In May of 2000, then-President Bill Clinton signed a directive that would improve the accuracy of GPS for anyone. Before this switch was flipped, this ability was only available to the military. What followed was an onslaught of GPS devices most noticeable in everyday navigation systems. The large amount of new devices on the market also drove the price down to the point where almost anyone can build their own GPS tracking device from scratch.
The GPS tracker that [Vadim] created makes use not just of GPS, but of the GSM network as well. He uses a Neoway M590 GSM module for access to the cellular network and a NEO-6 GPS module. The cell network is used to send SMS messages that detail the location of the unit itself. Everything is controlled with an ATmega328P, and a lithium-ion battery and some capacitors round out the fully integrated build.
[Vadim] goes into great detail about how all of the modules operate, and has step-by-step instructions on their use that go beyond what one would typically find in a mundane datasheet. The pairing of the GSM and GPS modules seems to go match up well together, much like we have seen GPS and APRS pair for a similar purpose: tracking weather balloons.
SMS does not offer guaranteed timely delivery. I may be better to send data packets crafted to work with this back-end, https://github.com/owntracks/recorder
Text messages are much more reliable than internet connection though.
Uh no, the entire pint of the internet is that packet delivery is reliable, it either gets to the destination IP:Port or you know about it and can resend.
lol. i assume this jabroni has been paid off by big-sms….
Great for learning but a Cheap Chinese Tracker from EBAY has a Smaller footprint and options via text.
Yeah you can get weatherproof ready 3G trackers in small packages for $40.00
I’ve got one in the back of the drawer, “Trackstar” or something like that.
Needs a sim on a data/text plan. Can be remotely configured, so if someone couldn’t find it but knew the phone number then they can sabbotage the thing!
Oh, it is 2G by the looks of the innards: No good in this day, hence it found itself at the back of the drawer.
…then spend $1 more on a better version?
No need at the moment, ain’t using my custom bike until I can fix the bottom braket or replace it with a motor and pedal unit+batteries.
I had a eBay tracker, biggest PITA was the text used some obscure website for maps, not google. Open source ftw?
Have been wanting to build a Bluetooth, gsm, GPS tracker that alerts when either my phone or a Bluetooth dongle isn’t in the vehicle and it moves.
Have debated just hardwiring in an old phone, but then the tempting features of cameras, storage etc kills it with scope creep.
“uses GSM network” = it’s a friggin’ cellphone that you have to pay to use !!! If you’re going to do that, forget the damn ‘hack’ and just throw a smart-phone on there with a ‘tracking app’…. none of these builds involving access to the cellular network are free. YOU PAY MONEY to use the cellular infrastructure belonging to Verizon, AT&, whomever….
Of course. The beauty is in all the possibilities cheap technology and service have opened up.
The only viable alternative to GSM is satellite (e.g. Iridium), but that’s even more expensive and requires a locked-down proprietary modem instead of a $2 chinese module. Also, companies like Ting offer “IoT” data-only plans for very cheap so the price is not a big issue. Finally, this “hack” is much cheaper and more reliable than a full-blown smartphone, and uses no data when idle (both iPhones and Androids constantly ping their servers for updates, notifications and spying the user).
Makes me wonder how viable a part-15 based packet network would be, based on cheap rf modules like the RFM69 ones.
I believe Freedompop offers 100% free, but very limited service. Don’t know the details.
I just wrote an Android app that when you send a configurable certain text it replies with the GPS coords. get a burner tracfone with a $10 sim and you have a tracker. Had plans to expand it to take a picture or maybe even bring up a vpn, but google play said it was “malicious” so it’s shelved for now.
Hams have APRS, wonder how hard it would be to use a cheap baofang handheld on something like this.
2G “GSM” is being deprecated in Many countries now! Why don’t we see any projects here on HaD about LoRa?
it is safe and sound???
Knowing when the new rain will gradually stop