Ka no warning?

**jmatasov** · 03-13-2008, 09:23 AM

Hey all - I am new to RD's and went right to the top for my first one. Got the V1 installed last night - the add-a-circut post was quite helpful!

Anyway, out running errands today I noticed the V1 go from no alert at all to full 7-8 dots Ka and beeping like crazy. i look ahead and there is an unmarked LEO coming my way, only about 200 ft away. Since I'm new to RD and radar technology itself, is that a common thing with Ka radars? I wasn't speeding at that point (the road was really windy) but it still was a bit of a shocker. :shock:

I had an encounter a little bit later with another LEO that was running Ka and got a nice ramp-up and lead time before he came over the hill and around the corner. But still I would estimate the range of that encounter to be me detecting him when he was about a half mile away over the hill and around a little corner. Plenty of time to slow down, but I wanted to verify that that range sounded about right....

Also, I pulled up to an intersection where a LEO was sitting kitty-corner across from me in the parking lot (unoccupied - and he was oriented such that I was broadside to him) and I got a single dot of Ka. I pulled into the gas station to fill up and ended up parked about 30 feet directly behind his car. When I pulled up to the pump, the V1 went up to 5 bars of Ka and stayed there. When I pulled out and passed the car, it went full bars from the rear. Obviously his forward facing radar was on. But I was curious if this whole situation sounded about right as far as sensitivity goes...

**Arvetus** · 03-13-2008, 09:51 AM

Because Ka is such a wide band (has a bandwidth of like 3-4Ghz I believe), it's the most difficult band to detect because the detector has to sweep through that entire band.

I have had some Ka encounters that seem to come up on me fairly quickly, much like your first one, and others, I've had a 2.5 mile warning time. I think it depends on the frequency and power level of the radar unit as to how much warning you're actually going to get.

**amoney** · 03-13-2008, 10:17 AM

Yes everything sounds right.

First instance.. the officer may have just turned on your street, or just turned on his radar, or shot you with IO (intant on).

The second, is typical, depneding upon many variable your range will never be the same, some longer, some shorter.

The third, Ka is a very narrow signal, and thus does not scatter or reflect as easily, unless you dead in the cross hairs of the radar beam you not going to get a full signal.

:wink:

**Jammer84_03** · 03-13-2008, 10:34 AM

no alert then blamo! 8 bars. sounds like I/O to me. had it happen to me when i was pulled over the other night. the officer was behind me and i had my v1 (still in the middle of the windshield, and not hardwired) had just plugged it back in and was taking of and bam quick hit of ka then silent. i was out stalking the leo trying to get them to hit me with something so im sure he knew what i was up to (this is how i found out ahead of time my local pd has I/O k and ka band) :x

**hockey005** · 03-13-2008, 10:50 AM

ha yea its pretty scary when u get i/o isnt it

**jmatasov** · 03-13-2008, 11:40 AM

scary can be an understatement the first time!

I wasn't even speeding but that I/O encounter (which was also the first LEO with the V1)...my heart rate matched the speed of the beeps! The reaction was something along the lines of:

beebeebeebeebeebeebeebeebeep!...
{me: WTF?} :?: (heart rate doubles)
{glance at detector} :shock:
{glance at speed}

{relax} 8)

**erickonphoenix** · 03-13-2008, 11:44 AM

agreed, that's Instant On. Specifically moving Instant On. BTW: that's the hardest configuration to detect. Stationary Instant On is the next hardest.

**Esoterica** · 03-13-2008, 11:55 AM

Certainly sounds like IO to me as well, you didn't pick up any advanced warning because no signal was being sent out till that very moment he hit the trigger 200 yards in front of you, which is about the exact range I always see IO taking place at.

Thats the kind of stuff you have to always be aware of and ready for. I've noticed by paying a lot of attention in my own area that in some places around here IO tends to be the method of choice, in other areas around here I don't see them using it at all and just CO is used. It helps a lot if you can learn their habits like this in your own area.

**amoney** · 03-13-2008, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by jmatasov

scary can be an understatement the first time!

I wasn't even speeding but that I/O encounter (which was also the first LEO with the V1)...my heart rate matched the speed of the beeps! The reaction was something along the lines of:

beebeebeebeebeebeebeebeebeep!...
{me: WTF?} :?: (heart rate doubles)
{glance at detector} :shock:
{glance at speed}

{relax} 8)

Did you flat line?