What Are GPS Jammers and How to Combat Them? A Guide

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In today’s increasingly connected world, being tracked both online and offline is becoming the norm, offering numerous benefits for businesses through GPS technology. However, not everyone is comfortable sharing their location. This raises the question: how do gps jammers work, and how does Geotab effectively detect these threats? Discover more about these devices and Geotab’s advanced threat detection methods.

What Exactly is a GPS Jammer?

GPS jammers are small, self-contained transmitter devices designed to conceal one’s location. By emitting radio signals on the same frequency as GPS devices, they create interference, making it impossible for GPS receivers to accurately determine their position. These jammers are characterized by their relatively low power consumption and quick startup time, allowing them to be used only when necessary. Despite being illegal, various types of affordable GPS jammers are easily accessible online, including physical shields, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth jammers, remote control jammers, spy camera jammers, and drone jammers. With their ability to disrupt GPS signals, these devices pose a significant threat to location-based services and can be misused for malicious purposes.

What Exactly Is a GPS Jammer?

To understand how a jammer functions, it’s helpful to know how the global positioning system (GPS) works. A GPS tracker receives microwave signals from an array of satellite transmitters orbiting the Earth. Once the tracker receives signals from four or more satellites, it determines its position through a series of time calculations and trilateration. The receiver relies on these precise and specific satellite signals to determine where it is in the world. The gps tracking device then transmits this position and velocity information to a monitoring location, usually sent over the cellular network. However, GPS signals can be disrupted. The user plugs the jammer into the automotive auxiliary power outlet, and the unit is placed close to the installed GPS tracker. When active, the GPS jammer generates an interference signal over a 5 to 10-meter radius to disrupt the reception of the GPS satellite signal. In some cases, satellite malfunction or solar flares can temporarily disrupt the transmission of GPS signals, but a jammer creates a more localized and controlled interruption.

A gps jammer operates by emitting radio signals or signal noise, matching the frequency of the GPS device. This process overrides or distorts the GPS satellite signals, effectively masking them. As a result, the GPS device loses its ability to calculate its position due to the interference created by the jammer.

Who Are Using GPS Jamming Devices?

GPS jammers, originally designed for military use, offer privacy, safety, and tactical advantages in high-risk missions by concealing vehicle locations. However, these devices have found their way into civilian hands, often for less noble purposes. Speeding drivers, for instance, might use GPS jammers to evade police detection and avoid fines. Criminals also employ these devices to cover their tracks during vehicle theft or to dodge toll and mileage charges. Even in the fleet industry, drivers sometimes use gps jamming to hide their whereabouts from employers when using company vehicles. The reasons for using jammers are diverse, ranging from military secrecy to civilian mischief and criminal activity.

Is It Legal to Use GPS Jammers?

GPS jamming is prohibited in numerous countries including the U.S., Canada, and the UK, due to its potential to disrupt navigation systems. In the U.S., marketing, sale, or use of GPS jammers is outlawed under the federal Communications Act of 1934, with penalties such as fines up to $100,000 or more, and even imprisonment. Similarly, Canada’s Radiocommunication Act forbids importing, manufacturing, distribution, selling, possessing, and using GPS jamming devices, ensuring strict measures are in place to deter their misuse.

How Does GPS Jamming Impact the Transportation Industry?

GPS jammers are a significant source of concern for both law enforcement and the transportation sector. These devices create interference, disrupting GPS asset tracking—also known as fleet tracking or telematics—which is vital for businesses to monitor and manage various operational aspects such as fuel usage, idling time, driver behavior, and engine condition. However, not only are GPS jammers illegal, but their use can also pose serious risks. For instance, a truck driver in New Jersey faced a hefty fine of almost $32,000 from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) when his GPS jamming device disrupted air traffic control communications at Newark Liberty International Airport. In this case, the driver had used the jammer to conceal his location from his employer, but an FCC investigator quickly tracked down the source of the interference using specialized radio equipment, highlighting the serious consequences that can arise from using these illegal devices.

Can Geotab Help Detect GPS Jamming? A Guide to Using the Tool

Fleets seeking to minimize negative impacts and ensure drivers remain visible can rely on Geotab’s solution. Its Trips History map flags issues by showing missing or interrupted trips when GPS signals are unreceived. Mid-trip GPS jamming is evident as a straight line from the jamming’s start to its end. This prompts swift investigation by vehicle monitors into the cause, which may range from jamming to radio malfunctions. Newer Geotab GO units feature a GPS module with jamming detection, triggering a debug log report. Fleet managers can identify this in MyGeotab as “GpsJammingDetected,” ensuring prompt action is taken.

How to set up alerts to detect GPS jamming?

Geotab users can stay vigilant against GPS jamming with automated detection. By creating a Log Data & Collisions report in MyGeotab and setting it to send alerts only when events are detected, users receive instant notifications via email. This prompts swift investigation into any suspicious activity. Importantly, even during GPS jamming, when the GPS receiver is disrupted, other Geotab GO device functions remain unaffected. The device continues to collect and transmit crucial vehicle data like engine information, error codes, and auxiliary details, ensuring no blind spots in your fleet management.