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If you don’t know how to use your radar detector, it may do you more harm than good.

I spent 20 years in law enforcement and during that time, was certified as a traffic radar instructor. I also trained hundreds of officers in the correct operation of traffic enforcement equipment and strategies.
After my retirement in 1998, I founded the website RadarBusters.com using it as an online medium to provide information on various forms of speed countermeasure equipment, law enforcement tactics and how to beat traffic citations. I then began selling radar detectors, laser jammers and other 12 volt automotive equipment through the website. In a few short years, I grew the website to be the largest informational and sales website for the radar detector industry.
In 2007 the Radar Busters website was acquired by Net Shops Inc., one of the largest online “niche” retailers in the world.
Because of my passion for the industry, I have continued on as an independent consultant testing and reviewing virtually every speed detector and jammer manufactured over the past ten years.
I have participated in various motorcycle and automotive rallies and cross country races, such as the Fireball Run. I have published several magazine articles that have appeared in American Iron, Two Wheel Tuner and also been interviewed and featured in numerous television, newspaper and magazines as an expert in the radar detector industry.
With my unique perspective and experience with over thirty years on being on both sides of the traffic enforcement I feel that my “How to Maximize Your Radar Detector” E-Book can not only save you from costly speeding tickets but will also make you a safer and more responsible driver.
My blog is RadarRoy.com and my buyers guide is radarroysbuyersguide.com.

Using a radar detector isn’t enough. You must be alert at ALL TIMES to ALL driving conditions and understand the technology that is out there.

After driving a few days with your newly purchased radar detector, you will become more secure in its abilities as it successfully alerts you of your neighborhood “speed traps”. As your confidence in your detector increases, be cautious so you don’t fall into the trap of becoming an unaware driver, making unfortunate mistakes. The most important thing you can do to avoid a costly traffic ticket is to keep alert of what is happening around you and to respond accordingly.
Your radar detector can’t protect you against everything. Your radar detector is only designed to respond to the radar signals it receives. There are many other methods that law enforcement will use to accurately estimate your speed, so that they can issue you that citation. However, if you are paying attention and know what to look for, you can reduce your chances of being caught.
VASCAR
Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder is a speed measurement system that calculates the speed of an object by recording the time it takes to travel a distance between two points. VASCAR can be used by a stationary officer or in a moving vehicle.
In a moving vehicle, the time is recorded by the officer pushing a button (essentially starting a stopwatch in the VASCAR system) as the target passes each of two points. The distance between the two points is either a known distance between two landmarks (signs, utility poles, guard rails, lines on the highway, etc.) or it can be measured on the fly by tying into the vehicle odometer. VASCAR does not emit a microwave, radio frequency or an infrared laser signal, so it is undetectable by radar detectors.
Pennsylvania law only authorizes their state police to use radar. Therefore, many city and county police agencies in Pennsylvania utilize VASCAR for their own traffic enforcement programs.
Because VASCAR is a visual system and is not as limited by range as conventional radar, it can not only be used from a patrol car, but even from an airplane. In some parts of the country, such as Florida, California, Utah and Ohio, police routinely use aircraft to obtain speed readings.

During my participation in the Fireball Cross Country Race from Orlando, Florida to Los Angeles, California, this type of speed enforcement proved itself the most deadly. During the 2500 mile event, over fifteen participants were nabbed using VASCAR!
Normally during aircraft enforcement, two officers will be flying above a target area in either a helicopter or light aircraft. One officer will be the pilot in command, circling the enforcement area looking for targets. The second officer will be the spotter, using either a stop watch or a VASCAR system. A good giveaway for aircraft enforcement will be large painted white lines on the pavement spaced in quarter mile increments. If you find yourself crossing such a marking, slow down BELOW the posted speed limit until you know that you have driven past all the painted reference points for that area.

