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Cat Tracker — Parallax Forums

Cat Tracker

Jay KickliterJay Kickliter Posts: 446
edited 2009-07-30 00:35 in General Discussion
I recently caught and tamed a kitten that was wandering around my neighborhood in Queens. In case she gets out, I'd like to be able to track her. I've seen commercial trackers out there, but they're closed and expensive. I thought about using the base code for my Motorola SMS tracker, but I doubt I'll be able to find components small enough to fit on a cat collar.

Any ideas? Anyone know of small enough components to fit a GSM module and GPS on collar that a cat would actually keep on? Or should I go with VHF that is timed to transmit only a couple times a day? Maybe even forgo the GPS and use a Yagi antenna? Just looking for ideas and suggestions.

Jay

Comments

  • mctriviamctrivia Posts: 3,772
    edited 2009-07-26 22:40
    i would use a yagi antenna. keep the colour in low power receive only mode until some special sequence trigers it then start brodcasting high power signal you can find with the yagi antenna.

    Or just strap SPOT on its back. would be ironic to have a product named after a dog on a cat.

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  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-07-26 23:30
    Jay,

    If you do find a tracking device that works, be sure to attach it with a safety (breakaway) collar. Cat collars can easily get snagged on pipes, grates, and all the other grabby things extant in the places that cats like to crawl into. So it's important that they be able to escape the collar if it hangs up on something.

    I've pretty much given up trying to figure out where my cat goes when he's out. It's been an abiding mystery for 13 years. But, to make sure he doesn't stay out at night (at the mercy of the coyotes), I've gotten him habituated to coming in between four and five p.m. for his treat (one precooked, frozen shrimp from Costco, thawed in the microwave). Cats are independent, but they're also creatures of habit, which characteristic can be used to advantage.

    -Phil
  • Jay KickliterJay Kickliter Posts: 446
    edited 2009-07-29 12:05
    You're right Phil,

    I've had enough cats in my life that I should have learned that lesson by now. But, I did have one eaten by a coyote a few years ago down in suburban FL. The only reason why I though it might be possible here in NYC is that cats down seem to travel very far here, but they have lots up places to hide.

    thanks,

    Jay
  • Carl HayesCarl Hayes Posts: 841
    edited 2009-07-30 00:35
    Don't know whether you're a radio ham or not, but there is some quite compact equipment available for use with APRS.· You'd probably have to build your own transmitter, but GPS receivers and small APRS-only TNCs like the TinyTracker http://www.byonics.com/tinytrak/ttsmt.php are available that may even be small enough, depending upon the size of the kitty.

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    · -- Carl, nn5i@arrl.net
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