Concerned with my 9500ix performance today

[MEM-TEK]

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

...Anyways, if you pass by a patrol car and get a weak Ka alert, it is most certainly because of another reason, since no radar units "leak" Ka when in standby.

Hi Jim,

Have you actually confirmed this with all Ka guns?. The reason I simply ask is that some Ka guns are advertised which have separate PLL circuits in order to virtually instantaneously obtain a vehicle's speed, and it occurred to me that there might be the slight possibility that a small amount of Ka leakage could come from the PLL circuit itself rather than from the radar antenna. Just a thought for what its worth.

I am probably blowing smoke and pegging out my BS meter, but what the hell.

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

if you pass by a patrol car and get a weak Ka alert, it is most certainly because of another reason, since no radar units "leak" Ka when in standby.

I want to know the "because of another reason" answer. Because it happens too often for it to be a random chance.

[statusquo]

I wondered, at one time, if some units had a high-power and low-power setting. It's odd behavior. Maybe some older unit? I've seen where they donate some units called "Custom Golden Eagles" to other law enforcement departments (old ones??).

I also found this: Kustom KR-10 and KR-11 equipment was seen in use (1980's-early 90's), although CHP has today standardized on the "Stalker" brand radar and nearly every patrol car is so equipped."

You can download a lot of Stalker Radar PDF files on their website. Maybe the "moving" portion of their new units like their 4-laners front/rear emit something?

Why they leak a low-power signal while sitting in a lot or a burger place is beyond me. One hangs around a Burger King and I can get a minimal Ka-alert when I drive by and see him sitting in his car eating. I've noticed he likes to face the highway parked between other cars. He might be idling with the A/C on (they seem to be able to idle their cars forever) and trip it to IO if he suspects someone going faster than posted.

Same happened in Quincy, CA. When I started getting a weak Ka alert, I spotted their office on the south side of the street. It's a small office and they park outside on a slight incline. Some probably idling away emitting a weak signal.

At least they are too lazy to roll down their window and lose their A/C to use Lidar much in the heat.

sq

[MEM-TEK]

^ Cops generally always leave their cars idling so that their engine is fully warmed up. The reason is so that their car's engine will have top acelleration if they suddenly get a call and have to rush to the scene.

[billy1ear]

Originally Posted by statusquo

I wondered, at one time, if some units had a high-power and low-power setting. It's odd behavior. Maybe some older unit? I've seen where they donate some units called "Custom Golden Eagles" to other law enforcement departments (old ones??).

I also found this: Kustom KR-10 and KR-11 equipment was seen in use (1980's-early 90's), although CHP has today standardized on the "Stalker" brand radar and nearly every patrol car is so equipped."

You can download a lot of Stalker Radar PDF files on their website. Maybe the "moving" portion of their new units like their 4-laners front/rear emit something?

Why they leak a low-power signal while sitting in a lot or a burger place is beyond me. One hangs around a Burger King and I can get a minimal Ka-alert when I drive by and see him sitting in his car eating. I've noticed he likes to face the highway parked between other cars. He might be idling with the A/C on (they seem to be able to idle their cars forever) and trip it to IO if he suspects someone going faster than posted.

Same happened in Quincy, CA. When I started getting a weak Ka alert, I spotted their office on the south side of the street. It's a small office and they park outside on a slight incline. Some probably idling away emitting a weak signal.
At least they are too lazy to roll down their window and lose their A/C to use Lidar much in the heat.

sq

I read that the low level radar they emit is for their own speed detection (it is subtracted from what it clocks you at if traveling head on) and is pointed at the ground. So it is on even if they are not actively pinging. Think I read that in the Escort users manual.

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by billy1ear

I read that the low level radar they emit is for their own speed detection (it is subtracted from what it clocks you at if traveling head on) and is pointed at the ground. So it is on even if they are not actively pinging. Think I read that in the Escort users manual.

I will quote Jim from another thread so he doesn't need to do it again:

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

there was only ONE radar unit in history that had a separate radar antenna to get the patrol car speed, and that was the Kustom KR-11, circa 1978.

NO modern radar units emit ANY radar when in standby. They're either transmitting or they're not, there's no "in-between".

I think one main reason why this keeps coming up is because is says it right on the Escort AND Beltronics websites!
And I quote:

"The other possibility involves "mobile radar" and instant on. So radar can be used in a moving patrol car, they use a separate, low powered radar gun underneath the patrol car aimed at the road to clock the speed of the patrol car. This is a very weak signal and is difficult to detect because it is aimed down at the road instead of in the direction of oncoming traffic. When the patrol car wants to clock the speed of a target vehicle, they use the stronger radar gun you may see mounted on the dash."

What I don't understand is: why would they have something so misleading on their website?

Anyways, if you pass by a patrol car and get a weak Ka alert, it is most certainly because of another reason, since no radar units "leak" Ka when in standby.

[jimbonzzz]

Guess I was right about one main reason why this keeps coming up

[jimbonzzz]

Originally Posted by MEM-TEK

Hi Jim,

Have you actually confirmed this with all Ka guns?. The reason I simply ask is that some Ka guns are advertised which have separate PLL circuits in order to virtually instantaneously obtain a vehicle's speed, and it occurred to me that there might be the slight possibility that a small amount of Ka leakage could come from the PLL circuit itself rather than from the radar antenna. Just a thought for what its worth.

I am probably blowing smoke and pegging out my BS meter, but what the hell.

Yes, you are blowing smoke and pegging out your BS meter, but I wouldn't expect anything less from you

[MEM-TEK]

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

Yes, you are blowing smoke and pegging out your BS meter, but I wouldn't expect anything less from you

But at least I don't inhale!

[category4]

I sent mine back last week, not because of radar sensativity, as it seemed to be as sensative as my V1. I was not happy with laser sensativity at all. I twice got hit with laser and never got an alert from the ix. So for now I am sticking with the V1 although today I did scream at it to shut up!! Once I get jammers installed on the truck I will probably go back to the ix as it was a very quiet detector for falses and seemed sensative enough on radar, maybe even better than the V1 on radar from what I could tell.

I am a bit surprised you did not receive a better alert than described, I think I would call Escort and send it back to have it checked out or replaced.