Radar Detector Recommendation for Randomdude421

[Randomdude421]

What kind of vehicle you have?
V4 sedan lol

Do you want a remote mount or windshield mount detector?
Windshield

What's your budget?
$800

Where do you live and where do you primarily drive?
Southern California, city and freeway

How do you drive?
Barely over the speed limit, sometimes more depending on Waze alerts and time of day.

What is your daily drive like?
short to medium distance trips, City, freeway

How long you have been using countermeasures, if at all?
Not for years, used to have a RD in college.

What is the terrain like where you normally drive?
Curves, hills, congested city streets and freeways

Are there red light and/or speed cams in your area?
Yes

Do you need / prefer a GPS enabled unit?
No

Are you willing/do you want to use your phone to pair with the RD?
Yes

What kind of device do you own or would use for your detector?
iOS

Do you face MRCD and/or MRCT in your area?
No

If you have any preconceived notions or thoughts about RDs, please tell us how long you've been using RDs or other units? etc. -- or any other relevant info you think might be important, let us know that as well.
I am generally looking for the longest distance range detector. I have no problem spending more money on say the Escort Redline 360c if the range performance is substantially better than the competition.

 

[DU5T3R]

I would go with the V1G2 or the RL360C.

 

[2018GTI]

V1G2 or Uniden R7. CHP uses Lidar, so watch Waze for that. Its not the best but better than nothing.

 

[Signal Environment]

@Randomdude421 V1 Gen 2 looks like the perfect fit for you. California radar is overwhelmingly Ka band, and the V1G2 is generally regarded to be the best at Ka band.

You stated that you'd be willing to shell out for the R360c if the range were substantially better than the competition, but it isn't. It is pretty much on par with the other top detectors. It's a great detector, but not a performance value.

 

[nomore55]

Random, welcome aboard !!

V4 sedan? Are you riding around in an old Saab??

 

[jestric]

@Randomdude421 V1 Gen 2 looks like the perfect fit for you. California radar is overwhelmingly Ka band, and the V1G2 is generally regarded to be the best at Ka band.

You stated that you'd be willing to shell out for the R360c if the range were substantially better than the competition, but it isn't. It is pretty much on par with the other top detectors. It's a great detector, but not a performance value.

Although basically only one data point, didn't the tests that @BagNDrag perform with the V1G2 and RL360C show that the RL360C detected Ka-band at a slightly greater distance than the V1G2?

@Randomdude421, where you drive and what you face is the key to determining which detector is right for you. I own the R7, the V1G2 and the RL360C. My favorite (for where I drive and what I face) is the RL360C. YM (or detector) MV

 

[Signal Environment]

Although basically only one data point, didn't the tests that @BagNDrag perform with the V1G2 and RL360C show that the RL360C detected Ka-band at a slightly greater distance than the V1G2?

@Randomdude421, where you drive and what you face is the key to determining which detector is right for you. I own the R7, the V1G2 and the RL360C. My favorite (for where I drive and what I face) is the RL360C. YM (or detector) MV

I've seen the RL360c edge out the V1G2 and R7 here and there in some tests. Other times it's been a little behind. Always roughly in the same ballpark. It does seem like it got better with 1.6 firmware in that test you reference. Even so it was really 1 "hero" detection run that pulled the average up. Beyond that they were all very close.

I've never seen a test that met (in my mind) the OP's standard of "range performance is substantially better than the competition" when compared to the R7 and V1G2.

Which is not in any way to knock your favorite. There are valid reasons for people to prefer it. I do recommend the RL360c sometimes when I feel like the member's budget and preferences align with it. So maybe saying "not a performance value" comes across as too harsh. Maybe I should have said something like "does not seem to meet the OP's criteria for spending the extra $250."

Looking at his responses I saw: not worried about GPS, happy to run an app, lives in an area where Ka is far and away the biggest threat and K is minimal. So to me it seemed like a slam dunk for the V1G2.

Thanks for chiming in to offer another perspective and making me qualify my statement a little more.

 

[jestric]

I've seen the RL360c edge out the V1G2 and R7 here and there in some tests. Other times it's been a little behind. Always roughly in the same ballpark. It does seem like it got better with 1.6 firmware in that test you reference. Even so it was really 1 "hero" detection run that pulled the average up. Beyond that they were all very close.

