RF-V16 GPS Tracker

Once you get this thing worked out, its pretty neat.

Out of the box it provides automatic historical location tracking, with position history plotted on a Google map. At any time you can manually request its current position by sending it a text, or by using the included iPhone app/Android app (more info about these coming soon).

RF-V16 Location playback
RF-V16 Location playback

By default, the device will automatically record and upload its location every 10 minutes. To maximise battery life, the GPS chip inside will “sleep” in between those 10 minute intervals,  waking for 30 seconds to obtain and upload a position, before going back to sleep.

The GPS chip utilizes GPRS and Assisted GPS, in order to expedite the process of obtaining satellite information. For this very reason, it is important that your SIM card includes a data plan. My device was only able to provide an inaccurate LBS position until I enabled data on my SIM card, at which point it became nicely accurate.

Which SIM card?

The RF-V16 uses GPRS to send and receive data. A 2G, or 3G, or even 4G SIM card will work, but only a maximum of 2G is used. I chose T-Mobile as my carrier – their SIM card supports 2G automatically, which operates at 850MHz/1900MHz on the GSM network (other carriers are presumably the same?). This is perfect for the RF-V16 because it is a quad-band device which uses 850/900/1800/1900MHz. T-Mobile also confirmed to me that their SIM card can be used in GPS tracking devices.

I use their “pay by the day” package – it’s $2 for unlimited 2G data for each day that you use. I only use my RF-V16 once per week, attached to my quadcopter, so it’s $2 for peace of mind that I’ll be able to find it if the worst happens. I know there are cheaper data plans out there, but I haven’t researched them yet. Do what works best for you, in your home country.

You need to buy your SIM card, activate it, and manage the funds etc. I used an iPhone 4 when doing this because it supports the same size microSIM card as the RF-V16. When activating the SIM card, T-Mobile will ask you for the IMEI of the device it’ll be used in. The RF-V16 has its own IMEI, shown on a sticker on the back of the device. I didnt supply this to T-Mobile and it didn’t seem to make a difference, so I’ll leave it up to you to decide on whether to do that.

Using the device

Inserting the SIM card

The microSIM should be inserted this way up. Push it in, and it’ll “click” into place. Push it in again to release.

RF-V16-Sim-card

 

 

 

Powering on/off and charging

  • Hold down the power button for 3 seconds.
  • A magical tune is played when starting up.
  • A “progressive build-up” tune is played when shutting down.
  • When you plug in the charger, the device will shut down without playing a tune, then it will restart, play the magical tune, and start charging.
  • The light on the charger is red when charging, green when finished.
  • If you have a tune constantly playing while charging, this is because the device is rebooting over and over. To prevent this, make sure your SIM card is installed while charging.

Set the master number

You need to let the RF-V16 know who is boss. Send it a text in the following format:

<password>,<username>,<phone number>#

The default password is 123456, so for example: 123456,sos1,3123911234#

Don’t forget the #

All commands sent to the device must be appended with a # symbol, otherwise they will be ignored. Also, don’t use spaces in any of the commands as they’ll make the command invalid.

Admin users

You can assign up to 5 users (phones) which are allowed to communicate with your RF-V16. These users should have the following usernames: sos1, sos2, sos3 etc. You can then use the command 123456,sos3,075*******0# to activate a new user.

Status update

Text dsp# to your device and it’ll reply with a status update letting you know which features are switched on or off. It lets you know the GSM signal strength, and confusingly the GPS signal strength. It’s confusing because, as I mentioned earlier, the GPS is only awake (valid) for 30 seconds every 10 minutes, or when you manually request the location. So don’t be concerned when you see “GPS Signal: Sleep” in the status response – it’s normal and saves battery life.

Data transfer

By default, position data is uploaded and recorded on gps123.org (see Mapping Platform section below) every 10 minutes. If you wanted to change this frequency to 20 minutes, for example, you would use the following command:

tim,20#

The minimum time you can set is 1 minute (tim,1#) – on this setting, the GPS never goes to sleep and battery life is greatly reduced to around 5-6 hours (according to the manufacturer).

Data can also be switched on and off using the following commands:

gon# = data on (default)

goff# = data off

You do not need data on (gon#) for the RF-V16 to function correctly, having data on means the position is periodically uploaded and stored online. If you simply want to query the device for its location on demand, turn data off (goff#) and just send a text (dw#) whenever you want. The “data” mentioned here is not to be confused with having a data plan with your SIM card, that is definitely required.

Calling

You can call the RF-V16 and it will play a tune loudly. This can be helpful when you’re nearby – you can listen out for the tune and locate the device if it’s attached to a quadcopter, for example. You should deactivate voicemail on your SIM card, otherwise it’ll stop ringing. There is also an SOS button on the device, so it can call you. You can also have it auto-answer incoming calls so that you can listen in to whatever is around the device.

Accuracy

I live in downtown Chicago. The buildings and general interference definitely cause a problem for the RF-V16, but if you move into an open sky area it works very well. Below is a comparison of my reported location in the Google maps app on iPhone 5 vs the RF-V16, resulting in 2 meter accuracy:

RF-V16-accuracy-test1

Mapping Platform

www.gps123.org is where the device uploads its position. You login using the ID number on the back of your device and the default password (123456), or your own pre-selected password. Here you can setup geo-fencing, playback, device statistics, device management, reset your password, and view historical data. It’s all good, but not really required for basic tracking. All you need is to send a text message to the device, but do take a look anyway.

Where to buy

Let me know in the comments if you find a better price.

Vital Statistics

Dimensions: 40 x 34 x 14mm

Weight: 27g

RF-V16-Weight

About the manufacturer

“RF” is an abbreviation of “Reach Far”. The RF-V16 is made by:

RF-GSM TECHNOLOGY (HK) CO., LIMITED
Unit 503,
NangYuan Building,
Mingbao Road,
LongHua,
Shenzhen,
Guangdong,
China
Phone: +8613717148901
Email: crs0755@163.com
Skype: susanchencrs

HK office: Unit 04, 7/F, Bright Way Tower, No.33 Mongkok Road, Kowloon, HongKong
+852-23892981
www.rfgsm.biz
www.rfgsm.net
www.tcgsm.com
www.trackanywhere.org

Alternatives

Flytrex Live 3G / TK102b

Disclaimer

I am not associated with RF-GSM Technology Co in any way, and I was not sponsored or paid for this review.

248 comments

  1. A much needed review….

    Thank you very much SAM. I did read your replies on the Rcgroup forums as well. Just read it hours after you posted.

    So reading the review i think it can be a bargain buy to get one.

    But I would wait for a detailed analysis and part 2 of the review to make a decision.

    I was actually searching for a high accuracy similar personal tracker with both GLONASS and GPS capabilities, but seems like any portable one does not exists and all I can find is vehicle or asset trackers.

    Just off topic, but related information for food for thought of other readers :

    I also gave my suggestions to a similar mini GPS project started (now defunct) on a crowd funding site, where I wanted the tracker to send an alert SMS whenever it is separated from the subject it is supposed to track.

    Suppose the tracker is separated from the intended RC plane (during the flight) or the human being (for that matter), it would still be sending the data which of course would be of no use and would give false position information.

    For such a proximity solution, I suggested to somehow let the tracker pair with some NFC tag pasted on the subject, as long as the GPS tracker is in proximity of the NFC tag it is valid, however if the proximity is breached, then it should send an alert signal.

    But such a solution has not been visualized, or at least not in my knowledge.

    Thanks for the review.

  2. Hi AlterEgo, glad you found the review useful.

    You should know that the RF-V16 appears to be a vehicle/asset tracker which has been repackaged as a child/elderly person tracker! When you login to their mapping platform or use their iPhone app, there are numerous mentions of vehicles, and icons showing cars. Not that this matters, it still works just fine.

    I think its safe to say you could purchase one without waiting for my next review, the battery life seems to be around 2 days, and so far the accuracy has been excellent – although I’ve only tested in urban areas, not rural.

    Good luck,
    Sam

  3. OMG, Sam, you legend. Couldn’t have understood everything without this blog.

    Please can we make this even better?

    I’ll tell you what I’ve done which you haven’t covered, maybe you could add to your blog?

    1) To address the YouTube video where the guy had put tape over the port because it kept “popping out”… please note that with the correct orientation as shown by Sam, you need to use a credit card or something similar to push the Sim card into the Tracker gently but firmly until you hear the latching mechanism “click”. It won’t pop out after that. Push in again “pops” it out with another click as it releases.

    2) To answer the questions on RCGroups.com about the tune playing over and over while charging… yes, it does that because it is rebooting. As stated in the manual it says something like “Please have SIM card installed when charging”. If the tracker cannot register a SIM it reboots in a loop until it can. Each time it boots it will play the tune! Simply put a valid SIM card in it and no more tune.

