Sounds like you have everything worked out then. Those were my only two concerns I guess with that setup, keeping it powered and keeping it working in weather conditions, but it sounds like you have a plan for both of them. Have to give an update in a month or two and see how everything is working.

 

oops.. guess I should have read the whole thing instead of just skimming over it. Oh well, that's what I get.. thanks.

 

That's some pretty bada$$ old fashioned American ingenuity. But if you ever take your truck through any military base gates, or security check points let them know what it is before they stumble onto it or you're likely to get taken down and EOD called in before you have a chance to explain. Tell them it's a "homemade GPS car tracker", don't start out with "I have a 3" PVC pipe with a cell phone in it!" it would not be a good day for ya... and keep us informed on it's performance over time.

 

Now that is FUNNY! I'm sitting on an Air Force base and didn't even think of that. But then again, the SF guys we have here would probably never find it anyway...

 

Another thing I just thought of, could be used descretely if you suspect the significant other of infidelity...

 

This is neat. Just so I am clear. All you have to pay is the data plan?

 

that is very cool. keep us updated.

 

Wow, didn't think of that, and glad you said something. I'm in and out of Ft. Gordon all the time and that could've been bad... hmmmm, though in the 2 years I've been going there, I've never been inspected... lol


Yep, when you activate the boost phone online, simply check "Add data content" or something of that nature. This will automatically deduct .35 /per day from your available balance. It's a prepaid phone, so you just have to remember to recharge the account every once in awhile.. You automatically get $5 worth of credit when you activate it, which is good for 14 days.

Unfortunately I went 3 weeks without a problem before I decided to post about it on here, then last night I get on to check it, and it said my truck was halfway to work. About an hour later, it updated and said my truck was sitting in the parking lot (where it actually was) and has been ok since then. However all tracking data from the point where it stopped reporting until my business disappeared. Can't tell if it was the fault of the phone or accutracking servers... I'll keep an eye on it and see if it happens again... The problem is I can't run both accutracking and instamapper at the same time. Only one GPS app allowed at a time on those phones...

 

get it out of the bumper it is gonna get water in it and fail. mount it behind the rear seat under a trim panel where it is not exposed to the elements. if a theif stole it and opened the hood and saw it they would rip it out it is too visible. and to whoever asked about lojack. it is expensive around $1200. itrack is another system that is around 800-1000.

 

I understand about the water situation, that's why I said I was going to get some 3" pipe to completely enclose the phone and charger. When I originally bought the PVC pipe, I didn't think about having to plug in the phone on the side, hence why I ran the plug along the outside of the pipe. Keeping it inside the truck does not shelter it from heat/cold. On a hot summer day the inside of an enclosed vehicle can get up to 200 degrees depending on how hot it is outside. The hottest the phone will get outside of the vehicle away from the engine is slightly above ambient air temp. So it stands a better chance of making it outside of the vehicle than inside.

Also, the device is not visible unless you either crawl under the truck, or take out the plastic shelf between the bumper and radiator. I had taken it out for the install and pictures. It's back in place and if you weren't looking for it and didn't know it was there, you wouldn't see it.

I will update this post once I find a new housing for it.