We completed our annual radar detector test on June 27, 2010 with Speed Measurement Labs. SML tested as variety of products, but we focus on the products with “Best in Test” performance; and we tested for the following major performance requests by our customers:
1) radar detector distance detection at 9 miles
2) radar detector detection performance “Over the Hill” at 1/2 mile distance
3) radar detector false alerts
4) radar detector photo speed camera alerts
5) laser detection distance
6) laser jamming performance
The following products and or companies participated in the annual radar detector test:
Passport 9500ix, Passport 9500ci, Escort Redline, Passport Qi45
Bel STi Driver
Valentine One
Blinder M47, Blinder M27
TPX motorcycle radar detector
Cobra 9970G and others
Whistler’s newest radar detectors
BG Tech (Korea) radar detectors
Our spread sheet, Best Radar Detectors, will be updated soon to provide the latest comparison information from the test. We found the Passport 9500ix is still the best over all radar detector mounted in the windshield for radar and photo speed cameras. The Escort Redline, Bel Sti Driver and Valentine One are still in the top 5 radar detectors. The Passport 9500ci is still the best remote radar detector, but we found superb results with the new Passport Qi45 remote as well.
We also found interesting changes in laser guns this year. In the past, we had tested for laser detection behind a lead vehicle, finding no laser detection from behind a lead vehicle. The primary reason for this is that most laser beams provide a horizontal beam pattern, which makes it difficult for laser to be seen behind the lead vehicle. However several new laser guns are vertically oriented, thus some laser reflects off the road surface under the lead vehicle, and can be detected behind the lead vehicle. This is only on two new laser guns we found, which are very few in operation, so don’t think you are safe with just a radar detector. Remember, in 99% of laser gun situations, if you detect the laser beam, the laser beam is aiming at YOU, which means they already have your speed indicated on the laser gun.
The new laser guns coming out is the Laser Eye and TruCam, both which defeated the Blinder M47 and Shifter ZR4 laser jammers. Because Blinder uses WEB updates, it will be able to defeat these laser guns with a new WEB update. The Shifter ZR4 does not offer WEB updates, thus if you buy the ZR4 without the laser gun updates, you will not be protected from the new laser guns. Escort may not tell us if they updated the Shifter laser jammer for the new codes. The Laser Eye laser gun changed from the standard 904nm laser wavelength to 915nm wavelength. Eagle Eye has changed from a horizontal beam axis to a vertical beam axis, which is interesting as we can now detect laser reflected under a vehicle in front of our vehicle. This laser detection behind a target vehicle was rare, since all other laser guns have used a horizontal beam axis prior to Laser Eye.
We used a Toyota For Runner for our test vehicle. You should have seen it! We had the Escort Redline, Valentine One, Passport 9500ix, Passport 9500ci radar detectors located up in the windshield, while the Blinder M47, Shifter ZR4 laser jammer and Bel Shifter Pack laser jammers were located on the front bumper, as well as the Passport Qi45 and Bel RX45 remote radar on the front bumper. We were driving through New Mexico on Interstate I25 when we turned everything on. We had so much laser energy, we phased out of view. OK, I just being humorous, but imagine, we had 9 laser jammers turned on and 7 different radar detectors. Our altenator was working overtime.
I was surprised to find the Qi45 tested so well, as well as the Shifter ZR4 and Shifter Pack, both laser jammers from Escort. Last year the Shifter ZR4 did not test very well for laser jamming, but this year, both the Shifter ZR4 and Shifter Pack, a new version of the Shifter ZR4 offered only with the Qi45 and RX45, tested as well as the Blinder for laser jamming. Although these two Escort laser jammers do not have WEB updates, each of these laser jammers tested very well and are less expensive than Blinder, but Blinder does offer WEB updates for new laser guns.
1) Radar Detector Distance Detection – Most people are not aware of the value of testing at 9 miles distance. Understandably, it is not critical to know that a speed trap is out there at 9 miles, but let’s say, Mr. Policeman is out there shooting instant on radar at 9 miles. Billy Bob who is driving towards the police car gets hit with a big burst of radar at perhaps 1/2 mile from the policeman, and you get a small alert on your radar detector. That of course assumes you have a good radar detector, since a poor radar detector would sit quietly in your windshield with a 9 mile radar burst. As you drive closer, Sally Jane gets hit with a radar burst at 5 miles, and you get a larger signal strength signal. YOU KNOW MR. POLICEMAN IS OUT THERE. So 9 mile detection is useful to you the driver to let you know that Mr. Policeman is coming up soon.
