Mobile phone as GPS tracker

MarkH · Apr 7, 2023

emax said:
But GSM can be scanned, with or without a running GPS receiver. Sometimes you can even hear the GSM polling signal through a car radio or the speakers of your PC. However, ordinary GPS trackers have the same problem, because they also have a GSM connection

Ah cheers, I was told the GSM only transmits for a few seconds every 2 minutes while tracking and every 10mins or so to shake hands with the tower when not tracking.

emax · Apr 7, 2023

I think you're right - though I'm not sure about the intervals.

The point is that in case of an "event", e.g. tracker detects movement, a signal is immediately emitted as the tracker then starts to send.

Barney · Apr 15, 2023

I have now decided on this device. First of all, because there are different tariffs. The basic tariff is free of charge, can be extended. The device makes a good, stable impression, and the company is in Germany, which makes it easier for me to deal with problems.

TK800 4G V23 - beliebter GPS-Tracker mit Akku und Magnet

TK800 4G GPS-Tracker in der Version V23 mit großem 20.000mAh Akku, starkem Magneten und GPS-Ortungsplattform. Jetzt den beliebten Peilsender von Autowacht Dresden kaufen.

auto-wacht.de

klarie · Apr 15, 2023

ECrider said:
My wife bought me a couple of Apple Airtags for Christmas. I have used one in my hold luggage on a few trips and it's actually quite good. Will bury the second one somewhere in the Grenny when I get it.
Perhaps there's something similar for Android users?

Airtags I considered too.
However - in case of theft - the thief (if he has an iphone) will be notified - there is an Airtag close.
The older software did not do this - but Airtags were misused - so silent notification to the owner is not possible.
Indeed I consider to hide an Airtag as a backup solution - but to put a proper tracker in the vehicle.
Should the IG be required for bugout. I will disable any tracking capability then.

bemax · Apr 15, 2023

Barney said:
I have now decided on this device. First of all, because there are different tariffs. The basic tariff is free of charge, can be extended. The device makes a good, stable impression, and the company is in Germany, which makes it easier for me to deal with problems.

TK800 4G V23 - beliebter GPS-Tracker mit Akku und Magnet

TK800 4G GPS-Tracker in der Version V23 mit großem 20.000mAh Akku, starkem Magneten und GPS-Ortungsplattform. Jetzt den beliebten Peilsender von Autowacht Dresden kaufen.

auto-wacht.de

Sehr interessant! Auch die Fake Relais Variante gefällt mir.

Sebastian · Apr 15, 2023

bemax said:
Sehr interessant! Auch die Fake Relais Variante gefällt mir.

+1

bemax · Apr 16, 2023

There is an interesting test of GPS tracking devices in the German Magazine 4x4 action 03-2023.

Barney · Apr 16, 2023

bemax said:
Sehr interessant! Auch die Fake Relais Variante gefällt mir.

Yes, I would prefer that too, but I will buy a mobile device so that I don't have to reach into the vehicle's electronics, warranty problems and in the end my windshield wipers may not go off anymore

Eric · Apr 16, 2023

Barney said:
Yes, I would prefer that too, but I will buy a mobile device so that I don't have to reach into the vehicle's electronics, warranty problems and in the end my windshield wipers may not go off anymore

Ah.. from now on we could refer to wipers not going off as the @Jean Mercier syndrome.
Sorry for that, and apologises to @Jean Mercier

Solmanic · Apr 16, 2023

klarie said:
Airtags I considered too.
However - in case of theft - the thief (if he has an iphone) will be notified - there is an Airtag close.
The older software did not do this - but Airtags were misused - so silent notification to the owner is not possible.
Indeed I consider to hide an Airtag as a backup solution - but to put a proper tracker in the vehicle.
Should the IG be required for bugout. I will disable any tracking capability then.

True, however they still have to find it and the alert that there is a device potentially giving the vehicles position away is probably at least a partial deterrent. And an easy way to further foil them is to hide TWO.

Jean Mercier · Apr 16, 2023

bemax said:
Sehr interessant! Auch die Fake Relais Variante gefällt mir.

+2
And perhaps I buy a real relais and timer system to solve my @Jean Mercier syndrome

Eric · Apr 16, 2023

Jean Mercier said:
+2
And perhaps I buy a real relais and timer system to solve my @Jean Mercier syndrome

On the bright side you are in reality only 2 hours away from being roadworthy.

Barney · Apr 16, 2023

Barney said:
Yes, I would prefer that too, but I will buy a mobile device so that I don't have to reach into the vehicle's electronics, warranty problems and in the end my windshield wipers may not go off anymore

Oh Jean Mercier sorry for that

AWo · Apr 16, 2023

Just that you're aware of...

