cell phone jammers

I just got back from a nice weekend get away at the ski slopes.

I turn on my PC and open up my browser... first thing that I see... an article on slashdot that caught my attention. War on cell phones.
Boy... I could have used on of these cellphone jammers this weekend.

I was just trying to relax in the lodge (giving my legs a break from 5hrs of constant workout)and there are people screaming over the music the DJ was playing talking on their cell phones. While cell phones are nice when you need them, they can be a pain sometimes. Eating out, you see people on cell phones. At the movies, phones constantly ringing. I hate that. I at least put my phone on vibrate and take the call in private, or call them back when I'm not around a bunch of people.

Anywho, an interesting article.

Cell jammers declare war with signal

Seems that its pretty easy to get a hold of these jammers too. They aren't too expensive either. You can find them on the web, on ebay or even build your own. Here is an quote from one site selling them...

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This cell phone jammer looks just like a cell phone and is ideal for use when commuting on the bus and train or when eating in restaurants etc, anywhere where you need effective control at close quarters!

Make sure you have this phone jammer with you whenever you are out and about as you never know when you are going to need to use it. With this cell phone jammer switched on in your pocket you will be able to silence those anti-social types who insist on using their mobile phones in the most indiscrete way, the beauty is that they will not know it is you that has switched them off!, all they will see is that their signal has dropped on their phone. When you have had your meal or enjoyed your coffee in peace and quiet, you can then switch off your phone jammer and continue on your way completely stress free.

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http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/Personal.htm

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Everyone's Jamming Cell Phones

Contributed by mmasnick on Monday, December 8 2003 @ 12:37am
Mobile phone signal jammers are illegal in the US, but that doesn't mean they're not used. They're apparently increasingly common, and are expected to spread quite a bit in the near future. The FCC says that using a jammer is considered "theft" of airwaves, because that spectrum has been allocated as property to a commercial entity. The writer of the article wonders, though, about "passive jamming" - such as putting up buildings made of material that block out cell phone signals. While some don't like the idea of having their signals blocked - others think it may become a lot more popular in the future, if only to have areas to "disconnect". The article points to the rise of camera phones as a "bottom up surveillance society" as a reason why we might want areas that have no signal. That makes little sense to me, since anyone using a camera phone can still snap the picture, and then just upload it later when they're in range of a signal. Still, it will be interesting to see if anti-jamming equipment becomes popular. Most people have no idea if a jammer is being used, since it just looks like there's no service. This makes it very difficult to figure out if someone is using a jammer, and means that no one's getting caught using these things right now.

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source

If you use one of these in your establishment... say, a movie theater, would it still be "illegal"?
Do you "own" the airwaves that flow through your physical property?

Anywho... do you think they should be legal? Why or why not?

I can see some bringing up emergency situations, where jammers could interfere... but if its an emergency, and you're in a movie theater, then leave. Or, go to the lobby and use a pay phone.

I think they should be illegal heres why.

Sure they would be handy for places like a theatre and other places, but what if theres an emergency and somones trying ot get through, but can't because someone is using a cell phone jammer?



What if the emergency is at home, and the only way to get in touch with the person who is in the theatre or where ever is by calling them on their cell phone?

Also when we buy a cell phone plan, we buy it knowing that its our phone to take with us wherever and use it whenever. Its not a law that you can't talk on your cell phone in theatres or clubs, just a courtesy that you don't.


I'm going sking next weekend in wisconsin. Where did you go skiing at?

cheyenne1212: good points. if there is an emergency then I could see it being a problem... but most places have land lines... and policies/procedures in place to locate people in case of emergency.

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I'm going sking next weekend in wisconsin. Where did you go skiing at?

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We went to a small mountain up in PA. Its called Blue Mountain... awesome place. Its pretty small compared to places around it... but good for us, because our GFs are still beginners. They have some more advanced slopes... I went for the first time on the double black diamonds... whoa! That was fun, but scary at first. Very very icy... lol But... I'm still alive with all bones intact.... I do the snow blades though, not skiis or snowboards. Its all legs... as where with skiis... its more 2/3rds legs, 1/3 upper body. Tires you out pretty quickly...

QUOTE:

Sure they would be handy for places like a theatre and other places, but what if theres an emergency and somones trying ot get through, but can't because someone is using a cell phone jammer?

What if the emergency is at home, and the only way to get in touch with the person who is in the theatre or where ever is by calling them on their cell phone?

In this country you just dial 999 and talk to the emergency services...........they are qualified to give assistance and will contact anyone involved if that is required.

I am very much from a pre-cellphone generation.............we managed just fine :)

I guess it depends on how you define "emergency"?

