GPS jammer plugs into cigarette lighter

My favorite cheap spy-tech/weird cheap gadget seller, Brando, just announced a GPS jammer that plugs into a cigarette lighter. The description is sparse, but I am guessing it can be used to block navigation/tracking/logging systems that rental cars and company fleet vehicles sometimes use to keep track of drivers. It's $49 and I don't know if they are legal or not. Gobal Positioning System (GPS) Jammer

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Daemon

I’m fairly certain that ANY form of jamming technology is entirely illegal for civilian use in most places, globally.
Anonymous

A viable REASON for wanting to jam GPS would be if someone illegally installed GPS somewhere in your vehicle–

and it would cost more to have mechanics tear apart your car to find it than to purchase a jammer.

i.e. because a psychotic Ex is stalking you.
- Anonymous
  
  I have a psychotic stalking ex also, and I have had a mechanic tear apart the car, and still cant find it. Where do I get one!
Anonymous

Does anyone know what the Employer’s Monitoring Station ‘sees’ once the GPS is jammed? I mean, will they not raise alarm once the vehicle essentially ‘disappears’?? Any idea what kind of excuse can be given to employers on this? (ie: ‘Gee, i dunno why my vehicle seems to ‘disappear’ every other afternoon…)
Anonymous

communication is communication. audio, visual, data is all the same. This would be fine if it were an ipod adapter that incidentally transmitted on GPS freq not outside the shell of the car, but the stated purpose of causing interference is a problem.
Anonymous

Is the tracking legal?
adonai

@#1 – I may be wrong, but as speakers in cars are wired, I don’t think you could jam the sound. Unless you developed some kind of Cone of Silence, in which case I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
AirPillo

Is the tracking legal?

If it’s agreed to in a signed contract, of course it is.
The Unusual Suspect

Don’t try to buy one of these unless you like having your rectal cavity explored.

The Taliban reportedly uses GPS jammers to confound U.S. forces.

So having one of these likely makes you a terrorist in the eyes of the DHS.
Drew from Zhrodague

Need a jammer? Build a Tesla coil. I believe you can tune them to specific frequencies. They’re very noisy with RF, and should be able to jam a required frequency. This, and the nice feature of being designed used for a purpose other than jamming communications signals.
Anonymous

@ #36: NO! The Tomahawk uses GPS aided navigation during certain phases of flight, but it is a hardened GPS receiver, much more resistant to jamming/interference.

To boot, the other navigation methods will take over when the Required Navigational Precision and/or RAIM of the GPS is not sufficiently high. In an open source forum, these other methods would be shielded inertial navigation, TERCOM, and DSMAC.
Anonymous

It is only illegal if it effects anybody else’s reception. If it only effects your property, by way of low power output or by using standing waves to neutralize reception, it will not effect nearby devices. It will not have enough power to interfere with airplanes or other communication devices. Most GPS devices can’t even pick up a signal in the house. And most need about 5 satellites to get a good signal to work. Putting out low power on harmonic frequencies would probably be enough to mess with reception within a 12 foot area. That’s not going to effect anybody but you. MAYBE SOME PEOPLE SHOULD ACTUALLY KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY BEFORE RANTING OFF BS.

And by the way, the Air Force runs the GPS satellites. Don’t be surprised if they one day decide to shut off the public system or encrypt it. For your own safety…
Anonymous

@21: This device is harmless to military equipment because its working range is greatly limited by its low power, its poor performance antenna and the surrounding car acting as a Faraday cage. You’d be lucky if it could jam a GPS antenna mounted on the same car ceiling.
Now, If someone connects this gadget to a power amplifier working on GPS frequencies and a well designed antenna, that would be a very different story, likely ending in the poor guy home being raided by a SWAT team and having him anal probed for a couple years.
mdh

timothy hutton – true, but my repertoire is unlimited. Wish you could say the same.

