View Full Version : Uniden Performance Specs...
This subject won't interest many folks in here, but for people who hold an interest in old 'has been' RD's it might. But here's the question: Does anyone here know what the differences were between the old mid 90's Uniden models LRD8000, 9000 and 9100 series detectors? They all shared the same textured magnesium housings and features you could see externally and all were 4 band detectors. Common sense tells me the higher model number indicated either better performance or more features...or maybe the lower model numbers were the better performers. I can't seem to locate any old detector tests on these models, so I'm posing the (virtually useless) question here for anyone who relishes in this old stuff! Thanks in advance - Russ.
LOL...well, I got 689 hits on my last post...so maybe I should go back to telling tractor stories instead. :) Thanks just the same!
bigalinwv
09-21-2008, 12:07 PM
Ok, I found their respective sensitivities on my computer, they are ALL the same, according to Uniden:
X=114
K=104
Ka=100
But I do know for sure the LRD9000 is actually properly called the LRD9000W, it is ONLY wideband, not superwideband. (I used to own two of them)
Big...thanks, appreciate that. Every little bit helps. Where did you find specs on these old units? Thank you - Russ
bigalinwv
09-21-2008, 09:17 PM
I've been collecting the data for a long time, I have about every one put out since superwideband came out.
MEM-TEK
09-21-2008, 09:23 PM
I've been collecting the data for a long time, I have about every one put out since superwideband came out.
It would be fun to tabulate it in a spreadsheet or maybe bar graphs!
jimbonzzz
09-21-2008, 10:03 PM
Ok, I found their respective sensitivities on my computer, they are ALL the same, according to Uniden:
X=114
K=104
Ka=100
But I do know for sure the LRD9000 is actually properly called the LRD9000W, it is ONLY wideband, not superwideband. (I used to own two of them)
I have a hard time believing those numbers, it's no surprise that they came from Uniden. One main reason why companies don't publish sensitivity numbers anymore is because it just became a contest of who was the boldest liar.
bigalinwv
09-22-2008, 11:12 AM
I have a hard time believing those numbers, it's no surprise that they came from Uniden. One main reason why companies don't publish sensitivity numbers anymore is because it just became a contest of who was the boldest liar.
I believe you're correct, after owning them I suspect K band to be below 100 and Ka band to be below 90. They really are horrible.
<<JAZZY>>
09-22-2008, 12:00 PM
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/e75c012f36.jpg
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/435036f675.jpg
o2bad455
09-24-2008, 09:14 PM
Ok, I found their respective sensitivities on my computer, they are ALL the same, according to Uniden:
X=114
K=104
Ka=100
But I do know for sure the LRD9000 is actually properly called the LRD9000W, it is ONLY wideband, not superwideband. (I used to own two of them)
That's exactly what my LRD 2300 SW manual lists. I actually think it might be better on Ka than indicated. Can't remember the exact vintage, but I used it after a string of Bel remotes and right before I got my first V1.
Hmm...some interesting stuff here, especially that tabulated spreadsheet of specs. Anyone know what the LRD9100SW did any different than the others...and was the 9100 the last of the magnesium cased RD from Uniden? Hang on..I got more...What do the tuning screws tune that are placed inside the waveguide, actually they usually seem to be staggared. There's also another tuning screw, different than the stagered ones that sits dead center that almost looks like it may govern oscillator output maybe? Ok Ok, and lastly...who's tryed playing with the numerous subminiture trim pots on the PCB to see if they can adjust their own band sensitivity? Should I go back to tractor stories....?;)
MEM-TEK
09-25-2008, 06:48 PM
Hmm...some interesting stuff here, especially that tabulated spreadsheet of specs. Anyone know what the LRD9100SW did any different than the others...and was the 9100 the last of the magnesium cased RD from Uniden? Hang on..I got more...What do the tuning screws tune that are placed inside the waveguide, actually they usually seem to be staggared. There's also another tuning screw, different than the stagered ones that sits dead center that almost looks like it may govern oscillator output maybe? Ok Ok, and lastly...who's tryed playing with the numerous subminiture trim pots on the PCB to see if they can adjust their own band sensitivity? Should I go back to tractor stories....?;)
Oh, Lord no! No more tractor stories -- I still have nightmares about my present radar detectors accidentally getting run over by my car! Seriously though, I really did have a nightmare about one of my vintage RDs first getting dropped and then run over by my ex-fiance.
