It's nearly renewall time and I'm preparing for a big premium.

I've spoken to a few people and things might be better if I have a tracker fitted. It's just working out which one to use. I've been told about the following:

Tracker (monitor or horizon)
RAC TrackStar (with 24hr guardian)
Telematics eGuard Executive

Tracker and RAC Trackstart I've heard of and they have websites that I've looked at.

Telematics I've not heard of. Has anyone else heard of them/used them. If so then what are they like. Is the system any good?

What about the other systems mentioned (believe RAC one is what is fitted to P1's) Are they any good?

Is it worth going for a duration sub to thier system, ie; for the whole time you have the car? I'm planning on keeping it for a while (another reason for the tracker ) so it might be a good idea, what do you think?

 

hi,

I have the Tracker 24hr Monitor fitted to my scoob. The reason I opted for that was ...

1. GPS based systems are very easily affected by bad weather. We have satellite links at work and there is a condition called 'fade' that basically knocks out the signal. All sorts of things can cause fade, rain, cloud cover, storms etc. If the GPS kit is anything like the stuff we experience then you can keep em

2. Tracker is proven technology, it's been around for a good while and has a proven track record - no pun intended

3. Feature-wise it does pretty much everything, if the car goes walkies they try upto three phone numbers to verify it has gone walkies.

4. From what I understand every traffic car is equipped with the relevant kit to track the signal - a traffic cop told me that.

5. The range of the system is such that, where I live, a major Police station is about 1/2 mile away, I like to think they would be pretty on the ball...apparently range is 5 miles?

ta,
Matt

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by mattski:
<B>hi,

1. GPS based systems are very easily affected by bad weather. We have satellite links at work and there is a condition called 'fade' that basically knocks out the signal. All sorts of things can cause fade, rain, cloud cover, storms etc. If the GPS kit is anything like the stuff we experience then you can keep em
[/quote]

Your sat links are high-bandwidth Tx/Rx links. GPS is receive only, and the signals are transmitted at a level below the background radiation. Because what is transmitted is a pseudorandom sequence, your receiver knows what to look for and can lock on at these levels. They are not adversely affected by weather -- even ice on the antenna makes little difference. What they *are* affected by is confined spaces -- park your scoob in a narrow street with high-rise buildings and the receiver will probably only see one or two satellites. If you park in a garage, of course, it doesn't work at all and therein lies the problem.

 

Carl

You sound like a man in the know:

How does the Tracker system work?

 

I've got NavTrack fitted, a GPS/GSM combo.

It ain't active, despite an update to firmware being promised since January and I've just been told that the current unit can't be made active and that I'll have to shell out for a new unit.

There's going to be fur flying when they try to charge me for it, as I was mis-sold the unit in the first place by NavTrack, not by my dealer.

Unhappy bunny. Avoid em until this is sorted.

 

I've got a Tracker 24 hour Monitor with Guard and Recover. Went for the lifetime payment option as you can pay it per year for 2 years and then pay the remainder of (lifetime - 2 payments) if you want to upgrade after 2 years. I've had this since Sept 1998.

I was considering the Horizon but as they don't do an upgrade as far as I know, I decided not to go for it currently.

At the time I got it - they were the best known, proven and accepted by the Police.

 

not strictly true on the TX/RX thing Carl. The specific link I am talking about has different return paths as it goes to a certain country in the middle-east with heavy restrictions. i.e. land one way, sat the other... makes some interesting routing and latency prob

 

AWD: I used to work with GPS kit. I believe that Tracker works by having a transmitter in the car which then alerts a receiver on any police cars that may be nearby. On the other hand, it could be the other way round in that the police car has an interrogator and your car has a transponder which replies when it receives a valid interrogation (providing it's been activated by you phoning up the police, or by the car being moved or something).

mattski: OK, but the point is this is not like IP -- it's RF and DSP stuff. If you wanted to be really neat you could do something similar as you know what a IP datagram is supposed to look like. On the other hand, you'd need to know the line encoding and it probably goes thru' a stat mux first.

 

heh, that would be interesting Carl, an IP based tracking system... you could get info on your wap phone...sometimes.

Imagine all of the hacking fun that could be had....

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by carl:
<B>I believe that Tracker works by having a transmitter in the car which then alerts a receiver on any police cars that may be nearby.[/quote]

Spot on Carl

Tracker made their 1000th arrest a few months back and smashed a ringing operation in the process. IMHO tracker are much better than any of the other units that I've had experience of.

