We want to share some installation precautions for radar detectors here.
These suggestions will help you use the detector and make your driving experience more enjoyable. Let’s start.
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Which Is the Best Installation Position of a Radar Detector?
You can get the best detection range by installing the radar detector on the windshield.
With this installation, even if your geographical location changes, you can detect the signal faster if you drive up and down the mountain.
Another advantage of installing the detector high on the windshield is that it’s hard for others to find that you have a radar detector in your car. Installing the detector very low and leaving it on the windshield can easily attract thieves.
At the same time, this installation also prevents others from tracking you when they see it. This will maximize your privacy.
It is worth noting that some vehicles on the market have a nonferrous film on the windshield. Installing the radar detector behind the nonferrous metal film will seriously affect the sensor’s performance.
The ceramic color will not affect radar detection performance but may affect laser detection performance.
Installation Tips:
To quickly determine whether there is a nonferrous film on your car, go to the false alarm area, you know, and locate yourself where the radar signal is weak.
Then, move the detector under the color to see if the signal strength increases. If the signal is enhanced, you can know that your radar is affected by the tone, and you need to relocate to the position of colorless glass.
How to install the detector is also essential. Whether you use the original suction cup or choose the sunshade installation, aim at the front to maintain the best performance possible. The radar detector pointing up or down will endanger the detection performance.
Keep these two preferences in mind.
Many drivers will install the detector near the rearview mirror because they naturally look in that direction.
If this is not attractive to you, please find the direction you will skim from time to time on the windshield and set the wrong alarm coordinates or adjust the settings.
How To Choosing The Best Radar Detector To Fit Your Needs:
When shopping for a radar detector, remember this: “You get what you pay for.” The radar detectors with the best and latest features will often cost more than those that don’t carry all the bells and whistles. When shopping for a radar detector, you should compare prices to features before buying them.
You’ll want one that at least detects all of the frequencies that police use, which are:
- X-band 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz
- K-band 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz
- Ka-band 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz
- Laser 904nm, 33 MHz Bandwidth
Some features to consider :
Long-Range 360° detection – The detector can sniff out signals coming in any direction, from the front of your car, the rear, or the sides.
Selectable POP mode radar detection – POP mode is a K or Ka signal from the radar gun to your vehicle and back in less than 1/10th of one second. Many older model radar detectors cannot pick up this signal because it travels quickly. Newer model radar detectors can pick up these signals, though. Be sure to check the specs for POP radar detection.
***Frequency Upgradeable*** – The ability to reprogram the microprocessor in the radar detector to combat future radar and laser technology. This is an excellent feature because you won’t have to buy a new radar detector every time laser or radar technology evolves. Frequency Upgradeability saves a lot of cash.
VG2 Rejection – With VG2 technology, the police can detect you’re radar detector. The VG2 Rejection feature blocks the police from seeing your radar detector. This can be useful in places where it is illegal to use radar detectors. Virginia, District of Columbia, and Military Bases. (Use a radar detector in these areas at your own risk; we suggest turning them off if passing through any of these places.)
Voice Alerts – The speaker on the radar detector will tell you if it detects any signals. This allows you to keep your eyes on the road.
Highway and City Modes – If you’re in the city, more radio signals bounce around than if you were on the highway. This turns the radar detector’s range and sensitivity up or down depending on where you are (In a city or on the road). If it’s in city mode, the content and sensitivity are lowered, so the radar detector picks up fewer false signals. On the highway, they are raised for maximum range. Watch for radar detectors with a very convenient autodetect feature for city and highway modes.
Safety Radar Signal Detection – The ability to distinguish police radar signals from emergency vehicles. Safety signals are signals that emergency vehicles send out when they are nearby. They are equipped with an FCC-approved transmitter that sends out a unique K Band signal to alert motorists of their presence. The word “Safety” usually appears on the display when picking up safety signals.
Other factors to take into consideration are:
– How well the radar detector picks up signals over hills.
– The distance from which it can pick up signals, the further, the better.
– How Often You Travel: If you’re on the road a lot for work or vacationing, you may find yourself driving faster than other motorists. You may want to consider getting a radar detector because, since you’re on the road more often than usual, the chances of getting a speeding ticket are higher if you drive fast.
– Whether or not the product has a warranty: If you invest in a radar detector, it must carry a warranty. You only want to buy a radar detector from a confident company and stand behind its product.
– How much you are willing to spend – Check out the different prices and compare the features of other models. Amazon carries the best and latest model radar detectors, from affordable to feature-packed radar detectors, along with some of the most competitive prices on the internet. They have detailed descriptions of each radar detector they carry, so you can easily compare prices to features.
How to Use Your Radar Detector Effectively
Although a radar detector is a valuable tool for any driver, the truth is that it could do more harm than good if misused. When motorists perceive them as a license to break the law and eventually get tickets only to qualify the devices as useless once their fines pile up, they are pretty standard these days. And that’s just one of the most common examples.
However, it is essential to note that the radar detectors capture the frequencies emitted by the radar gun, utensils commonly used by law enforcement officers to determine the speed of vehicles.
The following are a few tips on adequately operating your device and some information regarding what you can expect – or cannot expect – from a radar detector.
