Road Angel only half effective??
Discussion
Just bought a Road Angel with the thoughts of it being a unit to rely on. The camera near my house was not registering and it had been there for over five years. Another local gatso unit that has lines across all four lanes (two in each direction) only seems to work in one direction.
Black spot respond with update your unit?
UK Speed Guide say Gatsos they work in both directions if the switch is made? So feel like swapping it for a true radar unit. Any thoughts on this one.
Black spot respond with update your unit?
UK Speed Guide say Gatsos they work in both directions if the switch is made? So feel like swapping it for a true radar unit. Any thoughts on this one.
I ues to have the road angel and changed it for the origin B2 simply because they have a database of ds2 warnings which make it more effective.
The B2 unit has more facilities BUT im afraid the same problem applies.
In my area very few of the speedtraps were on the database and I drove everywhere storing them on my unit and giving origin the website address that confirmed my findings.
That was 2 months ago and they are STILL NOT on the database at all.
My conclusion is that these are expensive units backed up by very poor support and I would urge no one to buy these things until they get it right!
The B2 unit has more facilities BUT im afraid the same problem applies.
In my area very few of the speedtraps were on the database and I drove everywhere storing them on my unit and giving origin the website address that confirmed my findings.
That was 2 months ago and they are STILL NOT on the database at all.
My conclusion is that these are expensive units backed up by very poor support and I would urge no one to buy these things until they get it right!
My Road Angel has been very good at finding most cameras.
There were a few false alarms where cameras had been moved, so I simply deleted the old location and stored the new one, which is very simple really.
I have spotted maybe one or two cameras in the past that were not in the database, but that's the whole point of being able to store these things yourself.
There were a few false alarms where cameras had been moved, so I simply deleted the old location and stored the new one, which is very simple really.
I have spotted maybe one or two cameras in the past that were not in the database, but that's the whole point of being able to store these things yourself.
just been playing with a micro pilot...superb unit and I added and recently recommisioned camera by talking to wait for it ahuman being who was helpful and updated the database while we spoke and he suggested they prefer people to phone in as the unit is only as good as the database...
All in all very impressed.
All in all very impressed.
Edt said:
well, I press MENU 6 times after powering it up.. initially read S-0 (ie no satellites) but usually finds 3,4.. my record is 8. Takes around a minute.
Now & again, in open enough spaces, I've waited 5 mins and none are found. Could I have a dicky unit I wonder ?
Ed
My RA normally finds 6 or 7 satellites, and is working in usually less than 2 minutes.
Maybe your car has one of those windscreens that deflects radio signals.
What car do you have ?
nonegreen said:I think it refers to those that can be swiveled around - Streaky
UK Speed Guide say Gatsos they work in both directions if the switch is made?
Are you suggesting that gatso can work in both directions? If this is true I can now expect several hundred NIPs
ledfoot said:
well, I press MENU 6 times after powering it up.. initially read S-0 (ie no satellites) but usually finds 3,4.. my record is 8. Takes around a minute.
Now & again, in open enough spaces, I've waited 5 mins and none are found. Could I have a dicky unit I wonder ?
Ed
My RA normally finds 6 or 7 satellites, and is working in usually less than 2 minutes.
Maybe your car has one of those windscreens that deflects radio signals.
What car do you have ?
Have used in 3 cars.. Mk 2 GTI, Griffith 500, and the Mrs's Mk 4 TDI. My 2 cars ont have any saucy windscreens.. the Mk4 may have I suppose.
Think I'll have to keep living with it (not had too long) and if it persists get in touch with the company.
I've rarely seen more than 3 satellites at start up (around South Oxfrdsh. / Berkshire btw)
Regards
Ed
nonegreen said:
UK Speed Guide say Gatsos they work in both directions if the switch is made?
Are you suggesting that gatso can work in both directions? If this is true I can now expect several hundred NIPs
Was driving in Bournmouth a couple of years back and I saw some double sided Gatsos.
Unfortunately this is a fundamental flaw with all commercial GPS-based speed cam detectors. You are relying on a commercial company to update the database of locations frequently and accurately. Unfortunately the economics involved in this just do not make it a viable thing to do properly, so they will do the bare minimum they can get away with.
I have noticed in the past that the "free" databases available on the web for use with pocket pc devices tend to actually be better populated databases, as these are volunteer maintained with the speed cam locations.
No matter which GPS solution you use, they will never keep up with the rate of new cameras being installed at the moment, so always leave you exposed to some level of risk from fixed sites. I use both a traditional laser/radar detector in conjunction with a pocket pc, checkpoint software, and tom tom 2 for sat-nav and this gives me a comprehensive laser/radar and gps speed cam detection solution. Still never going to be 100%, but I reckon as good as it's going to get.
Beware of being too reliant on your detection capability....a good pair of eyes scanning for cameras and patrol cars can be as good as anything else.
I have noticed in the past that the "free" databases available on the web for use with pocket pc devices tend to actually be better populated databases, as these are volunteer maintained with the speed cam locations.
No matter which GPS solution you use, they will never keep up with the rate of new cameras being installed at the moment, so always leave you exposed to some level of risk from fixed sites. I use both a traditional laser/radar detector in conjunction with a pocket pc, checkpoint software, and tom tom 2 for sat-nav and this gives me a comprehensive laser/radar and gps speed cam detection solution. Still never going to be 100%, but I reckon as good as it's going to get.
Beware of being too reliant on your detection capability....a good pair of eyes scanning for cameras and patrol cars can be as good as anything else.
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