Cell phone jammer in use! Can it be stopped?

[ynotravid]

While trying to bid on properties at an auction. Someone has been using a cell phone jammer to prevent other people from being able to bid on certain properties, thus getting the property for much cheaper.

A few of the people are pretty sure who is doing it but don't have any way of being sure.

Can this jammer be tracked down?

I remember in high school some of the kids used to play radio tag by driving around town trying to find each other based on the signal strength of their radios. Seems to me this type of device shouldn't be so different.

So I guess the real question is: Do the other bidders have a realistic way flush out the jammer?

 

[patentman]

I smell a homework question

 

[Matthias99]

It wouldn't be hard to build something that could detect the jammer (basically, hook up a directional antenna up to a bandpass filter in the right frequency range and monitor the output -- the jammer would definitely stand out), but I'm not sure if there is something cheap and off-the-shelf to do it.

 

[Mark R]

Call the FCC, they are responsible for managing the radio spectrum. They have the expertise, equipment and authority to investigate these complaints - and if this is a recurrent event, then they should take your complaint seriously.

Possesing, selling or operating a cellphone jammer is a class 2 felony - punishable by up to 1 year in jail and $11,000 fine. Admittedly, there haven't been many prosecutions (none?) but how many people complain that they've had their cell phone jammed?

 

[ynotravid]

patentman: LOL

 

[ynotravid]

 

[DrPizza]

?? Could you explain how a cell phone jammer prevents people from bidding at the auction?
If you're interested in a property, you go to the auction and bid. I go to all sorts of auctions. I really don't see the usefulness of cell phones, except at auctions where you "discover" something that's for sale and call someone you know is interested. But, property auctions are generally well advertised. You don't just show up to them wondering what's going to be for sale. Furthermore, at most larger auctions, you can place your highest bid with the auctioneer without actually attending the auction.

 

[ynotravid]

Thanks Mark and Matt,

I just called the FCC and got some guy telling me how illegal cell phone jamming is. Everytime I said something to him I could here him clicking away at his computer and then he would read me some sort of response. I'm tellin you, it was wierd.
When I asked him what I could do about it he directed me to a couple websites that indeed confirmed his assessment, that it was illegal... again. He eventually told me that their is not much the FCC can do for the individual. <joke> I told him that was B.S. and he fined me. </joke>
What's funny is, after I said that this was happening to a company, he took my report told me it would be sent out to a field agent immediatly and I would be getting a response in 24hrs.

Anyhow, I was kinda hoping to try the old directional antenna idea so I think I'll look into that.

Thanks again guys.


Edit: man I'm a bad speller.

 

[ynotravid]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
?? Could you explain how a cell phone jammer prevents people from bidding at the auction?
If you're interested in a property, you go to the auction and bid. I go to all sorts of auctions. I really don't see the usefulness of cell phones, except at auctions where you "discover" something that's for sale and call someone you know is interested. But, property auctions are generally well advertised. You don't just show up to them wondering what's going to be for sale. Furthermore, at most larger auctions, you can place your highest bid with the auctioneer without actually attending the auction.

I appologize for hastily using the word auction. That is how it was termed to me and it may or may not be accurate. This is a problem that I got a frantic phone call about today and I was just trying to emphasize the technical part of the question.

As for the auction itself, it's actually a bunch of people standing outside a courthouse (eastbay, SF) and bidding on properties that are in forclosure. As I have not done this myself I cannot speak to the structure of these proceedings, but I do know they have to call the phone numbers given to them to make a bid.

 

[patentman]

Ah, I withdraw my earlier remark. The way you phrased your question earlier made it sound like you copied it straight from some textbook LOL.

I don't see why you couldn't just do what you remember your friends doing in highschool and simply drive around with a signal meter to try and track the source down. You'd have to find some way to filter out other possible interference/sources, but as cell phone frequencies have a known operating bandwith (~824-893 Mhz for TDMA; ~1850-1990 Mhz for CDMA and PCS) you could probably find a receiver specifically for those frequencies and then simply drive aound the area. I can't imagine a civilian having a really high power jammer, so I would think that it would have to be relatively short range and or directional (Tons of peopl would be pissed if a high power non-directional jammer was in use because it would knock out service over a pretty large area rather then simply your auction)

Other thought, call Verizon or your cell phone provider and ask them to check it out. They certainly have signal meters that could do the trick and I'm sure they would be pissed about someone messing with their network.

 

[harrkev]

Well, if this is affecting YOU, you can work around it.

Get a friend to use your cell phone. Get a cheap pair of FRS radios... You can see where this is going.

You can jam the ENTIRE specturm. If he jams FRS, switch to CB radios.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: harrkev
Well, if this is affecting YOU, you can work around it.

Get a friend to use your cell phone. Get a cheap pair of FRS radios... You can see where this is going.

You can jam the ENTIRE specturm. If he jams FRS, switch to CB radios.

Good idea.

I'm still perplexed about this auction situation; it really doesn't make that much sense.

For what it's worth, I'd make sure the people auctioning these properties and the banks selling them knew what was going on. Someone is committing a felony in order to get a better price... I'd bet that means more laws are being broken in the process.

 

[dkozloski]

Use an Iridium phone if the properties are worth it.

