Radar Detectors - What do all the lights and noises really mean?
10 February 2003, 08:38 AM
#1
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Hello Sports fans...
Quick questions for you to ponder this fine Monday morning.
I use (as Im sure many of you all do) a radar detector to help me keep within the limits of the law (
)...
This thing happily beeps and flashes away (usually when Im in the middle of a phone call.... err "Hands Free of course Officer").
Sometimes this thing goes bonkers for no apparent reason - no camera's, cops or other obvious reason and I wondered why this was?
I also wondered if anyone can explain in simple english what the 'X' and 'K' sources relate to...
Any advice welcome.
Thanks all.
Mak.
Quick questions for you to ponder this fine Monday morning.
I use (as Im sure many of you all do) a radar detector to help me keep within the limits of the law (
)...This thing happily beeps and flashes away (usually when Im in the middle of a phone call.... err "Hands Free of course Officer").
Sometimes this thing goes bonkers for no apparent reason - no camera's, cops or other obvious reason and I wondered why this was?
I also wondered if anyone can explain in simple english what the 'X' and 'K' sources relate to...
Any advice welcome.
Thanks all.
Mak.
10 February 2003, 09:30 AM
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Check out Speedtraps They give all the good info but basically sounds like u have a ccrappy un that gets lots of falsies 
caused by mobiles phones etc 
Si
caused by mobiles phones etc Si
10 February 2003, 09:57 AM
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I just cut and pasted this from www.radardetectors.co.uk, make for a good basic intro - not too technical....
What is Radar?
Radar is a beam of microwaves, like a beam from a touch, except invisible to the eye. However a radar beam is very similar to a light beam in that it travels in straight lines and so it cannot see around corners or through hills and it can't see you when you are behind another vehicle. Like a light beam it's easily reflected and it scatters as it is passed through dust and moisture in the air. It is this scatter and reflection that Radar Detectors are sensitive to and alert you to the fact that there is a radar device in the area.
When a radar beam is pointed directly at your car the reducing time taken for it to return a signal as you approach is what is used to calculate your speed. Generally, larger vehicles return more of a radar signal than smaller vehicles. Trucks are therefore "visible" on radar further away than cars, motorbikes are hard to pick up until closer because of their relative size.
While the principle of radar microwaves is very accurate and used by the millitary and for weather forecasts, police radar equipment, on the other hand, is not so accurate. Hand held speed guns are cheaply made and simplified, and therefore vulnerable to many interferences that cause false readings. This simplification means that traffic radar cannot tell one car from another. The operator has to do that, and since the operator can't see an invisible beam any better than you can, he frequently doesn't know which vehicle's speed is being read. This is a source of many undeserved tickets.
What Are The Frequencies?
The microwave frequencies you will generally see mentioned are X, K, Ka and Ku. Laser is also considered a band. K band is the main frequency used in the UK and this is what the infamous Gatso cameras use. These are the grey boxes you see at the side of the road facing away from you and which take your picture when you pass. They are so named after Gatsometer, a Dutch company that invented them and manufactures most of them. X and Ka band are used in Europe but are not used anymore in the UK. The same frequencies are used by all traffic management systems such as traffic light monitors, pedestrian crossings, red light and bus lane cameras etc. As a result the more sophisticated radar detectors on the market have selectable bands so that you can turn off those not required to reduce the false alerts. Ku band has government approval to be used in the UK and much is written about the Ku band being used in MiniGatso cameras but our understanding is these cameras are very uncommon except in Northern Ireland. The S5 has this Ku band switched off under its "Logic 3" setting for UK use as this is considered best for optimum performance.
What is Laser?
Laser is very similar to radar and it has all the same properties to radar in terms of the comparison to a standard beam of light. The difference with laser however is that it can send out a tightly focused beam. Radar cannot single out one vehicle in a pack, so the speed reading is usually attributed to the leader. The narrow laser beam reads only the vehicle it strikes.
Laser's narrow beam imposes significant limits on its use however. It must be deliberately and carefully aimed, therefore the operator can't be moving. He must have a clear shot, preferably not through glass. As with radar, you cannot use laser to read speed from the side and there must be oncoming and departing traffic.
What is GPS?
GPS is a group of 24 satellites each orbiting the earth at around 11000 miles above the surface. Each Satellite circumnavigates every 12 hours. At all times at least four satellites will be in view at any given point on the globe. GPS has been fully operational since 1990.
