The police have come a long way from hiding behind billboards waiting for a speeder to blow by them. Their vehicles are now armed with the latest gadgets to detect drivers hauling ass on the highway. Two can play that game though, and lucky for us, some of that same technology is available to consumers to keep The Man from giving us speeding tickets.
Obviously, the best way to not get busted for speeding is to not speed, but there is no fun in that. You know you're going to speed at some point in your life, so you might as well be prepared for the inevitable. The second best way to not get busted is to buy a device that will warn you when there is a cop in the vicinity using a radar or laser gun. You can also buy a device that will mess up the readings on the cop's machine. While the devices in this buyer's guide do work, we have to warn you that there is a small window of time between the moment that a detector tells you that a cop is pointing his radar gun at a car near you, and the moment that same gun could be pointed at your truck. So you have to stay alert. We compiled this most wanted list of detection suspects to show you the different options available in the way of detectors, jammers and as a bonus, the devices that will point out those new traffic cameras.
 Suspect: Cobra XRS 9960G ...  Suspect: Cobra XRS 9960G
The XRS 9960G detects all radar/laser bands with fast lock-on detection circuitry, even POP mode radar guns. It comes with a GPS locator and lifetime subscription to the AURA database. The AURA database stores GPS coordinates of speed and red light cameras and driving hazards. Users can access this database online and download daily updates onto a GPS locator (a USB flash drive). Other features include full-color ExtremeBright DataGrafix II Display, an 8-point electronic compass, Voice Alert, car battery voltage display/low car battery warning, and much more.
Cobra Electronics
(773) 889-3087
www.cobra.com |  Suspect: Radarhawk SM The...  Suspect: Radarhawk SM
The RadarHAWK SM is the most advanced radar detector the company offers. The unit is a great solution to a low-cost, efficient, and environmentally friendly radar detector. The RadarHAWK SM has all-band radar detection with 360-degree laser detection. It is VG-2 undetectable and has both highway and city modes. Other great features include a solar-power and wireless capabilities so there will be no ugly wires draping down the dash. The unit will detect POP Mode radar, but the power cord must be used. The RadarHAWK has a nice LED display and an auto on/off feature to retain battery life.
Q3 Innovations
(319) 334-3412
www.q3i.com |  Suspect: Rocky Mountain RMR-C475...  Suspect: Rocky Mountain RMR-C475
Rocky Mountain's RMR-C475 is a radar/laser detector with a fully integrated radar/laser scrambler. It detects all radar bands, including X, K, Ka, superwide, pulse, instant-on, photo, and all laser, radar pro-laser, lti, laser-lyte, and stalker. This unit will also scramble all radar bands, all lidar guns, as well as being VG-2/VG-3 undetectable. The RMR-C475 has a blue backlit dot matrix LCD display for easy reading and selectable bi-lingual voice alerts. It will provide 360-degree detection and 180-degree forward scrambling. You get a three-year warranty and one-year ticket rebate program. If the fuzz still nabs you, Rocky Mountain will help you with the fines.
Rocky Mountain
(915) 587-0307
www.rockymountainradar.com |
 Valentine V1 Mike Valentine,...  Valentine V1
Mike Valentine, co-inventor of the original Escort detector, built the Valentine V1. The V1 features two radar antennas front and rear and has simple-to-read directional arrows that tell where the signal is coming from. This detector has a Bogey Counter that tells you how many sources are being tracked all in a sturdy die-cast magnesium case. One of the best features of the unit is the ability to update the hardware and software. This allows the unit to be functional for the long haul instead of being obsolete when the cops come out with a new type of gun.
Valentine
(800) 331-3030
www.valentine1.com |  Whistler XTR-695 Se The Whistler...  Whistler XTR-695 Se
The Whistler XTR-695 SE has many features found on more expensive models and a few that are unique to Whistler. The two most unique features are the radar and laser identification displays that show known Ka gun frequencies and pulses per second of the received laser signal. This information shows up on a seven-color backlit LCD text display as well as the 72-point digital compass. You also get real voice alerts, backlit buttons, low profile alert periscopes, POP detection, selectable battery voltage meter, and External Audio Jack. Whistler offers a three year warranty on the product.
The Whistler Group
(479) 273-6012
www.whistlergroup.com | |
Tech Tips
How Laser And Radar Guns Work
Laser: A laser gun or Lidar (LIght Detection And Ranging) works much like a radar gun, but instead of radio waves it shoots out bursts of invisible light. These light beams will bounce back from a moving target and convert that again into MPH. The reason laser is favored over radar is the beam size. Its beam is about three feet wide at 1,000 feet from the gun and they are only on when the trigger is pulled. The problem with that is the officer has to aim the gun and pull the trigger, so if he is lazy he might not get you.
Radar: A radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) gun works by shooting a large beam (approximately 250 feet wide at 1,000 feet from the gun) of radio waves out and waiting for some of them to bounce back. If whatever they are bouncing back from is moving, the gun can then calculate that information in miles per hour. Radar guns use X-band, K-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band, but most operate on K or Ka. Also, most of the time radar guns are always on, blanketing the area looking for the bounce back. This makes them less work for the cop to use and easier for you to detect it. That is unless the officer has a new, POP-type gun that works on the K- and Ka-band frequencies. These send out an ultra-fast burst of radar that can go undetected because older detectors were made to ignore or filter out such a short burst of radar.
Something Good To Know
All radar detectors emit a telltale radio wave whenever they are turned on. In states where radar detectors are illegal, police may be equipped with a high-powered radio receiver called the VG that can detect your detector, unless your detector is designed to be undetectable.