Anyone here ever tried to pick up Project Saver wrist bands? I know it's short range, but so is LoJack and I've had great success in picking up those.
Project Lifesaver
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vagrant
ker-muhj-uhn
I was unaware of this program. I’ll dial up 217 MHz on the SDR and give it a go.
Our SAR team does all the time. We use actual receiver from Project Lifesaver however I have never tried a scanner. Our county also has PLI receiver in their helicopter. Its very similar to the animal based tracking devises. It beeps on thereceiver and we turn down gain as we get closer. Each user gets a different frequency so as long as you have a frequency you should be able to capture.
All the licenses I could find were between 218 and 219 MHz.
RFI-EMI-GUY
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are they beaconing all the time?
Yes.
Good video here of what they sound like @ 39 seconds in
Good video here of what they sound like @ 39 seconds in
nd5y
Member
How do you know that is what the actual signal sounds like? What mode is it? It could be just a beeping sound effect the tracking receiver makes.
nd5y
Member
They have one UHF license.
FCC FRN: 0026908103 (PROJECT LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL)
FCC FRN: 0026908103 (PROJECT LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL)
www.radioreference.com
Some of the 216-220 MHz range is auctioned. They could be operating under another entity's license in some areas.
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Pretty sure those aren't for the wristbands.They have one UHF license.
FCC FRN: 0026908103 (PROJECT LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL)
FCC FRN: 0026908103 (PROJECT LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL)www.radioreference.com
I was fairly amused when I pulled into the headquarters for our provincial police and found them running around with these units. IIRC, they were using something around 217MHz.
I explained DF'ing is part of my regular job and gave them a few tips. This was about 10 years ago and I'm sure the technology has improved a lot since then. Great program and I encourage anyone with a wanderer in the house should look it.
I explained DF'ing is part of my regular job and gave them a few tips. This was about 10 years ago and I'm sure the technology has improved a lot since then. Great program and I encourage anyone with a wanderer in the house should look it.
The technology hasn't changed. They use this for simplicity and cellular based devices may not have coverage inside buildings or heavy vegetation...or so my S.O. says.
RFI-EMI-GUY
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It is probably like wildlife tracking. A simple CW pulse, so the receiver would need a BFO like CW or SSB. I once had one of those receivers from Sweden, in the 433 MHz range and adapted it for model rocketry recovery.
Maybe but we have about 5 different types of receivers and everyone sounds like that when we track a subject. I guess at some point I'll dial up my SDR or scanner on the frequency but never felt the need. Its a great service and a couple counties in upstate NY are agencies. The Kiss method is the nice thing.
vagrant
ker-muhj-uhn
TLDR; Nothing heard here, but that's relative.
From what I read 217 was in the middle of their frequency range, so my SDR was set to a 2 MHz span. I did a look up via the FCC database for my area and nothing in there, even up to 219 MHz other than railroad and two utility companies. I also took a look from 217-219 MHz and nothing that I could hear, nor see on the waterfall that would have been that type of signal.
I did find some varying wide data pulses on 217.250 MHz, but it was only one signal as the signal level never changed. Their specific RX device in the video may turn those pulses into an audible "beep" for all I know. Also, based on the video it appears they need to be in range of the individual with the device. This makes sense as that little device would not put out much power.
From what I read 217 was in the middle of their frequency range, so my SDR was set to a 2 MHz span. I did a look up via the FCC database for my area and nothing in there, even up to 219 MHz other than railroad and two utility companies. I also took a look from 217-219 MHz and nothing that I could hear, nor see on the waterfall that would have been that type of signal.
I did find some varying wide data pulses on 217.250 MHz, but it was only one signal as the signal level never changed. Their specific RX device in the video may turn those pulses into an audible "beep" for all I know. Also, based on the video it appears they need to be in range of the individual with the device. This makes sense as that little device would not put out much power.
nd5y
Member
According to the licenses they put out 30 milliwatts ERP.
K2RNI
Member
yeah that's still part of the typical range of VHF tracking beacons. I used to scan it a lot before with a rooftop antenna to listen for banded birds and would occasionally pick one up flying over the rooftop antenna.
Some banks also used dummy packs in the money in similar range as well.
Rewatched the story on the news and took a picture of the device, which had the FCC ID on it...
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This is an interesting concept, but AFIK, not well-known in vulnerable communities. I work in a large, seasonal resort town and we search for developmentally and cognitively impaired persons multiple times every summer. Never have the victims been wearing any sort of tracking device. I am amazed that with the inexpensive technology available - either tiles, itags, or this device, families haven't adopted any of them - at least in my experience. I typically suggest to families - after we find their relative - that they consider lacing an itag into a person's shoes. In our area with its density, a phone would would ping that device in seconds, lol.
speedway_navigator
Member
our county had an alert yesterday, one FF said "frequency is 216.65", never heard a freq mentioned before.