Photography
Speed sensors using photography are a relatively new technology, which are currently being employed by the city of Scottsdale in Arizona. The sensors are embedded in the pavement and work similarly to VASCAR, as they record the time it takes for you to travel between the sensors and calculates your speed based on the distance between the sensors. If your speed is above the system’s threshold (which may be the speed limit or a speed higher than the speed limit), the system triggers a nearby fixed camera, which is positioned to photograph your license plate. This image is downloaded on a daily basis to a main server and technicians review the image, using the license plate to identify the vehicle owner (not the driver). This image is then mailed to the owner with the date, time and location of the photograph as well as the vehicle’s speed and the appropriate citation. These photographic systems can also use traditional laser or radar speed detection instead of embedded sensors. In some areas, signs are posted warning of these systems. Since there is no current detection and/or jamming device for this kind of system, the best advice is to slow down if you see the signs!

Although not specifically used for speed enforcement, a similar system is also used at red lights. The system detects if a vehicle is moving after the light turns red and captures an image of the violator. Not only are these used to help decrease traffic accidents, but they can serve as additional revenue source for towns and are gaining popularity. Some of these systems also incorporate speed detection (via embedded sensors, radar or laser) to register your speed.

Pacing
Pacing is probably the oldest and most popular method of obtaining a speed reading of a potential violator. Simply put, the officer follows you in his car (or drives ahead of you) and matches your speed to his. After a short distance he obtains a speed of your vehicle and pulls you over. Be alert, is that car behind you smoky?

LASER
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) speed enforcement is usually more simply referred to as Laser enforcement. Many police departments are moving to laser with an estimated number of over 65,000 enforcement systems in use today in the USA. A LIDAR system transmits an infrared beam of light at a frequency of 330 terahertz. This beam is only 18” wide at five hundred feet and significantly smaller in width at the point of transmission. The beam is aimed at a highly reflective surface on the target vehicle, typically the front license plate or front headlamps, using an optical site similar to those found on rifles. If you have a radar detector that detects laser as well, it will only alarm if it detects “scatter” from the beam or if the detector is within the width of the beam when it contacts your vehicle. Regardless, if your detector alerts you that you’ve been hit with a laser, it’s already too late and an officer has already obtained your speed.
There are limitations to a LIDAR system. Presently, they must be used from a stationary position. This requires an officer to park their patrol vehicle to the side of the road. Don’t be too overconfident that you can spot these hidden officers! Stalker, a manufacturer of laser enforcement devices, is now offering a portable device that is being used by the Colorado Highway Patrol in construction zones. The device is a combination imaging device / laser gun that is connected to a laptop. When the officer using the system gets a hit on your vehicle, the system captures an image of your vehicle with a time stamp of the location, time and date. The laptop transmits this image to a second officer sitting outside of the construction zone where they can easily pull you over. Additionally, LIDAR has some environmental limitations as they do not work as well when there is airborne moisture or smoke in the air.

As an optical site is used to help target vehicles, if this site is not properly aligned, it is possible to target the incorrect vehicle.
90% of lasers are shot at the front of a speeding vehicle. Not only is the front the most reflective portion of the car, but an approaching vehicle allows more time for the officer to take action. When shooting from overpasses or entrance ramps however, officers will target the rear of a speeding vehicle. There are several options you can use to protect yourself against laser enforcement.
Laser Jammer
There are numerous laser jammers sold today that will make your vehicle immune to being detected with a laser speed detecting device. However, there are risks associated with laser jammers. Laser guns to not emit any radio frequency (RF) and therefore are not regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Because they use a laser and there is a risk of irreversible eye damage (based on the power of the laser), laser enforcement devices are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Laser jammers utilize either an LED diode or a laser diode to emit light. An LED diode emits a broad spectrum of weaker light, while a laser diode emits a narrower spectrum of stronger light. As such, a laser jammer using LED diodes requires many diodes, while a laser jammer using a laser diode uses one diode. The light emitted by the diode(s) muddle the incoming signal of laser speed detecting device and the officer gets a return signal off of the vehicle that is mixed with the signal from the jamming device and the laser gun can’t sort out the signal to determine a speed. Better laser guns can filter out this “noise” and better laser jammers emit better “noise” that can’t be filtered out.

