[Fraggy]

I just got a Passport 9500i yesterday, and reviews indicate its a kick ass machine. I haven't come by a real cop using a radar gun yet, but in my area we have a lot those speed cameras that display your speed as you drive by. When I drive towards those, I notice that by the time the detector gives me a warning, Im so damn close I can see it and if it would have been a cop, Im sure Id be busted by then. Im using it at Highway mode too which has the highest sensitivity.

I thought these radar detectors are supposed to detect a radar a mile or two ahead? Is this because those speed cameras dont have as powerful of a gun as those used by real cops and hence its not noticed from as far away?

Ive played with the placement of the unit, but found only a couple hundred feet of difference at the most, still not enough to save me.

The area has some curvy roads, can that impact things?

TIA

[JO3]

curvy roads will affect it.

On a straight road, my V1 will start beeping usually at least 1/4 mile from the sign. There's a hill 1/4 mile in front of the sign, and as soon as I crest the hill, the V1 goes crazy.

[Fraggy]

So all cops have to do is wait behind and curve and then these things are rendered useless?

[Fraggy]

Any other ideas?

[Gig103]

From Radardetector.net:

Originally Posted by Mike Valentine
"The failure to alert to a particular speed sign might have one of several causes:

1) The speed sign may employ an FM-CW modulation technique to sense the direction of vehicles in its field of view. This feature is used to isolate departing from oncoming traffic. The V1 does not recognize FM-CW modulation as a valid police radar signal and tries to reject it. FM-CW is allowed for license-free "Part 15" devices by the FCC. FM-CW is not allowed for police radar. There are numerous traffic-volume sensors using FM-CW spread all around metropolitan areas these days that detector owners would rather not produce an alert. Otherwise freeway driving (in Cincinnati, at least) would be very annoying. It's a good thing that the V1 rejects FM-CW modulated signals.

2) The speed sign may have drifted out of the police radar band from aging or temperature. "Part 15" devices are somewhat notorious for this behavior. Automatic door sensors and Doppler security sensors are both "Part 15" devices, too. Few automatic door sensors use FM-CW because of the added expense. The speed sign devices can afford the added cost of including the FM-CW modulating hardware.

Yes it's written for the V1, but odds are the same reasons could affect your Passport (?)

[Fraggy]

Originally Posted by Gig103

From Radardetector.net:



Yes it's written for the V1, but odds are the same reasons could affect your Passport (?)

Thanks man, thats encouraging.

[RaDaRkInG]

Just get a Valentine One with better radar and lidar detection range and you don't have to worry about it.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html

[Lassaxi]

Originally Posted by RaDaRkInG

Just get a Valentine One with better radar and lidar detection range and you don't have to worry about it.

http://guysoflidar.com/august-2007/r...ctor-test.html

Yes, if you want to know where every speed sign, alarm system, garage door opener, and microwave oven is within a 10-mile radius, the V1 is your best bet.

[AjzRide]

I have the escort 8500 X50, which is very similar to your 9500, but without the GPS, and it picks up Ka band from about 1/2 mile on a straight flat road, and K band up to 1 mile away. I wouldn't be concerned about the speed camera.

[BMW F22]

I think it's just the range of the "radar" on those signs. I've always noticed that they don't display your speed until you're close to it. This makes sense because it's only measuring one car at a time. A cop usually points his radar at a car that looks like it's speeding to measure its speed. A cop can select the car that he wants to aim the radar at. The speed sign, on the other hand, does not have the capability of doing that so it must wait until a car is within range to display its speed (otherwise it would measure every single car going toward it).

[Fraggy]

From how far out can a cop clock you? And what kind of signal strengh needs to be displayed on the detector for the signal to be strong enough to get clocked?