MrRadioman - Home of Signal Stalker software to identify & analyze RF.
MrRadioman - Larry Shaefer
Projects we own now
Apps & Software we offer
Signal Stalker
Signal Stalker I and Signal Stalker II
The Signal Stalker feature provides a powerful new tool for you to rapidly detect and monitor frequencies for nearby radio transmissions similar to the Uniden Close Call feature on the Uniden scanners. Signal Stalker is similar to portable frequency counters but provide many advantages over typical frequency counters.
Signal Stalker feature is more sensitive than portable frequency counters and will detect transmissions at a greater distance. You can also activate the Attenuator to reduce the sensitivity if desired.
Signal Stalker I
You can set Signal Stalker I to work “in the background” while you are scanning other frequencies; turn off normal scanning while Signal Stalker works; or turn off Signal Stalker and use the scanner normally. You can set the (1) frequency band where you want the scanner to look for transmissions and turn on the pager screening feature so the scanner ignores common pager frequencies. You can also set the scanner so it alerts you when Signal Stalker I finds a frequency.
Available on the Pro-83, Pro-84, Pro-2051, and with the Pro-433, Pro-528, Pro-160 and Pro-162 has 10 autostore channels.
Signal Stalker II
Signal Stalker II allows you to watch for activity on all band frequencies or Police/Fire frequencies only. You can also turn on/off frequency sub-bands using the corresponding number keys.
Signal Stalker II will not work in the background like Signal Stalker I or Close Call.
Once an active frequency is found, the transmission is played through your scanner’s speaker, and you can quickly store it in any of your scanner’s memory locations.
Signal Stalker II functions by rapidly sweeping through the RF spectrum in 1 MHz segments. If RF signal energy is detected in a 1 MHz segment, Signal Stalker II will sweep through the 1 MHz segment in finer steps until the source of the RF signal energy is found.
You can change the normal Signal Stalker II operation to the Special Signal Stalker II operation. If you lock out 5 frequencies within a 1 MHz segment, the scanner will skip that segment in subsequent sweeps.
R.O.V.E.R
Project ROVER is a new robotic platform being developed for law enforcement and emergency services.
R.O.V.E.R. (Robotic Observation and Versatile Exploration Robot)
ROVER is a small four wheeled robot equipped with a variety of sensors, devices and capabilities, including BLE tracking, real time camera viewing, RF Grid mapping, deployable bi directional amplifier and a dedicated cellular network. ROVER can be used for a variety of tasks such as search and rescue, patrol, evidence collection, disaster response and active shooter response. The ROVER is still under development, but it could be a valuable tool for law enforcement.
Here are some of the key benefits of using ROVER:
- Increased officer safety: ROVER can help improve officer safety by allowing officers to enter dangerous or hazardous environments without putting themselves at risk.
-Improved Situational Awareness: ROVER can help improve officers' situational awareness by providing officers with real time images of their environment. This can help officers identify potential threats and make better decisions.
-Increased Efficiency: ROVER can help increase officer efficiency by allowing officers to focus on other tasks, such as crime scene investigation or medical care.
-Long term cost effectiveness: While the initial investment in developing and implementing robots can be significant, they can provide long term cost savings. Robots can perform repetitive and routine tasks with high accuracy and consistency, reducing the need for human labor in such areas.
This technology offers unprecedented levels of benefit, value and efficiency. It not only enhances asset security and protection, but also optimizes resource allocation, streamlines operations and brings peace of mind to those who rely on a robust security infrastructure.
All in all, Project ROVER is a promising new technology that can improve the security and efficiency of law enforcement.
Welcome to Mr.Radioman
ABOUT MR.RADIOMAN - OUR STORY
Education: Larry graduated from La Marque High School in 1962, Attended Lamar University in Beaumont from 1962-1964 (Majoring in Electrical Engineering), Transferred to U of H 1964-1966 majoring in Electronics and Communications Technology. Judy grew up in Texas City, went to Texas City High School (1972) and College of the Mainland (1977-1978- Computer Science major) and the world of business and communications life learning as she goes.
They manage and own numerous Telecommunications and Tower Companies in the Houston / Angleton areas - which hold FCC licenses in Texas - Colorado & New Mexico. Larry has been selling all types of electronics since he was a young teenager. He sold a CCTV security video system to the Borden Milk company in the 1960's to find out who was stealing the milk bottles and bought every seat and escalator, Scoreboard and more in the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston Texas. He mentored young men and colleagues in two-way radio and business practices. To this day we still has some of the foot rails from the old Livestock show's Corral Club bar. You never know what he will buy to sell at some auction!!!
Larry was a member of the City of Houston Tower ordinance Committee for the 1980 & 1990 revisions. He assisted Angleton, Missouri City, Hedwig Village, Heights Association and Near-town Civic Association on tower locations and issues.
He has done research and development of business-related News stories for Channel 11 (Dave Fehling), Channel 13 (Marvin Zindler and Wayne Dolcefino), the Houston Chronicle and The Sentinel Newspapers (Freeport). He has also provided them with props for stories. Judy helped program radios for various groups and events in the Houston area. Larry was asked to provide cell phones for the Robocop movie series when filmed in Houston.
We have been in the communications business in one facet or another since 1964. Our founding partner, Larry Shaefer has gone from repairing, to designing to constructing various types of systems since high school & college. Larry spent several years working at NASA on Apollo /L.I.M. Communications and Nuclear transport programs. Larry taught Judy what a resistor was in 1977 when he owned the Radio Shack franchise store in La Marque, TX and they married in 1981 and have been working together ever since. We lost our Larry in a hard fight to cancer last year and Judy took a new direction in purchasing multiple RF type software packages and apps from one the young men Larry mentored.
Beginning in retailing and support staff, Judy has sold everything from small electronic components to stereos, TV's, movies and computers. She also spent time in the 1970's to the early 1990's typing those multi-part carbon-copy FCC forms when you could not make a mistake, or the Commission would return it. She has been leasing tower space to wireless carriers and others since 1990. She has also learned to use ULS to bid on the RCC and VPC 43, 152, 450 & 931 MHZ License Spectrum and updating license requirements on the WTB / ULS Licensing section of FCC.gov as the Office Manager for our various corporations and investments.
Larry had vision and the intelligence to understand this business and the changes that have been made throughout the past 40+ years and has managed to shape his businesses to conform to what it takes to participate in this industry and share his knowledge with others along the way. Judy is carrying on his legacy and working on helping others and learning new technology with the apps and software.
Larry will be missed every day - Judy Shaefer
ABOUT MR.RADIOMAN - OUR STORY. continued
Larry & Judy with Kid Prodigy who we mentored since he was 11 yrs old - Brian.
Grid Testing for Public Safety Radio Coverage
Public safety radio coverage is essential for first responders to communicate effectively in the event of an emergency. However, buildings can often block radio signals, making it difficult for first responders to communicate inside. Grid testing is a method of measuring and mapping radio signal coverage in a building. This information can be used to identify areas where radio signal coverage is weak or non-existent, and to install equipment to improve coverage.
Grid testing is typically conducted by a qualified professional using specialized equipment. The process involves dividing the building into a grid of squares or rectangles, and then testing the radio signal strength at each point in the grid. The results of the test are then used to create a map of radio signal coverage.
Grid testing is an important part of ensuring that public safety radio coverage is adequate in all areas of a building. By identifying and addressing areas with weak or non-existent radio signal coverage, first responders can be assured that they will be able to communicate effectively in the event of an emergency.
Benefits of Grid Testing
There are many benefits to grid testing for public safety radio coverage. Some of the benefits include:
- Improved communication for first responders: Grid testing can help to identify areas where radio signal coverage is weak or non-existent. This information can then be used to install equipment to improve coverage, which can help to ensure that first responders can communicate effectively in the event of an emergency.
- Increased safety for first responders: Improved communication can help to increase the safety of first responders by allowing them to communicate with each other and with dispatch more easily. This can be especially important in emergency situations where first responders need to coordinate their actions quickly and effectively.
- Reduced risk of property damage: Grid testing can help to identify areas where radio signal interference is occurring. This information can then be used to take steps to reduce or eliminate the interference, which can help to reduce the risk of property damage caused by electrical fires or other incidents.
How to Conduct Grid Testing
Grid testing can be conducted by a qualified professional using specialized equipment. The process typically involves the following steps:
1. Divide the building into a grid of squares or rectangles.
2. Test the radio signal strength at each point in the grid.
3. Create a map of radio signal coverage.
The size of the grid will vary depending on the size of the building. For large buildings, it may be necessary to divide the building into multiple grids. The type of equipment used for grid testing will also vary depending on the size and type of building.
Conclusion
Grid testing is an important part of ensuring that public safety radio coverage is adequate in all areas of a building. By identifying and addressing areas with weak or non-existent radio signal coverage, first responders can be assured that they will be able to communicate effectively in the event of an emergency.
ART INSTALLATION EAVESDROPS ON HOSPITAL PA
HolyPager Art Installation. HackRF One, Antenna and Raspberry Pi seen under the shelf.
For a long time now it has been known that pager data is sent in the clear and in plain text over a strong and easily received RF signal. The signal can easily be intercepted with a standard scanner radio or more recently with an SDR such as the RTL-SDR. Software such as PDW can then be used to decode the signal into plain text. We have a tutorial on this available here.
In these more modern days of cell phones and secure text messaging very few people still use pagers. But one heavy user of pagers is the medical community who still prefer them as they are already widely implemented in hospitals and are very reliable. The lower frequencies and high transmission powers used by pager systems allows for better reception especially in areas prone to poor cellphone reception such as in big buildings like hospitals with many walls underground areas. They are also very reliable as they receive messages instantly, whereas text messages can be delayed in times of high network traffic which is obviously a problem when a doctor is needed urgently. Finally, another advantage is that most pagers only receive, so there are no local transmissions that could interfere with sensitive medical machines. A major downside however is that pager use means that a lot of very private patient data can be easily intercepted by anyone anywhere in the same city as the hospital.
Back in October artist and programmer Brannon Dorsey displayed an art installation at the Radical Networks conference in Brooklyn which he calls Holypager. The idea is to bring attention to the breach of privacy. The installation simply prints out the pager messages as they are sent in real time, accumulating patient data that any visitor can pick up and read. He doesn't mention it on his page, but in one of the photos we see a HackRF One, antenna and Raspberry Pi hiding underneath the installation which is how the pager messages are received. A simple RTL-SDR could also be used as the receiver. Brannon writes:
Holypager is an art installation that intercepts all POCSAG pager messages in the city it resides and forwards them to one (holy) pager. The installation anonymizes all messages and forwards them randomly to one of three pagers on display. Each message is also printed on a contiguous role of receipt paper amassing a large pile of captured pages for gallery goers to peruse.
Pagers use an outdated protocol that requires all messages to be broadcast unencrypted to each pager in the area. It is the role of the individual pager to filter and display only the messages intended for its specific address. The pagers below have been reprogrammed to ignore this filter and receive every message in the city in real time. Today, these devices are primarily used in hospitals to communicate highly sensitive information between doctors and hospital staff.
Given the severity of the HIPPA Privacy Act, one would assume that appropriate measures would be taken to prevent this information from being publicly accessible to the general public. This project serves as a reminder that as the complexity and proliferation of digital systems increase the cultural and technological literacy needed to understand the safe and appropriate use of these systems often do not.
December 27, 2017 Courtesy of rtl-sdr.com