Radar detector signal interpretation

[Blackbird]

I’ve just replaced my old radar detector with an Escort 8500 X50 and am currently coming to grips with signal interpretation. I’m looking for feedback from other users of top line detectors. I’ve disabled X and K bands to eliminate signals from security systems etc.

I stuck the detector in the car for a trip to Hamilton at the weekend. About 5km north of Cambridge, it went off in Ka POP mode (a form of “instant on”) and I nearly had heart failure, despite driving at strictly legal speeds. There wasn’t a cop in sight although there was a line of traffic coming towards me. I assumed that a mufti car was somewhere in the line. Coming back, the same thing happened and I looked hard for a mufti car but didn’t see anything which remotely resembled one. I’m pretty sure that it was close to, or at the same spot that the detector went off on the way north. This made me wonder whether there was anything a bit more covert going on (paranoid, moi???). I emailed one of the KiwiBikers who has a Valentine detector to see what experiences he has had along these lines. He said that he gets the occasional false alarm from agricultural equipment. Apparently, some tractors and similar equipment imported from the USA have a safety communications system fitted to them which can cause the odd problem. Must keep my eyes peeled in future.

Does anyone else with a top detector get the odd non-obvious source signal?

Cheers,

Geoff

[oldrider]

Hi Blackbird, because of the all out attitude of the government and their collection agency (Police) these days, I threw away my radar detectors and bought a smaller bike. The smaller bike has less tendency to go fast without thinking about it and it's more versatile. In other words I go where plod isn't. Another reason for the smaller bike is I now have a smaller bank balance. Besides her on the back is a lot happier. Shit I think I must have surrendered. :violin: Oh well, Cheers John

[Blackbird]

Hi John - nice to hear from you.

I'm 58 in October and keep wrestling with the same dilemma! The 'bird makes illegal speeds so effortless and it's such a great all-round machine that I'm not ready to make the hard call that you've made quite yet. We're planning to move permanently to Coromandel in a couple of years and with the nice twisty roads up there, maybe that will be the time to get a lighter, more agile machine where top speed isn't so relevant. In the meantime, I want to get the most out of the detector, haha :nono:

Cheers

Geoff

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Ka POP mode (a form of “instant on”)
Geoff
Turn the "POP" off. Not needed in NZ yet. You will not regret the purchase. It will save you a lot of money.

[Blackbird]

Cheers Gixxer

It's way better than my old model from experience already - picked up a camera van a huge distance away and yesterday, I’d been a good boy working in the garden so was allowed to go and play for a while in the afternoon. Took the bike up to the top of the Kaimai range towards Tauranga and then came home on SH1 via Tirau. The detector went off on Ka band whilst I was coming through Tirau although there was nothing in sight. As I crested the hill at the southern end, there was a Merc parked about 100 metres down the hill on the other side with a patrol car parked right up its chuff with lights ablaze. The distance when I first picked it up must have been about half a k which I thought was excellent considering all the buildings, traffic, terrain and the Merc masking the patrol car.

[Drunken Monkey]

If it goes off in the same place all the time, its typically a false alarm. I get about 99% less falsies on the Escort than I did with the Uniden.
Its detection is so good, sometimes you think you've got a false alarm, but it was a cop car 2 blocks away, or going down a parallel street.
The only thing the Valantine does better is tell you if it's in front or behind (useful to know sometimes!)

[Gixxer 4 ever]

The only thing the Valantine does better is tell you if it's in front or behind (useful to know sometimes!)

Yep but 200+ $$ more. I just put my hand over the back of the X50 to cover it. If it stops then it is behind, If not then it is in front. They are so good you do not always see the cop.

[Lou Girardin]

I wouldn't turn POP off, it's super sensitive to Ka band and may save your butt one day.
On the Valentine, if a POP alert is interpreted as a false it will flash J in the read-out.
If you only have Ka activated, I'd treat the slightest alert as a tax audit and hit the picks until you're sure.

[myvice]

Looking at getting a Valentine, been quoted about $950inc through a mate, good price?

[Blackbird]

Got my Escort for ~$500 through Ryan Gounder at DiscountBay (info@discountbay.co.nz). I think Ryan does the Valentine too. Performancewise, these 2 detectors are currently at the top.

[Warr]

Got my Escort for ~$500 through Ryan Gounder at DiscountBay (info@discountbay.co.nz).
Ryan has been doing well out of us KBers. Havent had mine a month yet, and Ryan was a great guy to deal with.
Still have it in the car just to get used to the signals ... and yes it replaces a Uniden. Nice to be able turn off K band.
Previously you'd be on the speed camera before you got a warning, the X50 is definitely more sensative.

[Pixie]

Looking at getting a Valentine, been quoted about $950inc through a mate, good price?
I think Lou got one from discountbay for less than $900

[Gixxer 4 ever]

I wouldn't turn POP off, it's super sensitive to Ka band and may save your butt one day..

Experience tells me you can turn it off. I always hit the brakes hard and drop to the limit as soon I hear a beep. But up to the owner.


