Treelad

I'm not familiar with the box telematics device, though I did discuss trackers with them 10 years ago.

 

I have used a chipper with the original tracker, this was well hidden and secure and used an external aerial, you did need to know it had been stolen to have the operating centre switch the VHF alarm on and there was an annual subscription.

 

I inherited responsibility for 3 machines with cubetrak devices. These are tiny boxes with an internal battery that lasts about 3 days and a separate charge feed from the vehicle. None are well hidden or securely fixed, so could be smashed off and discarded easily. They report position via a central webserver which has been flaky, I have seen a machine enter the yard recently with its position being reported as 10 miles away for the next 12 hours. This system uses a PAYG SIM and sends sms alerts when moved beyond a set radius. The last known status of speed, battery, reception and position is shown on the web interface, as well as movement history. It uses data and sms credits to upload to the web interface and can be set to report in intervals from seconds to days. It is prone to report false positives and these use credits. If it isn't moved or doesn't exceed a set speed it won't update and hence doesn't use credit or data. The problem is this can give a false sense of security and it may have simply logged off without one knowing. Later versions with the vodafone data sim can report that they are logged on to a cell tower, which is a good check that they are live, unfortunately this is again done through the supplier's web site and is flaky.

 

I have one satrak fitted by plant security, I have to say their salesman was persistent but aftersales has been pants, cost was 700quid inc. It uses a PAYG SIM and there are no subsciption costs and you have direct control of the device. This unit lasts about 3 hours after it has been disconnected from the vehicle battery (which may be an internal battery fault), it will send an sms if it senses overspeed, vibration, low battery or ignition. It also immobilises the vehicle. It can be interrogated by voice call or sms but the data returned is in a bizarre order. The GPS is insensitive, on a recent 50 mile trip it never got a fix and has remained in a asbestos reinforced concrete roofed barn over Xmas with still no fix and reporting itself 50 miles away, it does state it is an old position. The satrak has the facility to set a schedule, outside of which it will not report any of the alarms and hence not use sms credits during the working day. Again strangely this schedule does not automagically disable the vehicle via the immobiliser but it does enable it, again this may be a warranty fault. The sim does not report the cell tower it is connected to. I have never been close enough to this machine to attempt to start it to see exactly what the limitations are.

 

A number of my colleagues have trackers on their sports cars, none seem to understand how they work, they get an sms if the vehicle is entered, cost a couple of hundred quid a year to subscribe to the system and about 400 to fit.

 

What I think is needed is firstly a good immobiliser integrated with a brake, most tracked chippers have this by default in the track motor, next is parking where a hiab lorry cannot get alongside. Next is the tracker which should have a means of checking it is logged on and functioning without using too much credit. Satrak ticks most of these boxes but any android smartphone has all the functionality if I were bright enough to write an app. It goes without saying that cellphone reception is at least an order of magnitude better than GPS.

 

A fundamental problem with all these GSM devices seems to be if they are out of reception and the thief has time to locate the device.

 

AJH

Thanks for the helpful advise.

Thanks for the info guys! I will be getting a tracker fitted just going to make a few phone call to the company's and see what is on offer.

Thanks for the reply, yeah Thiefbeaters system looks worth while. I already have the big chain and lock, wheelclamp, and hitch lock I just thought a tracker maybe the next best option.

Thanks

I am looking to getting a tracker fitted to my trucks, Has anyone got one fitted to their chipper? Do they work I have heard mixed views about them?

Any recommendations on which ones to use? Any info would be useful?

Regards

Thanks

Has anyone got any recommendation of where is a good place to get a tipping chip box made for a landy? The closer to the North East the better.

Thanks

Thanks for that guys I will check them out tomorrow.

That is a good point Kev I will have a look in to that, just finding it hard to get some where that hires out small grinders in that area.

Thanks

I am looking for some where I can hire a small stump grinder (preferably to fit down a 32inch walk way)

In the North East the closer to Stockton on tees the better, does anyone know of some where with a reasonable price to hire and that has a machine that would fit down the walk way?

Thanks