Instant-On Question

**PPPOE** · 02-01-2007, 08:31 PM

It seems that more and more police in my town are using instant-on radar at night. Some officers turn off their lights and wait for unsuspecting motorists. I almost fell victim of a ticket late last night; A blacked-out cruiser hit me with I\O Ka as I was going down a steep hill, luckily people were walking on the sidewalk and I slowed down before I was hit.

Now, assuming you're the lead car (no bunny in front of you) and an officer hits you with I\O radar, will he generally have your speed before you recieve an alert?

**stray444** · 02-01-2007, 08:47 PM

typically he will have your speed approximately 1-3 seconds after the beginning of the alert.

**Event Horizon** · 02-01-2007, 09:55 PM

which is why IO requires immediate action...

**proudNMAmember** · 02-03-2007, 06:52 AM

X2 and scan the area!

**jdong** · 02-05-2007, 07:37 PM

From what I understand with modern radar guns 1-3 seconds is overly optimistic from your perspective... Those guns should obtain a reading in under a second or a similarly short timeframe where it is not possible to safely reduce to a legal speed before he gets a readout.

But IO radar is , IMO, the most deadly trap. There's really nothing you can do to beat the odds, other than keeping a rabbit and hoping for the best. Laser, you have jammers or passive shielding... radar -- you have nothing.

**PPPOE** · 02-05-2007, 08:05 PM

So when a detector gives out a 'Pulse' or I\O alert, it's really not picking up any special sort of radar? It's simply alerting the user that there is a sudden full strength radar going off? I always assumed that I\O was a different variation of radar.

I was behind a cruiser tonight on a busy road that has many speeders. As cars would pass in the other lane, my detector sounded a Ka alert, 6 or 7 strength, and then quickly go away until the next car was about to pass us. It sounds like the leo was using I\O, however I didn't get any pulse alerts. I assume this is because I\O radar is no different from regular radar, it's just simply shot at full strength when the targeted driver is not suspecting it?

**jdong** · 02-06-2007, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by PPPOE

So when a detector gives out a 'Pulse' or I\O alert, it's really not picking up any special sort of radar? It's simply alerting the user that there is a sudden full strength radar going off? I always assumed that I\O was a different variation of radar.

Correct. PULSE is activated when either (1) a sudden full strength alert appears or (2) Very short pulsing of radar is detected. Maybe Michael B can tell us which one it is, but those are our theories from both testing and manual reading. In any case , it is a high-urgency ambush situation.

PULSE can be triggered by X, K, or Ka band and makes a very rapid tone that sounds like eitehr the X, K, or Ka, depending on which is being PULSEd. In addition, if the X/K/Ka alert persists past the ~3 second PULSE alert, the detector will go back to showing K 9/9, etc.

I was behind a cruiser tonight on a busy road that has many speeders. As cars would pass in the other lane, my detector sounded a Ka alert, 6 or 7 strength, and then quickly go away until the next car was about to pass us. It sounds like the leo was using I\O, however I didn't get any pulse alerts. I assume this is because I\O radar is no different from regular radar, it's just simply shot at full strength when the targeted driver is not suspecting it?

Yeah, that's IO. You weren't getting PULSE alerts probably because he was shooting away from you, thus you wouldn't pick up nearly as strong of a signal as if you were the direct target.

IO radar is just like regular radar... if any alert appears suddenly at strengths other than 1/9 or maybe 2/9, you must always suspect IO radar and take action.

**PPPOE** · 02-06-2007, 01:04 PM

Perfect. Thanks Jdong for your detailed reply!

**maxima lover** · 02-06-2007, 02:25 PM

IO will get your speed normally right when you get the alert. I can be right behind someone with a RD, hit them with IO Ka and get their speed at the same time I see their RD go off. It really just depends on how much interference the radar has to deal with (power lines, more cars). Also it takes longer to get a speed reading while in moving mode.

But when there is little to no other traffic, no power lines, and the cop is stationary, he'll have your speed locked, and his cruiser in gear before you have a chance to brake. I'll see if I can get some video of how quick it can get a speed reading.