In remote and hostile conditions the ability to track a vehicle is often used to ensure the safety of passengers.
For the Belgium Punch Powertrain Solar Team in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, it gives those watching the challenge from outside of Australia the ability to see how the team are going and where in Australia they are.
Barrett has developed a HF tracking system that works with Google Maps to provide real-time vehicle tracking. The Barrett 2050 HF SSB transceiver installed in ‘Brains’ will send a GPS call, which is an existing capability of the 2050 HF transceiver types of Selcal.
The base station in Alice Springs up to 1,500km away, will receive the call, which will be the GPS location co-ordinates from the GPS receiver connected to the Barrett 2050 HF transceiver in Brains.
The base station in Alice Springs is installed with another Barrett 2050 HF transceiver, which will save these GPS co-ordinates as a .txt file on a computer connected to the 2050 HF transceiver.
Using an internet connection these co-ordinates are sent to the Barrett Communications head office in Perth, Western Australia, 2,499km away from Alice Springs. The .txt file is converted into a .gpx file and uploaded to the Barrett Communications website and interfaced with Google Maps.
The Eagle vehicle is also fitted with the Barrett 2020 HF email, fax and data system, which when connected to the Barrett 2050 HF transceiver will send emails and data via free-to-air HF radio.
The 2020 system is simple to install and easy to use. Emails are sent and received to the operator via their own email software such as MS Outlook, Lotus Notes or any other common email programme.