Risk 1
There is no FDA approved laser diode based laser jamming system sold in the USA. I have been in contact with several of these manufacturers & distributors in the past and they’ve told me that seeking FDA approval is simply too expensive and time consuming. Because of this, technically, any laser diode based laser jamming system sold in the USA is illegal. However, my main concern is still that the laser diode presents a risk of eye damage. I don’t think it’s worth risking irreversible eye damage to someone just to drive a bit faster, so I only recommend using LED diode based laser jamming systems.

Risk 2
Some states, including Nebraska, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois, California, Utah and Minnesota, have specific state laws banning the use and sale of laser jammers. If you use a laser jammer in these states, be aware that some laser guns can get error codes from the use of a laser jammer that the officer may recognize as coming from a laser jammer and you may be pulled over. A technique you may use to help reduce your risk of being pulled over, should you choose to operate a laser jammer in these states, would be to slow down and turn the jammer off when your jammer generates an alarm condition. This way the officer generates a reading on your car that is at or under the speed limit and he may ignore the initial error reading.

Because a laser diode based laser jamming system uses a single laser diode as a light source and because of how the laser diode works, that single diode consumes a tremendous amount of power and emits a very powerful light. This results in the diode burning out much faster than an LED diode based laser jamming system. The LED laser jammer, since it uses an array of several LED diodes, uses less power per diode. The power consumption, combined with the construction of the LED diode, results in the LED diodes being much more reliable. Also, if one LED diode burned out, you would still potentially have enough light emitted for your laser jammer to work. Most laser jammer users do not own the right equipment to be able check their diodes, you may find yourself with burnt out diodes when you need it most.

VEIL Stealth Coating
VEIL is a paint that you apply over areas on your vehicle that are typically targeted by a laser speed detecting device, like the headlights and front/rear license plate. The paint is applied with a brush and dries to a satin finish that appears neutral gray, similar to Xenon HID lights found on some vehicles. This finish is weather resistant and provides additional protection to your vehicle surface from road debris. The VEIL coating does not reduce the lumen output of your headlights, but may slightly alter the hue of the emitted light. It looks similar to the bluish-violet color of HID lights.
The paint works by absorbing some of the energy of an incoming laser speed detecting device. This makes the return signal to the laser speed detecting device weaker, so the laser gun takes longer to understand the signal and determine the speed of your vehicle. If you use VEIL with a laser detecting system, you have more time to react to a detector’s alert and to slow down, reducing your risk of getting a speeding ticket. Typically this additional time ranges from 5 to 10 seconds, depending on your speed. This may not seem like a lot, but it only takes a few seconds to slow down to an appropriate speed.
If you wanted to remove VEIL from your vehicle for some reason, it is easily removable with some common consumer household cleaners. Additionally, it is recommended to remove the coating every 4 to 6 months and reapply it (one kit can be used to apply multiple coatings) to maintain full effectiveness. VEIL is neither an active (laser jammer) nor passive (laser detection) electronic countermeasure. As such, it cannot be detected by the operator of a laser speed detection device. Also, its use is not illegal in any state in the USA.

Take good care of your radar detector and your radar detector will take good care of you.

Protect Your Detector
At least once a week I’m contacted by a client that tells me their radar detector was stolen. Many times they were just “running into” their neighborhood convenience store and when they came back, their detector was stolen.
Extreme heat, caused when you leave your car parked for extended periods during summer months, can also damage your detector. Some of the newer, higher end radar detectors have reported sensor problems once the internal temperature went over 145 degrees. Owners of these detectors receive calibration error messages and have to return their units to the manufacturer for repair or replacement.
I recommend that whenever you leave your car unattended; conceal your valuable items (including the radar detector and mounting hardware) in the trunk, glove box or under the seat and to lock your car.
Mounting Your Detector
The number 1 question I get from clients is how to properly mount a radar detector. As I’ve already mentioned, there basically two types of electronic transmitting devices police can use to capture the speed of your vehicle, radar guns and laser guns. Radar is basically a microwave radio signal. At 1000 feet, a radar beam shot from a police radar gun is approximately 85 feet wide. This radar beam can normally penetrate glass, plastic, cardboard and even your body. What radar has a problem penetrating are metals, including some window tints that have metallic layers. Laser is a beam of light that is only 18″ wide at 500 feet. Because the beam is so narrow and because it’s light, the beam can be affected by virtually anything you put between the laser gun and the detector.
Mount It High!
During the testing of the products reviewed on RadarBusters that I performed with Speed Measurement Laboratories, the radar detector was always mounted in the manner the manufacture recommends in their manual, in the center of the windshield. Even though this is the recommended method, there are some problems with it.

