I’ve not been that happy with my Owntracks install, but recently that changed.
Previously, Owntracks would not report me at home for about 5 minutes, and that doesnt work, when I’m driving up the driveway. I use Owntracks as a gate for my automatic open of garage door (when I join home wifi).
Recently though I got into Tasker intents. Now I change the reporting mode in Owntracks (via tasker) when my phone connects to the car bluetooth. In Owntracks I’ve setup 60 second reporting for Move mode, and 900 seconds for normal location reporting.
So, when I connect to Car bluetooth, my Owntracks begins reporting my location every 60 seconds, and when I’m not connected to car bluetooth it reports every 900 seconds. It’s amazingly accurate. I’m using @jchurch’s HiveMQ guide here
Essentially, in Tasker you create a Task (name it: OwnTracks: Move Mode), and type “intent” in the Filter box. Select Send Intent. Then fill in the following details.
Action: org.owntracks.android.CHANGE_MONITORING
Cat: none
Mime: blank
Data: blank
Extra: monitoring:2
Then in tasker create a profile (not task) that triggers on connection to your car’s bluetooth mac address. Hit the plus (bottom right)| State | type “BT connected” in filter box | Your car name | enter cars bluetooth mac address in this format 7C:FC:3C:00:E2:33
Then you’ll want to create a second profile and task to change the monitor back to "significant changes mode when your phone disconnects from your car bluetooth. Obviously, you’ll change the Extra: monitoring:2 to Extra: monitoring:1 as per the table below. Also it would be BT Disconnect for the second Profile.
| Mode | Send This Extra Value |
|---|---|
| Quiet | monitoring:-1 |
| Manual | monitoring:0 |
| Significant Changes | monitoring:1 |
| Move | monitoring:2 |
Here is the profile to import if you’re interested (into tasker)
Summary
<TaskerData sr="" dvi="1" tv="6.0.10">
<Profile sr="prof7" ve="2">
<cdate>1522219697633</cdate>
<edate>1681642506059</edate>
<id>7</id>
<mid0>44</mid0>
<nme>BT Connected Mazda</nme>
<State sr="con0" ve="2">
<code>3</code>
<Str sr="arg0" ve="3">Mazda</Str>
<Str sr="arg1" ve="3">7C:FC:3C:00:E2:33</Str>
</State>
</Profile>
<Task sr="task44">
<cdate>1681538099107</cdate>
<edate>1681642418938</edate>
<id>44</id>
<nme>Owntracks: Move Mode</nme>
<pri>100</pri>
<Action sr="act0" ve="7">
<code>877</code>
<Str sr="arg0" ve="3">org.owntracks.android.CHANGE_MONITORING</Str>
<Int sr="arg1" val="0"/>
<Str sr="arg2" ve="3"/>
<Str sr="arg3" ve="3"/>
<Str sr="arg4" ve="3">monitoring:2</Str>
<Str sr="arg5" ve="3"/>
<Str sr="arg6" ve="3"/>
<Str sr="arg7" ve="3"/>
<Str sr="arg8" ve="3"/>
<Int sr="arg9" val="2"/>
</Action>
</Task>
</TaskerData>
Further details here