Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently?
10-08-2003, 08:26 PM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently?
I am sure I am going to get flamed, but I have been a loyal Valentine One radar detector owner since 1998. I have never got a ticket to this day knock-on-wood...but..
The first 2 1/2 years I had the detector it was remarkable. I could detect local cops using instant on K radar 2 miles away. Many times, I could pickup the X-band instant-on radar of a closing Ohio Highway Patrol Unit.
Laser was so-so, but I knew that when I got the unit it was hard to detect until you were targetted. I always had a dark car with no front license plate, so maybe it did save me. I have heard the laser detector on newer V1 models is improved over the version on mine.
But....coming into 2000, a lot of police agencies started getting new police cars, Crown Victoria Interceptor. I am assuming it had new radar units because they now became a lot harder to detect. I did not get as much advance warning.
Its been that way ever since. Then false alarms croppped up in areas with nothing. no other cars for miles, etc.
I sent my unit in for service and they found a bad diode, and replaced it free of charge, even out of the warranty period. Kudos to Valentine One. They tested it and discovered it working up to par after the replacement.
Then I learned about something new out there. A new type of radar came out by MPH industries in 2000.
Its called POP radar and is either K or Ka band. This is an instant-on mode a cop can use on a so-equpped radar. It turns on and off, (and gets your speed), that your radar detectors circuitry isnt quick enough to let you know that you, or a car ahead of you has been clocked. A cop using POP radar is supposed to switch to normal radar to 'verify' a speed, after using POP radar to determine that the vehicle is in fact speeding. I am guessing a lot likely will write tickets off POP radar.
Valentine One claims that no radar detector (including theirs) can pick it up. They are working on an upgrade, and have no target date as to when it will be out.
They did tell me that the radar circuitry on the Valentine One has been the same since the last upgrade in 1997, and that the laser detector was improved/upgraded in 2000.
Anyways, whats going on here? I travel in Ohio mostly. Ohio always has the latest speed detection equipment, as evidenced by their pioneering use of laser. I have no doubt that agencies that can afford it use this MPH POP radar.
Has anyone else noticed a more difficult time detecting radar?
The first 2 1/2 years I had the detector it was remarkable. I could detect local cops using instant on K radar 2 miles away. Many times, I could pickup the X-band instant-on radar of a closing Ohio Highway Patrol Unit.
Laser was so-so, but I knew that when I got the unit it was hard to detect until you were targetted. I always had a dark car with no front license plate, so maybe it did save me. I have heard the laser detector on newer V1 models is improved over the version on mine.
But....coming into 2000, a lot of police agencies started getting new police cars, Crown Victoria Interceptor. I am assuming it had new radar units because they now became a lot harder to detect. I did not get as much advance warning.
Its been that way ever since. Then false alarms croppped up in areas with nothing. no other cars for miles, etc.
I sent my unit in for service and they found a bad diode, and replaced it free of charge, even out of the warranty period. Kudos to Valentine One. They tested it and discovered it working up to par after the replacement.
Then I learned about something new out there. A new type of radar came out by MPH industries in 2000.
Its called POP radar and is either K or Ka band. This is an instant-on mode a cop can use on a so-equpped radar. It turns on and off, (and gets your speed), that your radar detectors circuitry isnt quick enough to let you know that you, or a car ahead of you has been clocked. A cop using POP radar is supposed to switch to normal radar to 'verify' a speed, after using POP radar to determine that the vehicle is in fact speeding. I am guessing a lot likely will write tickets off POP radar.
Valentine One claims that no radar detector (including theirs) can pick it up. They are working on an upgrade, and have no target date as to when it will be out.
They did tell me that the radar circuitry on the Valentine One has been the same since the last upgrade in 1997, and that the laser detector was improved/upgraded in 2000.
Anyways, whats going on here? I travel in Ohio mostly. Ohio always has the latest speed detection equipment, as evidenced by their pioneering use of laser. I have no doubt that agencies that can afford it use this MPH POP radar.
Has anyone else noticed a more difficult time detecting radar?
10-08-2003, 08:43 PM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: Dec 1999
Location: Almost all Skyline Cruises Vettes at Waterside 1-5
Posts: 11,182
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
:cheers: I have a Bel 95?
