Elaman / Gamma Group products

Note : this page details the products marketed by the german company Elaman and the multinational Gamma Group.

According to documents from the Spy Files (a large collection of documents leaked from 2011 to 2014 by Wikileaks) dated from 2011, it seems that Elaman and Gamma Group (through its subsidiary Gamma Technical Surveillance Equipment) market exactly the same surveillance products. For example, the 2011 first quarter newsletter from Elaman and the corresponding newsletter from Gamma Group are almost the same and present the same products. Therefore, on this page we will consider that the two companies market the same surveillance products and make no difference between them.

2011 catalog

Elaman 2011 catalog was leaked in the Spy Files in 2011. It can be downloaded as one archive of about 200 MB. The archive contains catalogs of the products marketed by the company, and technical specifications for hundreds of products. These products include physical surveillance devices : audio, video, and tracking surveillance systems, but also surveillance vehicles, methods and tools to defeat locks and alarms, and counter surveillance equipment.

In this section, we will take an interest in the physical surveillance devices marketed by Elaman / Gamma Group in Elaman 2011 catalog. All mentions to page numbers refer to the Technical Surveillance Equipment Catalogue, accessible in the archive at “elamancat/C/2_Technical Surveillance Equipment Catalogue.pdf“.

Audio surveillance devices

One of the smallest surveillance microphones in the catalog (14.5 x 7.2 x 3.5 mm without the cable). It can transmit data using radio frequencies but requires an external power supply and has no internal memory.

The audio surveillance devices are described on pages 67-87, 95-123 and 127-152. They are designed to be hidden inside buildings, vehicles, or outside. They offer a large range of features:

  • Sound acquisition:
    • Most devices include standard microphones that convert sound into an electrical signal using electromagnetic induction.
    • A few devices include optical microphones that convert sound into an electrical signal by using optical fiber to sense changes in light intensity. These devices are immune to electromagnetic interference. Their electronic components can be separated from the microphone head by up to 1km of optical fiber : the microphone head containing no metal parts, it cannot be detected with standard detection equipment such as non-linear junction detectors.
    • A few devices include contact microphones that convert sound into an electrical signal by sensing audio vibrations through contact with solid objects. These devices are able to listen through walls, doors, windows or other obstacles. The most advanced device of this kind in the catalog can listen through walls up to 80cm wide.
    • A few devices allow the tapping of classic phone lines on the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
  • Data transmission : sound data captured by the devices can be transmitted:
    • By radio frequencies (up to 2 kilometers)
    • On the GSM network, either with voice – by calling a pre-determined phone number when sound is detected – or with data
    • Using power-line communication (PLC) to transmit data over a building electrical power wiring system. Using PLC, a surveillance device connected to a building electrical system can transmit data to a receiver connected at another point of the same electrical system, allowing to transmit data without using radio frequencies.
  • Energy source : devices can be powered by batteries or external power supplies. Very small power adapters that can be used to power the devices from an electrical system are documented on pages 79-80. Some devices are designed to be powered by vehicle batteries.
  • Energy saving : in order to save battery power, some devices are able to record only when sound is detected
  • Remote control features : many of the devices can be remotely controlled (by radio frequencies or the GSM network) in order to:
    • Turn the device or on off, to save battery power or prevent detection
    • Obtain the audio data stored in the device internal memory
    • Change the device operating frequency, to avoid interferences or counter detection attempts
    • Obtain the device status, such as its battery life
  • Repeaters : devices called repeaters can be used to receive an audio surveillance device data through radio frequencies and transmit it:
    • By radio frequencies, thus extending the transmission range
    • On the GSM network
    • On a classic phone line on the public switched telephone network (PSTN)
  • Discovery detection : a few devices are equipped with light sensors in order to detect when the device is discovered and send an alarm to the device user by SMS
  • Motion sensor : some devices designed to be hidden in vehicles or other moving objects include a motion sensor that activates the device when the vehicle or object starts moving

In addition to these features, special types of audio surveillance devices appear in the catalog:

  • Spy phones (on page 85) are specially designed mobile phones that can be remotely controled in order to intercept the SMS and calls going through the phone. They can also be remotely activated in order to record audio without the phone showing any sign of the activation. Note that these spy phones are specially designed for this purpose, and the catalogue does not include a way to turn a standard mobile phone into a spy phone.
  • Very thin microphones (on page 139) are designed to be inserted into plaster walls, or other walls after drilling a small hole.
  • Microphone arrays (on pages 141-146) use a large number of microphones in order to precisely capture audio incoming from a specific region of the space surrounding the microphone array.

Video surveillance devices

One of the smallest surveillances cameras in the catalog (14 x 15 x 9 mm). It requires an external power supply and a cable connection to transmit the recorded video.

The video surveillance devices are described on pages 199-231 and 302-329. They are designed to be hidden inside buildings, vehicles, or outside. They offer the following features :

  • Video recording in color or black and white – for the same features, color cameras are usually a bit bigger than black and white cameras
  • Microphones can be connected to the video surveillance devices to record audio in addition to video
  • Data transmission by cable, radio frequencies (up to 4km) or on the GSM network
  • Some devices are able to zoom in on images with a zoom up to 220x
  • In order to record only when it is necessary, some devices can be activated by sensors:
    • Passive infrared sensors (PIR) detect movement even “in the dark”
    • Vibration sensors
    • Pressure sensors that can be hidden under doormats or carpets

One device (on page 204) is designed to be hidden behind walls in the corner of a room. To work properly, the camera only requires a hole with a diameter of 0.8mm to be drilled in the wall.

Tracking devices

GPS tracker marketed by Elaman / Gamma Group – in the shape of a metal plate, is is designed to be hidden on a cargo shipping container.

The tracking devices are described on pages 50-63. They are designed to be hidden inside or attached outside a vehicle or another moving object. They offer a large range of features:

  • Tracking methods:
    • The device sends a signal on radio frequencies which is received by the user of the device (up to 3 kilometers) and used to estimate its own location
    • The device uses GPS to obtain its own location
    • The device uses the identifiers of the GSM cells it connects to to obtain its own location
  • Data transmission : location data can be transmitted:
    • By radio frequencies received by the spy (up to 3 kilometers)
    • On the GSM network to pre-determined phone numbers, either with SMS or data
  • Data transmission frequency : location data stored inside the device (up to 300.000 location points) can be transmitted:
    • On time intervals chosen by the user
    • On a time schedule chosen by the user
    • On demand, when the user commands the device to transmit the data – the device can be commanded using radio frequencies or the GSM network
    • When an alarm is triggered by geofencing – that is when the device enters or leaves specific areas chosen by the user
  • Energy source : devices can be powered by non-rechargeable batteries, rechargeable batteries, or connected to the vehicle electrical system – for example, one device is designed to be connected to a car cigarette lighter
  • Energy saving : in order to save power, some devices can enter a “dormant mode”:
    • When the vehicle or object isn’t moving (thanks to a motion sensor included in the device)
    • At specific times chosen by the user
    • Until the user commands the device to wake up from the dormant mode
  • Fast installation : some devices include a magnet in order to be quickly attached to a target vehicle
  • Audio recording : microphones can be connected to some devices to record audio, which can be transmitted along with the location data

Other surveillance devices

Pages 369 and 371-373 describe devices designed to be connected to a computer keyboard or hidden inside it in order to record all the keys typed on the keyboard. The recorded keystrokes can be stored in the device internal memory, or transmitted by radio frequencies or on the GSM network.