When it comes to long-range sensitivity to police radar and a defense solution against lidar, a custom-installed radar detector is your best choice. Not only do custom-installed detectors offer fewer distractions within the vehicle, they offer better range and more features to help you reach your destination quickly and efficiently. Let’s look at a few reasons why integrated or custom-installed detectors are the best choice for defending yourself against speed traps.
Radar Receiver Sensitivity
Radar receivers use a horn-shaped microwave antenna (or two) to channel high-frequency signals from the radar gun to a high-sensitivity receiver module. The best units on the market use a digital signal processor to analyze the output of the receiver and quickly and accurately extract information about the presence of X, K and Ka-band police radar.
A radar receiver mounted to the front bumper support by Randy Swartz of Elite Auto Salon in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
As with any antenna, the size of the antenna itself plays a significant role in its sensitivity. Sensitivity describes how weak of a signal an antenna can detect. If you have a larger antenna, you can detect a weaker signal.
Because custom-installed radar detectors typically use larger antennae (which can be mounted to the front of the vehicle), they can detect weaker signals and provide longer warnings. Most high-quality radar detectors will detect radar guns at ranges of between 1,500 and 3,500 feet, depending on the radar gun being used and the system you have purchased.
The antenna horns inside of an Escort Max CI front radar receiver.
Dealing with Police Lidar
Most police forces are investing in lidar guns as opposed to radar. Lidar is much more precise in terms of singling out a particular vehicle in dense traffic. Because lidar guns can measure the speed of your vehicle in less than half a second, there is no time for a driver to react.
Lidar transceivers installed behind custom acrylic panels on the front of a Ferrari by Mobile Toys in College Station, Texas.
Some portable radar detectors, on their own, include a lidar receiver and will provide you with an alert that your vehicle has been targeted by an officer. In most cases, if you are speeding, this means you’re likely to get a ticket. There is a slim chance that the warning was received as the lidar gun was targeting an adjacent vehicle, but with a beam pattern that is only 30 inches wide at a range of 1,000 feet, that’s unlikely.
Custom-installed detectors typically include a complete laser defense solution as opposed to a laser warning. A laser defense system detects the light signal from the police lidar gun, then transmits a scrambled beam pattern that prevents the law enforcement officer from measuring the speed of your vehicle. We have a complete article that explains how lidar defense systems work here.
Your mobile enhancement retailer will have the training and experience required to outfit your vehicle with enough lidar transceivers and ensure that they are mounted and aligned properly to provide excellent protection.
A Note on Custom Radar Installations
We’ve talked about keeping the interior of your vehicle tidy in the past. Companies like BlendMount offer some nice options for securing a portable radar detector to your rearview mirror, and your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer can take care of running the wiring to a switched power source for you.
LEDs mounted in the turn signal indicators in the dash alert the driver to the presence of radar or lidar from the front and rear of the vehicle. Installation by Shane Douet of Lafayette Custom Automotive in Lafayette, Louisiana.
That said, a custom-installed detector takes integration to an entirely different level. Displays can be integrated into a rearview mirror, your dash or the center console for a factory-installed appearance. Some shops, like Ai Design in Tuckahoe, New York, are printing entirely new mirror frames to integrate controls and displays for custom radar detector and laser defense system installations. Talk to the team at your local specialist retailer to find out about the options that are available for your vehicle.
An Escort control module mounted in a center console by B.J. Curcio of Broken Silence Custom Car Audio in Stamford, Connecticut.
Protect Your Driving Record with a Custom-Installed Radar Detector
If you want the longest-range radar detection available and a viable defense solution against police lidar, drop by your local specialist mobile enhancement retailer today and ask about their custom-installed radar detector options.
This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.
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