REVIEW: THE QUINO GPS RANGER
March 16, 2009
My very first experience with the Quino GPS Ranger was a complete success. The investigation I was conducting required developing information (legally, of course) about the movements of a particular vehicle. I simply attached the device to an inconspicuous place on the vehicle and then retrieved it two months later. The amount of data that the Ranger had collected during that time was incredibly impressive.
There are no markings on the Ranger to identify its function or origin, and the color and design make it look much like an automotive component. A surprisingly strong magnetic base provides for a secure ride, or it can be peramanently installed. It is a small, lightweight unit that fits in the palm of the hand, but when it comes to the operational capabilities, the Ranger is anything but a lightweight.
Two AA batteries power the unit for up to 40 hours of operation, but since it only uses power when it’s “awake,” the unit recorded data for the whole two months. It stores huge amounts of data…the equivalent of driving 500 miles, before having to retrieve the device to download the data to the computer.
I had already loaded the Ranger software on my computer, so when it came time find out what the Ranger could do, all I had to do was connect a USB cable to the device, select my preferences for viewing the data, and hit the go button.
What happened next was a sight to behold. Ranger summoned up the power of Google Earth, and the two of them interfaced, spilling out all of the secrets of the last two months…the path of the vehicle, where and when it stopped, for how long, travel time between stops, average speed, maximum speed…you name it! And the whole thing is viewable and printable in different formats.
Plus, when it’s not being used as part of an investigation, I just sit it on my dashboard and it keeps track of my billable travel time and miles for invoicing my clients. This GPS device works exactly “as advertised” and it should be an integral part of every investigator’s toolbox.
- Dave Sheldon (Arkansas Board of Private Investigators License No. D96-67)
