GPS Trackers, what are you using?

dbart

dbart

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So, I saw something on Instagram about a truck, trailer, rzr and couple bikes (nice harley customs) stolen, and got me thinking about GPS trackers.

I tried one from Land/Air/Sea and it sucked. Would never update accurately, was $20/month monitoring fee...I cancelled it!

I know nothing about them and am starting to do some research again.

Is there anything out there without a monthly fee?

What are you using?

:dbart:

 
For our equipment at work we use Geotab and Phillips connect, but there is a data fee monthly.

Free?  Airtags in all my cars.  It's not real time, but fast enough to find my chit if it gets stolen.

 
Pepsi said:
Milwaukee tool tags
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These are cheaper than the airtags, but require a tool with the "one-key" to be in distance to communicate.  The airtags just need an iphone to be within 600 feet...IRCC.

 
my son is an apple person & bought some of the apple air tags.  recovered his electric motorcyle (twice).  it was in PB & he said it was accurate w/in about 10 or 15 feet. 

 
Ok, seems like Apple Air tags are the ticket, but I have an Android.

My work phone is iPhone...I guess I could link it to that??

Have to talk to work about that.

I'll look at the others too!

 
I dont know if garmmen has one, but every garmen product ive owned has been solid.  

 
Kraut_n_Rice said:
For our equipment at work we use Geotab and Phillips connect, but there is a data fee monthly.

Free?  Airtags in all my cars.  It's not real time, but fast enough to find my chit if it gets stolen.
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I would do some You tubing  - I am hearing that first thing smart thieves (Oxymoron) do is use an app ( the best one is an android app as crazy as that is)  that detects "close" air tags and they find them and throw them out out the window or into the bed of a pick up truck  or trash bin / truck.   It seems the inexpensive (no monthly fee)  air tag tracking method is pretty much over if you in a metro area with thieves that target high end cars, and our type of toys

 
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C'mon man. 

If someone is going to steal my Jeep they will try to get it started as fast as possible and be out of my driveway.  If they have another "finder" app do they decide not to take the Jeep if it tells them one is near? If they have an iphone it will probably tell them they are being tracked once it moves, but do they stop and look for it?  Even the apple app doesn't tell you EXACTLY where it is relative to your phone.  No.."it's 6 inches to your left."  Ditch the Jeep?  What if you have it in your trailer. THOUSANDS of places to hide a 50 cent piece sized unit.

Mine aren't just sitting in the cupholder....and if someone is thinking about stealing one of my rides, their fancy app will tell them there are no less than half a dozen "near" them if standing in front of my house.  I've honestly forgot where I hid the one in my TJ.  LOL

 
Kraut_n_Rice said:
C'mon man. 

If someone is going to steal my Jeep they will try to get it started as fast as possible and be out of my driveway.  If they have another "finder" app do they decide not to take the Jeep if it tells them one is near? If they have an iphone it will probably tell them they are being tracked once it moves, but do they stop and look for it?  Even the apple app doesn't tell you EXACTLY where it is relative to your phone.  No.."it's 6 inches to your left."  Ditch the Jeep?  What if you have it in your trailer. THOUSANDS of places to hide a 50 cent piece sized unit.

Mine aren't just sitting in the cupholder....and if someone is thinking about stealing one of my rides, their fancy app will tell them there are no less than half a dozen "near" them if standing in front of my house.  I've honestly forgot where I hid the one in my TJ.  LOL
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Yeah thats the rub - they still steal the car or whatever  its not like they are waiting around to look for the tracker but if its tagged they will try to find it, and in theYT demo's they found them pretty quick and then if they don't they either use the app to disable them, or  just trash and dump the vehicle. The stats on catching car thieves in CA and AZ are pretty bad  although like 88% are actually recovered  tracked or not  and over 60% are mostly intact - thieves just suck overall

 
When these air tags came out, few years back now. I bought a bunch. Put them in my work trucks, vans etc. Was hoping to use them to track my workers. At that time though, their phones had to have the app downloaded to even recognize that brand and be able to pick up other air tags to notify location. 

Is this still the case?  

Or have these companies selling these tags found a way to use our phones now without our permission to locate their brand?

 
I used Brickhouse Security… made for fleet vehicles.. had 4 and it was $150/month. I canceled it as I could never get the geofence feature to work. To impatient to talk to someone I’m a foreign country and never get anywhere.

If you could figure them out they work well. 
 

I have insurance so screw it. If they get stolen I’ll just be battling them for all the $ I have in my stuff.

abc

 
Grease Monkey said:
When these air tags came out, few years back now. I bought a bunch. Put them in my work trucks, vans etc. Was hoping to use them to track my workers. At that time though, their phones had to have the app downloaded to even recognize that brand and be able to pick up other air tags to notify location. 

Is this still the case?  

Or have these companies selling these tags found a way to use our phones now without our permission to locate their brand?
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The "find my" network is basically any apple device with a cell signal. 

Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud — then you can go to the Find My app and see it on a map. The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy. And itʼs efficient, so thereʼs no need to worry about battery life or data usage.
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