Did a quick test today

[languy99]

So today I ran into a k-band mobile speed sign and decided to do a test. I had my v1, whistler 695 and pro 58. You will see a map at the end showing you where the speed sign was. The total length of the road was 1.2 miles with some small hills and a curve (I was coming from the curve).

The 695 had pop off, filter 1, x-band off and in highway mode.

it got 6/10 of a mile detection

Next I ran the pro 58, in highway mode

it got 6.3/10 of a mile detection, just a little more then the 695.

By the way both of the whistlers have been to mike B for repair/tuning. So I was kind is disappointed in the 695, I would have expected it to do better (maybe MikeB can chime in here and let me know if my results are accurate). So I decided to run the V1 next.

I rounded the curve at the end of the street and when it was basically straight the V1 detected the radar with 3 dots.

Detection distance was 1.1 miles, almost double the whistlers.

The hills did a very good job at attuning the radar signal (along with the radar pointing off axis), the whistlers basically did not detect it until it was line of sight. I wish I would have the the 955 or the 995 to test but the 955 is down and in need for service and the 995 is in my dad's car.

map - Google Maps

[Cips]

Nice. I love the V1.

[supercowpowers]

The hills did a very good job at attuning the radar signal (along with the radar pointing off axis), the whistlers basically did not detect it until it was line of sight. I wish I would have the the 955 or the 995 to test but the 955 is down and in need for service and the 995 is in my dad's car.

map - Google Maps

A Vector should perform closer to the V1 than a Whistler.

I pass a K-band speed sign on the highway that's been in place for over a year. It's obstructed by a large but low hill.

Almost every day I get an alert at the exact same place while going up the hill, about 3/4 mile away. Sometimes I also get a short blip at the very base, about one mile away, but it's not a constant alert at that point.

If the 955 and the V1 had the same alert tones, and I was blindfolded, I probably couldn't tell the difference between the two. The V1 more often gives short alerts before I start climbing the hill, but the Bel does that too and the V1 also has days when it doesn't alert until 3/4 mile away.

On another highway there's also a "mobile" (in the same place for more than 4 years) message sign that emits K-band that isn't obstructed by a hill, but there is a long sweeping curve in front of it. The V1 alerts at almost the exact same place the 955 did, every time. Sometimes if there was light traffic the 955 alerted sooner to a reflection off of a concrete bridge (I think), but I haven't driven past it in light traffic with the V1 yet.

I should add that this is an S7 955. I have an M4 RX-65 that does a poorer job in the second scenario but does fine in the first one where the road is straight.

[cooljay]

That's the only downside about the Whistlers is it seems their K band sensitivity isn't near to what it should be, especially when you compare it to Ka band on the newer models (SE/Non-SE models). As someone who has used nothing but Whistler since I've gotten RD's I'm not going to show any bias towards Whistler and say that the test was flawed etc. when I myself even have seen that the K band performance just isn't there as much as I would like it, especially when you compare to how much of an improvement they put into Ka band.

I'm not sure if it's just not possible for them to squeeze out anymore performance as far as K band goes with the firmware they are using or what (I'll leave that to Mike B to answer) but I just wish that they'd have improved it, especially since the older Pro models before the Pro78. The Pro73 I had before gives pretty much the same performance on K band as the Pro78 I have, where as the Pro78 blows the 73 away when it comes to Ka band.

[TRun]

That's the only downside about the Whistlers is it seems their K band sensitivity isn't near to what it should be, especially when you compare it to Ka band on the newer models (SE/Non-SE models). As someone who has used nothing but Whistler since I've gotten RD's I'm not going to show any bias towards Whistler and say that the test was flawed etc. when I myself even have seen that the K band performance just isn't there as much as I would like it, especially when you compare to how much of an improvement they put into Ka band.

I'm not sure if it's just not possible for them to squeeze out anymore performance as far as K band goes with the firmware they are using or what (I'll leave that to Mike B to answer) but I just wish that they'd have improved it, especially since the older Pro models before the Pro78. The Pro73 I had before gives pretty much the same performance on K band as the Pro78 I have, where as the Pro78 blows the 73 away when it comes to Ka band.

I think whistler shifted their focus to Ka improvements but kicked K to the side and left it hanging out to dry. Their major flaw is the X and K confusion that most owners here report including myself, plus the random Ka9 false alerts on the SE series. Those issues are deal breakers for a lot of customers.