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It's even easier than that. There are fairly inexpensive turn-key solutions for the "appliance operator" ham.

http://www.byonics.com/mt-rtg

or Duck-Duck-Go the Yaesu VX-8GR radio.

A ham license is a requirement but it can be done by rote learning in one day. There is no Morse code requirement for an entry-level license. It's nothing like old-time ham radio and the typical newbie who gets a license just for APRS can't even tell me his callsign without looking on his paperwork :-(

--
Joe

Using HAM radio, I can do this using APRS (http://www.aprs.org) A GPS receiver tied to a mini-computer that you can build as a kit that acts as a modem for a small pocket-sized radio. Byonics (http://www.byonics.com) sells the kits called TinyTrak's or they make an all-in-one package that does this: http://www.byonics.com/microtrak/mtaio.php APRS is the packet radio format of the radio transmission, and it's picked up by APRS users in the area and forwarded over to an internet gateway. Then you could go to http://www.findu.com/ or http://aprs.fi/ to locate your call sign and watch it's movements. I do this all the time with my car and most cities have really good coverage. The only downside is it would require you to get a HAM license (not hard at all) and you can not use encryption at all. You would have to accept the fact that anyone can track your call sign, you don't have to give out your callsign to anyone though.

http://byonics.com/microtrak/mtaio.php

Since you didn't say what grade your daughter was in, I'll assume elementary school. Spend a lot of time and teach her to get a Technician class amateur radio license. Then plant one of these "unobtrusive" things on her. Tada, you now have a mobile tracking system. Go to GoogleAPRS or JfindU to keep an eye on her. Or just do what everyone else says; raise a stink at the PTA meetings.

You could do that right now with a small two-way radio and a GPS. It's not hard, and if you are planning on doing something like that, you're probably not going to be bothered by the fact that you're supposed to have an amateur radio license first.

They seem to be out of production right now, but there was a company that was making little integrated units consisting of a GPS receiver and Amateur radio transceiver, that fed into the APRS system. I think it was a combination of this transmitter and an equally small GPS. They were pretty slick, and have a lot of cool (legitimate) uses.

Bugging someone's car and following them around isn't very hard, and hasn't been for a while. Probably the hardest part of the whole procedure would be finding someplace on the car to put your GPS antenna where it wouldn't be noticeable, but would still receive the satellite signals.

Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) Designed by Bob Bruninga http://eng.usna.navy.mil/~bruninga/aprs.html it uses a GPS, an encoding circuit and a radio. Reports position and speed onto a national frequency with digital repeaters and Internet gates. Most systems also report speed and some people have set up their digipeaters to send out alerts if someone goes past a set speed. In most metros and everywhere else all the data is logged and posted online. http://www.findu.com/ The system has been expanded to include weather reports and other data as users see fit on the network.

With this I have LIVE position and speed reports from the car. I don't have to worry about it getting "knocked loose" or something else "happening" to the unit, I've got it installed in the car nice and secure.

If you want to give them similar features to this other "new" gizmo, install a TinyTrak http://www.byonics.com/ and set it to only report when going over a set speed.

Other great DIY 'tinkering' sites I like are AX84.com, 18watt.com, and Byonics.

I'd post a link to my site with pictures/notes on my own hand-built tube amp project or my mini-GPS/APRS project (not yet out of planning), but I'm afraid of the /.-ing I'd take. :)

You guys think mp3-players-in-mint-tins are cool? Well, the amateur ("ham") radio guys beat you to the punch when it comes to mint tin innovation:

http://www.byonics.com/pockettracker/ (scroll down)

This external power source for iPod music players uses three nine-volt batteries to provide up to ten hours of play time.

Also, judging from the picture, it looks like two 9v batteries and two AA batteries. (If you need two different voltages, then you use a voltage regulator -- not rocket science here.)

As for the Altoids tins, Altoids tins are used in lots of home electronic projects. Here's another one. (And google will find you even more.)

All in all it's a really crappy article.

I noticed OLN was putting heart rate information from (I think) Robbie McEwen in the final sprint. However, I doubt they were using APRS, as the updates were too fast - they most likely used some constant carrier method. Wasteful of bandwidth, but broadcasters have never been known for efficiency of communication.

I think for small local races, APRS could be a boon for tracking and helping folks understand bike racing. With neat beacons like the pocket tracker and digipeaters on chase vehicles, one could get very good coverage without a lot of complaining from the riders about weight.

Anyone catch the NPR piece on piracy today?

Seems to me like this, or a similar technology would be just the ticket to stop pirates from nabbing ships and their cargo.

I've been thinking that an rf transmitter tag with gps interface would work well.

I've built one based on a gps receiver, 2 meter ham radio, and the TinyTrack II Works great in my car, and with the ham radio APRS infrastructure... now how to convert to a ship in the ocean.

Try this...
1. Get your ham license
2. install an APRS node in your car/truck/whatever
You need a TinyTrak, a radio, and a GPS, don't forget cable, ant, etc. You also need an igate (APRS internet gateway) in your area.

On low power the radio should go for MANY days sending GPS data when powered from the boat/car/etc. If your boat/car/etc goes missing, do a search online @ www.findu.com, call the police, and tell them where your boat/car/etc is. Using the scanner you are sure to aquire as a ham, listen to the police find your boat/car/whatever