6 considerations when buying a caravan tracking device
If your caravan should be stolen, it’s vital you get it back as soon as possible, before the thieves have chance to break in and do any damage. Fitting a tracking device will mean that the police are able to locate the caravan and return it to you in record time. However, not all trackers were created equal, so here are some things to look out for…
1. Proactive or non-proactive?
Non-proactive devices can often be the cheaper option, but they will not alert you if your caravan is stolen. It will be up to you to alert the tracking device company once you notice the caravan has gone, which may be too late. Therefore, these types of devices are not suitable especially if you keep your caravan away from home or simply if you’re not around much of the time to keep an eye on it.
Proactive devices, on the other hand, send a signal to the tracking device company if the caravan is moved. They will then contact you to confirm it wasn’t you moving the caravan, then coordinate the police on your behalf, making the recovery as fast as possible. Also note that your insurance provider could insist that your device is proactive anyway.
2. Will it work whilst you’re on holiday?
You may think that your tracker company will follow you wherever you go, but the reality is, a lot of tracking device companies only operate in the UK. Some provide European cover but only in selected countries and the extent of that cover can vary. If you plan to take your caravan to Europe, it is worth finding out if the tracking device will still work in the country you are travelling to (and the countries you will be travelling through). Some companies have monitoring centres abroad that can coordinate the police in the country your caravan has been taken to.
3. How does the tracking device work?
Not all tracking devices use satellite technology to track vehicles. Some devices (known as VHF trackers) use radio wave technology to locate a missing ‘van. This method is not always as accurate as GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, which use satellites, and can pinpoint your caravan’s exact location to within twenty feet. VHF devices may also require the police with specially equipped cars or ‘finders teams’ to locate the exact position of the caravan, but they do have one advantage over GPS satellite tracking, and that is that they can track the caravan if it goes underground, through tunnels or in multi-storey car parks.
4. Does it have a 24 hour monitoring centre?
A vital part in recovering your caravan, is having someone there to monitor if it’s been moved. All good tracking device companies will have a 24 hour monitoring centre that will alert you to a stolen caravan if the device is proactive, and liaise with the police until your caravan is returned to you.
5. Does the device come with approval?
Thatcham is one of the better known names in vehicle security and they also approve certain caravan tracking devices under their ‘leisure vehicles’ category. Any devices that are approved by Thatcham will have been put through rigorous testing to ensure they are suitable and more importantly, effective in preventing a theft. Look out for devices with Thatcham Quality Accreditation (TQA) status and even those devices with the more specific TQA for Leisure status – which means that the devices have been deemed ideal for use on caravans having tested the likes of power consumption which of course should be low if to be used on a caravan.
Another name to look out for is Sold Secure. Any device labelled as Sold Secure will also be manufactured to a high standard and will mean that it is more likely to be recognised by your caravan insurance company and they may offer a substantial discount off your premium.
6. What if your battery runs low?
As mentioned above, it’s vital that caravan tracking devices have low power consumption and fortunately many of the devices in the caravan industry do adhere to this. However, it is common for batteries to become low or discharged all together following long periods where your caravan is in storage. This could cause your tracking device to cease working – at the time when you need it most. An additional feature that some caravan tracking devices come with is a low battery alert that will let you know when the power from the battery is getting low and you need to replace or recharge it.
As the caravan tracking device market continues to grow, so does the gap in tracking device features and effectiveness, so it’s a good idea to do your homework. Your first port of call should be your insurance company. Find out from them what their requirements are to ensure you get the best discount on your insurance. Your local dealer may also be able to offer advice and find the tracker to suit your needs.
Related reading:
Mobile GPS Tracking
Categories: Car GPS System Tags: Buying, caravan, Considerations, Device, Tracking
GPS Overload – How to Choose the Perfect Device for Your Needs
Buying a Global Positioning System (GPS) to meet your needs may not be as simple as one might think. There are a myriad of different devices, for many different purposes.
The first thing to consider when buying a GPS device is its primary use. Will you be using it on the road, on the trail, or on the water?
On the road devices are usually temporary mounted in the vehicle with suction cups or bean bags. Most of these devices have turn-by-turn instructions and auto correction if you miss a turn.
We recommend getting a device with the auto-correction feature, that way you don’t have to mess with the device if you take a wrong turn, it will recalculate the route for you automatically.
There are some devices that are also portable, so you can unplug them from your vehicle and take them with you as you walk around in a large city.
My favorite in this category is the Garmin c330, c340, and c530 series. They are a wonderful size for using it in the vehicle and small enough to use as a portable. They have city maps pre-loaded, so they are not much use off-road.
Many of the newest designs have built in picture viewers, MP3 players, traffic updates (careful, that usually costs extra!!), and many other bells and whistles.
One of the best features of the Garmin c-series line is the ability to ask for the closest landmarks, such as food, gas, shopping, golf courses, etc.
Like anything you buy, make sure you understand what the device has and what you want to use for before making the final decision!
One of the most asked questions is should I buy the car with GPS already in it?
Personally, I don’t like that option because it limits how you can upgrade, and the device cannot be used in multiple vehicles.
In addition, some car manufacturers are charging several hundred dollars to update the map data on these devices and you have little choice in using them to do this.
The GPS market is an ever changing market and I like to be in control of which device I want to purchase.
Having said that, I am choosing to have a device mounted to my dash or windshield (suction cups….also illegal in some states, so make sure you know which ones!!!) with wires trailing to the power source.
On the trail devices are handhelds which depict topographical, or basic mapping data, not detailed street level details. These are great for hiking and geocaching. They have the ability to either import or download coordinates of a location (called waypoints) and then tell you how close you are to that waypoint.
Ever fear of getting lost hiking, well, you can set different points as you walk, like a breadcrumb trail so you can get yourself out the way you came in. These devices range from $80-$500+ depending on the different capabilities of the device.
Higher end models allow you to buy pre-loaded map detail on memory cards, so they can double as driving directions, however, they still don’t have the turn-by-turn capabilities.
GPS devices used on the water are fixed mount devices. These devices can have water depth, temperature, etc, especially helpful for the fisherman.
Maps that can be downloaded can have tidal waters, known shipwrecks, ports, and are very detailed. There is a huge range of devices to consider in this area.
Keep in mind that mapping software used on these devices changes about 1-2 times per year. Less frequently for the maps on the water.
Understand what your devices downloading capabilities are so you don’t get stuck with outdated maps forever!
Be aware that maps change, you have to be somewhat flexible when following the directions. I have had instances where it tells you to “turn left here”, only to have that be the wrong way on a one-way street!!!
In other words, these are guides to get you close to where you need to be, you cannot use them as gospel….common sense should prevail!
Related reading:
Mobile GPS Tracking