    3) APN set up (data)
    You need to configure your APN to make SURE that it gets data. As SAM says, once it has data for the AGPS info it turns into a 2 metre accurate responsive beast! 🙂
    Please remember to turn OFF the data upload (goff#) as this is NOT require for a one off GPS lock via text (dw#). The dw# works a treat if you configure your APN.
    My APN was easy, it had no password, no proxy, no port. The SIM card said to simply enter “MOBILEDATA” as the APN and so my command was…
    apn,MOBILEDATA#
    Research yours online or ask customer services. Job done!

    4) SIM card choice. You could choose a local tarrif/network provider for where you know you will be flying, you could even have a few different ones and swap them out.
    I started with a UK GiffGaff SIM because it never expires and it’s only 6p per text message. It also offers auto-top-up with which it can never be dry of credit.
    I since moved on from that as I realised that to O2 network it runs on: in many places turns out a bit “shit” for signal, random mast “maintenance”, text message “delays” etc etc.

    I am now using a GLOBAL SIM CARD (with GeoSIM). This means it will operate on ANY MAST over ANY CARRIER! Yes, it’s more expensive per text and there is a small fee to buy the SIM, but if it means you will always have a reliable signal it’s well worth the cost.
    Basically this “Global SIM” will work in nearly any Country on any Mast but will charge differently on the fly depending where you are. It connects automatically to the strongest network signal.
    My tests in the UK Midlands have been 17p per text and 1p per data query. So make that 18p per location query. Bargain if it works EVERY TIME!
    Mine was a GeoSIM from http://www.globalsimcard.co.uk and cost £15 plus I paid an extra £2 ish for next day delivery (and it did). Add the VAT and it was about £20 but I found a discount voucher code which gave me 10% off the whole thing. It said I would get £10 airtime, but I actually had £15 🙂
    It works perfectly in the RF-V16, all you need to do is program the APN to the tracker. Simply send this command to it…
    apn,MOBILEDATA#
    They also offer a DUAL NUMBER SIM which has a UK number AND a USA number available on the same SIM.

    5) Battery life
    After I found this Blog by Sam and I learned that you needed the DATA to get the AGPS info each time your query I was much better informed. This means that I can enjoy the full battery life of the RF-V16. Why? Because out of the box the RF-V16 is set to upload it’s location data to gps123.org every 10 minutes. If you do not configure the APN it will still keep trying but never get there. This EATS BATTERY. I left mine on over night and 12 hours later is was texting me about the 10% left. It lasted a lot longer after that but, still. Not the 350 hours promised in the manual.
    So for best battery life: turn off data uploading (goff#) and program APN so that your queries are perfect. To further your battery, also turn off the LED status lights (loff#). After all, if your tracker is lost you won’t be able to see them, why pay the mA’s for something you won’t see?

    6) GPS lock time and LEDs explained…
    Out the box, my RF-V16 booted, got GSM signal (orange flash quickly) and then took about 5 minutes before finally getting GPS lock (blue flash quickly too). This is because I DID NOT HAVE DATA working. It did eventually find GPS but takes a long time, eating battery as it goes.
    If I turned off data uploads, it never got GPS lock because it only attempts to find GPS for 30 seconds cold start. It failed and then sends the GSM triangulation (crap and way off) instead of GoogleMaps. If I turned data uploads back on (gon#) it eventually got GPS lock again as it tries much harder to scan for sattelites in gon# mode.
    AFTER SETTING APN and getting my data working everything got reliable and accurate.
    Out the box, my LED’s would flash quickly (or briefly to better describe it) but every second or two seconds. When I turned data uploading off (goff#) the LED’s stop flashing. They instead blink slowly once every 40-90 seconds to show the device is switched on in standby mode.
    When you text for location (dw#) it starts blinking the LED’s again while it finds GPS lock and returns the GoogleMaps text. Then back into standby.

    Hope that extra info helps someone further enjoy a successful Tracker experience. I was so delighted to get it working as well as I have. Thanks Sam!

  4. Hi,

    I have the exact same GPS tracker on my Dji Phantom. I have been using it since
    July and it works 100%

    The tracking is awesome, it can send me the exact address or location where it
    is. It took me some time to understand it´s behavior, also the start up/turn
    off sound.

    When I log into gps123.org I can see all my flights, or where I have been
    flying. The only thing the data is incorrect sometimes, is the hour but I have
    to look into that later.

    Nice blog btw 🙂

  5. Hi Chris, thanks a lot for the comments and extra info. Sorry its taken me so long to respond. I’ve updated my blog with some of your info, specifically the part about needing to have the SIM card installed while charging, good catch! Cheers.

  6. I bought it from alibaba RF-V16. How can I register it seems indifferent to the IMEI number.

  7. Sam thanks for the review its quite informative, however don’t you think this can be use for vehicle tracking with the unit powered from the vehicle power source, what do you think?

  8. Anyone know if it is possible to have these devices send data to your own server instead of to gps123.com? I want to integrate the data with some other information that I am already collecting.

    Thanks,

  9. Could you please answer the question of whether this RF-V16 is carrier agnostic. That is, will it connect to ANY US cellular system/tower. For instance, if I am flying primarily in the mountains of western North Carolina, although I usually use ATT and my phone iPhone carrier, but I know that many areas, ATT signal is not available, but Verizon is. In other areas Verizon is not available (less commonly), but ATT is. So should the SIMM card purchased be ATT or Verizon, or does it matter, is it carrier agnostic? SECOND question, other than the weight, why would I purchase the RF-V16 instead of the Drone-Modes GPS locator? Advantages and disadvantages please: see http://www.drone-mods.com/Drone-Mods-UAV-Locator-DM005.htm I am using this on the Inspire 1, and want to be sure that this is mountable and not going to interfere with the positioning or communication systems.

  10. Hi David, I’m not sure if this is carrier agnostic, I know it connects to the nearest cell tower to download AGPS data, but whether it matters if that cell tower belongs to your carrier or not I’m not sure. I guess its really a question for the carrier, perhaps you can ask Verizon or ATT if their AGPS data is shared with any device from any network? Please let us know what you find out so it can be shared here with others looking for the same answer.

  11. Where did you find a SIM card at about $5/month? Does it require a data plan for this to function properly? I am being quoted a cost of $30-40/month, but I think that I am being sold something that I do not want. I only need the GPS when I need it, with a flyaway or crash (which I hope never happens), and with testing or demo of the system, which may be once a week or once a month.

    We are basically looking for a true GPS tracker, with both quality/sensitive
    GPS and tower triangulation, around $5/month, carrier agnostic (so will be able
    to access any local towers, no matter what carrier (ATT, Verizon, T0Mobile,
    etc) which is especially important in poor-coverage mountainous areas), no
    magnets that might throw off the UAV compass calibration, no device systems
    that might throw off the attitude control or communications or video feed of
    the UAV with its controller(s), and weight no more than around 50 grams (the
    lighter the better), compact, and easily attachable to the Inspire 1 or to a
    Phantom 2. No need to continually track, only need to respond with location if “called” to find (in case of an uncontrolled fly-off/fly-away or crash), and fully-functional iPhone and Android apps available. Also, not to become obsolete id 2G becomes phased out in 2016, as is said to be a possibility.

    One problem is that I think these work (and many other trackers) on 2G, but ? not on 3G or 4G, but I am not sure if this is really the case. If 2G is discontinued, and I am told that 2 G is being phased out in 2016???, then am I left with an obsolete unit?

    I simply do not have the knowledge base or experience with GPS trackers to understand just what is going on or how to make a decision. They seem to want to charge me $30-40/month for this service, but I thinks I am being told this incorrectly by their agents – I would appreciate your input.

    Here is info on the trackers that seem to be the most popular:

    RF-V16 Tracker (27 grams): https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=rf-v16+tracker+review&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4MXGB_enUS512US512&q=rf-v16+tracker+review&gs_l=hp….0.0.1.63991………..0.TszuE6SeC1U

    Drone-Mods Tracker (56 grams): https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=rf-v16+tracker+review&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4MXGB_enUS512US512&q=rf-v16+tracker+review&gs_l=hp….0.0.1.63991………..0.TszuE6SeC1U#q=drone+mods+tracker+review

    Thanks,

    Dave

  12. Hi,

    I just returned from a T-Mobile store and completed my set up. I got a plan that does not have data (i.e. internet) but text and talk. I went there with the device and told the attendant that the device communicates via text for the purpose I got it for. It cost $3 a month, 10c/text, i.e. 30 text in a month which should be more than I need. I also have an Inspire 1.

