Top 8 GPS Jammers Myths Busted – For Full & Final

8 Myths around GPS jammers busted in this piece! Are they legal to use, costly, and easy to own? Find your answers within 5 minutes!

Amidst rising fuel costs, inefficient route planning, and failed on-time deliveries, “GPS Jammers” are the new nightmares for the field oriented businesses. 

GPS jammers are like haunted Bermuda triangles that spark various mysteries and misconceptions. Are these jammers legal, accurate, and safe? People are struck with such uncanny questions. 

Most field service reps know the regulations and penalties for using a GPS blocker app to manipulate their location or put fake driving logs. Some delivery drivers are using GPS jammers without fearing its legal consequences. Oh god, between the two, who is right?

Let’s unfold all the myths surrounding GPS blockers’ legality, and their impact on navigational & tracking services. We’ll, for final, shed some light on all the hidden truth beneath the misconceived notions about GPS jammers.

What are GPS Jammers?

GPS jammers are hardware devices that maliciously disrupt GPS signals to interrupt or hinder accurate location tracking and navigation. They shoot radio frequency signals that block or overpower legitimate GPS signals within their operational range — leading to inaccuracy or disruption.

8 GPS Jammer Myths – Debunked, Reality Unfolded!

Myth 1

💡GPS Jammers are Legal to Use

Reality – GPS jammers are legal to use for personal privacy or security reasons as well as navigation systems or emergency services only. But to a limit. However, their use is typically illegal in many countries because they can mess up critical infrastructure like navigation systems and emergency services.

Myth 2

💡Their Use is Harmless

Reality – Many believe that GPS jammers impact only the user’s own GPS signal without interrupting other’s signals. But the truth is they can disrupt GPS signals for multiple users placed nearby. Eventually causing potential harm or inconvenience to people in the vicinity. 

Myth 3

💡GPS Jammer Can Help Hide Current Location

Reality – Field managers can know when their field service reps use GPS jammers to block GPS trackers or use cheaply available GPS jammers to manipulate their current location data. Yes, field staff cannot manipulate their cell phone location data and block GPS tracking – without getting caught.

🔍 GPS Jammer Won’t Disappear Driver’s Location from the Map Many drivers think that by using GPS trackers, they can become invisible. The truth is the vehicle won’t appear as disappeared or missing on the live app. If a driver is using a mobile route planning app and is trying to block the GPS tracker with a jammer, the vehicle will still appear on the mobile app as a missing trip. (Jeez… they gonna know)

Brownie Tip 

If you want to detect the GPS jammers in your vehicles, many custom employee tracking software offer options to detect them and make it easy to send an alert whenever such an anomaly is detected.

Myth 4

💡They Have Limited Effectiveness (Hence, not threatening) 

Reality – Many people may think that GPS jammers are effective at blocking signals to only a limited range. Little did you know that they can disrupt GPS signals over a vast or significant area. Areas as vast as that could impact a wide range of navigational and logistics applications and services.

🔍 Do you know GPS reception can be jammed from 10 meters up to several kilometers?

Myth 5

💡 GPS Jammers Use is Only for Rich Folks 💸

Reality- GPS jammers are cheaply available on websites like eBay. Anyone can get them for as little as $50. Yes, you don’t have to be rich to get these blockers. Their reasonable price range is causing a serious threat to modern vehicles and mobile devices integrated with GPS hardware. 

These jammers are easy to purchase and install, putting GPS-dependent navigation systems at large risk.

🔍 For instance, if you are using an app like Google Maps to head towards a destination, the jammers can either block the app or misguide you in the wrong direction.

Myth 6

💡 GPS Jamming Devices are Only for Hiding Location Data (From Managers)

Reality – A jammer device or a signal jammer, isn’t limited to blocking locational data for individuals or on-field staff. These jammers are dangerous and can significantly disrupt critical communications services for emergency services such as police, ambulances, and firefighters.

Myth 7

💡  Installing jamming devices that claim to only block any vehicle’s GPS signals isn’t illegal.

Reality: It is illegal to market or operate any blocking device that interferes with or emits radio frequency signals in order to block GPS signals in states like United States. However, their use is exceptional in cases of restricted number of government-approved uses.

A radio-transmitting device is illegal for individuals to use if it is not approved by the FCC (federal communications commissions) or is not marked with an FCC identification number. For any query, one can contact the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau to figure out the device’s applications. 

Myth 8

💡 A manager can assume his field employee is using a GPS jammer if their vehicle location is wrong on the map.

Reality – Actually, no. It’s possible that an interrupted signal is not the result of a GPS jammer being used. Weather is frequently a factor in GPS signal reception blocking. However, in places where there isn’t a direct line of sight to the sky, like densely populated areas, tunnels, or occasionally underneath bridges, accuracy may be slightly off.

🔍 The GPS.gov website has stated that under typical weather conditions, GPS trackers can be considered accurate within 16 feet (95% of the time).

Here’s Your Final Takeaway!

In the light of deceiving GPS jammers, obstructing the navigation and locational tracking needs, it’s best not to do two following things:

• First – Not to trust half cooked truth or GPS jammer myths or hypotheses (without any proof).
• Two –  Thinking that every fleet management software offering GPS tracking is accurate and can fight off blockers (unless it’s TrackoBit).

The above myths around GPS jammers are now busted for final and real. Next time any suspicious signal block or wrong navigational data is noticed – you know what to trust!

TrackoBit comes with an efficient route planner, offering 99.9% accurate GPS tracking. Highly trusted for effective navigation and locational tracking for logistics, delivery and field service operations. Don’t believe us?

Try a Free Demo Today!

Trending Posts People Are Reading:

• What is travelling salesmen problem? Why it’s concerning for businesses?
• How does field service management software automate businesses?
• How lack of visibility hamper supply chain business profits?

FAQs on GPS Jammer

• How real is GPS jamming?

  GPS jamming is a real threat that can disrupt GPS signals and affect navigation systems, creating a risk to critical operations and safety.

• How do GPS blocks work?

  Radio signals are sent by GPS jammers, which interfere with GPS signals. This further ruins GPS satellite and receiver communication.

• What is a GPS jammer?

  A GPS jammer is a device that interferes in the GPS signals and prevents accurate location tracking or navigation within its range.

• Are GPS jammers legal to sell and use?

  In many countries like the US, selling and using GPS jammers is illegal due to the potential safety and security risks they come with.

• How do GPS jammers work?

  GPS jammers shoot radio signals that overpower GPS signals. This further disrupts communication between GPS satellites and receivers.

• What is the real use of a GPS Jammer?

  In order to thwart tracking, elude detection, or interfere with location-based services, GPS jammers are used illegally to interfere with GPS signals.

• What Is Jamming?

  The deliberate tampering or disruption of signals to hinder transmission, tracking, or communication within a certain area is known as jamming.

• What is the purpose of GPS tracker detectors?

  GPS tracker detectors are like counter surveillance tools that help in case when you feel someone is tracking you without any consent. The device is mainly used by law enforcement, business people, private investigators, and regular citizens who are cautious about their safety.