Location tracking solution

[Midrsv]

When we take our annual cross country bike trip we like to use some form of location tracking so our families and friends can follow our progress. I've been looking for an iphone solution to replace my SPOT unit for location tracking on trips. Since we ride with friends and stay on paved roads I really didn't need the emergency features of SPOT and couldn't justify the annual subscription expense for just a couple of weeks a year. I just wanted something that would track our location and plot our track on a web site. Thanks to a post on ADVRIDER.COM I found the solution, its SWconnect from the app store. It interfaces with my existing Spotwalla account. First you need an account on spotwalla.com and an iPhone. For info on the software go to http://rvtechtools.com/swconnect.html. You then create a trip on Spotwalla with the timeframe you want to capture. Then a web link is created that you can send to your friends. From there they can check in at anytime and see your position and track history.

 

I downloaded it and set it up. Took a little ride through the neighborhood to see if it worked. It did. Just like the SPOT data. Except you have to have a cell signal to transmit the data where the SPOT unit used satellites. If you're in an area without cell service the software buffers the data and then transmit's it when you get service again. If you interested it's all free. Just create a Spotwalla.com account and download the app.

 

Here is the track for my test ride.

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=d5ac556a52c7e4ac0

 

And here is a link to our 2012 trip that was created with my SPOT.

https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=4e6e4ff8a01b0feb1

 

I'll be using SWconnect on our trip this year instead of Glympse or SPOT. Check it out if you have an iPhone.

 

Dennis

[saddlebum]

There are actually several good ones if you check Play store and some like GPS TRACKER work directly with satellite GPS rather than data and you can include as many family and friends as you like, their locations indicated on an overall map. The app is a free download. If you go to their website you can even locate your phone if it should get lost or go missing. My son's friend used the find feature and was able to direct police right to the door of someone who broke into his car and stole a number of things including his cell phone (the cell phone of course was their down fall). It works even when their is no phone signal.

[Midrsv]

There are actually several good ones if you check Play store and some like GPS TRACKER work directly with satellite GPS rather than data and you can include as many family and friends as you like, their locations indicated on an overall map. The app is a free download. If you go to their website you can even locate your phone if it should get lost or go missing. My son's friend used the find feature and was able to direct police right to the door of someone who broke into his car and stole a number of things including his cell phone (the cell phone of course was their down fall). It works even when their is no phone signal.

 

Thanks Saddlebum, I looked at GPS Tracker. It seemed that you had to individually invite each person to follow you and you have to restart the app periodically. I have about 100 people that follow us on our trips and I wanted one URL that would work for everyone for the duration of the trip. Actually it will work years later. SWconnect runs in the background and doesn't have to be restarted. Also, when you stop it will not retransmit your location unless you've moved at least a hundred yards since your last position. I do see advantages to the GPS Tracker if you only wanted to share your position with a select few people. Thanks for the reply.

 

Dennis

[saddlebum]

Thanks Saddlebum, I looked at GPS Tracker. It seemed that you had to individually invite each person to follow you and you have to restart the app periodically. I have about 100 people that follow us on our trips and I wanted one URL that would work for everyone for the duration of the trip. Actually it will work years later. SWconnect runs in the background and doesn't have to be restarted. Also, when you stop it will not retransmit your location unless you've moved at least a hundred yards since your last position. I do see advantages to the GPS Tracker if you only wanted to share your position with a select few people. Thanks for the reply.

 

Dennis

I was aware of having to invite each individual but having to restart the app I was not aware of, not having personally used it. Good to know. I will certainly be looking closer at SWconnect and a few others before I commit to anything. I just cannot afford to use up a lot of data this why I was looking at something more GPS based and that would run W/O using data.

[utadventure]

I don't know how far it reaches or if there are dead spots but an iPhone has a free "find a friend" app.

[Midrsv]

I don't know how far it reaches or if there are dead spots but an iPhone has a free "find a friend" app.

It does but that would require a cell signal to work and you would have to grant everyone permission to track you individually and they would need an idevice. With SWconnect if you are in an area without a signal the software will buffer the points and then transmit them when you get a signal. When we take our big trip each year we have at least 4 bikes. Everyone has their list of family and friends that want to track us. So our distribution list has grown to over 100 people. With spotwalla you just have to give them the url one time.

[ChrisM]

I have used in the past IAmHere by EXOOC... free on google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=exooc.IamHERE&hl=en

You would start it up, set few things and it would generatre a URL at http://exooc.com/ that you can share with anyone.

On the site it would show real time progress...

Used it only on couple of occasions and it worked fine.

[djh3]

Is'nt this what everybody was afraid the NSA was doin?

[RedRider]

Look at BubblerGPS app for you phone. It can be linked into Spotwalla to provide a tracking stream. Works well but is obviously limited to areas that have cell phone coverage. It has been tested by several in LD rallies and Iron Butt rides.

 

RR

[Midrsv]

RR,

I believe BubblerGPS is for Android phones and SWconnect is for iPhone only. From what I've read they offer similar functions.