CellTrack Beta: Track Your Location Using GSM Cell Tower Information

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://celltrack.spv-developers.com' target='_blank'>http://celltrack.spv-developers.com</a><br /><br /></div><i>"CellTrack is free and open source utility for tracking the location of GSM cellular phones. Currently C500 smartphones running Windows Mobile are supported. A free CellTrack client can be downloaded and installed on your phone. This runs in the background and collects information on the GSM cell towers in your phone's vicinity. This information can be used to estimate the geographical location of your phone. The client can be configred to automatically perform certain actions when the phone location changes. For example, CellTrack can be configured to automatically switch your phone to silent when entering work, or to divert all calls to your home line when you are at home."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-Apr-2005-CellTrack.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />CellTrack is a software that can run on HTC Typhoon (C500/SP3i/SMT5600) based Smartphones and report your location using the GSM cell tower information. The beta version of this application does not have all the features implemented yet, but I love the concept and its potential. 8) You can configure this application to report your location information to the central cell tower database and soon you will be able to do cool things like displaying your current location on your blog, website, or forum signature. And one piece of advice, don't let your spouse find out about this application. ;-)

[mbranscum]

Anyone know if this'll work on the Mpx220? I heard it would not.

[Mike Temporale]

It only mentions the HTC-based phones, so I'm guessing it won't, but I don't have a Moto to try it out on, so I can't say for sure. :(

[Brandonjg]

Anyone know if this'll work on the Mpx220? I heard it would not.

I sure hope support is added for Cingular/MPx220. I love the potential this app could have.

[encece]

Is this a similar app as TinyGPS?
http://www.psiloc.com/index.html?id=272

[Mike Temporale]

From what I understand, it's TinyGPS and more. TinyGPS just displays your current cell tower and allows you to schedule events based on the tower you're in. This app does all that, and it reports your current cell tower back to a central database allowing you to display your current location on a webpage. Check out the image below the screenshots on this page. (http://celltrack.spv-developers.com/?act=demo)

Mind you, I haven't installed this yet. It's on my list of things to do, and hopefully it will be accomplished this morning!

[encece]

A program called SmartLocator.GPS by world-tracker.com does that but via....GPS.

[jimfee]

I'm not all that up on posting my whereabouts to a public forum, especially live time, but with the information that is sniffed off of the tower transmission, plus information on tower locations that is available on the FCC website, a non-user specific location area could be created for each tower. Then get that data base on my phone and I would use it to tell myself where I am, not anyone else.

I really don’t want to know that I'm close to MR's home, maybe a text tag like the name of the major town that falls within the "blob" of coverage that I am currently in would be more useful. ie "SSW of Celltownville" when you are getting signal from the sector of the tower that points SSW and the tower is located in "Celltownville"

This is a great example of reverse engineering, mapping the network from the open air Transmissions

[wallynyc]

Imagine the scenario - you lose your phone. :(

Using this software (and the on-line database), your web-site/blog/etc. tells where it is. So you go to that area and call your phone. Hopefully you'll have a distinctive ring (and it is on!) and you may be able to track it down to the person - much to their absolute astonishment. 8O

[Brandonjg]

Does anyone know of a similar program that will work on an MPx220 with Cingular? Neither Celltrack nor TinyGPS seem to support any Cingular handsets :cry:

[jimfee]

Unfortunately this tpe of location system will never provide that type of acuracy on a GSM system. You are realy only known to be in a particular sector of a certain cell site. Think of it as a three slice pie with a circumferance of a few miles, this software can realy only tell you if you are in slice A, B or C. Assisted GPS on GSM may exist but none of the US carriers are going that route.

[Brandonjg]

to me, absolute accuracy is not as importants as just being able to distinguish between being at home or at work so that I can schedule events based on that information. I'd say that if absolute accuracy is what you're after, GPS is the only real solution

[encece]

I used TinyGPS on AT&amp;T with the SMT-5600.
AT&amp;T's broadcast towers weren't named but you could name them yourself....home, work, Philadelphia, etc.

[Jerry Raia]

Anyone know if this'll work on the Mpx220? I heard it would not.

The MPx220?? It would probably show you in the 12th ring of hell! :lol:

[Kris Kumar]

Anyone know if this'll work on the Mpx220? I heard it would not.

I was checking out the CellTrack forum (http://www.spv-developers.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=12) and I believe I read that the app is dependent on the HTC Typhoon radio stack interface.