    I am yet to test it much but I have completed the commands and all. A part I got hung up on during set up was setting up the master number. I kept on using the device’s number and I didn’t get a response. I later used my cell phone number and I got my response.

    Thank you Sam for the write up. It really helped.
    Dave, I hope this helps. Sorry I can’t help with your other concerns but will like to know too.

    Ben

  13. Thanks Ben. I tried to set up with T-Mobile, but they said that I have to have another plan/account to attach the GPS tracker device to. A assume that you must use T-Mobile as your cell phone carrier, thus the low cost of adding the RF-V16. Otherwise they wanted $30-40/month to do an individual tracker. My cell phone carrier is ATT, but I cannot find a plan lower than $15/month with ATT, so this is more costly than desirable. In the mountains of North Carolina, where I fly, ATT is so so, but T-Mobile reception is quite poor.

    Both of these (ATT and T-Mobile) use GSA-type cell networks, which most of the GPS-tracker devices use, whereas Verizon and Sprint use CDMA-type cell networks, and Verizon would really provide best coverage for the areas of the NC mountains that I fly in, BUT I can find no lightweight GPS tracker devices that use CDMA-type cell networks, so unless you know otherwise, the Verizon/Sprint CDMA-type cell networks options appear to be out.

    Do you need a data plan, or just phone and text plan for the RF-V16?

    Any comments/recommendations from you or any other informed persons would be appreciated.

  14. ATT is my primary carrier and this will be the first time I will be using T-Mobile.
    I just read Chris Street’s post on this thread and it seems one will need a data plan for accuracy. I tried locating myself and it was off by more than 50 meters. I will be back at the T-Mobile store tomorrow and will keep you updated.

  15. Thanks Ben.

    If ATT is your primary carrier, why did you go with T-Mobile (versus ATT), and how did you get it for $4/month if you had no other primary phone with T-mobile? Here is a contact directly at ReachFar in China, maker of the RF-V16, although her English is not perfect. She might be able to answer specific questions for you, and you might suggest that they put an English speaking tech support number here in the US, or at least someone who can help us work out some of the problems that we are having with SIM card plans at less than $5/month cost. She might be able to help us with the ATT questions, etc. Who knows, you might get paid for retranslating their instruction manual for clarity.
    My contact at ReachFar in China:

    Susan Chen
    RF-GSM TECHNOLOGY(HK)CO.,LIMITED
    Shenzhen
    Ruifenghuizhi Technolgoy Co.,Ltd
    China office:Unit 503,NangYuan
    Building,Mingbao Road,LongHua,Shenzhen,Guangdong,China
    +86(755)83244037 +86(755)82568760
    Phone:+8613717148901
    Skype:susanchencrs
    HK office:Unit 04,7/F,Bright Way Tower,No.33 Mongkok Road,Kowloon,HongKong
    +852-23892981
    http://www.rf-gsm.com http://www.rfgsm.net http://www.rfgsm.net http://www.trackanywhere.org http://www.gps123.org

  16. Susan from China (at ReachFar headquarters), tells me that:

    the RF-V16 is 2G GSM device ,T-mobile is the only one
    telcome support the 2G GPRS date . so you must use the T-mobile
    SIM.

    If can not login: please click the phone icon in the right
    bottom on the APP. and login with 10 digital ID, password is 123456.

  17. So I got the pay as you go plan with $3/month. I added the $5/day pass data plan. I set up APN using the command apn,mobiledata# (as stated by Chris) and it worked. I have tested it and it was accurate to about 3 meters. So I pay $3 a month and pay $5 only when I use the data. I probably won’t be testing so often. I hope to fly tomorrow and test it one more time.
    The plan is on the T-Mobile website http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-as-you-go but it may be easier to set it up in a store.

  18. Thanks for your interest. Please call me 828-320-5152 or email me david@millsaps.com direct, so that we do not drive others nuts on this site. We can always later go back and post important items to this site as is appropriate. I am curious to know how further testing goes.

  19. The customer service of gps123.org wants the following info because my device does not appear on their maps. I’m using T-Mobile but have no idea how to answer any of these…can someone help? (This is a cut/paste from an email they sent me) Thanks-

    We need following details information about the APN

    Ad : Vodafone Internet

    APN : internet

    Proxy :

    Bağlantı noktası :

    Kullanıcı adı : vodafone

    Parola : vodafone

    Sunucu :

    MMSC :

    MMS proxy’si :

    MMS bağ. nokt. :

    MMS protokolü : WAP 2.0

    MCC : 286

    MNC : 02

  20. Hi, and thanks for the good introduction! I have bought this device but it isn’t working. It only gives me the GSM-location with dw”hashtag” command. No GPS location at all! Although my SIM has data service and it seems to be working since I could use Internet with the SIM on my cell phone. Another thing is that the website doesn’t give me any information, no tracking, not anything. Is it due this data problem?! Thanks, if somebody can help me!

  21. Hi Sam – thanks for excellent blog.

    I have the RF-V16, it is beautifully made and and is an amazing almost fully-functioning mobile phone – even works inside my car. I am using a Giffgaff PAYG sim card, which I configured using an old Samsung smart phone. (Am in UK)

    I can only find conflicting information about setting the APN. The documentation says “already set for most providers” – but doesn’t list which. If I request a location using the dw# command, it will reply with an SMS to my mobile which – bizarrely – may link to either google.com or gps123.org or trackanywhere.org. The choice seems random.

    If I sign in to gps123.org from my PC, using my 11-character device identifier and the standard 123456 password, I find only a single out-of-date location reported. Furthermore, if I try to edit my tracker config or request a location, all I get is a red message stating “Device and server disconnected”

    I have tried various APN# commands, but whatever I enter here seems to change nothing. As gps123 talks about a “device”, I wonder whether it should be plugged into the PC via the USB – I can’t find any Windows XP driver for it.

    Would be grateful for any advice

    Philip

  22. Hi Phil, I’ve also gone onto Giff Gaff today, we must have had the same delivery of the unit today in the UK! I’ve found similar issue with the Apn, decided against trying to change it at present. If you want a accurate GPS reading then you need to send the device a text message switching the GPS from sleep to live function. The GPS is normally sleeping for twenty minutes only comes alive for 10 seconds and then back to sleep. Hence if you send the dw# text at that point it just gives you the approximate GSM position not the GPS and directs you to the 123.org.

    The way to waken up the GPS is send a text which will switch it on. Wait for clarification message and then send a text and wait for the full GPS data to come back, that link will take you to Google Maps or Chrome (your choice) and the reading will be spot on. After that send another text to shut the GPS back to normal sleep mode either which is 20 minutes or subsistute it for 10 minutes. Leaving it on eats up the battery life. If you change the APN to the Giff Gaff one please let me know how you go on, good luck Phil in Manchester UK.

  23. Sorted the APN this morning, simply text <apn,giffgaff.com,giffgaff#
    After that when you send a dw# request it gives you a real time coordinates and also access to all the other features on the website. Remember to shut down data upload via gon# when not in use as drains battery and GPS is always on.

  24. My rf v16 booklet is not allowing my qr reader to download the app and they dont refer to it by name to download it from google play

  25. Will the 2G sunset affect the v16? All carriers are phasing out 2G or have. They say it will accept a 3G or 4g sim but only communicates on 2g. Will the v16 become obsolete the very near future?
    Thanks

  26. Hello everyone. I am hoping someone can give me some ideas of what to try to get my RF-V16 to work. I got the unit and installed a AT&T prepaid micro sim in it. I have read the directions a
    nd sent the codes as per the manual but I get no text back. I am only getting 2 slow blinking lights o the unit. Does anyone have any suggestions on what might be wrong? any thing special that I need to do with AT&T? any goes or suggestions would be helpful. and yes I have checked the texts for spacing and the # and all the things that they say to make sure you are typing directly and I have also tried it inside and outside for signal

  27. Hi Marc, how soon is the very near future? Do you have a reference for this info? I believe the RF-V16 requires only GPRS at a minimum, and still works fine over 3G and 4G. Is GPRS going away?

  28. Check the link at the top of this page Keith, I believe you need to visit this page on your Android phone, click the link and it will install, but I don’t have an Android device to confirm this. Good luck!

  29. 2g is being phased out by AT&T, not sure about T-Mobile or GPRS. Do you have an RF-V16? I would like to get one but read you should get data. I was in a T-Mobile store and he said the $10 prepaid card does not include data. I ordered a Marco Polo tracker, it’s only 12 grams so I could also use a RF-V16 but don’t want to spend more than the $3.00 per month. Any further input on people with experience with the RF-V16 would be great.

