How to make a GPS tracking device?

[ronex]

Hey, I need to know how to make a simple but effective GPS tracking device...

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You buy one - there's nothing 'simple' about it.

 

[ronex]

But can I make a GPS tracking device? Because I need a GPS tracking device for vehicle.

 

[wannaBinventor]

You need a micro controller, GPS receiver, GSM module, and a SIM card.

You parse the incoming data from the GPS in the microcontroller. At whichever interval you program, you then have the microcontroller send data via AT+ commands to the GSM module to dial a number and send a formatted text message. You can give the location via internet, but I believe this to be a good bit more difficult than sending a text message.

As Nigel said -- it is not "easy" or "simple."

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Toss an iPhone in the trunk with the "find my iPhone" app.

Easy.

 

[MikeMl]

Get a Ham Radio License. Once you are a Ham, get into APRS. I have ARPS in both my airplanes. Here is a recent flight of one of them. Note that the position reporting is done via radio in real time. It takes <3sec for a position report to get from the aircraft to the web site in Finland (aprs.fi)

 

[wannaBinventor]

Mike:

How much is a HAM license?

What kind of coverage area does the APRS network have in the US? For instance, if I wanted to make a tracking unit for my car, and it was stolen, I would want to be able to see it's location even if it had been loaded up on a flatbed and taken accross the country. Would the APRS network allow this?

Is there any kind of charge for using this network?

Do they make modules that operate at this frequency that can just be controlled by a uC that are similar in size to a RF IC or a GSM module?

Thanks!

 

[MikeMl]

How much is a HAM license?

Free, unless you consider what it could cost you in new equipment, if you get bitten by the bug

What kind of coverage area does the APRS network have in the US? For instance, if I wanted to make a tracking unit for my car, and it was stolen, I would want to be able to see it's location even if it had been loaded up on a flatbed and taken across the country. Would the APRS network allow this?

Yes, coverage is great in metro areas of larger cities. It gets a bit spotty in mountainous areas of the Western US. For Example, my buddy AL in LA today. If I put the APRS unit in my car, and drove from Utah to Los Angeles, there might be some gaps in coverage along I15. You can go to the APRS.FI site, put in a geographic location, and search for all APRS stations close to that. That will give you an idea of the coverage in your area.

Is there any kind of charge for using this network?

No, a small donation to aprs.fi or other web host would be appreciated.

Do they make modules that operate at this frequency that can just be controlled by a uC that are similar in size to a RF IC or a GSM module?

This one is available in kit from, and is based on a PIC
It gets interfaced to a VHF radio on one end, and a GPS with a RS232 NEMA Port at the other end. In my aircraft, the GPS was already there. I had to make a cable to get the GPS position data to the TinyTrak. In one aircraft, I am using a cheap Chinese VHF 2meter Walkie-Talkie as the radio; in the other, I interfaced the TinyTrak to an existing 2meter FM Mobile Transceiver which had previously been installed in the aircraft.

 

[Diver300]

You need a micro controller, GPS receiver, GSM module, and a SIM card.

You parse the incoming data from the GPS in the microcontroller. At whichever interval you program, you then have the microcontroller send data via AT+ commands to the GSM module to dial a number and send a formatted text message. You can give the location via internet, but I believe this to be a good bit more difficult than sending a text message.

As Nigel said -- it is not "easy" or "simple."

You can also use GPRS to send a lot more data than you get into an SMS message. It's also cheaper.

You normally open up a GPRS connection to a website. The website needs to record that data, but you can cheat and just get the information from the website log.

There are some projects on the web that show all the details.

Sometimes it can be cheaper to use foreign SIM cards. I think that all Prepay (Pay-As-You-Go) SIMs in the USA cost at least $100 per year, because the credit expires even if not used. UK SIMs don't do that.

There is a minimum cost of a GPRS connection, but that is 1p for most UK PAYG SIMs. That is the same when they are used outside the UK.

 

[NguoiTrongMua]

Hi everyboy, Can u show me how to make GPS SDcard, i see in my car have a reader GPS card but i dont know how to use it. Ple--- help me. thank.