Question about Placement

[kovach]

I currently have my RD mounted just above the wipers.

I do have space below the wipers where the full front of the RD has clear site out the window straight ahead. Moving it here would be a little less obvious.

But would this cut down on the effectiveness in anyway (besides the obvious answer of "yes, it's 2 inches lower")? Having the dashboard immediately below the RD and the wiper immediately above, is that an issue?

[AirMoore]

Ideally (many members on here) feel it should be mounted high, above the RVM... that is what the vast majority of us do for our dashmounts.


What kind of RD do you have.


Personally I would not go too low... and for that matter I would (again) suggest mounting high, either to the right/left of the RVM, just above or below it.

[robcollins5]

Ideally (many members on here) feel it should be mounted high, above the RVM... that is what the vast majority of us do for our dashmounts.


What kind of RD do you have.


Personally I would not go too low... and for that matter I would (again) suggest mounting high, either to the right/left of the RVM, just above or below it.

+1. Even if it's a cobra (chuckle), it should be mounted as high as possible.

rc

[stevo1569]

X2...High as possible

[kovach]

Ideally (many members on here) feel it should be mounted high, above the RVM... that is what the vast majority of us do for our dashmounts.


What kind of RD do you have.


Personally I would not go too low... and for that matter I would (again) suggest mounting high, either to the right/left of the RVM, just above or below it.

I have an Escort 8500.

[MEM-TEK]

Reflections of the radar detector's emitted local oscillator signals off of the nearby wiper blades and then back into the radar detector could increase the noise floor within the detection circuitry. This could cause some loss of sensitivity. You might be able to adjust the wiper blade(s) so that in their parked position they are at least 1 inch above the top of the radar detector. Then I think that you won't have any problems.

[languy99]

Reflections of the radar detector's emitted local oscillator signals off of the nearby wiper blades and then back into the radar detector could increase the noise floor within the detection circuitry. This could cause some loss of sensitivity. You might be able to adjust the wiper blade(s) so that in their parked position they are at least 1 inch above the top of the radar detector. Then I think that you won't have any problems.

Wouldn't it be easier just to mount it high instead of messing with your wiper arms and their parking positions?

[kovach]

Reflections of the radar detector's emitted local oscillator signals off of the nearby wiper blades and then back into the radar detector could increase the noise floor within the detection circuitry. This could cause some loss of sensitivity. You might be able to adjust the wiper blade(s) so that in their parked position they are at least 1 inch above the top of the radar detector. Then I think that you won't have any problems.

I think you're answering my question, sounds like these do need some "peripheral vision" rather than a clear shot straight out the windshield of the whole front lense of the RD.

I would kind of like to balance practicality with appearance and performance. Placing it at the top of the windshield with that cord dangling down is just unsightly, plus as some have suggested, while increasing the pickup of radar, may reduce the pickup of laser (although many have suggested if you pick up laser...it's probably too late).

Also, when the suction cups give up and that thing comes crashing down, it has a whole lot less room to fall and less chance of ending up in pieces!

Thanks for the help everyone. I think you've confirmed I should leave at least an inch around the face of the RD for some "peripheral vision".

[mrcllusb]

You can purchase a Direct Wire Smartcord and have no danglies.

[MEM-TEK]

I think you're answering my question, sounds like these do need some "peripheral vision" rather than a clear shot straight out the windshield of the whole front lense of the RD.

I would kind of like to balance practicality with appearance and performance. Placing it at the top of the windshield with that cord dangling down is just unsightly, plus as some have suggested, while increasing the pickup of radar, may reduce the pickup of laser (although many have suggested if you pick up laser...it's probably too late).

Also, when the suction cups give up and that thing comes crashing down, it has a whole lot less room to fall and less chance of ending up in pieces!

Thanks for the help everyone. I think you've confirmed I should leave at least an inch around the face of the RD for some "peripheral vision".

You are good to go as long as all of the tinted front plastic plate on the RD can "see" the road ahead of your car. I was just suggesting that the wiper blades in their stowed position shouldn't be closer than about 1 inch to that tinted plastic plate on the RD.

The only thing I don't like about your idea of mounting the RD directly atop the dash is that in the summertime the dash surface will get hot, and this in turn will heat up the RD even more. A RD's sensitivity goes down the more it gets heated up. If your car has a light colored dash then obviously this won't be as severe of a potential problem.