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I just got my V1 last week from the factory and the rear antenna seems to be a lot more sensitive. I get amazing range from the rear antenna that goes for miles, around corners, around buildings, etc. The front one seems to only detect like .25 miles ahead if that... I had a RedLine and it was simply amazing but too much $$. Just wondering what might be wrong...
http://img3.imageshack.us/slideshow/...1193740715.jpg
I ran into that same exact issue for a while, and actually posted a thread about it on this forum. For me, it was my mounting location. When I was having these issues, I had the V1 mounted below my tint strip and to the left of my rear view mirror, if I'm not mistaken. I started expirementing with my mounting locations a little more, and to make a long story short, I eventually mounted it as high as I could behind my tint strip. After mounting it there, the difference was like night and day. I started getting very, very good range after that little move.
Why my detection sucked below the tint strip, I don't know. Something in the windshield was affecting it. I'd mess around with different mounting locations, if I were you. If it still seems to be acting weird, you may want to give Valentine a shout.
Yeah I am at a loss... it has a perfect view of the road... Its mounted up high and a pretty clear view of the road... I had my redline there also and it was amazing. If I have to send it in for a tune up when it is a week old I will tell them to refund me and Ill go back to the redline.
Try mounting it low for a few days. I'd even mount on the back window. You could see the arrows from the RVM. :)
Interesting... I notice better range with the rear antenna on mine.
I'll move it a little lower. You may want to give that a shot as well.
I Agree w/ya that's a sweet spot for a RD to be mounted, and I also would be concerned if another RD was performing well from that same spot. Hopefully you didn't get a bad service job back from V1, that would be highly unlikely but not impossible.Quote:
Originally Posted by polecats03
Damn rear antenna, you would swear it got better range if it was not for tests, I even think mine gets better range (but unless V1 messed up in the factory, its all in my head).
Its the big finger print in front of the lens on the glass, lol. I would mount to the left of the RVM.
A few points about the rear antenna:
- The rear antenna is about as sensitive as the front.
- LEO's coming from behind will alert longer than the front.
This is probably in the top 5 complaints amongst V1 users......but be SURE you really have a problem before sending it back.
The front antenna is larger and should easily be the more sensitive of the two but the rear antenna is going to pick up signals that the front will miss.
The wider antenna in the front is actually more narrowly focused giving it more straight ahead range and less off axis sensitivity. The narrow antenna in the back will have better off axis sensitivity but less reach compared to the front.
Find a stationary signal and back out the fringe detection range with the front antenna pointing at the source. Then simply turn the detector around and see if you can pick it up with the rear antenna. If your pointing right at the source and the rear antenna outperforms the front THEN you have a problem.
I know kband door openers aren't a great test but I drive past the same one everyday and with redline it alerted so quickly. V1 I drive by then the rear arrow lights up. Redline seemed to go off before I even came close to the sensow. Guess ill try mounting it just above and to the left of my rvm. I like where it is now though. Almost touches roof n from behind it looks as if.its part of my car.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
I understand it to be completely opposite from what you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
Yeah but my understanding is better in this case.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by CJR238I understand it to be completely opposite from what you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
Jazzy had some data on this, and it was surprising how sensitive the rear antenna was in db's, but off axis was not the same as the front. But if your right VR does some stupid stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1Yeah but my understanding is better in this case.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by CJR238I understand it to be completely opposite from what you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
Now my V1's rear antenna is more sensitive to off axis than my front one, but my V1 is also on the back deck of my car.
It's just fundamental horn design dear Watson..........the higher the gain the more directional the antenna, they go hand in hand. The less directional the antenna, the better will be the off axis reception. Thats why the rear horn is better at picking up door sensors off to the side.Quote:
Originally Posted by CJR238Jazzy had some data on this, and it was surprising how sensitive the rear antenna was in db's, but off axis was not the same as the front. But if your right VR does some stupid stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1Yeah but my understanding is better in this case.;)Quote:
Originally Posted by CJR238I understand it to be completely opposite from what you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
Now my V1's rear antenna is more sensitive to off axis than my front one, but my V1 is also on the back deck of my car.
Getting a good combination of both goes beyond the horn itself into the signal processing circuitry. The M3 seems to have both but lets consider that it has a horn optimized for Ka/K frequencies and another for X..............also, it uses a Low Noise amplifier in the Ka/K circuit to boost weak signals off the antenna.
