Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

GPS Tracking Protects Valuables

January 9th, 2010

By Greg Bartlett

You do everything you can to protect your home. You purchase homeowners insurance to provide a safety net in the event of catastrophic loss. You install fire alarms and sprinkler systems to prevent extensive fire damage. Your doors are protected by deadbolts and alarm systems. But what if a thief gets past your preventative measures? All your planning could mean nothing if a thief takes off with your most valuable possessions. You can ensure that thieves don’t get away with their crimes by protecting your assets with a GPS tracking device.

GPS Tracking and Property Protection

When you think about the items in your home, what are the things that would be expensive and difficult to replace? Perhaps it’s your jewelry, your computer, or another treasured possession. You can protect your valuables by placing a GPS tracking device on them. The device will send a signal at specified intervals to your home computer, allowing you to see the item’s location at any time. In the event of theft, you can immediately notify the police department and provide them with the information they need to conduct a quick and effective recovery operation.

Some GPS tracking device models also allow you to see additional information such as speed and direction of travel. If a thief hops in a car with your stolen item, you can follow him as he makes his getaway, providing the police with the ability to send officers exactly to the location of the item.

GPS tracking proves invaluable for owners of laptops and other expensive, portable items. It’s easy for a thief to snag a laptop bag as the owner sits sipping coffee with friends or to take one out of a parked car at the mall. You do all you can to be careful when you’re out and about, but thieves still make off with thousands of dollars in stolen goods each year. If you’ve planned ahead by protecting yourself with a GPS tracking device, however, you can make sure your item is returned to you and that the thief is taken out of circulation.

It’s difficult not to worry about thefts when you hear about them every day on the news. When a GPS tracking device is protecting your valuables, however, you can rest assured that you have done everything in you power not only to prevent theft, but also to aid recovery if a thief does get into your home or car.

Where’s Your Stuff?

December 24th, 2009

By Greg Bartlett

Your house contains a variety of objects, some with sentimental value, and some very expensive or hard to replace. Last week your neighbors, who were gone on vacation, discovered when they got back that their house had been burglarized. You’re planning on traveling for the holidays soon, but you don’t want to be the next victim of a burglary.

GPS & Burglaries

Thankfully, you don’t have to be. If you use GPS tracking devices on your possessions, you can help protect them against theft. If used on possessions, GPS tracking units can help ensure that you are notified and able to recover anything which is stolen.

For instance, one man placed GPS tracking devices on his furniture. He had alerts set up to let him know if it was moved, and one day he received an alert and called the police. The burglars, who were attempting to steal his furniture, were almost immediately caught and the furniture safely returned.

Another man used a GPS device on his boat, which he kept at his vacation home in Florida. While at home in another state, he received an alert that his boat had been moved. He was able to call Florida police and get them to stop the theft of his boat without even being in Florida.

Just this past week in Texas, a man was arrested for stealing appliances. For a while now, he’d been breaking into newly built homes and taking microwaves, ovens, and similar appliances. One homebuilder, however, placed GPS tracking units in some of the appliances. When an oven was stolen, police were able to follow it straight to the suspect, arrest him, and recover the oven and other stolen appliances.

If you use GPS tracking devices, you can ensure that if any of your possessions are moved or leave designated boundaries, perhaps your house or yard, then you’ll receive an email, phone, or text message alert immediately. You can then call the police while still monitoring the location of your stolen possessions. GPS tracking devices won’t stop someone from burglarizing your home while you’re gone for the holidays, but they can still give you peace of mind.

If someone comes into your house for their own holiday shopping – without, of course, paying you – it will take just a couple phone calls to get police to stop them and change the burglars’ holiday plans, and you’ll help ensure that your possessions are returned to their rightful owner – you.

Exercise Safely With GPS Tracking

December 10th, 2009

By Greg Bartlett

There’s something especially satisfying about taking a long run or walk through nature, especially when you need to clear your mind or focus on a particular issue. People who place a high priority on physical fitness are nearly unanimous in their agreement that working out at the gym can’t compare to getting your workout in the fresh air. But sometimes being on your own in the middle of nowhere without a cell phone signal can be cause for concern. A single misstep can lead to a sprained ankle, leaving you incapacitated with no way to contact friends or family. Walkers tend to be targeted for robbery as well, especially those who don’t dress out in exercise clothes. Equipping yourself with a GPS tracking device for personal safety provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones when you’re out enjoying the fresh air.

