What You Need to Know About Radar Detectors
Investing in a radar detector is one way of gaining the confidence to relax and drive with freedom. Radar detectors can protect you while in your car with convenience. On eBay, you can find affordable models that have smartphone integration, ergonomic simplicity in design, and Bluetooth and GPS compatibility.
What are the different types of radar detectors available?Many make the mistake of confusing radar detectors with radar jammers. Radar jammers put out a signal that disables or jams up police radar. However, radar detectors scan for the nearby presence of police radar. When choosing a sensor, you will come across three different types:
- Remote-mount: Remote-mount radar detectors are practically undetectable by vandals, and you mount it permanently to your car.
- Corded: The corded detectors you can fit on the windshield with help from suction cups.
- Cordless: With cordless detectors, you can transport them with ease between vehicles if needed, and they are are cleaner to install than a corded one.
Some brands that make radar detectors include well-known tech brands such as Cobra, Uniden, Escort, and Beltronics. Each brand offers a variety of features, so select one based on the features you desire as well as your budget limitations.
How far and wide do radar detectors scan?Using a radar detector, you can measure speeds within a distance of a fifth of a mile, which is approximately 1,000 feet. The laser beam would be more than 3 feet wide within that coverage area. There are laser detectors commonly used which have a scanning range that can cover one and a half miles in the distance. The beam would cover two traffic lanes at that distance.
What models of radar detectors are there?Radar detectors can come in several different shapes and sizes. Some common ones are described below:
- Uniden R3: This features a GPS camera, signal strength monitor, and mute mode.
- Cobra 9: This features 360 degrees of detection and a safety alert that will warn you of railway crossings and the approach of emergency vehicles.
- Beltronics RX65RED: This offers audio and visual alerts, features mute mode and signal strength monitor, and detects signals across the laser, K band, Ka band, X band, and Ku band wavelengths.
With a GPS-based device, any cameras in the vicinity as you approach them will use its database of known stationed camera spots. With the database as your alert source on GPS radar detectors, it is essential you connect it every so often to a computer so it can receive any critical updates to the database.