Anyone want Oki 900s?

[testmode]

Figured defcon might be a good venue where people would appreciate some Oki 900 phones and accessories that I have from previous fun projects. I bought a bunch and I have some left over that I didn't use.

If you don't know, the Oki 900 just happened to be the right phone at the right time for people to experiment with. It helped that the firmware was easily accessable and modifiable on a 27C512 prom. Without even doing any hardware mods, it had a nifty secret menu, it could scan cellular conversations, break in on calls, be a low cost signal generator, DTMF generator, and function as an adjustable powered, extremely stable bug. Interfaced with a computer (plans online), it could follow a specific call even though system handoffs, be a cellular system monitor, decode tower messages, decode DTMF, and a lot more stuff. With a firmware mod it could do even more that this...

If anyone is interested in buying one please let me know as I don't want to carry a ton of junk around that nobody wants (like I did at the last con).
I have the phones themselves, cigarette lighter power plug adaptors (they have all the pins so you can make CTEK cables out of them), long antennas, short antennas, flashing antennas, all kinds of batteries, drop-in chargers, etc.
I'll put package deals together with DEEP discounts if you want to get a complete system with chargers, antennas, batteries, etc.
Oh by the way, these accessory items are all brand new in boxes, not old refurb junk.

Terms would be cash, or trade if you have something REALLY interesting:

-I'm currently looking for older game console copier/hacking hardware like the CD64, Gameboy X-changer, old SNES copiers, Sega stuff, multi-carts, anything like that from present back to the Atari 2600 era.

-Cellphone equipment like old DDIs, pre-ban ESN copiers, etc. (PS does anyone know how to crack the password on Moto Flip ESN copiers?)

-Pager programming hardware

-Also interested in ham and commercial radio equipment and test equipment.

-COMSEC/SIGINT/eavesdropping/counterbugging/counter-spy hardware

-Anything electronic and strange.

Oh, I almost forgot- I also have data interface boxes for Oki 900s. They plug into the phone and give you a standard modular phone jack for attaching a modem, fax machine, credit card verifier, etc. They are small, about the size of a spare battery. You can also plug in any regular phone and have it act like a cell phone. You know you've always wanted to take a call in public on your parent's pink circa 1972 AT&T Princess rotary-dial-in-hanset phone.

[alklloyd]

The CTEK...nostalgia..

Al

[skroo]

The CTEK...nostalgia..

Funnily enough, there was a guy who turned up at LA2600 about a year and a half ago with a box full of junk he was getting rid of. At the bottom, buried under all the giveaways, was a CTEK cable that someone nearly THREW OUT because they didn't recognise it.

It's in one of my hardware drawers now :) Really glad to have found that; getting the components to make one is nigh-on impossible now. good timing!!

[alklloyd]

Funnily enough, there was a guy who turned up at LA2600 about a year and a half ago with a box full of junk he was getting rid of. At the bottom, buried under all the giveaways, was a CTEK cable that someone nearly THREW OUT because they didn't recognise it.

Nice. I never did get a CTEK cable, I can't even remember what the guy was asking for it ($50?). I did get the ATT model phone, but didn't do a lot with it. If it were 10 years ago I'd really be into this.

Al K. Lloyd

[skroo]

Nice. I never did get a CTEK cable, I can't even remember what the guy was asking for it ($50?). I did get the ATT model phone, but didn't do a lot with it. If it were 10 years ago I'd really be into this.

They're fun every once in a while, but there's just not that much call (no pun intended) for AMPS anymore. Oh well.

On a semi-related note, though, at the same meeting there was an old Motorola flip (not the 5500- or Star-Tac series) and AC battery charger/eliminator in the box. Folks were surprised to find out that by dialling 611 and requesting activation, you could still get analogue service. Silly rabbits.

[testmode]

CTEK design info is in the public domain now. (schematics and source code at http://www.hacksrus.com/~potom/ctek.htm ).Also people are still using Oki9's to clone and make free calls to this day (see:

http://www.collusion.org/Article.cfm?ID=414
http://www.hackinthebox.org/print.php?sid=15174

)

Mostly, the Oki900 is a neat tool and there's so much known about it's firmware that it's great to experiment with. The early Motorola phones (flips, bricks, bags) had a nice testmode too (and a cool ESN transfer feature) but you can't compare it to the publicly availalable C libraries for the Oki900 under computer control (also the whole Ctek protocol has been reverse engineered)

Unix Ctek control software (there's also a Sun-specific suite if you happen to be running Solaris. Of course there's lots of DOS software.
http://www.hacksrus.com/~potom/uctek.html

Library descriptions
http://www.nw.com/nw/ctek/info

lots of Oki documentation
http://members.fortunecity.com/phonehaxed/oki.html

Also check out issues 1 and 3 of radicalfuture at http://pdf.textfiles.com/zines/


There is still plenty of analog traffic (esp in the midwest) and towers still support 800mhz analog fallback.

