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Anyone used realtime GPS for theft recovery prevention

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-02-11          139700

I see there are many types of realtime GPS systems out there. Prices are as vast as the types.

Here's what I need: I have a piece of construction equipment that will remain on-site unattended. I think I need some sort of way to track it if someone steals it. It has no alarm, but that may be required too. I'm looking at cellular technology to call me if someone tries to move/take it.

Any recommendations? Ideas? Experiences?

Any electronic geniuses out there that can make one of these--I have seen some for rental homes under renovation that a guy made back home that were portable and he'd install in an attic.


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JasonR
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 142 Northern Indiana
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2007-02-12          139701

Tracking is good, assuming the thieves don't run across the tracking device and disable it. Additionally, you need to make sure the tracking works in a metal building - the nemisis of most cell phones - as that is the likely destination of the stolen item - esp. due to the fact you may not know it's stolen until its already in a building that you can't get a signal from...

If I was going to set up a cellular service to notify my it was stolen, the following would be needed:

Sensor to determine it was stolen (vibration sensor, etc.)
Autodialer (runs about $99)
Cellsocket or Tellular that can take a cell phone or simm card and create a dial tone style phone for the autodialer ($99 - $500).
UPS power supply or the ability to utilize the machines battery power to make it all work.

If the above is the best you can come up with, I can assist you in putting it all together, provided it's not blowing your budget (or much higher than your deductable).

- Jason ....

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Anyone used realtime GPS for theft recovery prevention

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JasonR
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 142 Northern Indiana
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2007-02-12          139702

I added a link that looks pretty intereseting, as it will remember your item's last location if it goes out of range. No idea what the system costs, or if they adapt them to non vehicles. ....


Link:   

Click Here


 
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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-02-12          139703

As you may know I'm woprking on the gulf coast. When I first got here 16 mos. ago there were on average 30 bobcats stolen per night. That said, the police are on high alert to watch for stolen things.

This an 8,200 lb. 40-ft-reach self-propelled manlift---not a tiny machine.

If I had an alarm as a first defense that would go off AND start dialing for police and me at the same time that would ward off thieves ---in theory. They would take some time to get into an enclosed metal van or on a trailer---in theory.

I think I would have a stand alone battery with a motion detector and door switches on the door panels connected to an automotive-type alarm. How it uplinks I have no clue. Ideally, the alarm, uplink, etc. would be self-contained and enclosed in a strong metal tube or box welded to the machine itself and out of sight. Maybe an ignition-sensing circuit too--it's easy to jump start this baby.

Jason can you make a drop-in system like I'm talking and set me up with monitoring at a "reasonable" cost. I dodn't have it insured yet. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2007-02-12          139704

Have you looked into the Lojack system? ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2007-02-12          139705

EW,
The effort to protect equipment has been discussed here, possibly before you joined. You might find a good solution there. I am posting Lo Jack link for construction equipment. Would pay to be sure it works there. (they show coverage areas) There are real time GPS units used on trucks so companies can know where they are all the time. Gives speed and shows them on a map. The units like that I have seen are very visible and how easy it would be to disable have no idea.

Wonder is the system on GM autos is available for such?
kt


....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-02-12          139709

EW, don't know all the dimensions of your unit, but we'e had VERY good luck using a twist on your idea.

We have a few "high volume" shipping containers that are set up as portable tool cribs, each one is also equipped with a standard car alarm and deep cycle battery. All the cell companies offer a "monitoring" contract for usually about $4 a month. The alarm dials out on the built-in cell phone when the alarm goes off, it also makes a tremendous noise. The noise-maker it uses is a standard home outdoor alarm horn. It is so loud you cannot even tell where the noise is coming from. Nobody will stick around when it goes off, we've proven that many times over in the field.

Our containers are also slightly physically customized. Unlike a 'normal' container, opening one door does NOT get you into the container, you have to spend some time and effort to open a second, inner set of steel mesh doors. But you don't know that till you open the first set, and make a LOT of noise doing so.

Total cost was about $2000 but it also forms a shipable unit, we use them to move machines and tools all over the continent securely.

I have no need to track a machine, unless they have a big crane and a flatbed standing by, they're just not leaving with it.

Best of luck. ....

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Anyone used realtime GPS for theft recovery prevention

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JasonR
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 142 Northern Indiana
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2007-02-12          139710

I would think a stand - alone vehicle version might be the most cost effective solution, but you could easily set up your own - it just might be more expensive. The autodialer can be found here:

http://www.safemart.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5828

it requires 12-24VDC and has a simple contact input. Once the input is lost, it starts dialing. Hence any field sensors can be wired in series to this input (fairly simple).

The device that turns a simm card into a usable "land-line" is here:

https://www.telular.com/v2/html/products/product_display.asp?productID=94

Don't have any online pricing availabe, but I think it runs $500-600. Simple to set up, put the simm card in, and run a phone line from it to the autodialer and you have instant notification of an alarm.

I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives to the telular, but I haven't found one yet... (CellSocket went out of business). ....

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