Originally radar was used to determine the distance, and possibly size, of an object. It wasn’t until Doppler radar was discovered that police had a weapon, previously used by airports and the military, to determine the speed of cars. This original X-Band radar, in use in 1965, led the development of radar detection.
The first unit marketed for radar detection was known as the “Fuzz Buster” and came out in the 1970s when speed limits were reduced to 55 miles per hour during the Arab Oil Embargo. The first S-Band radar, now obsolete, took two officers to operate.
The first moving K-Band radar was introduced in 1972 and radar detection technology soon followed. The early 1990s saw the introduction of the third Ka-Band featuring an instant on, trigger controlled radar gun. It wasn’t until 1994 that national standards for radar guns were issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Now, armed with set standards, radar detection innovation uncovered new ground.
The use of POP radar is growing, as it is harder to detect in time to avoid being caught speeding. POP radar issues an extremely quick burst of radar, usually less than 80 milliseconds in length, and although radar detection will alert you to its presence, that alert may be too late for you to react.
Laser Technology Enhances Detection
The evolution of radar in the use of laser technology has taken radar detection to a new level. Laser guns have an extremely tight circle of light and are usually aimed at a reflective area of the targeted vehicle. Their circle of detection is only 18” wide at 500 feet. Chances are your radar detection device is going to be outside that circle and powerless against this type radar.
Passive laser radar jammers have not been found to work; however, active jammers have been successful. An active jammer is activated when hit by a laser radar beam and shoots back its own light beam towards the source, overpowering the light emitted by the laser.
Veil Stealth Coating is not part of radar detection; rather, it reduces the reflective ability of a laser unit to “see” the vehicle until it’s considerably closer to the laser’s point of origin. Tests have shown it to reduce the range of laser radar by as much as 70%. Coupled with correct mounting of your radar detector in the car’s grill area, this will give some extra time for a driver to slow down before the gun can acquire an accurate reading.