heliotis (12/02/82)
I'd like to point out that more and more states are banning POSESSION of radar detectors, so be careful. Jim
davy (12/04/82)
#R:floyd:-89900:pur-ee:2900013:000:800 pur-ee!davy Dec 3 11:08:00 1982 If someone gives you a hard time about having a radar detector, just pull out the Communications Act of 1934 which says you have the right to receive any radio transmissions (i.e. radar) which you damn well please. Although technically this doesn't really apply (for some stupid technicality somewhere), it should serve to hassle the cop enough that he might just let you go. This is how a friend of mine treats cops who hassle him about carrying a police scanner (which he does have a license for, although many cops don't think that's good enough). I haven't heard about any states banning these things recently, in fact, I've heard the ban was declared unconstitutional in a few states. I 'spose they'll never figure it out one way or the other... --Dave Curry pur-ee!davy
woods@sri-unix (12/07/82)
Someone told me that the cops now have radar guns that can mark your speed
very accurately from a short distance with a very short burst. If this is true
it will make all radar detectors obsolete, because by the time your detector
informs you of the cop's gun, he will already have pegged you. Does anyone
know if this is fact or fiction? I would really like to know before deciding
to lay out $100's for a detector.
If this technology does exist, how long will it be before the average
local yokel can afford to buy one?
GREG
ucbvax!{hplabs,menlo70}!hao!woods
harpo!seismo!hao!woods
decvax!brl-bmd!hao!woodsark (12/07/82)
I understand too that there are now radar guns that emit a very short burst. However, you have a pretty good shot at detecting them while the cop is in the process of clocking the car a mile ahead of you. Also, I doubt that all the radar units in the US will be replaced in the next few years.
z (12/07/82)
I have also heard about using radar guns at short bursts. However, I heard that the guns have to be "on" between the short bursts, and that even between bursts they emit a low level of radiation that can be picked up by the superhet detectors. Can anyone confirm this? Steve Zimmerman
davy@sri-unix (12/08/82)
#R:floyd:-89900:pur-ee:2900014:000:1826 pur-ee!davy Dec 7 09:40:00 1982 There are two types of radar guns which use a "short burst" method. First, there are the so-called "pulse" guns, which, rather than send out a continuous "beam" of radar, send out a pulse, read it back in, send another, read it back, etc. This radar, while harder to detect than "normal" radar, is still fairly easily detected if you have a decent (i.e. superhet) detector. The other gun is one which is made by Kustom Signals. It has all sorts of nifty modes on it, like pulse, ambush, etc., and is (or was a year ago) the best gun on the market. The main thing this gun has going for it is its "processing time", the time it takes the gun to figure out how fast you're going. Since most guns send out three or four "beams" and read them all back in and then decide how fast you're going, you have the following advantages: 1) If you alter your speed during the time the gun is processing this stuff you won't get caught, because it can't figure out how fast you're going. 2) You should have no trouble detecting the radar and slowing down in time. 3) You get about 2 seconds to slow down. The problem (for us) with the Kustom Signals gun is that instead of taking about 2 seconds to perform the multiple readings and calculations, it does everything in about 0.8 seconds. Thus, if you don't hit your brakes as soon as you detect the radar, you just got yourself a ticket (chances are you'll get one anyway). However, there is one plus to this situation. The gun (model K-55, I believe) lists for about $3500. Thus most police departments won't have many, if they have any at all. I've written this info down from memory, but for those who like sources, check the Car and Driver radar detector report from last year (not last month's). --Dave Curry pur-ee!davy
crose (12/30/82)
I thought it was just me. Cut out the repeats!
berry (12/30/82)
#R:floyd:-89900:zinfandel:3200005:000:547 zinfandel!berry Dec 3 09:05:00 1982 \I'd/ like to point out that under the provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, which governs radio, tv, radar, etc., ANYONE can recive ANY electromagnetic radiation the choose. This makes radar detectors and satellite TV receivers legal, at least on the federal level. I understand that in at least one state a federal court has ruled their anti-radar-detector-posession law invalid for basically this reason, as well as that one about federal laws taking precedence over state, and even the interstate commerce act! --Berry Kercheval