JoganJani

What are Radar jammers? I read those are illegal in CA. Are these Valentine and Passports have jammers in them?

What one should look for features in the Radar Detector when comes to shopping. Also do not know why and what these functions does;

Alert lamp,
Pilot light,
Remote display (why one need it?)

When it comes to a Radar Detectors I truely am a newbie. All the help on explaining detectors will be appreciated.

adam209

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/radar-detector.htm

JoganJani

Thanks Adam. I know how they work. What I'm looking for is experienced advice on what I should look for when buying one.

Steven

www.radartest.com

`ill*tl

Another radar thread.

The 8500 and V1 is just a radio tuned to the frequencies of the 3 most highly used bands in U.S. (X, K, Ka)..and also (Laser). So, No..they aren't radar jammers..which is illegal in all 50 states. What you might be looking into is probably a Laser Diffuser. The 8500 works side-by-side with the ZR3 Laser Shifter. If you don't choose this route, I suggest getting the V1..and getting the K40 Front/Rear laser diffusers.

bdowell

Buy a Passport 8500 and forget about it

adam209

you asked about the display, pilot light, and alert lamp. thought that might help

`ill*tl

Get a V1...you won't regret it.

vtechbrain

Radar Jammers are illegal but its a moot point since none of the ones in the market work look around the detedtor sites and youll see that the jammers are useless. You have 2 choices Valentine or Escort 8500. I've used them both side by side. Valenitine is marginally more sensitive but it appears to have very crappy filtering algorythm, therefore it doesnt shut up. If you go to the valentine website the try to sell you all this BS about taht it alerts then you decide with the arrows, just BS to try to explain why it doesnt filter extraneous radar signals better. The escort falses a lot less is 100 bucks cheaper and has almost the same sensitivity (very high). In summary I prefer the escort.

UminChu

Radar dectors do exactly that, they detect microwave signals on specific bands and alert you to the presence of nearby radar emmisions. Jammers corrupt the the way the radar signal returns to the radar gun, rendering it unusable.

`ill*tl

Good point. On Advanced Logic mode, my V1 falses a lot less than my 8500..so, I don't see how the V1 doesn't filter extraneous radar signals? But I usually leave it on Logic mode...which just like many others..would feel safer if we knew of all the radar signals. Then use your best defense, your judgement..there's is only so much a radar can do. Often, people forget that the radar only goes off if a cop is using a radar gun. joganjani also stated that he was looking into a concealed display..which I believe the 8500 doesn't, but the V1 does.

vtechbrain

Only V1 has the concealed display. Escort sells an expensive dealer mounted detector that is in fact concealed, SR1, dont buy it or any detector in which the detector goes under the hood. The detection part of the device should be as high as possible on the car so as ot get the best "view" when cresting a hill. Thats the reason detector that go behind the grill have poor range regardless of brand or price. If your willing to spend, I would get the 8500 and the laser shifter. The shifter is a technology that actually works very well but the whole shebang will cost you around 800 bucks, and has to be installed professionaly but, the overall protection cannot be beat.
If your not willing to spend that much, Find friends with both detectors and try them out side by side, thats how I decided.

Pug

Is it possible to foil lasers by smearing something on the front license plate?

`ill*tl

No, the best thing to do is drive without a front plate.

vtechbrain

Contrary to popular belief the license plate is not essential for laser function. The wavelength of the laser makes that a non issue (even cops don't know that one!) A quick example are military laser designators, have you ever seen a reflective tank?

`ill*tl

Yes, but it's harder to pick up your car compared to a car that does have a front plate. Have you ever flashed a light on your plates at night? .. how its reflective? And the color of your car does affect the way it attracts the laser signal as well...

UA66

If it wasn't for my Valentine V1 I had for the past 4 years. Then the Escort Passport I had for about 6 years before that and even before that the original Escort, I probably couldn't have afforded (the insurance) my new '04 TL ..or my Miata ..or my '88 Legend (ie no points on my license).

My first and last speeding ticket was in 1985 when I was caught by an airplane (watch out in CT).

