V1 sleeping on the job?

[Swamp]

I don't really want to make this post, but I'm getting more than a little concerned about my V1, and am hoping that maybe others have noticed similiar issues but didn't realize what might have been going on.
Sometimes I run just a Redline and other times just a V1, mounted top/center on my windshield. If I run both at once, the Redline is on the far driver's side and the V1 on the far passengers side and the curvature of the glass angles them about 15* off center. That is, the RL points about 15* left and the V1 15* right from straight ahead.
Twice while running both together the Redline alerted so much sooner than the V1 that it wasn't even funny; I wrote one off as being caused by the different directions they point, and that maybe the mounting was favoring the RL both times...
Then I ran just the V1 for about a month, and now twice in the last 10 days I have encountered Ka where the V1 did not alert until I was within 1/8 to 1/4 mile from the LEO, and when it did alert it immediately went full strength. Both these encounters were dead-straight head-on and the V1 was mounted high center, and both times I had a clear visual on the car before the V1 alerted.

I/O? I don't think so. I have never seen I/O used by the local town police here, and in these two instances the V1 continued alerting until the LEO was out of sight. Did they just happen to turn their radar on at the same time I was approaching? Then how come they never do that when I'm running just the Redline?
Tonight I was running both at the same time; I had exited off an interstate and looped around to the right and was about to cross over the highway when the RL alerted to 2 Ka signals just before I started up the overpass. I crossed over the interstate and was coming down the other side when the V1 went off, and at the same time I saw two LEO's ahead ,and just barely to my right, in a convenience store parking lot.
I immediately called a buddy who was driving right behind me who has a 12 year old V1 that's never been in for a tune up and asked him if his was alerting, and if so, for how long. He said his started alerting before he even got off the interstate...
All the rest of the time the V1 has consistently alerted to the usual known falses along my daily commute, and a month or so ago it alerted to a point-blank Ka Q/T shot which the RL completely missed, so its not like it's totally broken. It's more like it falls asleep some times.
FWIW, tonights encounter was virtually identical to the off-axis C/O Ka tests we did during the Midwest Tester's meet in May, and then the V1 alerted in virtually the same spot every single time, and it was about as soon as I could reasonably expect any RD to alert.
I'll be calling VR next week to send this unit back for a checkup.

Anyone else have any similiar experiences?

(The V1 is a 3.872 purchased new in March of this year.)

[GTO_04]

How long has the V1 been acting like that? It was stellar at the Midwest testing event.

If it is an intermittent problem, it could be a cold solder connection. You definitely should send it in for a checkup.

I have not seen that with my V1, though I have had poor off axis 35.5 Ka detection at times. It has been better since I sent it in last December for a tuneup.

GTO_04

[Tony N.]

If you have doubts, send it in for repair.

[nate4488]

I would say send it in. It can never hurt to send a detector in for tune up, especially since you have the Redline to use til you get the V1 back.

[proudNMAmember]

Hey Swamp! Best bet is to send it into VR for a checkup. But be very clear and precise on describing what you want checked on your V1 and have them give you a phone call to make sure you can talk w/ a technician "before" they send it back that way you don't have to deal w/ some of the concerns I have had to deal w/ in the past (if you know what I mean). Include a note inside the box of your V1 w/ full detail of the problem going on. If ever your V1 misses an alert/false alarm, unplug it quickly, then plug it back in and see if this corrects the problem.

[kpatz]

Put the Redline in Spec display mode so you can see the frequency of the radar. See if the Ka alerts the V1 are missing are in the neighborhood of 35.5 GHz. This frequency seems to give the V1 a hard time, especially off-axis.

The Redline is better on off-axis and 35.5, while the V1 is naturally better at rear sensitivity. For on-axis 34.7 and K band, the two detectors are pretty close.

[GTO_04]

Put the Redline in Spec display mode so you can see the frequency of the radar. See if the Ka alerts the V1 are missing are in the neighborhood of 35.5 GHz. This frequency seems to give the V1 a hard time, especially off-axis.

The Redline is better on off-axis and 35.5, while the V1 is naturally better at rear sensitivity. For on-axis 34.7 and K band, the two detectors are pretty close.

That's been my experience as well.

GTO_04

[Swamp]

I can handle one RD being better than another off-axis or on certain frequencies, but remember that two of these encounters were straight on, and the third one (last night) was "off" by 14* from straight ahead. The RL was 17* off axis when it alerted at 1800' and the V1 was 14* off at 1200' when it alerted.
To be fair, this afternoon I got a C/O Ka alert approaching a left hand curve, which favored the RL. It alerted barely 1 second or so before the V1--I considered that to be totally acceptable.

I'll switch the RL to spec mode and run them together for a few days before calling VR.

[GTO_04]

I can handle one RD being better than another off-axis or on certain frequencies, but remember that two of these encounters were straight on, and the third one (last night) was "off" by 14* from straight ahead. The RL was 17* off axis when it alerted at 1800' and the V1 was 14* off at 1200' when it alerted.
To be fair, this afternoon I got a C/O Ka alert approaching a left hand curve, which favored the RL. It alerted barely 1 second or so before the V1--I considered that to be totally acceptable.

I'll switch the RL to spec mode and run them together for a few days before calling VR.

After you passed the radar, how well did the rear antenna hold the alert in those encounters?

GTO_04

[North Alabama]

I too am having odd readings, 35.5.. It is like the unit is suppressing the signal for a certain time before alarming and then the alarm at best starts at a 2-3 leds then ramps very fast. According to the older off-axis GOL test, I went back and looked at it, the V1 realy sucked with just a slight few degrees off axis on the 35.5.. But I have noticed, the unit is realy hot by the touch (temp.) due to the hot summer. With the Ka guard off, I am getting 1 led alarms like it is suppose to do but the arrows are not working right sometimes, weak front 35.5 but maybe due to the front horn being more straight forward, K band is OK.. Also, I am getting sometimes laser alerts under an under pass that has nothing around that I can find, just one location, something has to be around. This is all interm. actions, I am watching the Temp.. Hope your unit either works great or fails so you can find out what has happened to it with a free repair......