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Fishermen are no strangers to the dangers of the sea. For those that rely on long fishing trips to make a living, the dangers of getting lost at sea, or falling overboard are a part of life. Seasoned fishermen got to be that way by respecting the dangers inherent in their journeys, and doing everything they can to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Before technology advanced to where it is, there wasn’t much fishermen could do to prepare for disasters at sea. This is one of the reasons that superstition is so prevalent on fishing boats. Before people had the means to call the coast guard for help, they sought to avoid catastrophes by banning women, bananas, and other things from boats. These superstitions have mostly disappeared, with the help of technology and science, we understand that a banana isn’t going to sink a ship, or anger the sea gods.

There have been many developments over the years that are gradually decreasing the risks of long sea voyages. One of the most critical of these advances has been the ability to contact a rescue team via radio transmission. Many lives have been saved over the years, when vessels run into trouble and call the coast guard for help. The biggest problem with the coast guard responding to distress calls is locating the people in distress.

Being stranded at sea is never a good thing. With the advancement of GPS tracking technology, however, being stranded anywhere doesn’t quite mean what it used to. Even when you are the only soul within a hundred miles, if you have a GPS tracking device, you can be traced within one hundred yards. Newer and smaller devices are on the market, that not only send a distress call to the coast guard, but also provide the exact longitude and latitude information of the vessel or person.

Many of these devices automatically send the distress signal and GPS tracking data, under certain conditions. If the devices become wet or sense too much movement, a notification is sent to the coast guard. A majority of these cases are false alarms, so the coast guard will verify there is an emergency before launching a rescue mission. These devices can greatly improve rescue times, by giving an exact location of the vessel in distress.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor

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After months of saving and planning, you’ve purchased a new car. Now you find yourself with the fear shared by most new vehicle owners, the fear of theft. Various websites offer advice on keeping your vehicle safe from thieves. However, what if these tips fail? What if your new car does get stolen? How do you or the police find it again?

GPS devices, since their invention, have had many purposes. Companies have used them to keep items safe and keep track of employees. Individuals, too, have made use of these devices. The devices help them track their family members– including their possibly unfaithful spouses or their own children and provide many other uses. Among these many uses is vehicle tracking. Vehicle tracking allows, among other uses, car owners to track down a stolen car.

Of course, most people think their car will never be stolen and they’ll never need vehicle tracking devices. Auto owners repeatedly leave their windows down, an invitation to car thieves, and sometimes even forget their keys in their cars. In addition, cars are even, at times, left running. Of course, the best way to prevent theft is to take precautions–roll up windows, turn off cars, and take keys out. However, what if you take all these precautions and your car is still stolen?

Some cities, including Houston, found that auto thefts rose in 2009. Although one can only imagine that many of these thefts were due to a lack of foresight from vehicle owners, some of these cars were probably stolen from owners who had taken all the right safeguards. Still, these car owners likely forgot one last safeguard–their GPS vehicle tracking devices. These devices allow owners and police officers to discover where the car is, what streets it’s traveled, and even what speed it’s going and what stops it’s made. In addition, the devices are easy to hide, so car thieves may not see it and think to remove or disable it.

GPS vehicle tracking is less expensive than having a car damaged or stolen. Technology has improved so that is it even less complicated than ever! Take a little extra effort and invest now to safeguard one of your most necessary possessions. You could lose it and never get it back.

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Are you an owner of a company? Do you use tractor trailers to transport your goods or services? If so, tractor trailers are becoming targets of thieves in various places around the country. Would you like to rest easy knowing that you can track your goods using fleet tracking? It will come in handy not only to assist in the recovery of stolen goods but also allows you to monitor the truck (e.g., going the right direction, validation of time driven, etc.).

Basically, fleet tracking allows you to monitor/track any number of vehicles in real time, indicating the precise location and direction of movement of tractor trailers or other vehicles. They are helpful because they allow a trucking company to monitor and make necessary changes to routes if something unforeseen occurs (e.g., major car accident, bad weather, etc.). Fleet tracking uses GPS technology to monitor the whereabouts of a truck. GPS (global positioning system) units located on assets, people, possessions, etc., transmit a signal to one of the satellites (24 in all) located above the earth. From the satellites in outer space, the real-time movement and location of the asset is transmitted to a GPS-enabled device. This allows tracking of the asset by the person possessing the GPS-enabled device. Certain GPS tracking software allows you to examine a track later and determine the movements of an asset (i.e., tracking in historical time).

