Rocky Mountain Tracking

By DONNA SANTI / guest columnist

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-          Donna Santi is a creative writer for LandAirSea Systems, a Woodstock, IL-based manufacturer and distributor of expertly-engineered GPS tracking systems, software and accessories. For information about LandAirSea, visit www.landairsea.com. To contact the writer, email donna.santi@landairsea.com

Animal researchers and legislators, puzzled and concerned about a 13-year decline in the moose population in Minnesota, plan to use hi-tech GPS tracking equipment to get some concrete answers.

Wildlife & GPS Tracking

The state’s Department of Natural Resources does an annual head count of the large mammals by flying over their vast range in northeastern Minnesota. The numbers are estimates, because it is difficult to type the migrating moose by age, sex and direction of travel based on a brief glimpse from the sky.  But researchers say they’ve seen an obvious pattern that cannot be denied: When compared with the moose populations in other states, Minnesota has fewer of the animals in overall number, and fewer females (cows) accompanied by calves.

The number of moose deaths, non-related to hunting, has risen, but researchers cannot pinpoint an obvious cause. It could be the result of vehicle accidents, disease or predators.

Another possibility is climate change. Moose are built for the cold. Summer temperatures in the state impact their mobility and health so they must move to marshier, forested habitats.

There are currently about 5,500 moose in the DNR research area (down from 7,600 last year). The one-year drop was significant enough for state lawmakers to take notice. A research and management committee was organized and state funds were earmarked to find out where the moose go for food, shelter and mating; and how they die. Those answers will come from GPS tracking devices.

In February, a group of 14 adult moose - both bulls and cows - were captured briefly in Voyageurs National Park and furnished with GPS tracking system collars.  GPS tracking technology has moved well beyond the obvious applications such as vehicle tracking, fleet management and prisoner monitoring. Similar GPS systems are successfully used to monitor all types of wildlife, including bears, birds, tortoise and wolves.

Since 2002, moose in Minnesota have been tracked with radio frequency tracking systems, built into collars. But traditional radio tracking collars must be removed to retrieve the data. Also they require researchers to stay within a certain range of the collars to get readings, so the project is labor-intensive.

Real-time GPS tracking collars are a newer, more reliable technology. Once the GPS tracking units are securely attached to the animals they’ll record and transmit location data every few minutes. The readings can be seen and studied from any Web-enabled electronic device, anywhere in the world, from the comfort of a home, vehicle, or research center. The high-tech moose trackers are engineered to be highly sensitive GPS receivers, so they will work in all sorts of terrain. The tracking systems have a long-life battery and are designed to come loose and fall off the animal shortly after the batteries lose their power.

Scientists have long suspected that something is causing the state’s moose to die, well short of their expected life span. Other preservation and monitoring methods failed to solve that mystery, because the animals often died deep in the woods and their bodies were never recovered.  Now researchers will be able to tell almost immediately when one of the animals dies, because the tracking data will show no movement. No matter how hidden the body is, the moose can be found by its GPS tracking coordinates. The animal can be examined and tested for cause of death.

Sources: Duluth News Tribune, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

More organizations are benefiting from the location pinpointing ability of GPS tracking devices. One of the more innovative uses has been implemented by a Texas county to keep kids from skipping school. Offenders must appear before the Justice of the Peace, where they are given a GPS tracking device that they must carry during a probationary period.

GPS Tracking & Truancy

The GPS tracking device monitors the location of the students at any given time, and enforcement personnel can check at any time to ensure that they are attending classes as they should be. While traditional methods such as mentoring, court orders, and jail time for repeat offenders have yielded spotty results, the new method has resulted in 95% of monitored students attending classes as they are supposed to.

GPS tracking has proved useful for other law enforcement purposes as well. Departments routinely use the devices to monitor paroled sex offenders and have also seen a measure of success in using GPS vehicle tracking to keep an eye on suspected drug traffickers and other criminal suspects. While controversy exists over whether or not the technology violates privacy, the court system has upheld the use of GPS tracking in general, although some states require a warrant for tracking suspects without their knowledge.

