How to use the ECM Jammer in Payday 3

If you’re trying to sneak your way through a heist, cameras and guard radios will be your worst enemy, but the ECM Jammer can make them far easier to bypass. This device slows down cameras and guard radios, and they can be key to maintaining stealth.

To unlock the ECM Jammer, you just need to reach Infamy level 20, so you can start bringing this tool in heists early on. It can come in handy, too: it makes it easier to bypass cameras while you’re masked up, but you can also use it to help your teammates navigate camera-filled areas. Here’s a breakdown of what it does and why it can help you stay unnoticed in your heists.

What does the ECM Jammer do in Payday 3?

While it’s active, all radios and cameras work “stupid slow,” as its description says. In practice, this means you’ll get more time before you need to answer a radio, and cameras will also be slower to detect you.

When the Jammer is active, you’ll see an icon that looks like an H where the regular buffs are, and you can stack this gadget with other players for more effects. You only get one ECM Jammer, though, so use it carefully.

You’ll need to deploy the Jammer somewhere before you can trigger its pulse. Hold your Gadget button to equip the ECM Jammer, which will show a white outline where you’re aiming it. If you release the Gadget button, you’ll throw your ECM Jammer on that spot. You can leave it there, and when you need the extra help, press your Gadget button again to activate it.

ECM Jammer effects in Payday 3

While it’s easy to feel cameras and radios are slower, we did some testing on Dirty Ice on Normal to know exactly how much slower they would be. Normally, you have around five seconds to answer a radio after downing a guard, but the ECM Jammer pushes it up to nearly eight. That’s around a 50-percent increase, and the extra seconds absolutely make a difference.

We also tested the ECM Jammer on a camera by the corner of the manager’s office in Dirty Ice. On Normal, the camera took around four seconds to fully spot us while crouched. The ECM Jammer almost doubled that, pushing it to around eight seconds—just enough time for the camera to start rotating again before we were ever spotted.

We haven’t found a range requirement in Dirty Ice, either. We placed this at one of the invisible walls by the street and it still worked on the radio for the guard on the other side of the back gate. Our testing only applies to Normal mode, though, so your mileage may vary as you rank up.

Should you use the ECM Jammer in Payday 3?

Payday 3 has four gadgets at launch: the MicroCam, the Infrasonic Mine, the ECM Jammer, and the Motion Sensor. Each has its own benefits, but whichever you choose depends on your playstyle. The MicroCam can come in handy when you want to patrol individual spots, while the Infrasonic Mine can help stun civilians for a brief period of time.

The ECM Jammer is our weapon of choice, though. When we’re masked up and trying to be stealthy, being able to bypass a camera can be handy. We’ve also used it to support an unmasked teammate who wanted to cross camera-heavy areas.

The Motion Sensor is also a close second for us since it’ll ping any enemies that walk into its radius. Three meters might not be much, but it’s a free way to monitor two areas (since you get two sensors when launching a heist). Of course, your choice ultimately boils down to personal preference.