Review or Mini-Review Trackimo Personal GPS (and GSM) Tracker - Review

This is a mini-review of the Trackimo Personal GPS (and GSM) Tracker

I ordered this from Amazon at this link. It does seem like the price can vary, as I paid about $100, but noticed a price of $140 when I returned to look at it again.

Note: You can click on any of the images below to enlarge them!

What is it?

This is a small device which can be carried or attached to objects...which then uses a combination of GPS and the GSM cellular network to provide the location of the device. The Trackimo can be monitored through a app or through the Trackimo web site. It provides a number of extra features such as email or text notifications when certain events occur - or on the pressing of certain buttons. For example, a person who was going hiking alone could carry it and have a button which informed someone that they were lost or hurt.

What's Included?

Included in the box are:

Trackimo unit with battery (weight= 41 grams w/silicone cover or strap)
USB Cable
Clip on rear bracket
Water resistant silicone cover
Carrying neck strap
Double sided sticky and magnet for mounting options
Small screwdriver and screws (for battery cover fastening)
Quick Start Guide

12 months of GSM Service ($5 per month afterwards).
10 monthly text (SMS) alerts included

This included service is one of the big advantages of the Trackimo because it makes the unit quite easy to set up. No SIM cards, no deals to make with cell companies, etc.

Initial Setup

The included Quick Start Guide is very short - a good thing!
Here are the steps to getting the Trackimo activated:

1. Charge Battery using the USB cord. This took about 3 hours in my case.

2. Set unit outside in the clear for 10-15 minutes. Retrieve it and press the power button - the green LED's on the front should flash a couple times, indicating all is well.
3. Go to the Trackimo web site, sign in (register) and Hit the "Activation" button. You will be promoted enter the ID number (included on a silver tag).
4. The Trackimo web app should then find your unit and immediately display it's location.

I'm pleased to say that everything worked as claimed - it was absolutely easy to sign in and get my GPS/GSM unit activated and working.

First Test

The combination of cell and GPS can make for a very accurate position - the Trackimo not only showed as being located in my house, but exactly in the room (the room was a sunroom in the rear) where I had it. Since it's mid-winter, I decided to take a short walk through the woods with my snowshoes as the initial test. The Trackimo allows you to set how often it updates it's location - I set this for every 5 minutes initially, although it can be set as low as one minute.

The map below shows the "History" that the Trackimo gave when I returned.

The map is not exact as to my route - some of my points were quite far (100 feet) from this tracking. I'm going to try again once I get the unit working correctly (see follow-up post - having some problems).

There are numerous options in terms of the settings - you can set a "fence" as to how far the unit can go before warning you - and a number of other alarms and actions. You could even put one in your teenagers car to make sure it lets you know when they exceed a certain speed.

This is a very versatile device as it can be controlled and monitored through any computer, IOS or Android. The IOS app screen is shown below:


The snow was about two feet deep - and, who knows, I may have run into a bear in the woods today. At least they'd have found my remains if I pressed the SOS button before Momma bear gave me a hug!


This could be a great product - but there are a number of loose ends in the app and web interfaces as well as the unit itself.
It seems to work well if you are always outside and in an open area. However, if you go outside and then come back in - as many people do - the apps and location and history seem to not track well.
Mine, for example, is still showing me at a point where I was over a day ago - even though I have used it today and saw that it knew where I was on a walk and a car ride. It would seem it should default to showing you the last known position (I have it on one minute intervals of history just for testing). Also, the documentation is poor - the user cannot even tell if the unit is off or on! It would be nice if a tiny LED indicated that it was on.

Numerous other loose ends such as the sales (Amazon) listing showing 30 texts per month included, but the site saying I only get 10. Most all of this can probably be fixed in software and firmware. For now I would not trust a life to it. But I'm going to use it on a quadcopter and it will provide one more level of location should my quad fly away.

I will update this review as experience is gained.

