one don't loose it. Or it the headlight, but then one has to dismantle it once in a while...mmh.
But the idea is good, maybe I buy one of those a 10 quid tiny China phones, take it apart and silicon the needed bits somewhere inside the frame. Inside the saddle or handlebar tube. Then I also can use a cheaper contract SIM than Vodaphone or use prepaid if needed.

 

[RossG]

I don't see its good use. The power off button allows the thief to simply switch it off. Or he rips it off. Maybe under the saddle... and hoping that one don't loose it. Or it the headlight, but then one has to dismantle it once in a while...mmh.
But the idea is good, maybe I buy one of those a 10 quid tiny China phones, take it apart and silicon the needed bits somewhere inside the frame. Inside the saddle or handlebar tube. Then I also can use a cheaper contract SIM than Vodaphone or use prepaid if needed.

I've got one of those mini phones, their ring is so loud it's deafening ! Very neat devices but beware they seem to discharge very quickly though.

 

[richtea99]

Mobile phone giblets inside a metal frame is somewhat limiting - it would act a bit like a Faraday cage.
In a carbon fibre frame it would fare much better.

I'm not sure you'll beat £2/mo, unless you can find a time-unlimited PAYG deal. They seem quite rare nowadays.

 

[oyster]

Mobile phone giblets inside a metal frame is somewhat limiting - it would act a bit like a Faraday cage.
In a carbon fibre frame it would fare much better.

I'm not sure you'll beat £2/mo, unless you can find a time-unlimited PAYG deal. They seem quite rare nowadays.

Are you sure that carbon fibre would be better?

https://www.instructables.com/id/Carbon-tape-Faraday-phone-pocket/

I've got a time unlimited deal SIM - just have to use it every so often. Several GB.

 

[richtea99]

Fair cop! I knew it conducted, but I thought it was a lot less than metal. Seems like it does quite a good job at conducting.
My mistake - apols.

 

[oyster]

Fair cop! I knew it conducted, but I thought it was a lot less than metal. Seems like it does quite a good job at conducting.
My mistake - apols.

It was my first thought too - but something reminded me of the screening products such as I linked to.

 

[gsm.terra]

I notice Amazon have gps trackers disguised as rear lights. Plus there are trackers available that fit into seat post, although they are expensive! I did look at the Vodafone one, £2 a month is nothing! And it looks small enough to hide in a battery box or under seat. I have my alarm under seat and it’s bigger than the Vodafone gps. Underneath a mudguard might work.

 

[Andy-Mat]

It looks about 5cm across, so where do you hide it on a bike?
If it's in sight, it will be discarded by a thief in about 10 seconds.

Rear or front lights are often used, and there are smaller GPS tracker versions, that work well, on ebay. Less than 40 UK pounds and no monthly charges....
I fastened one on the bottom of my saddle, worked really well, but some saddles don't make that very easy....
Using a tracker is very simple and easy to do, especially if you use an Android Phone, where the apps are really cheap.
Battery life is important, but plugging them permanently into a USB socket, that is !live", at least when you ride, will handle charging as well if you ride reasonably often.
There are rear lights for bikes with a GPS built in, but I myself have never tried one.
You do need to find a SIM card for the tracker, best is one without monthly rental, one that only charges for Calls/Texts, to keep costs down! I have one from Aldi here, with no extras....just calls and texts, when they occur!

Update.
It seems the SIM is built in, THEIRS of course, which would put me off completely, as its probably a "monthly" retainer, so to say.
But its as ever, "caveat emptor"!
I feel there are cheaper ones, on ebay for example, easier to hide on a bike as well....
This for example, might be a good choice (one of many on ebay.co.uk):-

GPS Tracker Bike, LED Mini GPS Tracker Anti-Robo Waterproof Tracker IP65 Motion | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GPS Tracker Bike, LED Mini GPS Tracker Anti-Robo Waterproof Tracker IP65 Motion at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Or here:-

Mini GPS Tracker 5 in 1 For Vehicle Car Bicycle Pet Kids Led Light GSM Locator | eBay

Only used for a week to make a video review.

www.ebay.co.uk

Hidden Mini Pet GPS Tracker Car Dog Cat Kids Bike Led Light Locator Waterproof | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Hidden Mini Pet GPS Tracker Car Dog Cat Kids Bike Led Light Locator Waterproof at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Magnetic Mini GPS Tracker Car Spy GSM GPRS Real Time Tracking Locator Device UK | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Magnetic Mini GPS Tracker Car Spy GSM GPRS Real Time Tracking Locator Device UK at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[richtea99]

Lights are a good place to hide them - agreed, gsm.terra, Andy-Mat. Good suggestions!

