First "Real World" 9500ix Test

[Unkind]

So the other day driving home from work I got my first chance to test my 9500ix. I was alerted to C/O K band on a level street (no hills, etc.) and immediately reset my trip meter. About .4 mile away was a city cop pointed right at me blaring radar down the road. I went around the block 2 more times to double check, and each time got my first alert between .4 and .5 mile. I mount my ix fairly low on the center of the windshield, but I drive a big truck so I'm pretty high off the ground already. There is nothing obstructing it and I use a level to make sure it's aligned properly. I was in Highway mode doing about 40MPH at the time of the encounters. Is this the detection range I should be getting for a K band signal? From what I read radar can clock you up to a mile away on a good day. Hopefully I get more chances to test in the future, for now I'm still not completely comfortable.

[PHILBERT]

So the other day driving home from work I got my first chance to test my 9500ix. I was alerted to C/O K band on a level street (no hills, etc.) and immediately reset my trip meter. About .4 mile away was a city cop pointed right at me blaring radar down the road. I went around the block 2 more times to double check, and each time got my first alert between .4 and .5 mile. I mount my ix fairly low on the center of the windshield, but I drive a big truck so I'm pretty high off the ground already. There is nothing obstructing it and I use a level to make sure it's aligned properly. I was in Highway mode doing about 40MPH at the time of the encounters. Is this the detection range I should be getting for a K band signal? From what I read radar can clock you up to a mile away on a good day. Hopefully I get more chances to test in the future, for now I'm still not completely comfortable.

I have gotten huge long range K band alerts that actually lasted so long I wondered when I was going to see the sucker! Then other times it is not near as long. I think it depends on the power output of the radar unit.

Give it some time...you will see that the 9500ix is no slouch. Conditions vary with all situations and RDs. That is normal.

[Unkind]

So do radar units have adjustable power output? As in if it's turned up higher = longer range they can clock you, but longer range you can detect also? Or, is it based on the brand/model/etc. of the radar being used, like how microwaves have different power outputs?

[Obsidian]

Was the street straight? A lot depends on the strength of the signal too. I have one K band sign near me that would get picked up 1.7 miles away by the 9500ix. It's a straight shot to the sign. Another sign near me around some gentle curves gets picked up only .5 miles out by every detector I've tested it against ... X50, 9500ix, V1, and Redline. Redline gives the initial alert the farthest away, but it's only 100-200 feet max.

[GTO_04]

So do radar units have adjustable power output? As in if it's turned up higher = longer range they can clock you, but longer range you can detect also? Or, is it based on the brand/model/etc. of the radar being used, like how microwaves have different power outputs?

No the radar units do not have adjustable power output.

If the road was straight, .4 miles is poor range. If it was around a curve or over a hill that is probably normal and nothing to worry about.

GTO_04

[Unkind]

It was a straight shot to the LEO, no curves or hills. This is line of sight of course, I didn't actually put a leveler to the ground.

[radarstuff2]

So do radar units have adjustable power output? As in if it's turned up higher = longer range they can clock you, but longer range you can detect also? Or, is it based on the brand/model/etc. of the radar being used, like how microwaves have different power outputs?

No the radar units do not have adjustable power output.

If the road was straight, .4 miles is poor range. If it was around a curve or over a hill that is probably normal and nothing to worry about.

GTO_04

That sucks.

[Matt]

Agree with PHILBERT. Give the 9500ix some time. LEO may have just turned on his Radar. 9500ix is a pretty good RD. Lots of variables in that particular detection. Need more ecounters.

[Unkind]

Oh it's definitely going to get a lot more time, as it's the only one I own.
Just wanted to get some feedback on this recent event. I've had quite a few encounters over the last month or so and generally I've been satisfied. This was just the first time I'd been able to do repeated tests against a stationary LEO running C/O radar.

[djrams80]

Without a video of the encounter, there's now way we could make an accurate judgement of how the 9500ix performed. There are just too many variables.