It is known that those drivers who installed radar detectors in their cars are much less likely to get into emergency situations. That is why the use of such devices in some countries of the world is even encouraged. After all, the work of radar detectors positively affects the safe movement of vehicles on roads. That is why it is desirable to have such a device for everyone, even those for whom speed-related violations occur unintentionally and rarely.
The main purpose of the purchase
What are radar detectors? These are devices that are designed to warn that police devices that determine speed are in front. Thanks to the information received, fines can be avoided, because the driver already knows for certain that an inspector or an automatic complex equipped with video and photo fixation is standing nearby.
Basically, radar detectors are designed to determine speeding. However, the latest models can significantly more. For example, their functions include a warning about changing lanes.
Principle of operation
Car radar detector is a conventional receiver, fixing the frequency transmitted by traffic police radars. The police device sends a wave of a certain frequency directed towards the vehicle inspection officer selected. However, this wave does not decay very quickly. Her echoes continue to spread further, fending off obstacles along the way. Such a wave can be detected by a radar detector in the car. A good device is even able to indicate the location of the traffic police not only in front, but also on the side and also behind.
Selection criteria
What is a high-quality and correct radar detector? Of course, this device must determine in advance the presence of police radars on the road. And if the traffic police devices are capable of reading speed at a distance of 800 m from the machine, then a radar detector should also determine them at the same distance.
A high-quality device will warn the driver already over 1000 m, and some models are able to do this several kilometers before the police post. Much will depend on the weather and on the loading of the track, as well as on some extraneous factors, the main of which are noise. The operation of such devices is sometimes hindered by television and radio transmitters, because their waves are transmitted at adjacent frequencies. Most often, this situation occurs in a city.
What is a radar detector?
What concept does this term include? Very often, this name is considered synonymous with radar detectors. However, such a statement is incorrect. Radar detectors and radar detectors are different devices. On the one hand, a radar detector can be considered an inactive radar detector. But reckoning the radar detector as active radar detectors is fundamentally wrong. The task of the first device is to jam the waves of the police device (in other words, to do harm, and this is against the law). However, there are models of so-called shifters, or laser radar detectors. Their principle of operation is to distort the laser wave or to reduce the leader of the speed of the machine. This type of radar detector is legalized only in some countries.
As for radar detectors, they do not harm anyone. In addition, in many countries they are noted by traffic police as very useful devices. There is an opinion that such devices do an excellent job of reminding that speed should not be exceeded on a particular section of the road.
Parking radar also gets good reviews from drivers, as in some cases it becomes an indispensable tool.
Ranges
How to choose a radar detector? To do this, study its operating ranges. If a lot of them are written in the characteristics of the device, then this will indicate that the device will probably fix a police radar. However, under the conditions of Russia, the main range can be dispensed with. For the most part, it is the domestic traffic police that uses it. Let's consider all ranges in more detail. After all, the quality of the device will depend on the correct choice of this characteristic.
K range
He is the most popular in Russia. The operating frequency of this range is 24150 MHz. In this mode, as a rule, practically all police radars work. Among them are Iskra-1, Golden Eagle, Robot, and Strelka. That is why those who are considering the question of how to choose a radar detector need to find out if the model has support for receiving the range K. It must be necessary.
Ka Range
It operates at a frequency of 34,700 MHz. But it is worth bearing in mind that in Russia there are practically no police radars sending such waves. The presence of this range is important for devices used in American roads.
Kc Range
Its frequency corresponds to 13450 MHz. This range is also not needed in Russia. In addition, its presence in the model is undesirable in Moscow. Indeed, in the capital, automobile radar detectors operating in the Kz range are automatically triggered due to existing inconsistencies with digital TV. However, those who travel on the roads of Europe, as well as Ukraine and Belarus, it is desirable to have such radars. After all, KC is often found on the roads of these states.
X range
Those who decide how to choose a radar detector should pay attention to models operating at a frequency of 10525 MHz. The most popular police radars Sokol and Barrier send waves in this range.
Laser Range
How to choose a radar detector? The simplest and most promising devices are those that work in the range of so-called leaders. These include, for example, Amat and LISD-2M laser radars. Their working wavelength ranges from 700 to 1100 nm. Today, almost all radar detectors are protected from such devices.
However, due to the fact that the laser radar beam is narrowly focused, its devices are caught very late. Sometimes a warning signal arrives at the car, when nothing can be changed.
Price categories
Anyone who decides to purchase this device will certainly ask the following question: “Which radar detector to choose?” The answer in this case should be sought in the tasks that are posed to the device. It is important to compare them with the financial capabilities of the buyer.
