| On Topic same and use a cellular communication detector to‘ look’ for a tracking unit; a few trackers can prevent this.
Potentially, thieves however can‘ listen’ for a tracker talking or making cellular communication with its base and jam its data stream using the right technology.
The GSM cellular tracker is a unit with an inbuilt SIM card that sends and receives texts or data to and from a server using the Global Systems Mobile communications network hence GSM – the same as a mobile phone and it can be used simply to triangulate an approximate position of the machine.
The GPS system uses satellites and a tracker with Global Position System( GPS) technology can pin-point the location of a machine to within three to four meters. The cellular network is used to transmit its location to base but it is unfortunately more easily blocked than the GSM device.
The RF Beacon or Radio Frequency( RF) tracking is only effective up to around a mile or so at best, depending on the terrain. When coupled to a tracker it’ s the monitoring staff that will triangulate the crafts position using GSM. It then becomes possible to home in on the beacon using a radio receiver. This short range tracking system is the most accurate location method but it can be hampered by being blocked in or hidden inside a shipping container for instance.
The RF beacon also allows the tracking company to be almost certain a stolen item is inside a property, making it far easier for officers to obtain a warrant.
Without a warrant, police cannot legally enter a private property without the consent of the owner, or unless the owner of the property has been arrested.
Some tracking devices need to be wired into a machines wiring loom whilst others are
portable and can be moved from one item to another.
Suggested successful tracking devices- Tracker, CanTrack and Bike Track.
Trackers wired into a machine generally need a live and neutral to the battery, along with a switched feed from the ignition, so the unit knows when the key is being used. Most will have a back-up battery, should the wiring be disconnected, and in this case, many trackers will go into alert mode by default.
Portable passive devices have no impact on the use of any machine it’ s fitted to unless of course you activate one of the sensors. It needs little management and you won’ t need to change any settings or notify the company when travelling abroad or if it’ s in an enclosed area. There’ s little need to‘ manage’ the device at all, so it’ s pretty much a fit and forget system.
One advantage of the passive device is that a lot of stolen items are now moved and left whilst scanning equipment is used to see if a tracker is fitted to it. Portable passive units are not communicating at all or only at a predetermined time and therefore may not be discovered.
Whilst a trackers signal can be blocked by sealed metal containers, many will still work if the property is inside a van for instance. Accurate and immediate tracking can at least trace the properties movements to the last visible position, which could be enough as a starting point for RF detection.
If they are hidden under metal it restricts the performance of their GPS / cellular transmitters and it may be advisable to use an‘ extended’ GPS antenna for increased accuracy.
Clearly the companies support teams play a big role in recovering property and when an RF beacon tracks a stolen item the team members can monitor its location until the police are able to attend. As nowadays police resources
become increasingly stretched, this has become a major selling point.
The question of whether to alert or not to alert an owner of movement at the machine is a frequently asked one.
The disadvantage of not alerting the owner or the tracking company of movement of the property is that theft won’ t be notified until the owner discovers it. If the device has its motion sensing turned on all the time however it would cause a significant drain on the battery and its signaling life could be short, as it would be communicating all the time.
Motion detection however can be enabled during a single period each day or it could be set to motion sensing which wouldn’ t necessarily add additional battery drain unless it was triggered by which time the device would be communicating with its base.
In essence if you are buying a tracking device for any of your machinery then do your research on the manufacturer and as long as the device has GPS, a VHF homing beacon and an effective 24 / 7 support team and the cost is agreeable then if you do become a victim of theft this year then you have a good( 9 / 10) chances of it being recovered. http:// www. bbc. co. uk / news / uk-40900442
www. farmingmonthly. co. uk September 2017 | Farming Monthly | 13