If you only have Ka activated, I'd treat the slightest alert as a tax audit and hit the picks until you're sure.

As you should.

[Holy Roller]

I keep getting a Ka alert heading out of Whakatane by Gateway drive. It seems to be coming from the car sales place. I get full signal after leaving Tony Rees shop. Sweet after the 100kph sign.

[Da Bird]

Yep but 200+ $$ more. I just put my hand over the back of the X50 to cover it. If it stops then it is behind, If not then it is in front. They are so good you do not always see the cop.

... and the Stalkers are so good, they will pick up the speed of oncoming cars before I see them...

:whistle:

[Ixion]

... and the Stalkers are so good, they will pick up the speed of oncoming cars before I see them...

:whistle:

How then can you state that it was *that* car doing the xxx kph ? (Not getting at you, just wondering - I thought you had to see the offending vehicle at the same time as the reading ?). Not that it has any relevance to me of course. nana would never DREAM of speeding :no: :no:

[Da Bird]

How then can you state that it was *that* car doing the xxx kph ? (Not getting at you, just wondering - I thought you had to see the offending vehicle at the same time as the reading ?). Not that it has any relevance to me of course. nana would never DREAM of speeding :no: :no:

haha, the Tui's ad comes to mind.

You are right though, you have to have a visual on the car before confirming which vehicle is doing that speed... it is just helpful when the radar starts picking up speeds around a bend... you then have your "trigger" finger ready to lock on the speed when vehicle comes into view.

BC

[Ixion]

haha, the Tui's ad comes to mind.

You are right though, you have to have a visual on the car before confirming which vehicle is doing that speed... it is just helpful when the radar starts picking up speeds around a bend... you then have your "trigger" finger ready to lock on the speed when vehicle comes into view.

BC

Hm. Trigger finger reflex versus brake lever hand reflex ? Bugger , I think a finger beats a hand.

[LB]

If it goes off in the same place all the time, its typically a false alarm. I get about 99% less falsies on the Escort than I did with the Uniden.
Its detection is so good, sometimes you think you've got a false alarm, but it was a cop car 2 blocks away, or going down a parallel street.
The only thing the Valantine does better is tell you if it's in front or behind (useful to know sometimes!)
.
.
Agree with you DM - HEAPS less false alarms (had a Uniden before too).

I don't really care if it's in front or behind......I just slow down anyway.

And agree re the tractors, someone told me it's a type of GPS thing they have that sets off the alarm.
.
.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

... and the Stalkers are so good, they will pick up the speed of oncoming cars before I see them...

:whistle:
So it is an even playing field then. That's why we live in a free country. As long as the speed is dropped at the very first beep every thing is fair.

[Lou Girardin]

... and the Stalkers are so good, they will pick up the speed of oncoming cars before I see them...

:whistle:

And you book the first one that comes into view? :sherlock:
Shame for him if it was the second car speeding or the truck 200 metres behind!
What the hell though, he probably sped some other time and wasn't caught.

[Beemer]

Hi Blackbird, because of the all out attitude of the government and their collection agency (Police) these days, I threw away my radar detectors and bought a smaller bike. The smaller bike has less tendency to go fast without thinking about it and it's more versatile. In other words I go where plod isn't. Another reason for the smaller bike is I now have a smaller bank balance. Besides her on the back is a lot happier. Shit I think I must have surrendered. :violin: Oh well, Cheers John

Oh, if only having a smaller bike meant you didn't ever speed! The only speeding ticket I've ever had was on an RG150 along the Himitangi Straights! And the Goose isn't a lot better - I have to really watch I'm not sitting on 120 because that's where it seems to feel really sweet...

[Ixion]

Oh, if only having a smaller bike meant you didn't ever speed! The only speeding ticket I've ever had was on an RG150 along the Himitangi Straights! And the Goose isn't a lot better - I have to really watch I'm not sitting on 120 because that's where it seems to feel really sweet...

I wnder why it is that the sweet spot on almost every bike seems to be just fast enough to risk tickets.

[Beemer]

I wonder why it is that the sweet spot on almost every bike seems to be just fast enough to risk tickets.

I want to know that too, because now I am in danger of repeating the performance that earned me the ticket in 2000! :nono:

[RiderInBlack]

Oh, if only having a smaller bike meant you didn't ever speed!On the GXSR250 I've had:

124KPH in a 100KPH zone with an 80L backpack strapped to it, and I feel that I was only cruising:devil2: :rofl:

111KPH in a 100KPH zone. Just me on a wet day down the Ruakaka/Waipu Straights. What can I say cop was having a bad day, so I cheered him up a bit:devil2:

124KPH in a 100KPH zone (again). Yep, 80L backpack (yada, yada, yada). Bloody Ngatea Straights (which is why I travel by Matamata going to Tauranga).
Cop "You didn't slow down for me in a hurry"
Having seen him K's up the road but too late to do anything about it I replyed:
"Well I could see that you had me, so I felt there was not point in hurting myself by braking too hard just to stop for you":finger:

The bike would have to be pretty gutless before I wouldn't get done for over the 100KPH, and I wouldn't want to ride it anyway:finger:

[ducatijim]

Large Ag tractors have ground sensing radar fitted to them as a rule these days,I don't know what band, but they trigger a half strength alert on my Valeintine1 @ over 600m. The signal does not grow stronger as you close the gap however. So watch out for 'falses' from these machines now the new season is getting underway and you will see more of them on the roads.

