I am looking for the most inexpensive way to do a bug detection in a home. I am in the legal profession and have a client that believes her house is bugged. She is probably crazy but I would like to at least make sure. I have called several online dealers and they try to sell me expensive equipment that covers into the 6gig range. I don't know if all this is necessary. Would an optoelectronics scout do the trick or even a scanner with the close call feature? I am not sure even what type of bug I would be looking for or what kind of bugs are even out there. Any advice would be helpful.
Bug Detection
- Thread starter smp928s
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N_Jay
Guest
smp928s said:
There are too many kinds out there to "certify" that you have cleared a space.
I would use psychological methods.
Why does she feel she is being bugged?
What could she do to flush out the culprit?
E.G. Intentionally give the listener something that they have to act on, and that action gives them away.
RadioJonD
Exalted Nabob
The intellectual folks here will rip this suggestion to shreds, but here goes…
For the novice "bug" listen for the "low tech" approach. Look for for baby monitor frequencies and wireless microphone frequencies. A PRO-84 from Radio Shaft should pick up the most common frequencies. Walk through the dwelling with the scanner in the stalker mode. (The PRO-84 was on sale for fifty bucks, with mail in rebate, until yesterday.)
A wireless mic will be easier to conceal, but would require battery changes. Baby monitors are harder to hide, but can be powered by an outlet. These should be considererd if the suspected "bugger" is known to your client.
Of course, the dealers are right when it comes to someone in the bugging business!
For the novice "bug" listen for the "low tech" approach. Look for for baby monitor frequencies and wireless microphone frequencies. A PRO-84 from Radio Shaft should pick up the most common frequencies. Walk through the dwelling with the scanner in the stalker mode. (The PRO-84 was on sale for fifty bucks, with mail in rebate, until yesterday.)
A wireless mic will be easier to conceal, but would require battery changes. Baby monitors are harder to hide, but can be powered by an outlet. These should be considererd if the suspected "bugger" is known to your client.
Of course, the dealers are right when it comes to someone in the bugging business!
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Frequency counter or field strength meter. You might be able to rent a good freq counter if you don't want to buy one.
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N_Jay
Guest
Except you will miss telephone powered/connected bugs, hardwired bugs and optically linked bugs.
If you NEED it swept, get a professional.
If you NEED it swept, get a professional.
rescuecomm
Member
Simple telephone taps can be located by unplugging all telephones and answering machines. Then disconnect the phone service at the outside box. You can take an ohnmeter and test the lines. Should be open. If not, someone has something else tied in. For the rf bugs, some detective agencies have the equipment to sweep your home with. Don't know how much, but they can usually find them. Wiretapping is against Federal law, so if you do find the person that did it, turn them into the FBI.
Bob
Bob
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jonny290
Member
If this woman's really bugged and it's not a baby monitor behind a couch, you're not going to find it anyways, and she has bigger problems than the bug itself.
Voted 'seek professional help' and not of the radio tech kind.
Voted 'seek professional help' and not of the radio tech kind.
N
N_Jay
Guest
rescuecomm said:
And if the telephone bug is IN the phone?
Like I said, it is far easier to "Give them something juicy to chew on".
If its personal, start talking about an affair or a divorce, if its business try bankruptcy or a lawsuit.
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smp928s said:
Seems like one of the newer scanners with the "Close Call" or "Signal Stalker" would find most of the common ones.
frankh
Member
Try this site for some giggles..http://www.tscm.com/bugfreq.html
kf4pep
Member
freqhopping
Member
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Hire a reputable private investigator that has the experience and means to search for bugs. More often than not people are just paranoid and simply having someone come out and doing a sweep, real or not, will calm their fears.
57Bill
Member
I'd walk around with the Opti Scout, first. Visually inspect phone box, next. know of a case where the hubby put a tape recorder at the phone box in the basement.
Hi SMP and all,
You're being in "the legal profession" tells me nothing. If you're a lawyer, tell her to hire a PI and if you're a PI you already know the answer, in fact you do.
"I have called several online dealers and they try to sell me expensive equipment that covers into the 6gig range."
There's your answer or at least part of it, not all bugs work on RF and the real goodies are pretty sophisticated.
"I don't know if all this is necessary."
I do, and it is IF you want to be a bug hunter. Trot on down to your local "spy store" and you'll be amazed what's out there in the world of espionage. If your client is a corporate mogul it's likely we're looking in the kilobuck range for something out of Q's laboratory but if she's a little old lady with a tin foil hat you want to look for a home brew device from the pages of The Anarchist's Cookbook updated annually since 1967.
Don't laugh, this aging hippie from the NYC area learned all about "dirty deeds done dirt cheap" and what Bob Dylan meant when he wrote Subterranean Homesick Blues. "You don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows."
You're being in "the legal profession" tells me nothing. If you're a lawyer, tell her to hire a PI and if you're a PI you already know the answer, in fact you do.
"I have called several online dealers and they try to sell me expensive equipment that covers into the 6gig range."
There's your answer or at least part of it, not all bugs work on RF and the real goodies are pretty sophisticated.
"I don't know if all this is necessary."
I do, and it is IF you want to be a bug hunter. Trot on down to your local "spy store" and you'll be amazed what's out there in the world of espionage. If your client is a corporate mogul it's likely we're looking in the kilobuck range for something out of Q's laboratory but if she's a little old lady with a tin foil hat you want to look for a home brew device from the pages of The Anarchist's Cookbook updated annually since 1967.
Don't laugh, this aging hippie from the NYC area learned all about "dirty deeds done dirt cheap" and what Bob Dylan meant when he wrote Subterranean Homesick Blues. "You don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows."
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