For Liars and Loafers, Cellphones Offer an Alibi

[Thomas Shaddack]

On Sun, 27 Jun 2004, Riad S. Wahby wrote:

> "J.A. Terranson" <measl at mfn.org> wrote:
> > Interestingly, some [early] models had external antenna jacks built in to
> > them.
>
> Many still have test jacks on them.  Both my old Samsung A500 and my
> current Sanyo SCP-8100 have a connector (either MC or SMA, IIRC) on the
> back hidden under a rubber plug.  My guess is that with an appropriate
> connector you could use, e.g., a pringles can to make your antenna much
> more directional.

Many phones have such connectors used by car handsfree holders, in order
to use an antenna mounted externally on the vehicle instead of
transmitting from the handset into the partially open Faraday cage of the
car.

RF-skilled people should have no problems adding such connectors to their
phones even if they aren't there from the factory.