gasman
Active member
I am looking for some info on radar detectors. Are they worth the money and do they work ? Any recommendations? thanks
Radar detectors
- Thread starter gasman
- Start date
EMANAARON
Active VIP Member
They sure are. I love my escort passport 9500ix. It has Gps so you can mark locations on the fly as well you can also block out false signals, has auto learn to figure out what signals are false which it then blocks out.
4mcntrls
Active VIP Member
The escort is good also the Valentine1. The arrows are sure nice!
takethebounce
Active VIP Member
The escort series is nice, there are a few others that have gps/learn functions. I had a nice Escort series, until some douche broke into my truck to steal the 83 cents in spare change from my center console and the radar detector from the glovebox.
I'll someday invest into another one, they are worth it. But they are against the law to use in many provinces other than AB.
I'll someday invest into another one, they are worth it. But they are against the law to use in many provinces other than AB.
plio7
GBCA Member
escort is my choice, use a couple others, settled when i bought the escort. its saved me a fortune
Fuel Fire
Active member
I got one too... highly recommended. But for city slickers they wont save ya from a laser hit, which is what ya see leo use in the city.
plio7
GBCA Member
my pasport has lazer capability.....and you cant miss it when it goes off for a lazer.
- Thread starter
- #9
gasman
Active member
which passport model has the laser? is it more than one without laser? how much? just started a new job that will have me travelling north frequently. thanks
imdoo'n
Active VIP Member
the problem with radar detectors is the police pulse you coming towards them, you are caught unless they hit someone ahead of you. but yes they can save you a ticket or two.
Deffinately worth it for highway use. Either passport 8500 or 9500. Both have laser capabilities. The thing to do is travel BEHIND another speeder. A lot of times cops will hang with there radar off until traffic comes. With laser you don't have much of a chance I don't think. When it hits u, the detector chirps but it's to late. Very few times have I encountered laser on the highway though. Almost always k or ka band
Doof
Active VIP Member
I have a Beltronics RX 65 and it's saved me a number of times. A radar detector isn't going to save you every time though. Before I got my detector I was told by a police officer that it takes approximately 1 second to capture your speed with laser and 2-3 seconds for Ka band.
Rneddel
Active VIP Member
ya i have the escort X50 too, it works real well and save me a couple of times.
MATTIAC
Active VIP Member
my passport has paid for itself a few times over
I did a ton of research into this after getting a few speed trap tickets (+11 over, +10 over). In and out in less than 5 mins so just a money grab. Anyhow, this is one of those things where you get what you pay for. Buy the expensive detector. I had a $300 Whistler and it was terriable. I bought a Valentine 1 and it is amazing for radar. Almost no supprise hits, has arrows to show forward and behind or side and like others say you need to make sure you have someone outfront to get the first hit with the instant on, V1 picks it up no problem and gives plenty of time to slow dawn. No radar detector will save you from Laser (which the highway sherrifs run sometimes now). The beam is only about an inch wide, so if your detector picks it up its only telling you the cop will be handing you a ticket. There is a solution to laser however, and that is a jammer. Very confusing to buy, there is basicaly only two brands that work without sending jam codes to the laser gun. I have a Laser Interceptor hard wired with two sensors/jammers built into the grill. It will detect the laser, figure out the wavelength and pulse rate send back the same laser pulse rate to confuse the gun. The device even tells me what brand of gun the cop is using. I just slow down if speeding, shut off the jammer and let the cop get a reading so they don't figure out I have a jammer. I've had this happen twice and the cop kept shooting me with laser until he got a reading (v1 also has a fit detecting laser). If they do stop me and suspect something, the device powers up as a parking sensor and comes with a full manual on its operation as a parking sensor which stays in the glove box. None of this is cheap.. but I haven't got a money grab ticket, or a ticket of any kind in a few years now. Check out radardetector.net for more info.
Last edited:
WOW ! Very good info Martin. I might look to invest in one of those jammers, as your right. By the time your detector goes off for laser its too late.
I owned the passport 9500 until the same d-bag previously mentioned smashed my window and took it. I have had bel and whistler in the past and the passport was by far the best (you can turn off X-band completely which is nice as thats where most false' come from and no one uses X-band any more)
After my passport got stolen i bought a used valentine with the x-band disabled. Just as effective as the passport, except now i have the arrows that tell me where its coming from which is NICE.
I only use my V1 on the highway now. Too many false alarms around the City and i dont speed too much to require it and as well pulling in and out of the truck every night is a hassle.
I owned the passport 9500 until the same d-bag previously mentioned smashed my window and took it. I have had bel and whistler in the past and the passport was by far the best (you can turn off X-band completely which is nice as thats where most false' come from and no one uses X-band any more)
After my passport got stolen i bought a used valentine with the x-band disabled. Just as effective as the passport, except now i have the arrows that tell me where its coming from which is NICE.
I only use my V1 on the highway now. Too many false alarms around the City and i dont speed too much to require it and as well pulling in and out of the truck every night is a hassle.
sunshinesmiles
Active VIP Member
They work great...............................................if you plug them in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got me a ticket 2 years ago on the QE2 for $170 or something like that.............caught me doing 140kmh.......................yeppers speeding home from a late hockey game for kiddo !!!! In a rush and didn't plug mine in 
Fuel Fire
Active member
Laser can only be operated from stationary position, so i doubt alberta's highway leo's are using them. I have heard of them setting up laser traps on overpasses and then sending the interceptor after people, but I havent seen this for myself yet.
Laser interceptor is the best brand for jammers out there period. And for ppl living in the city they will save you more then a radar detector will, since leo uses laser traps in the city far more.
Laser interceptor is the best brand for jammers out there period. And for ppl living in the city they will save you more then a radar detector will, since leo uses laser traps in the city far more.
You're right about laser.. I used to drive highway #2 a lot for work, they would always be set up on the over pass just south of Edmonton catching north bound traffic on the overpass ( last one before the the scales if you were headed north)... no radar warning just a good blast of laser, and about 5-10 cars around the turn pulling people over. The Alberta Sherriff officer would hide behind the guard rail on the overpass and was nearly impossible to see. Have also seen this on the overpass on the south side of red deer before Bowden (I think) headed south. Not sure if they are still as active on this trap.. been working downtown Calgary now for a few years. Radar detector wasn't much help on these though. Most annoying thing is the new infinity's with laser guided cruise control.. can give you a good scare on the highway when you meet one and actually have a good laser detector... or the audi's with rear facing radar that set off the detector from miles ahead. V1 for the highway and laser interceptor for the city/rare highway laser are a hard to beat combo.
Similar threads
