The rapid development of GPS navigation, Internet map and mobile data support has made people's lives change miraculously. With the introduction of devices like Blackline GPS Snitch, the real-time tracking function began to enter the mass market.

　　For more than a decade, "navigation equipment" has been the main character in spy movies and comic books, and science fiction often provides Orwellian style real-time tracking plots. Batman often wears an electronic tracker on his weapon belt; James Bond followed the Republicans to their lair. The same technology is now very popular, and some folk applications have begun to use this technology, such as tracking important freight to the minute. The possible application of this device has been very extensive, and spying is no longer the only way.

　　The GPS Snitch was obtained from Spy Exchange, a local retailer specializing in the purchase and sale of surveillance devices and related goods, and the price is $299. The product also requires activation fees and service contracts, but all work can be done on the same website that provides real-time monitoring. Users with little spy experience can also plot the changing position of GPS Snitch on Google Maps and/or satellite photos. Snitch can also send location update information to the cellular phone in the form of SMS.

　　Perhaps the most attractive feature is Snitch's ability to work in locations that usually interfere with GPS reception. Snitch can track the position, direction and speed of the vehicle in a small cabinet or trunk on the dashboard of the vehicle when the vehicle is moving. Now let's explore Snitch's hardware and research the technology it uses.

　　Snitch is built by a pair of ready-made modules supported by complete supporting circuits. Among them, the cellular connection is provided by the MC56 of Cinterion Wireless Module Company (formerly Siemens), which is an 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS solution that can support voice, but is mainly used for data transmission. There is a PMB7850 GSM/GPRS baseband processor of Infineon on the MC56 circuit board. The processor is surrounded by M36W0T604 multi chip SDRAM/flash memory provided by Italian French Microelectronics. The four band GSM transceiver SKY74963 of Skyworks completes antenna switching and transmission power amplification here together with the front-end module SKY77500. The module is connected with a fairly solid Flex PCB antenna and SIM card holder, and the board to board connection mode is adopted with the main PCB.

　　The GPS module obviously optimized for low signal conditions is provided by Navman Company in New Zealand with the trademark Jupiter 30. The module is slightly larger than 25 mm2 and about 3 mm high. It is obviously used by OEMs who need embedded functions.

　　The GPS module is equipped with a SiRF company's "SiRFStar 3" GSC3e/LP multi chip package (built-in GPS baseband processor and GPS receiver), an independent 512kB NOR flash memory (SST 39VF400) and peripheral circuits on a small PCB. Navman did not use GPS specific LNA (low noise amplifier), but chose Infineon BGA62217, a high gain, broadband silicon germanium device that can operate in the 1.575GHz GPS band through external configuration. The GPS module is directly welded to the main PCB and connected to a large (20x20x4mm) 1572.42MHz ceramic patch antenna (HA-1575C20T4) of Hankook Antenna.

Read recommendations:

rastreador de GPS

Pet GPS Tracker

G09L -6 inch Tail light tracker

GPS positioning tracker function

GPS user equipment