Qualcomm Enterprise Services has introduced its new Trailer Tracks 210. It will be officially added at the beginning of 2011. The TT 210 is said to have much better coverage in Mexico, solar energy, Bluetooth capability, more memory, and a more compact design. The TT 210 will allow fleet owners to monitor their assets in transit from one portal. The company also plans to offer its StarTrak Reefer Track System for refrigerated shipments. The Reefer Track system will allow its users to manage its fleet shipments via remote control. It can set alarms, timers, and begin defrosts on refrigerated products in transport. Temperatures and set points are also at the control of customers through their Reefer Track system. Additionally, this new technology on its newer line of trucks allows for tracking of and control levels of fuel consumption.

As technology advances the consumer is the person who wins. Faster delivery times, less food spoilage, tracking fuel usage – all add up to cost savings. Business owners are smart to embrace new technology. Are you keeping up with improvements in your field? Make it your goal for 2010!

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Innovative, ground-breaking technological devices are on a continual rise in recent years. Perhaps the most famous device to hit the electronic markets is the Apple iPad. Unfortunately, the rise of technology has given thieves and burglars a greater selection of items from which to steal. Has your Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, Android, or any other electronic device been stolen? Have you recovered it?

A GPS tracking device is a handy means of recovering kidnapped people and animals or stolen possessions. GPS (global positioning system) has twenty-four satellites located in six orbital spheres above the earth. These satellites provide GPS coverage for virtually any place on earth. The satellites send a signal to a GPS-enabled device on earth, giving the real time location of an asset on the move. A GPS tracking device must be attached to the stolen goods in order to track it. It is also possible to use a GPS tracking device in historical time (not just real time). With the assistance of GPS tracking software, one can review a GPS recording at a later time and locate the whereabouts of a person or item.

Recently, an Apple employee returned to his San Jose home to discover that his two iPads had been stolen. He later found out he arrived about an hour after the theft occurred. Realizing that he could use the GPS tracking device on his iPhone to recover his iPads, he (along with the assistance of a police officer) tracked the movement of the iPads through the city and then turn onto Cape George Place. The GPS tracker led the Apple employee and police to a 1998 Dodge Neon. Police surrounded the vehicle and located the two iPads along with numerous other electronic devices. Estimated totals for all the stolen equipment were around $20,000. Police arrested Francisco Chavez and Arturo Urrutia (both of San Jose) and charged them with burglary. Arraignment is expected in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

The police did not know what the escape vehicle looked like. They followed an icon (representing the escape car) on an iPhone screen. The signal provided from one of the twenty-four satellites located above the earth to the GPS tracking device on the iPhone led the Apple employee and police to the stolen iPads. With technology continually improving and increasing in value, a GPS tracking device is very useful.

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School bus operators and commercial fleet managers have the same problems in managing their fleets. It can be difficult to gather precise information about what route was driven, how long stops took, and where a disabled vehicle is located. Lack of this information limits the ability to plan the most efficient route for each fleet vehicle. Some school districts are trying GPS fleet tracking technology to keep tabs on their buses.

Fleet tracking works like any other GPS tracking. Each vehicle in the fleet is equipped with a device that communicates with satellites to determine the location and movement of the vehicle. This information can be monitored constantly or checked at regular intervals, depending on the device and software used. It can be real-time or recorded for future study. Fleet tracking puts together a system to monitor multiple vehicles at the same time and record the information so it can be evaluated and compared. Companies then use the information to keep drivers accountable, calculate costs, and plan more efficient movement of people and freight.

The Omaha public school district tested GPS fleet management on five buses for six weeks this past spring. Transportation director David Wolfe was impressed with how helpful the information was. The GPS system was then selected by the Sherwood Foundation from a list of priorities to be paid for with a large grant.

The information from the GPS system will be used to monitor a variety of things. It will record when doors open and when the stop arm of a bus is used. It will record idle times so that routes can be adjusted to be more efficient. It will estimate arrival times for buses that are running late. It will show the location of a broken-down bus.

All of this information will help the school district run efficient routes, saving on fuel and other operating expenses. It will keep drivers accountable to drive both safely and efficiently. It will keep parents informed on where their children are and when they will arrive home. Most importantly, it will keep children safer because their location will be immediately known if a problem ever arises. More school districts should try fleet tracking with their buses and see the benefits of this valuable way to manage a fleet of vehicles with GPS tracking.

Article written by Greg Bartlett for Rocky Mountain Tracking, Inc.

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Outdoor activities and extreme sports are enjoyed by a group of people who find living life on the dangerous side very exciting.

GPS Tracking & Outdoor Activities

But, even the casual outdoor lover can find themselves in some precarious positions if they are not careful.  Recently a group ventured into the Elkhorn river Near Omaha, Nebraska, and was unprepared for the waters that they encountered and ended up with a capsized water craft and a near drowning.

