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What is the best radar detector to buy.
Radar detectors
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+1 to both comments.
Do a little research before a blind post, so you're at least familiar with what's out there... I did A LOT of research before I bought mine, as did my father. I chose the V1 and my dad got the 9500ix. We are both happier with our respective purchases and would do it over again. You need to decide what you want out of your detector and that'll help you choose...
My favorite is the V1, but as glb stated, lots of false positives.
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you don't even have to search, really. There's a whole section on audio, video, GPS, and radar detectors: Audio, Video, GPS, Radar Detectors & Other Accessories - LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community
IMO, don't buy one without GPS. GPS allows you to negate recurring false alarms, and some models even have a networked app for your phone that lets people label speed traps when they see them.
Also keep in mind that most departments use laser some/most of the time nowadays, so unless you invest in a complete laser jamming system, you are only partly protected anyway.
Also keep in mind that most departments use laser some/most of the time nowadays, so unless you invest in a complete laser jamming system, you are only partly protected anyway.
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GPS isn't worth much where I live, IMO. I learn to ignore certain false positives because the V1 tells me where the source is coming from (which no others do) and is more sensitive than any other detector out there.
Also, many places don't use laser too much (at least in the Midwest and Florida, where I've lived) because it costs a lot and laser cannot be used in a moving vehicle (officer must be sitting still). And, generally, if you drive smartly, you won't be passing a spot where a speed trap can be set up at 120mph.
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one thing i hate about the V1 is its just beeps - you can't tell what kind of signal band it is. and the indicator for the signal band is a small stack of all red lights, so you hear a beep and see a red light... but what does that mean?! that is its always going off non stop and i have now started to filter its beeping out as white noise and 3/4 of the time fail to listen to it when i need to.... not a big V1 fan... but they are OK. a good bit outdated too. not up to date technology wise.
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I am V1 all the way. An old friend and I compared his Passport (top of the line 9300xi model if I recall it correctly) to my V1. My V1 was about 1/2 second faster than his and there were times his didn't even beep when mine was going off like crazy as a statey drove by...so I only encourage V1.
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I live in illinois and I think they are illigal so does anyone know of radar detectors that are hidden that work good?
They're legal for private car owners everywhere in the US but VA and DC. Just illegal in Illinois for commercial vehicles like semi trucks.
If you want a truly hidden system visually look into Escort's "installed" systems, but they're a lot of cash to drop for the same functionality IMO, unless you want laser jammers (which are illegal in almost every state these days).
If you just want it out of the windshield, search the forum for "radar detector bracket." There are a bunch of DIY and off-the-shelf products that people here sell that attach to the rear panel above the interior light, letting you put your radar detector up by your head instead of in the windshield.
In the states where they're illegal the police have radar detector detectors (no joke), so hiding it visually isn't the important part anyway.
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I've had Escorts since the eighties, tried a Cobra -it's a toy, and have moved on to the V1 since the 90s. I think the V1 is the best radar detector I've ever owned, you can choose the sensitivity to deal with the false positives, but I used to pick up LAPD radars a 1/4 mile away on Sunset in the twisties.
The LAPD uses lasers and CHP seems to still use radar, not much you can do about lasers and the V1 will false on red brake lights.
The LAPD uses lasers and CHP seems to still use radar, not much you can do about lasers and the V1 will false on red brake lights.
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It makes different sounds depending on the band... Laser is a unique sound, K and Ka are another sound, and X is yet another sound.
I do wish K and Ka would be different, but it's not the end of the world to me.
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@ paragraph 1: +1, this is correct
@ paragraph 2: I haven't verified this recently, but as of a couple of years ago, to the best of my knowledge, all states but DC and VA allowed windshield detectors, but many states had hidden detectors as illegal. Also, radar jammers are highly illegal, but I thought laser jammers were legal.
Really? I know that in California it was the opposite for a long time: detectors were legal but having stuff mounted on your windshield (including a detector) wasn't, so hidden detectors were the only legal kind.
Radar jammers are very illegal federally (since they're emitting interference with a radio device, they fall under the FCC), but laser jammers are still regulated on a state-by-state basis. Laser jammers are illegal in 10 states now: CA, UT, CO, OK, TX, MN, IL, TN, VA, and SC, but it's easy to pass laws against them so more states will probably ban them soon.
The moral of this story is that everything varies state by state and to look it up before you buy, I suppose...
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+1.
I got the same Escort . Love it. Announces intersection cameras, type of alert , etc etc.
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radar jamming is federally illegal (FAA) there is no jurisdiction on light waves, like there is on radio frequencies. certain local municipalities or states may have language around "obstructing justice" and can lump laser jamming into that....
VA is why i did mine with concealed components. i just turned it off, when i saw a cop...
VA is why i did mine with concealed components. i just turned it off, when i saw a cop...
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It's frustrating, as the V1 detects Audi and Buick collision warning sensors , since they somehow lie in the K band.
Does the Escort/other brands detect those as radar?
Does the Escort/other brands detect those as radar?
Yes, but K-band makes a different sound and announcement than Ka-band, so in places where the police use Ka you can tell it's not a cop immediately.
The V1 has one good feature for avoiding that issue that the Escorts don't have: in the V1 programming mode you can set it to disable K-band alerts from the rear only. That way you get protection against K-band speed traps but don't have to hear the radar cruise control behind you.
I prefer the Escort detectors - the voice announcements, different tones for Ka v. K band, and especially the GPS features beat out the arrows any day.
The Mike Valentine argument against GPS is that it sometimes blocks real signals, and that his speed-sensitive alert muting system is a better alternative in the city. I can appreciate that engineering viewpoint, but I think that in real life the tiny chance that a police signal overlaps the blocked signal is vastly outweighed by the "boy who cried wolf" false-alert fatigue.
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