V1 going back to HQ

[Cauhauna]

I think it's about time to send my v1 in for a tune.

I got this 3.872 new from VR nearly 1 year ago. I think its been 11 months or so.

Lately, its been unimpressive on K-band. It hasn't failed me, but it seems to be picking up my usual falses a little later than normal. This particular V1 has never been as good as my 3.864 was on K-band. I sent it back to VR once about the issue and was told that my V1 runs a little hot on Ka band. They told me that all their detectors run about 1db hotter on either Ka or K band, and offered me a different unit that was hotter on K. I of course told them I'll keep my current unit. Is this a BS claim by VR?

But, I think the K needs attention. Is 1 year the typical time people NEED a tune? I know we hardcore enthusiasts say 1 year is ideal, but surely I would think some people run them for years with no tune. ??? I don't trust my v1 right now

[category4]

I've have never sent any of my V1's in for a tune. If you are having a problem send it it.

Tune is a misnomer, they don't tune anything, they just replace any parts that failed and bring it back to factory specs.

There is nothing that goes out of adjustement, if you need a "tune" it's because a component failed.

[AirMoore]

I sent it back to VR once about the issue and was told that my V1 runs a little hot on Ka band. They told me that all their detectors run about 1db hotter on either Ka or K band, and offered me a different unit that was hotter on K. I of course told them I'll keep my current unit. Is this a BS claim by VR?

Send it in to VR... that claim about some V1's going -1db hotter on only K or only Ka-band doesn't jive with me.

I am not extremely well versed in the db's equation to actual relative sensitivity that would be seen from it on the road (ie: difference in alerting because that extra -1db), but if I remember correctly MEM did a write-up on this awhile back... and 1db was almost nothing.

If I remember 3 was the magic number that would start to have a serious impact on actual outcomes of detection...


FURTHERMORE, when my unit kept having troubles: They said to do right by me (proverbial paraphrase there):
I was told that I had a unit that was hot on K&Ka band when I got it back one time from VR, and I can assure you (before a piece broke inside of it... again) I have NEVER seen a more sensitive detector... EVER, not to this date.

Let me guess though, they would not discuss actual db numbers with you... ie: -120db on K-band or the sort...

To top things off: When my V1 was having horrid Ka-band detection (before I got the 'HOT' unit back)... VR told me that if either Ka or K was going the OTHER band should also be impacted, just not X-band.


VR quality checks likely (as most others) simply have a low-end performance bar: Say:

-119db For X
-118db For K
-117db for Ka-average, and any unit goes out above that.

So one might read -121db X, -120db K, -117 Ka -average.


Mehhh... I'm too tired to make sense of anything I just said... hopefully Jim will chime in, but 1db simply sounds like manufacturers variance rather than a 'hot or not' unit.


EDIT-LINKY LINKY:
http://www.radardetector.net/forums/...ities-dbm.html

[Cauhauna]

Thank you very much cat4 and Airmoore for your responses.

Both were things I did not previously know, though I suspected a "tune" wasn't really a "tune" I had no idea what it was.

[dtraill27]

I just sent mine in Monday. They should receive it tomorrow. Mine had gotten weak on Ka, detection max was 4 tenths of a mile. Mine is only 8 months old so it is under warranty but I'm not happy about it.

[GTO_04]

A tuneup usually means a transistor replacement.

GTO_04

[Silver Bullet]

A tuneup usually means a transistor replacement.

GTO_04

Does VR charge anything for these "tune ups"?

[mihneagabriel]

under warranty i believe they dont.
over one year i think its like $45

someone correct me if im wrong, not a V1 expert..

[Monte1]

I think it's about time to send my v1 in for a tune.

I got this 3.872 new from VR nearly 1 year ago. I think its been 11 months or so.

Lately, its been unimpressive on K-band. It hasn't failed me, but it seems to be picking up my usual falses a little later than normal. This particular V1 has never been as good as my 3.864 was on K-band. I sent it back to VR once about the issue and was told that my V1 runs a little hot on Ka band. They told me that all their detectors run about 1db hotter on either Ka or K band, and offered me a different unit that was hotter on K. I of course told them I'll keep my current unit. Is this a BS claim by VR?

But, I think the K needs attention. Is 1 year the typical time people NEED a tune? I know we hardcore enthusiasts say 1 year is ideal, but surely I would think some people run them for years with no tune. ??? I don't trust my v1 right now

I'm a couple of months out from 1 year on mine and the K band alerts are still super potent. I was traveling on some two lane back roads a few days ago and just made a right hand turn at a traffic light and started to go up a hill when the V1 started going totally off like popcorn on K band. It was about 100 yards or more to the peak of the hill and then you have a long straight away into a valley. About 3/4 of a mile coming in the opposite direction was a string of about 6-7 cars. It went at full alert the entire time and lo and behold if there wasn't a LEO in the middle of the pack running C/O.

Are you sure it isn't the wiring problem surfacing again like it did before when you weren't picking up K band on I-85 right past the Newnan exit?

[Cauhauna]

I don't think it is the wiring issue.

Before, I had the unit hardwired using the RD.net method --- using an add-a-circuit

I have since re-hardwired according to the manual with the supplied vampire clip. I used a new hardwire kit to do this, rather than salvage the old.

Additionally, I think that the previous issue was with the speed sign, which was uncovered at the end of the thread about the topic. A friend drove by and noticed it was completely off 2 days after it happened.