Locating tracking device - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: loserville929
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 03:26:10 am
content: I have some cars that have tracking devices (I'm assuming they are on cellular networks) on them. And I want to be able to somehow connect to the tracking device so that I can get it's location. Once I get it's location, I will be able to get the tracking device off my car. I don't want to use a RF detector to locate because it's too sensitive and it makes it very difficult for me to pinpoint the tracking device's location.I wanted to use a femtocell so that I can be able to have the tracking device connect to the femtocell. And from there I wanted to be able to use the femtocell's firmware/software so that I can get it's location. I want to be able to target all cellular networks and the only way I can do that with femtocells is getting a femtocell for each cellular network(CDMA, GSM, etc).I'm not even entirely sure how tracking devices work with femtocells, so I need to test it out. If I could just get the tracking device to connect to the femtocell, that is progress for me.If anyone has any experience with femtocells, cellular networks, or tracking devices, please comment. Or if you can direct me to someone that has more information on this, it would be a big help for me. If you think there's another way or easier way to do this, then please share.Thank you in advance

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 05:45:03 am
content: Repo man looking for you?

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 06:03:58 am
content: The location data that is reported by cellular handsets (which work similarly) contains the latitude and longitude, not the place it is hidden inside a vehicleI don't think that capturing the device using a hacked femtocell will make it any easier to find inside the car.What you could do is trace power consumption on every circuit of the electrical system. A location device needs to take power from the car somehow, or it would run out of energy. By using the car's service manual, you could tally every accessory that uses a circuit, disconnect those devices, then measure the current drawn in the circuit. If any current is still flowing, the tracker is connected there.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 06:22:36 am
content: An ex girlfriend of mine had a car with a tracking device on it. Her dad had bought it from some place that would take the car back if you were late on your payments. It had been paid off years ago but she never liked that the device was still there.Fortunately it was easily located near the steering column under the dash. It had a long wire hanging from it that was the antenna. It had a bar code on it that said ESN: followed by a long number.I just unplugged the wiring harness and opened it up to be sure. Yep qualcomm chips all over it.The car ran without it plugged in so it went in a drawer.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 08:35:35 am
content: Either the finance company or the FBI might be very upset if you removed their equipment.

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 09:20:15 am
content: Quote from: helius on July 12, 2015, 06:03:58 amI had the read the OPs post a couple of time to realise what he was trying to achieve, I assumed he was trying to use the device to track his car.

author: albert22
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 05:59:25 pm
content: Quickly locating and disabling a tracking device. That would be a car thief dream come true.QuoteI presume that you own those cars.So you have the right to ask whoever installed the devices to remove them, once your obligations are paid.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 06:11:01 pm
content: Some interesting points from this thread:1) This is the first post from user loserville929, who is somewhere in the USA (that narrows it down a bit).2) They also appear reluctant to join in the discussion now that their initial approach has been rejected.3) "I have somecarsthat have tracking devices", I wonder how many?

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 12, 2015, 10:49:37 pm
content: It is a bit suspicious!Tracking devices are not meant to be "found".Intelligent manufacturers wire the starter to a relay that is turned on by the tracker, and if the device is removed, it disables the start function, pain in the arse if it goes wrong though.Anyway, look for antenna's, as most signals get blocked inside the car, so have to somehow find a way "out".