The benefit provided by GPS tracking to law enforcement offices includes the ability to monitor multiple suspects or parolees without the need for additional manpower. They can also assist police with finding stolen property including automobiles and construction equipment, two prime targets for theft. Already strained departments can put their resources to the best use possible instead of placing officers on numerous stakeouts and information gathering assignments. Proponents of the technological solution say that placing a GPS tracking device on a suspect’s car is no different from assigning an officer to follow that suspect, since the transmitter cannot give any information beyond what could be gathered with the naked eye.

As more GPS tracking uses surface, the courts will undoubtedly have to contend with the constitutional question of whether GPS surveillance equates with unreasonable search. For now, departments are singing the praises of the devices, since they save not only manpower, but also limited department funds.  More cases will undoubtedly be brought before state judicial systems as time progresses, but in the interim, the public can expect to see more innovative uses of the technology cropping up in law enforcement departments across the country.

By Greg Bartlett

Just how safe are domestic violence victims, really?  Will that piece of paper with the words “restraining order” written across the top really help?  Is the offender going to come back and surprise the victim at work or home, or maybe while she’s picking up the kids?  Even if he doesn’t hurt her, his presence will frighten her and make her feel threatened in the areas where she’s supposed to be safe.

GPS Monitoring & Victim Safety

Domestic violence victims have already gone through enough pain and trauma.  They don’t need the additional worry that the offender will show up in their safe areas, areas the offender has been forbidden by the court to go.  But what if the offender goes anyway?  The victim will be at least frightened, at worst injured or even killed.

Keeping domestic violence victims safe has long been a challenge since offenders often have to be released back into the community eventually, and no one can keep track of them every minute of the day.  At least, not until recently.  Advances in technology now allow courts to use GPS monitoring to help ensure that domestic violence victims stay safe.  With a GPS device, police, probation, and parole officers can tell exactly where an offender is at any time, allowing the offender to be released from jail or prison but still closely watched to ensure proper behavior.

Perhaps even more importantly for the victim, GPS monitoring will alert the victim and police if the offender enters certain areas.  Usually these areas will be the victim’s home, place of work, and her children’s school.  Although the GPS device won’t stop the offender, it will give the victim advance warning so that she can avoid a face-to-face meeting and perhaps thus avoid injury as well.  If the offender gets too close, she’ll be notified and can leave while the police, also having been alerted, will pick up the offender for violating the order to leave the victim alone.

Despite assurances of the court and promises of a restraining order, domestic violence victims are often not safe and are often pursued by the offender, who may eventually injure or even kill the victim.  Many victims’ families, having lost a loved one because a domestic violence offender wasn’t stopped, are pressing for courts to use GPS monitoring devices to help protect the loved ones of others.  Domestic violence victims aren’t safe yet, but GPS monitoring is a strong step towards helping to fully protect them.

By Greg Bartlett

It seems like every year the NFL rolls out a few new gadgets to help them move along smoothly. Back in 2001, fans were greeted with facial recognition scanners that ensured each visitor could be tagged and tracked throughout the stadium. A few years later in 2006, Homeland Security officers deployed cameras which would output scanned imagery in 3D, allowing security officials to monitor holograms instead of flat video. Recently, the NFL has been employing GPS tracking technology to keep tabs on players and other VIPs prior to and during the game.

GPS Tracking & Sports

Technicians have already hardwired GPS tracking devices into almost all of the vans and buses used by the NFL to transport personnel before the game. Players, referees, security officers, and even the half-time entertainers have the trackers nearby. Officials are able to monitor the position of each vehicle as it comes and goes from the stadium in real time-each tracker pings its satellite every three seconds. The data is fed to PCs and smartphones that display representative icons moving over a satellite view of the city. The system sends a notification to relevant personnel if a vehicle they’ve been waiting for arrives or departs, and any device that strays from its expected path can notify organizers immediately. This information is vital to directing the vast logistical effort that precedes the game. Walkie-talkies, wall maps, and little flagged push pins simply don’t cut it anymore.

