The advantages of using a tracking device are:

Keeping your family informed of your whereabouts while on the road is an invaluable source of piece of mind for both you and those who care about you. Using a tracking device to "record" your ride is a good way to document the route traveled. Some companies provide value-added services like roadside assistance and emergency 911 services that may help locate you in the unfortunate event of an accident.

There are two main technologies employed to transmit location data. A cell-based solution uses the cell phone network to transmit location data. If your travels are within your coverage area, a cell-based tracking solution is cost-effective. But if your travels take you to remote regions, for example, the Colorado Mountains, Death Valley, Siberia, or even Yellowstone National Park, then consider a more reliable satellite-based system.

For more information about cell-based solutions, consider using Bubbler GPS if you're using an Android-based smartphone. The Bubbler GPS home page is at http://bubblergps.com. If you're using an iOS-based device, consider using SWConnect. The SWConnect home page is at http://rvtechtools.com/swconnect.html.

For more information about satellite-based solutions, consider using a SPOT device from SPOT, Inc. More information may be found here: http://findmespot.com

Regardless of the chosen solution, you'll need an application that provides secure location management and the ability to control who gets to see your data and how much data they get to see as well as save your "trips". Most long-distance riders use SpotWalla located at http://spotwalla.com