In recent years, the demand for vehicle-mounted jammers has been continuously increasing, especially for high-performance devices widely used in security, enterprise, economy and other fields. However, in device installation and vehicle modification, many users want to install the antenna in the car for concealment to prevent it from being noticed by the outside world. So do you think the antenna of the vehicle-mounted jammer can be installed in the car? Is this solution feasible? I will analyze it from aspects such as signal interference effect, safety from electromagnetic radiation and space utilization.
The scenario discussed today for the use of jammers concerns vehicles. Previous articles on vehicle jammers are: "To block the GPS tracking of your vehicle" and "Are GPS jammers effective against trackers?". If you are interested, you can take a look at it. Let's get to the point:
Conventional installation method of a vehicle-mounted jammer antenna
We normally install the antenna of the vehicle jammer on the roof of the vehicle, which has several advantages:
- Broad signal coverageYou will find that the antenna installed on the roof is at a higher position and can effectively transmit interference signals to the surrounding area, reduce signal blockage and improve the interference effect. Have you found it? This will make your jammer work better.
- Reduce the signal attenuationThe environment outside the car has a lower attenuation of radio signals, while the metal frame inside the car affects signal propagation. If you want to know why the metal frame inside the car affects signal propagation, you can read my article "The influence of wall materials on the penetrability of signals emitted by cell phone jammers" read. Although my article uses wall material as an example, my entire article actually analyzes the effect of materials on signal attenuation.
- Sufficient space for installationThe roof area is large and even high-power jammers with several antennas can be arranged sensibly to achieve the best effect.
- Foldable for storageSome vehicle-mounted jammers have an antenna folding mechanism that allows the antenna to be folded up so that it is less noticeable when not in use. You may not know that this function can be adjusted. Ask the manufacturer of the aerial you have purchased!
However, some of our customers believe that the disadvantages of mounting an antenna on the roof are also very obvious: The antenna is erected on the roof and is easily visible from the outside world, revealing the special purpose of the vehicle, and it is difficult to conceal. Our customers then considered whether they could install an antenna in their car.
Is it possible to install the antenna in the car?
Although hiding the antenna can improve concealment, installing the antenna in the car causes serious problems:
1. the signal interference effect is greatly reduced
The interior of a car is a relatively closed metal environment. The car body consists of metal frames, doors, roof panels, etc., which leads to significant attenuation and reflection of radio signals.
- Interference effect of metalsMetal materials themselves can interfere with electromagnetic wave signals, making it impossible for the interference signals to propagate effectively outside the vehicle and reducing the interference range.
- Multiple signal reflectionsIn a closed vehicle cabin, high-frequency signals are constantly reflected and superimposed, which can create hotspots inside the vehicle, while the interference effect outside the vehicle is greatly attenuated.
- Reduction of the antenna heightCar antennas usually require a certain height to increase the range of signal propagation. You can understand that installing the antenna in the car reduces the antenna height, making it easier for the interfering signal to be blocked by surrounding objects (such as other vehicles and buildings).
2. safety risks due to electromagnetic radiation
Did you know that high-power jammers emit strong RF signals? If the antenna is installed in the car, the occupants of the car are exposed to high-intensity RF radiation for long periods of time, which can pose a health risk. I am talking here about jammers with high output power. Most jammers do not have a high output power. Therefore, most jammers can be used in the car for a long time because their output power has no negative effects on the body.
- Increased radiation in closed roomsThe constant reflection of the signals inside the vehicle can lead to overlapping and increased intensity of the electromagnetic waves in certain areas, resulting in radiation hotspots.
- Risk of long-term exposureEven if short-term exposure to RF signals has only limited effects on the human body, long-term exposure to strong RF interference can have adverse effects on the health of drivers and passengers. Information on the effects of signals on health can be found at "Possible risks of Wi-Fi signals". Although this article uses Wi-Fi signals as an example to analyze potential risks, the principles also apply to other types of signals.
I can tell you that it has no effect on the body if the signal strength is within a safe range. However, if the body is in an environment with strong radio frequency interference for a long time, it is difficult to analyze whether it has an effect on the body.
3. is there enough space in your car?
Is there enough space in your car? If the antenna is installed in the car, there may be problems with space utilization:
- Maintain antenna spacingAntennas of different frequency bands must be kept at an appropriate distance from each other to avoid mutual interference, which means that a lot of space must be kept free in the car for the installation of the antennas.
- Seat and luggage compartment occupancy: Antennas and device hosts installed in the vehicle can take up space in the rear seat or in the trunk and thus impair the normal use of the vehicle and the storage of supplies. (The interior space is different for different models).
The best solution: Consideration of masking and interference effects
To find a balance between masking and interference effects, we can consider the following optimization solutions:
Use a foldable or concealed antenna (can be adjusted at the factory!):
A foldable antenna is installed on the roof. The antenna is folded out when in use and folded in when not in use to reduce the risk of outsiders discovering the installation of the device.
Thanks to the streamlined design of the antenna, it blends harmoniously into the roof and is less conspicuous.
Optimize the antenna installation position:
The roof is not positioned centrally, but distributed at the front and rear, which reduces the obvious "special vehicle" character.
By combining the roof antenna with the vehicle's side antenna, coverage is improved and the antenna is also less conspicuous due to its lower height.
Reduce the device current and improve antenna efficiency:
By optimizing the antenna design and improving the antenna gain, the expected interference effects can be achieved with a lower transmission power, thus reducing the effects of electromagnetic radiation on people in the car.
Use directional antennas for jamming to improve the accuracy of the jamming signals.
Based on our analysis above, you know that the antenna of the vehicle-mounted signal jammer is not suitable for in-car installation. The main reasons are:
- The metal structure inside the vehicle considerably attenuates the interference signal and thus reduces the range and effect of the interference.
- Strong high-frequency signals are reflected inside the vehicle, which can lead to excessive electromagnetic radiation and affect people's health.
- Space in the car is limited and the antenna installation takes up a lot of space in the car, which impairs the normal use of the vehicle.
After acquiring the knowledge described above, you know that the best installation solution for the antenna of the vehicle-mounted jammer is still to install the antenna on the roof or in a suitable place outside the car. At the same time, you can improve the concealment by folding the antenna, streamlining the design, optimizing the antenna distribution, etc. to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the jammer. However, you should keep the following in mind: My analysis above is based on high output power devices as an example. If the output power of the jammer you purchased is in the safe strength range, there is no problem even if you use the jammer in your car for a long time! If you do not know how to determine whether a device is suitable for prolonged use in your car, you can contact your device manufacturer!
