Narrow/Wide/Segments & Out of Tune Radar Guns?

[Sonic Mustang]

I'm hesitant to use Narrow K a nd Ka and Ka Band Segmentation options without knowing if radar guns used in the USA can drift out of the frequencies in question or be deliberately tuned outside Narrow or the Ka bands suggested in forums and in YouTube videos.

I ask because if I was a sheriff or police chief facing budget cuts I certainly would look into tuning my radar guns slightly out of the segmented bands used by some detector owners. But, that's the kind of guy I am.

 

[Heywood]

No they really can't tune them out of spec themselves. It's not that easy.

I've done it when testing lockout ranges with certain guns. It's very touchy. It doesn't take much to put the frequency in another time zone if you have no idea how much your moving it.

That's an enthusiast doing it with a way to watch the frequency move..... not a leo that has no way to know how much he's moved it, or even the guts to open it up and find the right set screw. Just like there's not many members here on RDF that will do it either.

If it's way off it's frequency center that's on it's rating plate... it's because it's been dropped more than a few times. It's not something they do on purpose. They don't even know where it is. How would they?

Now... if you do get nailed with a gun that's way out of whack.... you could question when the last time the gun was recertified. Then you have to prove it. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Where I am... then guns have to be recalibrated and recertified yearly. The officers trained.

 

[Sonic Mustang]

Thanks. Vortex has a 2015 article with a chart showing MPH guns at 33.7 GHz to 33.9GHz, Stalker at 34.6 GHz to 34.8 GHz and Decatur Kustom at 35.4GHz to 35.6GHz. Are these current and are there any other guns/frequencies to worry about in the USA in 2021?

 

[Heywood]

Those are still within acceptable ranges. The common center for Ka guns is
33.8xx
34.7xx
35.5xx

Really your within +/- .100 mhz. If your running seg's 2/5/8... your pretty good. Some run 6 as well because the 34.7 Stalker is very common, and some run high... but it depends on your region. Personally I haven't seen 33.8 for 6 years or more... so I do not run seg 2. That doesn't mean you shouldn't because it is out there.

If your unsure... just run 2/5/6/8... and keep an eye when you come across a Leo in your area.

In K band it's
24.150
24.125

That's the majority of where the guns are. Again... you might not see all of these bands where you are in North America.

If I was going to an area that I do not know... I'd probably turn 33.8 back on.... because I would be unfamiliar of the area and what guns they use.

 

[RadarScout]

If your unsure... just run 2/5/6/8... and keep an eye when you come across a Leo in your area.

Many of us run 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 to allow for some drifting. There are a few states where fewer segments are needed. There's a couple states where segment 1 needs to be activated.

 

[thebravo]

There is a list here for some state where folks have found that additional segments (or things possibly outside of Ka Narrow were needed: https://www.rdforum.org/threads/58040/ If you are using a modern digital detector then you don't gain much extra scanning speed (which helps catch weak transient signals for earlier warning) from segmenting like you would with say the original redline. see: https://www.rdforum.org/threads/69466/ for the uniden scan times based on setting.

 

[9C1Driver]

I'm hesitant to use Narrow K a nd Ka and Ka Band Segmentation options without knowing if radar guns used in the USA can drift out of the frequencies in question or be deliberately tuned outside Narrow or the Ka bands suggested in forums and in YouTube videos.

I ask because if I was a sheriff or police chief facing budget cuts I certainly would look into tuning my radar guns slightly out of the segmented bands used by some detector owners. But, that's the kind of guy I am.

Your putting way too much "what if" thought into this. To be certified a radar gun has to be tuned and calibrated by an authorized service center, no police agency has the ability to do this themselves. Certified paperwork and tamper stickers with the date on them are part of having this done. No Sheriff or Chief in their right mind would dick around with a modern digital piece of electronics that is very expensive. Not to mention if a judge ever found this out the prosecutor in that area might be forced to dismiss say an entire years worth of tickets.

When you consider that less then 10% of all cars on the road actually run a detector there are plenty of fish in the pond for them to ticket. Plus if an agency really wants to target that 10% they will run LASER GUNS. A detector is just a ticket notifier when it comes to laser. Or they would run a gun that has the POP capability. Even instant on KA band run by a skilled officer can be very tough to beat. So really you are just over thinking this a bit but that's ok, your trying to stay on it.

 

[WildOne]

I have had LEOs "mistune" guns on purpose in the past. It may be harder now, but I still don't give them the chance. I run full open.

 

[V1Jake]

For K don't bother any tuning. Keep it wide and watch your ramp ups/signal strengths. I've seen legit K frequencies all over the K range

 

[9C1Driver]

I have had LEOs "mistune" guns on purpose in the past. It may be harder now, but I still don't give them the chance. I run full open.

Maybe back in the 70s or 80s with an old analog gun but even then your talking lottery ticket winner odds. You stand a better chance of being lied to. Cop pulls you over and says he clocked you at whatever, your detector never went off. He never even clocked you but made up a speed and a story about his "special" radar gun that detectors can't pick up. He now hopes you tell all your friends and post this on line.