Vehicle Radar detectors

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Vehicle Radar detectors

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#3226048 3-May-2024 13:12

To stop Radar Detectors going crazy at everything radar (electric doors, truck equipment, speed detecting signage), disable the K band and only leave the Ka band enabled. K band is only used on static cameras and static camera vans. Good cameras will have a database saved of red light cameras and static cameras. Static camera vans are easy enough to spot. Police cars and police handheld radars use the Ka band.

MarkM536

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#3226064 3-May-2024 13:45

Chills:

To stop Radar Detectors going crazy at everything radar (electric doors, truck equipment, speed detecting signage), disable the K band and only leave the Ka band enabled. K band is only used on static cameras and static camera vans. Good cameras will have a database saved of red light cameras and static cameras. Static camera vans are easy enough to spot. Police cars and police handheld radars use the Ka band.

I've done very primitive Googling about 'bands' used.

Do many detectors use the 'V' band? (~62Ghz, apparently the freq red light & speed cameras use).

Someone was having an argument in the local Facebook group about their detector not triggering on those red light & speed cameras.

Chills

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#3226067 3-May-2024 14:04

MarkM536:

Chills:

To stop Radar Detectors going crazy at everything radar (electric doors, truck equipment, speed detecting signage), disable the K band and only leave the Ka band enabled. K band is only used on static cameras and static camera vans. Good cameras will have a database saved of red light cameras and static cameras. Static camera vans are easy enough to spot. Police cars and police handheld radars use the Ka band.

I've done very primitive Googling about 'bands' used.

Do many detectors use the 'V' band? (~62Ghz, apparently the freq red light & speed cameras use).

Someone was having an argument in the local Facebook group about their detector not triggering on those red light & speed cameras.

No, not that I am aware of. Most popular bands are K, Ka, X and Ku. X and Ku are American / European I believe. Never seen an option for V band. I assume the radars won't go off on them due to certain radars learning certain K band freq and will stop alarming if it thinks it's a false positive.

Qazzy03

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#3226078 3-May-2024 14:22

MikeAqua:

..coasted over the limit while going downhill...

It's debatable whether inattention to the speedo is within the scope of free-will, but it certainly wasn't a conscious decision. His majesty's constabulary certainly weren't buying my excuse on that day.

...

The next car I buy (a newer Mazda 3) will have adaptive cruise control.

Totally done this too, whenever I visit family Wellington the downhills can catch up going far too fast.

Chuckles, great point, I don't think would have any luck selling that to an officer but I might try if it comes out.
Officer, it was fate that we met :)

...

I would love any cruise control, I have an older axela that is old enough to have it's own license.
I do love her tho.

Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#3226087 3-May-2024 14:37

Batman:

how do you guys deal with off -> on laser?

i'm told the detector sees nothing as the laser is off, and then when it's fired it's too late

My detector has a good enough range to pick up the laser operator trying to buzz cars that are sometimes several hundred metres in front of me, giving plenty of time to react if required. Of course this is useless if there's no other traffic around me....

Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#3226089 3-May-2024 14:41

Handsomedan:

As a non-detector user who now drives a GPS-tracked and monitored company vehicle, I don't keep up with the play, but back when I had my own car I recall looking into a radar detector and reading a lot about false alarms and it being quite annoying.
I assume the tech has gotten a lot better in the last few years and there's less of thst going on?

I always found them annoying around town so even today I don't bother with them in the city - I only pull mine out of the glovebox on the open road.

The only false alerts on the open road I ever get nowadays seem to be when I'm following behind a Mazda CX5 - I guess the radar/laser lane guidance on that specific vehicle triggers the Escort Redline EX for some reason. As soon as I pass the CX5, the alerts stop (it's only when following them).

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richms

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#3226117 3-May-2024 15:41

Wheelbarrow01:

My detector has a good enough range to pick up the laser operator trying to buzz cars that are sometimes several hundred metres in front of me, giving plenty of time to react if required. Of course this is useless if there's no other traffic around me....

Best place for a radar detector is in the car infront of you...