A few years ago I wrote an article about car theft protection systems. Therefore I had an interview with police guys specialized on car theft and insurance guys. A GPS tracker only makes sense if you get your car back very quick. Expensive cars are often loaded into trucks and jammers are used so that no GPS or mobile data signal gets to or away from the car. Then they are moved to safe places. These guys know about all kinds of countermeasures.
If your insurance covers theft your time is running out. You may have around one to two weeks and after that the insurance will need a result, otherwise they pay you and then the car is not yours anymore (because you got payed). In that case the GPS device is useless.

The best protection systems are systems, which are not visible (so the thief is not prepared, they often recon before) and which are time consuming to overcome.

Cheers
AWo

Barney · Apr 16, 2023

AWo said:
Just that you're aware of...

A few years ago I wrote an article about car theft protection systems. Therefore I had an interview with police guys specialized on car theft and insurance guys. A GPS tracker only makes sense if you get your car back very quick. Expensive cars are often loaded into trucks and jammers are used so that no GPS or mobile data signal gets to or away from the car. Then they are moved to safe places. These guys know about all kinds of countermeasures.
If your insurance covers theft your time is running out. You may have around one to two weeks and after that the insurance will need a result, otherwise they pay you and then the car is not yours anymore (because you got payed). In that case the GPS device is useless.

The best protection systems are systems, which are not visible (so the thief is not prepared, they often recon before) and which are time consuming to overcome.

Cheers
AWo

Thanks for your answer. Yes, I also think there is no security. Lots of cars get stolen here. Even an e-bike was stolen from my company after 3 weeks when it was new. https://de.cowboy.com/ It was equipped with a GPS tracker. The police had my location data but did not carry out a search in an apartment building. After 2 weeks where it was repeatedly located at night in my city, it was then visible on a highway in Poland. I have now ordered a handlebar claw for the Gren. And at home I was already broken into in broad daylight….

AWo · Apr 16, 2023

Then is the next thing...if you have the position, you need someone to come along with you. The police guy told me that they were following a very expensive BMW outside Germany because of a tracking signal. They git the clearence quickly as the foreign police was already had investigations runninmg against a group of people and it looked like these were involved.

The search ended at a place with 500+ private garages. As the police was not allowed to open private property they first didn't knew what to do. Then they just used the remote control of the car and walked around in the area where the signal pointed to and they were lucky. The car responded with a "piep-piep" you all know from opening or closing your car. Now they had a reason to open the garage and they get the BMW back.

But that is a rare exception he told me.

AWo

Barney · Apr 16, 2023

Willkommen in meinem Haus Die Haustür, die Sie aufgebrochen haben, war zu Ihrem Schutz verschlossen. Nicht für meinen. …;-)

klarie · Apr 17, 2023

Barney said:
Willkommen in meinem Haus Die Haustür, die Sie aufgebrochen haben, war zu Ihrem Schutz verschlossen. Nicht für meinen. …;-)

So this is Swiss.. in Germany this picture would put me at risk of getting a serious discussion with the firearms department.

Indeed as my IG will perhaps quite often be parked in a publicly accessible area. I may be required to take some measures of both location and immobilization. I am happy the vehicle is quite heavy - and as such not that easy lifted or moved.

And will take a couple of measures to prevent access. And I am glad keyless starting is rather difficult, short cutting by connecting some wires as shown in some old movies too. So perhaps expect some undesired visitors at home looking for the key?
That is not funny however.. Our doors however are not that easy opened by some plastic card. If they really get access they may face some problems with decoration items such as vases, glass marbles, cactus.. .. as we equipped with access recognition systems.

AWo · Apr 17, 2023

klarie said:
And I am glad keyless starting is rather difficult, short cutting by connecting some wires as shown in some old movies too.

Hmmm....they place a box with a transceiver in front of your door at night. Another box is located beside the car. The box next the door receives the signals from the key, transmits them to the box next to the car which opens the car. Then they just dive away...This way to steal a car followed directly after a phase were they brokeinto your house and grabbe dthe keys.

AWo

klarie · Apr 17, 2023

AWo said:
Hmmm....they place a box with a transceiver in front of your door at night. Another box is located beside the car. The box next the door receives the signals from the key, transmits them to the box next to the car which opens the car. Then they just dive away...This way to steal a car followed directly after a phase were they brokeinto your house and grabbe dthe keys.

AWo

Hm.. my keys cannot transmit any data.. because they re stored in a faraday cage wrapper almost any time. Disco was never touched.
My previous car a Mercedes GLK that was broken into and multifunctional steering wheel was stolen. Was quite some effort to repair this. In that night they nicked 3 steering wheels and the entire dashboard of an Audi A6
Some 4 weeks later near Wiesbaden they found a warehouse full of spare parts stolen from entire Rhine Main area and arrested a group of persons from Eastern Europe. Perhaps they did some mistake that police got a trace..

next the Grenadier has classic key.. .. nevertheless I will take a few measures.

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Mobile phone as GPS tracker

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