For all of you that are just mind f'ed on how its up where it is lol


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I was told directly from a sheriff friend here in Southern California that they aim their radar guns at the front license plate, so the lower your detector, the better off you'll be in picking up the signal.

I have mine mounted where the sensor is just above the windshield wipers and I've never had a problem. I normally pick up the signal around corners as well.

I guess if it's illegal to have one in your state then mounting it up high is the only option.

 

yes they do aim it at your front plate... but the higher the detector is away from the hood the less interference it has...

and its not illegal here its just stupid to be displaying a radar in the middle of the windshield let alone an eye sore.

 

They do aim for your front license plate or headlights.

You're a bit misguided with this though. For RADAR, putting it as high as you can on your windshield will give you the best results / detection. You can research this more if you'd like because I don't want to type pages on why this is.

For LASER, putting it as low as you can closer to your headlights, bumper, or front license plate will give you the best detection. It should also be noted that since LASER is such a NARROW BEAM, that is has almost ZERO scatter. That means if you do get a laser hit, 99.9% of the time the officer ALREADY HAS your speed and you should expect a ticket if you're speeding considerably.

Now, mount low for laser detection vs mount high for radar detection.

If you do not have any laser jammers, then all your radar detector is going to do is notify you that you're going to get a ticket if you're speeding, which, chances are, you are if the officer is using laser to get your speed.

That is why you should place your radar detector as high as you can to get the best possible detection, if you have no other laser countermeasure, then it's completely useless to put it down low.

And if a radar detector is illegal in your state (Va, Washington D.C) you can best believe they will use RDD (radar detector detectors, spectre II) to locate it. There are only a handful (talking a max of 5 here) of RD that are immune to this (Bel STI-R, and the 9500CI are two examples).

Just mounting it out of sight if you're driving in VA is a STUPID thing to do, and you're sure to get a ticket on the highway if you don't have a RDD immune device, the Bel STI-R is the only windshield mount RD I believe that is..

Check out radardetector.net, it'll have everything you need to know.

 

Good to know, thanks nox1s! Mine is for both radar and laser, so I guess either spot will work?

 

Yes, both places will work.. Up high is better for radar and closer to your headlights/front license plate is better for laser. Laser has almost no scatter, so having your detector detect laser without having any hammers is pretty much useless except a ticket notifier.

Mount it higher for better radar detection, which will actually save you.

 

So those laser jammers actually work? I thought that was all snake oil? What brand is good?

 

As previously mentioned the Bel Sti-R is one of the few highly recommended radar detectors that is 100% stealth... meaning it has radar detector detector protection . Look at the pricing though and you'll see that you pay for the better technology. Someone can give specifics but I believe the Bel model is several hundred over the back side of $1000.

 

Interesting...I typed in "proper place to mount radar detector" in Google, and every single website instructed that you should NOT mount it high, and that it should go close to your dash to obtain the best detection.

So everyone, including the radar detector manufacturers AND the sheriff's department must be clueless? I'd be curious to know what legit websites and manufacturers are telling you guys to mount it high, since all the ones that popped up from Google (as well as the directions from all 5 detectors we have at my house) are saying the opposite.

Good luck!

EDIT: And yes they say for RADAR, not LASER.

 

I'm not trying to disrespect you in any way, only try to "enlighten' you.. I never said they were clueless. You said your friend sheriff said they aim the radar at the headlights / front license plate. I completely agree, they also target the headlight / front license plate for LASER as well.

Radar detector manufactures are looking in their best interest. Their product also detects laser. Hence why they say mount in the center of the windshield. Mounting it up high is almost eliminating the detector's ability to detect laser.

I've said it multiple times, but laser has little to ZERO scatter. You aren't going to be picking up laser alerts from 1-3 miles away like you will on Ka band.

Radar has such a large scatter that having your detector up high mounted LEVEL gives it the best opportunity to pick up Radar waves bouncing off of everything.

BTW, I searched on google and I couldn't find much of what you said - where they say to mount it low for best performance.

Here's just an example off of Escort's Website: Radar Detector Frequently Asked Questions - Escort Inc.
"As a rule of thumb, a lower detector mounting position is better for laser and a higher position is better for radar."

Also, read this from the manual of a Valentine 1..
http://www.valentine1.com/moreinfo/p...ng_pg17-18.pdf

There you have it, from Escort and Valentine 1 themselves. Not sure what else you'd consider "legit". If you want any more tests, proof, etc, you can look at the "Guys of Lidar" results, they do MANY MANY field tests.

I hope I don't come off as hostile - I just don't want someone to read this thread and become ill-informed. I want them to get the best detection they can. I never said you, the sheriff, or others were clueless either.

