RFID Chips and Cancer

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I don't know about hacking, but sw has been out there for quite a few years to track and other monitoring. The app below is one of many.

http://www.mobile-spy.com/

[WB2EMS]

Verizon (CDMA) and the GSM based providers handle the E911 location stuff differently. Verizon does it based on GPS in the handset. The GSM based providers (at least AT&T) do it by triangulating off multiple towers using Time Difference Of Arrival  technology.

The providers have to meet the federal requirements of being able to locate a 911 call within 300 meters for a very high percentage of calls (like 95%) and within 100 meters for a lower percentage. The phones ping the local site about once every 7 minutes on the command channel to register with the system so you calls can be directed to the appropriate site.

The Verizon handsets supposedly only activate the GPS when you make an emergency call, but the docs aren't terribly specific about that, and I'd be surprised if there wasn't a provision for LEO to turn on the GPS info by remote command. Or it might just be on all the time. Doesn't take much extra computer power to log a location with the cell path to a number instead of just the path. Extra battery drain for the GPS running continuously in the handset is an issue though, so I'm told the GPS doesn't normally run continuously.

The AT&T and the other GSM based providers with the TDOA would be getting  location info almost as a matter of course when deciding which cell site to hand off to anyway, and so probably also can or do store the data, or can get it when requested to or during a 911 call.

We've been designing and installing indoor distributed antenna systems for the two major cellular providers at the U and having to deal with how to locate 911 calls made from inside the buildings via the DAS so I've had some discussions with the providers on the technology used and whether we can use the last known location to mark which building the user entered.  

The only limit to the systems keeping a once every 7 minute breadcrumb trail of where you are and have been would seem to be computing/storage capacity on the network, battery capacity for the GPS in the handset,  and their privacy policy. On LEO request, I'd guess all bets are off. They can probably 'ping' the phone to get a response for locating without having the phone make the user aware, any more than you are aware when it pings the site to check in.

If you don't want to be tracked, take the battery out of your phone.


BTW, if you want to maximize your battery life, especially in fringe areas, make sure the phone has a good path to the local cell site. Else it ramps the power to max and keeps trying to ping the site to register till it runs the battery down.
 

[K1JJ]

Very interesting info, Kevin - thanks. OK on the various abilities to track phones.

Having the GPS in the phone is probably a good idea for security conscious people. If we have an accident and can barely respond, never mind accurately describing our location, it's a good thang.

I have an older cell phone without GPS and plan to update to two separate cell phones for security reasons. I'll probably have GPS on at least one if not both.

I've just spent the last two months installing a $3K monitored security system in my house - quite elaborate with outside perimeter protection, cameras, etc. Did all the work myself. The finishing touches would be a modern Droid-type e-phone with GPS to monitor the web based video when I'm away.   Gee, I could even text message Derb and the Huzman every 2 minutes and be a real PIA...  

T

[KA1ZGC]

They can probably 'ping' the phone to get a response for locating without having the phone make the user aware, any more than you are aware when it pings the site to check in.

They can, and they have.

I recall a missing-persons case a few years ago, in Ohio if I recall correctly, where a teenage girl had gone missing. Her phone was active, but she wasn't answering it. The cops could only get her general area from the information the cell carrier had, so they went to the area and pinged their way to her phone.

Unfortunately, she was dead when they found her, but the process does work. I'm sure this has been done other times with happier outcomes, but happy endings don't sell newspapers.

We develop somewhat-similar technologies for the military. You'd be surprised what kind of information you can divine from the weakest of signals carrying almost no actual information if you have the right kind of receiver, the right algorithms, and the right processor to crunch all the numbers. The actual performance numbers are classified, so you'll just have to use your imagination, but whoever said there's no more innovation in RF engineering never worked in my building.

Clever never dies.