  30. Yes, I have everything that it says it needs. I have since replaced the unit again and the new one seams to work on occation. I am seeing 2 types of coordinates being sent back. one is a google map that is close to accurate the other is a link to the track any where page , this is miles off. I am not sure why it varies in the type of coordinate? any ideas? I do not see a relation to it being inside or out so not usr if it is GPS vs Cell signal.. amy ideas would be great.. I also can not get the website set up to recognize the unit..

  31. Mine did the same Brian, until I got data enabled on my SIM card. Without data it uses LBS (location based services) instead. Read more on my blog post above. Perhaps you need to provide APN settings to the unit in order for your data to work?

  32. Hi Marc, yes I own an RF-V16, I’m the author of this blog 🙂 You can read more about it above, and we’d like to hear your experience with the Marco Polo tracker please!

  33. Hi Sam,
    Be glad to report back on the Marcp Polo when I have some tests done. I’m a little paranoid I guess of loosing my Phantom Vision so I would like to have some redundancy. I’ve read the entire blog and comments and I want to say thanks as this is helpful to a lot of us. Could you provide some clarification please as I would also like to have an RF-V16. I’d also prefer to keep my recurring monthly costs to a minimum. My original thoughts based on my research findings was that all I needed was a T-Mobile sim and activate it and put a $10 prepaid card / pay as you go plan. $3.00 was the minimum fee that would be deducted from the card per month. In talking with a T-Mobile store associate that plan does not include data which it sounds like you need for true gps tracking. This is where I get a bit confused, what plan do I need to get the gps to work? Other sites have said the $10 prepaid would work but based on what I’ve read here and some other places data is required. I would love specifics and the best cost effective plan to go with that is guaranteed to give true gps tracking so I know what I’m up against. Also back to my 1st concern the 2G sunset, on another forum a person wrote in that they bought one and couldn’t use it because it only supported 2G. So you see the more research I do the more confused I get. Thanks for your help.
    Marc

  34. I have Data Enabled, I havn’t checked the APN settings but I’m going to look into that. I did notice that when I turn the “auto tracking” feature on and off I get different ways it displays the positioning. I am getting a location of about 2 miles off if the auto tracking is off and I am getting a location that is about 3 blocks away when it is enabled. Not sure why that is but it is getting closer with it on.. thanks for all the help..

  35. Ya I have it. I am going to try a T-Mobile card and see if it makes a dif. over the AT&T

  36. Here is the latest daily rate plan off of the T-Mobile web site.
    Pay As You Go

    Recurring monthly fee of $3 per month.
    You get a combined total of 30 minutes of calls or text messages per month.
    Additional outgoing/incoming calls or texts are $0.10 each.
    Includes nationwide roaming and nationwide long distance while on the T-Mobile network.
    You can also add optional data passes:
    1-day 500 MB data pass for $5
    1-week 1 GB data pass for $10
    (this pass is good for 7 days)

    This gets expensive quick, any ideas?

    Marc

  37. This is the answer I am looking for… I know some answers to several other questions, which I will answer. the gps123.org is now working well for me.

  38. If this helps: I have H2Owireless which uses AT&T… sent the apn identifier atn,att.mvno# and now I am seeing me on platform http://www.gps123.org

    Call your sim card provider and ask them for their gprs identifier (like my att.mvno)… also ask them to enable caller id, if it is not already. The default for caller id for H2Owireless is on… and it MUST be on.

  39. Have been using Rf-V16 for a couple of months – very impressive.

    However, pretty much every other forum is full of dire warnings about interference on the 2.4Mhz band from mobile phones and their cell-towers. I find this difficult to believe, given the frequency-hopping nature of these signals, and the absence of proven problems at my RC Helicopter field – where there can be 30+ mobile-phone carrying pilots on the flight line.

    I suspect that this theoretical danger is being blamed for other undiagnosed or unrecognised issues.

    I mount my Tracker on one leg of my Phantom, close of course to the quad’s antenna. Has anyone any concrete evidence that this causes interference with the signal between Controller and Quad?

  40. Guys, this is a wonderful device but the command set is pretty confusing. I have the following suggestions to make it work :
    send the command “dsp#”from your mobile phone to the Tracker SIM Number and note down the ID from the response. Now you can login to
    track.safeincity.com and register for a new account. You can track any new IMEI for free to 7 days and only $3 per month thereafter. You can get the benefit of 60 days history, speed and location. Just add the ID you received as a new device and have fun after that.

  41. Hi Philip,

    This is a wonderful device bu the command set is pretty confusing. I have the following suggestions to make it work :

    send the command “dsp#” from your mobile phone to the Tracker SIM Number and note down the ID from the response. Now you can login to

    track.safeincity.com and register for a new account. You can track any new IMEI for free to 7 days and only $3 per month thereafter. You can get the benefit of 60 days history, speed and location. Just add the ID you received as a new device and have fun after that.

    If you have any questions, feel free to give me a shout.

  42. Hi Dave,

    If I may respond. You will need a data plan for the GPS tracker to send the location data to a server if you want to do live tracking. However if you wish to do only SMS based tracking, any regular plan with SMS should be fine. In terms of data, normally 200MB of data is plenty for a month.
    As for being carrier agnostic, the answer is a little complicated. The reason is that the APN information is specific to a carrier and if your carrier signal is not available in a certain location, the SIM might not be able to send data to the other carrier as the APN would not match. Having said that you can still communicate over SMS as long as the other carrier allows your SIM to latch on to their network. Its like roaming to a country where AT&T is not present but you can still use your phone on roaming.

    Also, I have the following suggestions to make it work on a non 123gps platform :

    send the command “dsp#” from your mobile phone to the Tracker SIM Number and note down the ID from the response. Now you can login to

    track.safeincity.com and register for a new account. You can track any new IMEI for free to 7 days and only $3 per month thereafter. You can get the benefit of 60 days history, speed and location. Just add the ID you received as a new device and have fun after that.

    If you have any questions, feel free to give me a shout.

  43. Curious why their Android app is not on Google Play? Does it contains harmful code? Do they fear about negative feedback that they might receive? Normal people don’t install APK from untrusted sources, and those who do take a great risk; me personally I cannot trust their APK package if is not hosted on a trusted marketplace (Google Play/Amazon).

  44. It’s on the Google Play, try type in search field gps123 and you will find it 😉

  45. Hola, soy de Chile, alguien que hable español, que pudo hacer funcionar este dispositivo , Necesito ayuda, no logro ver dispositivo desde el computador, (las llamadas de emergencia todo eso funciona) pero el GPS no me resulta. Gracias.

  46. Hello, I am from Chile, Spanish Talk Someone , Who Could Run esta device , I need help , I can not see device from the computer ( emergency calls ALL THAT works ) But the GPS did not search results . Thank you.

  47. Hey. Ive just purchased one of these… Just some confusion over the sim card. You said a Micro-sim .
    But the sim in the picture looks bigger than a micro sim? im based in the UK so looking for a pay-as-you-go sim to go with it

  48. Thank you for this info. I couldn’t get it to work until I followed your instructions.
    You did have one minor typo. The command is apn,att.mvno# (Not atn)

  49. Hi Krish, I decided to test out the safeincity website. I have tried using both my IMEI number and my ID number. Neither one of them are showing up and giving tracking info. I might be willing to pay the $3 a month for a site that’s going to work for me, but this one isn’t giving me anything yet. What more info might it need?

  50. Hi Ryan,
    Please share the device ID with me and I will add it from the back end. Also please let me know what email you would like to use for login. Have you configured the APN? Also, you will need to send the following SMS to the device for it to work on SafeInCity. Please ensure its in small letters with no gaps :
    ip,54.165.155.20,port,11701#
    Any questions, feel free to drop me a note to krish222@gmail.com

  51. Just picked up my RF-V16 and can’t seem to get it to work?
    iphone 4 sim card with caller id and data, but just getting 2 slow blinking lights no mater what I do.
    It’s a Telus sim card and they are telling me if the device is locked I need to change the APN, but how do you do this is the device won’t take a text?

  52. Does the SIM card work in a phone and can you call it? If you can call the sim, then issue could be the device. Please confirm if the sim works in a phone.

  53. Yes sim has been tested by me and the Cell provider, just not working with the device.

  54. I am going to ask a few silly questions, please do not mind.
    1. Is the SIM inserted correctly, ie as shown in the blog above and locked in.
    2. Can you pop in your phone sim in the device and the device sim in your phone and see if you can call the device.
    3. If step two fails ie. you can’t call the device it could be an IMEI issue and it will take a little more complicated measures. But please confirm 1,2 above. You can write to me on krish222 @gmail.com or WhatsApp me on +91-8197855777

  55. Hey Stacy, did you ever get this to work with Telus? I am considering ordering one and want to make sure it will work. Thanks.

