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From: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: miniature FM transmitters: bugs
Keywords: FM transmitter, bug
Message-ID: <786@sagpd1.UUCP>
Date: 24 May 90 20:43:57 GMT
References: <667@retix.retix.COM>
Reply-To: jharkins@sagpd1.UUCP (Jim Harkins)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Scientific Atlanta, Government Products Div, San Diego, CA
Lines: 37

In article <667@retix.retix.COM> paulk@retix.retix.COM (Paul C. Kim) writes:
>Where can I purchase a miniature FM transmitter?  Generally, how small do
>these get, and how powerful?  Are they easily accessable from a consumer's
>standpoint?  What are the legalities involved?  Are they illegal to
>have in one's possession or are only specific ACTS of eavesdropping 
>considered illegal?  How accurately are these little buggers detectable
>via some type of scanner?

1. Look in the back of a Radio Electronics, or some other electronics hobbyist
   magazine.  You might try Soldier of Fortune but I can't say for sure
   as I don't read it.  Also go to Toys R Us, somebody sells a little James
   Bond kit that has one.  This is neat, teach little kids to bug one another,
   and also record their parent's sex lives for future use as needed.
2. They get pretty damn small, the range is probably under half a mile at best.
3. If you can address a letter and sign a check you can buy one.  No background
   checks or 15 day waiting period applies as these aren't considered dangerous.
4. It's perfectly legal to have these as long as the range is under an FCC
   ceiling, but it's probably illegal to bug someone with one.  Of course, if
   one fell out of your pocket and ended up in a corner of your boss's office..
5. As they xmit on the FM band all you need to do is turn on the TV near where
   you suspect the bug to be, then use an FM scanner to look for the signal.


I've been thinking about these little beasties for some time now.  Technology
has advanced to the point where it's very simple for us to bug one another
(these FM xmitters are just 1 small example, check out some of those ads).
Eventually the politicians are going to try to outlaw these things.  This has
lots of other problems, namely, how small is small?   It's only a matter of
time until questionable use of one of these is involved in a serious matter,
then life will get interesting.



-- 
jim		jharkins@sagpd1

I *still* don't know who killed Laura Palmer!