The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force.  It is one of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) that provides geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites.

The GPS does not require the user to transmit any data, and it operates independently of any telephonic or internet reception, though these technologies can enhance the usefulness of the GPS positioning information. The GPS provides critical positioning capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world. The United States government created the system, maintains it, and makes it freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver.

Our definition is less sophisticated.  To us, GPS is simply a term often used to refer to the ability to track one’s location in terms of latitude and longitude, or spot, on a map. 

Hence, our name… TracSpot!!

GPS tracking systems work using a network of satellites circling in orbit around the Earth known as the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network.  These satellites transmit signals containing position data down to Earth where a multitude of GPS devices receive the information and calculate details like location, speed, direction, and more for that specific GPS device. 

These GPS devices, or GPS trackers, typically contain an internal battery and can read other sensor data provided by its host.  All the information it calculates for and collects from its host (such as a vehicle) is transmitted at a programmed time interval over cellular networks to backend servers that operate over the Internet.  Users can then login to these servers using a web browser or mobile app to see the unit on a map along with its detailed information.

First, you need a GPS tracker that can receive satellite data, calculate position info and transmit the details.  Typically, GPS trackers range from $40-$100, depending on the device functionality and features.  There are cheaper ones and there more expensive ones and you generally get what you pay for. Some vendors charge upfront fees to cover the tracker costs and others may provide the trackers at no cost in return for a higher service fee.  Find a vendor that gives you options so that you can decide. 

Next, a SIM card is needed to transmit the device data over cellular networks.  Some tracking systems only work on a single cellular network, whereas some can operate across multiple networks.  The cellular network can affect the real-time performance of the system in that poor cellular service may not always show the device in actual real-time location.  Try to find a system that utilizes multi-net SIM cards that can operate over multiple networks for improved reliability.  SIM cards are inexpensive, but the recurring cellular data cost can range from $2-5 per month for a single device, even higher for devices transmitting lots of data such as with onboard video transmission feeds.  Some systems offset some of this cellular data cost by not reporting data as often, which is good for the vendor, but not so good for the end user because the device information is not reported as frequently.  So, look for systems that have faster reporting intervals or that report based on direction change as these systems will produce more accurate results. 

Finally, tracking systems typically incur a $3-5 per month charge for each device to cover server data storage and web and mobile application development.  Look for solutions that include extended data storage, at least one year and provide both web and mobile, user friendly interfaces.  You should not have to pay extra for these functions!!