Mosquito+Ringtone

= Mosquito Ringtone =

The cell phone is probably the most popular and ubiquitous technology on campus. Imagine, you don't need fiber optic cable, hubs, switches, Cat5 cabling, or expensive computers and printers. The students are already connected while we attempt to get them online.

The students won the war on cell phones. Can any of you remember when they were not allowed on campus? The policy at most schools is keep them out of sight. Well, the students are using them right under our noses. Have you heard of the Mosquito Rintone? It was invented in the United Kingdom to ward off mischievious teen agers. The tone rings at a decibel that adults over the age of say 25 generally can not hear.

The mosquito ringtone was created to keep young people from loitering around certain gathering places in England because while it bothered the young people, 25 and younger, the adults could not hear the tone. It works like your mosquito device at home. It drives away mosquitoes and young people.

Here is the article: http://architectures.danlockton.co.uk/2006/05/25/high-frequency-ringtone-download/

When a student wants to receive a clandestine text message from another student in class they download a "mosquito" ringtone. This tone operates in the 15000 khz range and adults over the age of 25 usually can not hear it. When a student sends them a text message the phone rings, but the teacher can't hear it. They look at the text message and send it back, right under our noses. The phone rings, but only the students can hear it. The teacher is usually clueless.

Our students are using the mosquito tone on their cell phones in class so that you as an adult can not hear the ringtone. They can hear it loud and clear. You cannot.

How can we use this to our advantage?

You can use this to your advantage. You might want to run a ringtone during prep time for example.

Did you ever have to clear out an area on campus and get kids back to class? 

Some recording devices can pick up the tone and report it as a wave on a computer screen. I have successfully done this with Audacity. It can be detected with the help of technology. I don’t think they know that we can detect it. Please do not tell them.

You can also detect when the ring (cell phone) goes off by body language. All the students in your room turn and look at the student with the cell phone that is going off. Now you know.

Here is a link to one of many Mosquito Ringtone sites that you can download the mosquito ringtone for free.

http://www.freemosquitoringtones.org/  The frequency dictates who can hear it.

8khz Everyone

10 khz 60 & younger

16 khz 30 & Younger

19 khz 24 & Younger

20 khz 18 & Younger

I recommend a ringtone of 19 khz or higher for peace and quiet. It is a wav file, but it should play on WMP or your cell phone. If you download it to your phone you could call yourself in a pinch. I downloaded it tomy cell and it cost $2.38. Whenever I need to clear an area I play my Mosquito Ringtone.