Starting up a radar gun?

[Zapple]

I had a pretty weird encounter today. I was driving and I get a little K band blip on my V1, like 1 dot. (Not sure if this was the mall I was passing because I usually do get a 1 blip K band sometimes). Then like 2 seconds after that I got full blast K band from a passing CCSO. I was wondering if he was just turning on his radar gun and I picked up small emissions before it got fully powered and running or it was just a false and he just turned it on. I don't think our county police is capable of using I/O too so he would just have turned it on.

[KnightHawk]

At start up, it will go through some test that will only last for a few seconds. No longer than 5 secs. in most cases. All radar units are capable of instant on. Never seen one that does not have that capability. You will never get any emmissions if the radar is put on hold during start up. It only checks for internal test within the unit but no output although it checks for antenna connections. You may have encountered IO.

[Zapple]

Would it emit anything during those 5 seconds?

[KnightHawk]

With my units, they don't. I'm not sure about other units since I have not owned all units. Maybe jimbonzzz can pitch in.

[jdong]

It can also have to do with the various time-averaging smoothing algorithms used by detectors to get rid of jerkiness in the ramp-up. If you only caught a short glimpse of an instant-on burst, particularly if it were an indirect hit, it might come up at a deceptively low signal strength.

[jimbonzzz]

Some radar units do transmit briefly during the power up sequence, even if they ultimately come up in "Hold". For example, the MPH Bee III and Enforcer both do this.

However, the other possibilities are valid as well:
- the first blip could have been a false
- the officer could have been using instant-on (unless he is using an ancient radar unit then it is definitely capable)

[aradarnut]

My Muni Quip MDR-1 X-band does transmit briefly in start up mode even if the STBY/OPER switch is in standby. I realize that these units are rarely used and X-band is not used in Florida.
I did however spot a Muni Quip MDR unit in a Sheriff cruiser from Logan County, north of Oklahoma City the other day. (not that it matters)

[Zapple]

Some radar units do transmit briefly during the power up sequence, even if they ultimately come up in "Hold". For example, the MPH Bee III and Enforcer both do this.

However, the other possibilities are valid as well:
- the first blip could have been a false
- the officer could have been using instant-on (unless he is using an ancient radar unit then it is definitely capable)

Thank you. I think they might be using one of those guns, they look familiar.