TETRA Detectors

[endaf90]

Anyone had any experience with TETRA detectors such as Python or Project Blue Eye. Considering buying one of the Python detectors but would like to hear from someone who has had experience with them before I go ahead.

I've also heard that they might not work soon as the emergency vehicles are changing from TETRA to 4G or something, any info on this would also be appreciated.

Thanks!



ETA

Suspect link removed.

Edited by Big Al. on Friday 16th February 14:26

[Sgt Bilko]

Google Emergency Services Network. Due late 2018 but will probably end up being 2019.

[endaf90]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I've already googled it but found contradicting information all over the place. Might not be worthwhile spending all that money if I'll only get a years use out of it :/

[HantsRat]

We put one to test half a year ago. They are hopeless and a waste of money. There are so many masts/other tetra users and way too many false activations. It also missed us passing by two of our marked vehicles. Pointless in the city and was not much better on the motorway.

For the price £300 odd quid, that would pay for 3 x £100 FPN's. I seriously wouldn't bother wasting your money. The same goes for laser detectors.

The human eyeball is free

[giantdefy]

HantsRat said:

We put one to test half a year ago. They are hopeless and a waste of money. There are so many masts/other tetra users and way too many false activations. It also missed us passing by two of our marked vehicles. Pointless in the city and was not much better on the motorway.

For the price £300 odd quid, that would pay for 3 x £100 FPN's. I seriously wouldn't bother wasting your money. The same goes for laser detectors.

The human eyeball is free

But you would say that wouldn't you

[HantsRat]

giantdefy said:

But you would say that wouldn't you

They do work. But not in the way customers are purchasing them for. It did alert us to one Police car in our test but we were 10 feet away. Considering lasers have a range of 1000m it makes no sense buying it to avoid speeding fines.

I wouldn't have a problem if they did work and reduced speeding fines. We don't have targets and I'm more than happy to stand in the road for 2 hours and not catch a single motorist, it means everyone is driving to the limit.

[endaf90]

I don't necessarily want one so I can get away with speeding everywhere, I just got pulled up a few months back by an unmarked police car for not wearing my seatbelt (Stupid I know, I was driving from my house to Tesco, which is a 30 second drive, I'm lazy haha)

Now I'm paranoid every car that gets up my arse is a copper, so I want it more for the peace of mind to stop me worrying about this. One way to get a tailgater off your arse is to put your foot down to open up the gap, not a great tactic if the car behind is a copper though!

I live in a rural area so the how it works in the city isn't so important for me. Sounds pretty disappointing from what you've said so far though :/.

[Elroy Blue]

The only people I've ever found using them are dealers wondering if surveillance cars are around.

[speedking31]

Previous thread.

[anonymous-user]

endaf90 said:

I don't necessarily want one so I can get away with speeding everywhere, I just got pulled up a few months back by an unmarked police car for not wearing my seatbelt (Stupid I know, I was driving from my house to Tesco, which is a 30 second drive, I'm lazy haha)

Now I'm paranoid every car that gets up my arse is a copper, so I want it more for the peace of mind to stop me worrying about this. One way to get a tailgater off your arse is to put your foot down to open up the gap, not a great tactic if the car behind is a copper though!

I live in a rural area so the how it works in the city isn't so important for me. Sounds pretty disappointing from what you've said so far though :/.

You'll find unmarked cars aren't too interested in people who drive well and do things like wear seat belts.

Perhaps try that for a bit and see how it goes.

[matjk]

If only it was just 3 lots of £100 , but it’s not , I guess it varies from person to person but I wonder what the ‘real cost’ of 9 points would be , in extra insurance cost, hassle if renting cars etc ! I also wonder what people would pay if they had either £100 and 3 points OR £xxx and no points , what would people pay?

[HantsRat]

matjk said:

If only it was just 3 lots of £100 , but it’s not , I guess it varies from person to person but I wonder what the ‘real cost’ of 9 points would be , in extra insurance cost, hassle if renting cars etc ! I also wonder what people would pay if they had either £100 and 3 points OR £xxx and no points , what would people pay?

