Detection range vs Clocking range?

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05-02-2006, 03:44 AM
carboncopy

Detection range vs Clocking range?

Does anyone know the range each radar gun has? In other words, at what range can a LEO get a accurate reading of your speed? And does this range differ for each radar band?

Also, which bands can only be used while being stationary, and which can be used while driving. I though it use to be that X could be used while driving, but could only get a speed reading when the LEO is coming towards you. It wouldn't clock from behind.

I am trying to better understand how to deal with each type of band and how much time I have to safely slow to the posted speed limit.

Thanks,

CC
05-02-2006, 03:46 AM
carboncopy

Btw, I got hit with some POP the other day and I was only about 300meters away from the LEO. After the POP fired it seemed to give a steady ramping up beep. I think at 300m had I been speeding it would have been game over. :(
05-02-2006, 06:23 AM
AirMoore

Detection range can be upwards of 3-4-5 Miles under ideal conditions (especially with hiw sensative the newest detectors are, and on X&K bands).

However, normally: Detection range is significantly decreased from those numbers just because most times during an encounter you dont have the 'ideal' conditions, so (even with the best detectors) ranges could be anywheres from down from .25 miles (around a sharp bend persay using Ka band), right to 3miles on a highway... you just never know... and thats not to mention instant-on and Laser.

As for how far away we can be clocked at... thats highly depending on the area (of the front) of the vehicle being targeted, so a Mazda Miata persay would be a lot tougher for a radar gun to pick up then a SUV at a far distance.

If you search for this topic, there are numbers showing the different ranges which cars are obtained.

Also: Generally the newest Ka guns tend to be able to clock over a slightly further distance then the older X (or even K) units... well still being harder for the RD to pick up.
05-02-2006, 06:50 AM
KnightHawk

Re: Detection range vs Clocking range?

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboncopy

Also, which bands can only be used while being stationary, and which can be used while driving. I though it use to be that X could be used while driving, but could only get a speed reading when the LEO is coming towards you. It wouldn't clock from behind.

CC

All bands can be used in stationary and in moving except laser. Newer K and ka band radar gun can track your speed in same direction. In stationary mode, it can track you going away(can clock you from behind) or towards the radar gun source.
05-02-2006, 07:07 AM
GTO_04

This is what I've seen on Ka band as far as clocking range (assuming ideal conditions, straight road):

'Vette with metallic paint = 600 ft.
WS6 TA (fiberglass hood) black non-metallic paint = 520 ft.
Mid sized sedan like Buick Regal or Pontiac GP = 1500 ft.
Full sized SUV = 1 mile +

So the clocking range depends a lot on the type of vehicle.

Ka clocking range is not so impressive with midsize cars and sports cars.

My testing was done with a LEO and multiple radar units were used (Stalker Dual SL) to verify they were functioning correctly. We couldn't believe the short range on the Vette and TA so we retested with another radar and got the same results.

I would be interested in seeing how that compares to K band but I don't know anyone with a K band radar.

As far as X band, the most common X band radar, the K-55, has very low output power and is not known for great clocking range. But I have never personally tested that. Even older X band radars like a Decatur MV-715 or Kustom MR7 have a lot higher output power and could probably clock vehicles a lot farther away. An MV-715 will peg a V1 led display over 2 miles away! I have seen a few of those still in use.

GTO_04
05-02-2006, 07:22 AM
carboncopy

Awesome info guys thanks!! What I've been noticing lately is that the LEO is shooting IO (instant on) and there are a bunch of cars all grouped together. Now how in the heck is the LEO able to determine who he is clocking out of that group of cars and who is speeding?
05-02-2006, 08:20 AM
StandingCow

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboncopy

Btw, I got hit with some POP the other day and I was only about 300meters away from the LEO. After the POP fired it seemed to give a steady ramping up beep. I think at 300m had I been speeding it would have been game over. :(

Yea, I got POPed today on the way home, plenty of time to slow down but it was about .25 miles away.
05-02-2006, 09:30 AM
GTO_04

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboncopy

Awesome info guys thanks!! What I've been noticing lately is that the LEO is shooting IO (instant on) and there are a bunch of cars all grouped together. Now how in the heck is the LEO able to determine who he is clocking out of that group of cars and who is speeding?

He can't! He will claim that he can in court, and he'll probably get away with it.

GTO_04
05-02-2006, 09:35 AM
StandingCow

Thats why you ask for the manual to whatever device he clocked you with, it may say something on there that will help you in court.

See the Get out of your speeding ticket part of the forums.
05-02-2006, 10:00 AM
carboncopy

Quote:

Originally Posted by StandingCow

Thats why you ask for the manual to whatever device he clocked you with, it may say something on there that will help you in court.

See the Get out of your speeding ticket part of the forums.

Thanks man!
05-04-2006, 08:04 PM
booyakasha07

We all know that RD work on the princeable of doplar shift, meaning the RG send out a band, and the new band or the shift the object sends back is calculated into the speed. Now heres the thing, do radar guns have scopes on them? None i have ever seen. And as we know, the further away an object is, the wider the signal gets as it approaches the target, think of a shotgun. This is what radar is. Now the particular question about a "pack" of cars, if there is an officer sitting on the median, and at the last second pops u with Ka band from less than 100 feet, and your in the fastlane, he is a sniper, and nailed you. Now if the cop is sitting at the side of the road at a distance of say 500ft, and there are cars all over the place... radar isnt used. The cop will pick up his laser gun and start picking off the sports cars he could never afford in 3 lifetimes :) this is my view of things, so ya if your moving with the flow of traffic, hes not going to pull just u, unless you are weaving or what not
05-04-2006, 08:14 PM
GTO_04

Quote:

Originally Posted by booyakasha07

We all know that RD work on the princeable of doplar shift, meaning the RG send out a band, and the new band or the shift the object sends back is calculated into the speed. Now heres the thing, do radar guns have scopes on them? None i have ever seen. And as we know, the further away an object is, the wider the signal gets as it approaches the target, think of a shotgun. This is what radar is. Now the particular question about a "pack" of cars, if there is an officer sitting on the median, and at the last second pops u with Ka band from less than 100 feet, and your in the fastlane, he is a sniper, and nailed you. Now if the cop is sitting at the side of the road at a distance of say 500ft, and there are cars all over the place... radar isnt used. The cop will pick up his laser gun and start picking off the sports cars he could never afford in 3 lifetimes :) this is my view of things, so ya if your moving with the flow of traffic, hes not going to pull just u, unless you are weaving or what not

Unless you're driving a red sports car. :lol:

When I had my TAs, cops were always scrutinizing me. I would always get strange looks as I drove through their instant on traps at exactly the posted speed limit. Now that I have a GTO, which is not as aggressive looking, they don't pay as much attention to me. And my driving habits have not changed.

GTO_04
05-05-2006, 06:53 PM
10-8

I have a kustom golden eagle Ka and I can aquire the fastest target in light traffic at 4500ft easily on interstate and it' very accurate, however usually an officer cannot make a good enough visual judgement on your speed much past 2000ft, and at night it decreases.. in following case law in most if not all states, you must visually estimate target speed and then verify with radar unit. However with constant-on in stationary mode(here where I live) it's not uncommon to see tickets where the target was on radar first, but the officer must still visually observe the target before locking in to take any action if warranted.. most of the tickets I saw writtin where much less than 2000ft..