It won't pick up the pop either unless it reflects off a vehicle in front of you
:seeya
It won't pick up the pop either unless it reflects off a vehicle in front of you
:seeya
10-08-2003, 08:46 PM
#3
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
I use my radar detector as a source of amusement and information. I don't trust it to "go speeding" because it will only lead to trouble and a false sense of security. City police here use laser which is way too fast. Besides it really doesn't matter for me anyway. When I do break the speed limit (on officially sanctioned racetracks) it's by a whole lot, they wouldn't need radar.
In my mind I'm less likely to get nailed on a brief burst to tripple digits than I am at an extended cruise on slightly above the limit. You really don't get anywhere any faster, so what's the point?
In my mind I'm less likely to get nailed on a brief burst to tripple digits than I am at an extended cruise on slightly above the limit. You really don't get anywhere any faster, so what's the point?
10-18-2003, 03:24 PM
#4
Race Director
Thread Starter
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (Nathan Plemons)
I am hoping to resurrect this thread with the following information...
I called Valentine One, and they told me about the POP radar situation. Valentine One cant detect, but I should be assured that NO radar detector can detect it. Ok....?
With that statement, Valentine One has just admitted they are no different than any other radar detector.
I sent an email to Valentine One stating my request for an upgrade that covers POP radar, and got an email back from Mike Valentine. Which was nice he read my email.
But....They, at valentine One seem bent on trying to say POP radar is inaccurate and that POP radar should be recalled instead of trying to make their units capable of detecting it.
This represents a big problem for radar detector users like me....I would rely on that brief instant on radar pulse of an oncoming highway patrol car clocking other traffic in front of me as a warning. Now, he can use POP radar which is undetectable, and will switch to regular radar once he has determined a vehicle is speeding to get an accurate, court-accepted speed.
So basically, your $400 Valentine One radar detector (or any radar detector for that matter) is a paperweight.
I called Valentine One, and they told me about the POP radar situation. Valentine One cant detect, but I should be assured that NO radar detector can detect it. Ok....?
With that statement, Valentine One has just admitted they are no different than any other radar detector.
I sent an email to Valentine One stating my request for an upgrade that covers POP radar, and got an email back from Mike Valentine. Which was nice he read my email.
But....They, at valentine One seem bent on trying to say POP radar is inaccurate and that POP radar should be recalled instead of trying to make their units capable of detecting it.
This represents a big problem for radar detector users like me....I would rely on that brief instant on radar pulse of an oncoming highway patrol car clocking other traffic in front of me as a warning. Now, he can use POP radar which is undetectable, and will switch to regular radar once he has determined a vehicle is speeding to get an accurate, court-accepted speed.
So basically, your $400 Valentine One radar detector (or any radar detector for that matter) is a paperweight.
10-18-2003, 04:30 PM
#5
Drifting
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
:iagree:
They are only a tool, not a "sure" thing. As always the Police have the upper hand for awhile. We catch up, and something new comes along.
They are only a tool, not a "sure" thing. As always the Police have the upper hand for awhile. We catch up, and something new comes along.
10-18-2003, 06:45 PM
#6
Race Director
Member Since: Dec 1999
Location: Almost all Skyline Cruises Vettes at Waterside 1-5
Posts: 11,182
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
I am hoping to resurrect this thread with the following information...
I called Valentine One, and they told me about the POP radar situation. Valentine One cant detect, but I should be assured that NO radar detector can detect it. Ok....?
With that statement, Valentine One has just admitted they are no different than any other radar detector.
I sent an email to Valentine One stating my request for an upgrade that covers POP radar, and got an email back from Mike Valentine. Which was nice he read my email.
But....They, at valentine One seem bent on trying to say POP radar is inaccurate and that POP radar should be recalled instead of trying to make their units capable of detecting it.
This represents a big problem for radar detector users like me....I would rely on that brief instant on radar pulse of an oncoming highway patrol car clocking other traffic in front of me as a warning. Now, he can use POP radar which is undetectable, and will switch to regular radar once he has determined a vehicle is speeding to get an accurate, court-accepted speed.
So basically, your $400 Valentine One radar detector (or any radar detector for that matter) is a paperweight.
I called Valentine One, and they told me about the POP radar situation. Valentine One cant detect, but I should be assured that NO radar detector can detect it. Ok....?
With that statement, Valentine One has just admitted they are no different than any other radar detector.
I sent an email to Valentine One stating my request for an upgrade that covers POP radar, and got an email back from Mike Valentine. Which was nice he read my email.
