Extended Radar Contact

[GeneW]

On the way home this evening I encountered a strong X-band signal that lasted over two miles on a road with one mild right hand curve and then down a hill. I've been down this same path hundreds if not thousands of times over the years. It's a really poor spot for a radar trap, and the locals are not permitted to use radar anyhow.

Usually Radar Signals are short and sharp and can be found close to a store, bank and what have you. They're used for burglar alarms.

Police signals tend to be shorter and sharper still, and usually they're "line of sight" if not they're bounced off of metal. Furthermore in PA only State Police can use them and this was in town.

I'm still trying to figure this one out, Folks. This felt for all the world like a mobile source, one that was right behind me and had painted me for well over two miles. That's also strange since the mobile sources are rarely used.

Fortunately I was chillin' and dropped speed fast until I was just around the speed limit. So that two mile long signal, that continued with no apparent source and through a slight right hand turn and downward grade, is a mystery to me.

I'm mentioning this contact in case anyone else has been through this kind of scenario.

Gene

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by GeneW

On the way home this evening I encountered a strong X-band signal that lasted over two miles on a road with one mild right hand curve and then down a hill. I've been down this same path hundreds if not thousands of times over the years. It's a really poor spot for a radar trap, and the locals are not permitted to use radar anyhow.

Usually Radar Signals are short and sharp and can be found close to a store, bank and what have you. They're used for burglar alarms.

Police signals tend to be shorter and sharper still, and usually they're "line of sight" if not they're bounced off of metal. Furthermore in PA only State Police can use them and this was in town.

I'm still trying to figure this one out, Folks. This felt for all the world like a mobile source, one that was right behind me and had painted me for well over two miles. That's also strange since the mobile sources are rarely used.

Fortunately I was chillin' and dropped speed fast until I was just around the speed limit. So that two mile long signal, that continued with no apparent source and through a slight right hand turn and downward grade, is a mystery to me.

I'm mentioning this contact in case anyone else has been through this kind of scenario.

Gene

Did you look up? Could have been a chopper or light plane?

[jdinrc]

Maybe someone with a radar jammer, or a low flying aircraft's weather radar with the antenna depressed?

[supmet]

Maybe your radar detector is going bad?? I've heard lots of stories of them going off for no particular reason.

[MadMax]

AWACS? Microwave transmissions? Weather?

There are a variety of possible sources for sporadic electromagnetic activity, we have an Electronic Warfare Center where I work, I could ask someone there next week when I return to work...but it will only be theories as no ELINT collection could have been occurring in that area to allow a proper analysis of the event...

Cheers! M2

[kustom play]

Aliens?

weird hidden government projects?

[ChinoCharles]

Caveatipse?

[Altitude]

[eric81]

If there is a military base or exercise nearby, their radio's travel on a TON of different freq's, and then they are all mashed back together to get a single usable signal. Not to mention they have to be set to the same time... but military stuff set off all kinds of radars. Just a thought.

My other idea would be aliens, but someone else already said that one so... Hey, did you ever see a UFO? Weird stuff man! I still believe it's military or government stuff, but still weird.

[jambo101]

Probably the government doing some HAARP testing.
http://www.raven1.net/commsolo.htm

[hatchbackkid82]

Originally Posted by ChinoCharles

Caveatipse?

[GeneW]

Went down the same road again today, no issues. No contact within that corridor.

This was an X band contact

HAARP is in Alaska, doubt it'd skip that specifically and that far. Closest military post is a NG unit at the south end of town. They're a water purification unit. A few MP units further out. I don't know of any Signals Intel outfits around here. No air defense operations either - last such gigs closed up shop ages ago.

The SM-3 missile does use a sea based X-band radar for tracking space objects but those are very large and water borne. They also shoot upwards. Probably toast my detector if I were near one.

I'd be amazed if it were an airborne source - look down radars require a huge amount of cleanup to resolve ground clutter, and I'm not sure that such a radar would have sufficient resolution to track a ground based object accurately. However if it is such a thing I'd sure be interested in learning more about it.

Aliens? Why there, in broad daylight? No reason.

My best guess is that a local drug store radar went off of the deep bend kept broadcasting or one of the local Staties left his or her radar on while they were cruising. Did not see a marked cruiser behind nor in front of me. Nor did I see an X band unit. They must be hiding them now. Maybe.


Gene

[Tamago]

i disabled the x band on my detector like 3 years ago. what cop uses x band anymore?

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by PK198105

what was the surrounding area like? rock on either side or open space? it is possible that if the are is "enclosed" you may have been experiencing a waveguide effect , basically electromagnetic energy bouncing all over the place. here in Montreal if you go on the north west side of the mountain you are in a corridor of rock and very few signals are immune to interference. or maybe you had a flight of Apache gunships on a stalk training mission

The area is located in a shallow valley, with the road tracking a creek that goes at the bottom of the valley. Lots of residences nearby.

Apaches cruise around here on the weekends. The NGs are busy training for their sandbox gigs. They are easy to spot since they are quite loud, but if they're being sneaky they don't do that around residential areas.

Doubt that they have "look down shoot down" radar. Don't need it, probably don't want it. Not when you have passive infrared that doesn't light you up like a light house.

There is a microwave tower near the top of the valley but it's for communication and should not be detectable down there. No metal structures to bounce either.

Montreal is a big business center. You all probably have tons of communications going on. We're small potatoes with fewer businesses each year.

I'm guessing.... for all I know the DHS is using my hometown as "Everytown America" for training. We've been "occupied" by the NGs are few times over the years. They're decent guys, local people who do their weekend bit. Lot of folks from this area are over in the sandbox.

Gene

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Tamago

i disabled the x band on my detector like 3 years ago. what cop uses x band anymore?

PA State police do in my area. Amazed me too. I've been painted with X and K and Ka bands by police. Usually the X bands are the big heavy car mounted models. The gun units are K or Ka. Usually.


Gene

[Tamago]

Originally Posted by GeneW

PA State police do in my area. Amazed me too. I've been painted with X and K and Ka bands by police. Usually the X bands are the big heavy car mounted models. The gun units are K or Ka. Usually.


Gene

weird! last time i saw x band was in a podunk town in eastern WA back in 1999..

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Tamago

weird! last time i saw x band was in a podunk town in eastern WA back in 1999..

I saw one about a week ago on a PA State Cruiser. He was handing out justice to some young lady in a small car. I've also seen "Drones" that broadcast out of those little signs that say "Buckle up!" or "Road Construction Ahead" or what have you that use X, but mostly they use K band.

When one considers how many businesses use X band for door openers it's probably a good idea for police to consider re-issuing those old school X band detectors. A lot of users probably shut off their X band detectors for that reason. It's the one you don't see that gets you.

Gene

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by PK198105

the higher the frequency the more directional the beam and harder to contest.

I agree with the first part but not the second part because a small freq unit can be handheld, and therefore could be dropped and thus knocked out of calibration. Donut grease makes things slippery.

Gene