  56. Hi Stacy, sorry did not notice your reply. I have seen issues with V-16 IMEI number which is not compatible with the country. The way to test it is the following. Find an old phone not in use anymore. Make a note of its IMEI. Then do the following.
    1. Switch off the device.
    2. Connect to a computer USB port.
    3. The device will show up as a portable drive.
    4. Open notepad.
    5. Type the fillowing in lower case with no gaps: imei,old_imei_num#
    6. Save the txt file in the portable drive with the following name : default_config.txt
    7. Disconnect USB cable.
    8 Switch on the device.
    If you are now able to call the device then the problem was with incompatible IMEI.
    Any questions, pls drip me a mail @ krish@safeincity.in

  57. Hi Dave, sometimes the device can’t get GPS lock indoors then it switches to LBS which points to the nearest Cell Phone tower the device is locked onto. This is a fallback to GPS.

  58. 1 and 2 done, still can’t call it.
    put another sim card in it now and both lights blinking fast now, so that changed, but still can’t call it or text it? and app showing it “not enabled”

  59. Its in the manual

    replace in brackets with you own values

    apn,[apnname],user,[username of apn],password,[the password of you apn, not the password from your device],pip,[here is where yu have to write the ip of the server],pport[your server`s port is listening],and plmn,[this I don`t know is interface, could be udp or tcp]#

    An example could be

    apn,vodafone,user,lte,password,123,pip,192.168.1.1,pport,88000#

    should be something like this.

  60. Its in the manual

    replace in brackets with you own values

    apn,[apnname],user,[username of apn],password,[the password of you apn, not the password from your device],pip,[here is where yu have to write the ip of the server],pport[your server`s port is listening],and plmn,[this I don`t know is interface, could be udp or tcp]#

    An example could be

    apn,vodafone,user,lte,password,123,pip,192.168.1.1,pport,88000#

    should be something like this

  61. Any reason why I mite be getting “no enables ” in he reach far app?? I’ve setup with master number. It will ping back infomation when I dsp# .

    Also I get a track anywhere website when I dw# it ??

  62. thanks for your help..
    Just a few more little questions

    Any reason why I mite be getting “no enables ” in he reach far app?? I’ve setup with master number. It will ping back infomation when I dsp# .

    Also I get a track anywhere website when I dw# it ??

  63. Thanks for you reply.

    Got my tracker but having some issues.. Was working yesterday.. But overnight the tracker will not connect to the mobile network.

    I’ve tested the sim in another phone and all was ok… I’m just getting the blue and yellow flash every so often slowly..

    Any input would be great

  64. AH, thanks – I did read about the APN command but hadn’t figured it out before. I also notice someone else posted that you can just send something like this:
    ip,192.168.1.1,port,11701#
    to the unit by SMS and it should work. When I send the message, the unit returns with an ‘OK!’ so I guess it is working.

    Only problem is that I never see anything at the other end.
    I have a known IP and an open port but anyone know what I should use to receive the data? I tried a Telnet server but didn’t see any data – tried wireshark but possibly didn’t configure it properly so I might have missed anything coming in.

  65. Ok, I had a major win! I managed to get the configuration working with that clue from you about the last parameter!
    For Celcom Malaysia and using my own Traccar system at home I configure via sms like this:

    apn,celcom.net.my,user,,pd,,pip,123.123.123.123,pport,5005,plmn,tcp#

    (The IP address needs to be the outwards facing IP address of your server and of course the router needs to have port 5005 open).

    So, I finally have an almost working tracking system that doesn’t reply on gps123.com or those other sites that might be mining my data.
    Thanks to all who provided the bits of information that allowed me to put it altogether. Only last hurdle is that although I can see the data coming into the Traccar server, it isn’t showing on the map yet so I will work with Traccar to get it supported if that is the problem.

  66. I have had this tracker for a little over a year and now it doesn’t show any tracking in the new http://www.gps123.org web site.
    I see that it has a expiry date of 2015-06-03
    I can still send it codes and call it but I can’t track its movements on the web page.

  67. Hi Stacy, one last try is the following:
    1.Find an old phone you are not using anymore.
    2. Switch it off and make note of the IMEI exactly.
    3. Create a txt file called default_config.txt
    4. Type the following exactly imei,imei_number#
    5. Save the file on the device by connecting using USB, making sure its turned off before connecting.
    6. Turn on the device and see if you can call it now.

    If this works then it was the IMIE issue, else time to return the device I am afraid 🙂

  68. Hi Mathew,
    My guess is that if the device is not GPRS connected due to poor connectivity then you might receive “No Enables” . Its my guess so I am not 100% sure.

  69. Hi Louis,
    You get one year free service with the device.You can use track.safeincity.in which is free for 7 days and $3 per month thereafter.
    All you need to do is the following:
    Send the following SMS to the device:
    ip,54.165.155.20,port,11701#
    then register the device on track.safeincity.in using the device ID.

    Let me know if you have any questions.
    Krish
    +91-8197855777

  70. This is the configuration for the default gps123.org and the son configuración for México Telcel: apn,internet.itelcel.com,user,webgprs,pd,webgprs2003#
    ip,114.119.4.247,port,8888#

  71. apn,internet.itelcel.com,user,webgprs,pd,webgprs2003#
    ip,114.119.4.247,port,8888#

  72. Or $50.00 for lifetime from the manufacture.
    It still works for what I want it for,
    I can send a text ping to it and it will still text back a location.

  73. Agree Louis, however there are couple of factors to bear in mind:
    1. You can’t have live and historical tracking.
    2. SMS cost for each transaction both from phone and device.

  74. Actually I am going to check into seeing about setting up a server at my home to receive the tracking data.

  75. Now if you or anyone is able to send commands from the server to the tracker would be great.
    My problem is that SMS in my country are very expensive so I have to do everything through server-GPRS.
    Problem with gps123.com is that many commands doesn’t work. and there is no way to find out the proper ones.

  76. I have found a list of commands of a device (Rilla G19) that I believe this is based in.
    Unfortunately SMS in my country are outrageous, I post the doc here in case someone want to try which ones work and post them here. Thanks.
    I still trying to find how to send commands through gprs to the device out of gps123.org to spare the SMS expenses.
    http://goo.gl/lX0CMc

  77. Hi, thanks for the doc. While most of these chinese trackers have similar command set, I have found some minor differences. Also, sending commands through gps123 are really simple and covers most of the commonly used ones.

  78. I know this is and old post but I purchased the ReachFar RF-V16, used their app to set it up and got confirmation that the unit received the information but it will not text me back (I have an iPhone 5s on version. If anyone is monitoring this do you have any idea what I might have done wrong. I have read this post and watched youtube videos and am sure I have done everything.

  79. Hi Sue, have you setup your primary and secondary numbers on the device?
    123456,sos1,your_number
    sos2,your_s cind_number

    Please send the above SMS to the device making sure its all in small without spaces.

  80. I have tried that (Including the # following) and nothing happens. I paid for the internet service on the T-mobile service so I could use the ReachFar application and after a number of tries was able to log into the tracker. Using that I was able to add the numbers and set the time etc (though the tracker date is off by one day – it shows the 11th even though it is the 10th). I can call the tracker but cannot get any texts to or from it, even with the programming through the application. I am at my witts end – have contacted the seller in China but have not gotten a reply. This should not be this difficult! And now I tried again to log in using the application and can’t do it, and have tried about 20 times.

  81. I am not sure what you mean by tested with SMS credits, but I have the pay as you go service through t-mobile as suggested in the blog post. I have seen that many others on the internet also suggest this service. I also see that caller id must be enabled, i just contacted t-mobile and was informed that caller id is not included in the pay as you go, so how is everyone else using this card? Thanks Krish for trying to help – this is just so frustrating.

  82. Ok, so what happens when you press SOS for three seconds? Do you get a SMS? If not then the easiest way is to test the SIM in a phone and check if it can send sms

  83. No I do not get a text, I get a phone call. I don’t have a phone to test it in. I bought the card as a shop here in town, I wonder if they could test it for me. Do you know if caller id is part of the t mobile pay as you go service?

  84. Sorry Sue, the plans are too many to keep track. Yours best bet would be the same store to check it out.

  85. Does anyone know what sim card will work with this unit in the US without paying $50 per month? Tracker says caller id has to be turned on but all of the pay as you go sims do not have caller id available and the monthly plans are crazy expensive for this use. I have been posting with Krish in another post and have come to the conclusion that the call id missing is my problem OR my unit is defective.

