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Ranger GPS
Software & Product
User Manual
4.08
Updated 04/30/12
For use with both Ranger GPS Products
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
Before Tracking Your Ranger GPS 3
How the Ranger GPS Works 3
Ranger Vehicle Placement 3
Ranger Pro Battery Safety & Warning 4
General Guidelines and Warnings 4
Charging Process 4
Methods Of Tracking Your Unit 5
Installing Ranger Software 5
Configure your Software Settings 8
Username and Password 9
Selecting Mapping Options 10
Select Default Map View 10
Add Ranger(s) to your software 11
Downloading Ranger Data 12
Access your Ranger(s) Menu 12
Unit Status Window 13
Change Ranger Reporting Settings 14
View Stops/Transits Screen 15
View Route History Screen 15
Mobile Notifications 16
Reports: Generating, Previewing, Printing 18
Maintenance: Reset/Validate Unit Data 19
Database: Backup, Restore, Compact 20
Web Based Tracking (www.yoursignin.com) 21
Product Warranty 24
Before Tracking Your Ranger GPS
WARNING: Before you begin using your Ranger, or mount it to a vehicle, you need to read this entire page to be sure you understand exactly how the Ranger GPS Tracker & Software work. The result of not reading this page couldbe loss or damage of your Ranger GPS.How the Ranger GPS Works
The Ranger is designed to provide tracking information by using ATT Cellular-Data Towers (not Voice towers). Theunits’ ability to send GPS tracking information is limited by cellular-coverage and data-capability of the cellular provider. We are a re-seller of ATT but make no guarantees as to their quality of service or extent of coverage.The Ranger is motion activated and, ifinstalled properly, will begin tracking the vehicle once it Senses vibration. As long as there is cellular-data coverage in the area the Ranger will make the phone call to send data every time it gets GPS Tracking information, if there is NO COVERAGE in the area the unit will not be able to send data, and will store all tracking information in it's memory until it enters into cellular-data-coverage again. It can store 2000 messages- about 10-14 days of travel.
The Ranger sends data directly to our Ranger Servers in Colorado - this allows your Ranger to constantly communicate even if you aren't using your computer/software. When you open your Ranger GPS Software it will automatically log-in to our server and download any new data that the Ranger(s) you have entered have sent since the last time you logged-in.
Ranger Vehicle Placement
Because you will need to open the unit to change batteries, the unit is NOT completely water-proof. Water damage is not covered under warranty.Make sure that the metal you are mounting the unit & antenna to is clean and that the magnet has plenty of grip. We are not responsible for units falling off of vehicles. If you are unsure of the placement, place the equipment ON TOP of a frame and use duct tape for additional hold. DO NOT place the equipment or the GPS Antenna on or near the exhaust pipes, engine manifolds, radiator or any areas of extreme heat. The operational Temperature of the unit is -10F to +125F, and damage may occur that will void the warranty.
Ranger Plus Crucial Battery Information
(For Ranger Pro Battery Information please go to the next page)The Ranger uses a substantial current when the cellular modem is communicating. Not all batteries are capable of delivering the required current.
ALKALINE BATTERIES APPROVED
Rayovac - High Capacity Alkaline (BEST BRAND)
Duracell - Copper Top Alkaline (Second Choice)
DO NOT USE ENERGIZER ALKALINE!
(They will over-heat and cause the battery holder to melt!)
Do Not Use LITHIUM AA BATTERIES
None are approved at this time. The advanced technology Lithium batteries will fail
in the Rangers after 1-2 days. They cannot supply the current to operate the cell modules.
NIMH NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE BATTERIES APPROVED
DO NOT USE: NiCad batteries.
Ranger Pro Battery Safety & Warnings
WARNING: Please read before charging or using battery.Ø You must read these safety instructions and warnings before using or charging your batteries.
