I just wang to start off by saying that I am very new to hardware building so please bare with me if I am asking stupid questions.
I am looking to make a gps module that can be used to track position, acceleration, speed etc and transfer the data back to a server where I will be able to read all the data being transmitted. I have been doing some research on it and I believe my best bet might be to follow down the path of HAB trackers.
My plan is to set up a gps module then use vhf to transmit the data so I am wondering if anyone knows of any good tutorials to achieve this/good starting points and what equipment I might need? Alternatively if there is a better alternative to achieve the same result.
@srnet
My plan was to try and track myself. I would be able to take the device with me and later be able to see where I have been.
I was thinking along the lines on HAB because I don't want go use 3g to transmit the data for the project and that was typically all I could find when I was looking for gps personal trackers.
If it is only for yourself then why transmit the data back to a server? Store the data in the device and download it when you get home.
An Arduino, GPS module and SD card module can do this. That should be pretty cheap and fun to put together.
Hint: search for "Arduino GPS logger". When you use a word like "track" that usually means you want to transmit the data.
Sparkfun has a good module to transmit this kind of data via satellite, if you still want a tracker but are outside phone coverage. However at that point, you should probably just buy a SPOT or InReach.
A HAB tracker has the added complication of getting data back to some central point, and whilst this is usually quite easy since line of sight ground to balloon is usually very good, doing the same for tracking a person at ground level is a very much harder problem.
HABs dont normally use 3G either, your not going to get the needed range especially in out of coverage areas.
As has been mentioned you need a GPS logger, so you can send the GPS data to an SD card.
Thanks you all for the advice, I will look into the suggestions.
I wanted to transmit the data back to a server because I wanted to be able to view the data at any given time from any device and thought keeping that information on a central point which I could then access would be the easiest way to do it.
I am looking for a solution to a similar (probably a bit more complex project)
build a lightweight GPS finder for my dog. Has to be light to be attached to the dog collar, operate with low voltage battery (up to 9v standard) and being able to transmit data in areas where there is no 3g/4G coverage using most probably a vhf module.
DO you have any idea on where to start?
Thanks!
My dogs are english setters so you dont have to wonder anymore.,.,.,. a tracker should be able to get attached to the dogs collar..this is the main size/waight limitation.
What I am asking is a very typical gps tracking product mainly offered by garmin
makis_m:
My dogs are english setters so you dont have to wonder anymore.,.,.,. a tracker should be able to get attached to the dogs collar..this is the main size/waight limitation.
I am not a dog expert so I have no idea how much weight an English setter could reasonably carry.
You need to tell us non dog experts what size and weight you had in mind for this 'lightweight' tracker.
If you happen to see the news broadcast relating to the government hunters using hounds to find the cougar that killed an Oregon woman hiker. The video shows the dogs with tracking devices. The devices are dog backpacks with a VHF whip antenna. Probable frequency is in the 150 MHz business band. The GPS location information is transmitted to a central receiving site.
There seems to be a commercial business supplying the government with both hunters and dogs. The TV news shows a clip with a map showing the dog locations.
This may be what the OP is thinking of developing for his dog. The battery life may be the limiting factor for him.