  86. Hi Sam and others,

    Have been successfully using RF-16 for months. However, after updating my iPhone to IOS8 I have a problem.
    The tracker responds appropriately when interrogated, with a message containing a valid Google-maps link to a map reference – but whereas before I could tap in this and drop into Google Maps with the location, I now just get a blank web-page named google-maps.

    If I cut and paste the link, it works perfectly on my PC

    Any solutions would be welcome.

    Philip

  87. Hi Sue, I bet the problem is that you need to set the APN address on the device manually. For example, I’m in the UK and use a Giffgaff sim. Their APN address is giffgaff.com To set up mine I sent a text to the V16 with the text “apn,giffgaff.com#” it replied OK and after that I started receiving texts.

  88. Thank you Steve for you post. I ended up returning the item because I could not get it to receive or send texts. I am sure it was defective. Had a battle with the company in China but got my money back and the cost of shipping. I have since ordered a Trackimo and Trax through Amazon and have tested them both. The Trachimo has better support but their technology is based on 2g which from my understanding is going out the end of next year. The Trax allows for updating of the firmware and works on kinds all networks. Their customer service is not the best but I believe this was the better solution so I returned the Trackimo also and kept the Trax (actually my first one of the Trax was also defective, but Amazon is great to work with – had a replacement next business day and a return label to return the problem one too.)

  89. #1 I agree I will miss it but not worth the $$
    #2 on my plan I have unlimited text so no worries there.
    This unit is permanently installed in my Phantom 2V UAV and
    I have it mounted so I can push the power button to turn it off and
    when the UAV is powered up it starts up the tracker so I don’t forget to.
    I hope I never have to use it but I like the insurance.
    Worth the $5.00 extra on my phone bill.
    Also not to crazy that they changed systems and didn’t port over the old data.

  90. Hi all, I have RF V10 and the commands are not the same. For example, 123GON instead of GON# I can not set APN for mobile data (apn is blic.net) so GPS precision is low, does anyone know the command for APN for V10? I tried 123APN,blic.net and APN,blic.net# but got no response from the device. Thanks!

  91. Can i ask where is that particular area that i can input the VPN command. Is it inside the Any Tracking App or ?

  92. I have the same problem – The android App says device Not Enabled. I am using AT&T sim card in the US. I used tracker ID and password to login into the App. Same thing happens when trying to access the tracker via the gps123 webpage – it cannot see the tracker. GSM signal is strong in my area. What I am doing wrong?
    Thank you.

  93. And if you like me mess up the IP/port settings of the remote server these are the ones to facilitate the gps123/reachfar services: 114.119.4.247, 8080

  94. Hi, I have this working perfect apart from one thing… One minute it was sending me a google maps link and the accuracy was very good but now for no reason it sends me a http://www.trackanywhere.org link which is way off, it’s nowhere near me. Any suggestions how to get the google maps link to work again? Thanks, Craig.

  95. For setting the Master #, What # am I sending? The Sim card phone number for the tracker?

  96. I’m having the same problem as one of the other folks who posted earlier. I have a sim, have caller ID on… but the device keeps blinking slow blue. Do I need to do anything else besides insert sim and turn on?

  97. On http://www.gps123.org there are a number of undocumented options, such as Upload interval in seconds. Is this same as command tim,X# but that is in minutes?

    Also there is Indicator setting Pilot Light. What would that be? And lastly, I see “A single location” under options. What is this?

  98. Ms. Chen,
    Who do you represent? My Tracker stopped working back in August 2015 due to the “1 Year of Free Service” limitation. Are you saying we can get our functionality restored for free? If so, for how long? What is the process?
    Thanks in advance!

  99. I am the RF-V16‘s manufacturer.please send me your ID number ,I will check it for you .you are welcome .

  100. please find the APN data , and then send a SMS command to set apn. the SMS command is :
    apn,apn data#
    please make a try .any question please contact me ,I will work with you always.

  101. Dear Ms. Chen,

    It looks like the devices’ expiration date has been changed. It used to say August ?? 2015, now it says 2025-09-25, which is totally awesome. If you had something to do with that, thank you SO MUCH !!!

  102. Hi , thanks for your use RF-V16,I am Susan ,the manufacturer for RF-V16. would you send me the RF-V16’s ID number ,I will try to work with you .

  103. If the battery goes dead and you plug in the charger will it automatically start up or do you have to turn on the power. I installing in a sealed device where it is not accessible but gets charged regularly.

  104. I just purchased the rfv16 and am using At&t sim card with talk, text and data plan. I have been able to set up the tracker using sms commands but when i log into 123gps it show my device as logged off and my user expired 1900-01-01. my device ID is 6410040675.

  105. My RFV-16 is sending and receiving texts but it says it is not enabled on the app and says it is offline on gps123. It also has an expiration date of 1899-12-31, is this the problem and how do I update the exp date? I have only had this for 3 days. The ID is 6410041407

  106. I was able to get it working by setting the apn data with the help from susan chen. the command for my at&t go phone sim card is apn,wap.cingular# . now everything seams to be working

  107. Just to confirm… I insert a data enabled sim with caller ID… and then it should connect automatically? or do I need to do something else to activate it?

  108. Sorry no.
    I haven’t had time yet.
    I am sure it can be done.
    I can still use it for my purpose of being able to locate it via SMS text.
    I use it to be able to locate my UAV if it has a malfunction or gets stolen.
    If I do get some time to devote to this project I will post my findings.

  109. Hey,
    I have a machine model RF- V16 I have set him IP / PORT / APN any command that I am writing it I get a message : incorrect instruction format
    It may not be original device ?

  110. Susan-> I recently bought a new RF-v16. My previous one was lost, but worked fine with T-Mobile SIM. I can not activate the new RF-v16. I get the network (fast flashing yellow), but it does not respond to my text and show “not enabled” on GPS123.org. Can you help?

  111. Hi Susan, Yesterday I receive my V16, load up and inssert a micro sim with 3-4G. I tried 100 times to wake up, also at last with sms order apn, but did not work. The tracker stay offline, what can I do?

  112. Hi Susan, Yesterday I receive my V16, load up and inssert a micro sim with 3-4G. sim card is picode free, and send sms. I tried 100 times to wake up, also at last with sms order ‘code(new code, I change),apn,telenetwap.be# (Ilive in Belgium) but did not work. The tracker stay offline, what can I do? The moment I go to gps123.org, I see “offline”. Thanks in advance, Jo

  113. Hi Jo,
    when you set the APN data, please reboot it .
    Please let me know if still issue.

    BTW: please confirm the apndata with out user name and password?

  114. Dear User
    thanks for your use the RF-V16, if you want to set the apndata,the command is :
    apn,apndata#

    Any question are welcome.

  115. Hi John:
    1. yes!
    2.if the apn data we have not pre-programe , then you must send a SMS command as : apn,apndata# to make it can be send location data to our server http://www.gps123.org.
    Hope you enjoy our RF-V16 function .

  116. Hi Jeff
    I am sorry for my later .
    the issue should with apn data setting .
    please try to find the apndata from the SIM card website and then send the SMS command as follow:
    apn,apndata#
    if you get a reply ,then reboot the device ,and test the App again.
    A​ny feedback are welcome.

  117. Hi Sean
    I am sorry for my later .
    Do you mean you want to use RF-V16 with somewhere ,the charge always on?
    it yes.
    the answer is :the RF-V16 will always get power from the charge , never power off.
    Any question are welcome.

  118. Dear user
    Thanks for your use RF-V16.

    For the upload interval :if you send by SMS ,it will within minutes.
    if you set by App or website ,it will within second .
    The single location is send a request for location .
    Any question are welcome .

  119. The blue light is the GPS light . I think you have test the device indoor ,right ?
    GPS can not get the signal indoor, so the blue always blinking mean “i can not get the GPS signal”

  120. I tried everything, with reboot, with reset etc….. Nothing help. Today, I was bussy all day, RF stay offline!

  121. I see in gps123.org that he stay offline…he knows his simcard telephone number….he knows the master number, he has all the needed information, even if I push the number 1, or S, he don’t react?

  122. I’m computer IT man, my son is programmer analist, so we know something….about computer technic, this RF don’t work from the first minute…we tried everything

  123. please can anybody help me with permanent offline after one year of using. My User Expired Time is 2015-11-26.. My ID is 6410045298. I cannot see online tracking at web aplication and android too. Thanks for help

  124. please can anybody help me with permanent offline after one year of using my RF-V16. My User Expired Time is 2015-11-26.. My ID is 6410045298. I cannot see online tracking at web aplication and android too. Thanks for help

  125. Hi susan, maybe you can help me with my device. I have successfully added master number to the tracker. So all command are working. The only problem is on the app it say that its not enable and on the website it always say offline. And only the yellow light(sim card) flash rapidly but the blue never blink rapidly. Whenever i dsp# i always get the answer that the gps sleep. And one more thing is that expiry date is 1900-01-01. Any help would be highly appreciated. And my apn for the sim is only web and doesnt contain any pass or user. Here is my device id 6410031382. And here is my email badboysll44@hotmail.com.