1. Because a laser beam shot at 500 feet is only 18″ wide when it hits your vehicle and police usually target the front license plate or headlights, mounting the radar detector in the center of your windshield significantly reduces your ability to detect the incoming laser beam or the scatter from the incoming laser beam.
2. Mounting the radar detector in the middle or higher position of your windshield may cause the laser or the attached cord (if not using a cordless radar detector) to become a visual obstruction while driving. In addition to this obstruction simply being dangerous, in some states, like Minnesota, it is illegal to mount anything to your windshield that obstructs your vision (Minnesota Statutes Section 169.71, item 2).
3. Mounting a radar detector too high may cause you to take your eyes off the road when it alerts.
4. When mounted high and left in your vehicle while parked, it is highly exposed to potential thieves.
5. A high mounting position is a dead giveaway to law enforcement that you are using a countermeasure device. When I was a traffic officer and pulled over a motorist who was speeding, if they had a radar detector that was mounted in a high position, I would easily see their radar detector. Even though using a radar detector is legal in most locations (except Virginia and Washington D.C.), some officers don’t appreciate their use. You have a better chance of getting a break if you make your countermeasures less noticeable.
6. A radar detector mounted high makes it easily seen by other motorists. If you are speeding and someone else notices you have a radar detector, you may turn into a “trailblazer” with a train of other cars following you. Not only does this highlight your vehicle in a speeding situation to an officer, but it becomes a safety concern should you have to suddenly brake.
7. Many of the newer radar detectors are equipped with GPS. In order to properly communicate with GPS satellites, the radar detector must have a clear view of the sky. A high mounting position may block the clear reception of some of these satellites.
Needless to say, you shouldn’t mount a radar detector in a high position unless your vehicle is also equipped with a laser jammer and your detector is not GPS equipped. Even in this situation, I think the other concerns are significant enough that I wouldn’t recommend mounting a radar detector in a high position.
Mount It Low!

You can either use Velcro to mount your detector to your dashboard or the supplied windshield mounting brackets to mount it low on the windshield. When you mount the detector this way, make sure that your windshield wipers are not blocking the front of the detector. This position gives you better opportunity to detect laser scatter, gives your detector visibility to communicate with GPS, and draws the least amount of attention from officers and other motorists.
Ensure Accessibility
Make sure that you can easily reach the volume and mode controls (highway, city and mute) on your detector. Some radar detectors, like the Escort 9500Ix, Beltronics RX65 and the Escort 8500 x50 have “Smart Cords”. A smart cord integrates a mute button into the power cord connecting your radar detector to your 12 volt power source. For these systems, you should get into the habit of muting your system with the button on the cord, rather than the detector, if it is easier to reach. For those models without automute, you MUST have easy access to the controls if you want to keep the detector from screaming at you for an extended period of time.
Know Your Alerts
Many times if your radar detector issues a weak signal, you may be tempted to brush it off. This is perhaps the BIGGEST operator error. You may think it is a false alert or the signal wasn’t strong enough to be concerned about. A short time later, you radar detector goes off again with a strong signal, but it’s too late and you’re caught. To avoid an ambush, you need to understand the signals and alerts that your radar detector can provide you with. When most radar detectors alert, they will display a band (K, Ka, Laser or X) as well as an associated signal strength.
X Band
X band is the oldest radar band and not widely used any longer. It is still used by police in New Jersey and some locations in Ohio. Unless you live in one of these states, you can usually ignore this alert. False alerts on this band occur very often and can be attributed to many sources, including alarm systems or store scanning systems. Radar detectors that have a GPS feature may allow you to lock out known false alerts. When you get a false alert and lockout the signal, your radar detector records the GPS location and does not alert at that GPS location.
K Band
About 30% of the radar guns manufactured today use this band. False alerts on this band occur on a moderate basis.

