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Best position for radar detector?

11K views 60 replies 21 participants last post by  Nath 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

What is the best position to put the radar detector? Currently I have it little bit below half way on windscreen. Also should it be facing directly towards the front or tilted towards the left side?

Thanks
 
#2 ·
Not sure about windscreen mounted ones but the remote mounted ones are generally best when centered, level and aiming directly forward. I'd imagine it would be the same with the windscreen ones. If it picks up laser you'd want it to be mounted fairly low on the windscreen.
 
#8 ·
The majority of Multinovas here are now Laser, there is a little bit of Ka band left here and there and there is a miniscule amount of K out in the country areas (nothing in city).

You can still pick up laser if it is hand held, but the cameras almost shoot at 90deg so any warning you get is either so late as to not be of any assistance, or otherwise after the fact.
 
#9 ·
Yeah that is what I thought too that is why I figure radar detector seems a bit useless here.

But interesting info dec and didn't know you still need the radar detector to work in conjuction with the laser jammer :D I thought those laser jammer comes with in built detector or something haha.
 
#12 ·
The Jammers work on their own without a detector. but they wont auto off without one ( i think ..), they also wont inform you of the presence of the cop/camera/...

That V1 is sitting too high for my liking. Unlikely to get the best performance from in front, and would be very poor performance from behind.

Mine sits so it looks like its attached to the underside of the mirror, it works very well 80% of the time, the only times it doesnt give enough warning are the 90deg cameras...

But i got mine for the regional driving I do, and it works very well in those instances ...
 
#13 ·
Jammers work 100% standalone but as mentioned you won't be alerted to radar. Lasers do not work in motion so all in car devices that are used at speed will be radar. As mentioned you guys have the multinova fixed laser cameras in WA, I'm not sure if they use the same system for portable cameras? Here all our cameras that are built into cars and then parked on the side of the road (Mercedes Vitos, Golfs, Patrols, Landcruisers, hilux's etc.) all use radar.

For any state apart from WA where the use of detectors and I think Jammers is legal I'd recommend a hidden install 9500ci coupled with twin head front facing Laser Pro Parks. The reasoning behind not having rear facing is that it's way to obvious if a cop hits the back of your car, can't get a reading, sees the brake lights go on then off, then they get a reading of you doing the right speed.

It's rare for police to laser the back of your car and in this situation you just need to cop it on the chin. This is why if I were to run such devices I'd only speed by an amount that I don't mind getting done at, on the off chance that the defence fails.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Im in Vic, I got chance to test with my friend's V1 around my area before. I put it just above the dashboard and it worked really great to detect from front and rear.
I really want to get one but I heard that it is illegal to use in VIC. Some says the police has a device to detect people who use radar detector specificity.
Anyone are in VIC and using any of the dectors everyday?
 
#19 ·
V1 is undetectable ?(from what i had read at the time anyway)

Yeh all our portable cameras are being phased to Laser, the back of van ones are KA band and I think the in car ones are KA or K (depending on where you are), but they are mostly now instant on, so you only get a reading if they have switched it on to check yours or someone elses speed.

Our fixed one is Laser as well i beleive ( i remmember my detector going berserk when i went past the other day, but cant remmember what it was ...)
 
#20 ·
Pretty sure the V1 is detectable. At the time when I was doing my research it was the best detector out there but not suitable for those wanting undetectable units.

In QLD the speed camera vans etc. use K band and in car is KA. You are correct though, instant on in car radar can be used. There are also certain cops who go up behind cars and flick the instant on to see if they brake. If they do, it's pretty clear they have a detector.
 
#23 ·
Yeh, they are Ka, i normally get a warning at least 500m away ( very rarely can I actually see the van when the detector lets me know )

To be honest, the only traps it is no good with are the new cameras that work at 90deg, simply because there is very little laser rebound to be caught prior to being very close to the actual field of the camera.