Or an easier and cheaper option is stick to the limit

[cmaguire]

HantsRat said:

Or an easier and cheaper option is stick to the limit

Which turns using the roads into a functional process of getting from one place to another in abject tedium.

If more people were engaged in the process they would take more pride in being good at it, which clearly isn't the case now.

[HantsRat]

cmaguire said:

Which turns using the roads into a functional process of getting from one place to another in abject tedium.

I manage it just fine and don't find it boring. Just put a decent album on and set cruise control.

[untakenname]

I've got a blueye and it's invaluable on rural roads, it's not that useful in urban areas due to reflections off buildings and other types of emergency vehicles.

It's paid for itself back multiple times within the past few years (mainly entrapment prevention) and isn't much money in the scheme of things (when you compare it to dealer fit options).

Make sure when it's being fitted is to use the installer firmware and find the best position in the car as it's quite sensitive to emi, I found an external dipole antenna improved the accuracy quite a bit.
The police forces are meant to be moving to 4g this year and ditching Tetra but it's not going to plan atm as 4g is so unreliable in general when in motion outside of urban areas so I doubt it will happen.

[HantsRat]

untakenname said:

I've got a blueye and it's invaluable on rural roads, it's not that useful in urban areas due to reflections off buildings and other types of emergency vehicles.

It's paid for itself back multiple times within the past few years (mainly entrapment prevention) and isn't much money in the scheme of things (when you compare it to dealer fit options).

Make sure when it's being fitted is to use the installer firmware and find the best position in the car as it's quite sensitive to emi, I found an external dipole antenna improved the accuracy quite a bit.
The police forces are meant to be moving to 4g this year and ditching Tetra but it's not going to plan atm as 4g is so unreliable in general when in motion outside of urban areas so I doubt it will happen.

Blue eye is exactly what we tested. Was a bit crap if you ask me. Considering our camera vans switch off airwave radio and engine when parked up it wouldn't alert to them anyway.

[anonymous-user]

endaf90 said:

I don't necessarily want one so I can get away with speeding everywhere, I just got pulled up a few months back by an unmarked police car for not wearing my seatbelt (Stupid I know, I was driving from my house to Tesco, which is a 30 second drive, I'm lazy haha)

Now I'm paranoid every car that gets up my arse is a copper, so I want it more for the peace of mind to stop me worrying about this. One way to get a tailgater off your arse is to put your foot down to open up the gap, not a great tactic if the car behind is a copper though!

I live in a rural area so the how it works in the city isn't so important for me. Sounds pretty disappointing from what you've said so far though :/.

Would be cheaper to just wear your seatbelt, the added benefit of a seatbelt being when you have a accident it will save your life, can your scambox do that?

[FurtiveFreddy]

I have a python detector and on motorways it's very reliable and has a good range (500-1000m without the optional signal amplifier).
Apart from the obvious reason people buy them, it's actually very useful for alerting you to an emergency vehicle coming up behind you so you can keep an eye out and plan your road positioning in good time. Yes, I have eyes and ears but it doesn't hurt to have additional alerts.

I don't do much city driving with it so can't say how useful it is for that.

Tetra will be around a while despite what some 'interested parties' will have you believe.

[cmaguire]

HantsRat said:

cmaguire said:

Which turns using the roads into a functional process of getting from one place to another in abject tedium.

I manage it just fine and don't find it boring. Just put a decent album on and set cruise control.

Introducing some speed into the experience is the only thing that stops me being comatose on our roads.

What you are suggesting doesn't engender much confidence in anything approaching feline-like reactions from your average driver, I suspect they are half asleep if they aren't texting or on Facebook/Whatsapp

[endaf90]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments, I think I'm going to take the plunge now and get one of the Pythons. I knew this subject would summon some of the grumpy old farts as well haha. I've been driving all around the UK for 7 years and have never had any points or accidents so I'd like to think that I'm a good driver, I know plenty of more 'cautious' drivers that have had multiple accidents that were their fault in that time. Using this device for some peace of mind when putting my foot down every now and again is well worth £300 if it works as they claim.