Just my £0.02

nihil: I agree with ya. there are policies/procedures in place or that can be pulled out of filing cabinets that people used to use.

Some of these jammers have the ability to block the camera phones too... Perfect place to put a jammer like this would be a locker room, or a research and development lab of some company wanting to make sure that these camera phones don't work.

phish~

There is also the kind of industry I work in............cellphones are banned for security reasons, "nonestop" is the current "TEMPEST"...and with a camera :eek: .

They are also banned on aircraft, parts of hospitals etc............

Over here we have a lot of older buildings that have been "modernised" or "converted"
they have structural steelwork in them to replace the walls that have been taken out.

Cellphones won't work in them so people have to go outside anyway....if that is such a problem, they shouldn't go there anyway.

That said, these jamming devices sound as if they might be even more disruptive of other devices and services, I am guessing that they must have a much wider bandwidth than an individual phone to be able to block different ones? Used as a part of a managed security policy they could have a use, but in anyone's hands, I have my doubts.

Cheers

I think that they should be illegle, but I would also like to have one.
If I had one, I would not walk into a resturant or theater and turn it on. Instead, I would carry it and If some one was using their cell phone obnoxously, then turn it on.
Yesterday, on Vday, I took my wife out to dinner. While dining, 3-4 people recieved or made cell phone calls. Only one of these bothered me. The man recieving it had to stand up and virtually yell into his phone. I personally think he was trying to be noticed. He was, and would have been a perfect target to have been jammed.
Just my opinion.

Hey Hey!

This is almost turning into more of a cosmos thread than a gcc thread :) but here we go.


I most definately think they should be legal, however I think they should also be licensed and regulated.

Cheyenne: you mentioned being in a theatre and what if there's an emergency? Every theatre I've ever been in has had postings and signs saying to turn your cell phone off. It's common courtesy and it's one of the establishments rules. I know people who have been banned from a theatre because their phone rang during a movie. What's the difference between turning it and having it blocked. Many people would argue that there's always the vibrate option, but then you are still getting up and down and disrupting the movie. One theatre here even mentions that and says don't turn your phone to vibrate as it will still disrupt other patrons. If you turn it off, or have it blocked, you won't get that emergency call. It's called following the rules.

Consider this. One of your parents or grandparents are in the hospital and the machine that's keeping them alive will malfunction if a cell phone rings. Someone walks into the hospital and either doesn't follow the rules or accidently forgets. Their phone rings, your relative dies because the machine malfunctions. I'd say a place like this is definately a good place to have a cell phone jammer.

How about classrooms? We have one girl in our program who refuses to turn off her cell phone when she comes into lecture. Two or three times a week class would be disrupted because her phone would ring. The prof would get pissed and tell the student to turn it off or leave the room. The student would then say just a minute and carry on a 5 minute phone conversation, all the while disrupting the students and prof. Places like these should definately be jammed.

I can also see moxnix's point of view. If you are out for a quiet, romantic dinner and need to make a phone call, show courtesy to the other patrons and excuse yourself from the table/room.

Cell phones are a great idea, and the idea that you can take them anywhere is very appealing. I own two cell phones and always have at least one with me... however there's a time and place for them. If people can't be courteous on their own (which happens a lot in todays society), it's time we teach them a thing or two about being rude. It's a polite way of saying "Shut the F@#$ up".

Peace,
HT

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Consider this. One of your parents or grandparents are in the hospital and the machine that's keeping them alive will malfunction if a cell phone rings. Someone walks into the hospital and either doesn't follow the rules or accidently forgets. Their phone rings, your relative dies because the machine malfunctions. I'd say a place like this is definately a good place to have a cell phone jammer.

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Good post HT, however, I don't think a hospital would be a good place for this... because of how the jammer works. A jammer works by

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The cell phone jammer works by interfering with the up and down links between the mobile phone and cellular mast. When the unit is in use, all mobile phone users in the effective range will receive no signal on their phone, they will be unaware that they are being jammed.

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http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/mgb5.htm

Which means... it'll probably also interfere with the equipment?

Other than that... I agree with your view(s). :)

LOL

What I'm saying about emergencies, is that say your in a theatre and your kids are at home ok?

Now while your in the theatre, a fire breaks out in the house and the kids are trying to call you, but can't because the cell phone is being jammed. Something along those lines is what I'm talking about.

I do carry my cell phone with me everywhere including theatres, but I do keep it on vibrate or a low ring.

Thats my point of view though.

One more example. What if your the sys-admin for a million dollar company, and a server goes down and they call you but can't get a hold of you because your cell phone was blocked. By the time you do get a call, that company has already lost thousands of dollars.

Just another example.

I do agree with you guys though overall about being courteous with cell phones.