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The device is tied to a website then? Looked to me as if it is able to send a txt with coordinates, which would be enough to use GoogleMaps or GEarth to locate. The software on the device mat be in Chinese but still would send understandable GPS co-ordinates I imagine. We need a techy in China to seek this out ... SLABOOOOOOOOOOOOOO where are you?
I didn't plough through the taobao posting, so I didn't realize it came with its own China Mobile SIM chip. Interesting. So you'll by now have registered the SIM account under your name? Do update us from time to time about how the charges are playing out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou
Jape, China Mobile operates on the 2G GSM 900/1800MHz band, which I think is standard in Australia too. You'd have to get your own SIM card to use this.Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
The expiry date of China Mobile sim cards is 6 months right, if you don't recharge them?!
I don't know what is normal, but my prepaid SIM with China Mobile for my regular telephone number gives me 2 years each time I recharge (using 100 rmb cards each time). I've had the same number for 9 years, so maybe it is different now?Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry
Thanks Jeff. Unfortunately I only get 3G on my home antenna and they are going 4G in the nearby towns - but I can fire up an old GMS phone and try those frequencies. If that works when I am next standing on tiptoes on the roof, I can get an antenna that does them all. I never found a cheap Ebay Chinese antenna that is multiband for all our carriers yet, but that may have changed. First I shall try the old GMS phone and see if there is any tower nearby that carries it.
Jape,
I would have thought that the signal at your humble abode would be less important than the signal wherever your (presumably stolen) steed has been taken. As long as you can get web access, the GSM transmitter will tell you, via the network and your browser, where your bike is. Or am I misunderstanding this?
I have my card 3 years, but I checked and the expiry date is 6 months. So you would have to recharge with a cheaper card every 6 months, think there are even some 20 kuai cards.
Not sure if there's a way to increase the expiry time, you would need to have a Chinese person look into that!
Not if it is tied to send the response via a server which is ChinaMobile. That would be software controlled on the chip inbuilt. But this may be all my misunderstanding that it is tied to such a service. it may simply be able to txt to any mobile as long as the set frequency is available for handshaking (900/1800 both needed for that if I remember rightly), then the txt will be forward to me on my different frequency as normal. I could then enter the co-ordinates on GMaps or similar, but will not be able to avail myself of the automatic tracking function Lao Jia Hou showed.Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
I was looking for this a while ago, very nice find! Question, what if the battery were to be disconnected??Quote:
Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou
Good question - the unit is hard-wired directly to the battery, so if it is disconnected, it stops working (hopefully, the thief won't be that bright ... although some thieves cut the battery cable to disconnect an alarm, this unit's wires are connected to the terminals, so it should be ok)Quote:
Originally Posted by slabo
This vendor sells another model, with a rechargeable battery (mobile phone type), that lasts about 48 hours. It is about 100 rmb more. I thought about it, and then realized that (more likely than not) my bike may get stolen when I haven't checked on it for several days.
The one question I have is whether there will be a trickle drain on my battery, as I think it may always be on, somehow. I guess I will see if I leave my bike for a week, or so.
There's an "M" Version for motorcycles with a G-Sensor. Looks like the factory is here in Shenzhen.
Maybe need to go have a look and ask about supplemental power. Any good bike thief will sever the battery cables immediately, so need to have some kind of alternative power supply that will last 24 hours. Shouldn't require much more than a good strong cell phone battery.
Edit: Posted at the same time as you LJH... FWIW, I have an alarm system on my V-Strom and it can go about a year without killing the battery.
Cheers!
ChinaV
Not tied to a website. You send it an sms with the text "001" and it sends you back gps coordinates. Then you can use google maps or your a good old fashion paper street map and a calculator.Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
I just guess, not sure, but that's how other similar products work.
From the taboa link ...
http://i.imgur.com/rJXdZ.jpg
Wow, that's great that you found the manufacturer, and in English!Quote:
Originally Posted by ChinaV
What is a G-sensor? Is that an automatic activation if the bike is moved, like an alarm system? That would be perfect. Ideally, the unit would send an sms to my personal mobile if it is moved, and then allow me to track it online.
I was going to purchase the other model, with the back-up battery, to experiment with in another bike, but perhaps if there is enough interest, we could probably work out some volume discount via the factory? I'd probably be in for 5 units (4 additional valuable bikes and my car).
Of course, sophisticated thieves will have a $20 GPS/mobile frequency multiband jammer on their person. Don't get carried away, they are very easily blocked with portable, cheap jammer units. They are just part of the security toolkit you need.
True - it would be tough to beat the pros. The Jialing dealer in town has an effective method - the biggest, meanest, growliest Tibetan Mastiff I`ve ever seen. I doubt a fresh steak would satisfy/distract it - you'd probably need to toss it a whole cow.Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
Unfortunately, I live in an apartment building with an underground parking lot that is shared with a shopping mall (non-resident vehicles, like vans, coming and going all the time). My bikes are chained, etc, but I think the risk is still high. I'd just like to find out where the bike is, after its gone.
Actually, my e-scooter was swiped the other day, even though it is almost worthless (old, beat up & never washed) and I had the battery inside my apartment. So much for the dozens of security people that shuffle around.
Sorry to hear of the theft, it is not a good feeling even if it is an old banger. I intend to get one of these devices myself, but I am just making sure people realise they are easy to circumvent.
