If you are driving in the Monterey Area look out for Lidar

[dicklague]

the CHP in Monterey is using a lot more Lidar these days. Your radar detector will not do you any good. If you have a laser detector, the best it will do is tell you that they just got you. They seem to be be using it on the 1 and 101 north of Monterey. And on the 101 around King City.

Have a scanner tuned to the car repeater frequency may give you some warning of CHP activity and if they are working in teams may give you some chatter in advance. 154.905 is the frequency.

[rusnak]

does that frequency get picked up as a police frequency? or is it custom entered?

[TRE Cup]

i got nailed on 46 between the 5 and 101, in may. plain white wrapper; he just stood up and waived me over. The V-1 squealed too late for it to be any use.

They may be testing it in planes too; on my way south of king city, got the same laser squeal with no cars anywhere in sight. As i was behaving, there was nothing to worry about.

You have to pick where you play very carefully these days

[mcharus]

Watch for them them north of L.A. on the 14 just north of Palmdale around Ave M if your heading to Willow springs Raceway.
Just a motorcycle hard to see,with a cruiser on the on ramp.
I have a CHP buddy loves Lidar,but tells me he's a purist, likes to pace you, a V1 will see that Ka band. don't have one, lookin over my shoulder alot.

[dicklague]

I believe you have to custom enter it. You could use a $100 hand held scanner.

I have a Uniden Beartracker BCT8 that scans highway patrol frequencies in various states and gives priority to the above frequency which is the repeater between patrolman and bike or motorcycle. Means they are withing 2-3 miles. You get and audio and visual signal when they broadcast on that frequency.

Also scans aircraft frequencies....I have a couple of funny stories about aircraft frequencies in King City area.

The scanner is only effective if the CHP has set up a trap and they are communicating with each other about the Lidar readings. Or same with aricraft......they have to let the cars on the ground know what they are observing.

Not foolproof, but helps.

[dicklague]

CHP still uses lots of Ka band as well. I like the Beltronics detectors. Lot of power and sophistication for the money.

[Danny_Ocean]

Here's all the frequencies they use:

Department of the Highway Patrol (CHP) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

[dicklague]

that is a good complete list.

[alwaysflat6s]

dicklague: "I have a couple of funny stories about aircraft frequencies in King City area."

I have nothing worthwhile to add but would enjoy hearing these?

Keep those eye and ears peeled.

JR

[Trackrash]

Scanners are illegal in California. Has anyone had a problem using them in CA?

There is an Ap that supposedly will notify you of a speed trap. Anyone use it?

[Jagshund]

Are CA vehicles required to have front and rear registration plates? License plates somehow provide LIDAR solid returns. On 911s the headlamps and rear-reflectors could also provide beneficial reflective surfaces . . . for the cops . . .

[alwaysflat6s]

The scanner laws are rather like photo radar and red light cameras. Generally, scanners aren't illegal. Various ordinances have been passed but they aren't legal. Often a simply Google search will give your answers..but you always gotta be careful of online sources. This doesn't mean you can't get ticketed for any/all of the above but it does mean that they should dismiss the ticket before you can show up in court to dispute them. They get around the overriding laws by never fighting them in court and collecting their fines with the masses who just pay them. [I should mention that the cities that use red light cameras tend to go nuts with citing for no front plates, as that is the one they record.]

Are police scanners legal in California? - Yahoo! Answers
Possession of a Police Scanner

And California cars and trucks are required to have front plates. Widely ignored. It is an easy ticket but often ignored, as it provides a perfect excuse for a traffic stop when they might feel they really need it. Front plates are also perfect for aiming anti-enthusiast devices. Good target with excellent reflective qualities.

JR

[70SWT]

A good laser detector is of some use, just less use than for conventional radar. You may get a warning chirp when they scan the car in front of or next to you, or aim for you and just miss. This has been the case for me a few times. But you better be prepared to act fast...

Unfortunately for me, my V1 is so old (about 10 yrs) that the laser sensors are getting hypersensitive. Any light shining directly on them will set them off. Had to electrical-tape over the rear one.

[dicklague]

Wow scanners illegal!! come on. FCC allow anyone in the USA to monitor ANY frequency. Period. The quotes of laws above are not from the CA vehicle code.

When you are driving around using a scanner to listen to the weather band it is OK. But I flip to a CHP frequency and I am using a scanner in the commission of a crime!

I can see robbing a bank and having a scanner.....but driving?

If radar detectors are legal in CA, why are scanner illegal?

I say BS.

Anyone ever gotten sited in CA for a scanner??

[dicklague]

By the way, Bel and others have remote detectors that you can add a laser "shifter" to them. The shifter seems to be a laser detector that also sends out a laser signal with a very bright laser that sends an error message to the Lidar rather than a speed. These are banned in CA and other states......I can see why. They don't call them jammers, but the more polite term "shifter"

The shifter mounts on the front and rear of your vehicle. Laser beam sets it off and then it sends out the signal for a couple of seconds and shuts down. Google it.....lots of information out there.

[aigel]

Does anyone have data on speed limit enforcement / ticket revenue in CA over time? From personal experience I can attest that - with unchanged driving habits, basically not purposely going too fast, just flowing with traffic - my encounters have gone up significantly. The city police forces are working overtime in LA and the CHP is ever present nowadays. I.e. over the grapevine on I5 I have seen as many as 5 (!) cruisers simultaneously pulling people over on a 15 mile stretch.

George

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by STflared72T

A good laser detector is of some use, just less use than for conventional radar. You may get a warning chirp when they scan the car in front of or next to you, or aim for you and just miss. This has been the case for me a few times. But you better be prepared to act fast...

Unfortunately for me, my V1 is so old (about 10 yrs) that the laser sensors are getting hypersensitive. Any light shining directly on them will set them off. Had to electrical-tape over the rear one.

Send it to Valentine for an update...they'll fix that problem while adding PoP detection...

[Packy]

Originally Posted by dicklague

Wow scanners illegal!! come on. FCC allow anyone in the USA to monitor ANY frequency. Period. The quotes of laws above are not from the CA vehicle code.

When you are driving around using a scanner to listen to the weather band it is OK. But I flip to a CHP frequency and I am using a scanner in the commission of a crime!

I can see robbing a bank and having a scanner.....but driving?

If radar detectors are legal in CA, why are scanner illegal?

I say BS.

Anyone ever gotten sited in CA for a scanner??

If it is passive it is legal.

[Packy]

Originally Posted by aigel

Does anyone have data on speed limit enforcement / ticket revenue in CA over time? From personal experience I can attest that - with unchanged driving habits, basically not purposely going too fast, just flowing with traffic - my encounters have gone up significantly. The city police forces are working overtime in LA and the CHP is ever present nowadays. I.e. over the grapevine on I5 I have seen as many as 5 (!) cruisers simultaneously pulling people over on a 15 mile stretch.

George

CA needs more revenue since the economy sucks. This is one way to bring in $$$. They have been ramping up efforts and tickets for the last 2 years.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Packy

CA needs more revenue since the economy sucks. This is one way to bring in $$$. They have been ramping up efforts and tickets for the last 2 years.

We all "feel" that. I am interested seeing some stats. I bet efforts have doubled and revenue tripled since 2007. Anyone?

Cheers,

George