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 03 February 2001).]

 

...but unlike GPS-based systems they rely on a police car being near your car. Any idea what the range is?

 

thanks carl

 

Having read all this - I assume the basic point is go for the Tracker 24hr ?

I have just picked up a nearly new 2000my and am very paranoid at the moment - How good is the standard alarms / immob / locks on the 2000my ?

 

Apparently Tracker do a "Fleetmate" option which allows you to view your car's position over the Internet or from a mobile phone.

Has anyone got this or know further details ?

Thanks

Gavin

 

markus,

i had trackstar fitted full option including the gsm phone link (breakdown and emergency).And paid lifetime fees

the system is garenteed for 10 years

and you can have it moved to a new car (at cost)so life time fees come into there own (after 3 years of yearly fees).

all in at the time this was £1185

hope this helps


ray t

 

I've had a RAC Trackstar fitted from new.

One reason for choosing this device was the RAC badge - they are not about to sell a dud otherwise their whole business will take a hit.

An other reason was a reccommendation from a local alarm fitter who rated the quality of the electronics far more than some other 'trackers' (Some are VERY big units)

Finally, I had a minor problem for the first week where by each time I moved the car the Trackstar unit was falsely activated. I live in the country and work in a city - no problems with errors due to weather or tall buildings - they called my mobile each time to confirm I was driving and told me which direction I was taking and the name of the road! Their top man also took up the issue of the fault and personally carried out its remedy at a location/time of my choice - excellent service.

But there are pro/cons of each system as described previously and you takes your choice.

 

All tracking systems have pro's and cons, ive got trackstar fitted to my car, no problems with it and i prefer GPS based systems than tracker. point is that its a VERY small unit, which is what i wanted, it will suffer in some enviroments but isnt as adversly affected by being in a building as you think!! remember that an area is "footprinted" by sat cover so it doesnt matter as much if you have line of sight!!! radio signals are more adversly affected by buildings than sats are! (degraded signals from bouncing off all those lovely concrete posts etc!!) Also remember that the second your tracker is activated then all it needs is one instant to be picked up...!!
I know some of you guys and gals work in the "communications industry" as do i, but i also have first hand experience of these problems, in field conditions in "troubled enviroments" Sat cover was more efficient because of the mountains where as H.F. and V.H.F. were affected because of those lovely mountains.
All systems have downfalls, the point is though, tracker isnt fitted to ALL police cars and its taken them long enough to start using GPS because it is more efficient in all weathers (and they were loosing customers because of it!!!) (police helecopters have trouble flying when its snowing etc, or when police cars fitted with the receiver are 20 miles away at an RTA.)
Choose what suits you and your enviroment best, i'd still go for the big names though!

Tony

PS. its not called fade, its attenuation caused by enviromental problems such as adverse weather conditions!! (damn more rain due??!!)

 

Can anyone dispell some of the common Tracker myths?

e.g:

"it won't transmit / receive a signal if the car is inside a say, a truck container"

"there are only 12 places that a Tracker can be installed, and most thiefs can find them in minutes"

"with the 24hr monitor Tracker will alert the Police if they detect the car doing over 100mph"

Sounds like a bit of an old wive's tale, that last one...!

Thanks,

Ade.

 

Sorry to give you tracker lovers bad news but here are some facts you may or may not know.
Tracker relys on the police tracking the signal given by a transmiter fitted into your car. How ever what they dont tell you is the police have to buy the recivers them selfs which cost around £2000 each. In nottingham there are only three police cars which have them fitted (which are the motorway cars) and the helicopter. Not good if your car is going along the back roads.
However the RAC trackstar system is monitored by the RAC and the inform the police where the car is with-in 5 feet.
How do i know this well for 2 and a bit years i was a police officer, then saw the error of my ways so now i fit car security.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ade:
<B>Can anyone dispell some of the common Tracker myths?

"it won't transmit / receive a signal if the car is inside a say, a truck container"[/quote]

Crap! It works perfectly well in containers and underground car parks.

<B> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>"there are only 12 places that a Tracker can be installed, and most thiefs can find them in minutes"[/quote]

Crap! There are more than 12, I do know the exact number and where they all are but I'm not gonna post them here!

