Explore the questions below to discover more about the best radar detection systems available today. If you don’t find the answers to your questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our expert staff is waiting to assist you. Your safety and complete satisfaction are our top priorities, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way!
Only K40’s remote radar detectors are controlled with a handheld remote control. Select a variety of modes with a single click, including: On/Off, City/Highway, Voice/Tone, and Volume/Mute. Then, put your remote control away until you want to change preferences.
Trying to estimate warning time in an actual mile or feet measurement is impossible since true warning time is influenced by many outside variables that have nothing to do with the radar detector itself. For example, the strength of the radar signal being transmitted, the direction the gun is pointed, the length of time it is transmitting, the positioning of the patrol car, and the influence of other objects around you may all affect how your radar detector receives a signal.
For these reasons, don’t expect your detector to achieve the same warning distance every time you encounter police radar. Just expect it to do what you bought it for: give you enough time to slow down and save yourself from receiving a speeding ticket.
Sensitivity refers to a radar detector’s ability to pick up police signals at the greatest distance. Selectivity refers to the detector’s ability to filter out signals that are not true police signals, yet operate on the same frequencies as police radar (i.e. security alarms, garage doors, automatic doors, etc.).
The filtration software built into K40 radar receivers features very unique microelectronic processors that minimize distractions that come from non-police radar transmitters. This helps give you the time you need to react to real potential threats, without the constant “falsing” that makes other detectors difficult to use in today’s challenging driving environments.
Radar detectors are essentially superheterodyne radio receivers. Like any radio, they’re passive devices that listen for microwave signals. The main difference is that they are specially-tuned to detect microwave frequencies transmitted by police radar and laser guns.
If a police car is not equipped with a radar or laser gun, a radar detector cannot possibly locate it. Also, if no signal is transmitted when you pass the police car, there won’t be any signals for your detector to receive.
Police may also use a sinister technique called “Instant-On” or “RF Hold.” During this type of encounter, an officer will wait until a targeted vehicle is within range to send a quick burst of radar to clock its speed. K40 radar detectors are sensitive enough to detect these brief, weak signals, but you have to pay attention and react quickly.
Speed signs – or speed reading boxes – are radar-based. Radar detectors are not radar jammers. Jamming radar is a federal offense and is prohibited by federal law nationwide. These informational-only speed readers, if working properly, should always detect and display your speed.
Speed signs – or speed reading boxes – are not used to issue traffic tickets or citations. As a result, these portable systems are not calibrated regularly and can “drift” away from the FCC-authorized frequencies. Because of this, when passing one of these signs that say Your Speed Is…,” you may or may not receive an alert. These devices are primarily placed in residential areas as a reminder to obey the speed limit.
POP Mode, when turned on, enables the detection of a special band of radar known as “POP.” This is a very short transmission signal that allows the user of a radar gun to capture a quick read of a vehicle’s speed prior to setting the gun to another band. K40 recommends that you keep the POP Radar Mode turned off for two reasons: 1) POP radar does not transmit long enough to gather information needed to issue a speeding ticket, and 2) keeping POP Mode “on” is known to cause far more false alerts than actual alerts.
No, we do not. The sale and use of radar jammers has been banned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since 1997. The fines for each violation can reach up to $11,000.
Today, many high-end car manufacturers, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, are incorporating special tints into their windshields to protect the interior look and comfort of their cars. Unfortunately, this creates a very real problem for people who own portable radar detectors.
Putting tint of any kind on your windshield that contains metal film is essentially like putting a blanket over your radar detector. While radar microwave signals can still travel through fiberglass, plastic, and glass, they cannot penetrate metal. Some tints are worse than others, but if it contains metal of any kind, it will reduce the performance of any portable radar detector mounted inside the car.
We have absolute confidence in the performance of our products, and you should never get a speeding ticket when they are operating and used properly. In the rare event you should receive a speeding ticket in the first 12 months of ownership, we’ll pay any and all fines (excludes attorney fees and/or insurance premium increases as well as tickets issued in school zones, construction zones, and/or when DUI or DWI is involved). No questions asked.