The Mighty Professor Jimbonzzz, as usual, will step in and correct me if I am wrong about any of the following since he loves it when I peg out my BS Meter.
The rear tuning screw which is dead center is for precisely tuning the cavity which houses the Gunn local oscillator diode. Located towards the front of the horn assembly is of course the mixer diode. The other two or three tuning screws are for precisely tuning the horn for best X, K and Ka band reception.
There should either be some blue ThreeBond adhesive or lock nuts located on these horn tuning screws. There is never any need to play with these tuning screws since, once originally set at the factory, they never drift since the metal horn and LO chamber cavities are quite dimensionally stable even after decades.
As far as the other little trim pots go...
If you want to play around with any of them, be absolutely sure to mark their current settings. On larger trim pots you can usually use a Sharpie to mark the side of the trim pot where the rotating top portion and the stationary bottom portion meet. On really small trim pots it is easier instead to put a tiny mark on the circuit board to indicate the precise direction which the slotted screwdriver hole is pointing to.
A few of the trim pots likely control the width of the signal sweep, the sweep rate, or the voltage to the Gunn local oscillator diode. Turning these may make you think you are increasing the radar detector's sensitivity while at the same time testing it against a distant door opener radar source. But what you are really doing is narrowing the bandwidth which obviously will result in completely missing radar guns which are operating in-band yet towards one side of the bandwidth or the other. If you turn any trim pot which doesn't affect either audio tone, display ramp-up, or city mode squelch, then turn the trim pot back to its original setting.
You should eventually be able to locate a trim pot which adjusts the speaker's audio frequency and tweak it for the most piercing sounding tone for your ears.
You should also eventually locate a trim pot which adjusts the LED display's ramp-up and then have some fun playing around with that.
On older radar detectors, you also might find a trim pot which adjusts the amount of squelch used for City mode. I adjusted this on my old Uniden RD9 to exactly what I preferred.
On really old radar detectors, you might find a trim pot which when turned one way or another causes the radar detector to start falsing. Really old radar detectors used a simple voltage comparator circuit to adjust sensitivity up to a point which was close to causing the RD to start falsing on its own. Thats how the external sensitivity knob on old Fuzzbusters works. Colder ambient temperatures will cause the RD to start falsing if you adjust either this knob or the trim pot for the voltage comparator circuit to a knife edge between falsing or not falsing.
Regardless, if you aren't sure what a particular trim pot does after playing around with it, then set it back to its marked orientation.
Needless to say folks, I do NOT recommend that you play with either trim pots or tuning screws on your current modern radar detector! It is fun playing with the trim pots on old or vintage radar detectors just to see what they do.
Well, there you have it! I wonder if any of this pegs out my BS Meter. :D
MEM-TEK...it sounds like you may have read a book or two, instead of chewing the covers off! :) I was thinking again, and in looking at all that is brought up and discussed...has anyone tryed to approach any of the RD manufacturers for guest participation as SME's for good technical topics of interest? I worked on a project years ago that dealt heavily with a new joint military grade radar system from Westinghouse and Martin Marietta. Was facinating! Some of their scientist are 'out there' with radar systems. Caused everyone from Mcdonnell Douglas to run out and buy radar detectors to play with the state troopers on the way in and out of Yuma Proving Ground. That's how I came to get my original Uniden RD9XL. On top of that, the 'radar guys' would ask to play around abit with some of the guys RD's who would let them. Don't remember exactly what all they did to them, but some of our team got a kick out of whatever was done to them. Anyways...just more thoughts and trying to steer clear of more...well, you know... other of my stories. :o
Oh, Lord no! No more tractor stories -- I still have nightmares about my present radar detectors accidentally getting run over by my car! Seriously though, I really did have a nightmare about one of my vintage RDs first getting dropped and then run over by my ex-fiance.
The Mighty Professor Jimbonzzz, as usual, will step in and correct me if I am wrong about any of the following since he loves it when I peg out my BS Meter.
The rear tuning screw which is dead center is for precisely tuning the cavity which houses the Gunn local oscillator diode. Located towards the front of the horn assembly is of course the mixer diode. The other two or three tuning screws are for precisely tuning the horn for best X, K and Ka band reception.
