Radar Detector detector-what kind?.

[jbryant]

I just got nabbed in Virginia for having a radar detector. I have used the V1 for years and it is hidden. The officer (State Police) said he had one of the new detector detectors.
is this possible? I thought the V1 was VG2 undetectable....do they have something new?
If so, what is the deal...and is there a new radar detector out that is invisible to this latest technology?

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[Porsche-O-Phile]

VG2 has been around a while and there are a number of detectors that are invisible to it.

The V1 cannot be detected by VG2 and is absolutely the best bang for the buck out there. Get one and never look back.

[jbryant]

Thanks, I have the V1 and have not had a problem...until now
This was a new type of detector detector...not VG2 and it picked up my V1..

[gtc]

There is a new radar detector detector, named the Spectre RDD. According to radarbusters, the Beltronics Sti is the only detector that is invisible to the Spectre.
Edit: On the V1 website, Mike Valentine admits to the V1 probably being susceptible to Spectre.

[Rick V]

Gotta love Va.

[onlycafe]

what were the details of your stop? did he stop you for any other reason and then discover the v1?
did they confiscate?
how much is the fine?

[speeder]

Probably a good idea not to use the detector in VA.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see that you live there.

[Jim Richards]

Dang, Jim. That sucks. Was it a VA State Trooper that nailed you? How did he handle the stop...take away your detector, or just record the detector info and return it to you? I'd challenge it in court if I were you.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Can you use the remote mount/concealed display thing?

[Rick V]

They can't take the detector anymore here in Va. It is personal property and not illegal to own, only to operate.

[svandamme]

no radar detector is undetectable, they all emit themselves, the only thing you can do is get one with proper shielding so the leakage is minimal.

The cops detect driving behind you, so if you can shield the thing properly they will not get a reading on you.. on a front mounted radar detector, but you gotta getting shielded , which means built-in, not some box detector stuck to your windshield

[jbryant]

The detector is hidden very well above the sunvisor and it was my truck which is hard enough to see in...It must be the Spectre.

He only pulled me over for the detector. He just looked at it and gave it back. My detector did not go off...so I doubt he was running radar.
I have not called to find out what the fine is.

Jim R.- I am not going to fight it...it does not result in any points...and I think the fine is small (compared to what the V1 has saved me over the years), plus I am guilty and can't say it was off...as it was hard wired, etc.

No big deal...just wanted to know what I am up against...

[Jim Richards]

Jim, that just sucks. Probably not a big fine, but it's just wrong, IMO.

As Stijn said, any radar detector is detectable by the police, if they have a specially tuned receiver that is sensitive enough to detect the extremely weak radio frequency emissions from the radar detectors internal electronics (simple description). Your V1 is looking both front and rear (even kind of sideways, too), so, your radar detector is unshielded in these directions and it emits low-power radio frequency signals that the police are able to intercept with their receiver (Spectre). Oh well.

[legion]

How can they distinguish the electronic in a radar detector from the other electronics in your car? OnStar? A cell phone? A garage door opener?

[dhoward]

Frequency of the IM oscillator.

[Jim Richards]

The frequency it tunes to. The radar detectors have an internal oscillator tuned to a frequency that downconverts the police radar band signals to an intermediate frequency, which in turn is processed to make a decision...did it detect a radar signal, or just background noise? There may be two stages of downconversion, meaning two oscillators. These oscillator operate at fixed (and easily calculated or measured) frequencies. These oscillating signals will radiate out from the radar detector, albeit at very low power levels. These frequencies will probably not be common with any other devices. A highly sensitive receiver tuned to these frequencies can pick them out. Once they get a "lock" on your detector, you're busted.

[legion]

But don't garage door openers and radar guns (not to mention RC cars and planes) operate on the same unregulated frequencies?

[legion]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

The frequency it tunes to. The radar detectors have an internal oscillator tuned to a frequency that downconverts the police radar band signals to an intermediate frequency, which in turn is processed to make a decision...did it detect a radar signal, or just background noise? There may be two stages of downconversion, meaning two oscillators. These oscillator operate at fixed (and easily calculated or measured) frequencies. These oscillating signals will radiate out from the radar detector, albeit at very low power levels. These frequencies will probably not be common with any other devices. A highly sensitive receiver tuned to these frequencies can pick them out. Once they get a "lock" on your detector, you're busted.

Sounds like a warrantless search of my personal property to me.

[Jim Richards]

Don't confused transmitted radar frequencies with the downconversion oscillator frequencies used by the radar detector. They are related, but not the same. Non-radar example: 1 GHz transmitted signal. Receiver has a 900 MHz local oscillator. The signal is mixed down (AKA downconverted) to 100 MHz for further processing. A sensitive receiver located near your reciever, tuned to 900 MHz, would know of your receiver's existence.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by legion

Sounds like a warrantless search of my personal property to me.

Some people like to noodle on how this plays vis-a-vis the Communications Act of 1934? No further comment...I'm not a lawyer.