Does Anyone Know What These Are [on poles around downtown]?

**Chinman** · May-26-12, 11:54 AM

Hi everyone,
I have been seeing these on poles around downtown. This one faces north/south and one and one on the pole kitty-corner faces east/west.
Thanks in advance.
Name: IMG_Pole.jpg
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Name: IMG_Pole.jpg
Views: 1654
Size: 22.9 KB

**canuck** · May-26-12, 01:13 PM

Do they give off a hum?

**EastsideAl** · May-26-12, 02:03 PM

That one seems to be on the pole with the traffic light control box, so perhaps red light enforcement cameras?

**Jimaz** · May-26-12, 02:11 PM

An antenna?

**Richard** · May-26-12, 02:31 PM

picture is blurry but if it has the little metal antennas above it ,may be a gunshot detector.

**Gannon** · May-26-12, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

picture is blurry but if it has the little metal antennas above it ,may be a gunshot detector.

I cannot see if it is the same in your picture, but I think these are new pan-and-tilt observation cameras for the national martial law lockdown system.

They put one at Dickerson and Warren, too.

Funny, in a country out of cash to have some to spend on this bullshit. Must be important to someone.

As for those gunshot detectors...they didn't get approved, did they?! Never heard the follow-up. Voted down, then given another vote. Money was supposed to come from somewhere else, and the monitoring done in Los Angeles over the internet. Too fishy.

Cheers,
John

Extra Credit to Canuck, though...LOL! I'd bet these could squawk-talk, though.

**Funaho** · May-26-12, 05:07 PM

The newer intelligent traffic lights are using cameras to detect traffic instead of the buried metal loops. It's probably a camera for the traffic control system.

**Trumpeteer** · May-26-12, 05:09 PM

Those are the same eyes as from the movie War of the Worlds and they're here to take us over!!! Oh God save us all!

**ndavies** · May-26-12, 06:18 PM

Red light and speed enforcement cameras cannot be used in Michigan. They are illegal.

**Zacha341** · May-26-12, 06:25 PM

We'll divert the aliens to our gas stations in broad daylight... that will send them out of here fast, less some personal property and whatever they use for currency!

Originally Posted by Trumpeteer

Those are the same eyes as from the movie War of the Worlds and they're here to take us over!!! Oh God save us all!

**Zacha341** · May-26-12, 06:27 PM

It's a wrapping sorta -- I've seen them. Like tube that fits over the wire. I've also see red balls affix to the wires near Henry Ford Hospital.

**Detroit Signal** · May-26-12, 07:16 PM

Its a transmitter. The traffic control boxes use them to communicate with each other for coordination. They have been around since 2007 across the tri-county area. The only downfall is that they need to be mounted high enough to have no physical obstructions between transmitters from what I understand. I'll try to get more info.

**skyl4rk** · May-26-12, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by canuck

Do they give off a hum?

more of a high pitched whine

**MikeM** · May-26-12, 10:00 PM

Datalink antenna for traffic camera or signal control.

**DetroitPlanner** · May-27-12, 08:20 PM

Wireless receiver for traffic control.

**Chinman** · May-28-12, 10:24 AM

thanks folks.
traffic light control makes sense since this photo was taken on 3rd street and new lights are being installed because it is being turned into a 2-way traffic street.

**Jimaz** · May-28-12, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

It's a wrapping sorta -- I've seen them. Like tube that fits over the wire.

If you're referring to that orange line, that's just an arrow that was added to the original photo. It's pointing to the antenna. I made the same mistake the first time I looked at it.

Originally Posted by Zacha341

I've also see red balls affix to the wires near Henry Ford Hospital.

There are a lot of those out west in mountain passes. They're to make the wires more visible to aircraft.

**Zacha341** · May-28-12, 01:25 PM

Oh-ok! That makes sense as the helicopter pad is right there at the hospitals [[Henry Ford) back end....

Originally Posted by Jimaz

There are a lot of those out west in mountain passes. They're to make the wires more visible to aircraft.

**Whitehouse** · May-28-12, 03:44 PM

Almost looks like a CCTV camera pod.

**MikeM** · May-28-12, 11:31 PM

More info here:

http://www.rcocweb.org/Lists/Publications/Attachments/87/brochure%20final.pdf

**wolverine** · May-29-12, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I cannot see if it is the same in your picture, but I think these are new pan-and-tilt observation cameras for the national martial law lockdown system.

They put one at Dickerson and Warren, too.

Funny, in a country out of cash to have some to spend on this bullshit. Must be important to someone.

As for those gunshot detectors...they didn't get approved, did they?! Never heard the follow-up. Voted down, then given another vote. Money was supposed to come from somewhere else, and the monitoring done in Los Angeles over the internet. Too fishy.

Cheers,
John

Extra Credit to Canuck, though...LOL! I'd bet these could squawk-talk, though.

One of those cameras got me my stolen bike back. My tax dollars put to good work.