Techie Question

[DennisD]

Ok Irishman, the point has been made.
I guess I should have entitled this one "ethics question"

Don't anyone dare drive a notch over 55mph now....ya hear?

I think this fits better, go ahead and drive over 55mph but be prepared to get a ticket

I've worked with some jamming devices in the past but they were all miltary devices. I'm not sure what type of cellphone your son is using but maybe you can figure out the frequency or freq. range it uses, go to radio shack and buy a scanner and let him know you'll be listening to his phone calls.

But seriously, you could do that if you put some time in researching the type of phone and freq(s) is uses.

[JerryNumbers]

Yes, my scanner will tune in cell phones. I tuned them off after I heard the conversations between a Baptist pastors wife and their song leader several times talking lovely dovey about their get together and how much they loved one another.

There had been gossip about this pastor fooling around, but I always said it was gossip and people ought to stop spreading it. In real life it was a half truth, it was the wife, not the pastor.

[heartstrings]

Police scanner*******
Now there's an idea. And it will pick up on cell phones?
But isn't THAT illegal too?

But I never thought about eaves dropping; I just wanted to either detect that a phone is in use inside my house, or jam the thing. I just want to put a stop to it.
But like I said; I could have gotten a restraining order against this woman, but she needs the Lord, and If I did that, she would be forced to leave my church and so would missing the gospel preaching she needs.
We only have one IFB church in our area.

[DennisD]

Police scanner*******
Now there's an idea. And it will pick up on cell phones?
But isn't THAT illegal too?

But I never thought about eaves dropping; I just wanted to either detect that a phone is in use inside my house, or jam the thing. I just want to put a stop to it.
But like I said; I could have gotten a restraining order against this woman, but she needs the Lord, and If I did that, she would be forced to leave my church and so would missing the gospel preaching she needs.
We only have one IFB church in our area.

I don't believe it is illegal to listen to the phone calls of your own son who lives under your roof. And you don't necessarily have to listen to them, you can just show him that it's available to you and the technology is there and that could stop it.

It's not like you are US intelligence listening to some strangers (who is an American citizen) phone call (that would be illegal).

I understand your hesitancy with that young lady but I think your kids should be top priority. I know, that seems a little selfish and it seems you are putting a soul's salvation up against your child living the right way...it's a tough "compromise" but it's hard to argue for allowing a corruptible influence in your child's life if there is something you can do about it. We could all take that to heart really, throw the TV away, don't allow life to sneak in and take time away from God, etc. I think we all could do better in that department.

I'll pray that God's will be done in your situation and that He gives you the wisdom to persevere and see it through.

[heartstrings]

I don't believe it is illegal to listen to the phone calls of your own son who lives under your roof. And you don't necessarily have to listen to them, you can just show him that it's available to you and the technology is there and that could stop it.

It's not like you are US intelligence listening to some strangers (who is an American citizen) phone call (that would be illegal).

I understand your hesitancy with that young lady but I think your kids should be top priority. I know, that seems a little selfish and it seems you are putting a soul's salvation up against your child living the right way...it's a tough "compromise" but it's hard to argue for allowing a corruptible influence in your child's life if there is something you can do about it. We could all take that to heart really, throw the TV away, don't allow life to sneak in and take time away from God, etc. I think we all could do better in that department.

I'll pray that God's will be done in your situation and that He gives you the wisdom to persevere and see it through.

So if I got one of these things, would it be easy/possible to find the right frequency? Remember, she's trying to smuggle the phones, so I don't have access to them.

Thank you
and thank you for the prayer, most of all.

[brother_mike]

So if I got one of these things, would it be easy/possible to find the right frequency? Remember, she's trying to smuggle the phones, so I don't have access to them.

Thank you
and thank you for the prayer, most of all.

As of April, 1994, an FCC rule required ALL Scanners Sold in the USA to be Cellular frequency Deleted (Blocked) by the Mfgr. Even the Older or Export "unblocked" scanners were/are only capable of hearing the now OBsolete "Analog" cellphones that are no loger sold or in use today. There is No Scanner, new, old, modified or "export", that can hear the current "Digital" Cellphones being sold & used today. Most Areas use "GSM" , "CDMA", LTE, EVDO or "iDEN" Digital cellular systems that are not part of any scanner circuit technology.

Some Older scanner models, built before 1994, were able to be frequency "modified, or Restored" to hear the older OBsolete "analog" cell signals. All the Current New scanner models sold in the USA, by law, have the cellular Frequencies Permenently Deleted from their Internal chips, They aren't "hidden" in there, so they can't be "restored or modified", & these older modified, or "export" models were receving only the now OBsolete "analog" phone signals. ( Older Scanners that could be "modified", were actually being "UN-modified", as they were built with these frequencies, & then "blocked"). Also, Remember, since ALL newer cellphones are iDEN, CDMA, LTE or GSM "Digital", even these older, or export model cellular frequency-capable scanners simply can't "hear" any of the current Digital cellphones, even if tuned to their frequencies.

[JerryNumbers]

So if I got one of these things, would it be easy/possible to find the right frequency? Remember, she's trying to smuggle the phones, so I don't have access to them.

Thank you
and thank you for the prayer, most of all.

