which radar detector
Discussion
valentine too pricey and a little old, but still excellent - cost in UK about500
Best bet is Bel 990 International - name may have recently changed for Uk market but all dealers will know this detector. It costs about 350.
To be honest, I would buy a GPS geodesy radar trap alert system for approx 350 quid, and a laser jammer for about 300.
This will cover you on virtually all 'stops' apart from handheld radar (very rare as mostly laser guns now), mobile Gatso (rare becasue mobile laser traps becoming preferred) and of course a panda care measuring you over a set distance with in car VASCAR equipment.
From a legal position, I belive that geodesy is more arguable, and you can get a laser jammer that doubles as a garage door opener - and they can't ban them, eh?
See ukspeedtraps.co.uk for the full piccie
Domster
Best bet is Bel 990 International - name may have recently changed for Uk market but all dealers will know this detector. It costs about 350.
To be honest, I would buy a GPS geodesy radar trap alert system for approx 350 quid, and a laser jammer for about 300.
This will cover you on virtually all 'stops' apart from handheld radar (very rare as mostly laser guns now), mobile Gatso (rare becasue mobile laser traps becoming preferred) and of course a panda care measuring you over a set distance with in car VASCAR equipment.
From a legal position, I belive that geodesy is more arguable, and you can get a laser jammer that doubles as a garage door opener - and they can't ban them, eh?
See ukspeedtraps.co.uk for the full piccie
Domster
Geo device very good, and no false alerts.
Depends what you want it for;-
a) to help safe driving, to warn you of hazards
b) to avoid getting caught when knowingly being a mad sod.
Geodesy is great for 'a', but you'll need additional hardware if you opt for 'b' in a big way.
Jammers are questionable - get caught with one, and it could get sticky. The Geodesy is impossible to outlaw.
Detectors seem a good idea, but all except the very expensive give so many false alerts that you drive slower than you would without !!!! - which maybe the reason they aren't getting banned just yet.
Nothing works against eye-in-the-sky, which is my greatest fear. However, I do beleive that a heat seeker solves that issue, but brings a load more issues along with it !!!!
Whatever you get, just stick to the boring limits, and boot it in NSL.
By the way, the dual carriage way, was it NSL, or 40 ???? just curious 'cos I got nicked in a 40mph dual 3 years ago.
Depends what you want it for;-
a) to help safe driving, to warn you of hazards
b) to avoid getting caught when knowingly being a mad sod.
Geodesy is great for 'a', but you'll need additional hardware if you opt for 'b' in a big way.
Jammers are questionable - get caught with one, and it could get sticky. The Geodesy is impossible to outlaw.
Detectors seem a good idea, but all except the very expensive give so many false alerts that you drive slower than you would without !!!! - which maybe the reason they aren't getting banned just yet.
Nothing works against eye-in-the-sky, which is my greatest fear. However, I do beleive that a heat seeker solves that issue, but brings a load more issues along with it !!!!
Whatever you get, just stick to the boring limits, and boot it in NSL.
By the way, the dual carriage way, was it NSL, or 40 ???? just curious 'cos I got nicked in a 40mph dual 3 years ago.
Not that I want to seem like I am advertising Morpheous products, but we went out armed with Rader detector AND Geodesy.
The detector failed to read the LIVE gatsos until too late to brake (well, would have been, had the Geo not warned us a mile earlier).
It also failed to pick up mini-gatso, obviously the Geo didn't help there, by my mate was shocked at how crap his hardwired detector was.
Think he's going to buy a Geodesy now, and it just confirmed to me that detection is often too late. He reckoned his bike system (Val 1) would have performed better though.
Have to do a rematch one day !! my money is on the Geo..
The detector failed to read the LIVE gatsos until too late to brake (well, would have been, had the Geo not warned us a mile earlier).
It also failed to pick up mini-gatso, obviously the Geo didn't help there, by my mate was shocked at how crap his hardwired detector was.
Think he's going to buy a Geodesy now, and it just confirmed to me that detection is often too late. He reckoned his bike system (Val 1) would have performed better though.