Anonymous (who posted the relevant code) – Thank you. “jam or block wireless communications” makes me wonder. I think the device jams (by broadcasting) the incoming signals to the receiving GPS, only. That may interfere with a service – but it also may not. Is it against that quoted Act to interfere with your own GPS reception? Then how about a Farraday Wallet that blocks RFID readers from seeing your smartcard or Passport?
Hellosluggo

Somewhat off-topic, but kind of relevant: I want something like this which will generate a field of white noise over the speakers of nearby car stereos… I hate it when someone thinks their music is so good that you have to hear it, too.
AnUnnamedSource

I think it’s a great idea–I don’t want the car rental company tracking me. However, without a doubt, in the U.S. they are illegal to use and likely illegal to import. Possession in the U.S. is probably legal.
Anonymous

there is no way that’s legal.
Anonymous

I’m gonna go with “no” for legality.
Purely on the spectrum licensing aspect and completely disregarding proper or improper usage.
Anonymous

@#1 … What you want is a portable highly directional EMP generator that will selectively zap your desired target, i.e. that jerk with the bandpass at the red light. You would need to be shielded of course, and have the technology to not disturb the surrounding area.
Hans

@Drew from Zhrodague: I don’t know about the gps jamming properties, but I love the idea of a cigarette-lighter powered Tesla coil.

I would mount mine on top of my car.
Anonymous

What you want is a portable highly directional EMP generator that will selectively zap your desired target, i.e. that jerk with the bandpass at the red light. You would need to be shielded of course, and have the technology to not disturb the surrounding area.

I believe I ordered a book from Barnes and Noble about two years ago that had the design for that!
Takuan

a cloud of copper filaments ejected in a gas expansion explosion to create a temporary masking effect of lingering particles, long enough to physically destroy the target antennae? Shot shells?
Lobster

What’s the range on this thing? I can imagine driving in traffic and shutting down everyone’s navigation system.
mdh

However, without a doubt, in the U.S. they are illegal to use and likely illegal to import.

I have doubt.

They probably broadcast on FCC regulated frequencies, but so do iPod adapters (on different frequencies, true), and iPod adapters are legal to use and import.

And these don’t jam law enforcement speed detecting devices, which would be the only source of illegality I could imagine being applicable.

anyone know for SURE?
planettom

Put it near a geocache and drive geocachers crazy!
Thowe

@4 No, they dont, the use the GPS frequencies, what the hell are you thinking?
Anonymous

I have reason that there is a GPS tracker illegally put in my car. If I went to the authorities, they would think I’m crazy or offer no help. A physical inspection is difficult because it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. What else could I do?
nexusheli

These would be illegal in the US as they violate FCC rules that electronic items cannot cause interference with other electronic items. Same reason cell phone jammers are Illegal in the US.
secretlab

Not legal, and possibly dangerous.

From NASA: http://spectrum.ksc.nasa.gov/faq.html

“What’s special about transmitting on GPS frequencies?

“GPS signals are used for critical functions including timing, radio communications, and aircraft navigation. Consequently, transmissions on or near GPS frequencies are highly restricted All levels and types of transmissions are prohibited within 12 MHz of 1575.42 MHz, 1227.6 MHz, and 1381.05 MHz without a valid Radio Frequency Authorization coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration and US Coast Guard at the national level.”
TheMaskedElectron

It’s a lot easier to reach into the trunk and just unplug the GPS antenna from the vehicle tracking device. Or just put some aluminum foil (a small piepan?) over the GPS antenna. If it can’t see the sky, it can’t tell where it is.
Anonymous

Yes, this is clearly illegal, and has been referred to the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau for action.
Anonymous

