real time movement of a transmitter to be display using LABView or VB?

Question

i want to develop a display of moving transmitter using any software such as LABView or VB as abasic to mobile phone tracking... is it possible to develop it?? give me some ideas... 2 transmitter as a 'beacon' and a computer that display the movement... if it possible... real time movement

this only for educational... i want to develop it for my final year project, it is not just for mobile phone, i want to try it using small circuit to test it

Answer 1

If you have a device that transmits a low power signal on a single frequency it is possible. You would use an H antenna and by rotating the antenna the receiver will pick up a signal. The signal will change slightly from low to high strength depending on H antenna pointing at the source. This method was popular to tracking animals with a transmitter like dear and bears until GPS technology became available. Some instruments that you would likely need are a frequency counter and signal analyzer.

Answer 2

You can't track a cell phone. First of all, it is low power and only connects to the closest cell tower. Secondly, it uses spread spectrum. It doesn't transmit on one frequency but hops around and you have to know the hopping algorithm to know where it's at. Thirdly, it's illegal to receive cell phone signals and you could wind up in prison or with a few 10's of thousands of dollars in fines.