A tracker is only as useful as the information it sends. Most battery powered trackers save power by doing very little. They report when a journey starts and when it ends, sometimes once a few minutes in, and some only check in once a day. That is how they can quote battery lives of several years.

Many can be switched to report every 30 or 60 seconds once a theft has been reported, which helps with recovery. But day to day, as the owner, you get little more than where the vehicle started and where it stopped. If it is taken, you may not see the route until the journey is over, or until the theft has been reported.

The Pulsar+ is smarter than that. It tracks the whole journey, every journey. On its default profile it sends a position every 5 minutes, every 1 km and at every turn of 15 degrees or more, so the route shows in the app as it was driven and the last reported position is usually close behind the vehicle.

That takes more power, which is why it has a 6,400 mAh battery you recharge by USB-C rather than cells you replace. You can see the trade off in the Pulsar+ itself: at 15 minutes’ driving a day, the default profile gives about 8½ months between charges, against about 10½ months on journey start and end only. For most owners, following the whole journey is worth far more than the extra two months.

Add five satellite systems for an accurate fix wherever it is hidden, 4G across the UK and Europe, an IP67 waterproof case and over the air updates, and the Pulsar+ is one of the most capable wireless trackers you can buy for a vehicle or asset.

The Pulsar+ does not need a connection to the ignition. Its built-in motion sensor, a 3-axis accelerometer, recognises when the vehicle starts moving and switches on a virtual ignition, so it knows a journey has begun without any wiring.

Here is what happens on a typical journey with the default 5 minute profile:

• Journey start: as soon as movement is detected, the Pulsar+ records where the journey began.

• On the move: it sends a location update every 5 minutes, at a turn of 15 degrees or more, such as at a junction or roundabout, or every 1 km travelled, whichever comes first. The trip in the Meta Trak Plus app shows the turns you took, not just where you started and finished.

• Journey end: once the vehicle has been still for 120 seconds, the virtual ignition switches off and the final location is recorded. A brief stop, such as at traffic lights, does not end the journey.

• Parked: a health check is sent 12 hours after the last event, so you know the Pulsar+ is still working even when the vehicle has not moved for a while.

The Pulsar+ has three tracking profiles, so you can balance detail against battery life:

• 1 minute: an update every minute, every 400 m or at a turn of 15 degrees or more. The most detail, and the shortest battery life.

• 5 minutes (default): an update every 5 minutes, every 1 km or at a turn of 15 degrees or more. This is applied when your Pulsar+ is activated and suits most owners.

• Journey start and end: a report at the start and end of each journey only. The longest battery life, with the least detail.

Every profile includes the 12 hour health check and the journey start and end reports. To switch profile, contact Meta Trak customer support. The Battery Life section below shows what each profile means for time between charges.

The Pulsar+ uses five satellite systems: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS. In open sky it is accurate to under 1.5 metres.

Why five systems matter: a covert tracker is hidden, usually under trim or carpet, so part of its view of the sky is always blocked. The same happens between tall buildings in towns and cities. Using five systems means more satellites to work with at any moment, so the Pulsar+ has a better chance of fixing its position where a single system might struggle.

Its receiver has 47 tracking channels and a tracking sensitivity of -166 dBm. In plain terms, it can keep following very faint satellite signals, which is exactly what a hidden tracker needs.

It is also quick to find its position: under 2 seconds from a hot start, when it has recent satellite data, and under 30 seconds from a cold start. That helps it record where a journey begins close to where the vehicle actually started.

Alongside satellite positioning, it uses LTE (4G mobile network) and RF positioning, then sends its location to the Meta Trak Plus app over 4G LTE Cat 1 through internal antennas.

Satellite and mobile signals still need a path to the device, which is why the hiding place matters. Fit it top side up with no metal above it: plastic, fabric, foam and glass let GPS and mobile signals through, while metal blocks them.

You can check the signal at any time. Press the round touch switch 5 times in less than 5 seconds and the LEDs show the status for 100 seconds. A solid blue LED means it has a position, and a solid green LED means it is connected to the mobile network. Flashing means it is still searching.

