Crappy V1 range, Trapster could have helped...

[supercowpowers]

I got probably the crappiest C/O range ever last night. I was driving down the interstate with nothing but another car about 200 yards in front of me when my V1 alerted to K band and started to ramp up very quickly. About 5 seconds later it was going full blast as I passed a PSP cruiser parked parallel to the road in some kind of cutout in the terrain. Everything happened too fast for me to notice but I'm pretty sure he was using the external window mounted units they have because of the smooth, linear ramp up and the fact that every time they're parked line that, that's what they're using. I'd estimate I got about 500 feet of warning, which absolutely terrible compared to the 1.5 to 2 miles I usually get from those things.

Maybe the terrain was blocking the signal from being able to shoot straight down the road but it wasn't enough to block it from an angle so he could still get speed readings (and I could get 5 seconds of warning).

The sad thing about this encounter is that I could have known about it for literally 10 minutes before I got there. I don't have a smartphone for Trapster but I set up the route I take every night so it would send me text alerts when live police are reported. Right as I was going down the ramp to get on the highway I thought I felt my phone vibrate, but since entering the highway is sort of a high workload time I ignored it and forgot about it. Later on I looked at my phone and I realized that what I ignored was a text alert for the exact same trap...

I didn't get anything on the CB. I don't usually on this route. It's garbage for a few minutes until I get away from some truck stops and then nothing because there's not enough traffic.

[fire65]

Maybe he was shooting in the opposite direction and not actually targeting you.

[Olivpinc]

I got probably the crappiest C/O range ever last night. I was driving down the interstate with nothing but another car about 200 yards in front of me when my V1 alerted to K band and started to ramp up very quickly. About 5 seconds later it was going full blast as I passed a PSP cruiser parked parallel to the road in some kind of cutout in the terrain. Everything happened too fast for me to notice but I'm pretty sure he was using the external window mounted units they have because of the smooth, linear ramp up and the fact that every time they're parked line that, that's what they're using. I'd estimate I got about 500 feet of warning, which absolutely terrible compared to the 1.5 to 2 miles I usually get from those things.

Maybe the terrain was blocking the signal from being able to shoot straight down the road but it wasn't enough to block it from an angle so he could still get speed readings (and I could get 5 seconds of warning).

The sad thing about this encounter is that I could have known about it for literally 10 minutes before I got there. I don't have a smartphone for Trapster but I set up the route I take every night so it would send me text alerts when live police are reported. Right as I was going down the ramp to get on the highway I thought I felt my phone vibrate, but since entering the highway is sort of a high workload time I ignored it and forgot about it. Later on I looked at my phone and I realized that what I ignored was a text alert for the exact same trap...

I didn't get anything on the CB. I don't usually on this route. It's garbage for a few minutes until I get away from some truck stops and then nothing because there's not enough traffic.

It's funny that you mention this I was in a town that I know use K band. The cop went into the store and left his radar on, I drove my car right next to his and my V1 alert me but the alert was very small. I mean I could have easily thought it was a store or something. It was actually shocking to me but who knows why this happen this way.

[mikered30]

Could it have been the dreaded falcon HR gun?

[Olivpinc]

Could it have been the dreaded falcon HR gun?

But that is Hand-held gun, this town Bergenfield, NJ don't use hand-held guns. They use guns that are mounted inside the car. One antenna in the front of the car one in the back, and this why I was so shock about the low alert on K band.

[supercowpowers]

Maybe he was shooting in the opposite direction and not actually targeting you.

Probably not. First of all, there's a giant concrete barrier in the middle of the highway. Even if we consider it could have been forward facing, first of all it's pretty much their tactic to hide behind a bridge or something and just leave the antenna peeking out enough to catch people before they can see the car. Second, the signal dropped off after I passed and I got very little rear arrow time.

Could it have been the dreaded falcon HR gun?

I was afraid of that but determined it's not likely. Like I said, it was the same tactic they use with the window mount jobs, the ramp up indicated that it was C/O, and I didn't see anything hanging out the window.

[Immigrant]

Now, when i read what happened to you, remember about a week ago, here in Mass, i was on the highway and my V1 encountered something similar to your story. It was a curve but withing 5 sec. since i got first alert i saw the cop running k band C/O.. Very quickly went to full blast.
Just like you i was, what the heck, i expected much better range for K band and especially C/O.

[supercowpowers]

Now, when i read what happened to you, remember about a week ago, here in Mass, i was on the highway and my V1 encountered something similar to your story. It was a curve but withing 5 sec. since i got first alert i saw the cop running k band C/O.. Very quickly went to full blast.
Just like you i was, what the heck, i expected much better range for K band and especially C/O.

Yeah... I know my V1 works OK because of all the usual falses I pass. I think sometimes you just get a special situation where it's impossible to detect anything because the signals just aren't there. It's not a sensitivity issue because the RD can't be sensitive to a signal that never even reaches its horn.

[Immigrant]

Now, when i read what happened to you, remember about a week ago, here in Mass, i was on the highway and my V1 encountered something similar to your story. It was a curve but withing 5 sec. since i got first alert i saw the cop running k band C/O.. Very quickly went to full blast.
Just like you i was, what the heck, i expected much better range for K band and especially C/O.

Yeah... I know my V1 works OK because of all the usual falses I pass. I think sometimes you just get a special situation where it's impossible to detect anything because the signals just aren't there. It's not a sensitivity issue because the RD can't be sensitive to a signal that never even reaches its horn.

I used to think that V1 is worry-free on K band C/O and only Ka band 35.5 would be a killer. But now i am a bit concerned, i mean driving 75-80mph on the highway and having so little time to slow down is problematic.

[Hunter]

Does not surprise me at all...
many similar experiences with my v1....
very crappy crappy range and in some instances i am almost a few feet away from photo radar vans before it goes off....
I am happy now with my new whistler....