GPS bugs (was: Jim Bell Trial: Third Day (fwd))

[auto211076 at hushmail.com]

> auto211076 at hushmail.com wrote:
> > 
> > Third Day:  Jim Bell trial
> > 
> > The defense requested information about the tracking device that was 
attached 
> > to Jim Bell's car: the type, make, and where installed in the car.  
London 
> > cited "law enforcement privilege" and argued that giving out that information 
> > would enable future surveillance subjects to find and dismantle such 
devices. 
> >  (Earlier in the trial, it was mentioned that this was the first use 
of 
> > a GPS tracking device in the area.)
> 
> From what little I know of GPS, the receiver must be able to "see sky."
> So there can't be any metal objects between it and the sky.  That means
> it's unlikely for it to be on the underside of the car.  Possible installation
> places would be under the "skin" above the dashboard, any place that has
> line of sight to the windshield or back window.  If the car is a vinyl 
top,
> under the roof would be good hiding place.

Other speculation was that it might have been inside a vinyl bumper.

> Of course the main body of the "bug" can be hidden anywhere inside the 
car, but
> the antena needs to see sky.
> 
> These things are usually cellphone enabled, so that way they don't constantly
> transmit, and won't be easily caught by sweeps.

Gordon's testimony was that it was a continuously-transmitting bug.  Which 
of course brought up the question of the power supply.

The bug transmitted on an RF frequency.  Bell had mentioned to friends that 
he believed that he had been bugged, but lacking an RF frequency analyzer,
 he had been unable to find the bug.  He apparently was concerned that both 
his house and car were bugged.  Although why he didn't hire the services 
of a "bug-sweeper" is beyond me.
 
> Defenses would include GPS and cell phone jammers, but these would have 
to
> be on 24/7, thus draining the car's battery.  GPS jammer would be more
> desireable, since the cell phone side is just used to download the logs
> of where the car has been, and the logs can be recovered by physically
> recovering the bug.

The power supply was a considerable source of speculation.  If the bug had 
been attached to the battery, then it would have been much more detectable. 
 Stories had it that Bell had checked under the hood; it would not take 
more than a VOM to detect a discharge.
 
> One thing I don't know about in relation to GPS: are the military bits
> sent on different frequencies than the civilian bits?  Or are they just
> encrypted?  If they're different frequencies, then, you'd have to know
> these to build an effective jammer.

There was no discussion of military bits vs. civilian bits, rather military 
grade vs. civilian grade.
 
> I of course have no information on what was actually installed in Jim
> Bell's car, where, how, or by whom, except as emails have described
> here, and I take this with a grain of salt.

And some degree of skepticism has to be attached to the court testimony. 
 It was painfully clear that the prosecutor had little handle on technical 
issues, and that even the agent who bugged Bell's car had limited knowledge 
of how the device worked.  Some of the descriptions given in court about 
how GPS works were clearly wrong.
 
> ObDisclaimer to Jeff Gordon and crew: this email posting does not constitute
> any sort of intent to do anything.  It is mereley an excercise of my
> constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech.  Recall that 
> by the oath you have taken to protect and uphold the laws of the United 
> States of America when you first decided to work for the government, you
> are required to protect defend my right to freedom of speech.

If you weren't on the radar before, you are now.

So are you planning on rooming with Jim or C.J.?


Free, encrypted, secure Web-based email at www.hushmail.com