Re: [DML] Inaccurate RADAR readings?

[kKoncelik@xxxxxxx]

HI
I think I can answer this one for you 
I worked for Cincinnati Microwave for 6 years and developed parts of the Solo 
radar detector and worked on the first laser detector.

First of all was the detection device laser or radar (big difference here)

Radar will pick up the fastest object in its field. It works off the Doppler 
effect and there are many conditions where you get a false signal.  We clocked 
a turtle going 18 miles an hour once.

Cincinnati Microwave was located at the entrance to I 71.  We set up a radar 
device on the main road in front and got many people speeding.  Problem was 
the speeds were incorrect. Including the local sheriff going 45 in a 25. 

An officer well trained will make few errors as he can sort out the 
inaccuracies.  

Radar is innacurate and there are documents stating that it is wrong over 40% 
of the time.
Mainly due to other not related motion. Its a judgement call by the officer 
if he thinks your speed is what the radar gun got.

It was funny once at the tennis tournament a bird flew into the stadium at 
the time of the serve.  Since the gun measures a split second and has a minimum 
speed to fix on as so as not to record a person moving or a racket the bird 
was in the view at the time it started and after a great serve the radar showed 
40 something MPH for a serve that was closer to 85 MPH.  Errors can be made.  
That got a chuckle out of the audience.

As far as the car being stainless.  You make a good taget.
You need to have something with a low loss tangent factor to be stealth and 
stainless is not it. 

People in Corvettes thought they would be less of a target because of the 
fiberglass but remember the nice big engine in front.   There are ways to distort 
or absorb the signals but most fall short of being effective.  We have tried 
the blankets and other devices.  The best are the ones that broadcast and send 
random false signals.  Illegal but more effective.

As far as laser, mistakes can be made but it is a lot more accurate and less 
likely to be in error but they can be out of calibration or the officer can 
miss and hit somethig behind you like in a line of traffic.

As far as your speed from experience you were probably going faster than you 
thought but the guy next to you may have been in the slow lane but going 
faster and the officer got his speed and was looking at you. Radar is half 
technology and half judgement.  Laser is more 80'% technology 20% judgement.  

Speeding ticket errors are common but not easily defended against because 
most people do not understand the way they work, the harmonics and the way the 
signal returns or is calibrated to the source ( radar gun or laser). Judges 
don't undersatnd either and as long as the gun is in calibration and they have the 
records (as they will have) then you are usually gonna pay.

Best unit I had was a hot gold plated Passport.  Still to this day it picks 
up signals from great distances. I carry it in my DeLorean (Gigawatt) More for 
show now but it is cool. ( I don't speed anymore) :-) 

I have a picture somewhere where it shows me driving down 71 in Tennessee 
with 150 Solo radar detectors on the dash, seat etc,  We were testing them and 
this made quite a picture not to mention the stares we got and when radar hit it 
was a bit noisy.

At any rate i would guess there was something in the field of detection 
moving at 60MPH and that is what got picked up. 

Due to the cosine angle the actual speed recorded on the radar is usually one 
or two miles slower than the real speed.

Also ask to see the speed.  

This is not gonna help your ticket but it makes for a good story.

I enjoyed the 6 years at Microwave it was a lot of fun

Ken


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