A Radar Detector is an electronic device that is used to determine whether the speed of the vehicle is being monitored through radar unit. And it is usually used by the motorists, thereby to potentially avoid the prosecution for over speeding. The following are some of the glossary terms related to Radar Detectors.

Audio Alerts:

This is the most commonly used warning signal. It is a series of beep sound that increases gradually as you near the radar source. In some models visible alarms are also used like digital display of signal strength or a series of LED lights.

Auto Muting:

This is used to preserve your sanity when extended radar encounters. Normal audio alerts may continuously alert you about the presence of radar signal. Hence, it replaces continuous audio alert with a single alert.

City / Highway Switch:

This is an amazing feature that eliminates pseudo alarms from non police x-band emissions in urban areas. This is normally done by gradually decreasing the detector’s sensitivity. And it is done because the ability of seeing long distances is not critical on cities.

Dash Mount:

These Velcro strips are usually used to mount the detector in one place.

Dark / Dim Mode:

This special feature eliminates or dims illumination on alarm signals and other controls. This feature is more useful while driving at night times.

Instant – On Protection:

Radar that works on K- band is usually called as Instant-On detector. This type of radar keeps its transmitter always in hot standby mode and it could be activated even when the target is 2 to 3 hundred yards away. It is highly difficult to defend yourself such Instant-On radar, since it will measure your speed before your detector alerts you. Hence, K-Band sensitivity in radar detectors will give you protection even against Instant-On radars.

K-Band:

K-Band 24.05 GHz – 24.25 GHz is the most commonly used frequency band for radars. When it was used for the first time, it could be used only from a stationary position. And, later some advanced pulsed version was introduced, which could be operated even from a moving vehicle. K-Band radar signals have comparatively small wave length. Hence, it can be detected even from a distance of 2 miles. The range of K-Band detection area is about ¼ to 2 miles.

Ka-Band:

Ka-Band was allocated by FCC in the year 1987. Later they expanded its range as 34.2 to 35.2 GHz. Ka-Band, Ka Wide-Band, and Ka Super Wide-Band are comes under the category of Ka-Band. The concept of photo radar came into existence only after the introduction of Ka-Band. Photo radar is commonly called as Photo Cop and it consists of ka-Band radar gun integrated with a camera unit.

Ku-Band:

The frequency range of Ku-Band is between 12 and 18 GHz. And it is most commonly used for communication via satellites. It includes both broadcasting and aerospace communication applications.

Laser:

Police laser is a device used for speed detection. It uses laser light pulses instead of radar radio waves. Laser guns have various advantages when compared to radar beam. Laser beam is narrower when compared to a radar beam, and so the specific vehicle can be accurately pin pointed. The time required for speed reading in laser is about less than ½ second while for radar it is about 2- 3 seconds. Some of the drawbacks of laser are laser guns are expensive, it can’t be used from behind glass, accurate aiming needs a steady hand.

Mute or Volume Control:

This facility helps you to turn off or turn down the radar detector’s audio alerting signals, while keeping the visual alerts on.

Photo Radar:

Photo radar is nothing but the combination of automated camera and a Ka-Band radar gun. The camera can be triggered by the over speed vehicle. The photo helps you to capture the date, driver’s face, location, time, license plate, front of the vehicle, etc. This camera unit is capable of capturing 200 vehicle’s photographs per hour. The effective range of photo radar is about 120 to 300 feet and it operates by transmitting the signal continuously.

Pulse Radar:

Pulse radar is nothing but a refined version of K-Band radar. It can be used from both the moving vehicle as well as from a stationary point. Pulse radar guns detect the target by transmitting a burst of energy every 2 seconds.

Remote Mount:

These are the detector systems that consist of 2 parts. The antenna will be mounted behind the car’s front grille and the control and other display units are installed under the dash. These two parts are connected either by cable or wireless transceiver. The major drawback of this remote mount is that its sensitivity.

Safety Warning System:

Safety warning system uses the radar for promoting highway safety. It doe this function by transmitting signal that alerts you about the road conditions, accident prone areas, high way construction works, rail road crossings, etc. All of the above radar systems can be used for implementing safety warning systems.

Selectivity:

It is the ability of the detector to detect only the police radar and ignoring any such signals like micro waves that operate in close frequencies to that radar system. An efficient radar system should have high selectivity and sensitivity.

Sensitivity:

Sensitivity is the ability of the radar detector to detect radar. A good radar detector should have high sensitivity.

Super Heterodyne:

Super heterodyne is the process of designing and constructing wireless communication systems. And it combines the carrier frequency with the locally generated frequency to get a supersonic signal, which is then amplified and demodulated.

Text Display:

Text display is used to display the nature of speed detector system that you are violating. It is also used for displaying the safety warning system alerts.

X-Band:

This is the first frequency band that is allocated for police radar. And it ranges from 10.5 GHz to 10.55 GHz. X-Band signals can be easily detected because of its low frequency and high output power. X-Band radar beams can be detected from a distance of 2 to 4 miles.