# Radar Detectors & signal interference



## JWardell (May 9, 2016)

SoFlaModel3 said:


> That's a good topic. So I have been verbal about not caring much for Waze. Instead I have a hard wired Valentine One in my car. A few thoughts:
> 
> The Model 3 is so clean, I don't think I want anything on the glass (phone or radar detector)
> The Valentine One is really starting to bother me -- every Mazda that gets behind me is a laser false alarm
> If the phone dock works well, I may run Waze but keep my phone in the dock as audible alerts will cover what I need.


I used to love my V1. But they are completely useless now that most cars have radar (not to mention your Model 3) so the detectors are constantly going off and crying wolf. Even if they can filter that out (and I have yet to see any do so very well), they are seriously hurting their range and response time to do so, not to mention the much higher noise floor of all the extra radar transmitters everywhere.

Not to mentions 90% of cops use laser now. A good set of jammers, however, are still worth every penny.

That said, most of what I use Waze for is for seeing things ahead like traffic and accidents, or just weighing different routes to take.

I assume other parts of the country do not have the same problems.


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## SSonnentag (Mar 30, 2017)

I wonder how all of the extra radar noise affects the individual car's ability to effectively utilize it's own radars. Do cars interfere with eachother's safety equipment?


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## SoFlaModel3 (Apr 15, 2017)

JWardell said:


> I used to love my V1. But they are completely useless now that most cars have radar (not to mention your Model 3) so the detectors are constantly going off and crying wolf. Even if they can filter that out (and I have yet to see any do so very well), they are seriously hurting their range and response time to do so, not to mention the much higher noise floor of all the extra radar transmitters everywhere.
> 
> Not to mentions 90% of cops use laser now. A good set of jammers, however, are still worth every penny.
> 
> ...


Yeah I think it's time to sell the V1


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## JWardell (May 9, 2016)

SSonnentag said:


> I wonder how all of the extra radar noise affects the individual car's ability to effectively utilize it's own radars. Do cars interfere with eachother's safety equipment?


I actually wonder this as well. There are ways around it with pseudo-random digital RF modulation, but I don't know if anyone is actually doing that. And what effect do they have on a police radar gun which is even simpler? I haven't hung out in a radar forum in years, but I hope someone has tested it.


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## Badback (Apr 7, 2016)

JWardell said:


> I actually wonder this as well. There are ways around it with pseudo-random digital RF modulation, but I don't know if anyone is actually doing that. And what effect do they have on a police radar gun which is even simpler? I haven't hung out in a radar forum in years, but I hope someone has tested it.


While the frequency band is shared with other equipment, radar signals are coded so that the receiver ignores anything that does not match the code. It's why you can't open your neighbors garage door with your transmitter.


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## JWardell (May 9, 2016)

That's a nicer way of putting what I was saying. I hope that is true. But if so, then detectors would easily be able to filter out the coded radar and only alert to CW police radar. 
Both Escort and Uniden have some new top of the line models just coming out, I'm curious if they handle this better. But the coded radar still significantly raises the noise floor, especially when the car you're riding in is continuously blasting it out.
My new Mazda has a big radar front & center for cruise. I haven't tried one of my detectors in there to see how it is affected. I'll try it one of these days, but I think I might just sell them off soon.
I do notice that with the traffic aware CC it is great to just set it to 75 or whatever and relax, then drive 80 and stressed as I typically do! I assume Autopilot will have even more of this effect. Same reason why "you won't care" about having a speedometer HUD.


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## John Rea (Jun 19, 2017)

I'm selling my V1 I bought in 2000 for the very reasons you guys state. Too many false alarms, lasers, etc., rarely is anything legitimate.
I disabled X altogether but now K is everywhere (blindspot, traffic speed radar on telephone poles, LED taillights that get seen as laser, etc.)
I am seeing $150-$160 resell on ebay.


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