Ka Band
About 70% of the radar guns manufactured today use this band. False alerts on this band occur on a low to moderate basis.
Laser
Laser, although too expensive for many police departments nationwide, is growing in popularity. False alerts with Laser are very low. When false alerts are encountered, they are normally due to reflection of bright sunlight, wind shear monitors (at or near airports), or weather stations.
Signal Strength
Most radar detectors give an indication of the strength of the incoming signal. This can be a series of lights (more lights = stronger signal), a variable rate of audible alert (faster alert = stronger signal), or even an increased volume audible alert (louder = stronger signal). The stronger the signal, the closer your detector is to the source of the incoming signal.
As mentioned before, if you ignore a weak signal, you may be set up for an ambush. Because all police radar guns are directions, this initial weak signal may indicate that the radar detector isn’t initially pointed at you. As you approach the officer, they point the radar gun at you and at that point it may be too late. An officer could also be using an “instant on” or “POP” radar gun. These types of devices don’t send out a continuous signal, but instead are triggered on and off at a specific vehicle. If you’re not that vehicle you may get some “splash” signal to alert you to slow down, but if you are the target vehicle, it is probably too late and the officer already has your speed. These types of radar guns send out a quick burst of radar and then go into stand by mode to avoid alerting other vehicles. Some radar detectors are sensitive enough to detect POP radar and have a mode dedicated to its detection, but operating in this mode causes many false alerts due to the sensitivity of the setting.
Another trick that officers use is to set a speed trap in an area known for triggering false alerts. Regular travelers of this route ignore the usual alerts they receive or even lockout the alert in a GPS enabled radar detector. To help avoid this kind of trap, consider using a detector that has the ability to detect multiple threats. A good rule of thumb formula for determining if your radar detector is good enough to avoid this kind of ambush is called “Capture Area x 6.” Under normal circumstances, the longest range an officer can lock on and make any type of vehicle identification on a flat roadway using radar is approximately 1/4 of a mile . This is called the Capture Area. If you multiply this by 6, you get a range of 1.5 miles. If your radar detector is capable of detecting a signal at 1.5 miles, this should give you enough time to safely slow down, observe the events taking place around you, and determine the reason for the alert. If you live in an area that has many hills and curves, you would want to increase your capture area to at least 4 miles to compensate for the signal loss that the terrain provides. During long range testing at Speed Measurement Laboratories (held annually in El Paso, TX), the Escort and Beltronics radar detectors were able to detect K and Ka band signals at a distance of over 10.8 miles! Therefore, if your radar detector goes off, make sure you’re traveling at the legal speed limit and obeying all other traffic rules until you’re POSITIVE that the threat has ended.

Use the Correct Mode
Your radar detector is equipped with many different modes that it can operate in. Each of these modes is specially designed and tuned for varying driving conditions. It may seem to be common sense, but if you’re driving in the city, use City Mode. If you’re driving on the highway, use Highway Mode. What do these modes, in addition to other modes, offer you?
City Mode
City mode will reduce the sensitivity of the radar detector (usually on X band only) or leave the sensitivity unchanged and raise the alarm threshold of the unit. This will reduce the amount of false alerts, since you are more likely to have sources for false alerts (garage door openers, television signals, radio signals, etc.) in populated areas. Although there is nothing wrong with keeping your radar detector in a more sensitive mode, like Highway Mode when travelling in populated areas, you may become agitated with the amount of false alerts that the radar detector generates.
Highway Mode
Highway mode increases the sensitivity of your radar detector to receive incoming signals at its maximum range. It also restores audio alerts for low signal strength encounters, since those can be alerts that a strong signal will be coming soon. In this mode, your detector is at maximum performance and most likely to warn of you of threats on the roadway ahead, including instant on radar.
Auto Mode & GPS Equipped Detectors
If you detector is equipped with an auto mode, it should detect that it is being operated on the highway and use the same sensitivity as highway mode. I recommend that for maximum performance, you should manually set the detector to highway mode when traveling on the open road.