I have sent in a support ticket to the maker to ask why it's not keeping any of my history or routes...it did the first day, but not since.

I'll be adding to his mini-review after I mount and fly the Trackimo on my Phantom(s). However, it does appear to be one of the better solutions to finding a lost quad - assuming you can easily lift the extra 41 grams.

 

My Trackimo stopped working after the first day - that is, the unit works fine (turns on and off, reacts with the proper LED's, etc.) but cannot be found in the Trackimo app or web site.

I have tried everything I know - and also went back and forth with Trackimo support. Support is very slow (days!) and now, after 3 days, they are going to bump me up to "level 2" support.

This is a relatively simple device. I asked them to reset my unit as if it wasn't yet activated so I can try again from scratch. But it's going to end up taking me over a week to even get to any support worth my time ( first contacts, after a day or more, were "are you sure it is turned on?", etc.

Based on other reviews, I can only assume something is wrong with my unit - probably the SIM or something like that. We'll see. But this unit will never be successful without support measured in hours as opposed to days.

I SENT MINE BACK SINCE IT DID NOT WORK AFTER THE FIRST TIME...AND THEIR SUPPORT IS VERY POOR, IT'S BEEN A WEEK+ AND THEY SEEM VERY SLOW AT TAKING CARE OF THINGS.

If Trackimo wants to succeed, they must solve problems in hour - not days or weeks. It should be relatively simple - either the unit works or it doesn't. Since they promote the unit as being able to track a loved one, dog or other important situation...they should back it up with excellent support.

Maybe I'll try another Trackimo- or maybe I'll move on to a unit where the support is quicker.

 

Since the first year is included...when you activate it says you already have a plan.
I'm not sure who that is through.....I will look a little deeper. I also think they will charge me for texts over and above a few a month. But still - if you look at it as a GPS to save a quad, you don't need many texts.

I believe it uses the AT&T network in the USA - that's what others seem to report, but I didn't confirm that through the app or web site. It states GSM - and only T-Mobile and AT&T use a GSM network in the USA.

 

I've seen numbers of 30 texts and one of 12. I'm going to look closer.
GSM is not what verizon uses, so that's a no-go.

 

Wow - this Amazon prices shows less than $60 and backordered about 10 days...
http://amzn.to/1DKdCSd
(edit - even this changed now.....your mileage may vary)

Definitely shop around on Amazon or wait if it's over $100.......that's a big price diff.

 

Quick start guide, I think, has that info.....
http://trackimo.com.gr/wp-content/uploads/trackimo_new_start_guide_en.pdf

Mine said to leave it outside for 15 minutes before going to the web site to activate.

 

Hmm, does it allow for update once a second? I thought minute was the quickest....of course, a drone could go a long way in a minute, but it would still tell you where it ended up as long as it didn't fall somewhat that blocked all signals.

My update - I returned the defective unit and recently purchased another. This one seems to work - it tracked my visit downtown here in Florida (I had it set every five minutes for testing). It also sent me notices on the pressed buttons (the one I returned never did that either).
See enclosed for screen shot.
I will be attaching it to the Phantom and trying out some flights....

 

Unless they change something I don't think it sends anything to you - but the app on your smart phone show where you are and where it is...to a fairly exact location. For example, if I have it on my back porch the app shows it within about 5 feet where it actually is - if you are flying you should always activate the tracking per minute as that way you will have a path to where it is - and also where it ended up. The exception is when it lands somewhere where no cell signal can be obtained....which is also possible.

Since I am using it on a Phantom P2V+, I have two systems - the Find my Phantom and this. In the end it's just one more piece of insurance - certainly not failsafe, but perhaps worth the $10 per month to someone who flies at distance, etc.

Note - they must have the GPS data - they just don't show it when an address is present. They are tuning the app for drones (they didn't realize so many of us would be using it) - and maybe they will add "give me long and lat" to the data available. I know they are going to allow quicker history tracking (maybe every 10 seconds, etc.).