Exercise Safely - Take GPS Along!

Today’s GPS tracking device can do more than provide your location to concerned friends or family members. Many models come equipped with alert buttons that you can press if you’re in trouble, sending an email or text message to let someone know you need help. Fitness aficionados with a techie bent will enjoy the GPS devices created especially for exercisers. These devices, often taking the form of a wristwatch, can also keep track of heart rate, distance covered, calories burned, steps, and exercise intensity. Some can log these statistics over time, allowing you to view your progress and keep track of where you are in relation to your fitness goals.

Runners and walkers who dress in workout clothes often avoid robbery situations because would-be thieves don’t expect them to carry their wallets on them while their exercising. People who walk for enjoyment in regular clothing, however, are sometimes not so fortunate. News stations often report stories of older people being targeted for robberies while they’re out walking. If you’re equipped with a GPS tracking device, you can immediately notify someone that you’re in trouble by pressing the alert button. If you’re injured or you don’t come home when expected, your family can immediately find you and bring help.

Outdoor exercise breathes life into many people who otherwise spend their time commuting between home and office. By equipping themselves with a GPS tracking device, lovers of the outdoors can commune with nature without leaving themselves unprotected in the event of injury or other unforeseen circumstances. GPS tracking gives you and your family the peace of mind you need in order to truly find inner calm during your outdoor excursions.

Cheating Spouses Caught with GPS Tracking

October 24th, 2009

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

If you suspect that you are being cheated on by your spouse or significant other, it is a very emotional and traumatizing time. You need reason and a calm demeanor to help you get through such a situation. You also need something else: A GPS Tracking device.

Tracking Key

Those who are cheating try to be very careful in covering their tracks. But, they will ultimately fail because at some point, they will make a mistake. In fact, some will want to get caught to avoid having to tell their mate that their relationship is coming to an end in person.

There is a tool that you can use to help verify the actions of your spouse when it comes to driving from place to place. A Tracking Key will give you a map and history of their driving over about a 20 day window. A passive GPS Tracking device like this can be placed on their vehicle to help provide indisputable evidence of their location on certain days and times.

Then, once you have the facts that you need, you can confront with confidence or continue to gather facts to make your case even tighter.

The Tracking Key is an inexpensive device that will help you accomplish this task. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it is easy to hide. It includes a strong magnet that allows you to place it in an inconspicuous location on the suspects’ vehicle. Also, it is weather proof so that it will continue to operate in heat, cold or wet conditions.

Once you place the Tracking Key on a vehicle or other item, you have about 20 days worth of battery life from two ‘AAA’ batteries. There is no ‘on’ or ‘off’ switch. Inserting the batteries activates the unit. It shuts down to a minimal mode when motion is not detected to help save battery life.

After the unit is retrieved from the vehicle, it is then inserted into the USB port of a PC and then software is loaded that downloads the data. You can see the actual path of the vehicle on a map on your screen and tell the locations and times where the vehicle travelled during the 20 days.

If you do not get the information that you need, load fresh batteries and try again.

It is a cost-effective way to get the validation that you need to confront your spouse. And ultimately, you would rather know that not know, right?

New GPS Trac-king Device Available

May 17th, 2009

By Harriette Halepis

Trac-King

Rocky Mountain Tracking, Inc. (RMT) has just released a new passive GPS tracker called the Trac-King that aims to beat all the other trackers on the passive (past-track) market. What makes this tracker so unique? The new TracKing tracker is equipped with the ability to record more data than any other GPS tracker in existence.

The Trac-King (which happens to be about the size of two AA batteries) can record up to 80 hours of movement. Consumers will also be happy to know that this tracker will not come with any kind of monthly contract attached. This means that the “passive” tracker will not be attached to any pesky service fees either.
The TracKing will run on two AA batteries for the entire 80 minutes that it is set to record. Topped with a price tag of around $269, this tracking device is both intelligent and fairly affordable. Up until this point, trackers could not record motion for such a long period of time. Thanks to the fact that this tracker as every bit as powerful as larger trackers, those tech-savvy consumers are lining up to try this one out.

A recent poll has proved that individual GPS trackers cannot be replaced by other wireless devices that include tracking applications. For various reasons, these wireless devices simply do not replace the capabilities of a true GPS tracker. However, most consumers enjoy the size and durability of a wireless device over a larger tracking device. With their new product, RMT has really hit the nail on the head.

