Down low...?

[ELVATO]

After seeing so many topics about RD placement in various cars, it reminded me of a question I ask myself. Why is it that I see mostly everyones thinks that a radar detector should be mounted "down low." Id say 90% of the RDs I see (mostly Cobras and Whistlers) are mounted low(behind the wipers.) Even when I was giving my friend a ride, and I was mounting my x50 (I take it off everytime I get off the car) he asked me "Isnt it supposed to go down there?" I have since taught him the way (up high for radar, down low for laser) :P But the question still remains, why down low?

[xXCriticizeXx]

because when LEO's aim with laser they hit the key spots. (license plate, and the headlights) which happen to be low which gives you a better chance of your RD being able to pick it up, and as far as up high goes its so that your RD can "see" over traffic to get a signal.

[ELVATO]

Well, yea, I know that down low is for laser, but I highly doubt that the kind of people Im talking about know that(Cobras pointed up to the sky, or down to the hood/wipers)

[pulsar]

I believe Radarroy also recommends mounting low instead of high especially if LIDAR is a threat in your area.

[cooljay]

I've got mine mounted high because I drive mostly back road highways and radar is the only thing used on them. Yes radar roy does say mount low (last I read anyways) and in my manual it states this:

Mounting Guidelines

• Mount the unit as low as possible near the center of
the windshield.

...

Because your vehicle’s license plate or headlights are the laser gun’s primary targets, mounting your Whistler detector on the dashboard can improve laser detection at short range.

Which I think is true for other RD manuals but I can't say 100% what other manuals say about mounting.

[xXCriticizeXx]

that about sums it up, i have mine hardwired high but maybe ill take it and put in down low for a few days and see what i get

[compu44]

AFAIK, Valentine is the only one that actually reccommends a high mount in the manual.

Escort used to have in the manual that higher was better for radar and lower was better for laser, but it's gone in the newer products. Now it actually doesn't say anything to suggest either way.

[jimbonzzz]

Passport x50 and BEL RX-65 Manuals:
"Using the Windshield Mount, mount your Passport level, and high enough on your front windshield to provide a clear view of the road from the front and rear."

For mounting, see here:
http://www.guysoflidar.com/detectormounting.html

[proudNMAmember]

Well, for the Bel or Escort I suggest a little lower than center of the windwshield. For the V1, I mount mine exactly in the center of the windshield. For all of those who prefer to mount (the rd) high or low, I prefer the in-between.

[jtslmn720]

what i dont get is when i had my old cobra mounted above my mirror in a ford ranger truck, and got shot with laser twice, both times i picked it up...

now you could argue that i just dont know the other times ive gotten hit, but these two times it was blatently obvous when i passed the cop.....

upon measureing from my plate to the detector, i got 8 ft... so has there been any actual live tests to see if it really matters with the average cop shooting, instead of just gong with saying that the beam will be to narrow that youd never pick it up...