Before heading off again I am interested in fitting a gps tracker in the van and maybe the vehicle.

I need advice on the different types and the pro's and con's of each one.

Also it seems to me that combining a tracker with an emergency beacon would be a good idea.

The low cost way is to have an old mobile phone ( Preferably a Blue Tick phone) in the van/vehicle with a Telstra sim card, unit gets stolen you can do a "find my device" search.

Most trackers do not have an external aerial connection and when you put them in a Tin box ie an Al clad caravan that reduces there access to mobile phone signals, probably Ok if you do not go off the Tar or across the Nullarbor or out bush. ( I put such a tracker in eldest grand daughters Toyota Echo that had al least 4 previous owners with maybe door/ignition keys laying around)

Then with an aerial connection, where do you mount the aerial and what size.

And with the tracker where do you mount it, in the caravan, so its not found and you need to cover up the led lights, as well as providing power and aerial connection.

Also some trackers are only 3G you need 3G and 4G as well as, as many of the Telstra Frequency bands as possible.

I only use the Tracker in the GeoFence mode , ie when armed the unit will send an SMS with the vans coordinates every xx secs if the van moves 100m from where we left it. When sent to a smart phone it sets Google Earth going and you can see the location of your van.

I have the MT600 Plus Au, but this unit was purchased maybe 6 or 7 years ago so there maybe better units available.

www.mictrack.com/shop/advanced-4g-gps-tracker/

Thanks PeterInSa
My van will be al frame and fibreglass covered composite stmaterial so shielding should not be a problem.
Thinking of mounting on the roof with apoxy glue, power feed from the solar panels.
Apart of it going walkabout without me it would enable the family to see where I am.
ps. many years ago I had a brother PeterInSa, but he got divorced and is now PeterInWa.

Also some trackers are only 3G you need 3G and 4G as well as, as many of the Telstra Frequency bands as possible.

I only use the Tracker in the GeoFence mode , ie when armed the unit will send an SMS with the vans coordinates every xx secs if the van moves 100m from where we left it. When sent to a smart phone it sets Google Earth going and you can see the location of your van.

I have the MT600 Plus Au, but this unit was purchased maybe 6 or 7 years ago so there maybe better units available.

www.mictrack.com/shop/advanced-4g-gps-tracker/

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the link.  What is the monthly cost of the sim card you use in the tracker?

-- Edited by PeterInSa on Friday 15th of April 2022 10:27:42 AM

---