Jason Humphreys fined $48,000 for using a high-performance phone jammer

[Perfect Jammer]

Safety zealot hid a phone jammer in his SUV to stop other drivers taking calls

If you happen to notice a second-hand Toyota Highlander being offered for a quick sale in Seffner, Florida, you'll know exactly who it belongs to. A local man, Jason Humphreys, has been given 30 days to pay a $48,000 fine after being caught radio-handed with a high-powered phone jammer hidden under his SUV's front passenger seat. When he was pulled over by a squad of FCC agents and police officers, who had spent days tracking the source of the wideband interference emanating from his vehicle, he reportedly told them that he was "fed up with watching cell phone usage while people were driving." Unfortunately for Humphreys, the state of Florida deems it legal for motorists to engage in phone conversations while they're on the move, whereas it severely frowns on the use of unlicensed jamming equipment that can disrupt vital communications between emergency services. The only glimmer of hope for this grumpy vigilante is if he can write to the FCC and somehow stall the fine, but even then he'll likely still face a separate case raised by an even grumpier Sheriff's office.

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Drones can defend themselves with an anti-laser jammer

Helios prevents laser weapons from locking on.

There are plenty of efforts to make drone-destroying lasers. But what about protecting those drones? Adsys Controls thinks it can help. It's making Helios, a passive jammer that confuses laser weapons. If it detects an incoming laser beam, it detects the traits of that beam (such as its pulse and wavelength) and interferes with them to prevent the laser from locking on and toasting the drone. The company won't say exactly how this interference works, although it may be a counter laser. The one certainty is that it's reliable -- this is "permanent protection" against subsequent lock-on attempts, not just a momentary break.

You may have to wait a while to see Helios in action, since there's no mention of contracts at the moment. Also, it's not certain how well this works. Can a laser target a part of the drone without the jammer catching it? And is the system quick enough to stop higher-power lasers that can burn a drone within a few seconds at most? Still, drones don't really have anti-laser defenses right now. Any protection is bound to be helpful, and Adsys' solution could be highly effective if it lives up to the hype.

Break-in suspects using cell-jamming technology to avoid surveillance camerasCell-jamming uses devices to interfere with radio or wireless signals.According to CMPD, thefts have figured out how to evade surveillance cameras in some home break-ins, utilizing technology in the process.

It’s called cell-jamming, and happens when a person uses a device to interfere with radio or wireless signals.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, “the use of a phone-jammer, GPS blocker, or other signal jamming device designed to intentionally block, jam, or interfere with authorized radio communications is a violation of federal law. There are no exemptions for use within a business, classroom, residence, or vehicle.”

Cell-jamming could happen from a device roughly 30 feet from the intended target, or home cameras.