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

[auto211076 at hushmail.com]

> At 07:22 PM 4/11/01 -0800, auto211076 at hushmail.com wrote:
> >> From what little I know of GPS, the receiver [sic --antenna] must be
> able to "see sky."
> >Other speculation was that it might have been inside a vinyl bumper.
> 
> Also you should think patch (ie flat) antennae as a possibility.

That idea had occurred to me--something solid state that could be rolled 
up, twisted around (somewhat), and stuck into some nook or cranny.

> >Gordon's testimony was that it was a continuously-transmitting bug.
> Which
> >of course brought up the question of the power supply.
> 
> Second rate equiptment.  Even the russians have burst-bugs now.

Remember that we're dealing with the testimony of techno-naive people.  
On the other hand, maybe all that the IRS gets is leftovers.
 
> >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.
> 
> Didn't Bell use a field strenth meter (output to vibrator in pocket)
> to direction-find the spook in the Libertarian Party meetings?

I was wondering that myself.

> >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.
> 
> The picture of Gerry Adams holding the GPS bug that MI-5 planted in his
> car last year (during a truce, heh) shows a rectangular box about the 
> size of a man's forearm; this could hold plenty of joules.  A motion 
> sensor would be pretty clever for waking the thing from sleep mode, 
> to conserve power.

No doubt such a device could broadcast continuously for some time; however 
it would be difficult to hide from a determined, even if amateur, searcher.

It would make sense for the device to have a motion sensor built in.  The 
power it would require at rest to maintain a "sleep mode" would barely register 
on a VOM.

> Sounds like the Ultranoids need to monitor the weight of their car
> before operating.

Kind of tough.  I've been thinking in terms of embedding various silent 
tamper sensors.

> >If you weren't on the radar before, you are now.
> >
> >So are you planning on rooming with Jim or C.J.?
> 
> Jim sounds moody; does CJ's tourettes' really make him spit,
> or did the Mountie deserve it (or both)?

Considering that he'd just taken CJ's computer, I wonder if he didn't deserve 
it.

The one thing that has struck me about this case is how many of Jim Bell's 
computers have been seized over the years and not returned.  Even computers 
which federal agents testified in court were not used by Bell.

Bell's parents use email themselves, so the seizure of all the computers 
not only targets Jim, it deprives his innocent parents of access.

Collateral damage, I suppose.

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