|
| Home > FAQ on different themes > |
| FAQ: California Driving (and Surviving) |
Section 4 of 4 - Prev - Next
All sections - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
mobile extenders were an afterthought, and that bid/contract was won by GE.
The user interface was a simple on/off switch, and the state radio shop
people mounted it in the Motorola control head. It was a toggle switch
labeled with a Dymo tape "repeat enable/disable" (or "extender on/off" or
"portable on/off").
The average officer soon discovered that leaving the extender switch in the
"on" position worked just fine. They turned off the hand-held to shut off
the "repeater", not realizing that the mobile side of the extender was still
on. Probably 99% of the CHP officers left it on for the entire shift. With
the almost constant activity on the CHP dispatch channels, this 154.905mhz
vehicle transmitter behaved like a 1/4w beacon, providing between 1/4 to 1
mile notification of the location of a patrol car.
Now the spoiler: The CHP is replacing (has replaced here in my area) _all_
of their Motorola Micor/GE extender radio packages. The new radios are all
GE, with CHP-designed control groups. (The state Red Cross got 90% of the
radios for the 47.42 - 47.62 freqs. A few of them went to other state
agencies, like the Office of Emergency Services). The 1991 Southern
California edition of the "Police Call" frequency listing has a nice writeup
on the CHP-designed control groups, as I remember. They even got 90% of it
right.
The new design forces the officers to disable the extender when they are in
the patrol car. Listening to 154.905 while mobile now just tells you where
a CHP car is _stopped_, with the officer out of the car, as opposed to
before when it would tell you where a stopped or a moving one was...
Here is the frequency map of the CHP hand-helds as I have it.
F1: 154.905 with the primary tone. (NOTE 1)
F2: same 1st alternate tone
F3: same 2nd alternate tone
F4: 154.920 (CLEMARS 1) - Base side of CLEMARS
F5: 154.935 (CLEMARS 2) - Mobile/Portable CLEMARS
F6: 156.075 (CALCORD) (NOTE 2)
F7: 155.475 (CLEMARS 3 / NALEMARS) (NOTE 3)
Abbreviations: CLEMARS: California Law Enforcement Mutual Radio System.
CALCORD: California Coordination - a statewide "on-scene"
channel
NALEMARS: National Law Enforcement.... A federal version
of CLEMARS.
Note 1: With the old hand-helds (2 freqs - 154.905 and 154.920) there was no
way that two units from different areas (i.e. different dispatch
frequencies) could have their extenders operational at an out-of-vehicle
scene -- when an officer transmitted, both mobiles would be brought up.
the remainder of Note 1 explanation is from the post of scotto@ipars.cts.com
(Scott O'Connell) on 14 oct 1991:
The receiver of the extender has an attenuator making a low wattage HT
usable for only a short distance (typically less than 50yds). To make sure
there is only one extender being used within close proximity each vehicle
extender sends a short burst tone to see if others are active. If it is
within range of another active extender it doesn't turn on at all. The HT
is then using the other vehicle radio (the one that was already turned on).
Now for the PL explanation. There are three channels on CHP HT's that
relate directly to the extender. Channel 1 (also called PP or Person to
Person) does not transmit any tone nor does it decode. It is meant for HT
to HT use. Channel 2 has a subaudible tone on transmit allowing the officer
to talk to dispatch. (ie, transmits on the input freq of the lowband radio)
Channel 3 has a different subaudible tone on transmit allowing the officer
to talk to other officers. (ie, transmits on the output of the lowband
radio) All channels are carrier squelch on the receive so that PP can be
heard regardless of other traffic.
I hope this clears up why there are three 154.905 channels on the HT's.
Note 2: 156.075 is also the Ship TX side of Marine channel 61 (paired with
160.675 Ship RX). I understand some re-thinking of the use of this
frequency is going on. It seems to be pretty useless in coastal areas.
Note 3: 155.475 I have been told that this channel has multiple PL tones. I
have also been told that the CHP handheld is 10 freq - capable. Maybe this
channel has multiple appearances like F1-F2-F3. More info is needed.
