Found another option for tracking bikes if stolen, seems alot cheaper than the GPS intallation method.
I'm definelty looking a getting a few of these, easier to hide.
https://www.thetrackr.com/bravo
Seems the App is Free, downloaded the iphone version free of charge.
You can purchase the TrackR sticker version or the TrackR Wallet version now, the Bravo version is the one that will be ready for despatch in April.
Sticker version is $99.95 for 5 plus $10.00 postage.
https://www.thetrackr.com/sticker/checkout?locale=en&utm_expid=74255149-9.acl5oS6dSZKUMQf4W-GVzg.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetrackr.com%2Fsticker%3Flocale%3Den
Wallet version is $99.95 for 8 plus $10.00 postage
https://www.thetrackr.com/wallet/checkout?utm_expid=65247255-5.Lj6HYXH7TG-yXwtzj1yjnA.1&locale=en&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetrackr.com%2Fwallet%3Flocale%3Den#ab_test=b
As mentioned above it uses a Crowd GPS Network to relay.
"The TrackR bravo, however, is claimed to be the thinnest device of its type available, with width of just 3.5 mm and a diameter of 34 mm (1.34 in). It's also said to have the world’s largest Crowd GPS network. This means that although the TrackR bravo only has a range of 100 ft (33 m), when one user of the TrackR app comes within range of another user's lost item, an alert will be relayed to that other user".
Yes, you're right Bonkerz, a smart phone does use bluetooth to 'talk' to the TrackR device, and then you can find that device by watching the signal strength, and homing in on it. Definitely doesn't use satellite GPS. The 'crowd GPS" is just a name given to the effect that occurs if a lot of phones have the app loaded that can receive the TrackR signal. If any smart phone with the app gets within range it sends the GPS coordinates back to a central server. Then you can log into the server to get information about where the TrackR was last located, and go there, and try to use the bluetooth aspect to home into the exact location. Website says it all, pretty much https://www.thetrackr.com/tech-specs?locale=en So the more people that have the app, and in the more populated areas, it may work OK. It's cheap enough and who knows, might save your bike one day. Probably better for finding those lost keys, or keeping track of a wayward child?
my tracking device
Ah, the K9 TrackR, I heard they can be quite expensive to run?