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This is very off-topic, but please hear me out before you reflexively down-mod this post:

There's been a few articles on here recently regarding "Stingray"-type devices (IRS usage, etc). Arstechnica has done some pretty thorough reporting regarding these devices, but their photography may not be indicative of the current state-of-the-art. These articles portray these devices as a large industrial/rackmount-type radio device, and while this many be perfectly valid, there is a version of this (or a very similar) device that is a hand-held unit resembling something very much like the old Fluke DSP-2000 testers (without the knob) or an Optoelectronics X-Sweeper. It might not be called a "Stingray", but both devices share a common purpose. I'm pretty sure the origin of these devices can be traced back to cell-site test equipment.

The X-Swepper frequency counter mentioned above is actually a *really* good approximation of what these devices look like.

Just keep in mind these things don't need to be mounted in the back of a surveillance van. They can be hand-carried and easily concealed by the operator in a bag or even in loosely-fit clothing.

You didn't think the government was going to give up their addiction to surveillance crack that easily, did you?

Well, you could always turn the crackpipe around on them and let them burn their lips. The equipment is available to anyone. Used/refurbished, even.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Stream the data realtime to storage in a non-Five-Eyes nation. Maybe Ecuador? They are not too happy with the US/Airstrip One about now.

Strat

Stingray phone tracking has been going on in secret for a while now. Even by some local police departments.

And equipment to do the same thing to them is easily obtainable by the public.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

If it's not illegal for them to do without a judge/warrant then it's not illegal for citizens either. Just make sure to stream the data obtained in realtime to storage located outside the Five Eyes nations.

Strat

Classic court allowed telco support would be for one cell number, account or person.
The cellular phone surveillance device becomes a cell tower like device in a community and collects all calls in that area.
The cell site simulator has total access as it forces all mobile phones in the area to connect to it.
Collect it all is how a cell site simulator works for cellular phone surveillance.
A change to bulk collection.

Are these devices attended by actual humans, or, as is likely, it's set up and left recording in some nearby convenient location like the back of a parked van, motel room, or abandoned building, etc?

If so, they should be easy to radio-locate, like the old CB radio 'rabbit hunts'. How upset would they be to find their expensive toy missing when they returned?

If it *is* attended, surround the location and start protesting and out them. Don't forget to video record.

If police don't need a warrant, then does that mean that anyone can run a Stingray? It's not that hard. A little sauce for the gander.

You can even pick up the essentials to "roll your own" "Stingray" type device at a bargain, used/refurbished.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Park one in a van in Washington D.C. on K St. or near the WH, and/or certain parts of Alexandria VA for extra lulz.

Strat

Why is the federal government (and its agencies) so scared to allow state and local law enforcement agencies to reveal the use of these devices?

Well, you could find out by assembling your own "stingray" piecemeal using some of the test equipment in the links below, and use it to monitor/record police/DHS/NSA and wait to see what charges they decide to prosecute you for if you're arrested, and then take the government to court for the same charges.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Although your chances of getting the same 'justice' system that is complicit in these criminal acts by those in government to turn around and prosecute these same criminals are slim at best.

Strat

Why is the federal government (and its agencies) so scared to allow state and local law enforcement agencies to reveal the use of these devices?

Well, you could find out by assembling your own "stingray" piecemeal using some of the test equipment in the links below, and use it to monitor/record police/DHS/NSA and wait to see what charges they decide to prosecute you for if you're arrested, and then take the government to court for the same charges.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Although your chances of getting the same 'justice' system that is complicit in these criminal acts by those in government to turn around and prosecute these same criminals are slim at best.

Strat

They don't want us to be able to keep anything at all secret. And they want to keep all their stuff secret.

That could change.

It's not like the hardware is not available.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Strat

They don't want us to be able to keep anything at all secret. And they want to keep all their stuff secret.

That could change.

It's not like the hardware is not available.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Strat

They don't want us to be able to keep anything at all secret. And they want to keep all their stuff secret.

That could change.

It's not like the hardware is not available.

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

http://www.testequipmentdepot....

Strat

So you are 1/4 of the capability of the equipment we are talking about. Good for you. The 4-5 km range is much less than 15 and the flight time of an hour is much less that 3.5 hours. You be the one to tell the mother her some was killed because the drone ran out of power.Sure you can do some of the things an expensive drone can to but doing them all is very expensive. Your logic is like comparing a Honda Civic with a quarter mile time of 17 seconds to a Bugatti Veyron with a quarter mile time of 10 second and saying the Bugati should cost less than twice as much as the Bugatti.

Scaling it up is proportional, not exponential or something silly.

Actually it is closer to exponential than linear. Look at the priced of these cameras they go from $1k to $27K. I doubt that the $27K camera is 27times as effective as the $1K. Also notice that $27K time 2 cameras is half the cost of the aircraft. Add a spare and that is over $75K in cameras alone. Your logic is like comparing a Honda Civic with a quarter mile time of 17 seconds to a Bugatti Veyron with a quarter mile time of 10 second and saying the Bugati should cost less than twice as much as the Honda.

You probably won't need a scope at every station, just put it on a cart. Alternately, you might want to have one of these on every bench. That said, with bus speeds moving into the 400MHz range, it'll be hard to find an affordable scope that will trigger that fast.

Me, I just stick with my 547, but then again, I'm not a real tech....