GPS Tracking ROI

Tracking dogs and cats has always been a frequently searched subject here at the site that shows you how to get an ROI on GPS Tracking.

There may not be a huge monetary return on finding a stray dog .. although some people have a heck of a lot of money invested in a special pet … but if it’s a treasured member of the family the ROUI may be a lot higher than what you can define with money alone.

A tip to the blog hat Brian Heater for digging up this information:

by Brian Heater

So much for the old tried-and-true method of standing on your front lawn and yelling really, really loudly until your dog comes back home. Navigation device manufacturer Garmin introduced today a redesigned version of its GPS dog tracking collar.

Designed to work with the Astro GPS Dog Tracking system, the new DC 30 is more rugged that previous offerings and features a better antenna placement, according to the company….

Originally published at Gearlog.

You can get the complete information, and even order direct from Garmin if this item ‘turns your crank’ right here are Garmin’s own site. 

Happy tracking and when Fido disappears, the kids are screaming and your wife looks at you like you just tracked in mud on the new carpet … and then Techno-Dad brings home the puppy?  That, my friend, is getting and ROI with GPS Tracking!

This has always been a popular subject here at the GPS Tracking ROI blog.  Every week there are searches for GPS trackers for pets and I’ve even had phone calls from far away lands from folks looking for ways to track Fido. (by the way, I always like to talk with readers, so you can comment on the posts, email me at davestarr(at) gmail (dot) com or call me on 1-719-423-8872 (sorry, no 1-800 number anymore).

One of the devices I’m looking at today seems new on the market and the other is an update on an old favorite.

First up is the Stealth PetTracker from A.I.Inc. simply fastens to the pets existing collar.  No need for a custom collar, use your own favorite.  The Pet Tracking system is the newest addition to the Stealth line of Tracking units. At only 5 ounces and the small size of 3″ x 2″ x 1″, makes it the smallest GPS unit on the market today. Track you pet on our password protected website.

Overview

The device has a self contained battery (different battery options are available) that can be recharged. Device can operate in 2 modes: Standard/Walk and Geofence. In Standard mode, if your pet gets away, you can get notifications on the website, phone, or via a pet locator specialist. In Geofence mode, you specify the containment area radius, and if the pet wanders from that containment area, you will be notified.   Specs:

• 12 - channel parallel design
• Split Second reacquisition time
• High Sensitivity, low power draw
• Unit is housed in a single enclosure
• antenna is internal
• Powered internal battery with a L-iIon charger pack (sold separately)

This device is unique because the collar seems to connect with your home’s WiFi Access Point (if you have a WiFi access point, that is).  In some cases this would be a good solution because even if you have to run down to BestBuy or some other supplier and pick up a WAP, the will be no monthly costs … and you can conceivably drive around the neighborhood with your laptop and pick up Fido’s signal if he roams.  But for any pet that frequently runs off this seem downright stupid, because you would have to know where the rascal is before you can get a fix on him.  My recommendation:  Not ready for prime time.

Next up is the GlobalPetFinder by GPSTracks LLC.  It works like this:

Globalpetfinder Members can build a virtual fence of ANY size within which your pet can freely roam simply by logging into the command center and following the instructions for ‘create a fence’. The command center will prompt you to enter a name , address and size for your fence. That’s it! Your fence is automatically downloaded to the memory of your globalpetfinder. Up to 5 fence locations can be stored at once.

If your pet wanders outside the boundary you have determined, you will be alerted immediately and sent the continuously updated location of your pet, to the 2-way wireless device of your choice; cell phone, PDA, computer ,etc.

If the pet goes outside the geofenced location, you’ll get an alarm on your cell phone, PDA or pager.  You can check on your pets’ location at any time by dialing F-O-U-N-D from the two way device you’ve chosen, your pet will respond with their position.

My thoughts:  Some nice features but strictly limited to specific cell phone carrier service areas.  Absolutely useless if the pet strays outside cell phone range.  Also could be very problematical if you are in a rural area where street addresses are spares, since the location message is a textual address of the pet’s current location … rather than what would be much more intelligent .. a map.

Recommendation: useful device if you fit within the distinct system limitations.

Here’s another entry in the “track your pet” derby. I like this one because it seems better suited to how people typically interact with their pets. And, it doesn’t require any service from cell phone companies of any description. Not only does this mean there won’t be any monthly fees, but the darn thing might actually work.

Sometimes the most complex technology can be applied to the simplest application. GPS technology is integrated into many parts of our lives today, from cell phones to navigation. We don’t even give it a second thought anymore, yet our lives are the better for it every day. Now it is possible to use this same technology we find so ordinary in a new way, to help us protect one of the most important things in our lives: our pets.

RoamEO is an exciting new product that enables dog owners to quickly and easily locate their pets. Using a GPS-enabled collar, RoamEO can pinpoint your dog’s location and show you where he’s heading. It’s that simple. Now each time you put on your dog’s collar, it comes with the extraordinary advantage of knowing that you can locate your pet at anytime. Most of the time, it’s just that extra comfort of knowing where he is when he’s running around out back. And then there may be those times when your pet is counting on you to help him, and that’s when RoamEO will make you his hero.

Maybe your dog doesn’t know what GPS is, but he does know how important your companionship is. So keep him safe.

