HOME-MADE GPS JAMMERS

GPS stands for “Global Positioning System”. This technology has found its application in both civil and military arenas. It is mostly used for navigational purposes by military organizations, research institutions, and commercial establishments and also by individuals. This system makes use of three satellites that orbit the earth and transmit radio signals. By implementing radio receivers the GPS satellites are able to detect the position of a particular entity via a method called Triangulation. Thus GPS can be found pre-fitted in cars, ships and also in individual hand-held units.

Triangulation is a method in which three different points are measured to determine the position or location of the target object. GPS uses this triangulation method to inch perfection. For instance the GPS fitted in car takes the values received from the three satellites while giving the exact location of the receiver. GPS radio signals operate in different frequencies. There are actually two distinct frequencies used- one for the civilian purpose and the other for military purpose. Since GPS is based on radio waves these waves can easily be tracked or jammed through instruments and devices with a little bit of expertise in this field.  The GPS jammers have been built for military use and hence most civilians are not acquainted with its application. Most civilians would fail in creating such a home-made device without proper knowledge. Simple radio wave interference technique cannot be implemented to block the radio signals of GPS.

The GPS jammers are used by the military organizations to confuse the enemy regarding the accurate location of GPS directed missiles or bombs that are programmed to hit. The GPS jammers can be used by civilians in order to conceal one’s location. Most GPS jammers have a range of 10meters which is enough to track the largest of the vehicles.

The GPS jammers are regarded as illegal to build or use in many countries due the potential threat of misuse. A GPS jammer can be used to confuse any vehicle or an aircraft and can be possibly used in creating mishaps. Some GPS jammers are so designed to jam the civil GPS only. The access of civilian GPS into military GPS is not authorized and thus no one can sign in to a military format of GPS.

Government officials are concerned about the article recently published regarding the making of a GPS jammer at home. The instructions have claimed to require only cheap and easily available material while building a home-made GPS. The GPS devices used for commercial purposes such as in vehicles and cars can be put into an immense amount of risk if home-made GPS jammers are made incessantly. The instructions have been provided to build GPS jammers having a range of several hundred feet. The design of such a home-made device has been kept simple and any bachelor in Electrical Engineering can try his hand in it. These jammers can jam devices operating in the frequency range of 1575.42MHz. The components used are easily available. These home-made jammers have been aimed to jam only the civilian GPS frequency, yet the experts say that these jammers would be targeting the C/A code which can even threaten the military systems, since most military signals must first acquire C/A signal to operate.

Many GPS jammers have been invented lately that are easy to install and use. But as a responsible citizen of the country these jammers should be used by the individuals not guided by any wrong intention. No objection can be raised until these jammers hamper the country’s internal and external security.