 

[ynotravid]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: harrkev
Well, if this is affecting YOU, you can work around it.

Get a friend to use your cell phone. Get a cheap pair of FRS radios... You can see where this is going.

You can jam the ENTIRE specturm. If he jams FRS, switch to CB radios.

Good idea.

I'm still perplexed about this auction situation; it really doesn't make that much sense.

For what it's worth, I'd make sure the people auctioning these properties and the banks selling them knew what was going on. Someone is committing a felony in order to get a better price... I'd bet that means more laws are being broken in the process.

Yeah I talked my buddy again about this and he said people were less concerned about finding away around the problem and more concerned about getting rid of the people who are doing it.

He also told me more about why they know it's a cell phone jammer. Apparently, in addition to the convienient timing of the blackouts, the guy they all think it is will go to his car and everyones phones will work again. When he comes back, all the sudden everyones phones stop working again. He said one of the other guys got so pissed he started yelling: "I don't know who's doing this but if they don't stop I'm gonna sue your ass!" and then suddenly everyone's phone started working again.

Unreal.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: dkozloski
Use an Iridium phone if the properties are worth it.

I don't think Iridium works inside a courhouse Line of sight is paramount for satellite phones.

 

[ynotravid]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: dkozloski
Use an Iridium phone if the properties are worth it.

I don't think Iridium works inside a courhouse Line of sight is paramount for satellite phones.

Actually, they stand outside.

 

[Parkre]

At an auction around where I live, lots of farmers and...more farmers. Someone had died and all of his stuff was up for action in early Jan this year. It was probably the biggest auction I have ever seen. Over 3500 people showed up. Everyone knew who this guy was and that he was a packrat. Been a packrat for close to 70 years.

Half the people there had cell phones and it was crazy, a frame/shell for a 57 chevy (no engine, wheels, or glass, or chrome: and was fairly rusted and dented up) went for $7300. An old Schwinn two-seater bike FRAME (no wheels or handle bar, etc) went for 700. A crack engine block (nothing fancy, little 4 cylinder from the 70s) went for 600.

They had two auctioneers going all day and had a third going by 1 in the afternoon.

I have never seen so much worthless crap go for so much money..EVER.. It was worse than when peopel were buying XBOX 360 for $4000.

 

[ynotravid]

Originally posted by: Parkre
At an auction around where I live, lots of farmers and...more farmers. Someone had died and all of his stuff was up for action in early Jan this year. It was probably the biggest auction I have ever seen. Over 3500 people showed up. Everyone knew who this guy was and that he was a packrat. Been a packrat for close to 70 years.

Half the people there had cell phones and it was crazy, a frame/shell for a 57 chevy (no engine, wheels, or glass, or chrome: and was fairly rusted and dented up) went for $7300. An old Schwinn two-seater bike FRAME (no wheels or handle bar, etc) went for 700. A crack engine block (nothing fancy, little 4 cylinder from the 70s) went for 600.

They had two auctioneers going all day and had a third going by 1 in the afternoon.

I have never seen so much worthless crap go for so much money..EVER.. It was worse than when peopel were buying XBOX 360 for $4000.

My god, 3500? Was he rich?

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Parkre
At an auction around where I live, lots of farmers and...more farmers. Someone had died and all of his stuff was up for action in early Jan this year. It was probably the biggest auction I have ever seen. Over 3500 people showed up. Everyone knew who this guy was and that he was a packrat. Been a packrat for close to 70 years.

Half the people there had cell phones and it was crazy, a frame/shell for a 57 chevy (no engine, wheels, or glass, or chrome: and was fairly rusted and dented up) went for $7300. An old Schwinn two-seater bike FRAME (no wheels or handle bar, etc) went for 700. A crack engine block (nothing fancy, little 4 cylinder from the 70s) went for 600.

They had two auctioneers going all day and had a third going by 1 in the afternoon.

I have never seen so much worthless crap go for so much money..EVER.. It was worse than when peopel were buying XBOX 360 for $4000.

Maybe the cell is just saturated?

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Let me ask the question that everyone is dying to know the answer to

you ready OP?

WHAT THE FVCK DOES AN AUCTION HAVE TO DO WITH CELL PHONES

Perhaps you should explain the bidding process...

 

[Parkre]

"My god, 3500? Was he rich?"


NO, he wasn't rich. Just a very eccentric packrat. And almost everything he owned was either broken or rusted beyond repair. He had three barns (that's right, three) not to mention the chicken coop (and no, no chickens in it, just more crap). Not to metion his house and basement.

The reason people have cell phones is so that they can bid for someone who can't make it or doesn't want to drive out to bumhicknowhere (where this auction was) or in the OP's case.... across town.

 

[Zim Hosein]

I'd love to take a cell-phone jammer w/ me on a NYC bus and watch everyone curse their phones! :evil:

 

[FoBoT]

i will sell you a solution to this problem for $2300

i take paypal

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
Let me ask the question that everyone is dying to know the answer to

you ready OP?

WHAT THE FVCK DOES AN AUCTION HAVE TO DO WITH CELL PHONES

Perhaps you should explain the bidding process...

They probably have proxies or attorney's bidding on their behalf.