Android Question Bluetooth trackers?

[agraham]

I'm new to this having never used the BLE library or these trackers before.

Has anybody used these cheap trackers that are all over eBay, in particular in sounding their alarm from a B4A app?

 

[DonManfred]

Do you have any Informations about the exact Device and its IDs?

 

[agraham]

I'm afraid not, that's why I'm asking!

 

[DonManfred]

Any Information about Model/Manufacturer of these Devices? The Informations you gave are not much.

 

[agraham]

The Informations you gave are not much.

I know, I was just asking if anyone had used these. They are freely available on eBay and quite cheap.

 

[emexes]

I'm new to this

I must have you mixed up with another agraham, who seemed to have done everything.✌

Has anybody used these cheap trackers that are all over eBay, in particular in sounding their alarm from a B4A app?

I may have experimented with them a bit. But I was doing it from a read-the-button perspective, not the alarm perspective. They were easy enough to figure out. I was massively disappointed to discover that the button state wasn't part of the advertising broadcast, and that you actually had to connect to the devices to properly read the button. Most of them you could read by inference because when the button was pressed, there would be a flurry of broadcasts.

There is an app called nRF Connect, that lets you connect to BLE devices and explore their attributes/characteristics.

 

[emexes]

When I use nRF Connect here it shows up in the scan list as ITAG (but I think some varieties don't):

and when I connect to it, we can see a characteristic (data element) that might be what you're looking for:

and when I write to that characteristic, sure enough, the thing beeps (and beeps, and beeps, and... hmm, no timeout... that seems battery unfriendly)

To do the same from a B4A BLE2 program should be no problem.

 

[agraham]

the thing beeps (and beeps, and beeps, and... hmm, no timeout... that seems battery unfriendly)

Many thanks. That's exactly what I want (for a drone locator). I don't even need to write the app if nRF Connect can do it

 

[emexes]

for a drone locator

Range might be an issue. One of my early trial applications was as a feline locator, but unfortunately those dang cats go more than 50 metres. But if you know *roughly* where the drone went down, you could use BLE to hunt it down by circling the area and listening for the advertising broadcasts, which are emitted once per second.

 

[emexes]

Uh, maybe that 50 metres depends on the phone and/or the brand of iTag. I just tried this one outside, line-of-sight, and at 18 metres it was -91 dB and usable (I could activate the beep) but at 24 metres it disappeared off the scanner. I put a new battery in it (measured 3.1 V) but same deal.

 

[Sandman]

Depending on the situation, it might be an option to make it beep all the time? Presumably the battery in the tracker would last longer than the battery in the drone?

 

[DonManfred]

Presumably the battery in the tracker would last longer than the battery in the drone?

Using such Tracker on a flying Drone you´ll fast get out of reach the BT Signal....

I guess it´s more like a "in which box i did put the drone into?"... Open app, send beep signal... Beeep. The Drone itself may be off at this time.

 

[asales]

Here an app made in B4A:

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Was your app downloaded 100,000 times or more? If yes then you are welcomed to post a link and screenshot of your app here.

www.b4x.com

 

[agraham]

Using such Tracker on a flying Drone you´ll fast get out of reach the BT Signal

The idea is that you know roughly where it went down but small drones are very difficult to see in long grass or trees! and you want to avoid treading on it. So once your phone can see the tracker you activate the alarm. Also I see that nRF Connect appears to be able to graph the the RSSSI which might also help in seeing whether you are moving in the right direction.

Here an app made in B4A:

Thanks, I'll take a look at that.

 

[emexes]

Also I see that nRF Connect appears to be able to graph the the RSSI

Lol I discovered that out on the street tonight too, but it was unusable because turns out my neighbors are leaking Bluetooth all over the place. My phone nearly blew up.

which might also help in seeing whether you are moving in the right direction.

The B4A BLE2 library scan function returns the RSSI too, without having to connect to the device.

 

[emexes]

my neighbors are leaking Bluetooth all over the place

This could be another reason for the range tonight being less than I remember it being ~one year ago.

 

[agraham]

The B4A BLE2 library scan function returns the RSSI too, without having to connect to the device.

I saw that but it needs WORK to do it, the nRF Connect app seems to have everything I need already implemented so no need to reinvent the wheel for what will only be occasional (perhaps never!) use. Just waiting for the delivery of an iTag now!

 

[agraham]

I must have you mixed up with another agraham, who seemed to have done everything.

Nope, it's same one. After nearly 74 years I 've done most things but not everything. Still trying though!