""Simple to use - quick and effective... Does exactly what I want it to do... no fuss!"

Dave Danaher: Logistic Transport  Services
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01-June 2010
Pebbletrack are proud to announce that they have been selected as the preferred tracking partner for the Moroccan Rally 2010. We are providing custom written tracking maps to be included in their blog and have included a live temperature feed to show the conditions that the boys are experiencing.

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26-May 2010
Pebbletrack is delighted to announce the launch of its new in vehicle software - speeding up the location and remote control facilities of the system by almost 30 per cent. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

S
Pebble General Questions:

 

Pebble Configuration

 

Pebble Online

 

 
What is Pebble?
Pebble is the name of the simplest vehicle tracking and security package on the market.  It combines Automatic Vehicle Location ("AVL") with comprehensive software to allow users to check on their vehicles wherever they might be.  Additionally, our software supports the installation of sensors and switches that are more than capable of monitoring a range of conditions within the vehicle. 

Perhaps you want to know where the vehicle is, but you also want to monitor fluid levels, or check that the inside temperature does not exceed a safe limit.  Maybe checking the oil pressure or coolant level is your priority.  Whatever you want to do with a Pebble system we can pretty much work out how to achieve it.

How Does It Work?
Each vehicle to be tracked is fitted with a Pebble Track unit. This unit comprises a GPS receiver for establishing location and a GSM module to handle the passing of information from client to vehicle and back again.

Also included are a number of switches that can be used to activate or de-activate anything to which a switch might usually be attached, and a number of sensors that are used to gather information so that it can be relayed back to the receiving station.

The information is interpreted and made available through the client's monitoring account at our web site within a few seconds. 

How Expensive is it?
Pebble is one of the most reasonably priced systems available.  While many tracking companies expect a three or five year contract involving each vehicle in costs of several thousands of pounds, the equipment costs for a Pebble unit are just  £300, however since you decide the complexity of your installation, you have complete control over the expense.  Of course a basic installation can be upgraded at any time.

The only ongoing running costs are:

GPRS enabled sim card.  Tariffs are continually  getting cheaper.

£7.49 Monthly subscription to our monitoring facility. (Currently first 6 months are free)

What equipment do I need?
Pebble requires the fitting of a pebble tracking unit, previously fitted with a suitable GPRS enabled mobile phone sim card.

Systems that monitor other aspects of the vehicle's condition, or facilitate a panic alarm may need some extra components, all of which are easily fitted and supplied by a competent vehicle electrician - or alternatively may be supplied direct from us.

Does it run on a Mac?
Yes
     
What Level of Technical Support is Available?
Email and telephone support is available to all customers.  Our installation technicians are always willing to assist with established or new monitoring ideas to further enhance the effectiveness of your Pebble. 
How Accurate is the Location Information?
Pebble uses the very latest technology to ensure that the latitude and longitude references it returns are among the most accurate available to civilian applications.  Usually the lat/lon pinpoints a position less than 2 metres from the vehicle's actual location.  There are conditions that can affect the accuracy.  The presence of high levels of electro-magnetic radiation, among others.  These are common to all vehicle tracking systems.
My Daughter is at University.  Will She Still Have Her Privacy
Tracking devices are being fitted to young people's vehicles more and more.  With the increase in the numbers of young people travelling to and from university, parents are feeling that it is a good idea to have some way of locating the vehicle.

It is still important for the young person to have their independence and privacy.  The Pebble may be configured so that it does not send positional messages unless a panic button on the dashboard (or optionally worn around the driver's neck) is activated.

Of course, in the case of theft that does mean that you would have to contact our tech support who would need to effect an override on the limitation.  There would be a small charge for this service.  

What Kind of Conditions can I Monitor Within the Vehicle?
Almost any condition in your vehicle may be monitored. As long as it results in a sensor being activated or deactivated then it can relay the information to the monitoring software. Examples of conditions currently being monitored include:

Coolant Level

Panic Alert Button

"Door Open" Sensor

Engine Temperature

Battery Voltage

Ambient Temperature
How does the Panic Button Work?
The panic alert is a special sensor.  Activated by pressing a button on the dash or pressing a button on a specially designed remote key fob.  The message is sent immediately to the monitoring software.  interestingly enough it is also sent to a mobile telephone designated by the client.  Once the panid alert has been activated, whatever action the user deems appropriate may be initiated.  
Will I be able to Track my Vehicle While it is Abroad?
Yes.  Your vehicle will track almost anywhere in the world, however the ability to send that data back to the UK will rely on the presence of a mobile phone network. Mapping is street level through out Europe. Mapping is also available for most of the world though there are areas where detailed maps are hard to obtain... under these conditions aerial photographs may provide a better insight into the vehicle's location.
How do I View my Vehicle's Position?
Simple: 
  1. Log in to the web facility using the username and password you have been supplied.
  2. In the left pane you will find a list of the groups of vehicles you have registered on the our system click one.
  3. Click on the vehicle registration you are interested in.  The main pane will display the last tracked position.
Can I get a streaming position update?
Absolutely:
  1. Click on the + at the side of the vehicle.
  2. Select Streaming Position from the drop down menu
  3. Your vehicle will now return positions once per minute
  4. The text will update automatically, click on the vehicle to refresh the map to the latest data.
How do I print a report of the vehicle's movements?
     
  1. Click the "Reports" link at the bottom of the vehicle list.
  2. Select the vehicle and time range
  3. Click Produce.
  4. Click "Print" at the bottom of the page to print the report to paper.
    5.
How do I change the on-screen captions that my switches and sensors display?
  1. Click the "config" link adjacent to the vehicle you wish to change.
  2. Enter the new names for any sensors and switches then click Update
    3.
If you have a question that is not addressed here, please use our contact form here for a quick response.