As long as a GPS device can see a minimum of 3 satellites then an accurate position of the vehicle can be calculated. GPS detectors generally check their position every second and are able to work out accurately the speed of the vehicle and constantly comparing themselves to a stored database of alerts. When nearing a stored location the unit gives an audible and visual alert.
When a GPS device is first powered it must acquire satellites to know its position. The first start is known as a cold start which can take up to 45 minutes to acquire the minimum three satellites for correct operation. Thereafter, warm starts (when the unit has been switched off overnight) should take a matter of minutes and hot starts (same day) a few seconds.
What is Radar?
Radar is a beam of microwaves, like a beam from a touch, except invisible to the eye. However a radar beam is very similar to a light beam in that it travels in straight lines and so it cannot see around corners or through hills and it can't see you when you are behind another vehicle. Like a light beam it's easily reflected and it scatters as it is passed through dust and moisture in the air. It is this scatter and reflection that Radar Detectors are sensitive to and alert you to the fact that there is a radar device in the area.
When a radar beam is pointed directly at your car the reducing time taken for it to return a signal as you approach is what is used to calculate your speed. Generally, larger vehicles return more of a radar signal than smaller vehicles. Trucks are therefore "visible" on radar further away than cars, motorbikes are hard to pick up until closer because of their relative size.
While the principle of radar microwaves is very accurate and used by the millitary and for weather forecasts, police radar equipment, on the other hand, is not so accurate. Hand held speed guns are cheaply made and simplified, and therefore vulnerable to many interferences that cause false readings. This simplification means that traffic radar cannot tell one car from another. The operator has to do that, and since the operator can't see an invisible beam any better than you can, he frequently doesn't know which vehicle's speed is being read. This is a source of many undeserved tickets.
What Are The Frequencies?
The microwave frequencies you will generally see mentioned are X, K, Ka and Ku. Laser is also considered a band. K band is the main frequency used in the UK and this is what the infamous Gatso cameras use. These are the grey boxes you see at the side of the road facing away from you and which take your picture when you pass. They are so named after Gatsometer, a Dutch company that invented them and manufactures most of them. X and Ka band are used in Europe but are not used anymore in the UK. The same frequencies are used by all traffic management systems such as traffic light monitors, pedestrian crossings, red light and bus lane cameras etc. As a result the more sophisticated radar detectors on the market have selectable bands so that you can turn off those not required to reduce the false alerts. Ku band has government approval to be used in the UK and much is written about the Ku band being used in MiniGatso cameras but our understanding is these cameras are very uncommon except in Northern Ireland. The S5 has this Ku band switched off under its "Logic 3" setting for UK use as this is considered best for optimum performance.
What is Laser?
Laser is very similar to radar and it has all the same properties to radar in terms of the comparison to a standard beam of light. The difference with laser however is that it can send out a tightly focused beam. Radar cannot single out one vehicle in a pack, so the speed reading is usually attributed to the leader. The narrow laser beam reads only the vehicle it strikes.
Laser's narrow beam imposes significant limits on its use however. It must be deliberately and carefully aimed, therefore the operator can't be moving. He must have a clear shot, preferably not through glass. As with radar, you cannot use laser to read speed from the side and there must be oncoming and departing traffic.
What is GPS?
GPS is a group of 24 satellites each orbiting the earth at around 11000 miles above the surface. Each Satellite circumnavigates every 12 hours. At all times at least four satellites will be in view at any given point on the globe. GPS has been fully operational since 1990.
As long as a GPS device can see a minimum of 3 satellites then an accurate position of the vehicle can be calculated. GPS detectors generally check their position every second and are able to work out accurately the speed of the vehicle and constantly comparing themselves to a stored database of alerts. When nearing a stored location the unit gives an audible and visual alert.
When a GPS device is first powered it must acquire satellites to know its position. The first start is known as a cold start which can take up to 45 minutes to acquire the minimum three satellites for correct operation. Thereafter, warm starts (when the unit has been switched off overnight) should take a matter of minutes and hot starts (same day) a few seconds.
10 February 2003, 10:08 AM
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Usually means you are ;
a) Going past a supermarket
b) Going past a petrol station
c) Going past any place that has automatic doors.
This was my main reason for getting a Road Angel (GPS) instead.
a) Going past a supermarket
b) Going past a petrol station
c) Going past any place that has automatic doors.
This was my main reason for getting a Road Angel (GPS) instead.
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