Fortunately for them, one in the group had a smartphone with GPS Tracking enabled which helped local fire and rescue to pinpoint their location and assist in the recovery of the group members.

This incident underscores two very important things about going out into unfamiliar places at particularly dangerous times.

Proper Preparation is Mandatory

There are certain things that need to be done to help make sure that there are no disasters that could have been avoided with proper preparation.

First, investigate the area into which you are going.  Get a map of your destination and note specific spots on the map that can help you: fire/rescue facilities, hospitals and police stations.  Take the map with you when you go.

Next, make a trip itinerary and give it to those you leave behind.  Put details in it like where you are going, when you will arrive there and when you will be coming back.  Also, note if you are going to be out of communications with the rest of the world and when you expect to re-connect.  Leave a copy of a map that shows your intended path.

Inclusion of Technology Can Assist

GPS Tracking devices are worthy of a place among your gear because they can be helpful if you should become stranded on your trip.  And that includes your treks into the wilderness where most cellular signals do not exist.  GPS enabled smartphones are great, but not if there is no signal with which authorities can home in on if there is a problem.

When you arrive at your destination, find out if local authorities have the ability to track GPS signals.  If so, link up with them so that if there is a problem, they can instantly view your location and respond to any emergencies that might arise.

These are the base activities that you must perform to help protect yourself.  These common sense tips are available to anyone who chooses to use them.  And, for those who do not, their risk is greater.  Have fun, but remember to be prepared.

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It comes with territory, so to speak, that social networking opens users up to dangerous security issues.  The two sites that are encouraging ‘checking in’ wherever you may be are gowalla.com and foursquare.com.

The first reason that these social networking sites are raising concern is because they encourage users to ‘check in’ which provides your location instantly to those in your group.

The Internet & Security

The second reason is because they are being used improperly by those who sign up.

The positive and great things that smartphone technology has brought us have created a breeding ground for potential hazards.  As with anything, caution is the way to approach these sites.

A social network that encourages you to provide your location is dangerous in that not only do people know where you are, but they also know where you are NOT.  Home comes to mind as the most likely place that you are vulnerable.  Thieves target houses that they know are unoccupied.

And, just because your social network includes only ‘friends’ does not mean that you cannot be targeted.  Social networking sites are not known for their impeccable security methods.

In their defense, site creators issue guidelines on how to use their site and where to use it.  It does not include things like telling your social network that you are at home, in bed, or God forbid, in the bathroom.  You are encouraged to meet up with those in your social network at public places and entertainment venues, etc.  And, they include some already marked out public places.

But, you can add your own, and here’s where the problem of security comes into play.  People are adding their homes, rooms in their homes and even (as mentioned) their beds.  The more users tell people where they are located, the more they give out information on where they are not or, if they are in a place that makes them vulnerable.

One important guideline when using these is to only check in at public places.  Keep your private treks at or from home private.

Also, one last thing to consider is to purchase a GPS Tracking device to help monitor your locations (privately) and add an extra layer of insurance from a security standpoint.  These devices are much less expensive than ever, and you can find a model that will meet your needs.

When opening up yourself to potential invasions of security or privacy it is best to take extra precautions to protect yourself because you never know when you might be the target of some very bad people.

article by James Neely

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Source acquired via Toronto Sun, July 2, 2010 – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recently set up a drug sting operation called “Project Ocaper” that was meant to track down Peruvian drug dealers. What the RCMP discovered was that a fellow RCMP officer stole a brick of fake cocaine along with various other confiscated goods.

Drugs in Bag

Constable Sheldon Cook was found guilty of stealing one brick of fake cocaine and 21 MP3 players from a police building. Cook stole the fake drugs and the MP3 players while he was on duty. What Cook did not know was that RCMP police had filled numerous bags with flour and GPS tracking devices in order to arrest Peruvian drug dealers. When the drug shipment arrived at a Toronto airport (inside boxes of mangoes), police began to track the shipment.

While the GPS trackers that were inside of the fake cocaine shipment stopped working for two days, police were able to track the fake cocaine once the devices began working again. RCMP found the GPS trackers inside of a shipment that was inside of Cook’s home. Cook told a Toronto court that he had been framed by his fellow police officers, though he was found guilty. Cook will be sentenced in Toronto on August 5, 2010.

While the GPS trackers that were inside of the fake cocaine shipment did not work at first (for unknown reasons), the two trackers eventually led police to Cook’s home. Without the help of the GPS tracking devices, Cook would not have been apprehended. The Toronto court that heard Cook’s case did not believe that Cook had been set up by his co-workers. Instead, Judge Casey Hill found that Cook has acted alone when he stole both the fake cocaine and the MP3 players.