Have to do a rematch one day !! my money is on the Geo..
Well I'm not so sure now days. I run a Geodesy on its own but am going to the states at xmas so will be shopping for cheap goodies at the mo I was thinking V1 for sure but does anyone know if laser jammers are cheaper out there???? It seems that a geo and Jammer would be the perfect solution lets face it if its fixed Geodesy has the best idea and not that many handhelds are radar now days and even a V1 isn't to great from what I hear at getting a laser signals in time.
Even if the V1 gives you an immediate reaction to laser then its too late.
The gun has proberbly measured your speed 20 or so times in .3 secs. Some of the radar dectectors manufacturers claim there devices will pick up 'off axis scatter' which is more or less a load of bollox. If the IR receivers where that sensetive then it would only take a little sun glare to keep setting them of and the IR illuminators of Specs and other security cams would have it going off all the time...
Laser jammer and Geodesy is the Ideal combo with a V1 or other good detector as an extra bakup in case the Geods database doesnt have the unit...
The gun has proberbly measured your speed 20 or so times in .3 secs. Some of the radar dectectors manufacturers claim there devices will pick up 'off axis scatter' which is more or less a load of bollox. If the IR receivers where that sensetive then it would only take a little sun glare to keep setting them of and the IR illuminators of Specs and other security cams would have it going off all the time...
Laser jammer and Geodesy is the Ideal combo with a V1 or other good detector as an extra bakup in case the Geods database doesnt have the unit...
It was a Snooper, but wired in. Think it's getting a bit old now. Really must do that trial with Geo and Val 1, but not going visiting for a couple of weeks. Will let you know how it goes.
It was noticable just how far away you get a reminder from the Geo (first few LEDs), compared to the detector.
Laser jammer the only way to defeat laser devices, no use detecting them and then slowing down. Way too late.
rgds
It was noticable just how far away you get a reminder from the Geo (first few LEDs), compared to the detector.
Laser jammer the only way to defeat laser devices, no use detecting them and then slowing down. Way too late.
rgds
Geodesy is definately a license saver and a neat compact unit. The database is fairly accurate with only a few false alarms from either tempory or relocated cameras.
As for the other contenders im not to sure. The origin blue i looks very good but not nowing anyone who has tested one i am a little reluctant to shell out 350+ for it when i already have a geodesy.
the traf cam looks good and cheap (if you already have a palm and gps which i do) but the ammount of clutter in the car is really putting me off at the moment.
When i decided to buy a radar detector I managed to get a Snooper 815 from maplin on a 14 day return if not satisfied. I also got a Bell Euro 550. Me and a mate went on a little trek around with both units on the dash. The 550 beat the snooper hands down. Its range was far better and the ability to disable bands and parts of bands is great. Apart from the fact it has voice warning built in the display on the 550 is much better than the 3 or so leds on the snooper.. nuff said
Edited by Marv on Tuesday 4th December 15:20
As for the other contenders im not to sure. The origin blue i looks very good but not nowing anyone who has tested one i am a little reluctant to shell out 350+ for it when i already have a geodesy.
the traf cam looks good and cheap (if you already have a palm and gps which i do) but the ammount of clutter in the car is really putting me off at the moment.
When i decided to buy a radar detector I managed to get a Snooper 815 from maplin on a 14 day return if not satisfied. I also got a Bell Euro 550. Me and a mate went on a little trek around with both units on the dash. The 550 beat the snooper hands down. Its range was far better and the ability to disable bands and parts of bands is great. Apart from the fact it has voice warning built in the display on the 550 is much better than the 3 or so leds on the snooper.. nuff said
Edited by Marv on Tuesday 4th December 15:20
I've got a Bel 980 which I think is now the Euro 330 (?). It was about £70-100 cheaper than its big brother, the 990/Euro 550 but I have still found it very effective.
I did my homework before buying and found that Bel was the only radar detector manufacturer that was rated in independent tests. While the 990/Euro 550 has all the whistles and bells, when it came down to it, the 980/Euro 330 gave almost identical warning times and was only missing portable gatso detection.
