GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) trackers use signals from satellites to calculate their exact location. These locations are incredibly accurate (easily averaging 5-10 meters accuracy).

Some companies sell trackers built upon the GSM or mobile phone network. These should be avoided at all cost. They are very inefficient and provide a very inaccurate approximation of the trackers location (sometimes close to a mile radius area or more). When shopping for a tracker make sure it is a GPS system.

In the case of a "text tracker", the tracker is simply sitting in a standby status waiting for the user to call it to ask for its location. Once received, the unit will then calculate its location and reply to location request with a text message which will include its latitude and longitude co-ordinates along with it's speed and the battery life remaining. The user then enters these co-ordinates into the "find" field of any map internet site or enabled Satnav system to see the exact location of the tracker.

In the case of the more sophisticated "live" trackers; the trackers record their locations within their memory and report (at various user defined periods) to a mapping internet server via GPRS (part of the GSM mobile phone network). With these systems the user log into a mapping website to see the live "moving" location of the tracker/vehicle (have a look at images of our mapping system by clicking on the link on our home page).

 

They may also access all of the previous journeys that the tracker has made, displayed on Google maps with photographic images of the ground and buildings and a neat track-line of the trackers journey. The user can zoom in to the location to see full details of the buildings and roads. The mapping is designed to show very clear start and stop locations, including a clear "time in position" marker at each stop.

The live mapping trackers all have a "Geofence" facility which can identify and engage an online "alarm" when the tracker enters or leaves a geographical area drawn by the user onto their tracking maps. This is a very useful facility for trackers used in relationship enquiries. Many trackers also have a "panic button" which when pressed will again engage an online alarm to draw attention to some vulnerable or young person.

All of our trackers are super-sensitive and designed to be placed covertly on any vehicle or asset. This is a very simple process. The trackers have strong magnets as part of their casings. Simply place against a flat metal part of the vehicle or asset (for example at the rear of a vehicle, underneath the bumper). The magnets are strong enough to ensure that the tracker will not fall off. Placing these trackers covertly takes literally seconds to do.

What do trackers need to work effectively? They need GPS signals. These pass through most materials, but not metal, so placing in a car boot is not ideal. They need mobile phone signal (GSM/GPRS) to be able to report their locations to the website server.

All of our more sophisticated Live trackers need to be kept in GPRS credit for the tracker to be able to "talk" to its mapping site. £10 of credit will last well over a month or more of regular tracking. With our pro-mapping system the tracker is sent to you with a simple Pay As You Go sim cards top-up card, and with our Easy-Map system users can top-up their location credits directly from their mapping panel. When bought in bulk these location credits can cost as little as 2/10th's of a penny each. Both versions mean that you just pay for the tracking that you actually do.

For corporate clients or customers using multiple tracker units however, pre-paid unlimited data sim cards are available to minimise the need for top-up maintenance. Please speak to us regarding your personal GPRS needs. The trackers also need power.

The trackers have rechargeable batteries. The more sophisticated trackers have systems for getting the most out of the battery (such as remote switch on/off abilities or settings on the website to allow the user to choose the interval that the tracker will report its location).