TRACKISAFE v multi tracker location way out

[CarolLD]

Hi,

I bought the tracker for my cat 2 days ago. It’s  working although I have had to reinstall the App a few times as it wasn’t updating. But the location is regularly way off. I was with my cat for 15mins in the garden and the tracker was showing he was 5 mins away in one direction and then 5 mins away in the opposite direction. Both locations are much further than he goes. If I didn’t know where he was I would have been really worried. It’s not fit for purpose if it can’t give me a decent location I mean that’s the whole point of a tracker? I know gps is only accurate to within a few meters but this is ridiculous. Can anyone advise what the problem is?

[Josh]

@CarolLD How inaccurate were the readings at the time though? Was your cat in the directions the tracker was showing? Have you also got the latest updates installed?

[CarolLD]

Hi @josh

It’s a brand new tracker so I assume it’s got the latest updates on it.

Unfortunately the locations were way off. The cat was sat by me when it gave me several readings showing him over 100 meters away as the crow flies, it’s continued to happen showing different locations each time and I’ve taken screen shots of many of them.

I checked the Vodafone status in case that caused the problem and all was well with that. 

[Josh]

@CarolLD Is there anything in your home area that could be interfering with the signal? Have you always faced this accuracy issue with the tracker? Or has this only come about recently? 

[CarolLD]

Hi @josh

i only bought the tracker 4  days ago and it’s been like this since I got it. I don’t live in a built up area, no tall buildings around and haven’t/don’t have problems with mobile signals. I use Three mobile for my own mobile though, not Vodafone.

[Josh]

@CarolLD What's your coverage like in your area though? Do you get stable 4G connections, is it a rural area etc? 

[CarolLD]

Hi @josh 

No I don’t live in a rural area, and I don’t have problems. I generally use 3G though. Do you think that could be a problem?

[Josh]

@CarolLD When you're checking the tracker's location on your phone, are you connected to Wi-Fi or are you using your 3G mobile data? 

[CarolLD]

Hi @josh, I’m on WiFi.

[CarolLD]

@josh

i just checked back over the screenshots I took, out of 6 all but 1 are on WiFi.

 Thanks 

[Josh]

@CarolLD I doubt it's the connection then, as Wi-Fi is particularly stronger then mobile data. A colleague has suggested there may be physical damage causing this, can you see any marks/scratches etc. on the tracker? 

[CarolLD]

@josh

It looks fine. 

[Josh]

@CarolLD Has it been exposed to any extreme heat or water? 

[CarolLD]

Hi @josh

he got it wet on Monday. But it was fine on Tuesday. Just not yesterday or today.

[Josh]

@CarolLD I know this sounds silly, but how wet did he get the device? Was it just partial due to rain etc. Or was the device fully submerged in water? 

[CarolLD]

@josh

i think it was dipped in a puddle!!

[Josh]

@CarolLD I doubt that would've done any damage to be fair, the trackers are built to withstand instances like that. Please can you try putting the app and tracker through a full reset? 

[CarolLD]

Hi yes, can you tell me how?

[Beth]

@CarolLD Please try to uninstall and reinstall the app via the app store. 

I've taken a look into some options for you beyond that, and found the user manual for the tracker itself.

In it, it details how to sync the GPS by:

1. Press and hold the on/off button for at least 3 seconds
2. Put the tracker down and wait for at least 15 minutes. 

Was this processed before you activated the tracker? Can you please try this as well as re-syncing the GPS within your phone to see if this helps the positioning issue you're having? To re-sync the GPS in your phone, you'll need to google the specific make and model of your phone and "re-sync GPS" to locate the correct settings steps.

Let us know how you get on 😊

[CarolLD]

Hi @beth

Thanks for looking into it. I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled the App many times, and performed the sync both when I got it last weekend and yesterday.

its still not working as it should and is causing me more worry when my cats got it on, and providing me with no peace of mind.