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The obvious answer to this question is ‘yes.’  The implementation of GPS Tracking devices has long been at the forefront of privacy discussions.  In fact, there are real dangers that are inherent if the motivation behind their use ever turns to illegal practices.  Even some well-intentioned people allow a measure of privacy invasions to accomplish their goals.

GPS & Privacy Risk

That is why you should recognize the risks and know how to protect your privacy and rights.  Here are the things that you should be aware of regarding this topic.

Using GPS Enabled Cell Phones Compromises Your Privacy

Turning on the feature that you want to use to track your kids in turn makes them vulnerable to outside tracking.  The simple fact that the smartphone is available on the cell system as a GPS device makes it open to attention by prying eyes.  Think before you decide to use it, and then turn the GPS part off (if you can) once you are finished with it.

Your Privacy Can be Breached by Tracking Your Vehicle(s)

Tracking devices can be attached to your cars or trucks without your knowing.  These can be the passive types of trackers, or active ones that show in real-time where you are going and the location of your vehicle.  If you suspect that this is the case, you can perform a thorough inspection of your car to see if there is a device attached.

Your Rights are Secondary to Existing Laws

We all know how important our right to privacy is these days, but it is a simple fact that they are getting trampled upon more and more.  Those who choose to track you can submit any evidence that they obtain in a court of law and it is accepted as factual.  There are those who have tried to prohibit this from happening with no success.  Even though you are supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, it doesn’t always work that way.

Tracking is Done Without Your Knowledge or Permission

As mentioned before, you can be tracked without your knowing.  Permission is not required for using GPS Tracking devices for those in the general public.  Private investigators have turned to using them for their own purposes.  Police are required to get a court order before using them, but that does not always happen, either.

Tracking is Occurring Right Now

The GPS signals are everywhere and are difficult to avoid.  It is difficult for them to penetrate some buildings, but some systems also use cellular signals to assist.  On-going tracking is occurring right now for various uses.

Just knowing that they exist can help you navigate the world of gps tracking. Don’t forget that use of gps tracking devices is assisting our courts in monitoring criminals given access to the outside world. The use of these devices is varied and becoming more commonplace. Knowing your rights of privacy is important. We will try to keep you updated in this area. Bookmark this blog and stay “in-the-know”!

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Nanotechnology notwithstanding, many electronic devices are getting so small that it is almost unbelievable.  Consider the cell phone, the watch, and even GPS Tracking devices.

Smaller and Smaller Devices

The need for a small footprint in a tracking device is driven by several factors.

First the smaller size allows one to better conceal a device.  This is important in tracking things and even people.

Some GPS tracking devices are sewn into clothing for children which provides parents a better method for keeping track on their location.

Some of these are hidden in product that is being shipped for the purpose of being able to track it and make sure that it reaches its intended destination.  If it becomes stolen, it serves as a beacon for law enforcement officials for recovery purposes.

Next, the smaller the unit, the less battery consumption takes place which allows it to last longer than larger counterparts.  Consider that cell phone batteries have shrunk to almost nothing, yet provide days of activity between charges.  In small dedicated units the power consumption is not nearly as great a drain on the battery as are cell phones and smart phones.

Some of the products that are being manufactured to meet the demands of smaller applications include the following.

GPS Watches. The ultimate trick for fooling a predator that they have taken or injured someone and think they will never be caught.  But, beyond this is the data capabilities that help athletes and runners track and monitor their workouts and races.

GPS Tracking Devices for Children. Need to keep a closer eye on where your children are and what they are doing?  You can choose one of several products available in this market to accomplish this goal.  What you will find are varying degrees of usability and features as well as pricing.  Is it worth it?  Only you can be the judge.

GPS Tracking Systems for Products. Professional businesses offer these systems to help secure cargo and product shipments to their destination.  Pricing varies by company, but the bottom line is that if you handle expensive and highly sought out product by thieves it can save many hours of frustration and customer relationships.  These are best used with other GPS tracking methods by the shipping industry to help insure that your business runs like it needs to – safely and theft-free.

GPS Tracking for the Banking Industry. Devices are being used and installed into bank bags which allow police to track bank robbers before they even realize that they are being tracked.  More of these devices are being used every day.

GPS Tracking for the Auto Industry. Small devices are installed into vehicles by owners to help track their teen drivers, and make sure that if there is a theft, the vehicle can be recovered quickly.  Also, some auto dealers that finance their own vehicles are using them to locate customers who stop making payments on their cars and trucks.

All of these devices vary in price and even capabilities.  It is best to perform extensive research before making a purchase decision.

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