The new GPS equipped detectors from Beltronics and Escort such as the Escort 9500ci, Escort Passport 9500ix and the Bel GX-65 are able to sense your speed through its GPS and adjust the sensitivity accordingly. For example, if you’re driving 10 miles an hour in a store parking lot, the detector will significantly reduce its sensitivity so it will not alert to the store’s door openers. When you depart this area and the detector senses that your speed is higher, it will increase its sensitivity. For any non GPS based detectors, to have the VERY BEST range on the highway, always use Highway Mode, for GPS based detectors, use the auto mode.
POP Mode
Many of the newer radar detectors come equipped with the ability to receive the newer POP mode radar guns manufactured by MPH Industries. To properly receive an incoming POP radar signal, this feature must be activated on your detector. Because I’m a retired police officer and a certified traffic radar instructor, I’ve spoken with officers who have had the opportunity to operate this new type of radar gun. Most of them were properly trained in the operation of this gun, but I’ve also spoken with some officers that have never received the proper training or have never bothered to read the operator’s manual. These untrained officers did not know that POP mode was only to be used to obtain an “estimate of speed”. Because of this disparity between trained and untrained officers, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Association and the International Association of Chief’s of Police now recommend refresher courses (Speed Measuring Device Operator Training Program) for law enforcement personnel who operate traffic radar and laser devices.
Whether or not you activate POP mode is up to you. By activating the POP mode you are opening up your radar detector to receive quick “bursts” of radar operating in the K and Ka microwave spectrum. This will dramatically increase the chances of your radar detector receiving false alerts. Fortunately, these alerts will be displayed as “POP Radar” on many higher end radar detectors for a short period of time. If you can live with these increased alerts and you live in an area that has obtained a state contract with MPH Industries (Nevada State Highway Patrol, New York State Highway Patrol and some areas of Florida), it maybe a good idea to have it activated. Other states and communities are likely to follow suit as MPH radar guns outpace radar detector manufacturers with their new technology.
To activate POP Mode in the Escort Passport 9500ix or the Beltronics GX65 (or any of the other Beltronics/Escort detectors that have this mode), go into advanced programming by pressing the mode button and mute buttons on the detector at the same time while the unit is powered up. Then press the mute button to navigate through this area.

The technology in speed detection and avoiding speed detection is always changing.

As a retired member of the law enforcement community, I have the opportunity to attend various trade shows targeting the law enforcement community. I get to see all the latest gadgets that are becoming available to the law enforcement community.
Ku Band
Rumors have continued in marketing material from various online radar detector merchants regarding Kustom Radar’s plans to implement the Ku band in the USA. My sources inside the industry tell me that Kustom abandoned their plans on development of a new Ku band radar gun several years ago. Although there is a chance they could resurrect that effort, it is doubtful that the Ku threat will ever emerge in the US
Spectre
Since 1995, radar detectors were banned in commercial vehicles nationwide and as such, there became a market to develop a radar detector detector (RDD). Spectre is the RDD system marketed by Applied Concepts, Inc (Stalker Radar). As fuel costs have increased, most commercial vehicles have mandated travelling at the speed limit and dramatically decreased the use of radar detectors in commercial vehicles, which decreases the market for RDD.
Although radar detectors are legal in vehicles nationwide, except for Virginia and Washington D.C., efforts continue to try and ban radar detectors in all vehicles. As such, the radar detector manufacturers began developing Spectre proof radar detectors. Cobra Electronics was the first radar detector manufacturer to challenge the Spectre. However, their Cobra 9870 was detected by the Spectre at Speed Measurement Lab’s 2003 Radar Detector Shoot Out. Additionally, the Cobra detected the Spectre by giving a “Ka Alert”, but not a “Spectre Alert” as intended by the engineers. In January of 2006, Beltronics released their new Spectre proof radar detector, the Bel STi-r Driver. Since that time, Beltronics has developed their STI remote and Escort using the Beltronics platform in their 9500ci. If you’re a professional driver or drive in Virginia, and choose to violate the law by operating a radar detector, I would strongly recommend any of these three detectors

Laser Jammer
This past summer (2007), I tested a new laser jammer that is manufactured in Korea, based on the Blinder’s technology. This “knock off” used an inferior laser LED and when tested had no effect in jamming any of my vast array of laser guns.