Even though GPS tracking device sales have slumped in the wake of a poor economy, they are expect to rise again as new tracking technology begins to surface. Other companies are sure to follow in RMT’s footsteps if the TracKing proves to be a success. This tracking device can be placed on any object, inside of any car, and it can be carried by a person.

With a size and weight that’s easily portable, there aren’t a lot of good reasons why consumers wouldn’t want to purchase this tracking device. GPS trackers have been proven to save lives, locate lost goods, help companies save money, and keep children safe (amongst other things). Is it important for every consumer to have a GPS tracker? It is if you want to keep yourself, your family, your belongings, and your loved ones safe from harm.

Tracking Packages with GPS Devices

May 15th, 2009

By Greg Bartlett

Have you ever ordered something and then waited impatiently for it to arrive? You check the internet regularly to see where the package is, waiting for updates as your package slowly travels closer to you each day. But sometimes the shipping company doesn’t update the status, and sometimes your package is even lost. Perhaps you’re sending something to a friend overseas, or maybe you’re mailing off an irreplaceable family heirloom to a cousin in another state. Sometimes, shipping items can make you feel uneasy, not to mention your impatience and anticipation while you’re waiting for your package to arrive.

Logistics

Some shipping companies now provide tracking through GPS devices. Items that are tracked can be monitored by the shipping company, the sender, and the receiver. You can now know exactly where your package is at all times. Packages which are lost or stolen can now be located through GPS tracking devices and recovered.

Companies and individuals who transport expensive or irreplaceable items should especially consider using GPS tracking when they ship items. Now you no longer have to wait for employees to update the database and let you know where your package is – you can find it yourself. You can find out if it has arrived, if it is delayed, or if it is going to arrive early.

Shipping overseas can be especially risky. Perhaps you are moving overseas and want to bring your belongings with you, but you have to ship them in containers. If the containers are lost, you will not only have to pay to replace your belongings, but you will be stranded in another country without the items you counted on having. If you have GPS devices installed in your containers, however, you can locate your belongings and recover them if they are lost.

GPS devices can help the sender, receiver, and the shipping company. In addition to providing security for the items being shipping and peace of mind for both the sender and receiver, GPS tracking can help companies estimate arrival times, monitor equipment, and reduce costs. Since lost packages means lost money – for both the owner and the shipping company – packages that are monitored with GPS devices can effectively save money and can protect valuable resources. If your package is being monitored with a GPS tracker, you can wait in anticipation for your package – but your wait is worry-free.

GPS Equipped Phones Don’t Replace Tracker Devices

May 15th, 2009

By Harriette Halepis

Nearly every hand-held device now comes equipped with some type of GPS tracking device. While these applications are certainly helpful, they might not be the answer to your tracking needs. According to a recent poll conducted by PollDaddy, wireless device users that also have GPS tracking systems are not ready to give up those individual trackers for a sole hand-held device.

Cell Phone

What can a GPS tracker do that a wireless device cannot? Essentially, the two types of technology aim to accomplish the same goals. The difference is that a GPS tracker has been manufactured with the sole intention of tracking a vehicle, person, or other object. On the other hand, a wireless device aims to complete many different tasks, which may take away from its tracking capabilities. While this might not seem like a huge different, it does, in fact, have a drastic impact on the way that a person or item is tracked.

Recently, GPS tracking sales have been down due to the assumption that hand-held devices are adequate replacements for these systems. However, those that use separate GPS tracking systems do not believe that wireless devices are, in fact, reasonable replacements. While a wireless device that encompasses a number of different applications and tasks is certainly convenient, it (seemingly) doesn’t live up to GPS tracking technology.

Additionally, most cell phone carriers will not allow access to GPS data, which can become a problem. Also, in order for emergency crews to locate lost individuals using a GPS equipped cell phone, the cell phone must be connected to the wireless network. A final drawback includes the concern that local authorities and 911 personnel cannot be contacted from a cell phone unless they are initially contacted by a user. Thus, cell phone users that are injured cannot be traced.

In the end, the GPS tracker that you might take with you on a run or a hike is not the same as a cell phone (or other wireless device) that has been equipped with GPS capabilities. Even though cell phone companies are striving to make this technology more comparable to tracking devices, this has not happened quite yet. For the time being, the best way to ensure that you will always be within tracking distance, it’s best to rely upon an individual GPS tracking device.