But....They, at valentine One seem bent on trying to say POP radar is inaccurate and that POP radar should be recalled instead of trying to make their units capable of detecting it.
This represents a big problem for radar detector users like me....I would rely on that brief instant on radar pulse of an oncoming highway patrol car clocking other traffic in front of me as a warning. Now, he can use POP radar which is undetectable, and will switch to regular radar once he has determined a vehicle is speeding to get an accurate, court-accepted speed.
So basically, your $400 Valentine One radar detector (or any radar detector for that matter) is a paperweight.
1) he has to remember to switch the radar and
2) he has to do it!
Sounds like this could take a little time!
3) once he switches to reg radar you should get the signal
not saying you will have enough time to react, but you should get the signal
I got hit with "instant on" in Kentucky two years ago, but fortunatly it reflected off the car in front of me.
Radar detectors are great, but nothing beats vigilance and...watching for cars up ahead of you to hit the brakes when they see a cop, even if they aren't speeding
:seeya
10-18-2003, 07:46 PM
#7
Race Director
Thread Starter
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (jackdaroofer)
Quote: not saying you will have enough time to react, but you should get the signal
When he switches to regular radar he will most likely now be clocking me (the speeder).
I doubt he will have used regular radar enough times to give me an advance warning, with other cars, in a typical oncoming patrol car encounter.
We are screwed, and Valentine One appears to be more interested in saying POP radar is inaccurate, than providing us with am upgrade capable of detecting it.
For the record, I have been using radar detectors since 1997 and have done 130,000 miles of driving since then, so I feel I am qualified to give my remarks about radar detection.
When he switches to regular radar he will most likely now be clocking me (the speeder).
I doubt he will have used regular radar enough times to give me an advance warning, with other cars, in a typical oncoming patrol car encounter.
We are screwed, and Valentine One appears to be more interested in saying POP radar is inaccurate, than providing us with am upgrade capable of detecting it.
For the record, I have been using radar detectors since 1997 and have done 130,000 miles of driving since then, so I feel I am qualified to give my remarks about radar detection.
10-19-2003, 12:58 AM
#8
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Posts: 53,932
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes
on
23 Posts
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
I design microwave test equipment for a living. Pop radar indicates a speed that is higher than you are actually traveling. Also, it states in the operating manual of the pop radar manufacturer that tickets should not be written based on measurements in the pop mode. If the officer switches to normal mode your detector will be able to alert, but be aware that an intelligent user of the radar gun will likely use," instant on", to which you must react instantly by rapidly slowing down for the radar gun to not get enough successive measurements to lock on a speed. Most likely you will be measured!!! My advice.......obey the speed limit.
10-19-2003, 08:08 PM
#9
Race Director
Thread Starter
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (jfb)
Everyone is missing my point.
My point is I wish Valentine One would focus on building a unit capable of detecting POP, instead of trying to say its wrong, inaccurate, etc.
I need advance warnings of POP, just like I used to get advance warnings of instant on radar when I would catch brief signals in use on traffic in front of me.
Valentine One seems to have taken the denial approach, instead of a pro-active approach.
I have no doubt the Valentine One is the best at what it does. I just dont understand what the technological hurdle is to making it capable of detecting POP.
Why not put some circuit in there that is constantly monitoring for POP transmissions, that can pick up that brief 67 millisecond burst?
We'll have to resort back to jamming (Despite its legality) if this is the case.
Only problem is Ka. maybe one could make a jammer that can pick up which frequency in the Ka spectrum is being used, and transmit a jamming signal on that frequency.
Any advice on how to do it jfb?
My point is I wish Valentine One would focus on building a unit capable of detecting POP, instead of trying to say its wrong, inaccurate, etc.
I need advance warnings of POP, just like I used to get advance warnings of instant on radar when I would catch brief signals in use on traffic in front of me.
Valentine One seems to have taken the denial approach, instead of a pro-active approach.
I have no doubt the Valentine One is the best at what it does. I just dont understand what the technological hurdle is to making it capable of detecting POP.
Why not put some circuit in there that is constantly monitoring for POP transmissions, that can pick up that brief 67 millisecond burst?
We'll have to resort back to jamming (Despite its legality) if this is the case.
Only problem is Ka. maybe one could make a jammer that can pick up which frequency in the Ka spectrum is being used, and transmit a jamming signal on that frequency.
Any advice on how to do it jfb?