Vehicle/Asset Guard is the Pulsar+'s parked security mode. When you leave your vehicle or asset, open the Meta Trak Plus app, tap Device Modes and turn Guard on. If it moves while Guard is on, you get an alert straight away by push notification and email. Guard alerts are limited to one an hour while the mode is on. Turn Guard off before you next use the vehicle.

The Pulsar+ is currently only self monitored but is pending Thatcham S7 accreditation. Guard alerts come to you, not to a monitoring centre, so nobody watches for alerts on your behalf. Keep notifications switched on for the app.

The Pulsar+ keeps you informed without you having to check the app:

• Vehicle/Asset Guard alert: push notification and email

• Device battery low: push notification and email

• Device activation: push notification and email, the first time your Pulsar+ reports in after registration

• Subscription registration, renewal reminder and renewal confirmation: push notification and email

• Subscription expired: text message

You can update your contact details and the numbers alerts are sent to in the app's settings.

The Pulsar+ works with the Meta Trak Plus app for iPhone and Android. Log in with the same details you use for the registration portal. With it you can:

• See your vehicle's last position, with map, satellite and hybrid views and live traffic

• Get directions to your vehicle

• Look back over your trips, with the route, start and finish times, duration, distance, and average and maximum speed

• See where your vehicle was parked and for how long

• Share a trip, add a note to it, and filter trips by date

• Check the event history and the Pulsar+ battery level on the dashboard

• Set the odometer reading and your next service mileage

• Choose miles or kilometres, and a light or dark theme

• Turn Vehicle/Asset Guard on and off, and call the Secure Operating Centre

• Open the app with a 4 digit PIN or Face ID

• Manage more than one Pulsar+ from one login

The Pulsar+ has a built-in 6,400 mAh, 3.7 V rechargeable lithium-ion battery, so there are no replacement cells to buy. When it runs low, the app tells you. Take it out, charge it, and put it back.

How to charge it:

• Open the USB cap with a small screwdriver or similar tool. Never open the SIM cap: the two caps are not interchangeable.

• Connect the supplied USB-C cable to a standard 5 V USB charger rated at least 1A. High specification or PD fast charge cables may not charge the Pulsar+, so use the supplied cable.

• The red LED flashes while it charges and turns solid when it is full. Charging a flat battery can take many hours.

• Refit the cap afterwards to keep the Pulsar+ waterproof and keep dirt out.

Charging also switches the Pulsar+ on, and it stays on when the cable is removed. Fit it somewhere you can reach without major dismantling, and recharging takes minutes of your time.

Battery life between charges depends on two things: how much the vehicle moves, and which tracking profile you use. Here is what to expect, in months, on each profile (1 minute / 5 minutes, the default / journey start and end):

• Rarely moved: 18 / 18 / 18

• 15 minutes a day, 2 journeys: 8 / 8½ / 10½

• 30 minutes a day, 2 journeys: 5½ / 6½ / 10½

• 1 hour a day, 4 journeys: 3 / 4 / 7

• 2 hours a day, 6 journeys: 2 / 2½ / 5½

So on the default profile, a caravan or trailer that rarely moves can go up to 18 months between charges, and a car or van driven for an hour a day about 4 months.

These are approximate figures at 25°C with good signal. They already allow for the 12 hour health checks, journey start and end reports, a battery reserve and normal battery ageing.

Cold weather and weak mobile signal reduce battery life. The Pulsar+ uses more power while it searches for a network, and low temperatures reduce battery capacity, so expect to charge it sooner through winter or where signal is poor.

When the battery runs low, you get a Device battery low notification (push and email). To save power, the Pulsar+ then reduces location updates to once every 24 hours until it is recharged, and Guard alerts are still sent straight away. Once recharged, it returns to normal tracking.

The Pulsar+ is designed for you to fit yourself, with no wiring. Fitting takes about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on where you want it mounted. Charge it fully first, then choose a hiding place that is:

• Out of sight: behind interior trim, under carpet or in the boot lining

• Top side up, with no metal above it, so GPS and mobile signals get through

• Firmly fixed with cable ties, adhesive pads or a mounting bracket, so it cannot move or rattle

• Reachable for charging, without major dismantling

Avoid metal enclosures and the underside of the vehicle, the engine bay, the exhaust and places where water collects. Keep it clear of airbag zones, pedals, seat runners and moving parts. Avoid the obvious places a thief would check: the glovebox, door pockets and the OBD port area.