 

[gsm.terra]

I still think the Vodafone option is good. And at £2 a month to protect a bike costing upwards of £1000 then its a no brainer. There must be a way to hide it in the battery box and have a 5volt tap for the usb charge port on the tracker!

 

[gsm.terra]

Also some of these pay as you go SIM cards start at £5 per month! Vodafone is a good deal at £2!

 

[WallyM]

I just ordered a bike and this GPS tracker function is installed without any contract or monthly fees. I wonder how they do that, but probably they have a different system.

 

[Andy-Mat]

I just ordered a bike and this GPS tracker function is installed without any contract or monthly fees. I wonder how they do that, but probably they have a different system.

I would guess you supply the SIM card.
The Vodofone unit has IMHO, several problems I feel, fixed SIM card being the worst, it is also rather large, modern ones can be much smaller than that, and monthly fees......
I feel that its a good idea to find a SIM card with NO monthly fees, but that is a personal decision.
We have them here where I live from Aldi and Lidl, does Aldi or Lidl or even Tesco do SIM cards in the UK, with no monthly rental, only text and call charges.
Remember, no Data is needed, as all the Trackers I have used you "talk to" them with Text messaging, back and forth.
There is also Smart Phone apps that simplify the texting for some folks, but its really not needed, but the Google map feature is good.
Without software, you edit some text messages and save them for future usage if needed.
Some 12 volt car trackers, also allow a relay to drop power say to the fuel pump if needed, so you can "strand" a car thief, exactly where you wish to!! Somewhere where no buses run, no houses, but the police can find him!!
That might be useful to cut battery power to the bike motor, for example.
Such units start on ebay at around 10 UK Pounds upwards.....
But everyone must decide for himself in such matters.
I have added a fairly standard GPS Tracker manual that I have, the Enlish is not perfect, but its still understandable I feel. It might give some folks here a feel for the units and many use the same or similar commands.
Best wishes to all.

 

[WallyM]

I would guess you supply the SIM card.
The Vodofone unit has IMHO, several problems I feel, fixed SIM card being the worst, it is also rather large, modern ones can be much smaller than that, and monthly fees......
I feel that its a good idea to find a SIM card with NO monthly fees, but that is a personal decision.
We have them here where I live from Aldi and Lidl, does Aldi or Lidl or even Tesco do SIM cards in the UK, with no monthly rental, only text and call charges.
Remember, no Data is needed, as all the Trackers I have used you "talk to" them with Text messaging, back and forth.
There is also Smart Phone apps that simplify the texting for some folks, but its really not needed, but the Google map feature is good.
Without software, you edit some text messages and save them for future usage if needed.
Some 12 volt car trackers, also allow a relay to drop power say to the fuel pump if needed, so you can "strand" a car thief, exactly where you wish to!! Somewhere where no buses run, no houses, but the police can find him!!
That might be useful to cut battery power to the bike motor, for example.
Such units start on ebay at around 10 UK Pounds upwards.....
But everyone must decide for himself in such matters.
I have added a fairly standard GPS Tracker manual that I have, the Enlish is not perfect, but its still understandable I feel. It might give some folks here a feel for the units and many use the same or similar commands.
Best wishes to all.

While you mention it, I have an "Aldi" Sim card from Germany still in my phone since 3 years and it works fine. I have a Blackview BV9000 Pro rugged phone with 3 SIM slots and no contract (of course, because I bought it online direct from Hongkong for 150 quid) So I left the SIM in there and just tested it a few minutes ago... still got 6 € load.
btw... not that I want to advertise, but my phone has done great service in the outdoor, it fell down a couple of time, was submerged in water for many minutes, stepped on, left in the cold and heat, went sailing with me (that's probably the hardest test of all) and its still running fine, only the battery is a bit less now, but I ordered a new one already for 15 Quid and will install it myself when the old one becomes unbearable. because - The phone has screws !!! Believe it or not, one can open it with 16 screws at the back ! And the battery came with an O-ring as well. But probably that's good for another thread to open...