Small GPS Devices Help Prosecutors Win Convictions

[HTRN]

In order to maintain a consistent track with the device, it has to communicate with the GPS satellite network. This would create a secure connection with a unique identifier at the very least.

Those sessions can be monitored on the server end without ever touching the actual GPS device. There would be no need to even recover the device from the car, though it would be necessary to prove that it had been in the person's car.

Frankly, it is no surprise at all that this happens. It would be less of a surprise if it wasnt happening.

It can't - the communication with the Satellites is one way, like a TV - They broadcast a signal consisting of accurate time data, and which sat. it is. The GPS then uses this data to triangulate your location.

They can however, use that data, and broadcast it to the local cell tower - which is how so many idiots get caught once the police find their cellphone number. So if you turn off your GPS in your phone, they have to use signal strength between different cell towers to roughly triangulate where you are.


HTRN

[rightisright]

About the only way to know for sure you aren't being tracked by your phone, is to turn it off, and take the battery out.

Or do what the drug dealers do, get the throw-away Tracfone types. Paid for with Greenbacks, of course.

[Erik]

Thanks for the tip.
I didn't mess with it that much last time, I just wanted to add warnings for all speed cameras and common places the police stops all cars. And add a few new sounds and things like that. But once I was looking at it anyway, I just had to check out what was there.

Does GPS devices actually send back to the satellites? That's news to me, from all I've read they simple pick up the signals from satellites and use it to triangulate position. It's a one way communication, there's no need to communicate with the sattellites. Can a GPS that runs on 12 volts actually manage to send a signal back out in space to a satellite?

How well a cellphone can be traced depends on where you are. If you are in a bigger town, with more modern equipment, they could get you to within a few yards in ideal conditions. However, there was a case here this year where they tried to track a missing girl through her cellphone, but since she was in a rural area, all they could see was that her phone was within reach of the local tower, they couldn't even tell in what direction or how far away. But the more they upgrade, the closer they'll get even in rural areas.

[HTRN]

Like I said, if they can get the number, and you have the phone, they can triangulate your location if the phone is on, and quite possibly, if the phone is off too.

The trick is, the minute you think your being hunted by the PD with a tracphone, you toss it and buy another one for 30 bucks. That's why the criminal element likes 'em - they're disposable.


HTRN

[Erik]

So if you turn off your GPS in your phone, they have to use signal strength between different cell towers to roughly triangulate where you are.

Actually, to write a bit more on what I did in my last post.
The latest cellphone technology can pinpoint direction and signal strength from a single tower, so with just one tower they can see where you are in relation to that tower, and approximately how far away. That will give a position of maybe a few blocks or so. If there are other towers in the area, they can use them the same way, and limit the area even more.
On older equipment they would need more than one tower and then triangulate it.
In the case with the missing girl, there was only one tower, and it was of the older technology, they could only tell the cellphone was connected to that tower.

Now, this might be different with other type of cellphone networks, but this is what my information is about the networks in use here.

[mekender]

In order to maintain a consistent track with the device, it has to communicate with the GPS satellite network. This would create a secure connection with a unique identifier at the very least.

Those sessions can be monitored on the server end without ever touching the actual GPS device. There would be no need to even recover the device from the car, though it would be necessary to prove that it had been in the person's car.

Frankly, it is no surprise at all that this happens. It would be less of a surprise if it wasnt happening.

It can't - the communication with the Satellites is one way, like a TV - They broadcast a signal consisting of accurate time data, and which sat. it is. The GPS then uses this data to triangulate your location.

They can however, use that data, and broadcast it to the local cell tower - which is how so many idiots get caught once the police find their cellphone number. So if you turn off your GPS in your phone, they have to use signal strength between different cell towers to roughly triangulate where you are.


HTRN

hmm, well i stand corrected. I do believe that you correct. I remember years ago a rundown on how the system worked but I havent paid attention to the GPS stuff in a long time... after spending 10+ years as a pizza delivery driver, i really dont need a gadget to tell me where to go.

[randy]

after spending 10+ years as a pizza delivery driver, i really dont need a gadget to tell me where to go.

They can come in handy in an area you are not familiar with, or someplace away from roads and limited visibility. A nice tool to supplement a map and compass.

I have a bunch mainly for auto tracking things using amateur radio (Automatic Packet Reporting System or APRS) that lets us track things like pick up vehicles, or for automatic Direction Finding. Handy for things like public service events spread out over 3 counties, or for Search and Rescue type ops.

[mekender]

the only real use i have for one is to tell me how much longer there is left in a cross state drive.