Girl makes 1,000 fake 911 calls

[z09]

They had a whole discussion about this story, ways you could track cell phones (and how accurately), and some other stuff related to 911 calls and cell phones on Off the Hook a couple months ago, if any one is interested in digging up old shows and listening to it.

Yeah, I remember seeing that.  That was an interesting show.  Immediatly after watching I called 911 and asked them where I was.  She gave me my exact house address where I was making the call from.  The operator didn't really mind, she understood my concern.

[Exploited64]

Were you calling from your house line or a cell phone?

[z09]

Were you calling from your house line or a cell phone?

It was from my cell.

[rbcp]

Some are within a yard in other areas.  At least that's what a 911 operator told me.

I think Google would disagree with the 911 operator.  It doesn't matter which area you're in.  Whether you're in the middle of the Pacific, O.C., or Iraq it's all going to work the same.

[Exploited64]

Well, considering there aren't many cell sites in the middle of the ocean, it would work a little different than if you were in an urban area.

Edit: But even in urban areas it is limited to ~3 yards, I'm not denying that.

[z09]

I think Google would disagree with the 911 operator.  It doesn't matter which area you're in.  Whether you're in the middle of the Pacific, O.C., or Iraq it's all going to work the same.

I'm not talking about exact location distance, I am talking about the gps location to address system they have.   

P.S. While your reading this get your PM's you have a dead link on the site

[rbcp]

Well, considering there aren't many cell sites in the middle of the ocean, it would work a little different than if you were in an urban area.

I thought we were talking about GPS, not tower triangulation.  I've spent the last 15 minutes trying to find out how accurate triangulation can be using just cell phone towers.  So far this is the best I can come up with:

A TDOA antenna used with an AOA array, you need only one recieve site. as long as the antennas are more than one wavelength apart. (do a google search for "fox hunting" or "hidden transmitter hunting") Then wave length of a 1800 MHZ signal is about 16cm, and at 800Mhz 37.5cm (base on the 300/f f=Frequency in MHZ). Signal strength is no longer a factor. So most to all NEW cell sites can pin point your phone withing a few hundred meters. BUT what makes cells phone so successful, in this respect is also their downfall, it that the higher the frequency the more the radio waves bounce off of nearby object (in reference to the transmitter). Which can be antenuated at the receive site and almost completely defeated with CDMA.  So now we are withing a few hundred meters of the phone, which can be further reduced by kind of a PRMLP (partical read most likly propibiltiy), so shave off 25% of the places it CAN NOT BE. give or take 175 meters.

I've always heard that they can't really pinpoint anyone too good using just cell phone towers.  That's why they're putting GPS into all the new cell phones.  But if someone can prove me wrong on that with some fancy-looking quotes, I'd like to read about it.

This page claims that a single cell tower covers about a 3.3 mile radius.

[Exploited64]

It seems I was mistaken on both what you were talking about (GPS, not tower triangulation), and the accuracy of it.

[ryanfido]

Some are within a yard in other areas.  At least that's what a 911 operator told me.

im sure the 911 operators will tell you anything to get you in bed.

[Dr P4nyk]

Well, considering there aren't many cell sites in the middle of the ocean, it would work a little different than if you were in an urban area.

I thought we were talking about GPS, not tower triangulation.  I've spent the last 15 minutes trying to find out how accurate triangulation can be using just cell phone towers.  So far this is the best I can come up with:

A TDOA antenna used with an AOA array, you need only one recieve site. as long as the antennas are more than one wavelength apart. (do a google search for "fox hunting" or "hidden transmitter hunting") Then wave length of a 1800 MHZ signal is about 16cm, and at 800Mhz 37.5cm (base on the 300/f f=Frequency in MHZ). Signal strength is no longer a factor. So most to all NEW cell sites can pin point your phone withing a few hundred meters. BUT what makes cells phone so successful, in this respect is also their downfall, it that the higher the frequency the more the radio waves bounce off of nearby object (in reference to the transmitter). Which can be antenuated at the receive site and almost completely defeated with CDMA.  So now we are withing a few hundred meters of the phone, which can be further reduced by kind of a PRMLP (partical read most likly propibiltiy), so shave off 25% of the places it CAN NOT BE. give or take 175 meters.

I've always heard that they can't really pinpoint anyone too good using just cell phone towers.  That's why they're putting GPS into all the new cell phones.  But if someone can prove me wrong on that with some fancy-looking quotes, I'd like to read about it.

This page claims that a single cell tower covers about a 3.3 mile radius.

I believe that i heard the same thing when i was working with the E911 group with Sprint PCS but that was like 5 years ago.

P4nyk