GPS trackers for foreign travel?

[cleller]

My daughter and her husband are heading to Peru in a couple weeks. (They're PhD students)This will be their 3rd trip down there, they've spent a total of 12-14 months in Peru on the previous occassions, have a little bit of a network, live with a local family, and are fluent in spanish. They're not novices, and know what they are doing about as well as anyone.

Anyway, as a dad, I will always worry. Does anyone know of any type of discreet GPS doo-dad they could carry with them, that is reliable even in the absence cellular signals? I've seen GPS phone apps, so will mention that, but I'd just feel I've done my utmost if I could lay some CIA/James Bond gizmo on them.

Ridiculous idea?

[olevetonahill]

I dont think yer wrong Bro, what with all the craziness going on in this world. Dint we just lose someone down there recently?

[cleller]

By the way, I've been all over Amazon, but haven't found the perfect solution yet.

There was the HS valedictorian kid that disappeared in Ecuador a couple months back. That's just north of Peru. There was also a travel warning issued for the Cusco region or Peru (where they will be) several months back due to rumors of a kidnap plot on Americans from the old rebel group Shining Path.

[bluedogok]

I know of some riders and hikers who use a SPOT device on their trips.

SPOT Gen3 (http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100)

[Soonerfan88]

The actual GPS devices use satellites, not cell towers. For South America, I believe Garmin has the best coverage but TomTom is another option.

[olevetonahill]

If they have a Smartphone deal, cant ya use the "Find my phone option? or is that By Tower?

[rock on sooner]

Ya might consider a satellite phone...kinda expensive but they work
anywhere in the world.

[KantoSooner]

What the threat you're countering? If kidnapping, then whatever is going to have to be small and portable on their bodies; otherwise it will be ditched or stolen as soon as they're taken.
You might want to think, in that event, of 'bread crumbs'. Something small that can be carried in quantity that can be dropped ... and then found. Business cards are good for this purpose. Put a skype number on them so people can call in for free to collect their reward. They also don't require batteries or a charger.

[cleller]

Yeah, should have been more direct about that, kidnapping is what I'm hopefully unreasonably worried about. Tough to actually mention, I guess. The business card is a good idea, and they both just ordered a box.

What would be perfect is a GPS device disguised as button or shoe lace. Maybe it could also double as a smoke screen and stun gun.

[8timechamps]

cleller,

I used a Garmin in Mexico a couple of years back, and it worked great. We didn't venture off of the main touristy areas, but from what I could tell it had everything listed.

I know that with my Garmin I can update different maps, and there are world map options, so I assume you could do a South America update. I didn't buy the top of the line Garmin, so I don't know if those have all the maps already included.

I think I paid about $150 for my Garmin, and as much as I use it, it's paid for itself several times over.

Good luck!

[bluedogok]

The SPOT is just a GPS transceiver, you can have it automatically leave a bread crumb trail and have it posted to a website that you can invite other people to follow, it also has an emergency beacon capability. They also offer a satellite phone with similar features as well. I have known many motorcycle riders who have used them on rides in vast open areas without cell service just to let people know they are still on the move.

[cleller]

I kinda like that SPOT Gen. 3 thing. So far, it looks closest to what I've had in mind. Read a few knocks on it about battery life, and its ability to stand up to wet environments, but most folks say it does what its supposed to. Powering something like this will always be the major hurdle, I guess.
Uncle Sam probably has something that runs off a sliver of uranium.

Not sure if they'd want to be burdened with the things or not, will just have to ask them.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Tell them to just bring ninja stars and a sweet set of nunchucks.

All will be well.

[cleller]

If it were my wife, it would be a completely different scenario. If a kidnap attempt were ever to go down on her, within 30 seconds she would either be dead, or they'd have given up the idea. I'm really not exaggerating, either.

My daughter is a little that way, too, thankfully.

[KantoSooner]

I kept trying to get my ex- kidnapped on the theory that, after she'd managed to figure out how to use their phones, she'd order enough French handbags and Italian shoes that the group would have no working capital with which to cause trouble. It was going to be my contribution to world peace.