What equipment is required to hear G. Lake security chatter?

So I hear people talking about radio frequencies. And they can hear cammo dudes talking. I was wondering. What equipment is used for that? Do you just need a normal radio, like the ones in cars or like a special radio?

You need a scanner of some kind, and to know the frequencies that are used by them. A normal radio won't pick up radio conversations most of the time.

reply to post by 1lionexPro


Do you think they're that stupid?

Nice idea, but good luck using it effectively. If you're anywhere within radio contact, air support will hit you like a bolt of lightning.

Don't even take the chance unless you're absolutely certain of no repercussions. They take their work seriously...and you've seen what happens when the upper echelon of U.S. Military takes its work seriously.

Nagasaki and Hiroshima? yeah, we don't mess around. I'm not bragging, I'm saying that's a can of worms you better open from a distance. While wearing Kevlar and safety goggles.

Yes, you do need a police scanner of sorts, but don't think you're just gonna scan their frequencies willy nilly. Im sure they are heavily encrypted, there are some encryption systems so advanced that they encrypt every single transmission in any given session with a different algorithm each time the talk button is pressed.

I'd bet that you'd probably tap into the maintenance crew's radio transmissions, not anything else of "secret" nature.

So if you want to know when Bob changes the toilet seat in section D...go ahead. I wouldn't do it.

It's common practice in my area for drug dealers to use these scanners to keep an eye on what the police are chattering about over there wlkie talkie things, one of my friends had one of these scanning machines before, i found it quite interesting, he had a booklet full of frequences he could just puch into the machine and listen into police, air traffic, taxi companys etc etc

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by 1lionexPro

 

Nice idea, but good luck using it effectively. If you're anywhere within radio contact, air support will hit you like a bolt of lightning.

Uhm, no. Radio range is much longer than line of sight. Depending on conditions in the ionosphere you could theoretically hear them across the state. And even if they are using low power settings, they have no way of knowing if someone is listening in. A receiver, such as a scanner, is totally passive. If they really wanted to keep people from listening all they'd have to do is use something like a standard frequency agile radio. You'd never be able to switch frequencies fast enough, unless you had a computer that was synched to their radios.

I always love how people assume that since we're talking Area 51, they'll kill you as soon as look at you. If that was the case, then why have people penetrated the airspace around it, and not been shot down? Or been shot while standing on the mountains around the area watching for things going on? They can't stop you from trying to listen, they find ways to keep you from doing it, such as encryption.

reply to post by 1lionexPro

The idea that a simple police scanner could work, is a bit skewed. The frequencies that the Police use range from, 0.3 - 465 (I believe it is Khz, but I may be wrong) where as the military is going to be running at frequencies higher than these, which a normal scanner shouldn't be able to pick up. However, I am sure with a little electrical engineering/radio engineering knowledge one could manipulate the frequency ranges of said scanner. Not entirely sure though, as I haven't ever tried, may be something I want to try some day... Anyway, why would you want to take the chance on being picked up like that anyway?

Just a thought.
Kasei

reply to post by 1lionexPro


tapping into NSA frequencies is not a good thing to do as a civilian I dont recommend

reply to post by Kasei


A scanner can also pick up air traffic control, which uses similar frequencies as the military does, without any modifications. HF, and UHF frequencies are different. UHF frequencies are for short range communications, and are what are used by police, air traffic control, and the military. HF radios are used for transoceanic communications, and generally require a pretty big radio set (at least when I was operating a radio net they did).

As for the frequencies, they can be found online.

You have a better chance of winning the Lottery than cracking the encryption code(which is constantly changed). Also, it is illegal.

can just imagine the conversations

"fred can you get me a 5/8th spanner"
"sure be a min"
"so you fancy taco's for lunch?"
"why not"
"but she promised me some pussy and all i got was her telling me to hug an hello kitty toy"
etc

Its probably encrypted and digital, but theu might not be that smart. But they use frequencies that are blocked on scanners. Some scanners can be hacked to fix that...

reply to post by Zaphod58

not meaning to be a butt,HF is long range,uhf/vhf are line of sight plus 15%,I do have a call sign and play on all these bands daily.

Originally posted by Zaphod58

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by 1lionexPro

 

Nice idea, but good luck using it effectively. If you're anywhere within radio contact, air support will hit you like a bolt of lightning.

Uhm, no. Radio range is much longer than line of sight.

not "vhf" where alot of emergency or govt com nets are located . and that' s a good thing you don't want your local fire dept.'s net getting walked on by another dept across the state during an emergency.

Depending on conditions in the ionosphere you could theoretically hear them across the state.

certainly hf bands (below30MHz or "shortwave")

And even if they are using low power settings, they have no way of knowing if someone is listening in. A receiver, such as a scanner, is totally passive. If they really wanted to keep people from listening all they'd have to do is use something like a standard frequency agile radio. You'd never be able to switch frequencies fast enough, unless you had a computer that was synched to their radios.

military/govt.radio nets can use the "public" DES encryption and secure comsec keys and you would never break squelch;(know they were there).

I always love how people assume that since we're talking Area 51, they'll kill you as soon as look at you. If that was the case, then why have people penetrated the airspace around it, and not been shot down? Or been shot while standing on the mountains around the area watching for things going on? They can't stop you from trying to listen, they find ways to keep you from doing it, such as encryption.

see "des" above

edit on 21-9-2012 by 46ACE because: (no reason given)

edit on 21-9-2012 by 46ACE because: (no reason given)

edit on 21-9-2012 by 46ACE because: (no reason given)

reply to post by gary714


D'OH! I just noticed that I used UHF twice. I meant to say HF was used for transoceanic signals, not UHF for short range, and UHF for long range. *facepalm*

reply to post by 46ACE


Again, they can't stop you from listening, except to encrypt them, which is what I said to begin with. But I have heard of Area 51 radio signals being picked up in Las Vegas. They were faint, but understandable. The radios in question generally are blocked by line of sight, such as mountains, but they CAN occasionally be picked up at much longer range than expected.

Gariac should be by soon. I think he has a list of all the equipment he uses and the frequencies (maybe) on his website.


Edit: Not sure if he will be here soon but here's a good place to start...www.lazygranch.com...

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
reply to post by 1lionexPro

 

tapping into NSA frequencies is not a good thing to do as a civilian

I dont recommend

Agreed.
OP, you are asking for help to break the law.
You can do bad by yourself.

Originally posted by AFewGoodWomen

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
reply to post by 1lionexPro

 

tapping into NSA frequencies is not a good thing to do as a civilian

I dont recommend

Agreed.
OP, you are asking for help to break the law.
You can do bad by yourself.

No he isn't. Listening to unencrypted radio, even if it's military, is not against the law. Building something to break encryption, and breaking encryption is a different story. But unencrypted radio signals are the equivalent of open source on the internet. They can't stop you from listening to them, if they could then selling scanners would be illegal.