SCANNING THE CHIP'S


               HERE'S THE LATEST UPDATE ON THE CALIFORNIA
                          HIGHWAY PATROL SYSTEM



 By:  Rick Maslau, KNY2GL
 Source: Popular Communications, Sept. 1990
 Reprinted By: Lori Jordan
 For: The Hotline BBS, John Johnson, KWV8BP


  The California Highway Patrol is not only one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the nation, it is also the most well known. Of all of the mail that comes in to the Popular Communications offices requesting information about law enforcement frequencies, this agency has always been at or near the top of the popularity list.

So, when reader Jan Lowry, of Hollywood, CA, sent us an updated listing of California Highway Patrol stations, we thought it would be something to share with our readers. Jan points out that the listing includes seven channel pairs that were put into service not long ago.

The CHP operates on channel pairs that are known by the names of colors. These are creatively organized from thirty two frequencies lying between 42.08 and 42.92 MHz, although some frequencies do double duty. For instance, 42.16 MHz is the mobile half of the Purple channel, but the base half of the Violet channel. THe base side of Purple, which is 42.40 MHz, doubles as the mobile side of the Bronze channel. Frequency 42.60 MHz is the base half of two channels that are matched up with different mobile frequencies.

Frequency 42.36 MHz is allocated, but Jan tells us is held in reserve for future use. Channel Ivory, an old simplex frequency on 45.02 MHz, may possibly be obsolete at this point.

Jan goes on to note that each CHP base operates on a primary channel pair, as indicated in the chart here. Actually, the base is capable of receiving both frequencies in the pair, but it transmits on the base frequency. Cars can transmit on either channel in the pair assigned to the station with which they are affiliated, usually using the mobile channel to mountaintop receivers, and the base frequency for car-to-car and to local stations. Cars can also receive on either channel in their primary pair.

The Blue channel is the common statewide secondary channel for all cars and stations. All units can operate on this channel. Besides the generally high profile of the California Highway Patrol, scanner owners from coast to coast often know the agency's communications because they are so often picked up by skip reception because of the frequencies used. Here's an agency you can try to hear, no matter where you are. If the skip is rolling in, you might pick up CHP communications no matter where you are! CHP officers have been heard from coast to coast, thanks to the benefits of skip propagation on their 42 MHz frequencies. To a motorist having a problem on a remote mountain road, a CHP officer is a welcome sight.


                 CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL CHANNEL USAGE

 Division #1 "Northern"

Alturas/60          Red
Garberville/105     Green
Crescent City/95    Green
Humboldt/16         Green
Lakeport/7          White
Mt. Shasta/52       Purple
Quincy/20           Blue
Red Bluff/36        Red
Redding/37          Red
Susanville/38       Blue
Trinity/90          Red
Ukiah/18            White
Williams/39         Brown
Willows/93          Brown
Yreka/41            Purple


 Division #2 "Valley"

Auburn/45           Green
Chico/104           Brown
Gold Run/70         Gray
Grass Valley/42     Green
Jackson/94          White
Lake Valley/13      Grey
Modesto/48          Yellow
Oroville/35         Brown
Placerville/44      Green
Sacramento N./46    Gold
Sacramento S./112   Black
San Andreas/49      White
Sonora/61           Yellow
Stockton/62         White
Tracy/103           Yellow
Truckee/80          Grey
Woodland/47         Black
Yuba-Sutter/43      Brown


 Division #3 "Golden Gate"

Contra Costa/19     Maroon
Fairfield/22        Turqoise
Hayward/25          Aqua
Livermore/118       Blue
Marin-GG Br/34      Violet
Napa/21             Orange
Oakland/96          Bronze
Redwood Cy/91       Amber
San Francisco/32    Pink
San Jose/24         Ruby
Santa Rosa/17       Orange



 Division #4 "Central"

Balersfield/69      Brown
Buttonwillow/117    Brown
Coalinga/88         Pink
Fresno/65           Silver
Hanford/68          Pink
Los Banos/30        Orange
Madera/66           Orange
Mariposa/63         Orange
Merced/64           Orange
Porterville/40      Pink
Visalia/67          Pink


 Division #5 "Southern"

Antelope Vly/89     Tan
Baldwin Park/81     Orange
Central LA/15       Black
East LA/82          Yellow
Glendale/98         Brown
Newhall/78          Tan
Ontario/84          Orange
Santa Fe Spgs/83    Gold
South LA/77         White
Tejon/102           Tan
West LA/79          Pink
Malibu/109          Pink
W. Valley/56        Brown


 Division #6 "Borders"

Banning/97          Red
Blythe/6            Red
Capistrano/113      Grey
El Cajon/108        Gold
El Centro/85        Blue
Indio/76            Red
Oceanside/92        Gold
Rancho CA/116       Gold
San Diego/87        Orange
Santa Ana/86        Purple
Westminster/55      Grey
Winterhaven/116     Green


 Division #7 "Coastal"

Buellton/3          White
Goleta/29           Green
King City/8         Green
Salinas/27          Black
Sn Juan Bautista/23 Green
Sn Luis Obispo/28   White
Santa Cruz/26       Green
Santa Maria/14      White
Templeton/9         White
Ventura/31          Purple


 Division #8 "Inland"

Arrowhead/101       Copper
Barstow             White
Bishop/72           Blue
Bridgeport/71       Green
Mojave/59           White
Morongo Basin/106   White
Needles/114         White
Rancho CA/115       Gold
Riverside/74        Green
Sn Bernardino/75    Copper
Victorville/12      White


 CHP Academy

Sacramento          Brown


                  CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL CHANNEL PAIRS

    Color       Base    Mobile      Color       Base    Mobile
    -----       ----    ------      -----       ----    ------

    Amber       42.08   42.82       Orange      42.88   42.66
    Aqua        42.62   42.84       Pink        42.44   42.76
    Black       42.46   42.70       Purple      42.40   42.16
    Blue        42.34   42.18       Red         42.44   42.28
    Bronze      42.12   42.40       Ruby        42.50   42.28
    Brown       42.50   42.82       Silver      42.08   42.28
    Copper      42.60   42.74       Tan         42.42   42.84
    Gold        42.12   42.20       Turqoise    42.60   42.14
    Green       42.54   42.24       Violet      42.16   42.64
    Grey        42.58   42.68       White       42.56   42.72
    Ivory       45.02   45.02       Yellow      42.52   42.30
    Maroon      42.92   42.74



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