Before buying one check and be sure that they will still monitor cell phone calls. I bought mine back in the late 80's from Radio Shack while I was running a wrecker service, I bought the best one they had to offer. I forget how high it goes, but I'm sure it goes at least thorough the 900.000 frequencies. I'm sure they are a bit cheaper now, at that time this one cost better than $300.00.

I'm not positive, but at one time most cell phones were on the 800 frequencies, but that was in the 90's.

It can be set to scan nearly as many frequencies as you want it to.

PRO-197 39,000-Channel Digital Desktop Scanne

Mine would be similar to this one, of course this one is a bit more modern. Mine has been running 24 hours per day since I bought it in the late 80's, and its still going strong.

[heartstrings]

As of April, 1994, an FCC rule required ALL Scanners Sold in the USA to be Cellular frequency Deleted (Blocked) by the Mfgr. Even the Older or Export "unblocked" scanners were/are only capable of hearing the now OBsolete "Analog" cellphones that are no loger sold or in use today. There is No Scanner, new, old, modified or "export", that can hear the current "Digital" Cellphones being sold & used today. Most Areas use "GSM" , "CDMA", LTE, EVDO or "iDEN" Digital cellular systems that are not part of any scanner circuit technology.

Some Older scanner models, built before 1994, were able to be frequency "modified, or Restored" to hear the older OBsolete "analog" cell signals. All the Current New scanner models sold in the USA, by law, have the cellular Frequencies Permenently Deleted from their Internal chips, They aren't "hidden" in there, so they can't be "restored or modified", & these older modified, or "export" models were receving only the now OBsolete "analog" phone signals. ( Older Scanners that could be "modified", were actually being "UN-modified", as they were built with these frequencies, & then "blocked"). Also, Remember, since ALL newer cellphones are iDEN, CDMA, LTE or GSM "Digital", even these older, or export model cellular frequency-capable scanners simply can't "hear" any of the current Digital cellphones, even if tuned to their frequencies.

Ok Thanks
That eliminates that idea.
It's back to either the jammer, or detector.

[DennisD]

So if I got one of these things, would it be easy/possible to find the right frequency? Remember, she's trying to smuggle the phones, so I don't have access to them.

Thank you
and thank you for the prayer, most of all.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/radio-spectrum1.htm

I'm a little rusty but there are specific freq ranges used for each medium. At this site it shows some of the freq ranges and if you bought a scanner it would show you how to run through a typical auto scan between these freqs (cellphone freq range in question is 824 - 849 Megahertz). To put this in perspective so the numbers don't confuse you, FM radio if you are listening to 107.5 that would be 107.5 Megahertz.

Anyway, you would just need to make sure you got a scanner that would be able to scan those freqs in the 800 Megahertz range. I'm sure the directions would explain the "step" you would scan in. For example, you would search in a .2 Megahertz or 200 Kilohertz step (824.0, 824.2, 824.4, 824.6, 824.8 and so on up to 849 and then start over...it's faster than it seems but if you have to use a smaller step it becomes even more time consuming). Once that scan sets on a freq there is activity it will stop. Of course, if the cell phone is being used for texting or looking at webpages I don't think you'll be able to monitor that activity (at least not with items from radio shack).

So, short answer to your question...yes it's pretty easy to tell what the freq is. With that said, I believe every time a new call is made the freq would be different (depending on the available freq). An automatic scan between 824 and 849 wouldn't take very long though.

I didn't read this page but was a quick click from the previous link, prOBably tells you about some basics of scanners.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/radio-scanner.htm

[DennisD]

Ok Thanks
That eliminates that idea.
It's back to either the jammer, or detector.

Yeah, I guess so. If those scanners aren't available anymore then I don't know of anyway that is legal. I know there is software on the computer but it's completely illegal from what I understand...I wouldn't touch it and that's as far as my knowledge goes on that subject.

[JerryNumbers]

Garage sales, E-Bay, old scanners in good working order can be found.

Some of the newer ones can be modified easily. I read on one site how to do several different scanners.

[brother_mike]

There is No Scanner, new, old, modified or "export", that can hear the current "Digital" Cellphones being sold

All the Current New scanner models sold in the USA, by law, have the cellular Frequencies Permenently Deleted from their Internal chips, They aren't "hidden" in there, so they can't be "restored or modified",

Don't spend your money. Unless you want a scanner just for the fun of listening. Edited May 7, 2010 by brother_mike

[trc123]

I'm thinking a re-read of a book called "The Pursuit of Holiness" might be in order.............

[heartstrings]

let me reiterate....
My original question was about a JAMMING device........to STOP phone transmissions...NOT listen to them. The JAMMING device I was looking at, is limited to 34'. I live in a rural area and the hearest house to mine is about one THOUSAND and 200 FEET away (1200'). There is NO POSSIBLE way for such a short-range device to affect anyone outside of my yard.. So ........Was there anything MORALLY wrong for me, as a father, to WANT to jam this phone in my house????..


Someone else brought up the scanner/eaves dropping idea, which I have absolutely NO DESIRE to do, and even if I DID happen to go with a scanner, it would ONLY be to catch him/her in the act. But the bottom line is......I just want this junk STOPPED.
On second thought, if having a scanner might tempt me to eaves drop at other times, so I'd rather not have one. Thanks.

Edited May 7, 2010 by heartstrings

[DennisD]

There is something called a cell phone alerter that hospitals use. It detects a cell phone signal. I can't seem to find where they are sold, maybe they are only sold to hospitals.