What kind of setup is this?

[wannabescannist]

I was downtown & noticed an unmarked unit with an antenna setup I've never seen on a Crown Victoria. He was an older guy [had on a golf-type hat]. Can anyone identify what system he probably uses, cause I know not all Crown Victorias with M-license plates are police officers.

 

[jim202]

It is hard to tell from the angle of the photo. However it looks like those are elivated feed 800 MHz
antennas. It would have been a little more help if you got a side angle so the roof line and other
buildings didn't blend in with the antennas so well.

The raised feed gets the radiation up higher so it tries to negate the roof of the vehicle causing
a shield to the radiation direction of the antennas.

Jim

I was downtown & noticed an unmarked unit with an antenna setup I've never seen on a Crown Victoria. He was an older guy [had on a golf-type hat]. Can anyone identify what system he probably uses, cause I know not all Crown Victorias with M-license plates are police officers.

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

Its realy hard tell, I have seen uhf feed antennas like this before on an unmarked for my local pd. But it was sold black with a coil (like a cell phone antenna). From the picture it looks like their all the same thing, that in itself is werid.

 

[kevino]

CTA remote video surveillance?

I believe that the antennas on this car are likely hooked to equipment that allows the remote viewing of video cameras in CTA busses, etc. - though they're difficult to see, the same antennas appear to be mounted to CPD Transit Detail car at http://tinyurl.com/4v6l95 . An article about this system can be read at http://tinyurl.com/3lzndu .

 

[FFPM571]

Its realy hard tell, I have seen uhf feed antennas like this before on an unmarked for my local pd. But it was sold black with a coil (like a cell phone antenna). From the picture it looks like their all the same thing, that in itself is werid.

What you were seeing is a Sti-co dual band UHF/VHF antenna

 

[KB9LIQ]

Also an M plate does not mean a police officer. It's just a munuciple plate so it could be anybody that works for them.

 

[wannabescannist]

I believe that the antennas on this car are likely hooked to equipment that allows the remote viewing of video cameras in CTA busses, etc. - though they're difficult to see, the same antennas appear to be mounted to CPD Transit Detail car at http://tinyurl.com/4v6l95 . An article about this system can be read at http://tinyurl.com/3lzndu .

Thanks for the link, great info. Never knew CTA was going the wireless route, no pun intended.

Here's another link [with pictures] on the topic.

"The Mobile Security Network, MSN for short, is a $2.4 million project aimed at enhancing public safety and security using wireless systems that transmit video from networked buses and train stations to Chicago police and CTA vehicles."

Also an M plate does not mean a police officer. It's just a munuciple plate so it could be anybody that works for them.

Exactly; which is why my curiosity increased.