A GPS tracking system is an excellent technology to deploy during a large event such as the Super Bowl. Besides the obvious security and logistical advantages, a satellite-based system also bypasses the heavily trafficked data streams that organizers might need to share with the public. Local cell phone towers experience enormous strain during these events-Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon all added extra relay stations prior to the 2010 Bowl. If organizers relied on these public access systems for the crucial logistical communication needed to run the event, they would be subject to the same data hiccups and service outages as everyone else.

Of course, this isn’t the only area in which GPS tracking intersects with football. Researchers in Australia have been outfitting players with tiny GPS trackers in order to study common offense and defense patterns on the field. Another professor in the US hopes to use the same technology to help referees. Still others want to monitor players’ health and vital signs.

The exchange between sports and technology-especially GPS tracking-has only just begun.

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

The tables have been turned on police agencies as more and more municipalities are implementing GPS Tracking systems and deploying them into their squad cars.  Recently, Lowell Massachusetts did the same and experienced a backlash reaction from the majority of the police officers on the force.

GPS Tracking & Police Cars

Their reason for protesting is that these devices encroach upon their privacy.  But the facts behind putting GPS Tracking systems into place are too strong to ignore.  These include:

Employee monitoring

Even police officers are tempted to use company time and their cruisers for personal business.  While it is necessary and proper for police vehicles to be seen out in the public, it is not alright for officers to use them for personal purposes while they are on patrol.  This diverts their attention away from their jobs and can have serious consequences when it comes time to respond to calls for emergency assistance.

Look, no employee likes to be watched over their shoulder, but the simple truth is that if a person is not violating regulations or laws, there should be no objection to this type of monitoring.  Besides, the majority of citizens in the communities in which these systems are being put into place agree with their use.  What is good for other applications of GPS Tracking systems is just as good in this scenario as well.

Location monitoring

Dispatchers who can view a vehicle location on a map without making a radio call, can route the nearest officer to a call with better accuracy which equals better response.  This alone is worth the cost of implementation.  When the issue of public safety arises, most other issues take a back seat in importance.

Maintenance monitoring

Police cars are some of the most abused assets in use today.  And, it stands to reason that any system designed to help monitor maintenance schedules of these vehicles in a closer manner will help them last longer by insuring that they get proper maintenance.  These maintenance schedules can be adjusted based upon not just the number of miles drive, but the terrain as well.

It is only a matter of time until GPS Tracking systems are implemented in a police organization near you.  The benefits are too good to pass up.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking devices to meet any need.  Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business.  You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

By Greg Bartlett

There are many different uses of GPS tracking in the world today. Almost anyone can purchase and use a GPS, although there are different types available, depending on your needs. There are basically two different types of GPS systems. The first type of GPS tracking is passive, while the other is active. Passive tracking occurs when the GPS unit itself records and keeps the data that it receives from the vehicle or person that it is tracking. This information can later be downloaded and processed onto a computer. The other type of tracking is active, which means that the information the GPS unit is receiving is continually passed along to a computer, which then records and analyzes the data.

GPS Tracking

An active GPS tracking unit can work in a variety of ways, although the most popular tends to be via satellite. This means that the unit is attached to an object and when it is turned on, it begins transmitting radio waves, which pass along to a series of satellites. These waves can determine a variety of things, such as the speed of the object, the location, the height or depth, the current status of the object, and many other factors. Each GPS unit is good for different things. The satellites receive this information, which they then pass along to a central computer system located somewhere in the world. Technicians that work with these computers then record the data and pass it along as needed.