Meta Trak also make a clip-in mounting bracket, and a clip-in magnetic version that attaches to metal surfaces without drilling. Both hold the Pulsar+ securely and release it quickly for charging. They are not included in the box, but you can order one through us.

Before you finish, press the round touch switch 5 times in less than 5 seconds. Solid blue and green LEDs confirm good GPS and mobile signal. Then take a short journey and check it in the app. The LEDs switch off automatically, so they will not give the hiding place away. Keep the location to yourself and share it only with people who need to know.

Prefer us to fit it? Choose professional installation for £79 and a brand-approved engineer will fit it at your home, workplace, or even at the dealership before collection of the vehicle, in an estimated 2 - 5 days.

Pending Thatcham S7 accreditation. The Pulsar+ is not Thatcham accredited yet. If you need a Thatcham S7 tracker now, head to our Thatcham S7 trackers page.

The Pulsar+ is equipped with 4G cellular connectivity and multi-network roaming, so it can connect across multiple mobile networks rather than relying on a single operator. 3G networks have already been switched off in the UK, and 2G networks are being phased out across the UK and Europe. 4G keeps the system connected as older networks close, so it continues to operate throughout the UK and Europe.

Protection for anything without its own power

The Pulsar+ needs no power from the vehicle, so it can protect trailers, horseboxes, plant and other assets that have no battery or wiring to connect to. Hide it, turn on Guard when you leave, and you know straight away if it moves.

Caravans in storage or on site

A caravan can sit unused for months. On the default profile, a rarely moved Pulsar+ can go up to 18 months between charges, and the 12 hour health check confirms it is still working while you are away.

Plant, machinery and outdoor equipment

The case is rated IP67 and the Pulsar+ works from -20°C to +80°C, so it copes with the conditions plant and trailers live in. If equipment leaves site, the app shows you the route it took.

A covert second tracker on a car or van

Because it runs on its own battery, the Pulsar+ works independently of any hardwired system, so it keeps reporting even if the vehicle's wiring or another tracker is interfered with. Its LEDs switch off automatically, so nothing gives its hiding place away.

Know where your vehicle is, every journey

Trips, parked periods, distance and speed are all in the Meta Trak Plus app, which makes it easy to keep track of a family car, a works van or a vehicle you lend out.

A tracker helps recovery. An immobiliser prevents the theft.

A tracker helps find a stolen vehicle. It does not stop it being taken. For a car or van, the strongest protection pairs a tracker with an immobiliser that blocks the engine from starting, such as the Meta Trak S5 DEADLOCK, or the Meta AUTOBLOK if you want an immobiliser on its own. Not sure which system you need? Use our Intelligent Product Advisor or call 0330 133 3990.

The Meta Trak Pulsar+ (also written Pulsar Plus) is a rechargeable wireless GPS tracker. It needs no wiring, reports over 4G to the Meta Trak Plus app, and can be hidden in a vehicle, trailer, caravan, horsebox or piece of plant.

Yes. The Pulsar+ connects over 4G with multi-network roaming, so it is not affected as older networks close: 3G has already been switched off in the UK, and 2G is being phased out across the UK and Europe. It works throughout the UK and Europe, subject to mobile network coverage, as long as your Meta Trak subscription is active.

No. The Pulsar+ has a built-in rechargeable battery, so there are no batteries to replace. When the app tells you the battery is low, recharge it with the supplied USB-C cable and a charger rated at least 1A.

The Pulsar+ replaces the Meta Trak Pulsar. It has a rechargeable 6,400 mAh battery charged by USB-C, where the Pulsar used replaceable cells, and it reports every 5 minutes while the vehicle is moving, where the Pulsar reported once a day by default.

No, not yet. The Pulsar+ is pending Thatcham S7 accreditation. If you need a Thatcham S7 tracker now, head to our Thatcham S7 trackers page.

