Android Question Satellite gps tracker

AlpVir

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Someone know an economic model of satellite (no gsm !) gps tracker whose data can be read with an app developed in B4a (of course still to be realized) ?
 

emexes

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By "satellite (no gsm !)" do you mean:

- location should be done by satellite (and not supplemented by using gsm cell-tower or wifi or Bluetooth proximities), or:
- communication of position back to your app should be done by satellite network (and not by gsm or other terrestial service with less than 100% global coverage)

Finding an economic model of the latter could be a challenge.

Sky and Space Global were talking of setting up a swarm of nanosats to enable cheap satellite mobile phone service, and I have a feeling that the user equipment has GPS, but.. initially, it was only going to cover +/-30(?) degrees of the equator, so that less-than-100%-coverage might nix that idea. Plus, we're talking it working a couple of years down the track, not right now, so... something to keep in mind, but for now, it won't do you.
 
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AlpVir

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Finding an economic model of the milk could be a challenge.
I agree with it.
The cost of such a system includes:
1) the hardware device;
2) a subscription (annual, monthly or other)
They are looking for the cheapest that allows you to talk with the B4A
 
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AlpVir

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emexes

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2) a subscription (annual, monthly or other)

This makes it sound like you're talking about satellite communications, eg, for global tracking of shipping containers (or ships) so that you're not constrained by having to be near a land-based and globally-compatible wireless phone network(s).

Is this the case?

Because until you clarify that, you're going to get a lot of people suggest using cheap regular phones that include GPS...
 
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AlpVir

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@emerex
Yes
It seemed clear to me. However, I specify that I would like a GPS satellite receiver that reads the coordinates and sends them to a (another) satellite which sends them to a website.
The app (to developped in B4A) connects to the website, interrogates it and reads the coordinates.
 
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thetahsk

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There are several ways for GPS tracking
  • GPS tracking for vehicles, dogs etc. with realtime position response over GSM
  • GPS recording your track only on the device to evaluate it later on your smartphone
 
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emexes

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Yes. It seemed clear to me.
Then I'm guessing you're not married, because if you were, then you'd know that nothing is clear to everyone ;-)

However, I specify that I would like a GPS satellite receiver that reads the coordinates and sends them to a satellite which sends them to a website.
That is a lot clearer, although it'd help to know *why* the communication has to be by satellite, otherwise you'll still get a lot of why you can't just use the regular and cheap mobile phone network(s) queries.

It could be that there is another solution (unlikely, I know, but... consider for example the way that a Trakr Bluetooth tag can be used to find missing items even in other countries, without the Trakr hardware having GPS or GSM - you'll only get those type of thinking-outside-the-box ideas if people know the relevant constraints)
 
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AlpVir

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@thetahsk
There is a third way.
GPS tracking for vehicles, dogs etc. with realtime position response over satellite.
I specify that I would like a GPS satellite receiver that reads the coordinates and sends them to a (another) satellite which sends them to a website.
 
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MarkusR

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in the past days i had a hardware tv card in pc that can read a satellite broadcast from satellite dish at home.
it means u need a hardware that focus a satellite accurately.
i remember satellites have also an account/login and a protocol for data exchange. as example for earth ground images.
i guess the default GPS satellite data are passive, you can receive but not send back to other satellite with a normal phone.
 
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thetahsk

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AlpVir

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Yes, I know, maybe I can not explain well. Probably the Google translator is not very efficient (I'm not native English).
Let's recap
A GPS satellite receiver receives the coordinates from the satellite network. The receiver can be anywhere on the globe (except underwater or in a deep canyon).
It transmits these coordinates to a specific satellite (one per minute, one per hour, ....)
This specific satellite sends these coordinates to the internet.
Any smartphone or computer or tablet connected to the internet is therefore able to know exactly where the aforementioned satellite receiver (and transmitter) is located in the terrestrial globe.
This system is used to follow a car (and find it if they steal it) or to follow an animal in the savannah ;-)
 
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thetahsk

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@thetahsk
There is a third way.
GPS tracking for vehicles, dogs etc. with realtime position response over satellite.
I specify that I would like a GPS satellite receiver that reads the coordinates and sends them to a (another) satellite which sends them to a website.

Ok, you can use one of these cheap Wifi-Hotspots
Iridium GO! 9560 Satellite Terminal with Wi-Fi Hotspot
 
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AlpVir

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MarkusR

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Iridium GO! 9560 Satellite Terminal with Wi-Fi Hotspot

This system is used to follow a car (and find it if they steal it) or to follow an animal in the savannah ;-)

its very expensive and i think it can't behind metal, in case of anti car theft.
and behind metal there must be a visible antenna. you need hide it very well.

about animal tracking, it need a good battery or you get a rough track.

about anti theft i had the idea of a chip that you can track via a device,
you send a signal and get a response (keyword RFID) . in a city there are "radar" devices
(like cameras today) and if a chip leave its registered zone it will raise a alarm with current position. this anti theft chip can be hide simple in anything.
 
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MarkusR

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There are much cheaper devices.
For example
https://www.findmespot.com/
Did anyone in the forum use them to develop some apps in B4A?

cheap yes , but + Service costs each year for each device.
i think this SPOT TRACE did not send the position to any other satellite because they provide it as service.
the location service at phone will be possibly a non public web api.
 
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emexes

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There are much cheaper devices. For example https://www.findmespot.com/

You might be on a winner with that USD $99 Spot Trace device, although the USD $225-275 per year service fee is still mildly eye-watering, as previously noted above.

Did anyone in the forum use them to develop some apps in B4A?
It says movement/status reports are sent by "SMS text/email". Re: B4A, apparently receiving SMS discreetly in the background is not as easy as first seems (but is doable, especially if the Android device is dedicated to this role and doesn't have to handle other SMSs). Email should be ok, though - set up a free email account, and query it via so-easy-even-a-human-can-do-it POP3 or similar. Although there's the rub: SMS get sent to you, but email probably means you have to poll. Perhaps you'll be lucky and "SMS text/email" includes the option to do both.
 
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