I've never seen a test that met (in my mind) the OP's standard of "range performance is substantially better than the competition" when compared to the R7 and V1G2.

Which is not in any way to knock your favorite. There are valid reasons for people to prefer it. I do recommend the RL360c sometimes when I feel like the member's budget and preferences align with it. So maybe saying "not a performance value" comes across as too harsh. Maybe I should have said something like "does not seem to meet the OP's criteria for spending the extra $250."

Looking at his responses I saw: not worried about GPS, happy to run an app, lives in an area where Ka is far and away the biggest threat and K is minimal. So to me it seemed like a slam dunk for the V1G2.

Thanks for chiming in to offer another perspective and making me qualify my statement a little more.

@Signal Environment, Thank you for your response. It was well thought out and definitely beneficial for anyone who is trying to decide on what detector would work best for them.

 

[Randomdude421]

@Randomdude421 V1 Gen 2 looks like the perfect fit for you. California radar is overwhelmingly Ka band, and the V1G2 is generally regarded to be the best at Ka band.

You stated that you'd be willing to shell out for the R360c if the range were substantially better than the competition, but it isn't. It is pretty much on par with the other top detectors. It's a great detector, but not a performance value.

ok that's what I thought.. thanks a lot

V1G2 or Uniden R7. CHP uses Lidar, so watch Waze for that. Its not the best but better than nothing.

this is literally where I am at, it's between the V1G2 and the R7. As told on other posts I have made it sounds like "A" mode gets the best range, and so I guess I can turn off K/X band on V1 connection and leave it on "A" to get the best range.

Random, welcome aboard !!

V4 sedan? Are you riding around in an old Saab??

it's a nissan altima lmfao

Post automatically merged: Apr 6, 2021

I've seen the RL360c edge out the V1G2 and R7 here and there in some tests. Other times it's been a little behind. Always roughly in the same ballpark. It does seem like it got better with 1.6 firmware in that test you reference. Even so it was really 1 "hero" detection run that pulled the average up. Beyond that they were all very close.

I've never seen a test that met (in my mind) the OP's standard of "range performance is substantially better than the competition" when compared to the R7 and V1G2.

Which is not in any way to knock your favorite. There are valid reasons for people to prefer it. I do recommend the RL360c sometimes when I feel like the member's budget and preferences align with it. So maybe saying "not a performance value" comes across as too harsh. Maybe I should have said something like "does not seem to meet the OP's criteria for spending the extra $250."

Looking at his responses I saw: not worried about GPS, happy to run an app, lives in an area where Ka is far and away the biggest threat and K is minimal. So to me it seemed like a slam dunk for the V1G2.

Thanks for chiming in to offer another perspective and making me qualify my statement a little more.

thanks a lot for your responses, I am happy to run an app in the background like V1 Driver and use it once I get setup then let it run..to me the extra $250 isn't it worth it for the built in GPS feature that RL360c has..

 

[2018GTI]

ok that's what I thought.. thanks a lot

this is literally where I am at, it's between the V1G2 and the R7. As told on other posts I have made it sounds like "A" mode gets the best range, and so I guess I can turn off K/X band on V1 connection and leave it on "A" to get the best range.


it's a nissan altima lmfao

Post automatically merged: Apr 6, 2021

thanks a lot for your responses, I am happy to run an app in the background like V1 Driver and use it once I get setup then let it run..to me the extra $250 isn't it worth it for the built in GPS feature that RL360c has..

"A" All Bogies doesn't effect Ka(range or otherwise). All Bogies, Logic and Advanced Logic affect how K band is interpreted. All Bogies is fully unmuted, Logic is slightly muted, Advanced Logic is more muted with some range penalty. Others will have a more sophisticated explanation!

 

[Randomdude421]

"A" All Bogies doesn't effect Ka(range or otherwise). All Bogies, Logic and Advanced Logic affect how K band is interpreted. All Bogies is fully unmuted, Logic is slightly muted, Advanced Logic is more muted with some range penalty. Others will have a more sophisticated explanation!

I know advanced logic for sure has range difficulties Mike Valentine even said himself, but you're saying logic mode and All bogies mode have the same range capabilities on KA?

 

[2018GTI]

I know advanced logic for sure has range difficulties Mike Valentine even said himself, but you're saying logic mode and All bogies mode have the same range capabilities on KA?