New Police Laser Guns
In 2008 LTI introduced their TrueSpeed laser gun. During initial testing with this police laser gun, many laser jammers were not detecting this gun at ranges over 1000 feet. However at closer examination we found that the TrueSpeed’s power output was significantly lower than all of the other laser guns on the market, thus the range of this laser gun was significantly reduced. Because of this, additional testing was performed and it was discovered that once a vehicle came within the TrueSpeed’s effective range, most laser jammers were able to detect and jam this laser gun effectively.

Each millisecond an officer is off in obtaining a tracking history report means miles per hour taken off your speed if you react in time.

Although it may seem like a wasted effort, apply your brakes safely and immediately you’re your radar detector alarms. If you apply your brakes immediately, you may beat the officer to the punch, even if he is using instant on radar. When you brake, always be alert of your road conditions, especially when driving in inclement weather, on sub-optimal roads or in heavy traffic. And remember, police radars are just machines and don’t ALWAYS work correctly. They’re subject not only to mechanical error, but also operator error. I hope that the information I’ve provided here has helped you understand the technology law enforcement uses to detect your speed, the technology you can use to detect them, and the proper setup and use of your radar detector. If you want more information on buying the right radar detector for you, please visit my radar detector buying guide.

Read more about Escort radar detectors

See the Bel GX65 radar detector

Thank you Radar Roy for not only a great website it’s the best I have found and also for your’s buyers guide. I wasn’t aware that I would receive a full “degree” in radar detectors but the buyers guide was so informative.
I bought my first radar detector when I was younger, a cheap version, that seemed to detect every grocery store and other cars with detectors than it did any police, shierfs dept or speed traps. I got stopped on a turn pike and was fined for having my radar detector on my dash board. Then I knew I had to buy a better radar detector and not buy a second cheaper detector.

I found this informative web site,(radarroysbuyersguide.com ). This guy calls himself Radar Roy. Here I found a one stop shopping place he compared different radar detectors the good, the bad, and the uguly. I chose one of his top three recommendations. I’m color blind and I can’t desifier red or green colors so the blue color made it vey easy for me to read which I didn’t know and Radar Roy mentioned it on his website which was a selling factor for me. One of the cool thing is that it alerts you to known red light camaras . Added to the blue color feature and red light camara feature I went with the Escort 8500 x 50, one of the recommendations that Radar Roy offers.

Radar Roy’s website was easy to follow and read, for all of us non-techy,treky people . The website also has video’s that are for demonstration, showing how to install a detector . When you first go onto his site he has all the magazines listed on which he wrote articles for Mustang Magazine, Luxury Exotics Magazine. The website is top quality and has a ton of information packed in. The twenty one page buyers guide is detailed to types of detectors, the advantages/disadvantages with each detector. How to use them and how important each one is. It also covers legal issues and what states detectors are illegeal.

I found that the buyers guide, videos and the overall website is the “best on the market”. It has great content, top notch. Being pretty new to this whole world, and a non-technical person this is a user friendly, helpful website. I have and do recommend it to all my friends, clients , and people I know.

Read more about Beltronic radar detectors

See the Bel RX65 radar detector

Radar detectors are as foreign to me as Japanese. I had no idea what to look for, or where to look, let alone what type to buy.
After my wife’s death a few years ago I decided to buy the “muscle car” that I have always wanted. No expense spared. My golf buddy suggested that I look into getting a radar detector for the new car. We began our search by going to the local library for some research there wasn’t much there. The librarian suggested that I search the internet to see what was out there. I began my search and was immediately taken to radarroysbuyersguide.com .
I was immediately impressed by the lay out. I was also impressed by the man who calls himself Radar Roy; a retired police officer. Who better to teach me and show me what I would need and the difference between the detectors.