[myvice]

Large Ag tractors have ground sensing radar fitted to them as a rule these days,I don't know what band, but they trigger a half strength alert on my Valeintine1 @ over 600m. The signal does not grow stronger as you close the gap however. So watch out for 'falses' from these machines now the new season is getting underway and you will see more of them on the roads.
Tractor warning isnt a bad thing ether!
We might see more of them on the roads but they never see us! Car or bike!

[dangerous]

There wasn’t a cop in sight although there was a line of traffic coming towards me. I assumed that a mufti car was somewhere in the line.
I'd say that it was most likely another quality detector that you picked up.... this is the most common false alert I get with my Escort.
When you get a hard n fast alert look in the windows of the cars about to pass you... bet ya see a detector in there.



Tractor warning isnt a bad thing ether!
No... its a bloody good thing, just like all the other SWS warnings that our detectors can pick up (see attach below)
Pitty the Gvt sees revenue collecting more important than our safety..... look at the SWS warnings that could be of use in NZ, bloody great idea.... might cost a bit to set up but hell....... imagine the lifes it may save.

TXT #64 is the tractor warning.

[RiderInBlack]

Love those "Future Use" ones. Must be for Delorians (SP):devil2: Sorry I'll just go back the future:wait:

[Timber020]

I used to contract in big ag gear, never thought about what hectare meters output would be. I wonder what the next generation of revenue collecting gear will be like.

[Pixie]

I wnder why it is that the sweet spot on almost every bike seems to be just fast enough to risk tickets.
It's because we have such a pathetically low Tax threshold (speed limit) compared to other countries

[Pixie]

Large Ag tractors have ground sensing radar fitted to them as a rule these days,I don't know what band, but they trigger a half strength alert on my Valeintine1 @ over 600m. The signal does not grow stronger as you close the gap however. So watch out for 'falses' from these machines now the new season is getting underway and you will see more of them on the roads.
This isn't a radar device.It's the Safety Warning System (SWS) transmitter that is used In the US.NZ police were offered it for free by the manufacturer,but felt that it's safety advantages were a lower priority than the fact that it would promote radar detector use (which receive the signals) and therefore reduce revenue.

[Lou Girardin]

111KPM in a 100KPM zone. Just me on a wet day down the Ruakaka/Waipu Straights. What can I say cop was having a bad day, so I cheered him up a bit:devil2:

124KPM in a 100kpm zone (again). Yep, 80L backpack (yada, yada, yada). Bloody Ngatea Straights (which is why I travel by Matamata going to Tauranga).
Cop "You didn't slow down for me in a hurry"
Having seen him K's up the road but too late to do anything about it I replyed:
"Well I could see that you had me, so I felt there was not point in hurting myself by braking too hard just to stop for you":finger:

The bike would have to be pretty gutless before I wouldn't get done for over the 100KPM, and I wouldn't want to ride it anyway:finger:

At 124 km per minute, I'd say you got off lightly. Where did you get the JATO packs to enable that sort of speed? :rofl:

[RiderInBlack]

At 124 km per minute, I'd say you got off lightly. Where did you get the JATO packs to enable that sort of speed? :rofl:From the "Mr Fusion" unit I fitted after getting back from the future of course:kick: Bloody smartarse. I'm surprise you didn't ask where the 100KPM Zone was:devil2: :rofl: Edited it now.

[Morepower]

haha, the Tui's ad comes to mind.

You are right though, you have to have a visual on the car before confirming which vehicle is doing that speed... it is just helpful when the radar starts picking up speeds around a bend... you then have your "trigger" finger ready to lock on the speed when vehicle comes into view.

BC

Surely the laws of physics have not changed , a car coming at you from an angle would look substantialy slower to the radar than its actual speed due to the angle and the fact that radar works by working out the rate of closing distance. If a car showed as speeding it would need to be going pretty fast and the actual speed would depend on the angle of the bend. When I am bored I may drag out my old physics text books and work this one out.
But sure as eggs a good detector will have seen you too.

As for the false alarms , the uniden detectors will set off a sensitive bel or escort, sometimes from quite a distance, good detectors dont set each other off.

Also the older Valentines are not quite as sensitive as the old 980 bel and escort so do not seem to suffer the falsing from unidens.

Dave

[Lou Girardin]

That's called cosine error, and it works in the cops favour if he's in the bend and you're on the straight.
BTW falsing isn't a function of sensitivity, it's inadequate filtering in the gubbins. (another technical term)