GPS/GSM Tracker

[Chris]

I have found that pulling the battery and disconnecting from the 12volt adaptor is the best way to restart.

You could also try holding the power button in for a few seconds till the light starts flashing quickly then seeing if this helps.

Hope you get it sorted.

[bedajim]

So if your not the bloke that contacted me via ebay there must be a couple of units with trouble out there I've pointed him here

Copy of his email (As my last post disapeared)

Q: Please can you help me, ive bought a GPS tracker like you and it turns on ok but when i ring for Geo-info, it responds but without any Long & Lat values. Im based in Cheshire, England, and im wondering if the problem is because im using a Virgin Pay-As-You-Go SIM. What SIM are you using and have you had any problems with yours? Thanks ant

[Chris]

Originally Posted by bedajim

im wondering if the problem is because im using a Virgin Pay-As-You-Go SIM. What SIM are you using and have you had any problems with yours? Thanks ant

Blackroady, I think this could be an issue, I use a vodafone PAYG sim with GPRS, voicemail etc disabled.

If you can get hold of a friends Vodafone SIM give it a try.

[PeterM]

Cheers Chris - am using a virgin card - I'll get a vodephone one see what happens. Cant understand why it make it show no Lat & long as I'd expect the GPS to dump the position to the text & then the text is sent by the sim - irrespective of type.

[peterc]

Just a word of warning when buying these from China. There are many copies being advertised on ebay which do not work, are not CE approved and worse still not RoHS - this means they may contain hazardous material such as lead solder.

Have a look here www.the-pat.net - here is a small nice looking device primariliy aimed and tracking lost dogs - but could be used for other applications.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by peterc

Just a word of warning when buying these from China. There are many copies being advertised on ebay which do not work, are not CE approved and worse still not RoHS - this means they may contain hazardous material such as lead solder.

Can you tell us how to tell which from which please?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by peterc

Just a word of warning when buying these from China. There are many copies being advertised on ebay which do not work, are not CE approved and worse still not RoHS - this means they may contain hazardous material such as lead solder.

Have a look here www.the-pat.net - here is a small nice looking device primariliy aimed and tracking lost dogs - but could be used for other applications.

Peterc, welcome to RIBnet- I assume you are Peter Callaway of Pawtrax / the-pat.net ? In which case I would draw your attention to our commercial posting guidelines. http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4921

In terms of product which may not conform to EU requirements - that is probably actually a non-issue to the private buyer (unless he has an ethical dilema) as so long as it works (and most people who have tried them in the thread seem to get them to work) then anything else is insignificant - I do understand why as a competitor it is not good if cheap imports are not being forced to comply with the same rules as you but I think think pricing is a critical issue for this sort of application.

[Bigmuz7]

[Chris]

Originally Posted by peterc

Just a word of warning when buying these from China. There are many copies being advertised on ebay which do not work, are not CE approved and worse still not RoHS - this means they may contain hazardous material such as lead solder.

Have a look here www.the-pat.net - here is a small nice looking device primariliy aimed and tracking lost dogs - but could be used for other applications.

Sorry Peter, these units from China are very good and do exactly what they are supposed to mine is "watching" my boat as we speak and it cost a lot less than your cat finder.

Also your post might have carried more weight had you made your link to the site clear when you first posted.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Peterc, welcome to RIBnet- I assume you are Peter Callaway of Pawtrax / the-pat.net ?

Nice spot Polwart...Just as I suspected...1st time poster seemingly offering help but just trying to peddle his own goods. About as subtle as the SsangYong guys a few weeks ago

Peterc...For your info...my Chinese tracker says the boat's in the garage...and it is...and the cat and dog are here too

If you have a product that's worthy, then have the decency to market it in the same way. Your method here impresses no-one

[peterc]

Just trying to help and advise as I have been the victim of many faulty units from China. Not being RoHS can make them very dangerous and get users in big trouble with Customs.

Just buying the device from outside UK makes you an importer

If the moderator didn't like my post then he can always remove or edit it. Sorry if I have upset anyone here.

There is a forum dedicated to these TK102 units and the problems users are having with them, together with pictures of the copies.

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/t...OPIC_ID=108384

Happy to edit my post and remove website - if I could find out how to

[PeterM]

All my problems sorted - just changed it to Vodfone SIM & worked instantly - clearly a problem with Virgin SIMS !

[Poly]

Originally Posted by peterc

Not being RoHS can make them very dangerous

I don't believe that is really the case. The devices are enclosed and users would not come into contact with the materials inside it during normal usage. In reality the contents are unlikely to present a significant hazard even then on an individual/one-off basis - and it is the combined cumulative effect or people and the environment that causes the ban.

and get users in big trouble with Customs.

I'm not sure that Customs actually have any role to play in enforcement of RoHS, but in any case I very much doubt that Customs or any other enforcement agency would take any prosecuting action against someone purchasing a single unit even IF it were not compliant, so realistically the worst case is confiscation of the item and loss of the purchase price. I am not condoning it - but I simply don't believe you will be "in big trouble". (Feel free to cite actual factual cases where legal action has been taken against an individual for importing a single item for their own use). This information may be useful however for anyone considering importing these on a commercial basis to consider.

If the moderator didn't like my post then he can always remove or edit it. Sorry if I have upset anyone here.

one of the great things about RIBnet is that it pretty much self moderates trade/commercial posting.

