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Build Your Own Cell tower
BlakeCaldwell writes "If you're the type who dreads being dragged kicking and screaming into the use of a cell phone, Samsung sells their Long Range Cordless Phone. With an incredible (for landlines) 30-mile range, the set includes a caller ID-capable LCD and is able to communicate with the base-station, acting as an intercom."
Most of these things are illegal in the US. They use frequecies assigned to other services, and power that far exceeds limits in FCC part 15.
I don't know about other places, but using that in the US risks huge fines ($10,000).
If God had meant for man to see the sunrise, He would have scheduled it later in the day.
I've never been bothered by telemarketers on my cell phone yet. With this, you can get harrassed by them all day long.
Perhaps you should consider this.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Bruce
Bruce Perens.
Think twice folks, these devices are illegal to use in the US (lets not get into the 'rights of the airspace within a Farrady cage in a private club' stuff, ok?). Look for fines ranging from $7,500 to over $10k for 'wilfull and repeated violations' of FCC regulations if you fire one of these up (and your local hams or ANYONE ELSE reports you).
Most of these types radios use frequencies right in the midle of the the 2 meter band (140Mhz), allocated to gov't/amateur radio.
Just wait and see what happens when you fire up one of these and step all over coordinated 2m repeater....
Toil is Stupid. Don't be Stupid.
This is not a Samsung model. In fact it is made by several Chinese factories as fakes of Samsung, SENAO, etc. They normally use HAM radio frequencies or comercial VHF/UHF. Due to the fact that they are only certified in China it is illegal to use in most countries.
If you operate one of these devices in the U.S., and it operates on ANY frequency used by the military, government, business, or amateur radio, you will be hunted down and taken out--by the FCC.
The price of the unit may be cheaper than cell phone bills, but add on that $10,000 fine and seizure of the equipment and it gets real expensive real quick.
And in case you think you're safe because it's in an amateur band, you should note that amateur radio operators practice RDF (Radio Direction Finding) or "Foxhunting" for fun. They will hunt you down, and the FCC accepts evidence from licensed operators in cases against violators.
Jim
Please read these before buying/using these phones...
l m l
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2002/DA-02-453A1.htm
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2002/DA-02-2474A1.ht
4. On July 27, 2001, agents from the Miami Office visited Lightning's retail store located at 231 E. Flagler Street, Unit #1, Miami, Florida. The agents saw several long-range, cordless telephones on display at the store, including a Super Phone CT-9000, a Prolink CT-6000CID, and an Optima OP8810. A salesperson
offered to sell one of the units to the agents. The long-range cordless telephones displayed at the store were capable of causing serious interference to aviation communications and were
not approved6 by the Commission for use in the United States.
Toil is Stupid. Don't be Stupid.
I concur...and there is no such thing as a frequency where no one will notice you...there is always an amateur radio op or scanner fan checking the spectrum for interesting signals.
There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.
Because it's digital rather than analogue and therefore takes up a tiny amount of spectrum while still being able to use that spectrum for other applications?
Are you and the mods new here or something?
Sure and they probably have already checked his Power output and it was within limits. The FCC and lots of listening gear all around the place.
But to it into perspective. The Ham operator is licensed to use that block of spectrum if your device is picking it up it is not his problem. Most likely it is your device at fault.
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Something that I find surprising in some slashdotters is the fascination for wireless technology. Charming as it is, wireless is just another type of technology having its own benefits and hurdles. In general it is not the 'being wireless' part that is difficult: transmitters have existed for over 100 years.
I understand other people's fascination, but anyone can have his own transmitter, given that you can pass the HAM exam (if not you shouldn't be fooling around with wireless equipment anyway). Wireless links can be bought almost off-the-shelf.
IMHO the communication scheme itself is a lot more difficult. This can be understood easily by looking at the evolution of wireline modems: they started at 150 (or so) bps and worked their way up to 33kbps (higher rates use special tricks). All the time the medium remained the same, only progress was in the digital layers. For the same reason, I don't think it is fair to say 'wireless problem solved, halfway there'.
Just my 2ct...
"Now for the long awaited question. I took the whole setup over to a friends place who is a ham radio operator. He immediately chastised me for importing such contraband into the country and continually tsked tsked me while he checked the frequency on the equipment and salivated over it all wishing he had a set of his own. Well, here's the bad news....the frequency range is indeed 450 transmit from the base and 230 from the handset, reverse for the receive frequencies. This of course puts this outside the GMRS band and in the case of the 230 mhz band into some part of the aircraft communication band of frequencies. I do not have the exact frequencies in front of me at this moment but I have been for warned that by using these new toys of mine I would be infringing upon part of the Private Radio Service in the 450mhz range and, as mentioned, part of the aircraft comm band in the 230mhz range. So things look a little bleak as far as using this stuff in the US is concerned."
Are you and the mods new here or something?
Don't even go there.
The language about their lack of a license sounds as if "you're damned if you don't", but what it actually says is that they have a history of non- compliance because there was no license for the device found in their posession.
Bruce
Bruce Perens.
The FCC doesnt care what you are sending or if you interfere. Your rights are of no concern to big media.
Presenting, The Cartoon Guide to Federal Spectrum Policy.
The first time i read it, it seemed like fluff. But its actually quite educational.
Myren
You need to be very careful when purchasing RF equipment outside the US; that it's legal inside the US. A mistake can be expensive!
Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds