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CIRCUIT

IDEAS

creates a field, stores energy and trans-


MOBILE BUG S.C. DW
IVEDI fers the stored energy in the form of
minute current to the inputs of IC1.
 D. MOHAN KUMAR This will upset the balanced input of
IC1 and convert the current into the

T
his handy, pocket-size mobile quired for a mobile bug. corresponding output voltage.
transmission detector can sense Here the circuit uses a 0.22µF disk Capacitor C4 along with high-value
the presence of an activated capacitor (C3) to capture the RF signals resistor R1 keeps the non-inverting in-
mobile phone from a distance of one- from the mobile phone. The lead length put stable for easy swing of the out-
and-a-half metres. So it can be used to of the capacitor is fixed as 18 mm with put to high state. Resistor R2 provides
prevent use of mobile phones in ex- a spacing of 8 mm between the leads to the discharge path for capacitor C4.
amination halls, confidential rooms, get the desired frequency. The disk ca- Feedback resistor R3 makes the invert-
etc. It is also useful for detecting the pacitor along with the leads acts as a ing input high when the output be-
use of mobile phone for spying and small gigahertz loop antenna to collect comes high. Capacitor C5 (47pF) is
unauthorised video transmission. the RF signals from the mobile phone. connected across ‘strobe’ (pin 8) and
‘null’ inputs (pin 1) of IC1 for phase
compensation and gain control to
optimise the frequency response.
When the mobile phone signal is
detected by C3, the output of IC1 be-
comes high and low alternately ac-
cording to the frequency of the signal
as indicated by LED1. This triggers
monostable timer IC2 through capaci-
tor C7. Capacitor C6 maintains the
base bias of transistor T1 for fast
switching action. The low-value tim-
ing components R6 and C9 produce
very short time delay to avoid audio
nuisance.
Assemble the circuit on a general-
The circuit can detect both the in- Op-amp IC CA3130 (IC1) is used purpose PCB as compact as possible
coming and outgoing calls, SMS and in the circuit as a current-to-voltage and enclose in a small box like junk
video transmission even if the mobile converter with capacitor C3 connected mobile case. As mentioned earlier, ca-
phone is kept in the silent mode. The between its inverting and non-invert- pacitor C3 should have a lead length
moment the bug detects RF transmis- ing inputs. It is a CMOS version using of 18 mm with lead spacing of 8 mm.
sion signal from an activated mobile gate-protected p-channel MOSFET Carefully solder the capacitor in stand-
phone, it starts sounding a beep alarm transistors in the input to provide very ing position with equal spacing of the
and the LED blinks. The alarm contin- high input impedance, very low input leads. The response can be optimised
ues until the signal transmission ceases. current and very high speed of perfor- by trimming the lead length of C3 for
An ordinary RF detector using mance. The output CMOS transistor the desired frequency. You may use a
tuned LC circuits is not suitable for is capable of swinging the output volt- short telescopic type antenna.
detecting signals in the GHz frequency age to within 10 mV of either supply Use the miniature 12V battery of a
band used in mobile phones. The voltage terminal. remote control and a small buzzer to
transmission frequency of mobile Capacitor C3 in conjunction with make the gadget pocket-size. The unit
phones ranges from 0.9 to 3 GHz with the lead inductance acts as a transmis- will give the warning indication if
a wavelength of 3.3 to 10 cm. So a cir- sion line that intercepts the signals someone uses mobile phone within a
cuit detecting gigahertz signals is re- from the mobile phone. This capacitor radius of 1.5 metres. 

WWW.EFYMAG.COM ELECTRONICS FOR YOU • JANUARY 2008 • 135

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