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To: Hodar
Can a computer chip make you GPS trackable?

Fair question - no. You need to have a transmitter and a battery to do this. It takes considerable power to provide this information; most of your cell phone is battery - any chip would need to have a large and continuously rechargeable battery to keep track of you over your life.

I agree you would not be GPS trackable, but you would be trackable by a series of RFID sensors. These can have ranges which are substantially larger than you think. Hundreds of yards. They can be placed along roads and highways, and you could be tracked pretty much anywhere in an urban environment.

You can defeat the sensors by placing the card in a faraday cage (any metal can will do and in a pinch wrapping it in aluminum foil would be sufficient).

Passports already have RFID chips and companies sell special bags and wallets to carry them in. I prefer a metal can (think overgrown Altoids can) which I think is much safer.

37 posted on 02/23/2013 10:58:19 PM PST by CurlyDave
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To: CurlyDave

The RFID depends upon it’s antenna for power. The range isn’t quite as far as you think, as it’s a 1/x^2 sort of exponential decay (I believe). There is a frequency burst, that activates the RFID, which then replies within so many microseconds.

Frankly, I think it’s a bit overblown - it’s really a case of data overload. A president who has no idea how to balance his own checkbook; who can’t find terrorists in this country, let alone overseas - is in charge. The tools are in place for more detailed tracking - however the “tools” in charge are hopelessly out of their depth.

As for a RFID inside your car, your car is effectively a faraday cage. However, one stuck to the underside of the car could easily be tracked as it goes over asphalt embedded scanners or readers.

If you are worried about your passport, your Altoids can will work, or, 10 seconds in a microwave oven and the RFID is dead.


83 posted on 02/24/2013 6:39:11 PM PST by Hodar (A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.- Burroughs)
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