MikeD

hey, i'm lookin at radar detectors, and one i've been thinkin about getting is a uniden. i've also been lookin at cobra and whistler. which is best? thanks

mike

photoresistor

iTrader: (5)

I've heard that the Valentine One is the best radar detector of them all.

ponykiller

forget about the detector and get a scrambler. I have a Phantom II, which is a detector for radar and laser and scrambles both. It sits in the windshield just like a normal detector, so no cop knows what it is. Also there are some you can mount on the front of the car that are really good for laser scrambling, but I don't think they will fit on a FC.

-Kris-

defylogik

**** valentine.. best radar detectors is an escort passport 8500.. valentine cant even come close.. look at all the ratings on sites... they say the same... i used to have an 8500 and it would pick up state troppers like 5 miles down the road around bends.. IT ******* ROCKS, expensive, but end all to radar detection..

scott

photoresistor

iTrader: (5)

The ratings sites (only 2) i've been to have the Valentine rated number 1... what rating sites do you mean?

Anyways, I'm going to get a radar detector soon and want to know the best one, too. The Phantom II sounds interesting...

Poindexter10thae

iTrader: (2)

DUDE!!! where do I get one? can I order it off the net?!?! I want one!

photoresistor

iTrader: (5)

To order a Phantom 2, go to Ebay and search for it or do a search on Yahoo... there are many places to order from.

Also, it looks like the manufacturer will reimburse you for any speeding tickets within 6 months of purchase while using the device (that falls within certain restrictions, of course).

Sniper_X

You know, Scott, i'm it's 12:57am and I have to be up at 4:30am and seeing as this is less than 4 hours away, i'm not going to get lengthy here.

Impossible.
Physically impossible.

I hear all these frekin' stories about how "my radar detector ... from 5 miles away... over hills", and I cringe.

I am an electronics engineer, and this is ludicrous.

I really personally don't care which is better, but I thought I would point out that while I havent seen a Valentine or Escort for a few years, I know no radar detector can get X, K or anything from 5 miles away unless you live in the high desert.

(And anyone that tells you thier detector can get laser light over hills and around corners needs to be strung up.)

defylogik

ok.. well explain this...

im the ONLY person on route 77 south going down to southern ohio. ONLY PERSON. did not pass any cops. my radar detector goes off steady and keeps getting stronger untill i pass a state trooper going the opposite direction and it peaks about 3 minutes later? (prolly wasnt five miles but u get the picture)

keep in mind there was no one behind me.

btw, the area was kinda hilly in this route.

i dunno if it was luck bit it DID happen!

i have full confidence in escort.. i have heard valentine is unpredictable..

fyi... www.speedzones.com

there are a few others

rxrx7

All I know is my Valentine 1 has saved me 6 times since I got it in March. My vote is for the Valentnie 1

Scott 89t2

I've seen many tests on the scramblers and none of them work!

RarestRX

Yo,


Spend the money, get the best. Valentine 1.

http://www.valentineone.com/home.asp

I've used it, and I'm gonna buy one when I can afford it!!

KS

Dyre

LoL @ scramblers...

Even if radar scrambles DID work, the cop would know it as soon as you used it, as his gun would give an error. Now, MAYBE if you had an active scrambler, you could keep the tropper from getting your MPH, but hes going to know hes been scrambled. That said, every one ive ever seen are passive scrambles, which if your using one of these you might as well hang ancient taslasmands from your mirror and do voodoo chants becuase its going to work just as well (and probalby cost you alot less)

The best detector on the market is by far the V1. But any detector is only as good as line of site- Theres no way your going to pick a cop up 5 miles away, 1 or 2 miles maybe.. but no way 5, not to mention through mountians and such.

kliftin

I was in Electronic warfare in the military. Im only 20 but I dealt with the SLQ-32 wich is basically a reciever that recieves radio waves and displays thier frequency, prf, pw, exc. Now the pasport is near exactly the same. It displays the frequecy of the radar that its recieving. So considering every radar(cops,warning sings,exc) have thier own specific frequency, you can determine exactly what the threat is. With practice, this can be the most accurate system ever, regardless of type as long as it displays frequency accuratly. Just memorize the freq with the specific radar. Remember that considering this means that the reciver is only as good as the operator....

Otherwise their both doing the same thing. Personly I would go with the pasport. Even if it wasnt the only one with freq it still looks better and is smaller.

Sniper_X

Ill explain.

I suppose that you didnt pass any buildings either.
No houses, no businesses?

Alarms, satillite communications systems and some PCS towers, set off even the best detectors.

defylogik

LOL u obviously have never driven down 77! hehe

its basically a highway that goes down thru ohio that for about half of it is away from civilization by about 10 miles on each side. most of it on both sides is cliffs or cow patties.

scott

Sniper_X

Then in those conditions it is possible that even your AM radio could "get it" in the form of patterned static (on a sympathetic subset band) around 17xx.

This would therefor be a product of your environment.

Not actually the detector.

You are talking about a area that is perfect for reception of all sorts of things.

You might try constructing a amatuer radio telescope and listen to the "cluster' of pulsars in the southern night sky in a few weeks.

very cool to pick up with a modified DSS or VHF satlellite dish (those are enourmous though)

Snrub

iTrader: (1)

I really don't see a scrambler working on laser. I'm not particularly sure that a detector will work at all on laser unless a cop is busy trying it on a ton of people in front of you.

