Good Radar Detector?

lol, dont trust it for a damn... valentines are expensive.

if you are gutsy enough, go ask a cop to shoot radar at you and you can see how long of a delay there is b4 ur radar picks it up.

Hm, SkyAce, do you know if the motorcycle cops have their radar gun mounted to their bike? I use my Whistler on the highway and it picks them up pretty well... even if there is a delay (never really experienced one). I'm thinking the delay starts when I'm still far away or something, cause mine usually goes off and gives me enough time to slow down.

Forget asking a cop to test it for you, just go to one of those big box things with the big numbers on it that tell you your speed limit. Same KA band. Mine works fine, if only the stupid lights were easier to see.

well, the delay im talking about is instant on. like if a cop has a hendheld gun, he clicks it get the reading and it goes off. or he can hold it and get your top speed.

as for motorcycles having them mounted, i really dont know. my county only has 2 motorcycles and they are used for 'special purposes'. if you get a cop that has radar mounted on his dash and its always on, im pretty sure the radar detector will pick it up before you can see him. but not all cops do that. ive done some ride alongs and the majority of them used hand-helds.

i dont know too much information on it. my mom just got into law enforcement and is finishing up her field traning. she is just waiting on a sqd car. but she plans to get radar certified and when she does, ill have to ask her a bunch of questions.

Good Radar Detector?

I'm looking for a decent, affordable and accurate radar detector? any ideas?

valentine1

although since my purchase of a radar gun, all the radar detectors ive tested, seem really shitty. i have a cobra 9210 and ive got a K band radar. it takes about 3-4 seconds for the detector to detect the signal. it starts at 1 and slowly crawls to a 5.

same thing with the other brands ive tested (friends). 1 guy had one that wouldnt even detect it.

I thought Valentine's were extremely expensive. I have a Cobra and it is ok. Not sure of the model, but it is 9 bands and was about 70 bucks.

Hm, well this is what I've noticed here in Cali. My radar detector has gone off about a quarter mile before passing a parked motorcycle cop who was pulling someone else over. My detector has also gone off when a cop was merging onto the freeway across from me and zooming away with two hands on the wheels, before pulling over a motorcycle. Also, it's gone off for a motorcycle cop sitting on the his bike on the side of the road aiming into traffic on the HWY17.

For more purposes, it's helped me out a lot. I know about laser guns and the new POP radars, but if you're an alert driver and don't rely on your radar detector like a sidearm, you'd probably be alright. The guys with the laser guns are always parked on the side of the road aiming into traffic, radar cops are usually around measuring more than one person's speed so the odds of it bouncing around and hitting your car is pretty good. Just notice the guys that are matching speed and you're pretty set.

well, i cant tell you much about laser... im not to sure about POP radar, although i just read some info on it on valentineones website...still not exactally sure what it is.

and if they use a radar gun aiming it into high density traffic, its really kinda hard to tell who is doin what speed. the radar gun spreads out and you cant exactally tell what car is goin what speed. although if you have a good eye, you can spot out the one who is goin faster than the bunch, and that usually pops up on the screen.

ive learned alot from having the gun, the MAIN reason i have it is to test the speeds of my gas powered RC. but, for shits and giggles, ill carry it in my car for those times when im at a stoplight

I bought the beltronics 925 at Circuit City and it has worked well, but sometimes false alarms. Passing bridges near docks.... etcs... Detection is usually a mile or more.

Well... there has to be some sort of radar to get your speed. Laser or otherwise. If it's in a van, it is probably just a normal radar, and if it takes photos like I think you mean... they sell plates that block that out.

Hm, I've heard of those Valentine1 detectors, expensive... I was thinking about getting one too. Most likely the more expensive it is the better, but is it worth it?

No... they usually upgrade the hardware within the unit to detect either the bands better or newer bands.

http://www.valentine1.com/upgrades/

If it were just firmware, you could probably just download it onto there yourself and not have to pay bucks for it.

Either way, it is definitely not free when they release an upgrade.

here in az, no1 shoots radar. we got this crap thing called photo radar. instead of sittin out there, they park an suv or a van with this whole set up in it. i personally think if u live somewhere where they shoot radar or laser ur screwed no matter what. i think radar detectors are good only for the ones we got.

Yes, if the other car has a radar (microwave) motion sensor as part of the alarm system.

I have been told that, but I have also heard it can pick up the cars surrounding you.