floyddb@alpha.c2.org:
There is a company called Optoelectronics that markets a radio reciever called the Interceptor. This is a broad band (several hundred MHz) device designed to lock on to the most powerful signal around, regardless of frequency. As supplied, it only has a rubber duck antenna, but a broadband, directional antenna (Log Periodic?) could be attached. There are AM and FM versions that output audio and a version called the Scout that controls a scanner. These could have outboard devices hung on to them to decode digital signals, record the conversation ... all for less than $1000
I don't think that the Interceptor is going to be much use with spread spectrum reception. Unless you are really, really close to your target other non-ss signals are going to be much stronger. The freq range of the device is 30MHz-2GHz. It is also legal to sell even though it is great at picking up the cellular phone conversations in the car you are tailing. There is also the plausible deniability in a device like this because you don't know what frequency you are listening to so you don't know if it is one of those "illegal ones". A directional antenna isn't much use with a device like this because it will pick up many other stronger signals that will overwhelm your target transmission. I am speaking of suburban or urban areas here. This may work if you are in a rural region where there are no cell towers, braodcast towers, or repeaters in use. The Scout is a just frequency counter so you must have a scanner or the Interceptor to actually listen in. - Weld Pond -