listening to lojack on a scanner

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matty909

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I recently programmed the lojack frequency into my scanner and was wondering if im within receiving range of a vehicle with its lojack activated will i here a "beep" (vehicle transmitting its i.d.) for a while now i hear what sounds like a data burst which im assuming is the towers identifying themselves with one another or running a self test to know there in proper working conditions. i know i cant see the i.d. nor track the vehicle like the police do, i just enjoy the monitoring of local activities. Any helpful information would be great

Thank you,
 

matty909

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I viewed the thread but it is geared more at decoding the signals the closest i found was they posted a link of audio from a stolen vehicle but the recording took place while in a police vehicle equipped with a lojack tracking device, i would like to know if i would be able to hear the beeping on my scanner or not unfortunately i have found no information or videos answering my question but here was the video with the beeping i would like to know if i could hear on my scanner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JwXwxeWc0Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 

dlwtrunked

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I viewed the thread but it is geared more at decoding the signals the closest i found was they posted a link of audio from a stolen vehicle but the recording took place while in a police vehicle equipped with a lojack tracking device, i would like to know if i would be able to hear the beeping on my scanner or not unfortunately i have found no information or videos answering my question but here was the video with the beeping i would like to know if i could hear on my scanner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JwXwxeWc0Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

You will most likely often hear (173.075 MHz) the high power data bursts from antenna towers with the transmitter licensed to state police. Hearing the beeps from actual stolen vehicles (which have to be close enough) are rare for most listeners-I have never heard one.
 

FFPM571

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Does anyone still use Lojack? It is rare to even see a squad anymore with the 4 antenna array
 

dave3825

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Plenty of 4 antenna array here on Long Island. I have heard pd tracking them. Like 1 a month but that's on only one precinct,,, we have 7 and that's just from one of our 2 counties..
 

dlwtrunked

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Does anyone still use Lojack? It is rare to even see a squad anymore with the 4 antenna array

Two million units customer units (cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, trucks, etc.) worldwide. In the US it is active in 29 states and DC. Commonly see the Doppler DF antennas on roofs of law enforcement in Virginia.
 
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NC1

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I thought with a GPS unit being installed in just about every vehicle manufactured in the last 10 or so years.
Almost any car, truck, or SUV could be found by the authorities just by entering the VIN in a special database. The ability is there but they rarely use it for the general public.

Whether people can access that GPS or not, it's in there. The computer in your car also records everything you do - what roads you were speeding on in the last month, if you came to a complete stop at every stop sign on 4/23/16, how many times you went to the liquor store the day before you got your DUI, and the last motel you went to while cheating on your wife.

This is one of the reasons why I am going to buy an old 1967 Chevy. And I will be able to work on it myself without having to need a computerized diagnostic machine.
 

ScannerSK

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i would like to know if i would be able to hear the beeping on my scanner or not unfortunately i have found no information or videos answering my question but here was the video with the beeping i would like to know if i could hear on my scanner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JwXwxeWc0Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Yes, this video is an exact example of what will be heard on a scanner when the police are actively tracking a stolen vehicle. Each tower broadcasts its data once every 64 seconds. When a stolen vehicle is not being actively tracked the data bursts from the vehicle slow down to about one data burst every 15 seconds or even slower in some units.

At one time, I was actively involved in searching for LoJack signals to turn over to the police. I have heard many LoJack transmitters over the past several years around the Denver area. Most often I have heard them pinging at the large police impound lots. At times stolen vehicles are towed off to the impound lot with the LoJack signal still pinging. So far, I have assisted in the recovery of three stolen LoJack equipped vehicles around the Denver area using just a police scanner. I did not have the code however the police would obtain the code as soon as they arrived in the area. The signal strength goes up quite dramatically on a scanner signal strength meter once a person gets within several blocks of the stolen vehicle so there is no need to get close.

A LoJack representative visited me and advised me to leave this to the police to stay out of getting in trouble. That cooled off my interest in LoJack substantially. I would still report one to the police if heard coming from a neighborhood or supermarket (if transmitting in the slow non-tracking mode) however I don't have the enthusiasm I once did to actively search for them. If I bump into one, I bump into one and if not, then not. What would really be great is to turn one over to the police which turns out to be located at a large chop shop with hundreds of stolen vehicles.

Shawn
 

dave3825

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A LoJack representative visited me and advised me to leave this to the police to stay out of getting in trouble. That cooled off my interest in LoJack substantially.

