CA - New Camera's on HWY 280, Radar?

**nmaple** · 07-02-2005, 02:49 PM

Anyone else on this board commute on between San Jose and San Francisco on HWY 280 and notice the new camera's installed most of the way and activated in the last two weeks?

They set off the K-Band of my 8500, and unfortnatuely appear to be real K-Band signals.

The cameras themselves appear more to be just solar powered video cameras...

Any ideas ?

**V1 Dave** · 07-02-2005, 08:45 PM

I am experiencing the same thing this week on HWY 580 from Dublin to Oakland and back.
I thought it was the Bart tracks. Every few miles I get a weak or full tone on K band.
Drone radar's really suck.
If this keeps up it is going to force us to shut down K band.
I thought drone radar signals were illegal by the FCC :?:

**911crash** · 07-05-2005, 03:59 PM

They have been very busy on 280 of late. In the last 2weeks, they have installed at least 8 of what appear to be solar powered units between 92 and El Monte. Not sure if they are tied to a camera as it appears to be a solar panel and radar unit. Maybe a camera is buried in it as well. I am anxious to see what happens at night. I haven't been out there at night since I first discovered them.
I would like to know more as it ruins my commute.

**gustog** · 07-06-2005, 09:35 AM

I've just started to notice the drones as well on 280. I believe they are part of the expansion of the 511 information system in the Bay Area. See the link below for more info.

http://traffic.511.org/default.asp?reload=1

**nmaple** · 07-08-2005, 11:06 PM

Thanks all for your comments. Part of the 511 system seems like it could be a logical extension, and the 511 site does mention use of "off-pavment" technologies.....

Still as 911crash sates, ruins my commute also. For now I have had to disable K-Band, which I have noticed some local sheriff's still use.

I have done the trip at night, and the same effect is in place. I was faster than other traffic, and as best I know did not suffer....

**stimilon** · 07-09-2005, 04:14 AM

I've found some info on the CalTrans website about the cameras... I think they do work in conjunction with the 511 site. They seem to only monitor traffic flow and not specific drivers, but could be wrong. They're called "SideFire Radar Detectors" and more info can be found at http://ruralits.org/hq/research/road...h_hardware.htm
http://ruralits.org/hq/research/oper...tionalilty.htm
and
http://ruralits.org/hq/research/oper...c/analysis.htm

**Alexander** · 07-09-2005, 07:38 PM

Interesting discovery, stimilon. It looks like the radar is only being used to detect the presence of vehicles in the lane for flow rate, not the speed of individual vehicles, and the camera is only there for setup/debugging purposes. (Camera uses a WiFi link, which wouldn't be useful very far from the system.) So it probably has nothing to do with speed enforcement.

But, I also noticed quite a few motorcycle cops hanging out on the side of the road (CHP motorcycles use K-band, right?), and was actually pulled over by a CHP cruiser doing 83 in the middle of the day with moderate traffic, which seems a little unusual. It would certainly make radar speed enforcement easier, even if that wasn't the intended goal.

Anyway, if anyone has more information, I'd be very interested to hear it. I hope these are as temporary as that site seems to imply.

**V1 Dave** · 07-09-2005, 10:05 PM

Only found one so far on HWY 680. 580 is loaded with them.
It is between the 580/680 interchange and the Stoneridge exit.
When I am southbound in the morning I will get either a slow beep or a strong full tone K band like instant on as it hits the rear antenna.
Coming home Northbound it is always a slow beep.
Thanks to the arrows and the gradient audio I can tell that it is targeting the southbound lanes, shooting vehicles in the back.
http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...asc&highlight=

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtop...ht=radar+drone

http://www.radarbusters.com/news/cur...dar-drones.asp

**starwars** · 07-11-2005, 01:26 PM

Hello all,

I am glad I am not the only one experiencing this. I thought the last week that I was going batty. I have a Valentine One and commute from Dublin to Oakland up 580 each morning and night. I have noticed the highest concentration westbound from Tassajara Road all the way to Keller Avenue overpass. Thanks to the directional indicators on the Valentine, they definitely hit you from the back as well. I noticed 3 separate cops this morning writing tickets in a 5 mile stretch of 580 in Dublin. At night there does not seem to be as many, but they are definitely still active. This is annoying. So much for a 20 minute commute @ 85 mph.

**Jpandes** · 07-14-2005, 01:43 PM

I'm glad that you guys noticed this as well.

I wonder if the cops can use their radar guns to bust speeders in the areas where the radar/cameras are present? I'm guessing that if they use Ka or Laser that the false signal may be good "cover" them.