Siren/PA in vehicle in Texas

[amak2013]

Hello,
I live in Houston, Texas and am wondering about the legality of having a siren/PA unit in my civilian vehicle. the purpose of having this PA is for trail rides, I am an active off-road Jeep trail guide, and in some situations communication with a group in their vehicles is necessary for the safety of the vehicle and others around it. I do NOT intend to use this on public property or on roads, it is solely for communication while on the private trails. I am just wondering before I purchase and install the unit if it legal to posses and have installed in the vehicle.

The specific unit I am looking at is the whelen 295slsa1. I never intend to use the siren function, I just cannot find any units with solely a PA

thanks

AMAK

[txinvestigator1]

In Texas it is a violation for a motor vehicle to be equipped with a siren, in general.

Texas Transportation Code

Sec. 547.501. AUDIBLE WARNING DEVICES.
(a) A motor vehicle shall be equipped with a horn in good working condition that emits a sound audible under normal conditions at a distance of at least 200 feet.
(b) A vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use on a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell unless the vehicle is:
(1) a commercial vehicle that is equipped with a theft alarm signal device arranged so that the device cannot be used as an ordinary warning signal; or
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle that is equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell that complies with Section 547.702.
(c) A motor vehicle operator shall use a horn to provide audible warning only when necessary to insure safe operation.
(d) A warning device, including a horn, may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.

Many CB radios have loudspeaker out jack.

[mcsap]

MANY , MANY CB's have this and everyone in the group can hear you easier than over the noise of some loud engines.

I can't speak for Texas but to have a siren installed in your civilian car in PA would result in a substantial fine ( whether you used it or not) and it would get seized.

I am sure one of our Texas Officers will be along.

[txinvestigator1]

MANY , MANY CB's have this and everyone in the group can hear you easier than over the noise of some loud engines.

I can't speak for Texas but to have a siren installed in your civilian car in PA would result in a substantial fine ( whether you used it or not) and it would get seized.

I am sure one of our Texas Officers will be along.

What am I, chopped liver? lol

[TEXASCOP]

Why don't you just buy a megaphone? That seams like it would be better suited plus you can easily take it out. My experience with PA's is they are not very clear. If you mount the PA facing to the front it will be hard for all the trail-riders behind you to hear. Laws aside and having doing quite a bit a trailing/rock crawling, I know a couple of guys that utilize megaphone. We even used lil two way radios before. I know you can buy a megaphone that plugs right into a 12V jack.

[amak2013]

Why don't you just buy a megaphone? That seams like it would be better suited plus you can easily take it out. My experience with PA's is they are not very clear. If you mount the PA facing to the front it will be hard for all the trail-riders behind you to hear. Laws aside and having doing quite a bit a trailing/rock crawling, I know a couple of guys that utilize megaphone. We even used lil two way radios before. I know you can buy a megaphone that plugs right into a 12V jack.

That's actually a really good idea. I love the use of my CB, but due to laws of surrounding states, lots of people don't have them when they get here. I used to have an aux speaker hooked up to my cb so nearby vehicles could hear but it wasn't loud enough. I'm curious about the police PA because I heard a cop on the freeway asking a man a good ways away from me to pull over and I heard it through the road noise and my stereo loud and clear.

I'll look into the megaphones

[icu650]

Would a Motorola "Talk About" rechargeable walkie talkie system work? They have weather alert and are made for rugged terrain.

[amak2013]

I have tried Walkie talkies and are all right to a certain extent, but people are people and often don't pay attention to where the little handheld walkie is or they forget to turn up volume and miss everything

[mcsap]

What laws in what states regulate CB's ??

Many years ago , you were supposed to get a license to use a cb , I had on around
1974. KBPB 4713 was my FCC issued call sign. That ended a couple of years later.

[TEXASCOP]

What laws in what states regulate CB's ??

Many years ago , you were supposed to get a license to use a cb , I had on around
1974. KBPB 4713 was my FCC issued call sign. That ended a couple of years later.

I dunno, I'm not as old as dirt....

[Big Sexy]

mcsap,

BIG has always been curious and as someone who was probably there, maybe you can answer this for BIG. What did Jesus wear to the prom?

[Samuel]

What am I, chopped liver? lol

your new avatar pic...

[Samuel]

I dunno, I'm not as old as dirt....

Ouch!

mcsap, BIG has always been curious and as someone who was probably there, maybe you can answer this for BIG. What did Jesus wear to the prom?

Double OUCH!

[mcsap]

One of the benefits of being RDS II ( thats Retired Detective Sgt.II) is that you get a nice check every month for the rest of your life. Being at LEAST as old as dirt has it's benefits!!

[TEXASCOP]

One of the benefits of being RDS II ( thats Retired Detective Sgt.II) is that you get a nice check every month for the rest of your life. Being at LEAST as old as dirt has it's benefits!!

Well played sir, well played.