Level RD mounting Critical?

[slr_noob]

Is it critical to mount a RD leveled to the ground and in-line with the vehicle? How much of tolerance is there before any effect in performance?

[djrams80]

Is it critical to mount a RD leveled to the ground and in-line with the vehicle? How much of tolerance is there before any effect in performance?

As long as it looks "eyeball" level, you're good. When it starts to get noticeably unlevel, then you will start to have loss of range. If you're having to stare at it to tell if it's off, you're good.

[BTJustice]

Eyeball level is good, but placement is even more important. You want to get it down low just above your wipers if laser is used a lot in your area or higher if radar is used a lot. I run mine just above my wipers though radar is used more, but I want to know IMMEDIATELY if I am being hit or catching laser.

[dpatel01]

Mount level and mount it high. Mounting it higher increases the chance of detecting laser scatter, whereas mounting it low it becomes a laser ticket notifier.

[BTJustice]

{SNIP}Mounting it higher increases the chance of detecting laser scatter, whereas mounting it low it becomes a laser ticket notifier.

Is that right? I will need to look at older posts about that topic, but I would think the closer you have the detector to the target (license plate/headlights/etc.) the better warning you would get in regards to laser.

[BTJustice]

This was an interesting read...

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ount-high.html

It would be cool to see a video of different mounting positions tested. Low, middle, high, etc.

[rsatmans]

For radar performance higher is always better. However, when picking up laser lower is better. My take is if you have a v1 mount it high because you get better radar performance plus more chance to pick up laser scatter. Look at veil guys testing on radar detectors alerting to laser. V1 almost never fails to pick up laser. I have had my v1 for years and it has never missed alert mounted up high. Now with other detectors there is more of a compromise but i would still recommend high.

[djrams80]

My opinion on this matter is that I think mounting higher gives the user a better chance at detecting scatter, while a lower mount gives the user a better chance at detecting when he/she has been drilled. I'd say it's too late by then. I'd rather have a better chance at scatter.

My laser detectors are in my grille and sit, not so coincidentally, right next to a bank of infrared light transmitters.

[slr_noob]

This was an interesting read...

http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ount-high.html

It would be cool to see a video of different mounting positions tested. Low, middle, high, etc.

The comparison should be interesting.

How high is considered high? I mount mine slightly off-center from the center of the windshield to the passenger side below the center mirror so the rear antenna can still "see". I couldn't mount it up any higher due to the tint band (not going to risk putting it on the tint band) since the freeway I drive every school day uses laser (3 possible laser trap found. 2 confirmed, 1 have yet to pick up signal).

What kind of object has to be in the way of the antenna so it couldn't pick up signals?

[category4]

Mount it high, what little if any laser detection you pick up by mounting low is not going to save you. The V1 is the only detector that gives you even a chance of a save with laser and mounting it high will not hurt it's laser detection abilities.