GPS theft protection.

[WaveDemon]

I've seen some posts in the past talking about gps traking your ski incase of theft. I've had ski's stolen in the past and if this one goes I'm out for a long time.

I would really like to do some kind of GPS theft protection for my ski but all the systems I’ve found are outrageously expensive. Big upfront cost and high monthly payments. The only thing I can think of that might be a little more affordable is a GPS tracking cell phone that I can add to my current cell phone account.

Keeping it charged and undamaged would be a challenge but not impossible.


Anyone know any other workable options?

 

[MADMAT]

I would love to know this too. There has to be a reasonable option. If not yet then very soon I bet. It would be so nice to just "bug" everything and forget about it.

 

[thegoldenboy]

Keeping it charged and undamaged would be a challenge but not impossible.

Yes, quite the challenge. You'd have to work quick, would only have 2-3 days battery life.

 

[WaveDemon]

Yes, quite the challenge. You'd have to work quick, would only have 2-3 days battery life.

I was thinking it could be wired to the ski battery.

 

[thegoldenboy]

Interesting... Where would you hide it?


I guess as long as you were in the area as soon as the ski was gone and moving, you'd just have to round up the boys and roll out.

If you were away for the weekend or out of town, sadly the GPS would be no good to you.

Unless you have buddies who have balls and would help you out. Kicking down a door for someone elses stuff would be kind of cool.

 

[WaveDemon]

Interesting... Where would you hide it?


I guess as long as you were in the area as soon as the ski was gone and moving, you'd just have to round up the boys and roll out.

If you were away for the weekend or out of town, sadly the GPS would be no good to you.

Unless you have buddies who have balls and would help you out. Kicking down a door for someone elses stuff would be kind of cool.

hide it in the foam of the top deck. maybe use a pelican case to water proof it.

 

[yankeeboy]

I was thinking something along the lines of the chips they put into dogs now incase they get lost. Something like this >>http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050501/news_1c01chip.html
You could take that, drill a hole in your tray, drop it in, seal it up and turf over.

 

[Odd Duck]

I was thinking something along the lines of the chips they put into dogs now incase they get lost. Something like this >>http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050501/news_1c01chip.html
You could take that, drill a hole in your tray, drop it in, seal it up and turf over.

None of the chips currently available for animals are GPS chips. They are RFID and must be scanned in near proximity to the animal - the scanner must be no more than about 5-6" away. The animal chips only hold a number and you must call the company to get any data. As far as I know, no one is using a chip in animals that actually holds a significant amount of info. If they were, I'd have them in mine.

There are collars that are used on wildlife that are GPS locators. I'm not sure of the tech behind these, but they are, for the most part, fairly large. The ones I have seen are about 2" x 5" and fairly heavy (couple pounds, I think). They also make a small chip that they use on raptors that is nice and small, but only has a detection range of about 1/2 mile. I don't believe it is a GPS chip, but depends on a fairly expensive scanner device that must be programmed for the chip. It is purely a locator chip for falconry and for studies.

I'm not sure why they haven't come up with something smaller yet that could be used for this. As small as phones are these days, and they have GPS capacity, there ought to be a way to do this.

 

[Jetaddict]

There's a product called the GPS SNITCH, and I believe it runs $399 for the hardware and software, then an additional 13 or 19 bucks a month for monitoring- I'll see if I can find the link. The main GPS transmitter is about the size of a deck of cards.

 

[Jetaddict]

www.gps-snitch.com

 

[MADMAT]

That thing is sick!!! I wish it was 99 bones and 10 per month though.

 

[Odd Duck]

www.gps-snitch.com

That looks pretty good. I wonder how durable it would be to impact/jumping, water-resistence, etc?

 

[Shonuff]

This is what insurance is for. Make sure your coverage is adequate and up to date.

 

[willycrumb]

Or stop leaving your ski on a trailer in the driveway. How is it that your ski is getting stolen? Seems really random unless you are careless or have some angry enemys.:starwars:

 

[mybad]

That thing is sick!!! I wish it was 99 bones and 10 per month though.

I agree. A little pricey tho. Ill stick with Nationwide for now. I'm paying $212 a year for 8K and liability. Compared to GPS still reasonable.

 

[WaveDemon]

Or stop leaving your ski on a trailer in the driveway. How is it that your ski is getting stolen? Seems really random unless you are careless or have some angry enemys.:starwars:

no they were in the back yard (on a lake)

I now have my ski in the driveway on a trailer with cables through the trailer wheels, frame and over the drive shaft of the ski. there isn't anywhere else to put it right now.

 

[willycrumb]

I thought of the lake scenario after I posted. That would be the easiest way to get a ski stolen. Only takes a the ability to start it and ride off or float it away.

The crap thing here is you know there are tiny cheap tracking devices out there but only the FBI gets to play with it.

 

[WaveDemon]

I thought of the lake scenario after I posted. That would be the easiest way to get a ski stolen. Only takes a the ability to start it and ride off or float it away.

The crap thing here is you know there are tiny cheap tracking devices out there but only the FBI gets to play with it.

funny thing is they stole a superjet with no motor and another superjet with no battery and 4 broken motor mounts. they left a running blaster and a running xlt1200.