[ale] OT: Cell phone signal blocker

[Michael H. Warfield]

On Mon, 2009-06-22 at 12:11 -0400, Vernard Martin wrote:
> ok, this is going to sound like I've been watching too many sci-fi 
> movies but I want to obtain a device that can block cell phone reception 
> in about a 10 to 20 yard radius. This is not for myself but for a friend 
> of mine. He is one of those people that runs the Team Trivia events at a 
> local sports bar. He is having a hard time with folks cheating by 
> looking up the answers to trivia questions on their blackberries and 
> such. He is hoping that he can block the signal they are using.

> I personally don't think its possible without introducing a helluva lot 
> of signal noise in the area that will screw up other stuff (possible 
> including human life) but I thought it was best to pose the question to 
> the best set of techno-geeks that I know.

> Any ideas? And yes, this does not address the issue of legality at the 
> moment, :)

	And yes, these are illegal as hell in the US.  In fact, they found that
states and state prisons could not even legally block cell phone signals
because it's a violation of an act of Congress (Communications Act of
1934 or something similar as revised) to willfully interfere with radio
communications and it's regulated on the federal level by the FCC.  You
might as well be asking the list how to pirate Windows software.

	That being said...  They are available from overseas or, maybe, Canada.
They don't generally work by blocking the signal but, rather, by
responding like a cell tower with a "not available" response.  IAC,
you've got several bands to block, to say nothing of CMDA vs GSM.

	Lots of luck...

> V

	Mike
-- 
Michael H. Warfield (AI4NB) | (770) 985-6132 |  mhw at WittsEnd.com
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