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  1. #1
    Good Citizen
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    Default Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    First save with my new X50. I was out in the everglades away from all of the nasty light pollution to do some astrophotography. Astronomy is my hobby and imaging it is a passion.

    Anyway on the way home late night early morning hour's I picked up a nibble of Ka for a few seconds and it went away. Then again about 10 seconds later then nothing but silence. I drove nearly 1 mile then a good 3 bar Ka hit then nothing again. I said "something is fishy here"......drove about 1/4 mile and there he was forward facing in the median all lights off. Bam- I/O full Ka count!!!

    The range of this detector is really good, and it must of been picking up IO Ka scatter as he was hitting other cars ahead of me. Really a nice way to end a gorgeous night.

    See my Astronomy images here..... Steven Cox

  2. #2
    Yoda of Radar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    NY
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    11,015

    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    The X50 is a great detector... and should serve you well... as it sounds like it already has.


    That must be an extraordinary detection range... on the order of just about a couple (~2) miles. That is what the flat-lands of the everglades combined with a high-end RD.


    Also: (Just a side note)... normally (the common use of) the term 'scatter' has to do with lidar, since when the beam of the laser hits a car, the beam 'scatters' or is dispersed in an uneven pattern in various directions.
    With Ka, the beam is so wide (relative to laser) that you are most likely just catching a radar wave directly from the gun, or from it 'bouncing' of an object (a wall or something).


    PS: Very cool images.

  3. #3
    Good Citizen
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Thanks for clearing that up, but a question. Would you guess I was receiving the Ka directly from the LEO or the Ka frequency bouncing off the cars he was pegging a mile or more ahead of me???

    How far can Ka travel in one direction. In other words is he only restricted by visual range?
    Last edited by AstroSteve; 12-01-2008 at 10:11 AM.

  4. #4
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Quote Originally Posted by AstroSteve View Post
    Thanks for clearing that up, but a question. Would you guess I was receiving the Ka directly from the LEO or the Ka frequency bouncing off the cars he was pegging a mile or more ahead of me???

    How far can Ka travel in one direction. In other words is he only restricted by visual range?

    Most likely it was just a signal straight from the gun being 'broad-casted' (in a sense) over the everglades which found its way to your RD. He most likely turned it on when he saw other cars (I/O), but the car he hit would actually reflect the radar signal back towards him (this is how a radar unit works: via doppler shift)... the waves would not bounce towards you.


    Sometimes the radar waves can bounce off the side of a large automobile around a bend (think the trailer on a 18 wheeler) and this can bounce the waves off it to your RD.


    A Ka signal can travel for miles upon miles if it is uninterrupted (has nothing in its path)... we are talking well over 10 miles here. As I said before the radar gun works not only on 'outgoing' waves, but also 'incoming' ones as well, it needs BOTH to work correctly (via doppler shift).

    With that said, a LEO can only clock you if they have you within LOS (Line of Site)... aka if they can see you. Your RD on the other hand, only needs only the outgoing signal from the radar gun.
    Last edited by AirMoore; 12-01-2008 at 10:48 AM.

  5. #5
    Speed Demon
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    Apr 2008
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    Arizona
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    591

    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    amazing pictures, looking at space never gets old.

  6. #6
    Good Citizen
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    Apr 2007
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    Kissimmee, Florida
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Wow, thanks for that explanation.....you really know your stuff.

    Thanks for the kuddo's on my images, Not easy to capture these DSO's...(Deep Space Objects) as we call them. There are soo many beautiful things up there!!!

  7. #7
    Radar Fanatic
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    Nov 2008
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    1,764

    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Nice pics. You took those from the glades? You must have been way out there to get away from all the lights and pollution. Very clear images Do you do any work with the Planetarium in Mia?

  8. #8
    Power User
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Overall, Steve what are your impressions of the x50? what mode are you running it in? Spec? Expert?

  9. #9
    Good Citizen
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    I do not have any involvement in the Miami area planatarium or clubs. I am however a member of the South Florida Amatuer Astronomer's Assoc. which is a non-profit local club where various members get together and do this stuff. We have an observatory with some BIG telescopes and it's open to the public each Saturday night.


    FocalCivic to answer your question.....
    My, first impressions are 'WOW!'.... I really was not expecting it to be that great. I miss my V1, but right now times are really really tough. I never expected to get the latest rev either. I paid $222 for it shipped. I was surprised that the box was still sealed in the plastic wrapping. I feel lucky and have great confidence in the detector after some initial runs.

    The suction cups are'nt as good as some other RD I have owned. The windshield bracket is fairly stable. I am just using the default settings for now, I did turn off AutoMute and X-off. LEO's don't use X-band here. I have not found the RD noisy or too sensitive so I mostly run it in highway mode even it town. I would suspect this is the strongest mode for detection.

    I feel more comfortable with seeing the bars (signal strength) meter for now, and perhaps will change that later. I ordered the kit with the soft case and extra suction cups etc. Right now I am just using the hard case you get with it, and YES it comes in the house with me every night!!!! REST ASSURED THEY ARE NOT GETTING THIS ONE!!!

    Escort/Passport has been around a long time, I feel that they are a high-quality detector.
    Last edited by AstroSteve; 12-01-2008 at 12:45 PM.

  10. #10
    Power User
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    May 2007
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    Default Re: Nice first save with new X50 Rev 6.3

    Quote Originally Posted by AstroSteve View Post
    I do not have any involvement in the Miami area planatarium or clubs. I am however a member of the South Florida Amatuer Astronomer's Assoc. which is a non-profit local club where various members get together and do this stuff. We have an observatory with some BIG telescopes and it's open to the public each Saturday night.


    FocalCivic to answer your question.....
    My, first impressions are 'WOW!'.... I really was not expecting it to be that great. I miss my V1, but right now times are really really tough. I never expected to get the latest rev either. I paid $222 for it shipped. I was surprised that the box was still sealed in the plastic wrapping. I feel lucky and have great confidence in the detector after some initial runs.

    The suction cups are'nt as good as some other RD I have owned. The windshield bracket is fairly stable. I am just using the default settings for now, I did turn off AutoMute and X-off. LEO's don't use X-band here. I have not found the RD noisy or too sensitive so I mostly run it in highway mode even it town. I would suspect this is the strongest mode for detection.

    I feel more comfortable with seeing the bars (signal strength) meter for now, and perhaps will change that later. I ordered the kit with the soft case and extra suction cups etc. Right now I am just using the hard case you get with it, and YES it comes in the house with me every night!!!! REST ASSURED THEY ARE NOT GETTING THIS ONE!!!

    Escort/Passport has been around a long time, I feel that they are a high-quality detector.
    Did you have a hard wire kit from the V1? If so you can use that to power it.

 

 

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