# Child locator and communicator



## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I have 3 "little" children (by my definition). That means when they go out to play, ride their bikes, visit the other neighborhood children, or even head out to the back yard I would rather keep an eye on them than let them go it alone. As long as they are in our yard I can watch them through our video surveillance system, but when they go around the block or play in the next yard over, I can't. Well my wife decided to ease my mind by purchasing iGPS watches for our three youngest. A technological compromise between my being over protective and her wanting the kids to be more free than they are in the video-monitored rottweiler-protected fenced-in prison yard we have going on behind our home.

The iGPS watches are essentially little cell phones with GPS and GSM tracking, Geo-Fencing, and talk capabilities. The kids can call the home phone, wife's cell phone, my cell phone, and 911. They can only receive calls from pre-approved numbers as well. With GPS and GSM tracking I can see where they are, and with GEO-Fencing I can establish a perimeter that will alert me if they cross an assigned boundary. The watches even have an SOS button if the child needs us immediately. Plus they are water resistant, shock resistant, and the kids think they are pure sci-fi level awesomeness.

I have to do some testing to see how they can help me round up my kids in the event of a critical incident. Obviously if there is an EMP they are worthless, but I am wondering if I can use my sat-phone to track them even if the cell towers go down. I also like being able to communicate directly with them if need be, even if they are at school or a friend's house. I just have to teach them how to be somewhat covert and make sure the school knows that taking them off or turning them off is going to result in angry school board meetings and possibly lawyers. 

They are not free. I believe she paid approx. $50 per phone (normally $100 but they were on sale) with a 3 phone service plan of $40 a month. That's less than the cost of one cell phone, so I think it's reasonable for what we are getting from them. There are other similar options on the market as well.

https://igpswatch.com/


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

*Child Locator.....*

Looks like a pretty good deal.

Apparently, though, neither would be any good if the satellites go down, and everything is knocked out. Article doesn't say what would happen if ONLY the cell TOWERS went down....can't find anything on that.

http://graywolfsurvival.com/2716/ham-radio-best-shtfdisaster-communication/
Excerpt..."Another big problem is that just like cell phones, they rely on the satellites to function so if the satellites stop working, then so do the satellite phones. Obviously. Solar storms and CMEs have taken out satellites in the past. They will do it again."


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

Dick Tracy comes to mind. 

I saw a similar thing meant for pets.
You set a boundary and it will send an alarm back if the pet leaves the boundary.
No phone of course.
Looks like a great way to keep an eye on the kids.
You being in law enforcement couldn't you just get them an ankle bracelet.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

backlash said:


> Dick Tracy comes to mind.
> 
> I saw a similar thing meant for pets.
> You set a boundary and it will send an alarm back if the pet leaves the boundary.
> ...


I tried to just handcuff them all together (safety in numbers) but the wife said no.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

Sentry18 said:


> I tried to just handcuff them all together (safety in numbers) but the wife said no.


Well, I suppose you could just put them on a lead....but the dogs might get jealous....:rofl:


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Pessimistic2 said:


> Well, I suppose you could just put them on a lead....but the dogs might get jealous....:rofl:


I tried that one. They learn how to work the.snaps pretty quick.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Pretty cool looking. The Cam will need one soon. That boy is slippery.


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

We had one made for dogs. Put it on one of our dogs when we were at our farm. He worked it off and chewed it up.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

AmishHeart said:


> We had one made for dogs. Put it on one of our dogs when we were at our farm. He worked it off and chewed it up.


Our dogs all but refuse to leave the house/yard so all they had is an RFID chip implanted in them for ID purposes. Pretty sure the kids won't chew up their watches.


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

How many hours do you get on a charge?


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

bkt said:


> How many hours do you get on a charge?


There are different modes which changes how much battery is consumed. But in normal mode they seem to last about 3 days (turning them off at night). I think the company claims 36 hours straight of normal use.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Why did you have to show me this!? Now I want to get this for the girls!


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Grimm said:


> Why did you have to show me this!? Now I want to get this for the girls!


I wanted something I could inject into them or replace a tooth with or something, but the wife said no. Apparently barcode tattooing is also out of the question.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Caribou said:


> It's time you stepped up and showed her who's boss.:goodluck:


He already knows who the boss is. That's why he's listening to her.


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## Pessimistic2 (Jan 26, 2017)

terri9630 said:


> He already knows who the boss is. That's why he's listening to her.


Owwwww, that's my EAR, dammit, leggo, leggo, OK you can keep the dog, just hide it in yer purse.....:surrender::surrender::gaah::gaah:


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Caribou said:


> It's time you stepped up and showed her who's boss.:goodluck:


I will have you know that I am the HEAD of THIS household! I just asked my wife and she said I could be until she tells me otherwise. So there! I would post more but I have to go do the dishes.


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

Sentry18 said:


> I will have you know that I am the HEAD of THIS household! I just asked my wife and she said I could be until she tells me otherwise. So there! I would post more but I have to go do the dishes.


He's the boss and he has his wife's permission to say so.


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

Sentry18 said:


> There are different modes which changes how much battery is consumed. But in normal mode they seem to last about 3 days (turning them off at night). I think the company claims 36 hours straight of normal use.


That's remarkable! My phone's battery is several times the size of that device, yet it only gets about 30 hours with GPS and regular cell service turned on and bluetooth and all notifications turned off.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

bkt said:


> That's remarkable! My phone's battery is several times the size of that device, yet it only gets about 30 hours with GPS and regular cell service turned on and bluetooth and all notifications turned off.


With digital devices power consumption is always determined by screen size, brightness, and resolution. It takes a whole lot more power to light up a 4" 1080p super amoled screen than a 1.75" 320p LCD screen. I read once that having no wallpapers (just solid black) on your phone saves 5% power consumption per day. GPS is also a power hog, depending on how often it checks its location.


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## PreparedRifleman73 (Nov 2, 2012)

I am very interested but concerned the GSM service won't work here


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## Donba (Apr 6, 2017)

When we had a boat I was the first mate, can you guess whoo was the Captain. I finally gave up I now refer to her as the Boss or She Who Must Be Obeyed....


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## capt. (Dec 15, 2017)

I think it is a great idea. I used to go and get a local college pres's wife who had all timers and would wonder off in the car, we could find her 30 mile or better away from home. My only worry would be if someone could hack into data base? I know spelling is bad,I'm getting old


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