GPS Tracking on new Wisper Sport?

[Andy-Mat]

We are aiming for £5.99 pcm

All the best, David

Sounds reasonable.
Does the text messaging cost extra or is that also fully covered in the £5.99 pcm ? When fast tracking, you may need 2 Text messages per minute (one to and one back) to stay actual.....for some hours, in some possible cases....
regards
Andy

 

[Wisper Bikes]

On my bikes, once the tracker was connected it had the power of the bike battery, feeding its internal battery.
This would/could give months of on time.....so the single time it takes to sync does not play a significant role IMHO!
Naturally some owners do not connect it directly to the bike battery, or only while riding.......that is their choice.
My advice would be to extend the "ON" time as far as possible. Also, if using an app, check the state of the tracker say once every 24 hours, if the tracker you have allows that!
regards
Andy

Hi Andy, the tracker will be powered whilst the battery is locked into the frame. We have created a separate board with battery that will keep the tracker live for up to two weeks if the battery is removed.

All the best, David

 

[Andy-Mat]

Hi Andy, the tracker will be powered whilst the battery is locked into the frame. We have created a separate board with battery that will keep the tracker live for up to two weeks if the battery is removed.

All the best, David

Perfect!!
Well thought out.
Andy

 

[guerney]

Has your chosen phone network paid for exclusivity? If not, make it unlocked IMHO. I'm sorry Wisper, but I'd never buy an ebike locked into a deal with one phone network. Can your tracker be unlocked to use an alternative phone network? As a manufacturer, if locked in, your reputation is tied to that of the phone network... so it's worth making an unlocked GPS tracker. It would be convenient for me as a buyer if I could use any network I chose, shopping around for the best deal in the event that your chosen provider was too expensive, or provided poor services or support, now or in future. Also, a GPS tracker needn't need to use a data plan, it can work like a lot of other GPS trackers do: SMS only - it's even cheaper for your buyers. You could build a small sim card compartment into the bike, protected by a physical lock. Otherwise I would have to take the whole bike to a phone shop to try to get it unlocked, or post in to you enclosed in a large self-addressed stamped envelope to get it unlocked.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Has your chosen phone network paid for exclusivity? If not, make it unlocked IMHO. I'm sorry Wisper, but I'd never buy an ebike locked into a deal with one phone network. Can your tracker be unlocked to use an alternative phone network? As a manufacturer, if locked in, your reputation is tied to that of the phone network... so it's worth making an unlocked GPS tracker. It would be convenient for me as a buyer if I could use any network I chose, shopping around for the best deal in the event that your chosen provider was too expensive, or provided poor services or support, now or in future. Also, a GPS tracker needn't need to use a data plan, it can work like a lot of other GPS trackers do: SMS only - it's even cheaper for your buyers. You could build a small sim card compartment into the bike, protected by a physical lock. Otherwise I would have to take the whole bike to a phone shop to try to get it unlocked, or post in to you enclosed in a large self-addressed stamped envelope to get it unlocked.

I see it in a similar way, but it probably just comes down to the monthly costs for most people.....but flexibility is also important.
Andy

 

[Encantador]

It sounds like you either have to leave the battery connected, meaning in my case leaving it in a garden shed through the winter or remember every 2 weeks or so to put the battery on the bike so it can recharge the internal battery.

As a newbie, I thought batteries were best kept indoors when not required for a period of time (especially over the winter) both for the longevity of the battery and security. If this is generally true, taking the battery to the bike every 2 weeks would be a pain.

Would be interesting what the Ins Co would say if it was stolen while the battery was not connected and the tracker wasnt working. Would they refuse to pay out with the argument that you must have left it too long without recharging the internal battery??

 

[guerney]

Why can't the GRPS tracker unit's battery be recharged using the ebike battery, when it's low on power?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks for all the constructive criticism! Really helps a lot, genuinely.

This is where we are at…

1. The tracker will stop working if the battery is unlocked and taken out of the bike. However the bike will not function without a battery, when a battery is installed and if the bike is not in a Faraday cage environment it will immediately start sending signals again.

2. The “turn off” function will not be installed so there is no chance of it activating in error. The bike will be perfectly stable.

3. The sim is one we install it cannot be swapped out.

The cost of the device activation will be £45.00 plus VAT plus £5.99 pcm, no contract so if people don’t like it they can turn it off.

There will be an after market version available at £145.00 inc VAT plus £5.99 pcm. Again no contract.

All the best, David

 

[Andy-Mat]

Why can't the GRPS tracker unit's battery be recharged using the ebike battery, when it's low on power?

Its not something that I would risk if you mean that once the controller has effectively turned off power for the motor due to low voltage....... As it could possibly push the battery voltage below the point at which a normal charger will charge.
Then only a so called "Zero Volt Charger" may possibly recover the battery and allow it to be charged again.
That is not somewhere that I would risk going to myself, with my battery. They are simply too expensive.
Theoretically, a second, much smaller, battery might be introduced between bike battery and tracker, large enough for several months of GPS tracker operation, if room can be found.....
regards
Andy

 

[guerney]

1. The tracker will stop working if the battery is unlocked and taken out of the bike. However the bike will not function without a battery, when a battery is installed and if the bike is not in a Faraday cage environment it will immediately start sending signals again.

Wouldn't it better if the tracker didn't stop working when the ebike battery is removed?

3. The sim is one we install it cannot be swapped out.

The cost of the device activation will be £45.00 plus VAT plus £5.99 pcm, no contract so if people don’t like it they can turn it off.

I think it's preferable that the SIM could be swapped out - customers might want a network which better covers a particular cycling area - in terms of coverage they all seem to vary quite a lot, especially in the countryside. Or they might want a simple and cheap SMS tracking facility on PAYG instead.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Wouldn't it better if the tracker didn't stop working when the ebike battery is removed?

I think it's preferable that the SIM could be swapped out - customers might want a network which better covers a particular cycling area - in terms of coverage they all seem to vary quite a lot, especially in the countryside. Or they might want a simple and cheap SMS tracking facility on PAYG instead.

Yes it would be better but it would mean connecting a second battery to the system. After deliberations we decided not to do this as batteries are securely locked into the bike and if the bike is stolen without a battery it’s pretty useless until a new battery is installed and immediately it is the bike will start sending signals again.

The SIM isn’t a card it’s built into the hardware so can’t be changed.

All the best, David

 

[guerney]

Yes it would be better but it would mean connecting a second battery to the system. After deliberations we decided not to do this as batteries are securely locked into the bike and if the bike is stolen without a battery it’s pretty useless until a new battery is installed and immediately it is the bike will start sending signals again.

The SIM isn’t a card it’s built into the hardware so can’t be changed.

All the best, David

If the bike is stolen without the battery, stored for a few months until the network plan ceases, then a new battery is installed - will anyone still be tracking? This scenario is more likely to happen if it's stolen to be sold overseas, after a month or two in a shipping container. On the other hand, that sort of thing might only happen to Ranger Rovers...

 

[Wisper Bikes]

If the bike is stolen without the battery, stored for a few months until the network plan ceases, then a new battery is installed - will anyone still be tracking? This scenario is more likely to happen if it's stolen to be sold overseas, after a month or two in a shipping container. On the other hand, that sort of thing might only happen to Ranger Rovers...

Yes.

All the best, David