Anyway, the front horn in the V1 has a taper that is optimized for directional gain. The rear horn is narrower which reflects more energy back into the wave guide making it less directional but it will also have a wider field of view.
It may reflect more but also lets less in. Looks like ill be turning my V1 backwards, wonder why no one else does this then...Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
The backwards V1!
Because, as Valentine says, signals off to the side are not a threat.;) You want the front antenna to be more directional to give better range and the rear antenna less directional which aides in more precise operation of the arrows. The better off axis performance of the rear antenna allows the V1 to transition to the side and rear quicker when your booking past old smokey.:pQuote:
Originally Posted by CJR238It may reflect more but also lets less in. Looks like ill be turning my V1 backwards, wonder why no one else does this then...Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_c1
The backwards V1!
Of course the prime reason for the smaller rear antenna is just a lack of real estate inside that little box. But practically speaking, you don't need the same amount of directional range from the rear. Your only real threat from that direction is moving, same lane radar, which itself does not have the same range potential as a stationary leo shooting IO up ahead.
I guess ill just have to drive with it more but I find myself not trusting it as much at the Redline. If I move it from middle of the window just below where roof starts and move it to just above n left of rvm ill have to move the straight wire but im not sure it'll reach plus I love the.fact it.looks like it is part of my car. Next investment is the concealed display
Yeah, for sure do some expirementing with it, and let us know how it goes. It's always interesting to find out which mounting positions tend to perform better than other positions on various vehicles.Quote:
Originally Posted by polecats03
Ok something has to be up. I was driving on the highway doing about 60mph n I got an alert for KA band. It was about 2-3 strength. Then all of a sudden I see him pass. That was some short warning. The road dis have snow piled high in the middle divider and it was around a gentle bend. Just not convinced it has amazing detection like everyone says it does. Ill have to try to mount it right above n to the left of the rvm but then it wont be as stealthy... where do u guys have it mounted?
Post a video.
Its hard to post a video seeing how I get like 3 led lights then he passes. Ill try
Very good information on the V1. I did not give the sensativity and off axis performance of the rear much thought but this makes sense. Rear does not have to be as sensitive because of the speed of the threat coming at you (arrow transition also makes sense). Thanks for sharing the information.
When he passed you, did the arrows switch from front to rear, verifying that he was indead the source of the Ka?Quote:
Originally Posted by polecats03
I have mine mounted to the left and above my rear view mirror, behind my tint strip.
As for your latest encounter, that is weird. I'm curious for you to answer Swamp's question to confirm that was the Ka source. I have encountered leos with just their rear antenna on coming towards me, which caused a very low powered signal, along with very short range, but if that were the case, the rear antenna should have picked up a strong and long alert as you passed him.
Never thought about the rear only but if I can remember correctly I watched him pass me in the other lane. I do believe it switched then went darkQuote:
Originally Posted by unmamfqlm
So just drove past a LEO parked on top of a hill.. it spotted him with KA probably 500ft and his radar was pointing away from me. I drove past and it going on for about .5 miles and turned around and waiting to turn the side arrows lit up then the front when I made the turn. So it seems as if the front is working just fine. Drove past him again and turned around to head home. I drove past and rear got it for like a mile and that was down the hill back up another and a slight left turn. Wow...
Before that driving on highway and only got like 4 sec warning... I think it has to be the snowbanks in the middle of the road... the open road from my last exp as I stated above seemed to do really well. Slowly gaining more trust in it like I had in the redline.
My V1 doesn't have near the range my Redline has...well, for the first 2 weeks after I got it it did, and for the first 2 weeks after getting it back from VR for repair ahem I mean tune up it was equal to it, but both times it soon weakened to 75 percent of the Redline's range.Quote:
Originally Posted by polecats03
Consider that snow IS water, and water does attenuate microwaves. Not that it applies in your specific instance, but 24GHz (very close to K band radar) is heavily attenuated by moisture or visible water. Hence why detection (and by my observation, reduced range of LEO radar itself) when it is raining if K band radar is being used.
So I've been getting off n on detection. I turned off x.pop. This morning there was a snowbank which separates the highway from a local road. Cops usually sit on the other side shooting down highway but my v1 was going off. The bank is like 15ft high. Then driving to work got 4led warnings then 3 secs later leo drove by. On highway for lunch n got 1 small boil then ramp up of like 20 secs. Not bad. This was with pop n guard off.
Cool!