Vehicle TRACKERs - Are these any good...

[TheWolfCub]

Seen these on eBay and at GSMTracker.co.uk

Anyone tried one?

Being my usual impetuous self I've bought one off eBay (cheaper than on the web site).

Thoughts?

[da SLUG man]

why would you want to listen to your car??... or are you thinking of using it as a bug for earwigging?

[da SLUG man]

ok, i've had another look at the tracking part of it...

may be worth registering your mobile with it to see how i works... also, won't it cost a lot to have a mobile phone sim card in there??

[TheWolfCub]

ok, i've had another look at the tracking part of it...

may be worth registering your mobile with it to see how i works... also, won't it cost a lot to have a mobile phone sim card in there??

Tried registering my phone with GSSTrackUK and then searched for it. It correctly identified the nearest Vodafone transmitter, but since I'm out in the country it's not exactly accurate, i.e. the transmitter is about a mile from my house. From that perspective it looks as though the system has a weakness - however, within towns and cities the site said that it would be accurate to about 100m - sounds quite good, but I don't have any way to try that just yet.

Re the cost of the Sim card: a mobile can be tracked just by being switched on, for instance, the system located mine without me having to make a call. Thus the device only need to be switched on and detectable by the Vodafone network.

The site at the URL above is apparently used by companies to track employees, i.e. a sales force to make sure that they are where they're suposed to be - bit big brotherish if you ask me. The site even allows you to check a list of mobile phones at specified intervals, e.g. every 15mins. Best note at this point that in order for a mobile to be tracked in this manner, the owner / user has to grant permission by responding to a text message sent to their phone (unless of course someone else has already done it for you!).

[da SLUG man]

Re the cost of the Sim card: a mobile can be tracked just by being switched on, for instance, the system located mine without me having to make a call. Thus the device only need to be switched on and detectable by the Vodafone network.

it would have to have an active network connection, i.e. either a contract or PAYT sim card installed

otherwise no network would detect it

[mart 870]

I have simular system in my works van, i dont know the ins and outs of it but they know where i am right down to where i am on a certian street. If i remember its updated every couple of minutes and is usually pretty acurate. Not much fun as an employee but its pretty usefull if someone steals your motor i guess.