Ø Lithium Polymer and Li-ion batteries are volatile. Failure to read and follow the below instructions may result in fire, personal injury and damage to property if charged or used improperly.
Ø By purchasing Lithium Polymer and Li-ion battery, the buyer assumes all risks associated with lithium batteries.
Ø General Guidelines and Warnings
1. Use the specific Lithium Polymer/Li-ion charger that came with the system only. Do not use a NiMH or NiCd charger – failure to do so may cause a fire, which may result in personal injury and property damage.
2. Never charge batteries unattended. When charging LiPo/Li-ion batteries you should always remain in constant observation to monitor the charging process and react to potential problems that may occur.
3. Plug The charger in to the AC first. Then plug the battery into the charger. The light will go RED and begin to charge the battery. If you plug the battery in first it will not charge!
4. If at any time you witness a battery starting to balloon, swell up, smoke or hot, discontinue charging process immediately, disconnect the battery and observe it in a safe place for approximately 15 minutes. This may cause the battery to leak, and the reaction with air may cause the chemicals to ignite, resulting in fire.
5. Since delayed chemical reaction can occur, it is best to observe the battery as a safety precaution. Battery observation should occur in a safe area outside of any building or vehicle and away from any combustible material.
6. Wire lead shorts can cause fire! If you accidentally short the wires, the battery must be placed in a safe area for observation for approximately 15 minutes. Additionally, if a short occurs and contact is made with metal (such as rings on your hand), severe injuries may occur due to the conductibility of electric current.
7. A battery can still ignite even after 10 minutes.
8. In the event of a crash due to bad shipment or other reason, you must remove battery for observation and place in a safe open area away from any combustible material for approximately 15 minutes.
9. If for any reason you need to cut the terminal wires, it will be necessary to cut each wire separately, ensuring the wires do not touch each other or a short may occur, potentially causing a fire.
10. Never store or charge battery pack inside your car in extreme temperatures, since extreme temperature could ignite fire.
Charging Process
1. Never charge batteries unattended. Plug the charger into A/C before plugging in the battery.2. Put battery in the fireproof container and charge in an isolated area, away from other flammable materials. Let battery cool down to ambient temperature before charging.
3. Do not charge batteries if packs are in series. Charge each battery pack individually. Failure to do so may result in incorrect battery recognition and charging functions. Over charging may occur and fire may be the result.
4. As a safety precaution, please confirm the information printed on the battery is correct.
Tracking Products has 3 ways you can monitor your units. For best results and convenience we suggest the following:
1. Load the software on your desktops at the office. The software offers automatic monitoring of your units and faster reports.
2. Use Mobile Notifications and Geo-fences in the software to send alerts to your phone, tablet, or email.
3. Use our web portal www.yoursignin.com to track units when you are in the field. The web server offers similar features of the software with the ability to operate on tablets and phones.
Installing the Ranger Software
The Ranger software allows you to pull location information for your vehicle from the server, and displays that information on a map. In order to install the software on your computer, you should:IMPORTANT (Password-Protected Install): During the install process you will be asked “Do you want to password-protect and hide this installation”. If you choose “Yes” your installation will require you to enter a password every time you launch your software. The password CANNOT be changed, and for every installation the password is: tracking
1. Disable any virus software that may be running on your computer. Many anti-virus programs will prohibit the installation of software. You can enable the anti-virus software again once installation has been completed.
2. Place the DVD Disk in your DVD drive and the installer should auto-start.
3. During the loading process, you will be asked to choose between a typical, custom, or compact install. The typical install will copy the program to your hard drive and requires 1000 MB of space. The custom install will allow you to install only the maps of your region. To do this, you will need to select your region from the list of available components. The compact install will only copy the program files to your computer without the maps, and will require you to use the DVD-ROM each time you want to use the Software.
4. Installing the software requires 1 DVD or (2 CDs if requested). If the DVD does not auto-start go to the DVD disk and look for an ICON that resembles a sail from a sail boat. Double click it and this should start the DVD.
