Anyone using a Tracker? Recommendations?

See my post about a UHF RF beacon. No Cell or GPS signals needed. Range is ~1/2 mile in terrain. About $50 including the radio (Baofeng UV-5R)

Will do, thanks! I thought it was over my head so to speak but I'll give it another look.
 
Update: received the tracker yesterday. This thing is tiny. 9 grams including battery! Haven't got the yagi/Baofeng radio yet but range is impressive. Used a cheapo walkie talkie to try it out.
Programming is easily performed with the button on the PCB, a status LED lets you know what you have entered and where in the submenus you are. No need to solder on a USB port for programming I'd say.
Did I say it was tiny? My Hubsan X4 could carry this thing!
 

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I use Trackimo and it works great. I velcroed mine to the plastic gimbal protector. I've also had a crash where the P3 landed in thick brush and used Trackimo to lead me to it.

Just remember to turn off Trackimo when not using it and keep it charged.

I lost my P2 last winter so getting a tracking device was a must.
 
iota trackers are new and were on Kickstarter. probably one of the cheapest tracking solutions. and have some features others don't.
 
Sammy... What are you saying? You never created this thread? Someone hacked into your account?

-slinger
 
I really never posted this thread. Wtf
Please give further explanation in a private message so we don't crap up the thread. Thanks.
 
Update: received the tracker yesterday. This thing is tiny. 9 grams including battery! Haven't got the yagi/Baofeng radio yet but range is impressive. Used a cheapo walkie talkie to try it out.
Programming is easily performed with the button on the PCB, a status LED lets you know what you have entered and where in the submenus you are. No need to solder on a USB port for programming I'd say.
Did I say it was tiny? My Hubsan X4 could carry this thing!
Thanks for the feedback reboot81. Did you test out the range at all? Also, was the signal strong on the walkie talkie? Or do you think yagi arial /baofeng radio are a necessity?
And did you test in on the Phantom 3? Any interference with compass or general operation on P3?
Sorry about the million questions lol
 
Thanks for the feedback reboot81. Did you test out the range at all? Also, was the signal strong on the walkie talkie? Or do you think yagi arial /baofeng radio are a necessity?
And did you test in on the Phantom 3? Any interference with compass or general operation on P3?
Sorry about the million questions lol

Haven't bothered with a distance test yet. See this video
he's using a similar device (FMKit). He put the device 1m above ground and heard it from 7.5 miles away. Sure, if the antenna gets between the P3 and ground it would affect range. As for range it's better to crash in a high tree :)

No I haven't tested it on the P3, not yet decided how to mount it. But it's different frequency from what the P3 is using (446MHz vs 2.400 GHz-2.483 GHz), and besides that there's a timer starting at power on until it starts transmitting. I'll have mine set for 20min.

Did some test last evening with the cheapo walkie talkie. I'd say it surely could be used to triangulate the signal. I held it 2 inches from my chest and listened for the three tones, then turned 45° and listened. When I heard all three tones (the first one is strongest, second is a bit weaker and third one is weakest) I knew my body wasn't shielding the signal. But when the weakest signal wasn't audible I knew that my body was covering for the signal - device is behind me.
Then I moved a couple hundred feet and repeated. Then you get an understanding of in what direction the device is.

Will do more testing when I get the yagi.
 
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IThanks guys. Just curious if the metal in the device will affect the Phantom, if any induction from activation may play with compass readings.

I'm seriously considering reboot81's $77 setup. Will be interesting to see how it went when he reports back :)

Did some quick field test with the yagi today. Perhaps it's my limited knowledge or the extremely cheap design of they yagi that rendered it totally useless. I repeat, the yagi antenna I received performed very poorly.
Here's a link I wish I'd read more carefully before purchase.
With the yagi I got signal when being very close to the transmitter, up to a 100m. (Almost LOS, transmitter was standing on the ground). Angle/direction of the yagi didn't affect much.

Compared to the short antenna that came with the Baofeng unit (and this one is from what I've read a pretty lousy one compared to the Nagoya NA-701) the yagi was junk. My Baofeng gave me signal up to a half mile with pretty good directional hint.

Maybe a real yagi would perform better. Anyway, I'm getting one cheap GPS unit. When not in use it will be in my cars trunk acting as a tracker for it. Or I'll put in in my kids backpack when traveling.
 
Hi,

Do you know TBEACON ??
Go-to

Welcome | tBeacon

For $50 you have a uhf transmitter that will answer when you call it, this way transmission will never afect the drone while in flight !
We sell it for $50 all over the world !

Paulo Lobo
 
Hi,

Do you know TBEACON ??
Go-to

Welcome | tBeacon

For $50 you have a uhf transmitter that will answer when you call it, this way transmission will never afect the drone while in flight !
We sell it for $50 all over the world !

Paulo Lobo

Send me one to test out and I'll report back. :) I'll cover shipping too!
 
CapnBob,

Got one of those beacons and one of tahe piezos. I can see myseld really screwing up the board trying to get that piezo soldered to it - and I've got a little experience soldering (emphasis on little). I'm waiting on that to do.

I put together a yagi and had not much success with it. I used a 3/8 aluminum rod for the three elements, and pvc tubing for the boom. (The habdheld is a TERMN-8R.) My "floor testing" showed only a little difference in directioning. I sent the bird up 400' and out a mile and couldn't get any difference in direction. I could still read all three tones , and equally well regardless of direction or vertical/horizontal orientation. Apparently I need to adjust my yagi to get a better front-to-back ratio. Never did any DFing before. Does that tape-measure yagi really work well? I have trouble imagining it would be better.

On a side note regarding your "flotation" system - I saw a Youtube video showing floats made from "pool noodles" that the landing gear was attached too. Looked a little better, and would act as landing shocks I would think too. (And not much more expensive as I've seen them at the .99 store.
 

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