Make Profits Soar with GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems

May 12th, 2009

By James Neely

Increase Your Profit Margin

Of all of the methods available in the pursuit of profitability, a GPS vehicle tracking system gives you added tools and information that will help you achieve success in your business like never before. Here is how it works and how you can put it to use in your business.

Monitor your business. Does your business rely on time and location operations? Do you have a fleet of vehicles or assets that must be managed at a close level? If so then a GPS Tracking system is a must for your business operations. You can monitor on a ‘live’ or ‘passive’ level with the ability to gather data in support of your business activities.

Comply with contracts. In business where contractual obligations are the life blood of an operation, a GPS Tracking system can provide the information and details needed to form the basis for invoicing and compliance verification. The detail level is so great, that the information can also be used in situations where evidence is needed in the support of legal questions.

Watch employee actions. Company vehicles are a valuable asset that requires monitoring on a daily basis. Drivers also need to be monitored for safe and responsible driving activities. Imagine the level of control and adherence to company policies and procedures will be afforded to your business. When the time comes for an employee performance review, this data can help substantiate raises and promotions.

Save on business insurance. When you implement a GPS Tracking system into your company, you will save on premiums on your assets. This directly affects your bottom line profitability. Plus, in the unfortunate event of a theft, the system can provide instantaneous details of location so that authorities can recover your asset sooner so that you can get back to work.

Appreciate added security. The sense of security and control provided by a GPS Tracking system is priceless. Making money is the prime directive for your business. Being distracted by having concerns about the location of assets and how they are being treated takes your focus off of the more important aspects of your business.

Make use of GPS vehicle tracking systems today and see how your profits take off and soar. In this climate of cutting back and making your business more efficient, you can no longer afford to be without one. You will never regret the day you implement these into your business – that is a fact.

GPS Forum Provides Straight Answers

May 10th, 2009

By James Neely

The term Web 2.0 denotes the second generational use of the Internet in ways that seek to connect and interact on a social level within and across any boundaries like community, state, nation and continent. But it also draws in those from other cultures and provides a great melting pot for thought and discussion of larger life-affecting issues.

A requirement of this setting lies in providing for the interactivity of those involved. No longer are we spoon-fed information, but rather we are allowed to discuss and even participate in the information distribution process ourselves. It is a transformational model that has traditional media scrambling to secure their place in the landscape.

Nestled in this setting, the forum invites and encourages open dialog from anyone willing to sign up and post comments to current discussion topics of interest to specific groups of people.
Herein we find a new GPS forum. AskTheGPSExperts.com is a general and independent forum targeted at GPS, M2M and GIS.

Consumer resource. Because the technology is still relatively new, a need exists to provide information about and the use of GPS Tracking systems. People need to know and understand the benefits for themselves and their businesses. Once armed with this information, they will become open to owning and using these systems to their advantage in everyday life.

Company leaders. Leading manufacturers and distributors need to step forward and proclaim the positive aspects and benefits to all who are interested. There are many business applications and more are coming into focus all of the time. Creating a demand by applying the GPS Tracking systems to situations that would not normally be seen as a viable market should be the goal of these leading companies.

The promotion of interaction between the two. Once these two entities – consumers and companies – are joined into an open forum, the dialog that is generated can make product promotion and benefits easy to present. Consumers will be able to ask question of experts in the field and find out about uses that will benefit them the most.

A forum is a perfect setting for GPS Tracking systems to be promoted and discussed. It is safe to say that both the consumer and the companies will benefit from the exchange of ideas. Opened doors of opportunity will help both to realize business successes that will prove to be beneficial for years to come. Make it a point to join in today.

Public GPS Forum

How to Increase Driver Safety and Responsibility

May 8th, 2009

By James Neely

When it comes to safety and responsibility on the roads, nothing compares to an investment of the principles that apply to safe and responsible driving. It is easy for fleet drivers to become lax overtime because driving is their job and the more miles driven makes them become less tuned in to the things that are important.

Are your drivers always safe?

That is why a GPS vehicle tracking system is a must for any fleet operations. There are many features and benefits to a fleet of vehicles that have been outfitted with these devices, but safety and responsibility are at the top of the list. Here is why this is true:

Heightens 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.

Increases sense of belonging. 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.

Makes safety a part of the work process. 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.

Underscores the effect of good decisions on the road. 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 make sure that rules of the road and all laws are being obeyed. 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.