Traffic Monitor Filter on: Slower reaction time on non-POP K?

[rsdmems]

In browsing through posts here and on other forums, the consensus seems to be that leaving POP on actually lowers K-band reaction time even for non-POP I/O radar. Do you folks agree with this? If so, I would think that turning on the new "traffic monitor filter" would be a mistake if one isn't in an area where monitoring is used, because it would hurt the non-POP K-band performance. Is this correct?

By the way, here's a link from Speedinfo's web site indicating where their systems are in use:
http://www.speedinfo.com/04roads/roads-page01.html

[Bridge Cables]

Nope,

In reading some of the other forum member’s info on the V1 with POP ON, K band and Ka 33.8 GHz get an extra 5 sweeps per cycle. It would yield a faster reaction time in that any weak spurious signals, I/O, Q/T or POP hits could be found at a farther distance.

With POP ON and enabling the “traffic monitoring filter” would bring K band back to a normal sweep cycle, Ka remains in an extra 5 sweeps for Ka 33.8 GHz for POP alerts.

With my 3.892, POP ON and the “traffic monitoring filter” enabled, therefore disabling the extra 5 sweeps on K band, I’ve noticed a reduction in K band alert distances to known K band sources. With “no traffic” in the area, 2 A.M., I’ve noticed the V1 alert starting at 3 to 4 dots…. usually 4 dots. This equates to a 5 to 8 second loss of where the K alerts normally begin, my speed was 45 MPH which is PSL. With “traffic” in the same area alerts start at 2 dots, about 3 to 5 second delay from where K alerts normally begin. With the traffic monitor disabled, POP ON the K alerts fire off at the usual spot at the normal 1 dot well at a distance with or without traffic. As an aside this is the normal spot my 3.864 goes off also and it was recently re-spec’d by VR. These are two stationary K band school speed signs.

So with Traffic monitor enabled you will lose distance to K band alerts, i.e., time to react IME.

Both my V1’s stay in default mode with “traffic monitoring filter” disabled, so POP is ON. 90 percent of the LEO’s use K band I/O, with some QT in the city where a majority of my driving takes place.

BC

[rsdmems]

BC,

Thanks, I think we're on the same page here, as when I wrote that "leaving POP on lowers K-band reaction time" I meant that with POP on the V1 would react MORE quickly (i.e., in "less time") to even non-POP K. Thus, I'll probably turn the TMF off, as I don't think those systems are in use anywhere in the New York City tri-state area. (Years ago they had some kind of system that ran along a large stretch of I-95 in Connecticut and drove radar detectors crazy, but I don't think it's in use any more.) Again, thanks.

[Bridge Cables]

Oops, my bad, doing too much paper work over the holidays, need some chill time, oh well. Glad to hear you don’t have those systems up in your area. With the financial crisis going on you wouldn’t know it from some of the cities and state expenditures on these traffic flow systems! My long gone tax dollars at work!

BC

[Varactor]

Nobody in my experience is using POP - so I'd just forget about it if I were you. You are much more likely to get struck by lightning.

But IMO anything that filters out those traffic speed sensors will also make you MUCH more vulnerable to a LEO using I/O K-band to sample the passing traffic. This is typically just a little 1-2 second burst to check each suspect vehicle (just like the TSR's do).

Don't forget that he is using I/O because he knows that you have a radar detector! So he will keep each burst short till he has a victim.

There really is NO difference between TSR radar and radar from a LEO casually using I/O to check speeds - only, usually he will shoot again for slightly longer for a confirmation but that is just before he writes you a ticket. By then it is too late.

If you are behind someone who gets I/O'd ahead of you then detecting little short K-band bursts is your only chance to get some warning that you are soon next.

It sucks but at least in California the LEO's on the freeway are usually using Ka band.

BTW, I'm noticing that my V1 detects these little short bursts much more reliably than my Redline does (the Redline seems to completely miss many of them).

[surp]

I think the TSRs can be tolerated better using the kband muting feature... at least in my opinion

[jdong]

I think the TSRs can be tolerated better using the kband muting feature... at least in my opinion

Not true in all areas. Around here there's several highways covered with traffic drones for 10+ miles stretches, and even 8 dots 30-second and rear K-band automute barely contains it. And at that point, frankly, you're more or less deaf on K-band anyway. So, in an area with relatively sparse TSR, slightly more aggressive K-band automute might be a good solution, but that's not true everywhere.


But for the original question, it seems like the consensus is YES, turning on TSR does worsen the V1's reaction time to K-band IO/QT bursts, but not nearly to the extent that it cripples Belscort detectors. It seems like even with TSR the V1 reacts within a half second to an IO trigger pull according to someone's youtube video... And that's probably good enough for most people. So, just like most other filtering features, there's pros and cons to keeping it on.

[NormSky]

I think the TSRs can be tolerated better using the kband muting feature... at least in my opinion

K-band muting works for me on my 35 miles one way of traffic flow signals. There is just one big hill stretch where I can pick up 2 or more sensors and that is the only area where 3s muting is not enough.

[North Alabama]

It may depend upon the alg (strength, time, ramp up speed) of the program for the K band. For K POP (strong quick signal) and K TFS (ramp-up like an odd C/O). There could be also a type of wave patterns ID in the TFS. I do not think so but not sure, does anybody know? The logic will allow K POP to work fast and K C/O to hestitate thinking that it might be TFS untill it notes changes in the wave over time in the logic to determine if it is TFS or C/O, then it will guess which one it is based upon the alg....