[FedCom] GPS / Bird Dog question

[RadioScan at aol.com]

Heard some interesting comms in the Philadelphia area today, which presented 
a question that I have.

The freq was 171.4375 and to capsulize it, one agent drove to a predetermined 
location and sat.  At the same time, I heard that car talking to another, 
with the other continuing to say, I don't pick you up yet.  At first, I thought 
they were testing a transmitter and looking for the coverage area [from the 
conversation].

Then finally he said, "I got you know".  The other guy asked where he was and 
after giving him an intersection, he said "that's good coverage, about 8 
blocks".  Some other small talk about how the antenna is currently on the dash and 
after it is installed, it may not have the same coverage  and then the puzzle 
started -  He then says "This will save us from having teams out to follow 
him, we can track him, without him seeing us"

Then the one car says to the other "lets test it in motion and see if I can 
track you - head back to the office and I will see if I can follow without you 
seeing me".  They did this and every once in while the tracking car would call 
out something, such as "You just made a right on 2nd street", etc.

If it was a GPS tracking device, then why would it only have 8 blocks 
coverage.  If it is a Bird Dog, my question is, do they now have a mapping overlay 
type product, which lets you see the target on a map (like the GPS units do).  
Any thoughts on this...?


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