Need help....searching for prefabbed tracking transmitter/receiver?

Hello all,

New to the forum, and looking for some direction...

Firstly, I know almost nothing about electronics...and researching on my own, I almost immediately get lost in the technical lingo. Please help in a language a 5 year old would understand.

I have an idea that utilizes a tracking transmitter with a directional antenna. Basically Im trying to find something thats lost in a maximum of a one square mile area.

Are there any prefabricated (ready to go) transmitters and directional receivers/antennas available for purchase anywhere?

The ones I have found on the internet are very specialized for a certain use. I have found many plans and schematics for building your own fm transmitter (which can use any fm receiver to locate).

But I have not found a basic small transmitter that transmits a pulse on such-and-such frequency for sale. Do they sell things like this at electronic supply stores?

I would think, for as many DIY plans available on the net, there has to be some prefabbed units for sale somewhere.

Optimally, I would like them as small as possible....and as cheap as possible...but at this point, Im having a hard time finding anything at all!

Any help?

Thanks a ton!

AL

Try Googling for "wildlife radio tracking"

That will bring lots of solutions.

I have a feeling that they will not meet your "as cheap as possible" requrement but it is a start if yoy want an off the shelf solution.

JimB

Get a Ham License, and you could use one of these

Some cell phones have an app to locate family member's phones using GPS.

I have used the STPA-418H-B RF Transmitter module which is a prefabbed low cost module with a built in antenna. It only requires 3 connections (Power, Ground, and Data). It transmits on the license free Industrial Band at 418 Mhz. I used a simple 555 timer to pulse it with data. The companion receiver is the RXB4411S-418-RH but any receiver capable of reception at 418 Mhz will work.

Since you are planning to use a directional antenna (Yagi?) and radio direction finding techniques, you need a receiver that has an AM detector (not FM), preferably with an manual RF gain control, and an S-meter. The skills required to do this have a steep learning curve. Look up "RDF", "RadioSport", "Bunny Hunting", "T-hunts"