Radar detector placement given the design of the 911 tub and window angles?

[ZOA NOM]

Yeah, the remote is nice, but I AM mulling a modification to reduce it's thickness. It would be really nice if it was more flush to the surface of the tach. I've even thought about taking apart the tach and trying to somehow mount it "IN" the face of the tach.

[Randy Webb]

I like putting the remote where the seat belt warning light is (hog out the holes a bit) -- some irony there.

Zoanas has his mounted a bit higher than the mirro but still lower than a visor mount would be. He doesn't say what he did to "test" it. One would need a constant signal radar source with a statistically valid sample to do a real test.

[ZOA NOM]

Randy, the constant signal was a roadside police radar trailer. The ones that show your speed as you drive by. No cop in sight. It was set up on a nice long stretch of road where I had the opportunity to make several passes, each time noting the distance the detector began to fade. It wasn't "scientific", but it certainly was "real world". In any event, it satisfied my curiosity. In fact, the distance INCREASED from the front, looking through the tint, I suspect mainly due to the higher elevation of the Valentine. I noted no discernable difference to the rear. The distances covered were more than adequate for reducing speed in time.

[alf]

Mounted mine in the same place that Zoanas' and did the same test with a unmanned radar unit a mile from home. No discernable diff from mounting in the middle of the windshield. I got my remote unit mounted to the left of the ashtray. Used to have it above the Oil Pressure Guage, might move it back there...

[bento]

mines like zonas too but no remote. its saved me tons of times. best 400 bucks spent ever. check out the p-car.com site. the guy there cut up his tach and actually mounted it under the bezel. outside my skill level, but a good idea. i simply hardwired mine to the stereo and ran the cord along the passenger side of the windshield with a flathead screwdriver with some tape over it. cops can't see it, good "view" clean install, instant on with the key.

no brainer.

db

[bento]

found it:

http://p-car.com/diy/v1/index.html

db

[RarlyL8]

That is impressive.

Question - why do you need a remote if the main unit is located above the mirror and fully visible and accessable to the driver?

[alf]

Originally posted by RarlyL8
That is impressive.

Question - why do you need a remote if the main unit is located above the mirror and fully visible and accessable to the driver?

So the folks behind you do not see your red blinking lights, especially if there is a cop around.

[ZOA NOM]

Exactly, Alf. Also, you can grow a "tail" when it's visible from the outside. People tend to get behind you and let you run interference for them. Annoying as hell.

[Jim Sims]

Yep, 911's (plus Corvettes and several other makes and models) make great "front doors" for a variety of reasons (technical and psychological - one doesn't need to spot the glowing red light of the radar detector - other clues are sufficient); back when I was driving a VW Scirroco I would occasionally get behind one. Very rarely would one be driven so fast that it couldn't be tailed at a discreet distance (brake light tracking range) by the VW. Jim

[Randy Webb]

Zoanas & alf -- Thx for describing your tests. Did you test the rear-look config. from a long distance? It would also be interesting to call V1 techs and ask them about the "drooping" rear effect. If you guys do that, can you post what they say?

[RoninLB]

I hang the V-1 from the pass visor. The rear alert works very good from this position. I don't have a rear wing. If he's comming up from behind you have plenty of time to slow down because he's approaching at a relatively slow speed.
HP on I-5 in Calif used the rear grab a lot the last time I visited.

[dean]

I put mine above the visor on a mount that I made. Like Ron said it works great in all directions. I have a Carrera tail

[ZOA NOM]

I drove past the radar trailer several times, noting the distance away from both the front and rear that the detector picked up the signal, and then faded. Rear distance (driving away from the trailer that was facing the rear of my car) was exceptional. It was even picking it up quite a distance away when I drove towards the trailer and passed it. Rear detection continued just from reflections off of vertical surfaces in front of the trailer.

Bottom line, other radar detectors may achieve superior range in certain circumstances, but none will give you the information that the V1 will.

Scenario: 2 patrol cars, one in plain view with a radar gun. A second hidden a 1/4 mile down the road.

Your non-V1 goes nuts when you get in range of trooper #1 and you slow down in time to creep past the obvious speed trap. You slide past trooper #1 and grin as you let the needle creep back up, knowing your non-V1 just avoided another ticket.

What your V1 would have told you is that there were TWO sources of radar in front of you as you approached, and then one behind you and one in front of you as you passed trooper #1. This is a common practice out on the highways. The V1 is just a better system.

[isaacyoon]

anybody put the valentine next to the back window on the ledge inside a kleenex box, or would this degrade the signal?

[ZOA NOM]

Definitely would degrade signal.

[350HP930]

Nowadays the optical sensors are as important as the microwave detectors so its best to pick a location that has both good forward and rearward visability.

Since I have the tinted windshield I keep mine directly underneath the mirror.

[isaacyoon]

there has to be a better way. half the game is if you get pulled over not to get the police officer irritated so he wont ticket you. the last thing you need is a radar detector that is visible.

[350HP930]

I dunno why some of you guys are so worked up about hiding your detectors unless you live in a state where they are illegal. When you are pulled over by a cop in a 911 (or even worse, a 930) a common car accessory being there isn't going to piss off any cop I know.

Hell, the last time I was pulled over me and the cop had a long friendly conversation about how early I picked up his new laser device with my detector. That was one of several cases where I got away with it with my detector in plain view.

I think being polite and profesional with the officer goes a lot further then trying to conceal a radar detector in an obvious sports car.

You guys can cut up you porsches all you want to try to smuggle around your $400 cop detectors but I am happy to keep my $150 top rated Bel tastefully suction cupped underneath my mirror.

Luckily the Bel is a bit smaller than the V1 so its a bit less obnoxious to have out in the open.

[ZOA NOM]

350, have you tested your detector behind the tint?