I began by reading the many positive testimonials that were posted from average Joe’s like me who knew little or a lot about the Speed Counter Measurement Industry. Many people stated how great the site was, how much information there was. Also I was shocked to learn that people are getting tickets inappropriately so I decided to go a little further and look into the free buyers guide that the site was offering.
The buyers guide was available after a short survey. I usually hate those damn things but this one was painless. I then got the twenty one page buyers guide. I began to read and was amazed at the wealth of information that was included.
The buyers guide covered so many issues dealing with the radar detector industry. I really found very interesting the differences between police radar/laser enforcement and what type of products are used. I had no idea what “Stealth” coating was all about. I also liked the videos where you can actually see an interview with Radar Roy and also demonstrations on how to install your radar detector.

Once receiving the buyers guide and going through the videos and all the information I truly felt that I had a good understanding on what a radar detector could do and what it couldn’t do. I also felt that I had a good grasps on the type of detectors out there, and the type and make of detectors that the police may use.
Thanks to this website that is packed full of information I was able to pick the detector that was best for me and knew how to have it installed. Now I drive my car with more confidence while taking trips that I have always wanted to do.

Read more about Beltronic radar detectors

See the Escort 9500ci radar detector

Time is money they say and I couldn’t agree more. I have to drive from Phoenix to Vegas several times a week and let me tell those who have never done this drive it sucks. Long stretches of highway with no real scenery to view. So you put on your favorite CD or jack the IPod in, set the air-conditioned on cool and put your foot down on the hammer and fly.
The only problem with this is that there are many highway protrol out there looking for people just like me!!!

I bought my radar detector at a convention in Vegas (SEMAS) after meeting Radar Roy and looking into his website. I found his website informative and user friendly. I liked the buyers guide as well as hand book that not only gives you the history of radar detectors, but he compares that on the market and tells you what is junk and what will really work for you.
The videos out on his site really show you how a radar detector works and why everyone should own one. My job is important to me, but I also think that the detector keeps me more in tuned to the road not to mislead the authorities mind you, but to be more aware of all of my surroundings. I think most of us would agree that people are dumb when it comes to driving. How many times have you passed someone who is reading the paper, putting on makeup, or watching DVD’s for god sakes?

The first week after having my detector professionally installed by a professional (this adds some cost to the detector but he did such a great job and it looks like it came from the dealership) I was doing my regular commute when I encountered highway protrol out doing speed traps my detector alerted me to the up and coming trap in plenty of time to prevent an accident or ticket.
I thank you Radar Roy for all the work you have done out there to keep people like us safe and also by working with law enforcement because as I was soon to learn many times speeding tickets are in error. Now that is a novel concept. I have now had my detector in my car for a year and am most pleased. Radar Roy’s website and information helped me and colleagues who have to do the same commute hats off.

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See the Escort 9500ix radar detector

Radar detectors where something completely foreign to me but I bought a new car recently and my boyfriend suggested that I have one installed. I do spend much time in my car and we drive to the country side on weekends.
My boyfriend discovered Radar Roy’s website when he began to look into getting me one. Thewebsite, he was ecstatic over. Loving cars, is his passion, so when he had that look on his face I knew that he had found something.
I went on the site myself, and was skeptical at best. I felt that most people who buy these are just looking to speed and trick the police. I really didn’t want anything to do with this. So I went onto the website ready to tell my boyfriend to forget it. I was impressed with the website and then I began to read it all. I got into and really involved with the buyer’s guide which for me explained it in such easy simple terms that I really felt I was learning. I also watched the you tube videos which I really thought was cool. You see a demonstration with Radar Roy and a test driver, with the highway patrol as well. In the video this man drives the car with the detector and then without. It also showed the radar jammers which helps avoid laser beam technology.

I really liked the idea that Roy was a retired cop and he was able to build a business by helping other people by guiding you through the manusha of radar detectors galore. I went back to the site several times and then searched other sites out there who claimed to have good information but I have to say it did not.
Radar Roy website was the only one that really gave me the information that I was looking for as well the education that I needed on which type of detector, the pros and cons of each and why everyone should own one.
I made the decision to buy one for my car and had it installed. I have been very happy with the detector and agree with the web site and Radar Roy who states that it keeps you more aware of your surroundings and this is true whenever that buzzer goes off, yeah it’s annoying at times but it draws my attention to the road very quickly. For all the ladies out there check him out you will like the site and the detectors as well.

Read more about Escort radar detectors