How to choose a radar detector to a driver who is prone to frequent traffic violations, but who does not want to pay the inspector heavy fines? For such people, it is necessary to start looking for models of devices in the middle cost category. For those who practically do not violate the high-speed mode, it will be enough to pay attention to the budget option.
Inexpensive appliances
How to choose a car radar detector, which is located in a budget niche?
Such devices must meet certain requirements:
- high range of reception of a wave emanating from a police radar;
- noise immunity.
The second criterion is very important. Indeed, in the case of a radar detector, in addition to police speed meters, to signals issued by automatic gas station doors, as well as to those that come from motion sensors and other equipment, such a device will only annoy.
How to choose a radar detector whose price is in the budget niche? To do this, it is important to find out if it has the ability to notify about laser radars that operate in POP and Instant-On modes. The second of these two technologies allows traffic inspectors to keep their radars in standby mode, including them at those moments when there is a clear violation of the speed limit. POP-based devices emit a short pulse. With its help, there is a measurement of the speed of the car. Such a pulse is perceived by most radar detectors as interference.
Which radar detector to choose so that it meets all the basic requirements listed above? Such a device offers a line of Playme. The Russian manufacturer releases these radar detectors. The assembly of products is carried out at factories in South Korea. This company has been known in the automotive gadget market for over fifteen years. Therefore, she has already gained some experience in such developments.
Playme-tender
Which radar detector to choose so that you do not have to lay out an impressive amount of money for it? In this case, user reviews recommend the Playme-TENDER model. This is a low-cost device that has high sensitivity when detecting traffic police devices operating in the X, K and Ka bands. He is able to detect and laser radar. The device responds to the operation of such police systems as Strelka-ST and Robot. To eliminate automatic false alarms, the Playme-TENDER has a digital system for suppressing interference. The device also has VCO modes, which are responsible for filtering the received signals. According to user reviews, this is especially convenient when driving through the city streets.
On the tracks, the device emits a sound signal, which is a warning of the approach of speed control. The model provides for the disconnection of laser ranges, which are currently used very rarely.
Radar detectors with integrated GPS modules
Which radar detector to choose for those who spend days traveling around the city? In this case, the budget version of the device will justify itself. But for those who like to drive at high speed along the highway, such a device will not help in all cases. This is due to the fact that today in the arsenal of the police there are speed meters that do not emit signals. That is why they cannot be detected. With the help of such systems, the average speed of the car over a certain section of the road is calculated. According to user reviews, the presence of a budget anti-radar detector can not save the situation. However, such police systems have one significant drawback. They are stationary devices. That is why they are easy to add to the database of GPS-navigator built into the radar detector.
If we consider the line of the company Playme, then a similar model here is the Playme-HARD. In such devices, the presence of built-in GPS-navigators is provided, allowing the driver to determine in which sections of the road police stationary complexes are installed that do not have radar emissions ("Avtodoriya").
The GPS-navigator module already has a database indicating the location of the traffic police radars, as well as the cameras for fixing and determining speed. According to user reviews, this information is easily updated using a computer. In addition, coordinates indicating the location of the traffic police complexes can also be entered in manual mode. The capabilities of this GPS module include:
- determination of the allowed speed limit and camera;
- muting warning signals when driving at a set speed;
- the ability to switch the sound message of the radar detector and GPS-navigator.
The Playme-HARD model is able to determine the range of radiation appearing on the path, as well as its operating mode. The device informs its owner about this in Russian.
Demanding car owners
How to choose a radar detector? The reviews of those who place high demands on this device say that today many manufacturers offer gadgets that have more sophisticated technical equipment. For example, this applies to the model Playme-QUICK. It is equipped with an OLED display on which the driver can see all the information necessary for him.
There is in this line the most advanced radar detector to date. Responses of the owners of such devices indicate that its color OLED display has a diagonal of 1.3 inches and automatic brightness control. On the screen, the driver can see the following information:
- calculation and indexation of average speed on those sections of roads on which the Avtodoria speed control systems are installed;
- speed limit alert.
In addition, drivers respond positively to the presence in the model of several filtering modes necessary for determining radiation, as well as three adjustable sensitivity levels. Using this device, control can be carried out over the voltage level available in the vehicle network.
The Russian market offers vehicle owners a wide selection of such devices. In addition to the models described above, a variety of brands that have reached the world level are offering their goods to the domestic buyer. How to choose a radar for a car and not get lost in the presented variety? For this, it is necessary to carefully study all the main characteristics of the device and choose for yourself that will qualitatively fulfill the task assigned to it and is in the cost range acceptable to the buyer.