There is a forum dedicated to these TK102 units and the problems users are having with them, together with pictures of the copies.
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/t...OPIC_ID=108384

thanks - that information should be useful to anyone considering purchasing one, either from here or overseas.

Happy to edit my post and remove website - if I could find out how to

all posts are locked for editing after a short period of time so that they remain a consistent record of the 'conversation'.

[peterc]

If people continue to buy non compliant products in this way it just compounds the issue and will have a combined cumulative effect. The products will get disposed of at some point.

Even buying a one off makes you an importer - even if it is for personal use.

Non CE approved batteries (and chargers have been known to explode big time). Not very nice if its on your boat at the time.

Virgin SIMS can detect if it is placed in a 'modem' that has not been approved for use on the UK network - which is why some of you have found that they do not work as expected - other providers are starting to do the same and will 'turn off' the sim.

ebay are in the process of taking action on anyone who advertises products that do not meet the requirements of the country they are being advertised in.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by peterc

If people continue to buy non compliant products in this way it just compounds the issue and will have a combined cumulative effect. The products will get disposed of at some point.

Even buying a one off makes you an importer - even if it is for personal use.

Non CE approved batteries (and chargers have been known to explode big time). Not very nice if its on your boat at the time.

Virgin SIMS can detect if it is placed in a 'modem' that has not been approved for use on the UK network - which is why some of you have found that they do not work as expected - other providers are starting to do the same and will 'turn off' the sim.

ebay are in the process of taking action on anyone who advertises products that do not meet the requirements of the country they are being advertised in.

So are you going pay trade membership and plug your product, or just ramble on about how bad the others are, hoping we'll look at yours

[peterc]

Bad attitude - I am not forcing people to buy or even look at my product - just some friendly advice.

You will be please to hear I shall no longer be posting to this forum

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by peterc

this means they may contain hazardous material such as lead solder.

Considering we are bouncing around at some speed, on generally hundreds kg of petrol , in a boat that is not made of the most 'friendly' products, with several thousand controlled explosions going on inside a very, very hot lump of metal every minute, - that is spinning a lethal triple bladed thing (in most cases , but sometimes 2 or 4 bladed ), I think the risk posed by the 'hazardous material' is technically, comparatively BUGGER ALL.

Still if we want to we can stick our phones ( also 'full' of hazardous material) to our heads and tell someone.

I'll buy what I want, from who I want & live with the suposed 'RISK' - if someone doesn't like it - tough - its called freedom - not much left in the UK to do this though.

No-one told Barnes Wallis not to spin his bombs in case they bounced & it 'could' be dangerous !

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by peterc

There is a forum dedicated to these TK102 units and the problems users are having with them, together with pictures of the copies.
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=108384

I have looked at this link (55 pages, and thanks for the link peterc). There are a few things worth noting...I'm not trying to make a point either way here, I'm simply summarising what's there as fact or what is put across as fact in good faith even though it may only be opinion.

* The thread in question, which is specific to the type of Tracker we have been discussing here, dates back to March 2008 and is still going strong.
* The majority of posts are written by people whose first language does not appear to be English. There are only a few posts identifiable as written from within the UK.
* From the above there is significant confusion about what is written, read and interpreted.
* There are comments and photos regarding 'copies' or 'clones'. It is not clear from those that make this allegation how to identify a copy or a clone from an original. The differences, if ever detailed, are subtle.
* There are suggestions that, in fact, there are no copies, but that there is only one supplier whose product is then packaged and marketed differently by different re-sellers.
* There are 'early' versions and 'later' versions of firmware. Trackers equipped with the 'later' firmware automatically start up when a charged battery is inserted (as does mine). This was done to counter criticism of inactive 'early' Trackers after a power outage.
* There seems to be lots of comment and criticism centred around the 'early' firmware. There appears to be multiple root causes...poorly written instructions, wrongly interpretted instructions, finger trouble, doesn't work as intended...
* Many users with 'early' firmware try to update to 'later' firmware via usb cable, pcb's and usb or the cable that came with their kettle. Tears usually result, apart from those equipped with detailed software and pcb technical know-how. Not for the faint-hearted.
* Many users report problems with particular SIM brands (most of them foreign sounding). From those that appear to write with know-how this has something to do with a code length involving the SMS handshake (?) that I haven't fully absorbed. Changing SIM brand effects a cure.
* Some users report problems with the geo-fence in early versions.
* The majority of the thread is taken up with everybody trying to teach everybody how to get the Tracker to talk to their laptop through the internet. Only for those with programming skills.
* Some users talk about taking the Tracker apart, attaching different aerials, using third party batteries and/or external power devices, manufacturing usb leads in order to modify the firmware with their own code...and it goes on.
* I got bored. Mine works. End of.

Hope this helps someone/anyone

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by peterc

... just some friendly advice...

peterc...I've followed your link and thanks for that. It's appreciated

Good luck with your own device.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by peterc

Virgin SIMS can detect if it is placed in a 'modem' that has not been approved for use on the UK network - which is why some of you have found that they do not work as expected - other providers are starting to do the same and will 'turn off' the sim.

Surely that would result in complete failure to send/recieve data rather than the apparent situation where it can send and recieve partial information as reported here?