Forgive me if this is basic. Can police tell i have a detector if they cannot see it? . There is some suggestion they can. thoughts ? - thanks

 

There a radar detector detectors that some police us in areas where detectors are illegal.

Some detectors are harder to detect than others.

Despite that sounding like something Rummie or Dr. Seuss would say, they do exist

 

Absolutely they can. Radio receivers (and this includes radar detectors) use a local oscillator (LO) (also an RF transmitter in its own right) to down convert (change the incoming frequency to a lower more manageable one). This lets you tune thru a radio dial, allows the radar detector "see" different bands etc. This process (called Superheterodyning) allows for the use of the same "down stream" electronics (including processing, audio, and displays).

This local oscillator actually transmits a weak signal back out the feed of your radar detector. Anyone with a receiver that is looking for this particular signal from the LO will be able to detect it. This is true for even tuned circuits with input filters designed to block most of the LO. No tuned filter (especially in something as simple as a radar detector) blocks the entire signal.

Figure out a way to produce a "perfect" diplexer and you will be rich beyond the dreams of avarice.

 

The short answer is yes, radar detectors can be detected by police. Bel makes the only radar detector that is completely invisible to ALL police radar dectector detectors. I'm not sure what the Bel model is except that is a new one and it costs around $350 or so. I'm sure somebody else will chime in with the model.

 

thanks guys saved me some dough. i was going to buy my friends 4 yr old valentine , but it seems that i will pass. they are illegal in Ontario so i cannot be detected .If i was to buy one i require the undetectable beltronics stealth unit. Of course i would only use it where they are legal

 

A Beltronics STI is currently the only detector that the RDD's can't detect. Other models from other companies can be detected however it depends on what RDD the police are using. The original RDD was called a VG2. It was designed to receive the local oscillator frequencies the RD's were using at the time of it's design. What the RD companies did was shift the local oscillator frequency. There is another model RDD called Spectre which sweeps through the currently used local oscillator frequencies and can pick up all but the Beltronics model. Interestingly enough quite a few radar detectors can pick up this RDD although at a range where it probably won't do you any good.

What it comes down to is the output power leaked by the Radar Detector. It doesn't matter much if the RDD can detect a RD at distances less than two feet.
It is no great feat keeping the emissions blow a practical detectable level. It mostly has to do with the case construction. However since RD's are a strongly price driven business most companies don't feel it is worth it to make a higher cost model since in the U.S. only Virginia and the District of Columbia have laws against radar detectors. The same cannot be said for laser jammers as quite a few states have or or contemplating making them illegal.

It's getting to be like a miniature Star Wars between the police and the motorists.

 

A radar detector detector can only signal that "someone" in the vicinity of the dectector detector has a radar dectector. It cannot pinpoint it's location to a specific car. That has to be done visually. Now if you are the only car around, you're caught.

 

OK, can the police be using their radar and radar detector detector at the same time?

 

The valentine 1 takes measures to be stealth to the spectre units that detect radar detectors. Just make sure if you buy it from your buddy to goto valentines website and upgrade your radar detector to the 1.8 version and get a remote mount so you can conceal the radar detector better. Without the cop being able to see a radar detector in your car from the outside and with the valentine 1 "hiding" from the cops detector you will be fine.

 

I didn't know there were still states that outlawed RDs. I know the CN and VA used too, but I thought that was stopped by some court order.

Not true?

 

Yes. Different frequencies.

 

Va and Dc outlaw RD.

 

on a side not this is a pretty level headed sight that tells you the pros and cons about radar and lazer detectors.

http://www.radarbusters.com/

INTERESTING. On the Lazer blockers they use a C5 Corvette to *test* it

Now lazer needs a means to be reflected. They usally aim at your plate or your headlights. The C5 used in the blinders video has neither as the plate cover is on and the head lights are down.

This video shows how a lazer gun works, which is interesting.

 

You want to know how LEO's tell if you have a radar detector?????? I had this happen to a friend of mine.

The LEO will sit behind you and pulse you with it and watch to see if you keep hitting your brakes when they shoot you. That method is free and used ALOT.

RDD do exist, BUT they are rare. Also, as far as I know, they arent installed within a radar unit but rather they are a separate unit. So, it just wouldn't make sense for a LEO to use two devices to tell if you had a radar detector. (plus the added cost of buying those units for the small percentage of people that would use a RD in an area where they are illegal)

If you have a detector that uses VG2 (Bel has this), then your use of a detector