GPS jamming becoming problem in UK, study finds.
Discussion
I hope this isn't a re-post, only with search being down...
PC Advisor said:
The frequencies used by GPS systems are being jammed routinely in the UK by individuals attempting to block the location tracking systems used by delivery trucks and anti-theft systems, a new study has found.
Funded to look into the issue of GPS interference in a systematic way by the Government's Technology Strategy Board, the Sentinel project discovered evidence of a surprisingly large underground of GPS jamming across the country after starting monitoring in January 2011 using a network of 20 road sensors.
One of the sensors by a busy motorway recorded more than 60 jamming incidents over a six-month period around the 5GHz band reserved for GPS, with the project detecting an around ten per month across the whole network.
Although these numbers sound small, they offer a tiny window a problem that must on the basis of only a handful of sensors be far larger.
GPS jammers that plug into 12 volt vehicle outlets are cheap and easy to obtain, but the growing extent of their use has not been reliably documented until now. Exactly who would be interested in using them is hard to know although the two most likely culprits are van drivers attempting to defeat their company's GPS-tracking systems as well as vehicle thieves.
Growing use of GPS jamming would have a negative effect on legitimate users, with signals masked for 200-300 metres around each moving device.
"The next step is to develop the system further so that it can be used for enforcement, so that you can detect a jammer in use and then relate it to the driver that's using it," Charles Curry of Chronos Technology, which is running the project, told the BBC.
The GPS satellite system was built by the US during the 1980s for military purposes before being made available in a less precise version for civilian uses later on.
It remains the dominant navigation technology in the world despite rivals such as the European Space Agency's Galileo network having nipping at its heels. Galileo is not expected to start operation until 2014.
Funded to look into the issue of GPS interference in a systematic way by the Government's Technology Strategy Board, the Sentinel project discovered evidence of a surprisingly large underground of GPS jamming across the country after starting monitoring in January 2011 using a network of 20 road sensors.
One of the sensors by a busy motorway recorded more than 60 jamming incidents over a six-month period around the 5GHz band reserved for GPS, with the project detecting an around ten per month across the whole network.
Although these numbers sound small, they offer a tiny window a problem that must on the basis of only a handful of sensors be far larger.
GPS jammers that plug into 12 volt vehicle outlets are cheap and easy to obtain, but the growing extent of their use has not been reliably documented until now. Exactly who would be interested in using them is hard to know although the two most likely culprits are van drivers attempting to defeat their company's GPS-tracking systems as well as vehicle thieves.
Growing use of GPS jamming would have a negative effect on legitimate users, with signals masked for 200-300 metres around each moving device.
"The next step is to develop the system further so that it can be used for enforcement, so that you can detect a jammer in use and then relate it to the driver that's using it," Charles Curry of Chronos Technology, which is running the project, told the BBC.
The GPS satellite system was built by the US during the 1980s for military purposes before being made available in a less precise version for civilian uses later on.
It remains the dominant navigation technology in the world despite rivals such as the European Space Agency's Galileo network having nipping at its heels. Galileo is not expected to start operation until 2014.
All they are is a simple radio transmitter sending out a strong white noise signal at the same frequency as the GPS signal so drowning it out. Same principle is used for mobile phone jammers, just at a different frequency. Extremely low tec in fact!
So in short they're very simple and cheap to make, and anyone with some basic electronics and radio know how could easily build one for a few quid with off the shelf parts from maplin.
So in short they're very simple and cheap to make, and anyone with some basic electronics and radio know how could easily build one for a few quid with off the shelf parts from maplin.
SystemParanoia said:
if i was tracked at work, i'd have one... and ill probbably get one anyway incase gps insurance becomes mandatory!
As he said, if I were being tracked I would do the same.A job thats on the road can be crap, traffic, no bog, microwave, fridge or coffee machine and a lack of social interaction, unlike an office. The big upside is a degree of freedom. Take the freedom away and you have the worst of both worlds.
Defcon5 said:
Do they really have a 2-300m range? Im suprised at that
GPS signals are very very faint. Funnily enough I was looking at these things on the interweb last night - was actually looking for a mobile phone jammer for the train (Flame away...) and saw them. Be pretty handy in future, come the advent of road pricing. Which is probably the reason that they will be attracting government attention now.
veevee said:
Willing to bet at least 30-50% of these are legit, 10 per month? out of how many thousands of cars? Must be at least a few intelligence personnel, etc. travelling back and forth.
Go on then, amuse me. What Spooks derived b
ks reason would anyone legitimately have to block an incoming GPS signal on a work car?
My company vehicle is GPS tracked - do over 70 on the motorway, a bank of red led lights flash and an audible annoying beeping ensues.....
Go over a speed bump too fast or round a bend a tad quick and it goes into one....
If you brake hard it emails the office to advise of a possible incident.....
As it happens, I don't mind the system as I drive pretty much to the rules. These jammers sound ideal, but I use a Tom Tom and a garmin to go everywhere - so I'd be totally faaacked if I installed a jammer!
Mobile phone blocker sounds fun - especially in restaurants etc....
Go over a speed bump too fast or round a bend a tad quick and it goes into one....
If you brake hard it emails the office to advise of a possible incident.....
As it happens, I don't mind the system as I drive pretty much to the rules. These jammers sound ideal, but I use a Tom Tom and a garmin to go everywhere - so I'd be totally faaacked if I installed a jammer!
Mobile phone blocker sounds fun - especially in restaurants etc....
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