Radar detectors are Geiger counters. The closer they are to the radar source, the more warning indicators on the radar display and the more rapid the audible warning. This is called signal strength indication. In the past, some poorly engineered detectors went full alert at the first radar signal. This didn’t give any proximity or distance indication. First, we had radar detectors directly in front of the radar source at approximately ten feet and transmitted a radar signal. At this distance, they were at full alert. We noted the maximum visual and audible alerts of all detectors. Some report specific frequencies. All were set to a series of illuminated signal strength indications. SML or police observers noted the full alert and the serial number of the detector. Police trigger radar guns at approximately 1/4 mile. There are legal reasons. Detectors should give advanced warning to radar. This why we chose two miles. At 70 mph, you travel at 103 feet per second. Test vehicles were at a cone at 2 miles from the radar guns. Ka band is now the most important band with forty-one states now standardized on this band by state contract. There are 3 frequencies in Ka band being 33.8 GHz, 34.7 GHz, and 35.5 GHz. 34.6 GHz is reserved for photo radar systems. Officers triggered each gun for three seconds, i.e. instant on, and for ten seconds, i.e. constant transmit. Observers then reported and recorded the reporting of each detector by signal strength and if it detected the correct transmitted radar band. If a detector did not report at two miles, it traveled to a cone set at 1 1/2 miles from the radar guns and the test was run again. Y means it detected the correct frequency. N means it did not detect the correct frequency. No means it did not detect any frequency. The number next to the detector means the maximum number of illuminations on the signal strength indicator. I means instant on. C means constant on. The minimum distance reporting of any detector should be one mile .

Radar detectors are Geiger counters. The closer they are to the radar source, the more warning indicators on the radar display and the more rapid the audible warning. This is called signal strength indication. In the past, some poorly engineered detectors went full alert at the first radar signal. This didn’t give any proximity or distance indication. First, we had radar detectors directly in front of the radar source

at approximately ten feet and transmitted a radar signal. At this distance, they were at full alert. We noted the maximum visual and audible alerts of all detectors. Some report specific frequencies. All were set to a series of illuminated signal strength indications. SML or police observers noted the full alert and the serial number of the detector. Police trigger radar guns at approximately 1/4 mile. There are legal reasons. Detectors should give advanced warning to radar. This why we chose two miles. At 70 mph, you travel at 103 feet per second.

Test vehicles were at a cone at 2 miles from the radar guns. Ka band is now the most important band with forty-one states now standardized on this band by state contract. There are 3 frequencies in Ka band being 33.8 GHz, 34.7 GHz, and 35.5 GHz. 34.6 GHz is reserved for photo radar systems. Officers triggered each gun for three seconds, i.e. instant on, and for ten seconds, i.e. constant transmit. Observers then

reported and recorded the reporting of each detector by signal strength and if it detected the correct transmitted radar band. If a detector did not report at two miles, it traveled to a cone set at 1 1/2 miles from the radar guns and the test was run again. Y means it detected the correct frequency. N means it did not detect the correct frequency. No means it did not detect any frequency. The number next to the detector means the maximum number of illuminations on the signal strength indicator. I means instant on. C means constant on. The minimum distance reporting of any detector should be one mile

* when Cobra units moved to 1 1/2 mile cone all correctly reported frequencies. All experienced 30 exposures to radar guns: MPH Bee III 33.8 GHz, Stalker Dual 34.7 GHz, Kustom Talon 35.5 GHz, Decatur GSR K 24.150 GHz, MPH SpeedGun X 10.525 GHz. There were some 330 transmissions during this test.