What will a Radar detector do for you.
This Page covers Radar/Laser Detection Equipment.
It gives you brief outlines on what you can expect from a
Radar/Detector during its operation.
Radar detectors are far less useful now GPS has become mainstream and Radar detectors suffer very badly from false alarms. Faulse alarms come from automatic doors, colision avoidance systems fitted in cars and traffic lights. They are however great for telling you about live gantry gatso on motorways.
Why Buy one?
Well you all know where those Gatso's are on your trip to and
from work, but how many of you forget sometimes in the morning
or how about that road you have not been down for a while and
they have put one behind a sign, well a good detector will warn
you in advance of that hidden revenue earner.
Gatso's are springing up everywhere, so be one step ahead.
Are they Legal?
A judgment of the Queens Bench Divisional Court dated 27th
January 1998 makes it clear that the use of Radar Detectors
is not unlawful as has hitherto been claimed by some. In the
past a few prosecutions have been brought by claiming the use
of radar detectors was contrary to section 5(b)(i) of the Wireless
Telegraphy Act 1949 as amended by section 3 of the Post Office
Act 1969. However the Acts refer to the interception of wireless
communications for the purpose of obtaining information as to
the content, sender or addressee of any message. The Court concluded
that the radar transmission was not communicating a 'message'
and therefore equipment designed to detect the presence of the
transmission could not decode any such message.
It was further stated that section 1(1) of the Act, which requires
a licence for the reception of radio signals, has been superseded
by the Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus (Receivers)(Exemption)
Regulations (SI 1989 No123) which exempts radar detectors and
similar equipment from the need for such licences.
This judgment has not been tested
in Scotland. Although the likelihood is that a positive outcome
would be the result of any future test case.
European countries which
have outlawed camera detectors, include France, Belgium, Greece,
Austria, Turkey, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Ireland and Norway.
In Luxembourg the maximum penalty is a prison sentence of between
eight days and three years. The Republic of Ireland also deals
harshly with offenders and a six-month prison sentence is possible.
Most police officers don't
know they are legal so watch out!
I had an e-mail regarding Radar Detectors. It seams that there
are still quite a few police officers that still think they
are illegal.
The e-mail went as follows....
" I have just been relieved of
my day old five hundred and fifty-pound radar detector by my
local constabulary. It is mine for which I have proof of purchase
and it is not involved in any other crime. Are the police allowed
to do this. I have printed of the part of the wireless and telegraphy
act that relates to radar detectors, given it to the constable
who's got it yet it all seems to fall on deaf years. What can
I do?"
My answer....
It is NOT against the law to own
a unit.... you can go back an claim it back...
"Quote the following....
A judgment of the Queens Bench
Divisional Court dated 29th January 1998 makes it clear that
the use of Radar Detectors is not unlawful as has hitherto been
claimed by some. In the past a few prosecutions have been brought
by claiming the use of radar detectors was contrary to section
5(b)(I) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 as amended by section
3 of the Post Office Act 1969. However the Acts refer to the
interception of wireless communications for the purpose of obtaining
information as to the content, sender or addressee of any message.
The Court concluded that the radar transmission was not communicating
a 'message' and therefore equipment designed to detect the presence
of the transmission could not decode any such message. It was
further stated that section 1(1) of the Act, which requires
a licence for the reception of radio signals, has been superseded
by the Wireless Telegraphy Apparatus (Receivers)(Exemption)
Regulations (SI 1989 No123) which exempts radar detectors and
similar equipment from the need for such licences.
Good Luck and let me know how
you got on... but stand your ground...."
The reply....
"Thanks Steve, did the trick had
my valentine one returned, no apology though. Too much to hope
for! Thanks again"
What do they detect?
Worldwide there ten sets of frequencies used for speed monitoring.
In the UK only to radar frequencies used, K band and Ku band
(in a very limited way). Coverage of other frequencies other
than these bands will cause the detector to false alarm, devices
such as traffic lights supermarket doors, mobile phones and
transmitters often operate on the X band.
All will detect radar, to different
levels, some give detection ranges of as little at 0 metres
for a Gatso Camera right up to 350 metres, depending on which
make and model you buy.
Some will detect Laser from 1 mile to 3 miles.
Some will and some wont detect Mini-Gatso.
All can detect Muniquip from 1 mile to 3 miles.
Most false warnings will be on
the 'X' band.
Gatso's on the K band ...
give more of a problem, the radar used is quite weak, since
Gatso Cameras also face away from you the radar beam is going
away from you as well, so your detector is relying on a reflected
signal making Gatso's are harder to detect. However a good detector
will give you a warning.
The Ku band is little used at the
moment in the UK, but they do use it in Northern Ireland, and
some parts of Europe
Where do they go in your car?
Nearly all are attached to the windscreen by suckers on a mounting
bracket and run either off the cigarette lighter or on their
own power supply. Its important
to note that Heated windscreens and heat reflective windscreens
will effect the range of some units.This can
be overcome by fitting remote detectors, these have a remote
radar sensing head and IR. unit, that fit in the grill of the
vehicle. A control unit sits inside the car.
Standard units should be mounted on the windscreen in a position
that gives them a clear view ahead. But in a position that is
not easily seen from the outside, even though they are now not
illegal, by having one you can easily provoke some coppers.
Some offer a 360 degree Laser
cover. Now this is not possible in reality, since there are
all sorts of objects in the way like pillars, headrests etc.
The laser side of the detection is not always going to give
you a warning since laser scatter is very low and if you get
a warning, you most likely have been nicked.
What is SWS?
SWS or Safety Warning System is starting to feature on more
radar/laser detectors. Manufacturers of the detectors designed
the system as a way of combating the bad image of radar detectors.
SWS is currently being installed in police cars all over the
US. When a police car is attending a roadside accident the SWS
transmitter is switched on. Owners of radar detectors received
a warning in advance of a dangerous situation. The new generation
of smart SWS detectors use text messages and sometimes voice
messages as well.
Radar detectors such as the Bel
990 offer nearly 70 text and voice messages ranging from, accident
ahead, school crossing ahead, ice on road, moose crossing and
so on. Currently SWS is only used in some parts of America and
Canada. Germany has recently been granted a licence for its
use, plans are now in the advanced stages and SWS can be expected
to be in use by 2001. A British company is also currently in
discussions with the manufacturer to bring SWS to the UK.
SWS is without doubt one of the
best safety features for a driver to have fitted in his car,
and the sooner it's use becomes worldwide the better.
What is VG-2
The "Interceptor VG-2"is a microwave Receiver used by some police
forces to detect signals radiated by the local oscillator of
a radar detector, in simple terms it's a "Radar Detector Detector"
VG-2 is only used in a small number of countries such as the
USA, Canada, France and Switzerland. Most new radar detectors
have anti VG-2 features. Bel-tronics call theirs Shadow
Technology"
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