Build your own self-tuning portable RF jammer
Posted on January 18, 2007 by PoliTech
Not that you would … because the FCC frowns on that sort of thing … but it’s nice to know that you could.
Wave Bubble: A design for a self-tuning portable RF jammer
This website details the design and construction Wave Bubble: a self-tuning, wide-bandwidth portable RF jammer. The device is lightweight and small for easy camoflauging: it is the size of a pack of cigarettes.
An internal lithium-ion battery provides up to 2 hours of jamming (two bands, such as cell) or 4 hours (single band, such as cordless phone, GPS, WiFi, bluetooth, etc). The battery is rechargeable via a mini-USB connector or 4mm DC jack (a common size). Alternately, 3 AAA batteries may also be used.
Output power is .1W (high bands) and .3W (low bands). Effective range is approximately 20′ radius with well-tuned antennas. Less so with the internal antennas or poorly matched antennas.
Self-tuning is provided via dual PLL, therefore, no spectrum analyzer is necessary to build this jammer and a single Wave Bubble can jam many different frequency bands - unlike any other design currently available! To reconfigure the RF bands, simply plug it into the USB port of your PC and type in the new frequencies when prompted. Multiple frequency ranges can be programmed in, each time the device is power cycled it will advance to the next program in memory.
While the documentation here is both accurate and complete (as much as possible), the construction of such a device is still an advanced project. I would not suggest this as even an ‘intermediate’ skill project, considering the large amount of difficult SMT soldering (multiple TSSOP and SOT chips, 0603 RC’s), obscure parts, and equiptment necessary to properly construct and debug.
This design is not for sale or available as a kit and never will be due to FCC regulations. Please do not ask me to assist you in such matters.
All original content for this project is distributed open source under Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution / Share-Alike.
So go and check it out already!
Hattip: BoingBoing
Filed under: Computer Hardware, Electronics, Fun, Science, Tech, Technology, pranks
Hi,
I am a undergard telecom engineering student and looking for an idea for my Final year project.
Please let me know if yyou have some. Is it possible to make a RF jammer for my FYP? or will it be too difficult.
LadyAda describes the development of this project thusly:
So the WaveBubble itself has metamorphosed from several viable engineering projects, and addition of part or all of the WaveBubble components into your own design could be quite educational as a project.
However you would be best served by checking with your Professors and looking into any legalities that may be involved with this particular project.
As for difficulty, only you can truly be the judge of your own capabilities. Spend time reading the linked pages, and looking at the schematics. You will know right away if you are ready to take on a build of this complexity. You might find it to be an overwhelming challenge, or to you the project may seem to be mere child’s play!