GPS tracking is now used even to track people, although there are legal issues involved, depending upon whom you are trying to track. People can be tracked through their cell phones, their personal GPS unit, or even through their car. Electronics are a popular way to track someone down, while credit cards are a non-GPS way of finding who you want. One county in Texas has even begun a program that requires truant teenagers to carry a GPS for a specific number of weeks. Once these teens have been admitted to court, there is a stringent schedule they must follow in order to avoid going to jail. Other places have used GPS tracking for criminals, and some people are seeking to have more liberties while maintaining the perpetrator in custody. Whatever the case may be, GPS tracking continues to evolve and becomes better every day. Make sure you understand all about this new technology.

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

Fleet operations have the unenviable task of monitoring their drivers as they travel their daily routes.  It is a necessary part of the operation to help insure that their drivers are using safe and responsible activities.  A huge burden of liability rests on the companies who have many company-owned vehicles moving along the streets of most major cities and towns.

GPS & Safe Drivers

More of these businesses have turn to GPS Tracking systems to augment their driver safety policies.  Here is how properly outfitted devices can help in this arena:

Awareness

This is true not only when the driver is on the road, where they need to be the most aware of their surroundings and the things happening in front of them, but when they are on their own time as well.  Paying attention to details is always a good choice in remaining focused on any task.  Driving a vehicle, especially a large delivery truck or even semi, requires a constant focus.  But there are always too many distractions.

Responsibility

When a driver is part of an organization that values safety and responsibility, they feel like a part of something bigger than just making deliveries every day.  This is what motivates people to become heroes when they assist others who are involved in traumatic situations.  In fact, the training that they receive often kicks in without them thinking about it.

Safety Alignment

By emphasizing safety, it becomes a part of their everyday routine.  From making sure that their vehicle is operating correctly, to driving with added ownership of their actions at the wheel they are immersed in safety activities.

Encourages Positive Behavior

When drivers value safety and responsibility, they make better decisions on the road.  Knowing that lives are at stake helps a great deal, also.

A GPS Tracking device helps the driver realize that they are being monitored not only for business purposes, but to also ensure that rules of the road and laws are being obeyed at all times.  This will help make sure that the incidents of moving violations are low while driving up customer satisfaction.  Drivers will be more productive as well.  This is a decision that you will not regret making for your business.  Check out one of these systems today.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking devices to meet any need.  Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business.  You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

By Greg Bartlett

Are you a loner?  A child?  A young woman living alone?  A senior citizen?  An outdoorsy camping type?  Then you might need to consider your personal safety and GPS tracking.  Being out and about in the city, or alone in the woods, or anywhere for that matter, has always carried certain risks (even back to the days of highwaymen and bandits, cutthroats and robbers).

Personal Safety & GPS

However, we do have an advantage over our ancestors from the Dark Ages-and that is technology.  We all know how GPS can help you find your way and give directions, but a GPS tracking device can keep track of you wherever you go.  If you are wearing a GPS tracker and get lost in a storm, crash your car, or are abducted, the tracker will let emergency personnel know your exact location.  “So what do you think my cell phone is for?” you may ask.

Cell phones can easily run out of coverage or battery, while a GPS tracker has a battery than can last from 10 to 30 days, depending on which kind you buy.  The FBI reports that during 2008, 778,161 missing persons were entered into the NCIC database.  Another source cites the number of Americans reported missing daily at 2,300.  The news is also full of horror stories of people gone missing-campers trekking off happily into the woods to never be seen alive again; college girls out for a run are mysteriously abducted; children are snatched from their neighborhoods.

You can’t help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if the victims had been wearing a GPS tracking device for their personal safety.  While these are definitely statistics on the morbid side, what about your personal safety during travel?  A dangerous storm, your tire blows, your cell phone dies, you are stranded.  A GPS tracking device can help keep you safe by registering data about your location (via satellite) and downloading to an internet source.  Active GPS tracking systems are considered to be “real-time.”  Passive GPS tracking systems are more of a record of what happened-where the vehicle or person went, how long they were there, etc.