Since then I musta been luckly on the days the CT State Police weren't running airplanes, but that Valentine One has always been _dead on_!

Around here, especially on I-95 where the state has installed laser speed monitoring devices every few miles along I-95 from exit 1 - 56 (not for ticketing - only to monitor the flow), the V1 goes off all the time. But with the V1 you can always tell a real strong or X band signal WAY ahead of a real radar trap.

One other thing, if there's a newer GM SUV (Envoy/TrailBlazer, etc) in front of you and they brake, their high mounted third brake light sets off the V1 in the laser warning mode.

Real annoying, as most GM SUVs are anyway!

But it looks like as technology goes on its a constant "upgrade" for us safe drivers, the K40 stuff might be on the upgrade list.

vtechbrain

the problem is that laser cannot pick out a car from a crowd it has to be purposefully aimed at a single car (cops hate lasers its quite a bit of work) Around here since there is little traffic is that donut joe will aim it at a specific lane and just leave it there. In areas with significant congestion they have to sit there and point it at you. Usually if you detect laser your screwed if he was pointing at you and just lucky is your getting a reflection from the road or another vehicle! Thats why the shifer is so sweet it emits at the same frequency as the laser but out of phase thus blocking it completely. Plus it cannot be made illegal by the FCC since it is not in the radio spectrum, lasers are controlled by the FDA! This is just info I have not bought the shifters themselves.

`ill*tl

I also have yet to hear about any stories of the ZR3 Shifter. On how well it works? There were a couple members on the board that were thinking about investing on it...a bit pricey if you ask me..$1,000+ :wow: Hopefully they'll report back soon.

vtechbrain

Ive been afraid to take the dive I have half the sytem (the 8500), but that entail about 700 bucks extra. Maybe in the spring, I'm also worried about wherw the ****er modules would go theyre supposed to go in the area of the headlights but I think that may not go very well on the tl since there is no lip to hide them there. the only place I think it would be appropriate is the below the bumper vents?? We'll see.

Chilli

The local cops around me use laser exclusively. I have a BEL Laserpro 904 which in a couple of tests performed almost as well as the Escort ZR3 and cost half as much. Cops don't need a front plate to bounce their beams on. A front bumper or headlight will work well since we have no front plates here in FL. The BEL unit has 2 front receivers and one rear which send out a competing laser signals when they detect an incoming beam to deny the cop's gun from registering a reading. So far I've driven through one laser trap and smiled gleefully as the cop stared at me as I passed since I was 15 mph over the limit in a 35 zone when he hit me. The only problem with the BEL unit is that it doesn't integrate with the BEL detectors.

Avoid the K40 unit as it is 3 year old technology and is inferior to the BEL and Escort.

`ill*tl

Thanks for the great info! I didn't know that the K40 unit hasn't been updated...whats keeping them from it?

bdowell

Ebay offers the 8500 and the ZR3 in a combo pack for $560 (I think). Search for 8500 ZR3

`ill*tl

I have both the 8500 and V1. I will be looking to buy the ZR3 in the near future...

JoganJani

Thanks people. This will e good to digest for awhile and start studying more.

caball88

does it make a difference if you get the cigarette lighter powered one or battery powered? only because it really doesn't look nice to have the wire hanging down the dash. does the battery one perform just as well?

vtechbrain

Battery powered detectors offer inferior performance even the new passport is nowhere near as good as the V1 and 8500. The detection module needs juice to work, apparently no one has gotten around the lack of current from batteries. I'm no electrical engineer but best performance requires 12V.

caball88

so where are you guys mounting your detectors? is the cord just dangling in front of the navi screen?

vtechbrain

Actually the cord tends to grab neatly on the right side of the center stack. There is enough of an edge so it doesnt hang over the NAV.

`ill*tl

My V1 is sitting behind the tint strip I have on my windshield. Ran the wires along the top..down my A-Pillar..hardwired.



Concealed unit display located right on top of the steering wheel cover.

Jss1

I have the Solo 2 and have yet to pass a radar trap I didn't know about. Also I have a 12 power cord that plugs into the power outlet but it sure is nice without wires.