Got hit with instant-on K-band radar.....

**kensteele** · 06-16-2007, 04:28 PM

....from one of those free-standing radar displays. That's right, it was unmanned and it was around the bend and in plain sight. I was coming around the corner at about 35 mph when I could look ahead and see my speed in big lighted numbers and then all of a sudden, my 9500i went to full-alert. It's as if I got hit with instant-on. I couldn't believe it.

So I went around again for a second try as I passed the unit going the opposite direction, I could pickup a few beeps so I know it was in always-on mode. Then I came around for a second try and it went beep, beeeeeeeeeeeeepppppppp....that's sucks.

So what's wrong? Is the 9500i trying to tune out a non-police radar? This is not a GPS lockout site but GPS was on so is 35mph slow enough to affect k-band in H-mode?

I can do this over and over, I can repeat it. I'm going to take my V1 and X50 over there and if they perform better, I'm going to declare the 9500i sucks to everybody I know. I'm not mad yet because the 9500i does seem to respond properly to real police radar encounters on most ocassions but as you all know, you're radar detector needs to be on the job always, not just part-time.

**insertquarter** · 06-16-2007, 04:33 PM

If yr All Alone With No1 Driving Ahead of u Or Anything, Then u Come Upon it It'll Go Off, Thus Making u Think itz Instant On...

Whereas If there'z a Buncha Carz In Front Of u, The Radar Display Will b On, Thus u Should Get the Ramp-Up...

@ Least thatz How I'm Seein It...

**kensteele** · 06-16-2007, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by InsertQuarter

If yr All Alone With No1 Driving Ahead of u Or Anything, Then u Come Upon it It'll Go Off, Thus Making u Think itz Instant On...

Whereas If there'z a Buncha Carz In Front Of u, The Radar Display Will b On, Thus u Should Get the Ramp-Up...

@ Least thatz How I'm Seein It...

There's no guessing here, I know how the sign works. The K-band that is coming from the radar stand is contantly ON. However, my 9500 doesn't seem to know this and will not alert until the signal strength reaches a maximum. And then it will alert full-bars. The experience is akin to instant-on from a patrol car. I get the max alert on the 9500i and I see my speed on the sign....instantly; no ramp up. My point is, the 9500 is not doing something right.

**KnightHawk** · 06-16-2007, 06:21 PM

Kensteele, is this video link same as you have experienced? It's just how the 9500i reacts as if you were IO'd. Hopefully escort will fix it someday. Check the video link below.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...58776101992995

**kensteele** · 06-16-2007, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Azonehits

Kensteele, is this video link same as you have experienced? It's just how the 9500i reacts as if you were IO'd. Hopefully escort will fix it someday. Check the video link below.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...58776101992995

Yes, that's how my 9500i works on a day to day basis with regular radar. However, with this low powered radar stand, imagine that same scenario in the google video without the first three or four seconds of beeps. imagine you hit the top of that hill and the 9500i goes to full blast. it kinda sucks. i oughta do a video myself......

**KnightHawk** · 06-16-2007, 10:49 PM

Where you in H or A mode? If you where in A mode, it will most likely do that becasue it has a threshold until it gets too close at 35 mph. Most radar gun now a days are low powered radar. At 35 mph, soemtimes the 9500i will not go at full sensitivity plus you where going into a curve. Remember radar travels on a straight line unless you get reflections of the radar beam.

**kensteele** · 06-17-2007, 04:14 PM

so i've created three videos showing the v1 and x50 and 9500i vs. the standard stationary k-band radar display. the videos are uploading to youtube so i will post them as soon as they are available (in a couple of hours).

the v1 in big L mode picked up the signal earliest and the ramp-up was excellent. no complaints.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qaxUiOSW-k

next, the x50 was pathetic in H mode since it didn't even alert until the radar was dead on me, sorta like getting hit with instant-on radar. somebody please tell me if there are other x50 settings i need to adjust to improve this outcome or maybe it is within spec.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTFswh6B778

finally, the 9500i in H mode with GPS on (but no lockout) pickup the signal sooner than the x50 but the ramp up was awful and jumped from a few beeps to full-alert and it didn't even do that until i was right upon the source. not idea, the 9500i just doesn't get excited about radar enough for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSZ1iyIIR1E

again, if there are other settings that i need to use, or if my speed 25mph is a factor, let me know what i can try. i am anxious to improve the performance of the x50 and the 9500i since these units are for my second car and my motorcycle.

**thestaton** · 06-17-2007, 04:26 PM

how old is your 9500i? supposedly a user on here got a fix for the ramp up issue, and it has seemed to help.

can't wait to see the videos

by chance is it one of the speed signs that operates on solar power? or is it the big trailer kind that they haul around?

coming back from Cincinnati, on Thursday I had found a trailer mounted one. I was traveling about 70MPH in H mode, and the alert was pathetic as well.

But for all my real world encounters the 9500i has been very impressive.

**KnightHawk** · 06-17-2007, 05:21 PM

There is no doubt that the V1 rules in K band. Just look at the sensitivity test michael b did with the v1 vs. the X50.

Some of the newer K band antenna's have the same beam width as Ka band antenna so an RD does not pick up signals like the older K band antenna's. It's just he fact that the V1 beats the X50 and 9500i in K band performance and there's nothing you can do about it regardless of set up.