See more here

Like other systems we’ve looked at the RoamEO uses a collar on the dog that receives GPS signals and calculates the dogs position. The big difference is the handheld receiver that’s part of the system and the private radio link between the two. This system will track your dog anywhere on earth … even if you live in George Bush flyover country like I do. Even when you’re hunting wapiti up in the Rockies. this is a tremendous advantage over those systems that rely on expensive and not always ubiquitous cell phone based systems.

The disadvantage, though, is also the private radio system. If Fido runs off beyond the range of the unit (stated as “up to one mile”, I think you can safely bet that figure is a bit optimistic), you won’t be able to track him again until you correctly guess his location within a mile and the signals once again connect to your base station unit. However, for trainers, hikers, hunters and other outdoor folk this should still be a very useful unit.

Another great feature is the intelligent use of geofencing. If your dog is normally in your yard and you just want to know when and where he wandered off to, you can set a “fence” around your yard and you’ll get an alert when he leaves. Useful stuff.

At $459 list price this unit is far less than some … could be well worth it if you have a wandering mutt or a prize breeder that you value a lot.

There seems to be no end to the folks visiting here who are interested in GPS for pets, especially roaming dogs. I love dogs, but I don’t let them roam and I’d for sure be GPSing my vehicles first, but hey, other people’s interests are my interests too. There’s quite a few devices coming on the market and I’ll post a few, along with some real-world comments on what I think is effective. I don’t sell any of these systems and I’m not afraid to call a spade a spade.

Collar style: 250 g* About 8 ounces for the Metrically challenged)

Waterproofed

Unmounted, supply your own harness; 200 g

*=weight without belt

The unique GPS PRO Dog collar tracking system is an universal and completely new technology for finding, pursuing or tracking your dog: A GPS receiver and a GSM modem with special software is incorporated into the dog collar. Allows you easily and remotely monitoring the location of your dog via your cell phone/mobile phone anywhere in the world with suitable GSM coverage. Two versions are available:

• GPS collar (250 g weight, without collar belt, the belt is included in the price)
• GPS backpack (200 g weight) to fit on a harness

The principle: You simply call the telephone number of the GPS PRO Dog collar with your handy /mobile phone /cell phone. The GPS receiver of the collar, estimates the position of the dog and sends the coordinates immediately as SMS (Short Message service) over the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) directly on your mobile phone display. The accuracy of the positioning amounts to the average less than 15 meters.

The GPS PRO Dog system works if the satellite antenna on top of the collar/backpack is able to find signals from at least 4 satellites and if the area where the dog is moving is coverd by GSM network (no other phone network service works!!).

Now I know some of the questions you’re going to be asking What the heck is a GSM network and what’s a SIM card. Well GSM is the latest digital network technology. The US is getting more and more GSM service every day …. but don’t count on 100% coverage, ever. If you live in a metro area there’s a good chance you have coverage today, but remote areas may not have coverage for along time, if ever.

A SIM card (Subscriber Identification Module) is a postage stamp size card that mounts inside a cell phone (or a dog collar) and gives the device an identity (phone number) and a billing address so that the service provider will allow the device to connect to their network and measure how much to bill you. The slick part of these devices is that they us SMS (Short Message Service) or text messaging, so the messages go back and forth easily and you will have relatively small charges … it’s not like minutes of voice phone use.

You must, though, be insid3e network coverage and (a point some folks forget) the dog must be in coverage also. These particular devices aren’t cheap … ranging up to $1,000 USD, but there is no monthly charge except what charges the carrier may impose for text messages. Many plans give free messages or a large number of messages for a small fee, so I see connectivity as cheap.

All told, though, unless you are r4eally in love with technology this is not a very worthwhile device. I see just too many chances of the pet getting out of range ,,, in which case you paid a thousand bucks for lost dog that you could have had for free … and too much trouble in having some kind of subscriber devices to receive the information. A cell phone with mapping or an Internet computer to find out the dog’s whereabouts.

Tuesday, 30 May 2006

Magellan eXplorist 400When darkness falls over the Katrina-ravaged and mostly uninhabited parishes surrounding New Orleans, animal-rescue volunteer Annie Lancaster packs up her Magellan eXplorist handheld GPS receiver and goes to work. Her mission: making her way through the darkness to set and retrieve traps designed to help control the exploding population of free-roaming cats and dogs that were household pets until they were left homeless by last summer’s hurricane.

A veterinarian technician, experienced humane trapper and FEMA–certified volunteer from California, Annie is on her fifth three-week tour in the devastated parishes. In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, she worked to rescue stranded animals trapped on rooftops, in trees and inside homes. Now it’s a race to keep the spread of breeding animals in check.

“The animals don’t come out in the daylight anymore,” Annie said. “Cats and dogs are running wild; the dogs often travel in packs, and growing numbers of both cats and dogs are now being born feral. Our job is to work through the night to humanely capture as many of these animals as we can.” … Full Article Here:

When someone sees the words GPS and Pets together they tend to think immediately of hanging tracking collars on the pets and then sitting down at the computer screen to see what neighborhoods Fido is visiting.

But to do that kind of tracking you obviously need to purchase a GPS recover and some kind of tracking plan first. Can GPS hel-0p find pets that are lost and have no GPS transceiver?

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