Detecting a planted GPS tracker

[antrius]

Hi there

Hopefully i'm in the right place... i'm wondering what type of device i might need to detect a planted gps tracker, such as on a car or bike etc.... kind of have no idea where to start with this sort of thing....

cheers

[GSVNoFixedAbode]

Hmm, are you looking to block GPS signals, or detect a tracker when it phones home?

If it's an active tracker that 'talks' a lot then a signal detector is what you're after: there are some cheap ones at DealExtreme but I suspect they may not pick up a CDMA or GSM signal - more knowledgeable people here will chime in soon on that.

If it's a passive tracker that would be retrieved at a later time for processing then you would need some sort of jammer, and that can get into murky waters. Certainly cellphone jammers are illegal here, but GPS may be drowned by noisy RF. Again, broadcast bands and power are beyond my current skillset.

[Graeme.N]

Why would you want to detect a GPS tracker? About the only reasons I can think of are underhanded (illegal or otherwise).

[tgsnoopy]

Detecting GPSr's is difficult. It involves physically looking for it, as they emit no discernible RF signature that can be detected (in most circumstances).

I too have to wonder your motive. They get fitted for a reason, Defeating them usually is only done for illegal or immoral purpose.

Current publicly available technology makes a High sensitivity receiver unit complete with Cellular transceiver & rechargable battery, with a magnetic mount in a waterproof case similar in size to a packet of 20 cigarettes.

If it were a military/law enforcement covert installation odds are you won't easily find it, it will be a lot smaller and quickly concealed.

Note that importation of GPS or Cellular blocking devices into NZ is illegal (as is the sale of, manufacture of, possession of).

[GSVNoFixedAbode]

I too have to wonder your motive. They get fitted for a reason, Defeating them usually is only done for illegal or immoral purpose.

Benefit of the doubt: they could be worried about being stalked, or PI investigation by a hostile party rather than specifically from a legal agency.

[Graeme.N]

I too have to wonder your motive. They get fitted for a reason, Defeating them usually is only done for illegal or immoral purpose.

Benefit of the doubt: they could be worried about being stalked, or PI investigation by a hostile party rather than specifically from a legal agency.

Possible, but nefarious reasons are more likely.

[kiwitonita]

Reminds me of the time a dunga drove up the driveway and the dodgy looking occupant tooted the horn until I came out - as he was apparently handicapped ... Then asked if I knew how to find if a GPS tracker had been fitted. I sent him off to the local KiwiSpy shop in nearby Riccarton Road (since closed) and thankfully heard no more.

[tgsnoopy]

I too have to wonder your motive. They get fitted for a reason, Defeating them usually is only done for illegal or immoral purpose.

Benefit of the doubt: they could be worried about being stalked, or PI investigation by a hostile party rather than specifically from a legal agency.

Good point, but I could argue that a PI etc fitting one of these would be pretty foolish as it most certainly would be a breach of the NZ privacy laws. They would not be able to use any information obtained in court. As for the hostile party, ouch, sorry, I sure hope that isn't the case.

Reality of GPS trackers is, you generally only have to fear them if you have something to hide (Immoral?).

The true covert devices use Bluetooth (actually something similar in some cases). They lie in wait powering up occasionally, getting a GPS fix, looking for the Bluetooth device they are paired with, storing the GPS fix and going back to sleep if their paired device is not seen. The period between wake ups is set depending upon their programming and the anticipated battery life (If it knows the battery is getting low or it hasn't moved much since the last reading it may extend the period automatically). Their Bluetooth never transmits unless it's requested to by it's paired device. The only thing you might be able to detect is the Local Oscillator of the GPSr when it's running. But you would need to be very very close to it. Detecting them in this fashion requires expensive specialized equipment, a better option is looking for it.

They have proven a useful tool for companies fitting them to fleets. Increased productivity and decreased vehicle running costs are common observations. Not to mention the benefit of being able to identify where your staff are if staff are required urgently for a priority job.

I've installed a few hundred over the last 10 odd years. Some employees have no idea they are fitted and management like it that way.

[tgsnoopy]

Just to back up my earlier comment re jamming equipment being illegal.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment - Radio Jammer Equipment) Notice 2009

[Trumpkin-NZ]

Just to back up my earlier comment re jamming equipment being illegal.

Radiocommunications Regulations (Prohibited Equipment - Radio Jammer Equipment) Notice 2009

This only relates to the manufacture and sale of such equipment. It doesn't say anything about it being prohibited for anyone to buy or use this type of equipment.

Notice that the regulations do not mention any exceptions for anyone from this order in council, however the Corrections Department are clearly using radio jamming equipment in the form of mobile phone jammers in prisons.

From this it is clear that it is not prohibited from using jammers as otherwise the Corrections Department would be clearly breaking this order in council.

Of course, it could just be that the order in council is only very badly written and it's intention was also to stop the purchase and use too.

[Papa Bear_Left]

Notice that the regulations do not mention any exceptions for anyone from this order in council, however the Corrections Department are clearly using radio jamming equipment in the form of mobile phone jammers in prisons.

From this it is clear that it is not prohibited from using jammers as otherwise the Corrections Department would be clearly breaking this order in council.

There's a specific loophole for prisons: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/1314563
Seems only sensible, and I hope it gets introduced in Oz.

I must say, they've missed a trick there... They could've set up cellphone basestations in prisons, only for phones that were inside the prison (triangulation can determine this), that would let conversations be monitored. The privacy issue is debatable, since the inmates are using illegal phones and have already foregone many of their rights by being imprisoned in the first place, and the criminal intelligence gained would be invaluable. Of course, codes and such could be employed, but it would make it much more difficult to run a criminal enterprise from inside, and the numbers called might be interesting in themselves!

I wonder if there's any restrictions on cimemas and restaurants and such that would stop them using earthed conductive paint or insulation to turn themselves into Faraday cages to block cellphone signals to their selfish patients...

I had to throw someone off my bus once because of the loud obscenities he was shouting into his mobile phone. He was shocked that anyone objected, since, as he said, it was a private call and nobody else's business. I agreed that it should remain a private conversation, and the roadside was a good place to keep it that way. I got applause from the rest of the passengers.

[Graeme.N]

I wonder if there's any restrictions on cimemas and restaurants and such that would stop them using earthed conductive paint or insulation to turn themselves into Faraday cages to block cellphone signals to their selfish patients...

That might stop some of us from going to such places when "on call" or needing to be contactable for other reasons.

[Kiwi Moose]

On a kind of related note, there is an interesting article in the New Scientist about the havoc GPS jammers can cause. I like the bit about the guy avoiding the electronic toll causing the airport to go haywire - good on the person who found that cause!

[ADV]

Jamming devices must be very popular with the West Coast truckies, I had a lot of DNF's on my last trip down there.

[Graeme.N]

Jamming devices must be very popular with the West Coast truckies, I had a lot of DNF's on my last trip down there.

Uh huh ...