LIDAR stands for “light detection and ranging.” A LIDAR/LASER gun transmits a pulsed rate of light at an object, the object reflects the pulsed light, and the instrument analyzes the speed of the reflection. Through this analysis, the speed and distance of the object can be determined. At typical target ranges of 800-1000 feet, a police laser gun beam measures between 18″ and 36″ in diameter. This narrow, infrared, monochromatic, one milliradian laser emission does not scatter like a police radar signal, so there is no advance warning to police laser use.
Laser Defusers detect the laser light signal transmitted by a police laser gun and notify drivers with a unique audible and visual alert hidden discreetly inside the vehicle’s interior. Simultaneously, the Laser Defusers transmit a return light beam at the same frequency as the police laser gun so the police cannot get a speed reading.
Laser guns are capable of measuring a vehicle’s speed in less than one second. By the time a laser detector alarms, it is already too late. Only laser jamming countermeasures like Laser Defusers can provide drivers with the time needed to react and safely reduce their speed to avoid a costly ticket.
K40 recommends three Laser Defusers be installed on the front of every vehicle. For optimum placement for your specific vehicle, you should consult with your installing dealer and/or call us at 800-323-5608. In all mounting locations, front or rear, Laser Defusers should be mounted parallel to the ground (not pointing up, down, or to the side) with a clear, unobstructed view of the road for maximum effectiveness.
Yes. The Laser Defuser systems are designed to detect and deactivate police laser signals only. Therefore, we recommend complementing a Laser Defuser system with any K40 Electronics portable/window mount or custom-installed radar detector to create a complete police radar and laser countermeasure solution.
Yes. K40 Laser Defusers have been designed to allow integration with preexisting K40 remote radar detection systems. This integration eliminates installing an extra warning light or speaker to receive alerts from the Laser Defusers.
Since the Laser Defusers emit an infrared light beam that does not interfere with radio waves or any devices regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there are no federal laws banning the use of laser jammers. Some states do restrict the use of laser jammers, so K40 recommends checking your state statutes for specific information.
Police can use either radar or laser guns to obtain a vehicle’s speed.
If using a radar gun, the radar gun will use one of the below FCC-approved frequencies:
X Band – 10.525 GHz
K Band – 24.150 GHz
Ka Band – 33.4 – 36.0 GHz
Radar can be used either while the police officer is stationary or moving. Radar waves travel a great distance and can be picked up by a radar detector before the officer sees the vehicle.
If using a laser gun, they will use a laser gun tuned to the FDA-approved:
904 nanometers.
Laser targets one vehicle at a time. There is no advance warning of police laser gun use. The typical targeting range is only 800-1200 feet.
Laser can only be used while the officer is stationary. If an officer targets your vehicle with laser and you do not have laser jammers, he will obtain your speed immediately.
Beam Divergence refers to the diameter of the laser beam as it travels. Just like the beam from a flashlight, if you hold it against a wall the beam is small. As you back away from the wall the beam gets bigger. Police laser guns work the same way. At the typical targeting distance of 1000 feet, the beam hitting the front of your vehicle could be 15-30 inches in diameter. The closer you get to the police laser gun, the smaller the beam of light hitting your car becomes.
Unlike radar, laser guns give no advance warning. If you are targeted while speeding and you do not have a Laser Defuser (jammer), you will receive a speeding ticket. Laser is very short-range. Laser gun ranges vary from approximately 800-2000 feet. An officer cannot be moving/driving while shooting laser, and laser cannot read through glass. Laser can target and acquire a speed on a specific vehicle in a pack of cars. Radar is a radio frequency that leaves the gun and spreads out over a great distance. This is why radar detectors can pick up police radar from distances up to 10 miles away. Officers can drive and obtain radar speed readings on vehicles while they are in motion.
