Founded 1996 - Proudly Serving the SoCal Scanner Community for 30 Years
Southern California Monitoring Association
More than fifty years after its debut in the jungles of Vietnam, the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco remains very much alive in the skies—though in missions its original designers could hardly have imagined. Conceived in the 1960s as a rugged counter-insurgency aircraft and forward air controller, the twin-boom turboprop earned fame in Southeast Asia,…
Los Angeles, CA – March 2, 2026 — A United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) this morning after reporting a possible engine issue shortly after departure. United Flight UA2127, bound for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), departed LAX at approximately 10:15 a.m. local time with 256…
New Airspace Rules Impact Police, Media, and Emergency Aircraft The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has enacted new airspace restrictions affecting helicopter operations around Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), creating significant changes for aviation operators and public-safety agencies across the Los Angeles area. The move has effectively limited or prohibited many helicopter flights inside portions of…
A late-December copper wire theft at a major City of Los Angeles communications site exposed a vulnerability in municipal infrastructure, temporarily knocking a citywide radio system offline and forcing officials to curtail parking and traffic enforcement operations for safety reasons. The incident occurred at a prominent radio communications tower located in Elysian Park, just north…
One year has passed since the catastrophic Southern California wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena, forever changing neighborhoods and leaving a lasting mark on Los Angeles County. While headlines have faded, recovery continues—and for the radio monitoring community, the fires remain a textbook example of how communications, interoperability, and monitoring play a critical role…
Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) brings in a fresh chapter with the appointment of Chief Jaime E. Moore, a move that signals both continuity and change for the department as Southern California faces evolving wildfire and urban-emergency threats. Inside the Appointment Chief Moore was formally nominated by Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles, on October…
Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) at Point Mugu will launch its annual Large Force Test Event this Friday, bringing a noticeable uptick in military aircraft over the South Coast and Channel Islands for roughly two weeks. Officials say flights typically run from about 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with some events extending later, though usually…
The Oakland Police Department (OPD) is moving forward with plans to encrypt its radio communications, a decision that will block public and media access to live police scanner feeds. While this change doesn’t directly affect the SCMA Scanner Radio Club, it’s a significant development for scanner enthusiasts, journalists, and transparency advocates. Here’s a deep dive…
NASA is participating in a collaborative effort to use high-altitude balloons to improve real-time communications among firefighters battling wildland fires. The rugged and often remote locations where wildland fires burn mean cell phone service is often limited, making communication between firefighters and command posts difficult. The flight testing of the Strategic Tactical Radio and…
