real world experiences and test result differences?

**Bavor** · 01-31-2006, 02:41 PM

I was wondering why real world experiences with radar detectors differ so much from radar detector test results? I was talking with several other radar detector owning friends and also people on an automotive message board about this recently.

Why is it that in the "real world" we can pick up X band from well over a mile away and K band from at least a mile while in controlled tests, many of the exact same detectors can't do it on a completely flat and straight road? It makes me question the validity of the tests. After talking with other people, I'm not the only one to observe this. Do normal road and highway conditions or terrain do something to amplify radar signals that test conditions don't do? Are the radar speed measuring devices used in test turned down to their lowest range or power setting if that optionis available? What other reason would there be for the big discrepancy in test results vs real world conditions?

**HighVoltage** · 01-31-2006, 03:36 PM

http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/terrain/radariv.html

Hope this helps....

**happya$$** · 01-31-2006, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Bavor

I was wondering why real world experiences with radar detectors differ so much from radar detector test results? I was talking with several other radar detector owning friends and also people on an automotive message board about this recently.

Why is it that in the "real world" we can pick up X band from well over a mile away and K band from at least a mile while in controlled tests, many of the exact same detectors can't do it on a completely flat and straight road? It makes me question the validity of the tests. After talking with other people, I'm not the only one to observe this. Do normal road and highway conditions or terrain do something to amplify radar signals that test conditions don't do? Are the radar speed measuring devices used in test turned down to their lowest range or power setting if that optionis available? What other reason would there be for the big discrepancy in test results vs real world conditions?

On our test radar test vehicle was angled on purpose to cut down radar detection range on the detectors

**jimbonzzz** · 01-31-2006, 04:21 PM

If a detector has line of sight with the targeting radar, 10+ miles of detection range is not unheard of. But, this is impractical for performance testing.

**o2bad455** · 01-31-2006, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by happya$$

On our test radar test vehicle was angled on purpose to cut down radar detection range on the detectors

I thought that was a GREAT feature of this test, since many LEO (or at least the smartest ones) do the same thing!

**lordhamster** · 01-31-2006, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by o2bad455

Originally Posted by happya$$

On our test radar test vehicle was angled on purpose to cut down radar detection range on the detectors

I thought that was a GREAT feature of this test, since many LEO (or at least the smartest ones) do the same thing!

Agreed... I think worst case scenarios are much more telling in radar detection than the best case scenarios where the radar is pointed right at the oncoming car.