Yes

 

[benzr]

"A" All Bogies doesn't effect Ka(range or otherwise). All Bogies, Logic and Advanced Logic affect how K band is interpreted. All Bogies is fully unmuted, Logic is slightly muted, Advanced Logic is more muted with some range penalty. Others will have a more sophisticated explanation!

Yeah ... I will clarify, justify, and summarize

If you get the V1G2 RUN Hwy Radar or JBV1 (Android) and run it in LITTLE L for your area.

If you get R7 in your area, Run BOTH K FILTERS
WEAK ... Rear k at 60-70

NEVER TURN OFF K BAND ... period.

Even if you run R7 at 30-40 % K Band and Rear K Band at disabled or 10-20 %.

Good Luck on your choice(s).

Benzr

 

[Signal Environment]

Yeah ... I will clarify, justify, and summarize

If you get the V1G2 RUN Hwy Radar or JBV1 (Android) and run it in LITTLE L for your area.

If you get R7 in your area, Run BOTH K FILTERS
WEAK ... Rear k at 60-70

NEVER TURN OFF K BAND ... period.

Even if you run R7 at 30-40 % K Band and Rear K Band at disabled or 10-20 %.

Good Luck on your choice(s).

Benzr

K band is extremely rare in California. People definitely run with K off out there and generally get away with it.

Personally I would probably run "Big L" Advanced Logic for the V1 G2 for a balance of "just in case" detection while keeping it as quiet as possible.

Not Seeing K band usage anywhere in CA Bay Area

Is there anyone still running K band detection in the Bay Area of California? I got my uniden R7 at the beginning of this year and so far I've traveled through the reported K band zones a little bit here and there, and not once have I yet seen K band confirmed usage by PD. I've been thinking of...

www.rdforum.org

 

[benzr]

I just KNOW if LEOs get wind we're disabling K Band Altogether .. they will start running K Guns.

Yeah Big L will work BUT ALWAYS run K Band
At at least 1-10 % for that Unicorn save. IMHO.

BUT THATS just me. I slso run yhe Lowest 10%
X Band ... just in case. We dont have X Band in ATL. FLA might, small towns might, etc.

Yeah you guys can get by without, BUT think how pissed you'd be to see Flashing Blues in your Rearview Mirror and NARY A PEEP from your $500 plus CM Detector

I'd be p!ssed !!!

Just a thought.

B

 

[Signal Environment]

Yeah you guys can get by without, BUT think how pissed you'd be to see Flashing Blues in your Rearview Mirror and NARY A PEEP from your $500 plus CM Detector

Oh I totally feel you. I have never turned any band completely off. Not even X. (Although that's not as over-cautious as some might think. X band has been a semi-regular presence in northern Indiana over the years, which is not the norm for most of the country.)

However there is an attention cost to running with K band on.

You'd also be pissed if you missed spotting the cop shooting laser up ahead because you were distracted by your radar detector beeping about somebody's BSMs.

Or if you get so used to ignoring K band because it's never a cop that even though you get a K band alert, you don't react in time. Pretty sure I've seen at least one video here of that exact scenario.

Everything is a tradeoff on K band. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

 

[Randomdude421]

K band is extremely rare in California. People definitely run with K off out there and generally get away with it.

Personally I would probably run "Big L" Advanced Logic for the V1 G2 for a balance of "just in case" detection while keeping it as quiet as possible.

Not Seeing K band usage anywhere in CA Bay Area

Is there anyone still running K band detection in the Bay Area of California? I got my uniden R7 at the beginning of this year and so far I've traveled through the reported K band zones a little bit here and there, and not once have I yet seen K band confirmed usage by PD. I've been thinking of...

www.rdforum.org

I can't run Advanced Logic because it hurts the range..

 

[Rags]

I can't run Advanced Logic because it hurts the range..

No. It doesn't affect Ka range at all.

 

[Randomdude421]

11 minute mark and 14:08 Vortex says if you turn K verifier off on "A" you will get better range. .albeit this is for K band but I haven't seen him say anything otherwise for KA

 

[Rags]

11 minute mark and 14:08 Vortex says if you turn K verifier off on "A" you will get better range. .albeit this is for K band but I haven't seen him say anything otherwise for KA

If only affects K.