Radar Detectors Springfield VA

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Everyone who has ever been pulled over and ticketed for speeding has probably had the same thought: I wish I had a radar detector. Even though there is a common misconception that these gadgets are illegal (they are in Washington D.C. and Virginia) radar detectors are very useful to those of us that have a lead foot. There are a couple different brands of radar detectors out there all with different features and prices. I hope to show you what to look for and where to find the best radar detector for you.

1. What does a radar detector detect? Most law enforcement agencies use an apparatus that measures the speed of vehicles, usually with a radar or laser. The radar is basically a microwave radio signal that bounces off your car and returns to the gun, the frequency of the return radio wave determines the speed of the vehicle.
   
   Laser or Lidar guns do the same thing but with light beams. Just like the frequency bands in a radio you listen to, there are different bands that radar guns use. The most common are the X band, the K band and the Ka band. The Ka band is used in roughly seventy percent of all radar guns produced today. For you Europeans there is also the Ku band. Laser guns are becoming more and more popular but are still nowhere as prevalent as radar.
   
   Another thing to look for in detection is POP detectors. This is a short burst of radar that some older radar detectors cannot pick up on. There are newer photo radars (speed cameras) which use a weak radar signal and photograph your license plate if they determine you are speeding. Most detectors cannot see or have a hard time seeing these radars but they do make products to shield these cameras from photographing your plate.
   
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Author: Harry McCaul