Yes. Like every tracking system, the Pulsar+ needs an active subscription to track. The first year is included in the price and paid at checkout. After that, Meta Trak send you a renewal reminder and you renew online directly with them for £79.95 a year.

On the default 5 minute profile, the Pulsar+ records where each journey starts, then sends a location update every 5 minutes, at a turn of 15 degrees or more, such as at a junction or roundabout, or every 1 km, whichever comes first. It records where the journey ends once the vehicle has been still for 120 seconds. When parked, it runs a health check 12 hours after its last event.

Yes. There are three tracking profiles: 1 minute (every minute, every 400 m or at a turn of 15 degrees or more), 5 minutes (the default, applied on activation) and journey start and end only. Meta Trak customer support can switch your Pulsar+ to a different profile. More frequent reporting gives more detail but shortens battery life.

In open sky, the Pulsar+ is accurate to under 1.5 metres. It uses five satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS) and a 47 channel receiver, which gives it more satellites to work with when it is hidden under trim or carpet, or in a built-up area. Accuracy can be lower where the view of the sky is blocked.

From a hot start, when it has recent satellite data, it finds its position in under 2 seconds. From a cold start, it takes under 30 seconds. Its receiver has a tracking sensitivity of -166 dBm, so once it has a fix it can keep following very weak satellite signals.

It depends on how much the vehicle moves and which profile you use. On the default 5 minute profile, expect up to 18 months if it is rarely moved, about 8½ months at 15 minutes' driving a day, about 4 months at an hour a day and about 2½ months at 2 hours a day. These are approximate figures at 25°C with good signal. Cold weather and weak mobile signal shorten battery life, and the app tells you when to recharge.

Open the USB cap with a small screwdriver (never the SIM cap), then connect the supplied USB-C cable to a charger rated at least 1A. The red LED flashes while it charges and turns solid when it is full. Charging a flat battery can take many hours. High specification or PD fast charge cables may not charge it, so use the supplied cable, and refit the cap afterwards to keep it waterproof.

You receive a Device battery low notification by push notification and email. To save power, the Pulsar+ then reduces location updates to once every 24 hours until it is recharged, and Guard alerts are still sent straight away. Once recharged, it returns to normal tracking.

No. It runs on its own rechargeable battery and uses its built-in motion sensor to tell when the vehicle is moving, so there is no connection to the ignition or the vehicle's wiring. That is why it suits trailers, plant and anything else without its own power.

Yes. It needs no wiring and is designed for you to fit yourself, in about 15 to 30 minutes depending on where you mount it. If you would rather we fit it, choose professional installation for £79.

It is designed to be hidden, behind interior trim, under carpet or in a boot lining, away from obvious places such as the glovebox, door pockets and the OBD port area. Its LEDs switch off automatically, 100 seconds after a status check or 8 minutes after it is switched on, so they do not give its location away. Keep the location to yourself and share it only with people who need to know.

Yes. The case is rated IP67, as long as the USB and SIM caps are fitted, and it works from -20°C to +80°C. Keep it away from the engine bay, the exhaust and places where water collects.

When you park, turn on Vehicle/Asset Guard in the Meta Trak Plus app. If the vehicle moves, you get an alert by push notification and email. The Pulsar+ is not professionally monitored, so alerts come to you rather than to a monitoring centre. If you believe it has been stolen, tap Call SOC in the app to speak to Meta Trak's 24/7 Secure Operating Centre. They confirm your identity using the security question you set up in the app.

The Meta Trak Plus app for iPhone and Android. It shows your vehicle's last position on a map, satellite or hybrid view with live traffic, your trips with route, distance, average and maximum speed, where and how long it was parked, and the Pulsar+ battery level. It also lets you turn Vehicle/Asset Guard on and off and call the Secure Operating Centre.

Yes. Add each extra Pulsar+ to the same login rather than creating a new account. In the app, all your vehicles and assets are listed together so you can choose between them.

Meta Trak's ongoing subscription warranty covers your Pulsar+ for as long as you remain the original purchaser and keep an uninterrupted subscription. It is non-transferable and ends if the subscription lapses. It is in addition to your statutory rights.