Another rehash of the low band channels is in the works since LA County
Sheriffs is moving to 800 or 900 mhz. The CHP has acquired all of the 39mhz
LASO channels and is slowly moving to change all of the low band dispatch
operation to full repeat. My sources do not know if the mobiles will be
transmitting on 39mhz and listening on 42mhz or vice versa. It does not
make much difference to the GE mobiles since they cover the full 30-50 mhz
just fine (as opposed to the old Micors that covered 42mhz to 50mhz only.
Does anybody have any info?
47.But aren't most citizens prohibited from using mobile radio scanners?
from parnass@ihlpy.att.com (Bob Parnass, AJ9S) on 4 nov 91:
Anyone interested in US state and federal laws relating to radio monitoring
should check out Frank Terranella's "Listener's Lawbook." It is available
for $9.95 (plus $2 UPS) from Grove Enterprises, 140 Dog Branch Road,
Brasstown, NC 28902.
I am not an attorney, but I have a 1989 issue of Frank's earlier work,
"ANARC Guide to US Monitoring Laws," and will summarize from that book.
California monitoring laws may have changed, but here are the laws of
interest to Californians as they were in 1989:
- Penal Code s 632.5 makes it a crime to maliciously monitor cellular radio
telephone calls.
- Penal Code s 635 outlaws the manufacture, sale, and possession of devices
primarily or exclusively designed or intended for eavesdropping on
cellular phones.
- Penal Code s 636.5 makes it illegal to divulge any police radio service
communication you hear on your radio to a criminal or to assist in the
commission of a crime or help a criminal evade the law.
In addition, Californians are subject to the same federal monitoring laws as
other Americans. The most important one to remember is the Electronic
Communication Privacy Act of 1986 which makes it a crime to listen to
cellular or mobile radio telephones or common carrier paging, and outlaws
descramblers.
Section 705 of the Communications Act of 1934 makes it illegal to divulge
the contents of what you hear on your radio to others unless the
conversation was on ham radio or the citizens' band.
Recycling
48.Where can I recycle used motor oil?
In the San Francisco South Bay Area, if you are a homeowner, you can
arrange for curbside pickup by calling the following numbers:
Campbell 408-354-2100 Morgan Hill 408-779-7248
Cupertino 408-993-9440 Mountain View 415-967-3034
Gilroy 408-848-0450 Palo Alto 415-967-3034
Los Altos 415-961-8040 San Jose 408-277-2700
Los Gatos 408-354-2100 Santa Clara 408-727-3044
Milpitas 408-432-0444 Saratoga 408-354-2100
Monte Sereno 408-354-2100 Sunnyvale 408-734-2330
If you're a renter in the San Francisco South Bay Area, you have to bring
your used motor oil to a recycling center. Here are the numbers for some of
those:
Los Gatos Recycling Center 408-354-6808
Palo Alto Recycling Center 415-329-2495
Sunnyvale Recycling Center 408-730-7262
Mountain View, Foothill Disposal Co. 415-967-3034
Santa Clara Recycling 408-727-3044
San Martin Transfer Station 408-683-4443
Alternatively, you can call 1-800-553-2962 for a listing of local service
stations which accept used motor oil for a fee, usually $0.25 - $3.00 per
gallon. There's also the Household Hazardous Waste Program, reachable at
408-299-7300. That same number can also provide you with dropoff sites
for used antifreeze, and perhaps other automotive waste as well.
49.What about recycling in other parts of California?
Well, right now, I'm soliciting this information. If you have such
information yourself, please feel free to send it to me and I'll add it to
the next version of the FAQ.
from rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) on Thu, 2 Dec 93 05:18 PST:
On recycling oil in Southern California: I know Bruce's Auto Service
(8042 23rd St., Westminster, 92683, 714/891-1999) accepts used motor
oil. They have a large waste oil tank which I guess is cleaned out
monthly. They also happen to be among of that class of rara avis: the
honest mechanic.
--
----
George J. Wu, Founder Software Development Connoisseur
Gourmet Software Design Consulting Expertise in
georgewu@netcom.com GUIs, Galaxy, Motif, C++, OOP, UNIX,
415-964-4381 EDA CAD, and network management
Section 4 of 4 - Prev - Next
All sections - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
| Back to category FAQ on different themes - Discuss "FAQ: California Driving (and Surviving)" |
| Home - Search - About the project - Forum - Feedback |
© allanswers.org | Terms of use