Tracking Tags, Part 2: Track Your Guns When You Travel

Brian wraps up his travel adventures, keeping track of his gun amidst all the lost baggage.

In Part 1 of this short series, you probably realized just how valuable a luggage tracker could be to track your guns. In this article, I will go over some features of them and dive into the specifics of Samsung’s SmartTag and why I had to go with it over an AirTag.

Benefits of Using Smart Luggage Tags To Track Your Guns

The major benefit is that you can track your bag to get it back if the airline loses it or it ends up somewhere it shouldn’t. You can see how far away your bags are from the carousel or if they made it on the aircraft with you. It’s fantastic to feel at ease knowing that your bag is where it’s supposed to be. You can clearly see the benefit of being able to track your guns when they are somewhere in a mess like this.

How much do luggage trackers and smart tags cost?

You don’t need to shell out a fortune for a good tracker. A Bluetooth-enabled tracker comes with a smartphone app for $29 for the basic model and $38 for the advanced one. Some smart GPS luggage trackers and tags will have subscription fees for greater tracking capabilities.

Types of luggage trackers and smart tags

When picking a luggage tracker, you can choose from a few different kinds of technology. GPS, GSM (mobile networks), and Bluetooth will be used by most systems, either individually or in combination. The SmartTag+ has more features and will get you right to your bag, while the basic model will get you in the general area. As you can see, they are small and black, so they blend into everything. I put the red straps on them so I can find them easier.

Luggage Trackers: How do they work?

You place a tag inside or fasten it to your luggage. It can send its location through GPS, Bluetooth, or a cellular network. The more advanced trackers will use a combination of technologies to ensure that the tag is never out of range. Depending on your battery life and preferences, they can ping their location every few seconds or hours. The phone app seemed to cut down on the battery life of my phone, so when I am not traveling, I simply uninstall the app and then re-install it when I need it again.

There are two major players in the market. Apple’s AirTag is the most well-known, and Samsung’s SmartTag is the second.

Galaxy Smart Tag for Tracking Firearms

I have a Samsung phone, so I picked the SmartTag. The Galaxy Smart Tag is the same technology as the AirTag but for Samsung users. If your tag is outside your phone’s Bluetooth range, it switches to Samsung’s Bluetooth connected network. Even when you are offline, SmartTags will use the Galaxy Find Network to send location updates for the item. You can also configure the Galaxy SmartTag to make a noise when activated by your phone.

Samsung offers a SmartTag and a SmartTag+. Both will do the job, but the SmartTag+ has added accuracy, and it is the one you will need to use the signal meter.

Is it possible to use the Galaxy SmartTag with other devices?

Galaxy SmartTags are only for Galaxy users, so other smart devices, like iPhones, can’t use them. iPhone users, though, can do the same thing with an AirTag.

Accuracy and Effectiveness

Apple’s AirTag and Tile trackers have a more extensive network of devices than Samsung. As a result, compared to AirTags, the Galaxy Find Network may have some drawbacks. I figure since I will use mine for air travel, there will always be someone with a Samsung phone around at the airport. I have read many bad reviews on these, and most are related to batteries or the fact they can not track them. The tags have to be close enough to someone’s Samsung phone for them to link back to the Samsung network. If you are trying to track something like your pet, you will need a tracking device with GPS built-in and pay a monthly subscription.

Is there a subscription fee?

There is no subscription fee for SmartTags or AirTags. The ones that have a monthly fee are usually more advanced and GPS-enabled. This may be worth it for frequent flyers looking for more features, but for my use, the ones that use the cellular network are more than adequate.

The Value of Luggage Trackers for your guns.

During today’s chaotic air travel, it’s nice to know that you can track your guns. These trackers can make sure your firearms are safe and sound or at least easily locatable. These are a perfect solution if you want to track your firearms or bags in areas with a lot of people, but not if they can not reach someone’s phone, they will not work. It doesn’t have to be your phone, but it will need to be a Samsung.  You can read more about the procedure in this article if you want to know how to travel with your firearms properly. “Check-In and Flying With Your Guns & Ammo | Step by Step.”

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brian Armstrong grew up in a small farm town in rural Indiana and learned to shoot before he learned to drive. His career began as a firefighter and medic in Ft Wayne, IN. Throughout the years, he has owned multiple businesses, from construction to technology. His life has come full circle, and he is back to his emergency services roots, teaching emergency first aid and firearms courses.

Brian believes that the best way to learn “HOW” to do something is to first answer “WHY” you do something. He is an average guy with views like yours and is now sharing the knowledge gained from teaching, learning from others, and researching the topics you don’t have time to explore. Follow him at @LetsTalkDGU

 

 

 

 

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