One thing I'm still looking for is info on the so-called 'vampire' mod. Some people say it's urban legend, other people swear they've seen one. It purports to be a firmware-only or firmware+hardware mod that allows the phone itself to(somehow;tricking the VCO maybe?) to receive the reverse channel data and grab other phones' ESN/MIN pairs out of the air and use them). I'm not particularly interested in the illegal aspect of it (though it would be interesting to see in action) but rather, the possibility of turning an Oki into a walkie talkie since it can receive and transmit on the reverse channels.

[telemonster]

Now that the CTEK cable is open source, I might be interested in one. No interest in using it for illegal activity. Nostalgic.

I almost bought a 900 + CTEK off of a friend in 98 in NYC but he decided to keep it.

I had a Oki-700 which would do the good timing thing, but the LCD was only 1 line.

Another classic gadget would be the ICOM R-7000 add in and software that I believe made up the Cellscope (or did it use a R-7100?).

I'm told there is still an amazing amount of AMPS traffic to this day. I don't know who, perhaps car mount phones that people do not want to give up. It's been ages since I've seen someone sporting a DPC-550.

IIRC there was a program called Bananapia that hit. I didn't want to think about cell phones after almost getting tangled up in the Celco-51 fiasco (Cybersnare IIRC).

[Deviant Ollam]

I'm told there is still an amazing amount of AMPS traffic to this day. I don't know who, perhaps car mount phones that people do not want to give up. It's been ages since I've seen someone sporting a DPC-550.

is it possible that some of that is older infrastructure for utility companies or other such industries equipping field technicians and remote sites with connectivity through the cel network? i don't know how those field units work and how they connect to the main operations center... but i could see how a fleet of ruggedized diagnostic gear from 10 years ago could still be in service somewhere, perhaps. i could be way off in my assumptions, tho.

[noid]

is it possible that some of that is older infrastructure for utility companies or other such industries equipping field technicians and remote sites with connectivity through the cel network? i don't know how those field units work and how they connect to the main operations center... but i could see how a fleet of ruggedized diagnostic gear from 10 years ago could still be in service somewhere, perhaps. i could be way off in my assumptions, tho.

Theres a couple of things at play. FCC still mandates that AMPS remain in service, thats why its still out there. Also, there are infrasructure things that rely on it as well. Not sure if they are still this way, but all the remote call boxes on California's highways were 900mhz cell (hence the yagi's on top of the poles)

[telemonster]

is it possible that some of that is older infrastructure for utility companies or other such industries equipping field technicians and remote sites with connectivity through the cel network? i don't know how those field units work and how they connect to the main operations center... but i could see how a fleet of ruggedized diagnostic gear from 10 years ago could still be in service somewhere, perhaps. i could be way off in my assumptions, tho.

Actually, very good point. Over in Europe I've heard they are using GSM units installed in vending machines and such. The units use GPRS or some such to send home stats on inventory at the wee hours of the morning, when network usage would be at the low point.

I believe the Onstar service that is being pimped by GM or whomever was originally AMPS cruft. Could the MIN be read, the phone block be found and cars called upon in a prankly manner?

[skroo]

Not sure if they are still this way, but all the remote call boxes on California's highways were 900mhz cell (hence the yagi's on top of the poles)

AFAIK, they're still AMPS. OnStar's also invested heavily in AMPS for its underlying infrastructure (from what I gather), so it's probably safe to assume it'll be around through 2008 - this is the cutoff date for existing cellular carriers to have to support it.

[testmode]

Oki 9's On Sale Cheap- Time Running Out Waka Waka

Ok so that's... one maybe?

Seriously, if anyone wants one, please let me know, I want to get rid of the excess I have since I lost touch with the sceners due to a new job. Sources for the phones

http://sinisterelectronics.com/oki.html

generally run $200, even on eBay, broken or naked Oki 900s (no charger, antenna, etc) go for about $60-$100.

Anyway I'll put together packages of the Oki 900 phone, antenna, battery, and car charger/power cord for $75 (*). Note that the accessories are all brand new, manufacturered by AT&T, and in their original AT&T boxes (this is not aftermarket stuff).

I don't remember what I paid for the data interface boxes but I haven't seen them for sale anywhere else. They work with all of the classic 1990's phones; the DPC-500, 550, etc (Motorola flip phones), The brick (Motorola 8000 series), the bag (motorola bag/transportable/installed car phones), Okis, NECs, etc. The thing is you need a different interface cable for each phone. If you are interested in one of these PLEASE tell me what phone you want to hook up to so I can bring the right cable. Note that these are hardware RJ-11 jacks, and NOT a crappy acoustical adapter. These retailed around $200 but I'll sell them with one adaptor cable for $50 ea. Perfect for calling the next Celco-51?

If you are interested, please tell me before monday so I can put together the packages and bring the right number of them to the con.

Send me a PM here and we can move to emails if you want.


(*) Cash is great but I'm open to trades if you have any really neat stuff (see the first post). But please don't be insulted if I'm not interested in your trade offers, I am very picky or it just means I probably have one already!

[skroo]

generally run $200, even on eBay, broken or naked Oki 900s (no charger, antenna, etc) go for about $60-$100.

Proof positive that a fool and his money are soon separated. No matter how much history may be behind it... It's still a twelve-year-old cellphone.