If you are looking for a way to track a car or vehicle without the owner or driving knowing, then you are at the right place. In this article we will be looking at ways that you can discretely keep track of a car’s location.
The steps involved in this article is easy to follow and in fact car dealers often employ this technique, which will be discussed further.
So what was I talking about, car dealers putting GPS trackers on your newly bought vehicle and if in the case that you do not pay up, a tow truck is sent to the vehicle which they are tracking, to recover it.
We’ll how do they do it? More on the simplified technical explanation of how GPS trackers work.
It’s one thing, being able to track someone’s location, it’s another thing to discretely do this, which is very easy.
How a GPS tracker works?
To be able to track someone without them, we are going to need a small tracking device that receives satellite signals, from this signals, the GPS portion on the device, then calculates the position of the satellites from the timestamps that it receives.
The calculations that it does, accounts for delays and other anomalies. From this calculation using data from four satellites, it is able to accurately (up-to a few meters) determine the location of the GPS device.
One thing is for the tracking device, to be able to determine its own position, another thing, is for it to be sent to you.
This is where GPRS, GSM, Wifi or Bluetooth technology comes in, yes, you read it, Wifi and Bluetooth can also be used to track someone, or have GPS data sent through it, Bluetooth and Wifi is not a viable option as they are not long ranged enough.
Most GPS trackers use GSM to receive data from the tracker which can then be viewed on Google Maps.
GSP is radio technology used for sending short messages, while GPRS or General Radio Packet Service allows for data transmission through the radio. It is what makes it possible for mobile phone users to be able to access Facebook and Youtube, or the internet in general.
Discrete trackers use a combination of GPRS and GSM technology to be able to send data to a server where users can retrieve such data, or send SMS messages straight to a mobile phone.
So on your mobile phone, you would install an app which is synced to a server where the GPS data is being transmitted to.
Hack you could even DIY this location tracker using raspberry pi, but it’s a long process and would deserve a whole in itself.
Do note, that some devices may require a measly monthly fees, which at most would be less than $20, that’s cheaper than most utility services, I’d say.
Some service fees would be as low as $5.
Will the person being tracked know that they are being tracked? How discrete are these trackers?
Trackers come in two options, built in batteries and car powered tracker.
For the built in battery option, it may come with an attached battery similar to a mobile phone’s, some have a 7800mAh batteries that if real-time tracking is not used, t could last up-to 75 days.
The GPS device would be regularly sending its location onto the server or by SMS message, the frequency of these messages would depend on how you set it, a car could be tracked in real –time, or in intervals of 3hrs, or better yet, only three times a day to save battery.
At only time a day of reporting, the tracker could last up-to months on end, some have reported up-to 10 months.
Another option, is for the tracking device to be connected to the car battery, as you might have thought, since the car battery is continuously being charged by the engine, the device could be used for years, unless a service is needed.
This method is possible through the On-board diagnostics which is a socket where the GPS tracker can be plugged into.
Which is more discrete, battery powered or externally powered (from car power source)?
Now, as both methods of power sourcing have been said above, it will be left up-to you which is more discrete than the other.
If it is possible to hack the car dashboard to get to the On –board diagnostics port without the car owner knowing, then that option is the one to go with.
In my opinion, it is better to have a GPS/GSM tracking device that is battery powered, it is also magnetic and will stick to any car, this is better option, if you need not the car owner to know that he is being tracked.
But has a limited power range and would need regular charging.
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