[CatchMe] Tool to communicate devices using GPS/SMS with no internet connection

DOWNLOAD
Click here to download the latest version

REQUIREMENTS
Devices running Windows Mobile 5 or 6 for Pocket PC or Smartphones

Microsoft Compact Framework 3.5 Download from here

DESCRIPTION

This tool allows you to communicate mobile devices using your GPS and SMS messsages with no internet connection. You will be able to know how far is another phone/target and what direction you need to follow to reach it

Imagine the scenario... you are hiking with some friends in 2 different groups and later during that day you guys want to meet. How do you do that if you got a poor reception and you don't have an internet connection?

This is what happened to me a few days ago. I got signal only for a few seconds and when I tried to make a phone call it was dropped after a while because the quality was very bad.

This program allows you to add targets. You can request the position of these targets by sending a sms message.
If your PDA cannot send the message it will keep retrying every minute.

Once the other end gets the message, CatchMe will start the GPS automatically, get a fix and send a message back to the person who made the request. Again, if there are problems sending the message CatchMe will keep trying until success.

After getting the position of the target, you can start tracking and CatchMe will tell you how far your target is and what direction you need to follow.

OTHER FEATURES

- You can only receive requests from phones that have been added to your list. If you get a request from an unknown phone, the message will be discarded.
- You can also associate your current position to a target. This is useful if you want to mark a checkpoint to come back later. No SMS messages are sent at this point.
- In order to use this with another person, both persons need to run this program!
- You don't need to be tracking when using the program. You only need to do that when you are following a target.
- Auto Start and Stealth modes available

Notes

If you plan to test the program using only one phone, don't click on 'dismiss' when getting your own SMS message until CatchMe has processed the message, otherwise the message will be deleted before the program can access to it.



I hope this program can be useful for some people!

Please leave your comments, suggestions and ideas here.

Have fun!

Regards

I just uploaded a new version that also gives you the the estimated time left to reach the target. It also shows kilometers/miles when the distance gets bigger.

deuzeff said:

Hi Staryon,

thanks for this new software! That's a really good idea. I wish I had today, because a friend of mine could not find us at the beach .

I eagerly look forward when most of my friend have a winmo phone. This tool is just perfect.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Thanks!

If this gets popular I may write compatible versions for regular phones (no windows mobile) so more people can use it.

deuzeff said:

Woo that would be awesome. But what do you mean by regular phones?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

I mean to have a version of CatchMe that can run from phones that are not running Windows Mobile.

At this moment you can still request a position from a device running CatchMe from any phone just by sending the sms catchme|0

Some more information about how CatchMe works...

When CatchMe receives an SMS will check if the incoming number (for example +336abcdefghi )
CONTAINS any number that you have in the target list. For that reason, CatchMe will find the target if you have 06abcdefghi, abcdefghi or any other combination in the list. The reason is done this way is to avoid conflicts with prefixes.

On the other hand, when the program tries to send an SMS it will dial exactly what you see in the target list.

As you just said the number that you use to dial is always different from the incoming number because of that extra digit.

Even if I allow to enter a number with the country code like +336abcdefghi
it wouldn't work because when CatchMe dials that number it wouldn't contain that required 0 that you need in France.

The only way to fix this is to write a specific rule for French numbers. If I detect that the incoming numbers starts with +33, I should add a 0 after that and then the matching will work.

I'm not sure if there are other countries with this problem as well.

sunnyou said:

well done man can't wait to try it out, i was very impressed with your track me, i hope this is as good as ur previous release on track me

PS: (does this support singapore numbers? or is it limited to some countries?)

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

It should work for any countries... unless your country has the same problem than French numbers.

ok, I just uploaded a new version that should resolve that issue with French numbers.

Hi erays,

With the latest update French numbers should work ok.
Basically you just need to enter your phones (targets) with this format: 06abcdefgh

By the way, international phones won't work. The library that I use to send sms messages doesn't work with those. So you can only use this program inside your country.

farqui said:

This sounds like a very interesting application.

However after entering a valid TARGET (completely numeric) I can't send my position without receiving an error "Config, You cannot sned a request to a target that is not numeric".

I've even deleted the original datestamp entry and still get the error.

I'm using a Touch HD - any ideas ?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You're right. I just found a bug. Just download the program again and the problem should be fixed.