Shawn

How did a rep visit you and how, other than if you have no scanner in car laws, how would you get in trouble? What would you have been doing wrong?

Just curious.
 

wtp

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just thinking...

you are a great radio DF kind of guy.
you track a lojack car to within a couple of hundred feet.
you now get to meet the guys who stole the car.
you are armed with a radio and a yagi
they have guns.
 

greggk

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you are a great radio DF kind of guy.
you track a lojack car to within a couple of hundred feet.
you now get to meet the guys who stole the car.
you are armed with a radio and a yagi
they have guns.


Tell them you are great lawyer and not to worry. :D
 

ScannerSK

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How did a rep visit you and how, other than if you have no scanner in car laws, how would you get in trouble? What would you have been doing wrong?

Just curious.

The police asked for my name each time I reported a LoJack unit so they had my name and therefore also my address. One thing I did not expect was for dispatch to give my full name out over the air which they did on at least one occasion. The rep stated he once had a fleeing stolen vehicle side swipe his vehicle (he was in the wrong place at the wrong time) before stating to me to leave it to the police to avoid getting into trouble. I guess staying out of trouble would mean staying away from the vicinity of bad guys and away from the vicinity of a known stolen vehicle. Sounds like good common sense to me.

I'm occupied by less dangerous hobbies these days such as monitoring VLF radio astronomy signals created by the Northern Lights and lightning. Can't go wrong there!

Shawn
 

matty909

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Yes, this video is an exact example of what will be heard on a scanner when the police are actively tracking a stolen vehicle. Each tower broadcasts its data once every 64 seconds. When a stolen vehicle is not being actively tracked the data bursts from the vehicle slow down to about one data burst every 15 seconds or even slower in some units.

At one time, I was actively involved in searching for LoJack signals to turn over to the police. I have heard many LoJack transmitters over the past several years around the Denver area. Most often I have heard them pinging at the large police impound lots. At times stolen vehicles are towed off to the impound lot with the LoJack signal still pinging. So far, I have assisted in the recovery of three stolen LoJack equipped vehicles around the Denver area using just a police scanner. I did not have the code however the police would obtain the code as soon as they arrived in the area. The signal strength goes up quite dramatically on a scanner signal strength meter once a person gets within several blocks of the stolen vehicle so there is no need to get close.

A LoJack representative visited me and advised me to leave this to the police to stay out of getting in trouble. That cooled off my interest in LoJack substantially. I would still report one to the police if heard coming from a neighborhood or supermarket (if transmitting in the slow non-tracking mode) however I don't have the enthusiasm I once did to actively search for them. If I bump into one, I bump into one and if not, then not. What would really be great is to turn one over to the police which turns out to be located at a large chop shop with hundreds of stolen vehicles.

Shawn


Thank you very much shawn that was the answer i was looking for. Im sure ill be fine it i call in a local signal because ive called in plates to dispatch and if there stolen i give them the location, my name, phone number, and im never in a rush so i tell the ill hang with the vehicle till the officer secures it. Ive never had a problem but i guess i have there trust because a solo officer dealing with two guys and no backup so i backed him up till other officers arrived then i backed off and he asked if i can check around the front of a store to see if the dropped a gun, ended up being a prank call haha but good to know if i help them out they'll help me out
 

ScannerSK

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ive called in plates to dispatch and if there stolen i give them the location, my name, phone number, and im never in a rush so i tell the ill hang with the vehicle till the officer secures it.

Kind of off topic but here in Colorado there is a website to check to see if a vehicle is stolen by model year and VIN#: https://www.colorado.gov/apps/dps/mvvs/public/entry.jsf

I'm not sure if anyone uses it but it could be useful I'm sure at times.

Shawn
 

matty909

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Does that also cover california? It would be nice to put together a local hot sheet for my employees due to the fact that we get alot of stolen vehicles dumped in our shopping center and it would be easy for them to read the list and some of them aren't the best with words when they call in plates (im the director of security) and i feel it you be easy to check plates that way then calling pd 3 times a night
 

KK4JUG

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Nearly all departments of any size have the "hot" sheets. It's public public information in most states but that doesn't mean they'll give it to you willingly. Get to know the beat cop and maybe he can give it to you.

On the main theme of this thread, I can't imagine why anyone would want to listen to Lojack transmissions. I can see all kinds of trouble coming from being around a stolen car.
 

RRR

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So what is the frequency from the "stolen" car that is broadcast out?
 
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