How a Bug Detector Works

Bug detectors are RF (radio frequency) finders. Bug detectors will respond to any wireless device within its range.  This make searching for a bug difficult but not impossible.

Lets first look at what ranges a Bug detector will cover. Many detectors cover from 50MHz - 6.0GHz. This covers the normal frequencies that wireless devices use.
50 MHZ (megahertz) is the low end of the scale this is where you will find most voice transmitters. As you move up the scale to the GHZ (gigahertz) you get into the wireless camera frequencies.
MHz and GHz are just frequency denominators IE: 1000 MHZ is equal to 1 GHZ so a 2.4 GIG camera can also be considered to be a 2400 MHZ and a 5.8 GHZ can be a 5800 MHZ.
This is not to be confused with say a 10 meter radio that runs around 29.0 (lower than the range) or 27.0 (cb radio).

Between 50 and 6000 MHz are where most spy devices are located. The federal government uses between 406- 420 MHZ ( approx).

The process for locating bugs is simple but time consuming. You need to be aware of all the wireless devices you possess. This can include but is not limited to,
Baby monitors 900 - 1200 MHZ (many others)
Wireless Routers 802.11 -(close to 2.4 GHZ)
Cordless phones 5.8-6 GHZ
Some Cell Phones (approx) 900MHz
Wireless Keyboards and Mice
Wireless speakers
There are many other wireless devices that can set off a bug detector so everything that you know to be wireless needs to be turned off, so you can avoid false signals. Other things to keep in mind are that your neighbours may have wireless devices such as routers and cordless phones.

So to start the process turn off everything that you know is wireless. The simple conclusion here is that what ever else you find is a bug or a wireless camera but that is not always true. You need to take interference into account. There is RF everywhere and our bug detectors are sensitive enough to pick it up. RF is generated by microwaves TVs high power lines ans so on.  Di you ever walk under a high power line , like the big towers that run through the US. The feeling you get is RF so much rf that you can feel it. An experiment we used to do is hold a florescet bulb under the power line and it will light up. The RF activates the gas in the tube causing light.

How do you know if you find a bug? Well if you cant use the sensitivity setting on a detector to tune out the alarm . Then you start looking for devices. Bug detectors will not just light up and point to the bug, it is a process. If you get a reading from a solid wall go to the other side of that wall and make sure that ther are no other wireless devices in the area r that the house or apartment next door does not have a wireless router.

Remember that who ever put the bug is had to have access for a certain amount of time, you must take into account wether they had time to open a wall and then repair it so well that you cant tell. Look for more obvious places like in or around cluttered areas or under furniture. that is a much more likely location.