Can I Mount a GPS Tracker Under a Car?

One of the question many people who purchase a GPS logger or GPS Tracker have is where to put their GPS tracker (or GPS logger). Depending on the unit, we always recommend placing the GPS Logger underneath the vehicle in a magnetic mount case.

There are a few reason for this:

• It's The Most Covert Location - One of the most common reasons people use a GPS tracker is because they want to track their vehicle (or company vehicle) without the driver knowing there is a tracking device on the car. As long as you personally own that vehicle (or it's a company vehicle that your company owns), then this is perfectly legal to do. (Note: Check state and local laws just to be sure that there aren't any state or local ordinances in your area that might conflict with this).

• Better Reception - This might sound counterintuitive, but the best place to get a good reception for your GPS tracker or logger is underneath the vehicle. This is because the satellite signal bounces off the road, and "bounces" up under your vehicle much easier than it can penetrate the metal frame of the car itself. For this reason, you're better off putting it under the vehicle, than inside the vehicle in a glove box or underneath a seat. After all, the better reception your GPS tracker gets, the more accurate it is.

• Keep it Out of Your Way - One of the many uses of GPS loggers and trackers like the iTrail GPS Data Logger is to simply keep a record of your driving history. Chances are you'll leave it there for weeks or even a month without needing to retrieve it, so mounting it under your vehicle keeps it out of the way, since you only need to retrieve it when you need to recharge the battery.

One final note - many people ask us, "Will my GPS tracker fall off my car if I use a magnetic case?" All of our GPS tracker and logger boxes feature a high-grade professionally-designed magnetic box made specifically to carry these GPS devices. They have a 30 pound magnet on the case, which means that once you stick the case to the metal frame under your car, the box could support 30 pounds of weight. That's a lot of sticking power for a box that only has to hold a device only a few ounces! So you can imagine how strong the magnet is, and you'll be able to see once you get the case how hard you have to pull to get it off (don't worry, it's not impossible, you just have to firmly grasp the case and pull hard!).