SparkFun Forums

[Legal Concepts]

Check this Topic out, this was my original plans:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread. ... ost6897495
I was going to hack and cut wires and do some MAJOR modding.

Now I got many questions about the GM862 Cellular Module.
Reading on the product description all you need to do is install a Sim card from cingular wireless, and use AT commands and you can make phone calls, so I got a few Questions:

I'm not familar with PIC programing, I do however have a BASIC stamp 2, and I'm just learning the BASIC programming language, can the BASIC stamp 2 be programed to use a Dial pad and send AT commands to the module?

How would you program the GM862 to RECEIVE calls?

On the antenna, I live in a fringe area, and would like to use the Wilson Cellular Trucker Antenna with the 3-watt cellular amplifier, the Trucker antenna is dual band antenna, and wondering would this cause problems with the GM862 module?
http://www.alternativewireless.com/cell ... n-antennas

I'm new here and got lots of questions, but the GM862 to use as a alternate cell phone really looks promising!

[DynamoBen]

You can use the GM862 and a basic stamp. There is nothing in the stamp that would stop you from doing this.

That being said you may want to read through and understand the rotary phone project. http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/Port-O ... rotary.htm

It sounds to me like you want to do a similar thing but with a standard touch tone phone or old-style bag phone. This could be a pretty daunting and expensive project.

You may be better off with an off the shelf pre-paid phone and an external antenna. This might be a case where its "too much work for too little effect." Just a thought.

[SOI_Sentinel]

I see no reason the cell module won't work with the Stamp, either. AT commands are the same text commands sent to a modem to control its behavior. However, I have a hardware concern. The cell modules do not natively use the same connection as those Wilson trucker antennas. You're going to have to find an adapter.

[Legal Concepts]

I see no reason the cell module won't work with the Stamp, either. AT commands are the same text commands sent to a modem to control its behavior. However, I have a hardware concern. The cell modules do not natively use the same connection as those Wilson trucker antennas. You're going to have to find an adapter.

I should be able to build a adapter. http://pc-mobile.net/gpsant.htm should have what I need to go from a mmcx to FME


The MAJOR reasons I am interested in the modules is the tracking issue and privacy, todays cell phones MUST be E911 ready, and if you leave the GPS function on they can track you(they're doing this in missouri) again without YOUR permission! I'm thinking using the module I can avoid GpS tracking, but they can still track via triangulating the signal.

It sounds to me like you want to do a similar thing but with a standard touch tone phone or old-style bag phone. This could be a pretty daunting and expensive project.

Yes, I would love to have a "working" bag phone in my truck, however all bag phones are either analog or Satalite(I'm not THAT rich!)

The bag phones always atractted me,
A. the antenna isn't shooting RF into your brain, the antenna is part of the bag
B. the Bag phones have cords and handsets, I desire a REAL phone, plus it will be tough to loose because it's on a wire.

[DynamoBen]

"...if you leave the GPS function on they can track you(they're doing this in missouri) again without YOUR permission! I'm thinking using the module I can avoid GpS tracking.."

Its pretty clear from this statement you don't understand how E911 works. You have to be placing a call to a dispatch center for them to be able to read the GPS info from the phone. I hate to say this but the police have better things to do than to track you. If they do have reason to track you having a cell phone, email address, home phone, social security number, birth certificate, finger print, or DNA are all things working against you.

"the antenna isn't shooting RF into your brain, the antenna is part of the bag "

This argument really doesn't have any legs. You have to understand the difference between bag phones and modern cell phones. Bag phones usually put out about 4 watts, and had horrible battery life. Modern cell phones are in the milliwatt range and last for days on one charge. The reason they dropped in power was two fold, to reduce the size of the phones and an increase of cell sites. If your worried about RF brain cancer the bag phone shouldn't be your first choice.

Just go out and buy a prepaid phone or buy an old phone from a friend. Save yourself some money and time. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

[madcat207]

There may not be a need to reinvent the wheel, but that doesn't mean its not fun to try.

The whole idea of this site, is to be able to make things yourself (DIY). Alot of the things people make are probably already out there, and working jsut fine. But the fun of it is (assuming you do this for fun) is the joy of creation, making something yourself, and being able to use it. SOmetimes, there are more important things than JUST cost.

[Legal Concepts]

There may not be a need to reinvent the wheel, but that doesn't mean its not fun to try.

The whole idea of this site, is to be able to make things yourself (DIY). Alot of the things people make are probably already out there, and working jsut fine. But the fun of it is (assuming you do this for fun) is the joy of creation, making something yourself, and being able to use it. SOmetimes, there are more important things than JUST cost.

Exactly my intentions, this is fun, a learning experience.