Spread Spectrum RADAR?

**metroplex** · 12-28-2006, 05:41 PM

There is someone on another board that keeps referring to new spread spectrum RADAR units that fool radar detectors, and that only the latest and most expensive detectors can detect the signal from 200' away. The radar units are supposed to have a 1500' range.

**jimbonzzz** · 12-28-2006, 05:58 PM

You might see a "frequency hopping" Stalker gun referenced at copradar.com and a few other places that copied it from there. You also might see a mentioned on some fo the Belscort boxes that the detectors can be upgraded if new technologies are released such as "spread spectrum".

But as of right now, I can say with relative certainty that there is NO spread spectrum or frequency-hopping radar gun that is a threat.

What happened was that when the Stalkers were released in the early 90's, they had to get FCC approval for the new Ka frequency. They got approval for 34.2-35.2, and at this same time I guess there was word that they were working on a frequency hopping unit that could utilize the whole range. I have never seen any hard evidence that that gun ever saw the light of day, beyond possibly some prototypes or something. But, info on such guns ended up getting published on copradar.com and copied to several other websites.

People have called up Stalker and asked about it, and they had no idea about what they were even talking about. Radar Roy has even inquired about it, and come up with no info. If this gun was out there, you would think it would be heavily advertised by Stalker as a sales feature.

I have also spoken with multiple engineers who have been in the industry for a LONG time, and they do not think the gun exists either. Another reason it probably doesn't exist: Police radar needs to have the calibration verified using a tuning fork, and the tuning for is different depending on the frequency the unit is at: for example a tuning fork for an MPH unit cannot be used with a Stalker or Kustom. If the unit frequency-hops, that would make verifying the calibration with a tuning fork impossible.

If there was truly a "Spread Spectrum" radar gun, the frequency would probably hop hundreds of times a second or more. This would pose a BIG problem for detectors. We better hope and pray that a Spread Spectrum gun hasn't been in the works since the early 90's, if one of those comes out we might all be screwed, depending on how it is implemented...

Jim

**ELVATO** · 12-28-2006, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

You might see a "frequency hopping" Stalker gun referenced at copradar.com and a few other places that copied it from there. You also might see a mentioned on some fo the Belscort boxes that the detectors can be upgraded if new technologies are released such as "spread spectrum".

But as of right now, I can say with relative certainty that there is NO spread spectrum or frequency-hopping radar gun that is a threat.

What happened was that when the Stalkers were released in the early 90's, they had to get FCC approval for the new Ka frequency. They got approval for 34.2-35.2, and at this same time I guess there was word that they were working on a frequency hopping unit that could utilize the whole range. I have never seen any hard evidence that that gun ever saw the light of day, beyone possibly some prototypes or something. But, info on such guns ended up getting published on copradar.com and copied to several other websites.

People have called up Stalker and asked about it, and they had no idea about what they were even talking about. Radar Roy has even inquired about it, and come up with no info. If this gun was out there, you would think it would be heavily advertised by Stalker as a sales feature.

I have also spoken with multiple engineers who have been in the industry for a LONG time, and they do not think the gun exists either. Another reason it probably doesn't exist: Police radar needs to have the calibration verified using a tuning fork, and the tuning for is different depending on the frequency the unit is at: for example a tuning fork for an MPH unit cannot be used with a Stalker or Kustom. If the unit frequency-hops, that would make verifying the calibration with a tuning fork impossible.

If there was truly a "Spread Spectrum" radar gun, the frequency would probably hop hundreds of times a second or more. This would pose a BIG problem for detectors. We better hope and pray that a Spread Spectrum gun hasn't been in the works since the early 90's, if one of those comes out we might all be screwed, depending on how it is implemented...

Jim

Shhhh...dont let them hear you :shock: Hopefully the RD industry can keep up is such a stalker is made.

**AirMoore** · 12-28-2006, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by jimbonzzz

We better hope and pray that a Spread Spectrum gun hasn't been in the works since the early 90's, if one of those comes out we might all be screwed...

Jim

But yeah, that is a scary thought...

**proudNMAmember** · 12-28-2006, 08:01 PM

:shock: That would really suck.

**jimbonzzz** · 12-28-2006, 08:02 PM

Yes it sure would

**stealthJamal** · 12-29-2006, 03:23 AM

I'm sure there would be some type of countermeasure or new technology radar detectors could use to detect it. Detector companies have always caught up to new radar technology in the past, why would it change in the future?

**RadarRick** · 12-29-2006, 05:14 AM

That could be a fly in our soup

RR

**jdong** · 12-30-2006, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by stealthJamal

I'm sure there would be some type of countermeasure or new technology radar detectors could use to detect it. Detector companies have always caught up to new radar technology in the past, why would it change in the future?

Oh no not a V1 with 20 receivers

**Synbios** · 12-30-2006, 11:31 PM

If the spread spectrum came out, wouldn't it just be a battle of how fast the processors are?

Perhaps RD's could get dual or quad cores, running at higher clock speeds too. They will be able to scan faster, matching or beating the rate of the gun.