5. Windows Vista Users ONLY (non-Vista computers can skip this step): Locate the TPI/Ranger Program Icon on the desktop – right-click the icon and select “Properties” – check the box that says “Run as Administrator…” – click Apply (then OK to close Properties).
6. Windows 7 users Only – Follow the instructions and screens listed below:
After inserting the Protrak software DVD into the CD/DVD drive, the following window should appear:
Click on the option labeled "Run Setup.exe"
A window will appear asking you "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? (Program Name: InstallShield Wizard) Click the "Yes" button to proceed.
When the GPS Setup window appears, click "Next" twice to install the application to the default location on the hard drive (C:\Program Files\TPI).
For the Setup Type option, select "Typical", then click Next.
Click Next again to begin copying files.
After the files have finished copying, a window will appear asking you if you want to password-protect the software. Please read the window text and decide if you want to password-protect the software or not. Click either "Yes" or "No" to proceed.
A window will appear labelled "InstallShield Wizard Complete". Click "Finish" to exit the InstallShield Wizard.
If a window appears stating that "The application may not have installed correctly", click the option labelled "The application installed correctly".
If you selected "No" in response to the question asking you if you wanted to password-protect the installation, an icon labelled "PROTRAK Ranger" will appear on your desktop. If you selected "Yes" in response to the password-protect question, there will be an icon labelled "TPI" in your Programs menu. In either case, locate the icon you intend to use to launch the program (either the desktop icon or the program menu icon), and right-click on it. Select "Properties" from the popup menu that appears. When the Properties window appears, click on the "Compatibility" tab near the top of the Properties window. The following window should appear:
Click to place a checkmark in the box labelled "Run this program in compatibility mode for". If the dropdown box does not display "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)", click the down arrow in the dropdown box and select the option labelled "Windows XP (Service Pack 3).
Click to place a checkmark in the box labelled "Run this program as an administrator". The window should now appear as follows:
Click the "Apply" button to save these settings. Click the "OK" button to close the Properties window.
When you launch the PROTRAK software by double-clicking the desktop icon or clicking on the TPI icon in the Programs menu, a window will appear asking you "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer? (Program Name: GPS.exe)". Click "Yes" to proceed to launch the PROTRAK software.
The installation process is now complete! You should see an icon on your desktop called Protrak Ranger (unless you chose the password-protected install type).
Please keep in mind that the TPI (Ranger) software is compatible with Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (ME), 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. This software will not work with Microsoft Windows 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Macintosh. We cannot provide support for clients using a non-compatible operating system.
Configure Your Software Settings
After the software installation is complete, you must configure several settings within the software so that it will recognize your unit and display information correctly. Begin by double-clicking the Protrak icon on your desktop to open the Ranger software. When the Ranger software opens, complete the steps below to begin the setup of your software.1. Click the “Settings” button. Your Settings window will open with tabs along the top. The General tab provides the following settings.
2. The Maps Path should point to the location onyour hard drive (C:\ typically) where you have the software installed(if you chose typical or custom install), or the CD-ROM drive (if you chose compact install).
3. The Stop Speed and Stop Time Thresholds are set to define what is considered a “Stop” in your View Route History screen. By default, the vehicle is considered stopped any time it is traveling less than 3 mph for more than 3 minutes. We recommend you leave these settings at 3 MPH and 3 Minutes.
4. The Time Zone setting lets you change the GPS data to reflect the time for your area. Choose the appropriate time zone for your area. During Daylight Savings Time (Spring through Fall), the “Daylight-Savings Time” box should be checked. When not in Daylight Savings Time, (Fall through Spring), make sure to uncheck this box in order to display the correct time.
5. The “Show home address” option should only be selected if you want the Software to attempt to estimate the actual address the unit is located at (Main Street). If you do not check this Option the software will only provide a range of addresses (Example: 1000-1100 Main Street).