In practice, I have found that you usually get enough time to brake gently for a camera so long as you are not doing silly speeds. Plus you get the comfort that if a laser is being used on a busy stretch of road, you stand a sporting chance of spotting it before it gets pointed at you.
Finally, I have also had first hand use of a Geodossey unit. I found it helpful on unknown roads but otherwise very irritating because it makes no differntition as to which side of the road the camera is (or, if you are on a motorway, of cameras on roads underneath). In busy city areas, this means it is constantly going off. Add to this the fear that a camera might not be on the database yet and the lack of laser detection, and the (cheaper) Bel starts looking a good option
I
I did my homework before buying and found that Bel was the only radar detector manufacturer that was rated in independent tests. While the 990/Euro 550 has all the whistles and bells, when it came down to it, the 980/Euro 330 gave almost identical warning times and was only missing portable gatso detection.
In practice, I have found that you usually get enough time to brake gently for a camera so long as you are not doing silly speeds. Plus you get the comfort that if a laser is being used on a busy stretch of road, you stand a sporting chance of spotting it before it gets pointed at you.
Finally, I have also had first hand use of a Geodossey unit. I found it helpful on unknown roads but otherwise very irritating because it makes no differntition as to which side of the road the camera is (or, if you are on a motorway, of cameras on roads underneath). In busy city areas, this means it is constantly going off. Add to this the fear that a camera might not be on the database yet and the lack of laser detection, and the (cheaper) Bel starts looking a good option
I
I got my Geo range setting reduced slightly - about 3/4 mile, not 1 mile.
This cuts out a lot of extraneous readings, while still being a powerful tool in avoiding points.
1/4 mile is too close, but gives virtually ZERO false alarms.
Personally I don't mind it letting me know about "other" cameras - it keeps you informed that you are approaching an area that the Pols think is dangerous (or profitable!).
For example, mobile camera units are often set up near to permanant gatso's, to catch the clever motroist who slows down for the gatso and then speeds up.
And no, I really don't work for Morpheus!
This cuts out a lot of extraneous readings, while still being a powerful tool in avoiding points.
1/4 mile is too close, but gives virtually ZERO false alarms.
Personally I don't mind it letting me know about "other" cameras - it keeps you informed that you are approaching an area that the Pols think is dangerous (or profitable!).
For example, mobile camera units are often set up near to permanant gatso's, to catch the clever motroist who slows down for the gatso and then speeds up.
And no, I really don't work for Morpheus!
I bought a v1 in the states a couple of years ago ( there is now a new version smalller and does ku and you can send the old one back for an upgrade) the v1 has saved me a few times. I've also got trafcam on a palm pilot.
i did a test with both of them and it quite eye opening at the amount of truvelo thingys that a detector will not pick up but a gps system will. ok so no all of them are live but the tempory stuff tends to be the places its worth there bing a camera rather than the permenant cameras on straight bit of a raod in the mniddle of nowhere!!!
Theh V1 picked up every transmitting detectoe that the trafcam did but the traf cam did pick up the passive stuff.
I think the best plan is adetector and a gps system that can double as a rout planner.
im currently using my old palm 3 with a 60 quid clip on gps until the gps for th m505 comes out.
G
the only problem at the mo is one fag lighter socket and for some reson its bust in the chim argggh....
mind you i resently got done by a mobile camera in the discovery with the v1 in my bag ......
i did a test with both of them and it quite eye opening at the amount of truvelo thingys that a detector will not pick up but a gps system will. ok so no all of them are live but the tempory stuff tends to be the places its worth there bing a camera rather than the permenant cameras on straight bit of a raod in the mniddle of nowhere!!!
Theh V1 picked up every transmitting detectoe that the trafcam did but the traf cam did pick up the passive stuff.
I think the best plan is adetector and a gps system that can double as a rout planner.
im currently using my old palm 3 with a 60 quid clip on gps until the gps for th m505 comes out.
G
the only problem at the mo is one fag lighter socket and for some reson its bust in the chim argggh....
mind you i resently got done by a mobile camera in the discovery with the v1 in my bag ......
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