Mini receiver, or transmitter?

[+Ryanws]

Hey guy's this isn't quite geocaching related but I thought this would be the place to get an answer. Is there any small gps reciever i can hook up to my gps so i can track a bike if it gets stolen? thanks

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Check with a local parole agent for something like that.

[NordicMan]

Go to your local auto wreckers and gut out the OnStar components from a Cadillac? Good luck hiding all that stealthily onto a bicycle though

[+Walts Hunting]

Any gps device that transmits is going to require a monthly service plan just like your phone. That can get expensive over time.

 

Second it would require a battery. Just your luck would be for the bike to get stolen the day before the battery runs out.

[Suscrofa]

Any bike regardless how it is made weights 15kg.

 

If made out of hight tech carbon fiber and weights 7kg, you will need 8kg of chain, locks, GPS tracker device.

Out of aluminum and weighting 10kg, 5kg of chain and locks is enough.

If plain steel tubing and 15kg, no need for any lock or chain !

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Hey guy's this isn't quite geocaching related but I thought this would be the place to get an answer. Is there any small gps reciever i can hook up to my gps so i can track a bike if it gets stolen? thanks

 

By "bike" it's not clear if you mean a bicycle or a motorcycle, but the SPoT unit, while not especially small, will transmit its location 'til the batteries die.

 

http://findmespot.com

[+dakboy]

LoJack. Instead of trying to hack something together from various parts, use something designed specifically for the task.

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

LoJack. Instead of trying to hack something together from various parts, use something designed specifically for the task.

 

LoJack works in the US only, apparently.

 

But I agree, if something more suitable exists and is reasonably priced, it would be better than hacking something else.

[+Ryanws]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

 

I found this link http://www.pimall.com/nais/stickitgps.html. It looks small enough to place under a bmx seat. But I'm looking for something really tiny, that I could possibly link to my Garmin 60csx. Is there anyway to link such a device to my gps? Thanks guys!

[+ecanderson]

 

I found this link http://www.pimall.com/nais/stickitgps.html. It looks small enough to place under a bmx seat. But I'm looking for something really tiny, that I could possibly link to my Garmin 60csx. Is there anyway to link such a device to my gps? Thanks guys!

Like many others, that gadget will track where your bike has been, but won't tell you where it is. It only records position - it doesn't report it.

[+Ryanws]

 

I found this link http://www.pimall.com/nais/stickitgps.html. It looks small enough to place under a bmx seat. But I'm looking for something really tiny, that I could possibly link to my Garmin 60csx. Is there anyway to link such a device to my gps? Thanks guys!

Like many others, that gadget will track where your bike has been, but won't tell you where it is. It only records position - it doesn't report it.

 

Ohhhh I see, thanks!

[+dakboy]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

Then I suggest you not leave the bike in places where it's likely to be stolen in the first place.

[+Ryanws]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

Then I suggest you not leave the bike in places where it's likely to be stolen in the first place.

 

Well there are times when I need to hop into a variety store, or grab a bite to eat at a sandwich restaurant. This town is pretty shady sometimes so I just though I'd go to the extra measure to keep my bike safe.

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

 

Add "Rugged" to your list of requirements, if it's a BMX. My son's a BMX'r and what he puts his bike through would kill a normal gps or transmitter fairly quickly.

 

His plan to keep his expensive bike safe is to make it look fairly dull so nobody'd want to steal it but I know for a fact it's worth anywhere from $1500 to $1800, having footed some of the bills.

[+Ryanws]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

 

Add "Rugged" to your list of requirements, if it's a BMX. My son's a BMX'r and what he puts his bike through would kill a normal gps or transmitter fairly quickly.

 

His plan to keep his expensive bike safe is to make it look fairly dull so nobody'd want to steal it but I know for a fact it's worth anywhere from $1500 to $1800, having footed some of the bills.

 

Hah, its brand new so its not something I want to go smash right away. I was thinking a small receiver that could just go under my seat with Velcro or something and I could take it on and off when needed.