With everything else the pickup is fantastic. In fact, other than the lack of GPS (and apparent detectability) the V1 cant be beat
 
#24 ·
Yeah V1 has been known to be noticeably better with radar performance. It isn't exactly market leading when it comes to features like the ones you've mentioned but it caters for a lot of the US market and that's where the volume is so why bother catering to the small market..
 
#25 ·
Ebay sells a lot of old units that are probably out of tune and remember, valentine doesn't ship internationally so you're pretty much stuck with a non working detector.

As for laser jammers, THE best is the Laser Interceptor. I have the dual on my car and it's saved me many times. Just remember to slow down ASAP and turn it off right away.
 
#28 ·
I hate getting speeding tickets but I think the risk of using a jammer outweights its benefit. The laser speed guns used by cops are very accurate and reliable. As soon as the cop does not get a reading, even for a short time (3-4 sec), he "knows" a jammer is being used. He is then allowed to search the vehicle and he will look as long as it will take to find the device (he is even allowed to do a body search to find the small units which fit in a pocket). I have heard plenty of stories of drivers getting the jammer confiscated (outch!) and fined big dollars for using a jammer (up to $3000 in QLD).

Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT-ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999
Using radar detectors and similar devices
(1) A person must not drive a vehicle if the vehicle has in or on it-
(a) a device for preventing the effective use of a speed measuring device; or
(b) a device for detecting the use of a speed measuring device.
Maximum penalty-40 penalty units ($75 per unit).
(2) Subsection (1) applies to a device whether or not the device is operating or in working order.

There are fewer and fewer loopholes to beat Big Brother.
 
#29 ·
I know a "mate" who has jammed more times than he can count, generally for 2-4 seconds shaving speeds of 15-25kmh in 100/110 zones. He has never been pulled over or had his car searched etc.

Another mate of his has been caught with a laser jammer. His car was initially pulled over for tint and height (had 2 layers of 5% on a white commodore wagon that was sitting about 60mm off the ground) and they spotted it. He got the LPP (laser jammer) confiscated (it cost him $200) and got a notice to appear in court. He ended up getting fined $300 and no points. He use to go from the Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads on a daily basis so you can imagine how many times that small device saved his licence!

PS: I seem to have a few mates ;)

Edit: The main users asking questions in this thread are in WA where these devices are legal.
 
#30 ·
The Jammers are not legal, the detector is.

I also have a friend who has the jammer, hooked up to a concealed hard wired detector with GPS, he has yet to have been pulled over for the jammer and knowing his driving habits, I am sure it has saved him quite a few times...
 
#31 ·
Sunshine to Tweed daily? That's a long way to go...

In my limited experience driving in WA for work for a few days (Perth, Dunsborough...) I found that traffic generally moved a lot faster and smoother and I attribute this to the use of detectors. Along with that, there were signs posted in various locations advising of speed detection devices in use and that these areas were accident blackspots.

Overall, this seemed to me like a good approach. What do you WA dwellers think?
 
#32 ·
Along with that, there were signs posted in various locations advising of speed detection devices in use and that these areas were accident blackspots.
The only sign of this sort is near the single fixed camera on the freeway. (so far as I know anyway )

Not sure when and where you where driving, but you got lucky, the drivers here have no clue to simple road rules, courtesy etc...
 
#41 · (Edited)
Save creating a new thread i'll just post in here

If one was looking at a US version of Bel STi-R PLUS or 9500ci (remote hidden install) and it has been discovered that the GPS functionality for fixed camera alerting would not work as the AU database cannot be loaded. It has also been discovered that the K band does not operate on the 23.95 freq that the redflex mobile camera works on. So i'm thinking that the above mentioned units are only good for Highway Patrol and thats it? Are the mobile speed traps using radar or is it laser or even IR?

Perhaps someone could clarify all the different types used in NSW?

What I was thinking is if one was looking into this, then it may be better to just use parking sensors and the GPS alerting system like cheetah C50. These should cover everything except Highway Patrol?

Am i correct? Is it still worth getting the STi-R/9500ci in conjunction with C50 and LI aka parking sensors. Thoughts?
 
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