SMS Tracking With A GPS GSM Enabled AVR


[Alex] sent in some of his latest work. He interfaced some not so cheap components to give an AVR GPS and GSM I/O. For now it can read the GPS position and send text messages. Thanks to the GPS/GSM module, the schematic is pretty simple – anyone with basic soldering skills and a desire to put a dent in their credit card can probably build this. (Programming the AVR is probably the most difficult task)

20 thoughts on “SMS Tracking With A GPS GSM Enabled AVR

  1. wow, I was just at telit.com for the first time before checking my rss.. Weird. Oh well, how hard do all of you think it would be to use that module (since it has gps and sim card capabilities) for a high altitude glider? I really really want to make one and have been debating ways to communicate with it at 100k ft. Sorry if this comment is too irrelevant.

  2. I think Sparkfun had a GPS unit that had the phone and GPS in the same unit. The phone would also run Python Scripts, so I think that this could be done with one unit. Not as much fun as hacking it yourself, but faster. I think the price tag was at about $150 or so.

  3. #3,
    in fact this IS the GPS-GSM unit with python script..
    i guess he could do this without the board, but i haven’t figured out how..
    btw,
    it’s 126$ or so, which is quite cheap..

  4. finely a gps based avr hack i h8 pics (compiler to expencive) i do have $200 left over from my birthday to get the gps unit (from like sparkfun or something) but i wanted a 30amp variac DAMN

  5. So, I know you can get prepaird GSM SIMs for things like this in Europeland.. but what’s an ‘merican to do?

    There seem to be a lot of GSM based projects out there now. We have good GSM here, so how can we do it here?

  6. #2, are you sure that cell phones work at 100k ft? I don’t know, but I doubt that they do – that’s 19 miles high.

    We used some long range (40 mile line of sight) packet radios from Freewave on a balloon launched UAV/glider I worked on. Dead simple to interface with – RS232 on both ends – and built in CRC/resend checking. As I recall though, they were quite expensive, but we were able to get them donated.

    I’m currently using an EM-406a GPS module from Sparkfun for a personal UAV project. It’s tiny, simple, and has a very sensitive integrated antenna. The unit picked up 5-8 satellites inside my apartment with a floor above me and other buildings around me. The position lock was dead on, but the altitude jumped all over the place. Hopefully that won’t be the case outdoors.

  7. “#2, are you sure that cell phones work at 100k ft? I don’t know, but I doubt that they do – that’s 19 miles high.”

    – no, but it has to come back down below 8000ft eventually. Also once it lands it is way more likely to be able to send info rather than a packet radio. I’m still contemplating the whole idea. So thanks for the help. Any suggestions or whatever email me AdamMelton@gmail.com so we dont clog this comment section anymore.

  8. Interesting. This could sure help with model rocketry. I wonder if it would be possible to include more data through the SMS, such as data from an altimeter or meteorological equipment. With enough work, you could even send pictures/video from an onboard camera to a cellphone through MMS. If I had a larger budget, I would look into this as a payload for a model rocket with a D-class engine or better.

  9. Any one who wants the peace of mind that comes from knowing where their personal assets are.Beside monitoring your teens driving from the comfort of your home through a computer.And for companies with multiple vehicles imagine being able to save a lot of money and increase productivity with the use of a simple device.That’s why my GPS Tracking Device is one of the best in the business and work for you 24/7.Don’t wait another day.Hop on it now and save for your teens and your business future.

  10. i am looking for a cell phone that can be used to track human being anywhere they are. by sending sms to the number and it give the location where the person holding the phone is.

  11. I am a student of BE(telecom). I am willing to make this project as my final year project. sir can you please guide me about the project and its working.
    Thank you

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