steelie@bucsf.bu.edu (James Howard) (03/21/91)
I was messing around with my RCA Stereo VCR the other day, and noticed I could use the fine tuning channel selector to literally tune the entire range of frequencies that the TV channels are located in. And I mean tune them _finely_. Anyway, I realized after stumbling upon the MBTA traffic (Bostons subway) that I needed to get the AM portion of the information, since TV's audio is FM. So I took the video out of my VCR and connected it to my amplifier. Lo and behold, suddenly I could tune to most airport traffic, subway traffic, and yes, local cellular phone traffic. I assume I'm probably not supposed to be listening to other people's telephone calls. Has anyone ever tried this before? Just be warned that when you have the "video out" plugged into your amp and you stumble across an actual video signal, your ears will get blasted away if you dont have the volume turned WAY down. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- steelie@bucsf.bu.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------
ahill@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Andy Hill) (03/23/91)
>I assume I'm probably not supposed to be listening to other people's > telephone calls. > > Maybe not ethically, but recent court cases (involving bugging/listening in on cordless telephones) have essentially ruled that once it's been broadcast onto the airwaves (as opposed to sent down a wire/cable), it's fair game for reception. Taking your typical scanner and listening in on the neighbor's cordless phone is sure to give you voyeurs out there hours of fun... Andy Hill LaserJets 'R' Us
mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington) (03/23/91)
In article <970022@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com> ahill@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Andy Hill) writes: >>I assume I'm probably not supposed to be listening to other people's >> telephone calls. > >Maybe not ethically, but recent court cases (involving bugging/listening in >on cordless telephones) have essentially ruled that once it's been >broadcast onto the airwaves (as opposed to sent down a wire/cable), it's >fair game for reception. Taking your typical scanner and listening in >on the neighbor's cordless phone is sure to give you voyeurs out there >hours of fun... > Ah, but CORDLESS phones (with shared frequencies) and CELLULAR phones (with computer-assigned frequencies that are supposed to give a "reasonable expectation of privacy") are, legally, totally different beasts. Cellular phone listening is illegal under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986. But, nonetheless, perfectly possible on VCRs and UHF TVs, or so I'm told. -- ------------------------------------------------------- Michael A. Covington | Artificial Intelligence Programs The University of Georgia | Athens, GA 30602 U.S.A. -------------------------------------------------------
frankb@hpsad.HP.COM (Frank Ball) (03/26/91)
* I was messing around with my RCA Stereo VCR the other day, and noticed *I could use the fine tuning channel selector to literally tune the *entire range of frequencies that the TV channels are located in. And I *mean tune them _finely_. Anyway, I realized after stumbling upon *the MBTA traffic (Bostons subway) that I needed to get the AM portion *of the information, since TV's audio is FM. So I took the video out of *my VCR and connected it to my amplifier. Lo and behold, suddenly I could *tune to most airport traffic, subway traffic, and yes, local cellular phone *traffic. * *I assume I'm probably not supposed to be listening to other people's *telephone calls. The FM band is just above channel 6. Channel 6 can be picked up on an FM radio also. Cellular radio is what used to be UHF channels 70 thru 81 or 83 (whatever it went up to). These were re-allocated for cellular radio. You can only get 1/2 of the conversation, since they transmit and receive on different frequencies. Frank Ball frankb@hpsad.HP.COM pyramid!hplabs!hpsad!frankb
wtm@uhura.neoucom.EDU (Bill Mayhew) (03/27/91)
I had noticed several years ago on a trip to the TV/appliance store that all the new TV sets only went upt to channel 63 on standard antenna input while my old set at home went up to 83. The reson for the change became obvious when I noticed that it is possible to hear fragments of cellular phone conversations in the tuning region that used to be occupied by the higher numbered channels. The older sets that that use a mechanical air capacitor and perhaps an infamous 1N34 crystal detector a handy for their easily adjusted continuous coverage. Bill -- Bill Mayhew NEOUCOM Computer Services Department Rootstown, OH 44272-9995 USA phone: 216-325-2511 wtm@uhura.neoucom.edu ....!uunet!aablue!neoucom!wtm via internet: (140.220.001.001)
davet@tsdiag.ccur.com (Dave Tiller N2KAU) (03/28/91)
In article <1840041@hpsad.HP.COM> frankb@hpsad.HP.COM (Frank Ball) writes:
-Cellular radio is what used to be UHF channels 70 thru 81 or 83 (whatever
-it went up to). These were re-allocated for cellular radio.
