How dense can live tracking get?

For riders who want the finest path on the map — and for anyone who asks what that costs the battery. We pushed an ATC700 toward maximum reporting density, then measured what actually arrived.

ATC700 Live WhatsApp Track session Session loading… High-resolution test profile

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Important context This session was recorded in a car, including evening and morning road speeds (up to ~86 km/h). That is a tougher load than a typical bicycle ride. Everyday 3BO bike tracking uses a balanced profile (~30 seconds while moving). A real cycling follow-up is next.

Session complete Live Track ran about — hours on the high-resolution profile — through the night, then back toward the office in the morning. Battery fell as low as —% before the last reports; the pack was effectively spent for continued max-density tracking.

The path

Every point is a GPS fix from the tracker during the live Track session. Blue = moving · slate = parked / stationary.

Live track

— points

Moving Stationary

Location resolution

How often did a new position land while the unit was moving versus still? The high-resolution test aims for the densest path the hardware allows; day-to-day 3BO stays on a battery-friendlier cadence.

While moving Median update every — seconds (average —s). Most gaps fell between 3 and 5 seconds — dense enough for a clear road path, without claiming a perfect 1-second stream.

While stationary Median update every — seconds — a steady idle heartbeat while the tracker stays awake in live Track mode.

Moving — how often did we ping?

Stationary — idle heartbeat

Update spacing over the session

seconds between points

Battery life

High-resolution tracking spends more energy on GPS and cellular. We show both battery percentage and voltage — voltage is the smoother signal when the percentage steps in coarse jumps.

On the move

car segment

Expect lighter drain on a bicycle at lower speeds with the everyday balanced profile.

Parked / stationary

live Track still on

Includes the full overnight park (~9 hours) with Track still open.

Battery over time

Stationary stretches

Window	Duration	Points	Battery %	% per hour	Voltage	mV per hour

What this means for you

Everyday 3BO (balanced)

While moving~30 seconds While stopped~1 hour Built forAll-day bike protection

This high-res test

Coming next A real cycling Track session — resolution and battery at bike speeds, not car speeds.

Overnight & morning

Overnight park

Track still on

Morning return

back on the road

Takeaways

Want a detailed path? While moving, live tracking delivered a new fix about every four seconds — dense enough to follow a route clearly. Production 3BO stays nearer thirty seconds while moving so the battery lasts the day.

Worried about battery? On this high-res profile the pack lasted on the order of half a day of continuous Track (including ~9 hours parked overnight). Maximum density is a tool for when you need the path — balanced settings are for everyday peace of mind.

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