V940 Sensitivity Question.

[Petec]

I am concerned that the V940 I got for my daughter is not sensitive enough. We were out yesterday and it gave only two alerts, both K band responses to automatic doors. The first was at a Wal-Mart when we were within 20 ft. of the door. The second was a CVS at about 150 ft. Other than that, the thing never went off. We traveled 20-30 miles around Raleigh NC and passed many strip malls.

Maybe I'm used to my 1980 vintage RD9XL which would have sounded off about 200 times on the same trip. Still, are two (false) alerts like that normal or does it have a sensitivity problem?

It is mounted above the rearview with a clear shot front and back. Honda CRV (2008). Highway setting.

Thanks

Pete

[zr1]

I wouldn't count on automatic doors as a test. My V995 skips a number of automatic door false alerts compared to my Express 795 that alerts on each of them. Plus some automatic doors don't alert either of my detectors. I suppose that the door sensors, being designed for the doors, may vary greatly in their design depending upon their type, brand, mounting situation.

Radar speed signs are fun to test against as they're constantly on and designed in a roughly similar fashion to police radar to send their signal in order to obtain speeds of vehicles. Though around here, the speed signs are typically K-band.

An unrecommended option is to repeatedly go speeding past the local police station until they light you up with some Ka.

[djrams80]

Store doors openers are basically pointed straight down and are a bad way to test RD's. Speed signs are much better, although they vary greatly also. I have some that I get about 0.3 miles warning and one that I get literally 2.5 miles warning.

Also, make sure the car that you are driving doesn't have an athermic windshield as this will greatly reduce your warning time. These windshields are typically on higher end cars.

[Petec]

Thanks. I wasn't really using the doors as a test. I guess what I am saying it, after 20-30 miles of driving around urban/suburban areas, wouldn't one expect more than two alarms? Like I said, my oldy-but-goodie RD9XL would be going off lots. Sometimes continuously in some shopping centers.

Can they have reduced the false alarms that much??????

[bunny]

probably. test the sensitivity around an officer and see...

[maxima lover]

Thanks. I wasn't really using the doors as a test. I guess what I am saying it, after 20-30 miles of driving around urban/suburban areas, wouldn't one expect more than two alarms? Like I said, my oldy-but-goodie RD9XL would be going off lots. Sometimes continuously in some shopping centers.

Can they have reduced the false alarms that much??????

Yeah, as others have said, door openers aren't a good way to tset. It's a good thing though that your detector isn't going off all of the time. Once you get a real encounter, you'll notice a much larger difference.

Here is a video of the Bel 955, that is the same as the 940, with one more feature, picking up KA band on the highway.
Bel 955

[Petec]

It's a good thing though that your detector isn't going off all of the time. Once you get a real encounter, you'll notice a much larger difference.

Just as long as it really does chirp. My concern is it doesn't ahve enough sensitivity.