Situations When a Radar Detector Makes All the Difference in the World
The ideal time to have a radar detector installed in your vehicle is when you are driving on the highway or a city road and have several cars in front and behind you. The reason why this makes a perfect scenario resides in the fact that your device can effortlessly detect the radar gun when it captures the speed of the automobiles around you. Fortunately, driving in heavy traffic is a prevailing situation that motorists will find daily, especially during rush hours.
Its Performance Greatly Depends on the Installation
Granted, some radar detector manufacturers advise users to install the device as high as possible for better performance and signal capture.
If it weren’t for the limited visibility and the dangers resulting from this, chances are they would even recommend placing it in the middle of your windshield.
However, it is necessary to mention that “as high as possible” is not such a sunny location for a radar detector, considering that the police officers will not point their guns at the windshield but rather at the lower part where they can see the nameplates of the vehicle.
Besides, although radar detectors are permitted in every state except Washington and Virginia, law enforcement officers frown upon drivers utilizing such devices.
In short, their instinct tells them they speed regularly, and the current encounter is merely an exception. Given these reasons, an efficient location for your radar detector is as low as possible, preferably on the dashboard.
Change the Radar Detector’s Modes Accordingly
Perhaps the most common complaint regarding radar detectors is the number of false alerts, which, on a side note, will determine whether the driver ignores the visual and audio signals emitted by the device sooner or later.
However, the truth is that this issue could be easily solved if drivers would remember to select the appropriate modes according to the road. There are just four modes these gadgets come with, namely:
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POP mode – detects bursts of signals from radar guns, although this might also increase the number of false alerts in certain conditions.
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City mode – because numerous things in the city emit similar frequencies as radar guns, this mode considerably reduces false alerts.
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Auto mode is handy for transitioning from the city to the highway or vice versa.
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Highway mode enhances your device’s sensitivity to detect weak and quick signals.
Learn the Device’s Signs and Alerts
Since the icon and LED alerts emitted by your radar detector might be confusing, checking the gadget’s manual and learning them before heading for a ride is highly advisable. Besides, as most radar detectors also include voice or audio alerts, it is best to become familiar with them and respond accordingly. On a side note, since most devices work on a system that sends signals that increase in intensity as you approach the source, select an audio alert you can hear even under challenging conditions.
How To Keep Your Radar Detector In Tip Top Condition?
If you intend to get a radar detector and worry that your device will require much maintenance to work correctly, let us put your mind at ease.
Unlike many other items in a car, the radar detector only needs occasional dusting with a dry and soft piece of cloth.
It is important to note that sprays and liquid substances are best avoided because they can easily protrude through the small openings of the device and, consequentially, damage the unit.
Your device Doesn’t Need Washing, But The Suction Cups Do
In general, drivers prefer to install the radar detector in the lower section of the windshield so that the unit’s cord doesn’t get in their line of sight.
However, almost all manufacturers recommend mounting it as high as possible to pick up signals more efficiently. While many don’t like the idea, they eventually opt for a tall windshield mounting to enjoy the maximum benefits of the radar detector. This installation will generally require utilizing suction cups for easy access and removal.
While cleaning your radar detector implies wiping the dust off, it is necessary to mention that you can wash the suction cups with warm water and mild detergent. Depending on where you bought them, you can even pass and rinse them in the dishwasher, as some owners have pointed out.
However, this method is not viable during hot summer days as the high temperatures might cause the suction cups to get unstuck, and the fall could damage the device.
Consider Using a Visor Holder
It is important to note that some manufacturers sell radar detector mounts that you could easily attach to the sun visors.
These mounts will ensure that your gadget is placed as high as possible for optimally detecting the signals and represent a suitable method of protecting the unit from sun exposure.
Whether or not the visor holder is a viable solution for preventing damage to your radar detector depends significantly on the type of car you are driving.
Simply put, as automakers continue to manufacture vehicles with tinting on the top, it will become increasingly difficult for you to mount the holder safely in a suitable position.
Besides, some drivers have complained that the cord seriously affects their comfort and line of sight during driving.
Fortunately, some radar detectors have accessories that allow you to connect the unit to a hidden power cord, so it no longer hinders your driving.
Not to mention that keeping them clean does not imply a lot of work, and it is similar to washing the suction cups.
Don’t Leave It in the Sun, Ever!
As most manufacturers point out, avoiding leaving it on the dash exposed to heat and direct sunlight for prolonged periods is highly advisable to keep it clean and work correctly.
For instance, if you are going to the mall with your family and know you have to leave your car in the sun for a few hours, remove it from the dashboard and place it in a dry and excellent location.
While some devices are built from top-quality materials, sun exposure will eventually cause warps on the frame.
On a side note, besides causing exterior and interior damage to the gadget (as can happen with poor-quality devices), it is necessary to mention that leaving the radar in plain sight might make your vehicle more attractive to thieves.
As with most things people carelessly leave in their cars, someone can smash your windshield and claim it.
To avoid receiving any ticket, you should consider playing it safe and driving slower when alone on the road, near bridges, underpasses, overpasses, curves, and hills. After all, let’s not forget that the radar detector is not your speeding ticket but a tool you should use responsibly.