There was a decent discussion on this a while back with our resisdent cop (can't remember his name). Good guy with some unique insights.

jimmyv13

My vote is for the Escort Passport.

10TH_ANNIV_T2

I'm wondering the same thing, what to buy. Check out www.radartest.com if you haven't already. I would wonder who supports them, a few months back they rated the Passport 8500 as the best. The Valentine is a nice unit, although expensive and aging in design. I also remember some of the comments in the group buys as people were trying to get 10 or 20 units for a discount-- they wouldn't deal at all.

I presently own an original metal passport (11 yrs old?), and the first Escort that detected lazer (now 8 yrs old?) and like you figure it's time. I wasn't happy with Cincinnati Microwave when I got the Escort, they were arrogant also. I just don't like the fact that the Valentine hasn't changed much in it's appearance, or come down in price in several years-- WTF??

I'm leaning towards the 8500, I can say the units I have now have been dependable (if not a bit prone to false alerts), but maybe the Bel (980 I think?) is worth a look.

Had a Cobra-- It sucked-- but that was a long time ago. I do agree though, you get what you pay for.

Greg O.

copandengr

Snrub; Thanks for the compliment.

For the rest of you, here is a little info from the RADAR/LIDAR operator.

I am sure all of you realize that the enforcement of the speed limit laws is basically a cat and mouse game. The manufacturers who sell the police the RADARs and LIDARs are constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the people who sell the detectors and jammers and vis-versa. Realizing that these detector/jammer manufacturers are in a quasi-legitimate business one must understand that there are various government agencies keeping a close eye on these folks. They are just waiting for one of them to cross the fine line between a legitimate product and an illegal one. It is certainly possible to make a real working jammer, but look at how much effort the military takes to keep their aircraft nearly invisible. Look at how expensive and complicated a Wild Weasel (jammer aircraft) is. Then you may understand the obstacles facing a company that is trying to keep you from getting your next ticket.

If you are old enough to remember the earlier forms of RADAR, then you will know they used to transmit all the time. This made it quite easy to detect the presence of the cop. To counter this, the RADAR units evolved into an "instant on" feature. Simply put, it means there is no signal being broadcast until the operator hits the button, and the events that follow are nearly instantanious. The target is found, the Doppler shift is computed, the target speed is displayed, and the display is locked in by the operator. How long does this take? About one second or less if the operator is good.

The results of all of this are bad for you if there is a combination of a good operator and a lack of other traffic on the road. The law regarding the use of traffic RADAR REQUIRE the operator to have a visual on the target and to know from this that the target is speeding. The RADAR is to be only an electronic confirmation of what the cop already knows. This means that a good operator will not be sitting on the side of the road and indiscriminatly targeting every car. He or she will patiently wait until the speeder is seen and then zap the target. This kind of negates the benefits of a detector. It can't pick up what is not there. Unfortunately, most cops are lazy and use the RADAR to check every car coming at them, so a detector will give you warning.

Jammers are essentially a wave guide. These are designed to reflect a strong signal back to the RADAR or LIDAR that is supposed to enter a confusing signal. The internal check computer then "blanks" the display screen. The problem with these passive jammers is that they only work if every condition is perfect. This is not something that will be constant, and certainly is nothing I would want to rely on. Most of the time the conditions are not right and you will be locked in by the operator before you can react.

Active jammers exist. These are essentially transmitters that broadcast a strong RADAR signal on the appropriate frequency with a Doppler shift that will override the reflected signal of the RADAR unit. These will cause a speed to be displayed that is not correct. These units must be programmed to transmit a speed that the driver chooses. The only problem with these units (other than they are blatantly illegal) is the driver forgetting to turn them off when the speed limit drops. For instance you are on an interstate with a 65 MPH limit. You have programmed your active jammer for a speed of 68. You are driving 85. This will protect you if conditions are right untill you exit the interstate and are on a 45 MPH service road. You forget to turn off the jammer. A cop targets your car and the jammer tells him you are doing 68. Try explaining that one to the cop.

Active jammers are extremely expensive (three grand or so) and the only ones I have seen are home built using plans available commercially.

So guys, take your detectors and have fun. Remember to slow down where the cop usually sits. We all have our favorite "perches" or "fishing holes". This is usually a combination of a site that offers to the cop both concealment and a safe way to enter the flow of traffic. If you are familiar with these spots you will hopefully have enough sense to tip toe by these places.

As for moving RADAR, all I can say is you pays your money and you takes your chances.

Also, there is no such thing (yet) as moving LIDAR. To use a laser gun the unit must be absolutely stationary. The main advantage of a LIDAR gun is its ability to target a specific car, like a rifle with a scope on it. I have noticed there are some cars that are extremely difficult to pick up with a Laser gun. Belive it or not, the newer Ford Escorts and the Ford pick-ups are the most difficult to target from the front. I haven't found any car that is difficult to hit from the rear end. Rexes are so rare I haven't yet managed to target one to see if they are easy or not. I could get one of my buddies to try to target me I suppose, but then I would have to explain what I am up to. It ain't worth the trouble. Maybe one of these days I will manage this and there will be a post with the results.

Thanks for allowing me to vent my spleen again.

jimmyv13

great post.