10-19-2003, 08:33 PM
#10
Team Owner
I love my V1. Just last week it gave me the laser alert. I looked to the right and sure enough there was Johnny law aiming a laser gun at me. Thankfully for once I was below the limit. :)
10-19-2003, 09:25 PM
#11
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Posts: 53,932
Likes: 0
Received 26 Likes
on
23 Posts
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
Valentine and probably every other radar detector manufacturer is working on a receiver that will detect pop radar guns, but it is a technically difficult problem! Its like trying to detect a 67 millisecond pulse sent by a transmitter somewhere in the AM band (530 kHz to 1720 kHz) only occassionally.
10-19-2003, 11:59 PM
#12
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Apr 2002
Location: Cleveland OH
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
You've got to wonder if any radar/laser detector will help you in Ohio. Seems to me that there's just a LOT of cops out on the highways checking speed no matter which major highway that you're on. More and more of them are zapping with laser now too. It might be something to look into in the meantime (a laser jammer that is) as more of Ohio's finest upgrade. I have not experienced the POP radar in my Ohio travels though.
Ron
Ron
10-20-2003, 01:47 PM
#13
Race Director
Thread Starter
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (RonRed89)
RonRed89,
'Quote: I have not experience POP radar in my travel'
How would you know if you have? You wouldnt unless you got pulled over and a cop said something to you like 'see your radar detector, its useless against my POP'
I will say I agree with you 100% on the laser jammer in ohio, I have run a K40 defuser plus laser jammer for 4 years with great luck (no tickets). I believe it works, and speedlabs.com will tell you it does too. Now, I understand a new laser gun is out there that is jamproof : (
It always seems Ohio gets the latest technology in speed measuring (Remember when laser came out? The Ohio Highway Patrol helped pioneer its use, which they still use heavily today.
I have no doubt POP radar is out there in use in Ohio today. Valentine One needs to get their act together and give us protection against it.
'Quote: I have not experience POP radar in my travel'
How would you know if you have? You wouldnt unless you got pulled over and a cop said something to you like 'see your radar detector, its useless against my POP'
I will say I agree with you 100% on the laser jammer in ohio, I have run a K40 defuser plus laser jammer for 4 years with great luck (no tickets). I believe it works, and speedlabs.com will tell you it does too. Now, I understand a new laser gun is out there that is jamproof : (
It always seems Ohio gets the latest technology in speed measuring (Remember when laser came out? The Ohio Highway Patrol helped pioneer its use, which they still use heavily today.
I have no doubt POP radar is out there in use in Ohio today. Valentine One needs to get their act together and give us protection against it.
10-20-2003, 05:39 PM
#14
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Apr 2002
Location: Cleveland OH
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Anyone else here feel there V1 has been no more than a paperweight recently? (dizwiz24)
Quote: I have not experience POP radar in my travel'
How would you know if you have? You wouldnt unless you got pulled over and a cop said something to you like 'see your radar detector, its useless against my POP'
I will say I agree with you 100% on the laser jammer in ohio, I have run a K40 defuser plus laser jammer for 4 years with great luck (no tickets). I believe it works, and speedlabs.com will tell you it does too. Now, I understand a new laser gun is out there that is jamproof : (
It always seems Ohio gets the latest technology in speed measuring (Remember when laser came out? The Ohio Highway Patrol helped pioneer its use, which they still use heavily today.
I have no doubt POP radar is out there in use in Ohio today. Valentine One needs to get their act together and give us protection against it.
How would you know if you have? You wouldnt unless you got pulled over and a cop said something to you like 'see your radar detector, its useless against my POP'
I will say I agree with you 100% on the laser jammer in ohio, I have run a K40 defuser plus laser jammer for 4 years with great luck (no tickets). I believe it works, and speedlabs.com will tell you it does too. Now, I understand a new laser gun is out there that is jamproof : (
It always seems Ohio gets the latest technology in speed measuring (Remember when laser came out? The Ohio Highway Patrol helped pioneer its use, which they still use heavily today.
I have no doubt POP radar is out there in use in Ohio today. Valentine One needs to get their act together and give us protection against it.
I do definitely want Valentine to step up to the plate for my maximum protection which means implementing a POP-stop, it's just been my experience that this is not as prevalent in my travels so far. Next year, that could all change though which is why Valentine needs to be at the forefront of a fix considering the upper echelon of its price tag.
Ron