Some GPS even notifies a phone or email if unauthorized movement, tampering, or other suspicious activities occur.  If you are concerned about your personal safety or the personal safety of a child, elderly relative, or any loved one, consider making the investment in a GPS tracking device.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

By Greg Bartlett

Teen drivers, the bane of every parent.  Most parents are or at least should be concerned when their teenager borrows the car for an evening out.  Car accidents are, after all, the leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers.  But what can parents do in order to permit their teens to still be free to do their activities while not endangering themselves or passengers?  After all, isn’t one of the benefits of your teen getting a driver’s license that the teenager no longer has to depend on you to drive him or her everywhere?

There are steps parents can take to help reduce the likelihood of accidents, such as driver’s ed, curfews so the teens don’t drive during dangerous times, and reminding the teens of safety issues.  The “little” things like wearing a seat belt or speeding can make a huge difference in a teen’s life.

But even despite your precautions, what happens if your son decides to take some of his friends out for pizza, and the peer pressure makes your son want to show off rather than follow your instructions?  Just a little bit of speeding, and your son and his friends might end up in the hospital, or even the morgue.  Or what if your daughter decides to sneak out after curfew?  How will you know to stop her until it’s too late?

Teenage Drivers & GPS

GPS tracking is one option parents can use to help ensure the safety of their teenage drivers.  When a car is equipped with a GPS tracking unit, the unit will monitor the car’s activities.  Parents can get a report of their teen’s driving activities so that they know how fast the teen has been driving or if the teen has been out after curfew.  While this won’t stop teens from unsafe driving, it can alert parents to problem areas that need to be addressed.  Better yet, some GPS tracking units will even alert the parent via a text message, email, or phone call the instant the car exceeds a certain speed or is driven during restricted hours, allowing you to stop the problematic behavior immediately and hopefully prevent an accident.

Driving is an important part of your teens’ lives, and of course you want to give them the freedom to drive themselves around - so long as they’re safe.  If you add GPS tracking to your other precautions, such as education and curfews, you can help ensure that your teens are not another accident statistic.

By Harriette Halepis

CTV, Montreal, Canada, February 1, 2010 - On Sunday January 31, 2010, an 80 year old Montreal woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease was found frozen to death. The woman wandered away from the home that she shared with her son early Sunday morning. By the time that her son woke to find his mother missing, it was too late.

GPS Tracking in Shoes

Montreal police found the woman in the parking lot of a local shopping mall wearing nothing but her nightgown in -20 weather. The elderly woman wandered away from her home last year, though she was found unharmed. This is not the first incident involving an elderly person with Alzheimer’s that Montreal police have encountered.

Last year, a 73 year old woman with Alzheimer’s disease was frozen to death after wandering away from her home in the middle of the winter. Both incidents resulted in death, and this is prompting the city of Montreal to reconsider GPS tracking bracelets for Alzheimer’s patients.

The Montreal police force plans to present the city with GPS tracking statistics that prove the worth of GPS tracking bracelets when it comes to Alzheimer’s patients. While this seems like a good idea to many city officials, some people are entirely opposed to the GPS tracking devices.

Executive Director of the Griffith McConnell Residence (Annette Rudy) told CTV reporters that forcing patients to wear GPS trackers “…waives one’s right to privacy, which is there in the charter of human rights.” Under the care of the Griffith McConnell Residence, patients are required to wear magnetic bracelets that set off alarms if patients attempt to leave the building.

Rudy went on to tell reporters that the key to preventing elderly people from wandering is to make sure that each person is “…extremely closely supervised at all times.” Only, what about those people who can’t afford a private residence such as the Griffith McConnell Residence (rates at this Montreal residence range from 1,752 to $4,910 per month)?

With cost as a main consideration, the only solution to the current problem is to make use of GPS ankle bracelets. Even though the implementation of such bracelets will cost the city a bit of money, there’s no doubt that the two women who suffered the fate of harsh winter winds would be alive today if GPS bracelets were part of the equation.