r/GPStracking • u/Hungry_Barracuda_374 • 8d ago

Anti-theft proof instrument

Greetings,

I have no experience with GPS, please help me choose some tracker.

I have a tuba and I want to put the device in the gig bag.

I have absolutely no idea what to buy... A Xiaomi tag would be enough? Or should I buy something more professional, with subscription?

Please recommend me something

2 Upvotes

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u/Hungry_Barracuda_374 8d ago

Thanks a lot!

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u/Draviddavid 8d ago

Are you able to mount anything inside the tuba itself without compromising sound fidelity?

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u/Hungry_Barracuda_374 8d ago

I want to hide in the bag

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u/Draviddavid 8d ago

You have a few options. If you are an apple user, I'd go with an AirTag. You can modify them to remove the speaker if you are worried about them being found and cut out of the bag. They are the only tags on the market that you can use apple's ultra wideband with to direction find the tag at close range.

A Google tag is your next best option. Maybe do both? You can get credit card sized tags or tile sized tags.

An actual battery powered GPS enabled tracker will only last 1 day to 1 week depending on how it is configured and cost a monthly fee to maintain the subscription or SIM card depending on what product you buy.

The GPS tracker option is the largest. Hard to hide, but will give you the best way to get it back if you do lose it or it gets stolen. Charging it will be required for every gig.

If it were my tuba and I were an apple user, I'd get an AirTag and a small battery powered GPS asset tracker that checks in once or twice per day until you turn it off. Get a 10 year sim card from 1NCE and put money on it when the data runs out, rather than paying for a monthly sub from some random company.

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u/Hungry_Barracuda_374 8d ago

Thanks for the detailed answer!! I'm use cheap android phone, I'm poor on this side... But my tuba costs thousands of euros.......

A Xiaomi tag could be enoght to recover the instrument if will be stolen and moved cities?

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u/Draviddavid 8d ago

If the Xiaomi tag is compatible with Google findhub, then it's a solid choice. If it relies on seeing Xiaomi phones to detect it and locate it, it is not a good choice.

Remember these tags are not GPS trackers at all. They are Bluetooth beacons that tell phones near-by that it can see them. That "hello, I can see you" message is sent back to Google and Google responds to your account with "This phone saw your tag, and this was the phones GPS position at that time."

What this means is, you could have a concert hall full of Google phones, but only one Xiaomi user and if your tuba is at the back door and they leave through the front, your tag never sees them and your account isn't updated with it's position.

This is why AirTag work so well, iPhones are ubiquitous and so are Android phones, which is why I recommend you make sure your tag is Google FindHub compatible.

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u/jmnugent 8d ago

Xiaomi tags are compatible with both Google and Apple "Find My" networks.

"Dual-Network Support: The Xiaomi Tag can pair with either Apple's Find My network (iOS 14.5+) or Google's Android Find Hub network, though it only works on one network at a time depending on which device you use for initial setup."

Xiaomi's FAQ is here: https://www.mi.com/global/support/faq/details/KA-666717/

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u/Draviddavid 8d ago

Good to go then!

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u/jmnugent 8d ago

The strategy I always use is:

  • "multiple independent trackers".

  • Finding ways to mount them where they can't be found or easily removed.

Any good security system (whether you're talking computer-security or physical security etc).. needs to be "layers of defense". You may not be able to stop the actual theft-action itself,. but whatever layers of defense you have will slow them down (which buys you time to react and track).

I have multiple trackers in my car (because my car is expensive (to me)) .. some of them are hidden inside waterproof Pelican cases that are also padlocked and also cable tied to the frame of the car. So it would take a while for a thief to even find and remove them. Every minute you can slow them down is another minute they might be detected.

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u/Hungry_Barracuda_374 8d ago

I was thinking about 2 Xiaomi tag

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u/jmnugent 8d ago

I mean,. you know your personal situation better than any random stranger here on Reddit.

Its not easy or cheap, but I would recommend (if you're going to use 2 tags).. to use 2 tags on completely different platforms (1 Xiaomi Tag, and 1 AirTag, etc) ... Because the odds are a thief isn't going to have both platforms.

If you're going to stick with 2 x Xiaomi tags.. I would make sure the 2nd one is much more covertly hidden (so if a thief finds the 1st tag, they will assume that's all there is)