There should either be some blue ThreeBond adhesive or lock nuts located on these horn tuning screws. There is never any need to play with these tuning screws since, once originally set at the factory, they never drift since the metal horn and LO chamber cavities are quite dimensionally stable even after decades.
As far as the other little trim pots go...
If you want to play around with any of them, be absolutely sure to mark their current settings. On larger trim pots you can usually use a Sharpie to mark the side of the trim pot where the rotating top portion and the stationary bottom portion meet. On really small trim pots it is easier instead to put a tiny mark on the circuit board to indicate the precise direction which the slotted screwdriver hole is pointing to.
A few of the trim pots likely control the width of the signal sweep, the sweep rate, or the voltage to the Gunn local oscillator diode. Turning these may make you think you are increasing the radar detector's sensitivity while at the same time testing it against a distant door opener radar source. But what you are really doing is narrowing the bandwidth which obviously will result in completely missing radar guns which are operating in-band yet towards one side of the bandwidth or the other. If you turn any trim pot which doesn't affect either audio tone, display ramp-up, or city mode squelch, then turn the trim pot back to its original setting.
You should eventually be able to locate a trim pot which adjusts the speaker's audio frequency and tweak it for the most piercing sounding tone for your ears.
You should also eventually locate a trim pot which adjusts the LED display's ramp-up and then have some fun playing around with that.
On older radar detectors, you also might find a trim pot which adjusts the amount of squelch used for City mode. I adjusted this on my old Uniden RD9 to exactly what I preferred.
On really old radar detectors, you might find a trim pot which when turned one way or another causes the radar detector to start falsing. Really old radar detectors used a simple voltage comparator circuit to adjust sensitivity up to a point which was close to causing the RD to start falsing on its own. Thats how the external sensitivity knob on old Fuzzbusters works. Colder ambient temperatures will cause the RD to start falsing if you adjust either this knob or the trim pot for the voltage comparator circuit to a knife edge between falsing or not falsing.
Regardless, if you aren't sure what a particular trim pot does after playing around with it, then set it back to its marked orientation.
Needless to say folks, I do NOT recommend that you play with either trim pots or tuning screws on your current modern radar detector! It is fun playing with the trim pots on old or vintage radar detectors just to see what they do.
Well, there you have it! I wonder if any of this pegs out my BS Meter. :D
jimbonzzz
09-29-2008, 06:53 PM
Since you asked:
The rear tuning screw which is dead center is for precisely tuning the cavity which houses the Gunn local oscillator diode. Located towards the front of the horn assembly is of course the mixer diode.
You're pretty much right on the money for locations and what they do.
However, I will add that (depending on the detector) certain screws are actually what hold the gunn and mixer diodes in the cavity. If these are tightened too much, it can crack/break the diode, and if loosened too much can cause the diode to fall out.
There should either be some blue ThreeBond adhesive or lock nuts located on these horn tuning screws. There is never any need to play with these tuning screws since, once originally set at the factory, they never drift since the metal horn and LO chamber cavities are quite dimensionally stable even after decades.
These do indeed drift, and would get adjusted as part of the alignment procedures when a detector came in for service. Probably not what you wanted to hear.
As far as the other pots/coils: they can be for a wide variety of different things, depending on the unit. I would definitely agree with your cautions on adjusting them, especially without knowing what they do or having the equipment to measure what is being adjusted. If you really care about what they do, trace the circuit and see what they are connected to. For example, if a pot is connected to an IC, look it up and see what the IC does.
Well, there you have it! I wonder if any of this pegs out my BS Meter.
Not really. This one was a lot more factual than some of your other posts. :)
MEM-TEK
09-30-2008, 12:30 AM
...However, I will add that (depending on the detector) certain screws are actually what hold the gunn and mixer diodes in the cavity. If these are tightened too much, it can crack/break the diode, and if loosened too much can cause the diode to fall out.
Well, there you have it! I wonder if any of this pegs out my BS Meter.
Not really. This one was a lot more factual than some of your other posts. :)
If the screws holding the diodes in place are loosened too much then could possibly the diodes overheat?
Dang! What do I have to do to peg out my BS Meter these days? I know, start up a new thread with my theory about installing thin wires inside the front of a radar detector's antenna to introduce diffraction effects for better off-axis detection! :D