[Kris Kumar]

Imagine the scenario - you lose your phone. :(

Using this software (and the on-line database), your web-site/blog/etc. tells where it is. So you go to that area and call your phone. Hopefully you'll have a distinctive ring (and it is on!) and you may be able to track it down to the person - much to their absolute astonishment. 8O

Good point.. 8)

Even though this may not provide the accuracy to really pin point the location. But I might be able to remember where I was and where I might have left it. But if someone picks it up and walks away, I am toast. :-)

[Kris Kumar]

I definitely do not want to advertise my location on my blog or forum signature. But I am sure some people out there wouldn't mind.

But I am okay with my family being able to locate me. Also some parents would like to be able track their kids. I know it sounds like big-brother tech, but it is useful if used with responsibility. ;-)

[encece]

I personally dont care who knows where I am. I usually either at home or work anyway. But I think the real fun comes in when you have a group of people (friends, family) who all use the service at once.

Unfortunately, I cant convince anyone to get a smartphone or ppc. Most of my circle have a hard time embracing the technology as much as I have and usually look at me as a obcessed geek.

But I'm hoping one day.

Real time movement would be the coolest...like while driving.

If GPS technology were as common as ordinary cellphone usuage, you'd be able to give people directions as they are driving.

Know how long until a friend arrives for a surprise party.

Know where your kids are at all times....or at least where their phone is.

This technology, cell broadcasting or GPS would be much much better if it were use on a larger, commonplace scale.

[Mike Temporale]

Unfortunately, I cant convince anyone to get a smartphone or ppc. Most of my circle have a hard time embracing the technology as much as I have and usually look at me as a obcessed geek.

But I'm hoping one day.

Ah, yes. I know exactly what you're talking about, I have a very similiar group of friends, with the odd exception.


I look at this tech as a cheap man's GPS. It has a lot of potential, it's pretty cool, and it can help locate the general area you're in. Where as GPS is much more accurate, but you have to buy all the stuff to make it work. :)

[Bacco]

They've just released Beta4...it now offers the ability to enter locations via the phone.

I can't wait till they program the events into the code.

[Kris Kumar]

I have used the program for a day now, the one thing that concerns me is that it is very chatty. [According to the developer the data exchanged is very small.] If you are driving from point one to point two, chances are your cell tower id keeps changing and when that cell id changes, the program syncs the info with the central server every minute. :evil: I guess that is the cost of updating your location information to the central server. :?

I am not sure if this every minute sync [during my car ride] will block the incoming calls or not. I will verify this the next time I am with my fiance and use her cell phone to call mine. ;-)

I would like the app's sync feature customizable. And I wonder if the program keeps a copy of the cell ids locally or not. I mean a local database, so that if the cell tower name is known, no need to sync.

[Mike Temporale]

If you are driving from point one to point two, chances are your cell tower id keeps changing and when that cell id changes, the program syncs the info with the central server every minute. :evil:

Well, if it didn't update as soon as the tower changed it wouldn't be real time, would it?

[Bacco]

And I wonder if the program keeps a copy of the cell ids locally or not. I mean a local database, so that if the cell tower name is known, no need to sync.

Kris...I do believe the phone client keeps a copy of the tower name on the phone. Zone, the site admin over there, mentioned that for the phone client to transmit the tower description to the DBase the phone must be within range of that tower, otherwise the transfer will not occur. However, the tower info will be saved on your phone.

[jimfee]

Kris,
The traffic you are seeing occurs on a single control channel for each site. Increasing message traffic over that channel would theoretically limit the possibility that a call for you, or anyone else on in that cell could initiate a call. But, in cellular systems there are message hierarchies that prioritize different traffic over another, with call initiation at the top of the food chain because it is also at the top of the revenue chain. Voice calls also have a priority over data transmissions and should put the data into a holding state to resume once the voice messaging is complete. All that said theory and real experience sometimes don't square up.

Question-I'm assuming the server update uses the data (GPRS) feature of the phone, do you have an unlimited bucket of KB/Mo?

[Kris Kumar]

All that said theory and real experience sometimes don't square up.

Agreed. :-) That's why I would like to test it out on my phone with my carrier.

Question-I'm assuming the server update uses the data (GPRS) feature of the phone, do you have an unlimited bucket of KB/Mo?

I have unlimited Internet. And I do see it using GPRS during Online DB update.

But I think when it is fetching the cell tower name, I do not see the small G in the top right corner, next to the Signal strength icon.

[jimfee]

All that info mscid, lac, ci, etc is always in the message packet for both voice and data transmissions all the time, I'm pretty sure

more specificaly it is in the registration/handoff messages when your are on neither an active voice nor data transmision.