Here’s a new tracker for ‘ya

[ksaves2]

I caught this on a Ham radio email. There is a company called Apptricity, www.apptricity.com that claims to have a bluetooth tracker that has a 20 mile range. They have shorter range trackers too. No prices mentioned that I could find on a cursory review of the site but probably too steep for us to ditch our RDF and GPS trackers for now. Just when you think there is no “new” technology for tracking this comes up. Kurt Savegnago

 

[mooffle]

I'm fairly skeptical here.
This seems like one of those 'too good to be true' technologies. They claim 90% cheaper than their competitors, small enough to fit in a rocket and 132x what bluetooth 5 is specified to do. My guess is that if it is real it's a gps tracker with some bluetooth add on.
That's a big if

 

[ksaves2]

I'm fairly skeptical here.
This seems like one of those 'too good to be true' technologies. They claim 90% cheaper than their competitors, small enough to fit in a rocket and 132x what bluetooth 5 is specified to do. My guess is that if it is real it's a gps tracker with some bluetooth add on.
That's a big if

I agree. Am not throwing out my RDF or GPS trackers ham band or otherwise.

Kurt Savegnago

 

[heada]

Are we sure they don't mean 20 meters, not 20 miles? 20 meters is reasonable with BT5 but 20 miles is just laughable.

 

[ksaves2]

Are we sure they don't mean 20 meters, not 20 miles? 20 meters is reasonable with BT5 but 20 miles is just laughable.

Yeah, but we’ll have to wait to be seen. I’m not buying into it as my current RDF and APRS ham tracking work is just fine for me! Get a Ham tech license and one can do whatever they want. Kurt Savegnago

 

[JDcluster]

Ask them what the battery life is like. My RF CSI tracker last for at least 4 days on a new CR2032. Just pinged it after leaving turned on since Sat.

 

[heada]

Looks like the combine LTE (3G cellular) with RFID and BT. Because it has LTE they're claiming 20 mile range which is valid but you have to basically run your own 3G network. Designed for industrial inventory tracking.

 

[mooffle]

Looks like the combine LTE (3G cellular) with RFID and BT. Because it has LTE they're claiming 20 mile range which is valid but you have to basically run your own 3G network. Designed for industrial inventory tracking.

I wondered if it was something like this. Still could be neat but not bluetooth

 

[ksaves2]

Hey, I’m only the messenger here. Am not doing an endorsement!
The only thing I’ll endorse is the current RDF and GPS stuff that is already available to us rocket folks.
900Mhz, 70cm, 2m bands doesn’t matter. Practice with it and one will get back their out ‘a sight project just about every time as long as it doesn’t land on high tension wires, a body of water, tall tree or private property with a shotgun toting hillbilly enforcing the “No Trespassing” signs!

The longer wavelength trackers (70cm/2m Ham band) might have a little edge on propagation, especially ground footprint, but sport fliers using the 900Mhz stuff won’t notice the difference. I’ve used Ham licensed and non-licensed systems and never lost a rocket with either of them.

Although, I was doing live mapping too. Nothing like using a live photomap to see if one’s rocket landed in the middle of a cornfield, next to a barn, maybe in a farm pond or close to a “testy neighbors” yard!

Kurt