-You can only get 1/2 of the conversation, since they transmit and receive
-on different frequencies.
One can get the whole conversation, so I'm told, by listening to the
output of the cell site, not the mobile phone itself. The mobile phone
and cell site transmit in two different bands, affording full duplex.
The cell site 'repeats' what it hears from the mobile phone, along with
the incoming phoneline audio.
--
David E. Tiller davet@tsdiag.ccur.com | Concurrent Computer Corp.
FAX: 201-870-5952 Ph: (201) 870-4119 (w) | 2 Crescent Place, M/S 117
UUCP: ucbvax!rutgers!petsd!tsdiag!davet | Oceanport NJ, 07757
ICBM: 40 16' 52" N 73 59' 00" W | N2KAU @ NN2Zroot@alw.nih.gov ((Operator)) (03/28/91)
In article <970022@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com>, ahill@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Andy Hill) writes: |> >I assume I'm probably not supposed to be listening to other people's |> > telephone calls. |> > |> > |> |> Maybe not ethically, but recent court cases (involving bugging/listening in |> on cordless telephones) have essentially ruled that once it's been |> broadcast onto the airwaves (as opposed to sent down a wire/cable), it's |> fair game for reception. Taking your typical scanner and listening in |> on the neighbor's cordless phone is sure to give you voyeurs out there |> hours of fun... |> |> Andy Hill |> LaserJets 'R' Us what does that say for "listening in" on "cable" that's broadcast either by conventional (on the air) means or from a satellite? -- jy young@alw.nih.gov
phillips@fozzie.nrl.navy.mil (Lee Phillips) (03/29/91)
To clarify: cordless phones are unprotected, legally. The police
are even allowed to listen in and use the information as evidence,
without a warrant. However, a federal law called the ECPA protects
cellular phone transmissions: it is actually illegal to listen
to these, using your TV or a scanner. If you are thinking that
this doesn't make sense, you are applying the wrong kind of
sense. Don't think physical reality, think (legislators +
industrial lobbying).
--
Lee Phillips
phillips@fozzie.nrl.navy.mil
phillips@cmf.nrl.navy.mil
phillips@lcp.nrl.navy.mildepolo@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Jeff DePolo) (03/29/91)
In article <1840041@hpsad.HP.COM> frankb@hpsad.HP.COM (Frank Ball) writes: >Cellular radio is what used to be UHF channels 70 thru 81 or 83 (whatever >it went up to). These were re-allocated for cellular radio. > >You can only get 1/2 of the conversation, since they transmit and receive >on different frequencies. If you monitor the mobile side, you will have a hard time hearing anything, unless it's very close. A couple of watts on 800 MHz from a mobile station doesn't give you very much range without a dedicated 800 MHz outdoor antenna, such as a beam or a vertical colinear. If you monitor the "base" side (the cell site), you will hear the landline party at full volume, and the mobile station partially muted (probably about 10-20 dB down in most cases). Both sides are usually completely understandable, however. --- Jeff -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Jeff DePolo N3HBZ/AE Twisted Pair: (215) 386-7199 depolo@eniac.seas.upenn.edu RF: 146.685- 442.70+ 144.455s (Philadelphia) University of Pennsylvania Carrier Pigeon: 420 S. 42nd St. Phila PA 19104