I'm just curious - what kind of detector do you have? If it's a Cobra then I understand..

To the earlier posters : Yes, laser jammers work. Although I can't say 100% of the time.. I think a few of the top brands are the Blinder series (although I think there are a new product coming out soon.. so do your reseach) and the Escort Laser Shifter ZR4 series.... basically you get what you pay for... Do your research.

And the Beltronics STI-R is around the $500 mark. Not quite $1000 but $500 is quite the dent! Beats having a $400-500 Valentine 1 or Passport 9500ix confiscated though..

 

^^^^^^^ HAHAHAHAHAHAHA GOOGLE OWNAGE!!^^^^^^^^

she prob was looking at cobras website.... those things are soooooo worthless its not even funny.

 

I'm glad I don't have a front plate!

 

Radar Detector Mounting - Guys of LIDAR

 

Google ownage? Really...guess my Google information isn't as accurate as yours.

It seems that a lot of websites and tests are giving out different answers, but NO I do not own a Cobra. I have a Whistler that has proven more than perfect for the past 4 years of ownership. It's perfectly accurate every time, and it's awesome being able to pick up radar signals all the way around a bend or corner. Obviously in my case it would be good to have it mounted low since mine also detects LASER, but I was looking at plain RADAR facts.

I do appreciate your lengthly explanation and I know it took some time to post some info and links, but here are more FACTS that I found via Google that go against the main point you were making.

Even though Mike Valentine states his detector performance is enhanced when mounted high, the tests on this website prove otherwise, depending on the distance:

What is the best place to mount your radar detector - high or low location?

(Read the entire article)

Mount Detector Properly - RadarBusters.com

Download Users Manuals Whistler Radar detectors accessories cruisader euro European Europe laser detector blinders jammers laser blinders laser jammers radar blinders radar jammers power inverters gps bob thompson and associates international sales

(Mounting Guidlines, every model)

Yes, I was totally "Google owned!" Wow, am I embarrassed. Not.

Obviously, the position varies depending on your detector, but the point of this post was to show that there are legit tests that prove that mounting it low is the most effective, and I'm not some idiot talking out of my a**.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

 

That might be a good spot for a coupe, but a roadster owner is gonna have problems with line-of-sight out the rear window mounted that high.

I have mine mounted right under the mirror.

 

I chose to mount mine on the visor with a basic clip and run the power up through the pillar and headlining.


More...

Since the day I installed it, it has notified me of every radar trap I have passed well in advance of reaching them. It has also notified me of laser traps, and no tickets here.

Remember if you are not the first vehicle in line you can get a slight early warning on laser, and of course, if you are not speeding, that's always helpful. Even if you are first, it is possible the enforcement will target your car with a small slice of time required to hit the spot they want, possibly hitting the detector first. Still, you're pretty much made when the alert trips.

These detectors provide an advantage but they're not fool proof. I have the BEL Driver STi and consider it the best choice for me. Has not let me down. I typically get warnings around corners, behind hills, and on long straights, as much as a mile in advance. Very often I have to really look around to find the enforcement.

Aside from X band false signals and traffic signs that trigger false signals, the most common false signal I get is from another car running a Cobra. Those things are so leaky they trigger K and Ka band alerts. It's usually easy to tell it's from another detector because the signal rapidly changes strength and of course, I can usually see the POS stuck to the window.

 

and I thought I was your friend the Sheriff...LOL...you guys, there are a lot of threads on this, so I won't bore you with my past responses...my 30 yrs experience will tell you most cars are equipped with fixed antennas, usually, one mounted in the front window somewhere, each officer has his or her preferrence, and one mounted in the rear window, usually lower left...so we aren't "aiming at anything" other than that direction. LIDAR, is aimed at the front or rear of your car simply because of its narrow band width, its like a gun, you have to aim it in order to hit your target and get an accurate reading. Hand held Radar is the same, although not as tight a beam as LIDAR...LIDAR doesn't splatter its signal like RADAR, so it might be a little harder to detect unless you take a direct hit or near direct hit. Use traffic as your best defense, don't run out there in left all alone, find what I refer to as "Bear Bait" and let him run ahead of you. If you are pacing this guy, he will more than likely get the ticket. Now, I will leave you with this thought and still my favorite.....VASCAR...

 

I bought a sticky pad from wal-mart for 9.00 radar detector doesn't slide not one bit.

 

Slide or not, it's pointed at the sky and partially behind your wiper blade holder. I can't imagine it's helping what is already limited sensitivity.

 

It works and doesn't affect it not one bit.