• Off Topic

  • Looking for an app to report my phone's location, privately

Is anyone using a FOSS app that can periodically transmit the phone's GNSS (GPS) based location to a personal server (encrypted, of course), assuming that Location and a radio with internet activity are active?

I am willing to take the battery hit for this. One of my personal threats is the cost of replacing my expensive, lost Pixel phone, so it would be helpful to know where it fell out of my pocket or bag, again. Like it did this week, returned by an honest passer-by within the hour from where it fell beside the sidewalk. (Always put a contact email/phone on your phone, case, and also in your ICE contact so an honest person can return your phone!)

At least in my location, the GNSS location on the OsmAnd map is scarily accurate¸ showing which part of the house I am sitting in with my phone.

I'm not concerned about the phone data being accessed if found, because of existing security features. I am concerned about having to buy a new phone.

I looked around the usual app locations but didn't find anything, but I may not be hitting the right search terms.

If something like this does not exist, if you know a FOSS app that has some similar functionality, please post that and I'll make my own app (after learning Java, Kotlin, and Android dev). At least it would be a reason to finally get around to that, lol. I considered hacking a very simple and rough prototype within Termux but I see it has no network permission to enable.

    raccoondad
    Thank you. I don't know why I missed this in my FOSS app store searches.
    This will be a very helpful starting point even if it doesn't work out as-is.

      Haven't used it, but there is a PhoneTrack app for Nextcloud, this could work for you.
      If you try it out, please give feedback about it.

        raccoondad This looks great - but I use RCS w/Google Messages - might it work for that or would I have to re-enable sms just for this purpose?

            lcalamar Honestly I never used SMS, IDK. I use the cloud function (which works great, gives you a little map and everything. Can be self hosted if you wish to use your own server)

                rndmE Haven't used it, but there is a PhoneTrack app for Nextcloud, this could work for you.
                If you try it out, please give feedback about it.

                Thanks. Installing Nextcloud is one of my upcoming projects so I will look at this as part of that and report back.

                  raccoondad Honestly I never used SMS, IDK. I use the cloud function (which works great, gives you a little map and everything. Can be self hosted if you wish to use your own server)

                  Nice. Thanks for the details to check out further.

                  Hoping to not lose my phone in 2024 ...