The problem with standard bugs is they take a lot of energy to transmit a small distance. The solution to that problem is to have the bug taking power from a MAINS line (a standard wall outlet and broadcast its signal on a frequency adjacent to a powerful FM station. To decode the transmission a person would need a narrow field receiver and select the exact frequency of the bug and cut out or limit the signal from the popular high-powered radio station. Where RF repeaters come into play is on the end part of this system. It would go to a bug in the AC outlet through the air, being nudged along
side a high powered FM radio station, to a power line box near the property under surveillance, and from there being encrypted and sent off to the listening post.

The usefulness of repeaters can not be under estimated. The goal is to have the transmitter not be detected, and using a repeater allows for up-conversion to a higher frequency than those commonly monitored. The optimal setup would be to have the bug go a short distance to a repeater and the repeater send the signal as a WiFi Internet signal. This is because in cities and even suburbs the spectrum of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz is heavily used and can be used without suspicion. It would appear to be just someone else's house WiFi network.

These are just my thoughts. Practical, yes, possible, yes, but legal, kind of unknown. Don't do anything that would get you in trouble with the law. The police care about the letter of the law and not the principle of the law. They would put you in the slammer with a smile on their faces. If you break the law you're going to get hit. Don't mess with them, they are not your friend.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2023/04/30 (Linux/64)
* Origin: thE qUAntUm wOrmhOlE, rAmsgAtE, uK. bbs.erb.pw (700:100/37)

Have you considered that the receiver part of a repeater is always active and that usually you have to establish handshacking to pass traffic, which greately increases on air transmission time and requires the recording-bug to also have receive capabilities?

Complexity is not your friend in these pursuits.

Cleverness is.

--- Steve K9ZW via SPOT BBS

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Linux/64)
* Origin: SPOT BBS / k9zw (700:100/69)

Re: rf repeaters in multimedia bugs
By: warmfuzzy to All on Tue May 07 2024 05:37 pm

The problem with standard bugs is they take a lot of energy to transmit a small distance. The solution to that problem is to have the bug taking power from a MAINS line (a standard wall outlet and broadcast its signal on a frequency adjacent to a powerful FM station. To decode the transmission

If it's still in print, check out "Don't Bug Me", by M.L. Shannon. He was a caller of mine in the '90s and sent me a pre-release copy of his book. I wish I could find it now...

He covered a lot of surveillance tech in the book, from low-tech to '90s high-tech techniques, and counterintelligence strategies to keep from being bugged. A great read!
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (700:100/20)