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Build your own GPS tracking device for RM20


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#1
aeiou228

Posted 03 September 2005 - 12:28 AM

aeiou228

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Build your own GSM vehicle tracking device.

1) Buy a hotlink or digi prepaid sim card and insert it into your old
hand phone.
2) Activate the Friend Finder service as provided by Hotlink or Digi.
3) Hide the old hand phone in your car.
4) U got your self your very own GSM based tracking device
to track the whereabout of your car.
5) The location that u receive may not be as precise as the real GPS, but
at least this is the cheapest means to own vehicle tracking device.

Well, this GSM tracking device only cost u a sim card and an old phone.
The cost would be definitely less than RM10 but function 70% like a full
fledged GPS. Still remember the News headline last week about the Ipoh
school teacher abducted, robbed and gang raped in sungai buloh ? Her car
was fitted with GPS and Polis managed traced her car at a pin point
location in Klang.

Ok, I know there will be a lot of problems like battery life, heat, etc
etc, Here,I wish to invite your guys out there to contribute ideas on how
to fine tune this device, so that every one can afford a “GPS” in their
car to fight crime. Who knows, this idea can substantially reduce car
theft and other crimes in our country.

Pls give input and suggestion. pls suggest the cheapest way in order to
make it affordable to every one.


#2
upakwjx

Posted 03 September 2005 - 07:13 AM

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I think it's not worth it. Why? You got to top up the account every now
and then. Some like RM 30 for a month right? That accumulate to RM360 for
a year. Then it is better to have a proper one like captor which cost
less than RM 200 a year to maintain if I'm not mistaken. My sonata
Skyguard only cost RM 100 a year. It's come with the car although I think
no one want to steal sonata. Maybe the initial cost is high but, for
peace of mind why not. With skyguard you can even unlock the car and
immobilised the car with one call and simple step only.

But if you still want to use the phone, actually you don't have to worry
about the battery. Just get a car charger, modified it so it can be wired
to the cigarette lighter behind the dash and voila! no worry about the
battery dead again. It'll keep charging untill full when you are using
the car. If you are not using the car, I think most cellphone battery can
last 5 days to a week on standby. And I don't think most people will
leave the car in the garage for a week without at least starting it. But
for me, just get a proper one.

#3
aeiou228

Posted 03 September 2005 - 11:26 PM

aeiou228

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Dear upakwjx

Appreciate ur feedback.
1) U don’t need to top up your prepaid a/c RM30 every month.
Instead, u can do a minimum RM5 e-topup every 90 days, just to maintain
the prepaid a/c. Because every sim card comes with 90 days grace period
after the validity period (access) expired before final termination.
Also, since u don’t make calls from this sim card, u can also transfer
the balance air time to another sim card via airtime transfer service.
Thus monthly maintenance is RM0.00
2) My previous Honda also fitted with “Skyguard” but as far as I can
remember, it can only do remote immobilization, lock door, arm and unarm
alarm, etc. I don’t think “Skyguard “ include GPS vehicle tracking at a
mthly subscription of RM100.
3) Your suggestion on the battery is excellent. Any one for the heat
problem ??
4) Well, getting a proper GPS of cause is a better choice if money
is not an issue. I think the monthly subscription fee for GPS service
is still above every average Malaysian can afford. What I want to
achieve here is that every car owners can now afford to install this low
cost “GPS” (so called) device in their vehicle to help prevent car
theft.
5) Info : Friend finder service is provider by Maxis n Digi. U can
use this service to track the where about of your children, wife,
husband, friends and now….cars.


#4
stargate

Posted 04 September 2005 - 12:03 PM

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I had checked with Maxis and Digi website, but can't find the info
on "friend finder gps service". Any one know the URL of the web site?

Another thing is even though the prepaid account is active, the phone
cannot make a call because the active period is determined by the amount
of top-up eg RM10 for 7 days, though the phone in the car can still
receive calls.

#5
drexchan

Posted 04 September 2005 - 04:03 PM

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what about a supplemental line for maxis number?

#6
jaycee

Posted 04 September 2005 - 09:38 PM

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hi

the maxis friend finder thing doesn't give very precise position. only a
general area... a gps device more accurate.

what happens if the car is in underground car park, then cannot pakai...
GPS oso same.



#7
Peaceriders

Posted 08 September 2005 - 06:02 PM

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Guys,

The idea sounds good.....

1. Charging no problem

2. Underground car park - no problem as long you can still make a call.

3. Possibility of robber taking the car to no coverage area - only issue i
see here. But i believe robbers go to areas with h/p coverage coz they
also need the phone for tip-off rite ???

4. Only real issue is to get 100% accuracy like GPS. Friend finder can
only give you a general guideline on the location of your car. it's still
in an area of around 1-5 km radius in urban and around 7-10 km radius in
rural area. Still tough to pin-point if its in an area filled with
warehouses. In Europe, many transport company attach a GPS module to the
phone and the phone will send the GPS info via SMS to a HQ.

Just some thoughts......





#8
aeiou228

Posted 18 September 2005 - 12:01 AM

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As mentioned earlier, dun compare this idea to that of real GPS. This
idea is about low cost and yet as effective. Low cost means every car
owner can afford and every one can be benefited to this idea. A stolen
car still need to travel along the highway, city, town because the theft
who drive it also need to be in cellphone coverage area in order to
communicate. That is where u can track the car and provide imfomation
police to comb the suspected area.


#9
kokwai

Posted 18 September 2005 - 01:08 AM

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Hie,

I am doing my final year project for my degree level on a GSM based
microcontroller car alarm system.

Yes, it is a low cost way of tracking ur car.

Actually, it is possible to triangulate the location of ur vehicle by
using the signal strength of the cellular network towers, can narrow down
accuracy to around 50-100m. However, it is not legal to do so by the end
user, and the telcos will not provide a full list of their base stations,
so can't calculate by ourselve also.



#10
PhAnToM

Posted 22 September 2005 - 09:07 AM

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anyone tred this produc called Tramigo.

www.tramigo.net.

sounds like a cool gadget to GPS track your car.....