Richard rich.ms

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#3226126 3-May-2024 16:07

muppet: I drive 20-30km/h under the speed limit everywhere I go. I find this stops me getting tickets and I make a lot of "Road Friends" because many people beep, flash their lights and wave/give hand signals to me.

Try it!

Make sure you drive at 10km/hr over the speed limit everytime you see a passing lane, you make even more friends

Insanekiwi

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#3226146 3-May-2024 16:58

Batman:
muppet: I drive 20-30km/h under the speed limit everywhere I go. I find this stops me getting tickets and I make a lot of "Road Friends" because many people beep, flash their lights and wave/give hand signals to me.

Try it!

Make sure you drive at 10km/hr over the speed limit everytime you see a passing lane, you make even more friends

LOL - love this. They always drive 10-20 under the overtake lane comes. Wondered why people want to smell your arse.

Insanekiwi

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#3226147 3-May-2024 17:02

I don’t do much long distance driving - but agree I would only use radar detectors for trips. I wouldn’t daily mainly because of the theft / break ins and I can’t be bothered to remove it every time I stop to park. Knowing that cops are around you is always helpful. Think of those school days knowing when the “teacher is coming!” LOL

Ruphus

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#3226177 3-May-2024 18:54

Another Uniden R7 user here. I got mine from Amazon and had it converted to NZ spec. Saved about $400 and I've had it for about 3yrs without any issues. RDForum.org is a great place to learn about the different radar detectors, performance, features and how best to set them up. There's a local guy in Wellington who's able to provide the files to convert the Uniden RDs from US to NZ spec.

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Yoban

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#3226180 3-May-2024 19:19

Ruphus:

Another Uniden R7 user here. I got mine from Amazon and had it converted to NZ spec. Saved about $400 and I've had it for about 3yrs without any issues. RDForum.org is a great place to learn about the different radar detectors, performance, features and how best to set them up. There's a local guy in Wellington who's able to provide the files to convert the Uniden RDs from US to NZ spec.

An ex Valentine user (died on me after 10+ years) myself - forum mentioned above is great along with Vortex Radar - YouTube who is also active there.
Conversion process is interesting....documented anywhere?

Ruphus

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#3226183 3-May-2024 19:33

Yoban:

An ex Valentine user (died on me after 10+ years) myself - forum mentioned above is great along with Vortex Radar - YouTube who is also active there.
Conversion process is interesting....documented anywhere?

There's release notes listed on the RDForum for the latest conversion update for the R7. To get the firmware, you'll need to reach out to Mithheru on RDForum via PM.

hsvhel

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#3226201 3-May-2024 20:14

Ruphus:

Another Uniden R7 user here. I got mine from Amazon and had it converted to NZ spec. Saved about $400 and I've had it for about 3yrs without any issues. RDForum.org is a great place to learn about the different radar detectors, performance, features and how best to set them up. There's a local guy in Wellington who's able to provide the files to convert the Uniden RDs from US to NZ spec.

Have been for a sniff around today, seems to have some great info.

PM me if you prefer, around the conversions and costings ect

I take it the conversion is more around the GPS side of things rather than band flexibility? or am i way wrong

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Ruphus

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#3226245 3-May-2024 21:18

hsvhel:

Have been for a sniff around today, seems to have some great info.

PM me if you prefer, around the conversions and costings ect

I take it the conversion is more around the GPS side of things rather than band flexibility? or am i way wrong

The conversion does include an updated GPS database for NZ but also adds settings applicable for NZ conditions and frequencies. I actually think there are additional features in the International version that have not made it into the NZ version. The latest update added Auto-City / Highway detection which changes the detector sensitivity based on speed. This reduces false alerts at lower speed around town but automatically changes to highway sensitivity at a speed that can be configured by you i.e. 60km/h. There's also a bunch of other settings that have been included. There's a specific "NZ-only" K band setting in the conversion, when enabled and a factory reset is performed, the NZ specific frequencies and settings are configured automatically.

Here's an explanation of one of the newer features. POI Mute Feature - demonstration and explanation (youtube.com)

And here's a Redflex van testing. Uniden R7 150 International vs mobile redflex camera van (December 2022) (youtube.com)

Those from around Wellington should recognize these roads.

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