<B> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>"with the 24hr monitor Tracker will alert the Police if they detect the car doing over 100mph"[/quote]

I don't need to say it do I!!

Cheers

S

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 04 January 2001).]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by craigamungos:
<B>Tracker relys on the police tracking the signal given by a transmiter fitted into your car. How ever what they dont tell you is the police have to buy the recivers them selfs which cost around £2000 each. In nottingham there are only three police cars which have them fitted (which are the motorway cars) and the helicopter.[/quote]

erm.... they've just bought 5 scoobs all of which have Tracker fitted, and most of their traffic cars have them fitted.

<B> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>However the RAC trackstar system is monitored by the RAC and the inform the police where the car is within 5 feet/[/quote]

But it's a nightmare of a system to work by as someone has to speak to the RAC who in turn has to relay the message to the radio despatcher who in turn has to pass the message via VHF to the pursuing vehicle. All this while trying to drive (often at high speed). Much easier to follow the Tracker receiver nailed to the dashboard IMHO.

 

Not wanting to argue but as i said i only know about nottingham which have a red R plate scooby (unmarked) This has NO unit and they have also got a V plate marked scooby (not sure about this one) they have just got two 7 series BMW's as well one of these has a unit fitted.(BMW estate which is the traffic car). Keep your eyes open for the Honda Civic also in red keeps popping up in the city.

 

Thanks Stuart!!

Makes you wonder how these rumours start, I've heard the 12 location one from at least 3 people!

Ade.

 

Another very good unit not mentioned is the
TRAKBAK sold by Securicor Datatrack
- It incorporates a Thatcham 2 Immobilisor Which many of the others do not ! It also has vehicle movement sensors and if your car is moved, even onto a dolly or low loader it Signals to Securicor, who check with the owner if he/she knows it is on the move. They can track it via their own network (Which I don't think relies on GPS)
onto a map and phone the police to say exactly where the car is and direct them to the exact location of the vehicle. It is dearer than Tracker but can be moved from one vehicle to another for about £250 so in the long term it works out cheaper than some of the competitors
It was origionally developed for their cash in transit fleet, and is used by many emergency service vehicles.
Their phone number is 01793 500 155

Telematics E Guard phone number is 01980 609080. Their system seems to be very similar to thr RAC Tracstar but was too immature a product when I made my choice.

All these devices have their pro's and con's. The strange thing is that most insurance companies give you the same 10% discount no matter which tracking device you buy.

 

Markus some thing to think about if you have Tracker it does not work in Northern Ireland or Irland my mate had it fitted but changed to Trackstar it is world wide not just Britan.

 

An important point that only Stuart H has picked up on, I think.

Not only has your tracking system got to spot the car, the police have then got to get it back.

With Tracker (original and best in my view) the police car is following a very reliable radio signal transmitted directly from your car to their car.

With all the other systems, it is the tracking company doing the spotting using technology which is as reliable as your mobile phone. They then telephone the police station, then the station radios the patrol car. And so this process goes on to and fro until your car is found.

It's hardly an efficient system and it's easy to see how a car could be quickly driven to an 'invisible' location before plod has a chance. And it ties up a lot of valuable police time and radio time.

I phoned my local police (Peterborough). They recommended Tracker and have 14 patrol cars and a chopper with the necessary kit installed.

Hoppy

[This message has been edited by Hoppy (edited 28 January 2001).]

 

Just wanted to warn to check with your insurance company before you install any type of Tracking System.

YOU MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY DISCOUNT ON YA PREMIUM!!.....MANY INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE WITHDRAWING DISCOUNTS ON TRACKING DEVICES.

 

nb- Trackstar Guardian (RAC) also includes tilt sensors so that if your car is lifted and then moves with out the engine being started they will automatically start tracking the vehicle and try to contact you to establish if the vehicle is stolen.

I went for this system as it is superior to Tracker in a number of ways. Most significantly it works almost anywhere in Europe - not just within a few miles of a correctly equiped police car.

 

Remember to test it regularly if you can!!
I've had a Tracker (the GPS) fitted for over a year. Today on the motorway services I thought 'I wonder' so I called them up, went thru security check to prove I was the owner then asked them 'where am I?' oops they could not tell me..seems like I have afault on my unit. To their credit an engineer is coming to my home to replace the unit free of charge..but from now on I will test it regularly!!

 

Guys.
How about this one?