Okay. So this is illegal. Can you still get it though?
Anonymous

The operation of transmitters designed to jam or block wireless communications is a violation of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (â€Actâ€). See 47 U.S.C. Sections 301, 302a, 333. The Act prohibits any person from willfully or maliciously interfering with the radio communications of any station licensed or authorized under the Act or operated by the U.S. government. 47 U.S.C. Section 333. The manufacture, importation, sale or offer for sale, including advertising, of devices designed to block or jam wireless transmissions is prohibited. 47 U.S.C. Section 302a(b). Parties in violation of these provisions may be subject to the penalties set out in 47 U.S.C. Sections 501-510. Fines for a first offense can range as high as $11,000 for each violation or imprisonment for up to one year, and the device used may also be seized and forfeited to the U.S. government.
arborman

I wonder if you could crash a cruise missile with a big enough gps jammer – aren’t they steered by gps?
caldrax

#7 try telling that to American “Let’s cause buzzing noises in all nearby speakers” Telephone & Telegraph
planettom

It should be noted that, per the link, this has a range of about 15 feet. So, if you were the passenger in a car, you could plug this in to the cigarette lighter and block the GPS signal and annoy the driver of the same car you’re in. That’s about it.
Anonymous

I am a skipper and I am quite tired that certain clients comes with their GPS to try and get my best fishing spots found after year and years of reserches and dedication and mybe after give them to our competitions. I always thought to get one of these gps jammers, the problem would be… How to use one of these tool and still have your gps working and not being affected??
Any one could advise me, :-)
Timothy Hutton

MDH – said:

And these don’t jam law enforcement speed detecting devices, which would be the only source of illegality I could imagine being applicable.

You apparently have a limited imagination.

Radio devices can not intentionally cause interference to a licensed service, according to Part 15. jamming law enforcement speed detecting devices are only one kind of device.
Teresa Nielsen Hayden

What happens if you take one of those aboard an airplane?
wackyvorlon

@40: Thanks, I was going to do so myself.

Remember guys, the spectrum only works because people agree to behave themselves. It doesn’t take much to make the whole thing useless for a large area.

It is not only illegal, it is also irresponsible and childish to use. It’s like taking pride in urinating in a public pool. Selfish desire is placed above common need.
Timothy Hutton

MDH – said:

And these don’t jam law enforcement speed detecting devices, which would be the only source of illegality I could imagine being applicable.

You apparently have a limited imagination.

Radio devices can not intentionally cause interference to a licensed service, according to Part 15. jamming law enforcement speed detecting devices are only one kind of device.
The Tim

Waste of money. My laptop 12V power supply achieves the same effect. I noticed on a road trip once that my GPS was having a heck of a time getting a signal. On the screen that shows satellite signal strength I could watch as all the bars dropped to essentially zero whenever I plugged in the car power adapter for the laptop.

I guess my laptop 12V supply is illegal.
Anonymous

Does anyone know if this toy works?

Secondly, people here are quoting statutes that apply to wireless communication. Is the reception of a GPS satellite signal “communication” under the law? Because all of the statutory language I am seeing applies to cell phones.
Anonymous

I wonder what this does to car data recorders…you know the little “secret” boxes manufacturers install in most cars to kep record of various diving datum…speed,etc… the boxes communicate with ther manufaturer by satellite when an event of ineterst occus (an accident for example) and courts have ruled police can subpoena the data…maybe someone could invent a jammer for the little suckers anyhow.
Anonymous

To those that have a psychotic stalking ex, or fear of an illegally placed GPS tracking device. If such a device is in your vehicle it should be easy to spot. It’s antenna must have a clear line of sight to the sky in order to work. Look for a small antenna (they come in a variety of shapes) on a window or on any surface that will maintain a view of the sky. Then follow its wire. If it’s using a cell phone signal to report your location, it must also have a cell phone antenna however, some antennas have provisions for both GPS and cell phone signals.

Additionally, Military GPS does not operate on the same frequency as the public GPS system. Both are operated and maintained by the US Air Force.
Anonymous

GPS jammers are mostly used by fleet vehicle drivers that want to step outside their territory without having to answer a lot of questions.
Anonymous

Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure Tesla coils are not FCC compliant.
Anonymous

@17 It means your laptop or the power adapter is poorly made. It’s not suppose to interfere. Send it back for a new one.