  126. Hi susan, maybe you can help me with my device. I have successfully added master number to the tracker. So all command are working. The only problem is on the app it say that its not enable and on the website it always say offline. And only the yellow light(sim card) flash rapidly but the blue never blink rapidly. Whenever i dsp# i always get the answer that the gps sleep. And one more thing is that expiry date is 1900-01-01. Any help would be highly appreciated. And my apn for the sim is only web and doesnt contain any pass or user. Here is my device id 6410031382. And here is my email badboysll44@hotmail.com. Am using it in mauritius with emtel network

  127. Hi Eina,

    I’m using RF-V16. It’s working for all normal sms command,sos command & tracking with gps123.org. However, I want to track device at my gpsserver because govt does not entertain tracking data goes to hosted server outside country. Hence, I want to divert data to my own gps server.

    I’d tried sending apn command as mentioned by you . I’ve received back APN set successfully response & manually rebooted device too. I’m still not receiving any data on my ip address’ port 5005. Can you please give some pointers to help me out in this context.

    apn,airtelgprs.com,user,,pd,,pip,9.126.239.236,pport,5005,plmn,tcp#

  128. Hi Susan
    please can you help me with permanent offline after one year of using my RF-V16. My User Expired Time is 2015-11-26.. My ID is 6410045298. I cannot see online tracking at web aplication and android too. Thanks for help

  129. Hi anyone who can help me with apn settings for Bell Canada ? I have couple sim cards with data plan what is working currenty in my phone but my v-16 can’t reach gsm signal.When i use fido or rogers it works immediately.I tried also set bell apn (pda.bell.ca#) and reboot from fido sim than change back bell sim but no luck .Pls help Thanks

  130. Hello I need help also.. I have set up the RF-V16 with an AT&T SIM card. I have set up sos1 I can text and call the RF. I have both yellow and blue blinking lights. And dw# shows location on google maps how ever. When I go to he app on droid or iPad it says V16-31026 Not enabled, and it will not show up on the gps123.org and any command via the app says its current device is offline.

  131. I’m looking for some help with my RF-V16. I have the unit receiving and sending commands, but I cannot get it to wake up I also notice the expiration date is way off and my device is always offline. From what I am reading I need to possibly update or enter an “apn” but have no idea what this is or where to find it. My carrier is AT&T. If I do need to update the “apn” what information will I need? I know it ask for a PPORT, PIP PLMN but again have no idea what these are or where to locate them can someone please help.

  132. Thank you Sam for this useful blog. Me too, I am looking for a GPS tracker for my quadcopter (just in case ;-). What I am not sure is how do I have to enter the master phone number (format)? I am living in Switzerland (country code +41) and the mobile numbers in the international format usually starting with +41 79 654 43 21. How would the SMS then look that I have to send to the device to have my phone as the SOS1 destination?

  133. Does anyone still support the RF v16 GPS tracker? As great as this tracker is, without descent support
    it’s pretty useless.

  134. I have just read this review I’m trying to weigh up the best options in this category of GPS devices. So far this unit looks like one of the best options. There is also another model, ‘Anywhere TK108’. Which looks like it’s based on the Xexun TK102-2. They both have the Simcon900 and SiRF III chipsets, and ARM CPU (Xexun may have upgraded to SiRF IV), but the TK108 is waterproof as well… But the support question is a big point. Especially since with the RF-V16 you loose platform access after 12 months from registration (which nobody seems to mention).

    If you get any answers to your questions or find any useful related information, please post back any links here to help others, it would be massively helpful 🙂

  135. Hi Sam, thanks for the info, as you can probably tell, it’s very much appreciated. Did you ever get around to part two of that review? Doing my “pre-purchase research” and any info helps, cheers!

  136. Thanks for the help. I was not able to find the ATT APN settings and I am a little tech savvy but needed a better walk threw on what to type in word for word to change the apn settings for ATTand how to find the APN settings I needed. so I wound up using a T-Mobile sim card and everything is working. I did how ever have to talk them into grand fathering me into the old pay as you go rate plan. thanks Nathan.

  137. Hello Sam. I have received my RF-V16 GPS Tracker a few days ago. I have bought a GPRS SIM Card and tested it works. I charged the RF-V16 for several hours. I powered off the RF-V16, then insert the sim card in the right position, then power on. The 2 lights (blue and yellow) are permanently ON (no flashing). I try many times to power off, remove then insert the sim card : the 2 lights are still ON but no flashing. I sent an SMS to set master telephone number : I don’t think the RF-V16 sim card as received it. I loaded the lunch the ReachFar program with the RF-V16 ID, but it indicates that the RF-V16 is not activated. Could you help me. Thanks

  138. Hi Susan, please could you tell me where is the charge light that is red
    when charging, green when charged? I only have a flashing blue and
    yellow light on my RF-V16. Thanks.

  139. Hi Fred, the red and green light on the charger, not on the device .

    —————— Original ——————

  140. Hi Fred, the red and green light on the charger, not on the device .

    —————— Original ——————

  141. UPDATE: I emailed Susan at RF V16 website and got a very prompt reply, which is good news! Fortunately, with the help of a user at the DJI Phantom user forum I was able to set my apn,sos1,language and it appears to be working.

  142. Hello. My device remain offline. I can’t manage to go online. Last september i did and i dont’t know now i can’t. My id is 6410042088. What is the ip of the site ? Yhanks.

  143. Hello Susan, my device can’t go online. Last september it did. Not now. Id is 6410042088. Should i do something to rebind my device with the site ? Thanks, giuseppe

  144. Hi Susan, I have received my new rf-v16 trackers. I have a quantity of 4 and can not seem to get any of them working. They are not receiving text and if I send any commands to the tracker I receive nothing in return. When logging into the reachfar app, it shows the devices as “not enabled”. I have AT&T sim cards with voice and data on each. I have spoken with AT&T for hours trying to identify the APN and still have not gotten any of the devices working. I have tried AT&T’s suggestions for the APN as well as some posted on this blog for AT&T and none of the suggestions have worked. The trackers all have expired dates when looking at settings. Can you please help me get these devices working. I have been working on these for a week now with AT&T. I have listed my device ID #’s below. my address: krishort@outlook.com
    Thank you!
    6410030576
    6410030509
    6410030977
    6410030975

  145. Goodmorning to all,

    i write because I have a problem to set my ip server on the device RF-V16

    I tried to set following the instruction below, but the device always send the position to reachfar-gps web server.

    Someone can help me?

    Thanks

    Max

  146. ola sou do brasil e tenho um RF-V16 que esta offline no site gps123.com
    alguém poderia me ajudar a configurar

  147. ola sou do brasil e tenho um RF-V16 que esta offline no site gps123.com

    alguém poderia me ajudar a configurar
    os sms esta ok só no site que não funciona

  148. hello I’m from Brazil and I have a RF-V16 this site offline in gps123.com

    someone could help me set

    sms this ok just on the site does not work

  149. I bought last week the rf-v18. But it doesn’t work in Holland 🙁 the blue and orange led stay ON (don’t blink) and i can’t call or sent any commands. the application and the website says the device is offline. i tried two sim card, A vodafone subscription and a T-mobile prepaid sim with data. i tried everything i think.
    Maybe anyone can help me out?

  150. 1* I think the RF-V16 is a very incomplete device, at least its UI.
    Why do we have to be guessing about its settings?
    Every smartphone tell us which is the APN is using.
    How do I know if I have to upload a new one, and which one?
    My phone has 3 working right now.
    2* My device shows its location by clicking in Real time or Historical buttons. So, I am sure it is working. But I cannot change anything in Settings menu. Every time I input something the app says: Current device is offline. Cannot send commands”
    I know the device is sending SMS, and calling out master phone pressing button 1.
    But shows as “Offline” in Any Tracking App.
    3* Why a “Settings” and a “Setting” button on the App? So confusing…

  151. Hi,

    I’m searching an old firmware version for my first RF-V16. Newest isn’t compatible and freeze my tracker at startup.

    downloading firmware is very easy :

    – Power off RF_V16

    – Plug with an USB cable to your PC

    – An extra drive opens on PC

    – browse to “Updata” directory

    – firmware is “jt_ads.bin”

    For upgrading :

    – remplace “jt_ads.bin” with newest version (make a backup copy on PC)

    – unplug USB cable

    – power on RF_V16

    – if leds lights on, firmware OK.