[+dakboy]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

 

Add "Rugged" to your list of requirements, if it's a BMX. My son's a BMX'r and what he puts his bike through would kill a normal gps or transmitter fairly quickly.

 

His plan to keep his expensive bike safe is to make it look fairly dull so nobody'd want to steal it but I know for a fact it's worth anywhere from $1500 to $1800, having footed some of the bills.

Or get a dull, cheap-looking bike for $50 off Craigslist and not ride the expensive race/trick bike around town all the time.

[+Ryanws]

Hey guys I really appreciate the replys, thanks! I had to post quick because I had to go to bed. My bike is a bmx, and its worth about $1500. It weighs 19lbs.

 

Add "Rugged" to your list of requirements, if it's a BMX. My son's a BMX'r and what he puts his bike through would kill a normal gps or transmitter fairly quickly.

 

His plan to keep his expensive bike safe is to make it look fairly dull so nobody'd want to steal it but I know for a fact it's worth anywhere from $1500 to $1800, having footed some of the bills.

Or get a dull, cheap-looking bike for $50 off Craigslist and not ride the expensive race/trick bike around town all the time.

 

That's not the point, if you can help answer what I was initially asking that would be great, thanks!

[+Minimike2]

The short answer is NO.

 

Your GPSr receives signals from satellites, not little transmitters. If you could make a tiny transmitter that broadcast on the GPS' frequency - all you would have is a homing signal that likely violates FCC regulations. Your GPRs couldn't home in on the signal because it isn't built to do that.

[+Chrysalides]

http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.ph...th-sms-message/

 

This is just the first result google returned me, not an endorsement of the product or the company.

 

Basically, what we have here is a small, battery powered GPS and "smart phone" combo. You insert a GSM SIM (with at least a SMS plan) into the unit. If you want to know where the unit is, you send it a SMS and it will reply.

 

I see a few problems though:

 

1. How are you going to attach it to your bicycle in a way that will not prevent it from being removed?

 

2. Battery life, accuracy, sensitivity, all unknown.

 

3. Cell phone messaging plan - going to be expensive. And you need two, one for your phone, the other for the unit. I guess you can use a prepaid plan - $100 / year.

 

Edit to add 4. This particular one is 900/1800 MHz which is the GSM frequency used in pretty much everywhere in the world except North America (and I believe Korea and Japan). I see you're from Canada.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Chrysalides

[seldom_sn]

Hey guy's this isn't quite geocaching related but I thought this would be the place to get an answer. Is there any small gps reciever i can hook up to my gps so i can track a bike if it gets stolen? thanks

 

By "bike" it's not clear if you mean a bicycle or a motorcycle, but the SPoT unit, while not especially small, will transmit its location 'til the batteries die.

 

http://findmespot.com

 

If you are looking for a dog named Spot, there's always the Garmin Astro.

[+jopasm]

You could roll your own, but your not going to be able to hook anything up to your Garmin 60 to use as some sort of homing beacon, it's just not made for that.

 

If you have electronics skills you could put together a small GPS tracker using a transmitter in one of the unlicensed bands and a small receiver that would plug into your computer. Basically it would transmit the position of your bike. The receiver would get the signal and feed it to your computer, but you'd need to do some programming to get the coordinates into a mapping program. GPS modules, transmitters, and receivers are available from sparkfun.com and range in price from quite cheap to painfully expensive.

 

If you get your amateur radio license you could use one of the APRS solutions. APRS will do what you want, although it will also do a lot more. A pre-built transmitter is around $190 plus you'll need to add a GPS and a case. Byonics is one maker: http://www.byonics.com/microtrak/mt8000fa.php People launch APRS transmitters in balloons, so you could find/build one that'll fit under a bike seat. The antenna might be a problem though. See arrl.org for info on getting a license.

 

As far as I know there's nothing made for bicycles commercially. You should register your bike with the National Bike Registery - http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/ at the very least, that way if something does happen you have a bit of a better chance of recovering it.

Edited April 8, 2010 by jopasm