9 Mile Signal Strength:
Passport 9500ix has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength. For example 4/6 detection means 4 bars detection out of total of 6 bars possible:
X= 4/6 bars
K= 5/6 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 4/6 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 3/6 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 5/6 bars
Bel STi Driver has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 6/6 bars
K= 5/6 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 2/6 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 3/6 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 3/6 bars
Escort Redline has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 6/6 bars
K= 4/6 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 3/6 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 2/6 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 3/6 bars
Escort 9500ci has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 6/6 bars
K= 4/6 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 2/6 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 3/6 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 3/6 bars
Valentine One has a total of 8 bars. 8 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 6/8 bars
K= 5/8 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 1/8 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 1/8 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 3/8 bars
Passport Qi45 has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 5/6 bars
K= 4/6 bars
Ka 33.8GHz = 1/6 bars Ka 34.7GHz = 4/6 bars Ka 35.5GHz = 5/6 bars
Adaptiv TPX 2 has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 9 miles would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength:
X= 3/6 bars
K= 3/6 bars
Ka33.8GHz=8.2 miles@2/6bar, Ka34.7GHz=1/6bar, Ka35.5GHz=2/6bar
2) Radar Detector Detection Performance “Over the Hill” at 1/2 mile Distance
Passport 9500ix has a total of 6 bars. 6 bars is max strength, so any signal strength at 1/2 mile would require a minimum of 1 bar of signal strength. For example 4/6 detection means 4 bars detection out of total of 6 bars possible:
Detecting a hidden radar trap, which is hiding on the other side of the hill is measured in the number of signal bars detected at ½ mile distance over the hill from that hidden radar trap. The performance is measured as follows: 2/6 is 2 signal bars detected at ½ mile distance, over the hill, out of a total of 6 signal bars for that radar detector. 5/8 is 5 signal bars detected at ½ mile distance, over the hill, out of a total of 8 signal bars for that radar detector. All values are averaged over two radar passes. The best performance “Over the Hill” was the Passport 9500ix, and #2 was the Bel STi Driver
X Band=10.525GHz, K Band-24.15GH,
Ka1=33.8GHz, Ka2= 34.7GHz, Ka3= 35.5GHz
Passport 9500ix
X=4/6 K=3.5/6 Ka33.8=6/6 Ka34.7= 5.5/6 Ka35.5= 5.5/6
Bel STi Driver
X= 6/6 K= 4/6 Ka33.8= 5/6 Ka34.7= 5/6 Ka35.5= 3.5/6
Escort Redline
X= 6/6 K= 3.5/6 Ka33.8= 5.5/6 Ka34.7= 5/6 Ka35.5= 3/6
Valentine One
X= 5/8 K= 5/8 Ka33.8= 5/8 Ka34.7= 3/8 Ka35.5= 3.5/8
Passport Qi45
X= 5.5/6 K= 1.5/6 Ka33.8= 4.5/6 Ka34.7= 3/6 Ka35.5= 2.5/6
Bel GX65
X= 2.5/6 K= 2 / 6 Ka33.8= 4/6 Ka34.7= 4/6 Ka35.5= 2.5/6
TPX 2
X=3/6 K= 3/6 Ka33.8= 2/6 Ka34.7= 2/6 Ka35.5= 1.5/6
Cobra 9970G
X= 3/5 K= 2.5/6 Ka33.8=1/5 Ka34.7= 1/5 Ka35.5= 1/5
3) Radar Detector False Alerts
It was not even close with False Alerts. Passport 9500ix and Passport 9500ci Remote uses GPS and memory to remember where the false radar locations are. When you drive by Best Buy, JC Penny, Sears etc., these stores use X band or Ka band radar to detect motion in front of the door. This is called a false radar alert, because the radar detector alerts to a radar not transmitted by police speed traps. The majority of radar detectors will alert to these false radar signals, but the Passport 9500ci and Passport 9500ix can automatically remember the false radar locations, or you can manually target the false radar location. The Bel GX65 can also manually remember the false radar locations, but because it is manual, the Bel GX65 is not as accurate or reliable to decrease false radar alerts.
4) Radar Detector Photo Speed Camera Alerts
Passport 9500ix, Passport 9500ci and Cobra 9970G all alerted to Photo speed camera locations, but the Passport 9500ci and Passport 9500ix provided more accuracy and better advance notice.
5) Laser Detection Distance
We found two interesting points. Nearly all radar detectoprs can detect laser at 3 miles, but laser guns can not aquire speed at distances much further than 2000 feet. So it is fair to say that you can detect laser at distance, but you have to be in a very precise location to detect the narrow beam. We also determined this year that several laser guns have changed form a horizontal laser beam to a vertical laser beam. This means it is possible that you could detect laser behind a primary target vehicle, but again; you have tyo be in a very precise location. We strongly suggest a laser jammer if you want laser protection.
6) Laser Jamming Performance
We tested the Blinder M47, Blinder M27, Shifter ZR4 and Shifter Pack. Blinder M47 provided the best results across the board, while the Shifter ZR4 and Shifter Pack significantly increased its performance over 2009 Shifter test results. I would say on average, the Blinder M27 (2 laser modules), Shifter ZR4 (3 laser modules) and Shifter Pack (2 laser modules) tested about the same in laser jamming performance. However, since the Blinder has WEB updates, while the Shifter does not, and the Blinder has a 2nd mode of operation called Park Assist and the Shifter does not, that makes the Blinder M27 the better of the three laser jammers. M47 laser jammer provides 4 laser modules, WEB updates and Park Assist, making it the best laser jammer for 2010.
7) Radar Detector Detector Performance Test Results
How well did the radar detectors perform against the typical RDD used?
Spectre RDD is nearly identical to OPP Spectre used in Canada and Stalcar RDD used in AU
————————-VG2 Spectre iii Spectre Elite
Bel STi Driver —–ND ND ND
Passport Redline -ND ND ND
Passport 9500ci –ND ND ND
Valentine One —–ND 135 ft 189 ft
Passport Q145 —–ND 294 ft 84 ft
Passport 9500ix –ND 228 ft 310 ft
Bel GX65 ————ND 307 ft 334 ft
TPX——————-2 164 ft 1320 ft 1320 ft
Cobra 9970G—— 1060 ft 1320 ft 1320 ft
