ATS Please Help Me Identify This?!? NOW!!!!

Not sure of the make but it looks like a self contained UHF repeater for telemetry data. There are networks for monitoring storm drain levels and various meters that work by wireless. When there isn't quite enough power a repeater is installed to extend the coverage in weak areas.

What is my basis for this opinion? I've been an amateur radio operator for a long time and I've seen all kinds of crazy looking antennas and repeater systems including some box looking ones like the photos. Get a frequency counter and attach a good high gain yaggi antenna to it in the UHF range. If it's spitting out any RF that should tell you the frequency. That or get a scanner and look for a strong signal source. That setup looks industrial and because it's in open view I really doubt they'd spend the money trying to hide a signal from it.

Knock it off the pole and see who comes to fix or replace it.

Look, not a one line post!

Originally posted by modzer0
Not sure of the make but it looks like a self contained UHF repeater for telemetry data. There are networks for monitoring storm drain levels and various meters that work by wireless. When there isn't quite enough power a repeater is installed to extend the coverage in weak areas.

What is my basis for this opinion? I've been an amateur radio operator for a long time and I've seen all kinds of crazy looking antennas and repeater systems including some box looking ones like the photos. Get a frequency counter and attach a good high gain yaggi antenna to it in the UHF range. If it's spitting out any RF that should tell you the frequency. That or get a scanner and look for a strong signal source. That setup looks industrial and because it's in open view I really doubt they'd spend the money trying to hide a signal from it.

I am an amateur radio operator as well, what is your call? Sorry....off topic there!

Originally posted by desertdreamer

Originally posted by modzer0
Not sure of the make but it looks like a self contained UHF repeater for telemetry data. There are networks for monitoring storm drain levels and various meters that work by wireless. When there isn't quite enough power a repeater is installed to extend the coverage in weak areas.

What is my basis for this opinion? I've been an amateur radio operator for a long time and I've seen all kinds of crazy looking antennas and repeater systems including some box looking ones like the photos. Get a frequency counter and attach a good high gain yaggi antenna to it in the UHF range. If it's spitting out any RF that should tell you the frequency. That or get a scanner and look for a strong signal source. That setup looks industrial and because it's in open view I really doubt they'd spend the money trying to hide a signal from it.

I am an amateur radio operator as well, what is your call? Sorry....off topic there!

Off topic, apologies but I can't send U2U messages quite yet.
I must politely decline at this time. My call is basically giving out my name and home address. That's something I don't do by policy unless I know someone.

Greetings everyone,

I came into this thread late. I have only read pages 1 and this one so far so I trust that the solution to this riddle has not already been made known.

I have some knowledge of such things as technical surveillance equipment. In a former life I was a federal law enforcement intelligence (covert surveillance) specialist. Now I am not.

To the OP, do you have any above ground power lines in your area? If you do, then do not worry. It's not what you think.

If you don't then it is highly likely the object in your photos is a microwave repeater for transmitting video and audio data. Microwave needs direct line of sight, but is far more secure than FM, VHF, UHF, AM or HF radio comms, therefore it is the choice of intelligence community and high-level law enforcement agencies.

You may have some high-value "targets" in your neighbourhood. Unless you have been a very bad ATS member (high-level organised crime, foreign intelligence asset, etc.) it is likely not aimed at you. Watch with interest, but worry not. With your awareness, you may now see something that is hidden from most.

Peace Out

Traveller.

Has the OP cairowoman...called the city hydroelectric or city works to find out what it is? Wouldn't that clear things up immediately?

Not sure what civic departments handle streetlights in your area, but here is the city transportation. My be a call or two to city hall will get the real answers.

reply to post by Cairowoman


I don't work for the power company or anything like it, but I did notice in the pics that the sensor is unhooked from the usual connection and I would guess that the box is a new type of sensor for operation.

reply to post by craig732


Sorry for the off topic post but, dayum, Craig, I read your post and laughed out loud, which was quite loud in this lonely hotel lobby! Thanks man for breaking the silence! Star for you!

edit: fix silly spelling mistake

[edit on 15-11-2008 by space cadet]

OK everyone. I found someone who worked the power lines and he said that the power company is implementing some kind of wireless meter reading that will be completed by 2012 and there will be several on one street to see the meters of the entire neighborhood. So they can access it all remotely.....

Does anyone know what that is called or heard of anything like that?

light sensing security light battery commercial

Originally posted by Cairowoman
OK everyone. I found someone who worked the power lines and he said that the power company is implementing some kind of wireless meter reading that will be completed by 2012 and there will be several on one street to see the meters of the entire neighborhood. So they can access it all remotely.....

Does anyone know what that is called or heard of anything like that?

This sounds very, very ominous.

I would ask for specifications about it or write to your local representative or congressman.

This sounds like a serious invasion of privacy, and a system which is prone to abuse.

Starred AND Flagged.

Originally posted by Cairowoman
OK everyone. I found someone who worked the power lines and he said that the power company is implementing some kind of wireless meter reading that will be completed by 2012 and there will be several on one street to see the meters of the entire neighborhood. So they can access it all remotely.....

Does anyone know what that is called or heard of anything like that?

You did say it will be completed by year 2012, so you have nothing at all to be *paranoid* about. By the way - Does those people who 'work for the power company' wear only black clothing? And again, you do not need to be paranoid.

Wireless meter reading has been around for a while now, particularly in gated and newer developments, you will find they also have wireless water meters, this are a bit harder to implement retrospectively.

The only ominous thing about it will be the cost of installing a new meter box that can emit the wireless signal. If you're lucky the power company will foot some of the price.

How would it be an invasion of privacy? They can't access anything but the meter.

Would you prefer some stranger traipsing around your property reading your meter? THAT is more of an invasion of privacy IMHO.

Originally posted by Chadwickus
How would it be an invasion of privacy? They can't access anything but the meter.

If it were just the meter, fine.

How to we know for sure

* That it is one way traffic?
Maybe a power feed to an individual house can be shut of at the blink of an eye once that new meter device is installed

* That only the power usage is monitored?
Could you be sure that there are no eaves dropping devices are piggyback riding along? What if "the company" is abused by government?

Think about it: water and electricity usage monitoring? They can create high end microphones the size of a half a dime into one of those devices easily. Scramble the feed, jump of the reader and grab the signal which has an unique signature pointing to an individual. Check for bugs I say when they come to install those new meters.

What a perfect way to listen in (maybe even watch) on John Q. Love it.

Next stop: the not so neutral Internet meter.

Not only are they meter readers, but they also have a "kill switch" built into the devices to remotely turn the lights off in that area.

I think they have been testing a new power saving method that can control what area has their lights on, and what area doesn't. Not all areas of the night need light, so they temporarily turn them off and on through the night, in synchronization with other areas, to save power.

Hey OP, does that lamppost turn on and off at night? Maybe with about 10 minute intervals?

[edit on 7-1-2009 by ALLis0NE]

The power for it is coming from the photo cell on top of the fixture. So its turning the devise on when the lamp comes on.
Go throw a rock at it until someone shows up then you'll know

I am going to stick my neck out here. Could it be an omnidirectional camera with a listening device? I have heard that they are going to start to put those into neighborhoods so they will be able to pick the sound of gunfire and hone in with video to the exact area.

prisonplanet.com...
www.wired.com...

Unfortunately the links don't include pictures but you can see what is on the way to your street.

reply to post by modzer0


No matter.....it's cool.