    – if leds stays off, firmware NOK -> restore backup copy !

    My old firmware :

    Command check# report : G19D_RFWX_V1.2_2014.07.04_18.25.26

    jt_ads.bin : size : 199 ko date : 2014/07/04

    If someone has same version : G19D_RFWX_V1.2, sent file to my mail (trash mail !) : bisnouk(at)free.fr

    Info : my new RF-V16 firmware :

    G19E_RFWX_V1.2_2015.12.29_17.03.26

    I think app version is letter D or E… E version on my initial D version don’t work.

    Quick look at firmware dumping :

    GPS : MTKGPS module

    Software written in C++ with ADS 1.2 tools (ARM Developer Suite)

    Chip : Atmel AT91X serie

    Core type : ARM (maybe ARM7)

  152. Extra working tips :
    to configure RF-V16 to send data to your personnal server :

    ip,xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx,port,xxxx#

    or

    surl,yourpersonnalurlserver,port,xxxx#

    surl command is working well with dynamic DNS like DtDNS, DyNS….

    Command to restart module without any music sound ! :
    reboot#

  153. Sorry No.
    the battery in my orig unit went totally flat.
    It was easier and cheaper to just buy another.

  154. Read the instructions about the “apn” order, this is very important, and resolve the most of problems.
    Regards, jo

  155. Good day,

    My RF-V16 uploaded to the app and to the website gps123.com the location propperly during the last months, until now. It stopped working well until beginning of august.

    Now it only uploads the notifications (low battery, fence in, fence out) to the app and to the website. I already updated the APN succesfully, rebooted, nothing. Still not working.

    It only gives the location by sms command (dw#).

    I noted in the website, in the properties of the device, a user expiration date in 03-aug. I don’t know if it is related. I do not know either how to fix this.

    The id is 6410043310.

    I appreciate your support.

  156. Hi,
    Is there the possiblity to change the were the data to be sended to another ip. I don’t want to use the platform http://www.gps123.org, I want to send all the dat to another platform with another ip.

    best regards,
    george sand

  157. i-trac.cn has some great trackers that dont require monthly service just sim card = )

  158. Hey, I am interested on gps tracker. I want to get this gps tracker but how can i get please anyone tell me also want to know best gps tracking software which are able to tracking my truck. I have a transport agency. Thanks for advanced.

  159. I’m using a number of trackers to monitor my business locations. I need someone that I can pay for tech support to assist me as needed by phone or email. Anyone interested please contact me at marvintexas@yahoo.com

  160. Boris,

    Would you might know how to get Goggle maps to show instead of “trackanywhere.org when using the RF-V16 tracker on my Iphone?

  161. Anyone out there know what the GPRS communication protocol documentation for the RF-V16 would be? thanks

  162. Hi!

    Does anyone know how much data (or megabyte per month) it consumes when uploading it’s position every 10 minute?

  163. Hey,

    I work in company teltonika. We are gps/gsm equipment manufacturers and developers for 18 years with headquarters in EU, Lithuania. I would like to contact you and offer some of our devices. As you mentioned, you are interested in personal tracker for elderly people. We also have a wide range of vehicle trackers. Please contact me on the email bernardas.kon@teltonika.lt, send me your number, company name, and the address of the company and I will contact you as soon as possible.

  164. Hi, is this still active?

    ” A single location ” is this the same as sending the text message “dw” ?

  165. Thank you so much for this review. I was about to pull my hair out because I couldn’t get this tracker to work. You were a big help and now I’ve got it working with an H2O wireless sim. As an aside, I only have a talk/text plan and it seems to position very accurately. I guess just triangulation works pretty well.

  166. Finally got my device to work. The key things that I learned were:

    The device will not send any sms back to you until you set the sos1 number. This can be done by sending an SMS as follows:

    123456,sos1,2135551212#

    Remember the # at the end otherwise your command will be silently ignored.

    If it works you will get a message back in Chinese characters.

    To set the language to English send this via sms:

    lag,2#

    It will respond:

    The language has been successfully switched to English.

    Once I did that, I tried the app on my iphone. I figured out that you are are suppose to use the 10 digit Id from the label on the device as the user name and 123456 as the password.

    This allowed me to log in. However, it said the device was not connected or offline.

    I next set my apn. I found my APN on the web site for US Mobile, which has a really cheap plan for $2/month service and then you can add how much text and data you need.

    My APN is pwg

    so you need to send the device via sms.

    apn,pwg#

    It will respond:

    Apn set successfully! Reboot system now…..

    Note that sometimes it takes a few minutes to get the response. I think the device sleeps for a while to save power the wakes up every minute or two to check messages.

    You need to turn off the device by pushing the power for 3 seconds…..then it seems sometimes you have to do it again and the lights go off. Once it’s off, push the button in again until the lights light up.

    Once I did this I went back into to app…Still no luck…same problem.

    I sent it a status command via sms:

    dsp#

    it responds with:

    ID:64100XXXXX; GSM signal fair;
    GPS signal sleep; Battery life:95;

    I noticed the ID was DIFFERENT than what was on the label on the device.

    So I logged into the APP with that as the user ID instead. Sure enough that was the trick.

    It connected right away and I was able to configure and see the location via the APP.

    Now that I got this figured out, I am very happy with this thing. Works really well.

    Hope this helps some of you who may have been struggling like I was.

  167. Not sure if anyone can help me but I have an RF-V16 that has worked perfectly for the past 3 years with an H20 sim card and all of a sudden it stopped working. I put the sim in a cell phone and the sim worked just fine. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

  168. man am having same issue and it worked fine forever….the sim runs just fine on my Samsung S7, but wont work at all on the RF-V16….something must have changed with H20 service, am going to call them up and see where i get

  169. how to get the password in case of losing my password? please instruct me via email. Thanks so much!

  170. i have a serious problem today, i have buyed my device 3 months ago from China and configured, used till today with all functions. i changed web online (gps123.org) password before and use it without any problem but i forgot my web password today and i can’t login anymore. i am getting device id or password error message on each try. i look but don’t find any way for recover my web password and there is not any “Forgot Password” link or something like that. how will i get ?

    Please, if someone has the information, can share it ?

    Thanks,
    Bora

  171. did you solve your pw issue? if so please assist, same issue here. Cheers

  172. If possible please use IP setting. May be it work! remember you server must have this device protocol also.

  173. Same issue here. Had been working in January and just pulled it out and recharged my sim. Sim works fine in phone but texts no longer being received by tracker. Calling H20 now, but I suspect I’m SOL as H20 has probably prevented these devices from working on their service now.

  174. My device id is – 6410029730
    And in Android app its shows expiry date like – 1900-01-01.

    Also i unable to see any live tracking.
    Its shows device is not enabled.

  175. Alan, I haven’t checked this forum in forever and just saw your post. Yes H20 pulled the plug on providing anything but a 4g signal and the GSM GPS is still on 2G – at least i think that was it! Long story short i switched to SpeedTalk Mobile.

  176. Thanks. I also switched to speedtalk and it’s been working fine. In fact if you’re regular user of the device, it’s far more cost effective than H20 was.

  177. Hello,

    Sorry about the “Basic” question, but how do we create a server like gps123.org?
    I have my own domain but I would also like to create my own server.

  178. Guys chck my GPS Awake android gps navigation app that Awake you on the destination. GPS app can also used as alarm gps,car gps,gps app for truckers,garmin gps, route finder and can run on android tablet or any android devices. App also support find multiple routes to destination and quickest paths with gps alarm.Download this best GPS app frm PlayStore link>http://goo.gl/tTtsR1

  179. Hey, guys. I know how to install APP, please find “Anytracking” or “Reachfar” APP from App store and download. And login the APP with your device ID No. in the back label with default password “123456”. Then everything is done.

  180. I have a RF-V16 GSM tracker and used “goff#” command but the tracker continues to upload to gps123.org website and so keep using mobile data of the SIM card.

    Can you please help me?

  181. Hey Joe. I may have a bad v16 unit but I am using a H2O SIM and the device never seems to access the sim or connect to a tower. When you inserted your sim, did it find a cell connection? Did the yellow light begin flashing rapicly rather than the slow search flash?

  182. I have fogot my ID number. Is there any other way to find againt the ID number (the number on the back of my device is erased). Thanks

  183. Do you remember the sim card No. in the device?
    You can try this way to check its ID No via SMS command.
    1. set sos1 number by command by sending SMS “pw,123456,center,your own mobile number#” from your mobile phone to the V16 sim card. If you have set sos 1 number in APP before, then no need this step.
    2. Send “check#” command from your mobile phone to the V16 sim card. It will reply you status with ID number and other information.
    If you still have questions, you can send me email to sales6@rf-gsm.com

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