Picking Up A Neighbor's Phone Calls on a Scanner

Home Forums Decaffeinated Coffee Picking Up A Neighbor's Phone Calls on a Scanner

Viewing 30 posts - 1 through 30 (of 30 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #607605
    Chulent
    Member

    If you are picking up your neighbor’s cordless handset phone calls on your scanner, is it best to tell her so that she gets a more secure cordless so that other neighbors shouldn’t be snooping in?

    #917124

    Yes, tell her. You’re doing her a favor.

    #917125
    Naysberg
    Member

    It can be quite embarassing to telll her.

    #917126
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    On your scanner? What is this scanner, and why are you using it?

    #917127
    aurora77
    Participant

    Popa, you always make me laugh! 🙂

    #917128
    shmoel
    Member

    What frequencies do cordless phones operate on?

    #917129
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    The newer (as in since 2000) phones are supposed to be digital and operate in the 900MHz frequencies, both reasons for it not to be picked up with a scanner.

    #917130

    pleeeeeez tell her!!!

    the wires sometimes get crossed in my house if more than one person is one their cellphone and someone turns on the microwave and it can be VERY embarrassing sometimes if the call was private.

    Ur doing her a major favor and even if she might be embarrassed, she will be happy that u r telling her so that she can change it for the future.

    #917131
    OneOfMany
    Participant

    lol, soooo Joe’s type to have a radio scanner. 😛

    #917132
    Naysberg
    Member

    Not all 900 Mhz, 2.4 Ghz or 5.8 Ghz phones are digital. If it is, it should say something like DSS (Digital Spread Spectrum). Otherwise it may be analog and picked up on a scanner.

    Also, even if the phone is called a 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz, it may be only operating on that frequency from the base to the handset. The handset to base could transmit on a lower frequency, allowing a cheap scanner to pick up one side of the conversation.

    It’s best to make sure it is digital. The newer DECT 6.0 are all digital as well as some of the older models with the other frequencies.

    #917133
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    That is very interesting. Why would they differenciate between base-to-handset and the other way?

    #917134
    Chulent
    Member

    Following ICOT and BPG’s advice, I finally mustered up the courage to inform her of the situation. Despite a curt “thank you” and the door immediately closed, her face said it all. She turned sheetrock white in the face and looked like her world just caved in. I only hope she doesn’t now think I’ve been eavesdropping on her for however long shes owned that handset.

    #917136
    Yenta
    Participant

    Chulent, I mean Joseph, has done this type of stuff on here for no reason at all.

    Amateur Radio

    He is not a Ham radio operator at all.

    Just a troll.

    #917138
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    Who cares? I think what Naysburg said was interesting, anyhow.

    #917139
    OneOfMany
    Participant

    Chulent=Naysburg=shmoel

    yep

    #917140
    nature
    Participant

    In the U.S., it’s a violation of federal law to listen in to phone conversations on your scanner. Don’t do it. If you want to warn your neighbor, do it anonymously to avoid giving the impression that you are admitting to the violation.

    #917141
    Naysberg
    Member

    The cheaper cordless systems use the lower frequency for its handset-to-base (usually in the 900s which are accessible on scanners) because it is cheaper to manafacture lower frequency transmitters and they use less power. (And the handsets use a battery as opposed to the base which has an ac power supply.) You can find out what frequency your cordless system uses by looking up its FCC ID on the bottom of the phone with its FCC regulatory filing on fcc.gov. Its a federal code violation to listen to cell calls but not cordless. (Not that it should be done anyways.)

    #917142
    mi pueblo
    Member

    People who own scanners are voyeurs of the worst kind. This incudes the macher. Wannabees who listen n on hatzalah calls. We oftenread of such people in the news after they get arrested as peeping goms.

    #917143

    OneOfMany-

    Your troll-detection radar is better than mine ?.

    Some threads arouse my suspicions, but this one didn’t; probably because I actually had this occur to me many years ago, when a neighbor came by to let me know my cordless phone conversations were coming over their radio.

    #917144
    akuperma
    Participant

    If your scanner is operating illegally, shut up and stop scanning before you get arrested.

    If her phone is operating on the wrong frequency (which is the only way you could be legally getting her conversations), tell her since her phone is broken (and she could get in trouble for it).

    #917145
    Health
    Participant

    akuperma -“If your scanner is operating illegally, shut up and stop scanning before you get arrested.”

    It’s not illegal unless you do it on purpose.

    “If her phone is operating on the wrong frequency (which is the only way you could be legally getting her conversations), tell her since her phone is broken (and she could get in trouble for it).”

    She can’t get in trouble for this. What happens is the junky phones can’t stick to their frequencies and anyone with a receiver/scanner can pick it up. It happens more often with other handheld phones -you can pick up others’ convos if they are in range. Either buy an expensive cordless that can only be picked up by the base/cordless of that set or use a landline for privacy.

    #917146
    apushatayid
    Participant

    why do people own scanners?

    #917147
    OneOfMany
    Participant

    Icot: lol, thanks. Maybe we should start a troll-slaying brigade. 😛

    #917148
    uneeq
    Participant

    I once was babysitting for my nephew, and the baby monitor picked up some lady’s cursing and screaming over the phone.

    #917149

    OneOfMany-

    Maybe we should start a troll-slaying brigade.

    A worthy endeavor, but one doomed to failure, IMO 😛

    #917150

    Our phone line in the bungalow colony was once crossing with someone else’s (we immediately told them). When I called Verizon to complain, the rep gave me a credit. While I was on with her, the other person’s conversation started coming through. The rep put me on hold, and came back on and told me that she gave me an even bigger credit! That summer, they actually paid me to have a phone.

    #917151
    Doswin
    Member

    In rural areas (such as the Catskills) they used to give people “party lines”, which meant the phone line was shared between two and four households.

    #917152
    OneOfMany
    Participant

    Oh lookee, here comes #4…

    #917153
    uneeq
    Participant

    Icot: lol, thanks. Maybe we should start a troll-slaying brigade. 😛

    Oh, dang it. I thought I came up with the name and idea on my own. Stupid subconscious…

    #917154
    OneOfMany
    Participant

    Actually, I had another thought on the name – what about “Trollbusters”? It has a ring to it… ^_^

Viewing 30 posts - 1 through 30 (of 30 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.