Maybe an explosive device under the seat that goes off if a code is not punched in within 60 seconds? On second thoughts I can imagine the frozen fingers fumbling to take off gloves, remember aunty flo's birthday minus seven, or was it seventeen? Maybe a sticker in Chinese saying there is such a device? When I was living in London I had a sticker I made up purporting to be from a made-up security company, saying the premises were alarmed. Worked fine, although some places were 'alarmed' nearby and wires were cut and they got robbed, mine never was because they couldn't find the non-existent alarm wires maybe! And maybe a real or pretend CCTV overlooking where you park the bikes with a flashing red light on it and a sign saying under constant surveillance by armed guards would be a deterrent?
Thanks - but it was my own fault, as I never locked it (probably subconsciously hoping someone would take it, and after a few years, someone did). The upside is that now I get to look for something shiny & new!Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
Actually, my bike spot is in direct view of an obvious CCTV. However, one time when I was paying my parking fees, there at the security desk with the CCTV screens, was a cute little girl having her mid-day nap (TIC). My new plan is to use the GPS tracker to find my stolen bike, then have the cute little girl distract the thieves, while I zoom away. She's on her own.Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
What's about a high quality solution?
GARMIN GTU 10
The 'coverage' map supplied with that device only shows patchy and quite limited coverage in USA, do you know otherwise?
It works in Europe and USA - i will ask GARMIN about China/Asia (why not?)Quote:
Originally Posted by jape
EDIT: forget it! (sorry)
UPDATE
Well, I have been using these GPS trackers for a few months now. And nobody has stolen any bike (except my e-scooter, noted above, and one bicycle - a nice one, owned for less than 12 hours).
BUT, these GPS trackers are the cat's a$$ for finding out where one has been on rides.
I have also been using a regular Garmin GPS with a built-in track recorder, but I can never get the thing to replay. Nor can I manage to transfer the file to my computer. It can probably be done, but it ain't easy.
However, the GPS tracker works wonders. It stores, online, every trip I have taken in the past 60 days. I can replay them in an animated version (very cool), superimposed onto a Google Map, showing time, speed, stops, etc. It is entertaining to watch. It can even show a little motorcycle as the icon moving along the roads.
If I want to download the trips, it compiles the GPS coordinates into an Excel spreadsheet.
I'm an old school biker who doesn't get too excited about bling or farkles, but these GPS trackers have definitely impressed me.
Aside from the security value (its intended use), these tracking histories are fantastic when I am out riding with friends who take me on new routes. I am totally lost, and just following the leader, but when I get back home I can log into the GPS tracking website and get the exact route, our speeds, our times, our stops, etc. Very cool.
Yeah, this toy was worth it. :thumbsup:
Good news of first hand experience! Now the questions:
Which one did you got?
How much?
Interface in English?
How about your battery - any problems with it after installation?
Good news of first hand experience!
:thumbsup:
Now the questions:
Which one did you got?
How much?
Interface in English?
How about your battery - any problems with it after installation?
I've been looking for a similar product like LJH has for sometime, this is what I understand.
All providers have developed web portal/server to communicate their GPS-tracker units, thought 2G GPRS network. So that sim card 5RMB per 30mb per month cover that GPRS usage. But every text message cost some more fen (use for live tracking, receive command and etc).
LJH, I wonder how much mb used for a month. (to check GPRS stat, china mobile sim card text "CXGPRSTC" to 10086, you would get a SMS respond back.)
So here is list of costs for owning one unit.
-- Web portal, normally free for a year or two, upon purchase the unit. 60 yuan a year (I've seen another provider 100 yuan a year)
-- 2G mobile network, minimal 5 yuan a month, 60 yuan a year
-- flexible SMS fee, 0.05 yuan per one?
add up to 120yuan (160yuan) a year and more.
I purchased this one off taobao. It is wired directly to my battery although an internal backup battery is also available.Quote:
Originally Posted by andre555
The website interface is entirely Chinese, but easy to learn. Once shown how to use it by a native reader, you will have no problem.
@ td_ref - I have no idea how much I have consumed in mobile charges, but it is still working after 3 months. So, even if I have used all of the 60 rmb (which I doubt), it is cheap insurance and a worthwhile convenience.
Very attractive for all the reasons cited.
Question: Is the interface a software application (presumably wintel) or does it run in a browser window? If the former, safe to assume there's no Mac OSX or Linux versions?
thanks!
Hi All
Just been reading this thread.
I know of a company that supplies GPS trackers with a SIM built in and it is totally stand alone. The back up battery has a 5 year life span (in stand by mode) and it doesn't require a connection to the bikes battery. so mr thiefy hasn't got a clue where to start looking for it!!! it isn't cheap; last i heard it was about £450 with a 5 year subscription in with this price. but it is small and really hard to find for the thief.
i can try and get more information if required
John
I'm looking into this GPS tracker which is about 200 RMB more expensive than the one LJH has, but it claims to have a standby time of 60 days though.
I got my bike nicked a few weeks back and am now looking into getting something like this. I was looking at (purely by chance) the same on LJH has, on taobao:
http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm...id=15074383790
@Barry, did you get the more expensive one?
@Everyone with a gps tracker, how are you finding them years on? Are they all still working great? Helped recover any stolen bikes? I now have dreams of hunting down thieves with a crew of friends and busting open an shed, video cameras recording and catching/embarrassing the bastards in a chopshop. =D
I am using several of them, and find they work great BUT they do trickle-drain batteries. The basic model is fine, for my purposes, although I have upgraded one to a model that will SMS me if the bike is touched (like a motion alarm). It also has an 8-hour battery in it, in case a thief cuts the main terminals.Quote:
Originally Posted by kiamo
Although they provide me with a little sense of added protection, the route tracking feature is what I really like.
They are inexpensive.