985 Users! Question about positioning

[amoney]

Well after 3 years of very satisfactory performance, an am begining to question if I may be missing some additional range. As we all have noticed that our parrticular units "face" plastic lens for incoming signals is slightly angled "downward", which can be in one respect a good thing so as to equal out dashes that slightly angle up OR windshield that cause the unit to angle slightly upward. I have my unit mounted so that the recieving plastic lens (I do not know what to call it) is perfectly perpendicular to the road ahead.

So what do I go by inorder to have it properly level? Thats 2-5-10 degrees what ever may be robbing me of performance. I am going to have to find me a radar speed sign and test.

So have any of you noticed this, and how did you mount, did you bother to take into consideration this slightly down angle? Is the horn inside parallel to the bottom of the RD units case, or is it slightly angled downward perpendicular to the recieving front face? Does anyone know what I am talking about?

[KaPro]

amoney,
I (regretfully) do not have my 985 anymore. I also wondered about your question. I "experimented" with the orientation of my 985 to the road. I found that a perpendicular position to the road provided the best response time. However, it was not by much. I used to know exact distances but that was many rd's ago. If I was you, I would definitely experiment with a speed sign or a stationary leo. Back to the 985, I know the lense is angled downward slightly but I think the antenna is level with the bottom half of the unit. I could never bring myself to take the unit apart and see. You may be able to take a bright flashlight and shine it in the lense and see how the antenna is mounted in relation to the lense. Hope this helps. Scott

[GTO_04]

KaPro is correct! The antenna is parallel with the bottom of the case. It does not angle downward. Yes, I took mine apart! I can admit to that now that it's out of warranty LOL!

I am just guessing that the angle won't affect performance too much unless it exceeds 35 degrees from horizontal. I read that somewhere but don't quote me on that. It would be a good experiment though.

GTO_04

[amoney]

KaPro is correct! The antenna is parallel with the bottom of the case. It does not angle downward. Yes, I took mine apart! I can admit to that now that it's out of warranty LOL!

I am just guessing that the angle won't affect performance too much unless it exceeds 35 degrees from horizontal. I read that somewhere but don't quote me on that. It would be a good experiment though.

GTO_04

That little bit, like you said, probably not. Just trying to squezz evey .1 mile out of this thing!

[holein1]

I have noticed a slight difference (decreased range) when my detector's weren't mounted perfectly straight!

[Jamescase10]

I have a 904 in the grill so I dont care about laser, so my 985 is all the way at the top of the truck winsheild and that gives the longest warning. I did test this unit, and found that almost ANY angle gives the same result, it goes off no matter what angle. I did find that a crappy cobra (old from 89) goes off weaker when its angle is too far up from the road-but only in the strengh, the warning still happened about the same distance) But the 985 didnt seem to care much about the angle- but the height did make a dif. U know, the line of sight. That DOES matter as you all know-radar wont go though the ground. I even for kicks tried to see what the bel did when it was on the floor of the car, or on the seat-it went off just about the same distance. That unit is powerful to say the least!

[amoney]

I have a 904 in the grill so I dont care about laser, so my 985 is all the way at the top of the truck winsheild and that gives the longest warning. I did test this unit, and found that almost ANY angle gives the same result, it goes off no matter what angle. I did find that a crappy cobra (old from 89) goes off weaker when its angle is too far up from the road-but only in the strengh, the warning still happened about the same distance) But the 985 didnt seem to care much about the angle- but the height did make a dif. U know, the line of sight. That DOES matter as you all know-radar wont go though the ground. I even for kicks tried to see what the bel did when it was on the floor of the car, or on the seat-it went off just about the same distance. That unit is powerful to say the least!

Thanks for the feedback, to say the least I am not worrying about the 1 deg of upward angle that may be there. The little I know, from day one, well actually day 2 I mounted it very high (worried about theft and did not have time to figure out a clean install in the begining). The dam things rear laser alerted to a LEO scatter bouncing off the cars behind me. I know it is a great RD. Granted it was a easy catch ProLaser III lidar unit the cop had.

[vw242]

I don't think the angle will have much affect. I was testing mine on a 12v power suppply,indoors , 3rd floor center apt, and it lit up 34.700 on the kitchen table, as a cop on the corner drove by. Not very scientific but that is great scatter. LOL