The FCC (Federal Communications
Commission), voiced its concern of radio frequency (RF) leakage
by radar detection devices beginning in its notice of 19th July 2002. The FCC
furthermore now requires all radar detectors to comply with “unintentional
radiators” necessities in several parts of CFR (Code of Federal
Regulations) 47 and subparts of Part 15 therein. The FCC declared RD's must not
surpass energy levels of a field strength of 500 uV/m calculated at 3 meters
away from the RD. The FCC further required all RD's be submitted for
appraisal of this energy standard. The FCC
further insists all radar detectors be labelled as satisfying with the
policy. The label should display a FCC ID # of the RD and
contain the words “This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may
not cause harmful interference and (2) this device must accept any
interference received including interference that may cause undesired
operation.” The FCC has time and again stated radar detectors to be a legal
device most notably in the FCC’s Public Notice, DA96-2040, issued 9 December
1996. But, this dictate allows states and other federal agencies to
consider RD's in their jurisdiction illegal as did the US
Department of Transportation - outlawing the use of radar detectors in
commercial vehicles from February in 1995. This ban includes 18 wheelers,
but does not apply to passenger cars. RD's in cars are illegal only in
Virginia, Washington, D.C., and on US military bases.
Beginning in the latter of 1990 a
device designed to alert to the presence of an (illegally operated) radar
detector was released to law enforcement staff. It was
named a radar detector detector, or RDD. Kustom Signals Inc. released this
device under the name of VG-2 as it was scanning for RF local oscillator
leakage around the 11.55 GHz frequency. Following to the VG-2, the "Spectre" RDD was introduced
to the US market by a company called Microstealth Technologies of Australia,
known locally as the Stalcar. The
Spectre alerted to a wider range of local oscillator frequencies as radar
detector manufacturers shifted the frequency of their LO emissions outside
of the VG-2 range. A new VG-4 RDD has
now entered the market from Hills Country Research of Fredericksburg, TX. The
distance at which the RDD’s detected a RD's LO leakage is a assessment
of its compliance with the aforementioned FCC requirements for
“unintentional radiators.” Several high leakage brands of
RD's will
interfere with other radar detectors in the opposite lane. The opposite lane radar detector will alert the driver,
of a radar presence, but in
reality it’s detecting the high leakage signal of the oncoming radar detector.
Radar detectors constantly make
every effort to design their detectors to minimize emissions with better
shielding. During Speed Measurement Labs yearly RD Test in June, all radar detectors were
challenged to all RDDs
including the newest versions of the Spectre, the Spectre III. Every radar detector
was alerted to by the Spectre III. Some were even alerted to at long distances past
1/4 mile!
Beltronics, Inc. contracted with
SML to establish the detectablity of their new
STi Driver radar detector.
Detectabilty is defined as not emitting any signal complying with the FCC
“unintentional radiator” provisions of CFR 47, Part 15 as referred to
previously and to being detected by RDDs.
As with all SML tests, the standard practice
of operating all radar guns and other enforcement equipment by radar/laser certified police officers using the devices
in accordance with guidelines of the IACP was applied. The police officers
themselves also took down
the results of tested products along with riding in the test vehicle with
the representatives of the respective radar detector maker as observers.
These “ride along” officers are the ones that report to the test vehicle the performance of
the tested products. This standard practice eliminates any bias from the
results. Beltronics
provided Ron Gividen as a representative of their company and he brought the
STi Driver
sample, unit to the field
for testing. The STi Driver is
a solid build made with a finely detailed black, metal case. It feels
heavy and substantial because it is. You could hit it with a hammer and it would
just smile back at you.
It’s designed for durability, longevity and the abuse of dropping it out of your SUV on
a four wheel camping trip. We were tempted to drag it attached to the bumper
of the test vehicle for a mile before putting it into operation. In 20
years of testing radar detectors, we’ve never seen such a solid construction.
Prior to testing for RF
leakage, the sample, i.e. Beltronics STi Driver, was tested for reception of
normal radar bands from 1/2 and 1/4 mile distances. Orange cones were placed at
these locations and distance confirmed using a Kustom Signals Pro Laser III
laser gun set to the range mode. This assures accuracy to 1/10th of a foot.
A white Ford Taurus was used as a test vehicle and the STi Driver was
mounted per the instruction manual of the product Mr. Gividen brought with
him. The pavement was dry with an ambient temperature ranging from 57F to
74F. Humidity as reported by National Weather Service Radio was 13%. Testing
began at 0900 hrs. and ended at 1500 hrs. The testing location has an
elevation of 3,216 feet above sea level and is devoid of any RF signals in
the radar bands to be evaluated. A RF sweep was made of the test course
prior to testing insuring no competing RF signals were present. During the
1/2 and 1/4 mile test, the sample was exposed to radar guns transmitting on
X band at 10.525 GHz, K band at 24.150 GHz, and Ka band at 34.7 GHz. The
sample correctly identified each transmitted frequency at each distance
cone. For re-verification, other radar detectors were also included in this
common distance reception test including a Valentine One and a Whistler 1778
model. All models were also exposed to a Kustom Signals Pro Laser III
transmitting at 904 nanometers. When aimed at the detectors, all models
correctly reported laser reception.
The RDD test began at the
completion of the radar gun verification evaluation. The test vehicle
containing the detectors began approaching the van containing the RDDs from
the 1/4 mile cone at 30 mph. Once detected, the driver was told to stop and
the detection distance was recorded by the laser gun in the range mode. The
detection distance was re-verified by a second laser reading while the test
vehicle was stopped. All detectors were given five runs at four different
RDDs including the VG-2, VG-4, Spectre II, and Spectre III. The Spectre III
was provided by the police officers as they brought it to the test site. The
five detection distances were then averaged. If the test vehicle did not
stop immediately when told to do so by the van’s radio operator, that
particular run was cancelled and it was run again.
The STi Driver was
completely invisible to all RDDs down to point blank range with the noses of
the test vehicle and the test van touching. It’s the black hole of signal
leakage. The only way to detect the Driver is to see it! The other two
tested detectors were easily detected by both the Spectre II and the Spectre
III.
|
Detection Distances of Radar Detectors by
Make & Distance
- distance reported in feet from the RDD
- ND denotes not detected |
|
Detector |
VG-2 |
VG-4 |
Spectre II |
Spectre III
|
|
Valentine One
|
ND |
ND |
644 ft. |
544 ft. |
|
Whistler 1788
|
1456 ft. |
155 ft. |
630 ft. |
4655 ft. |
|
STi Driver
|
ND |
ND |
ND |
ND |
As a final test we drove the
test vehicle with the STi Driver operational to the front of the test van
containing the RDDs to see if we could electronically detect it. We
couldn’t. At this close distance the STi Driver actually detected the RF
leakage of the Spectre’s while the Spectre units were blind to the
presence of the
STi Driver.
The field testing confirms the
advertising claims of the STi Driver.
The Driver is the only radar
detector completely invisible to all radar detector detectors with
blistering sensitivity to all radar bands. It did not “key” up other radar
detectors attesting to its strict compliance wearing the "white hat" good
guy award with FCC regulations regarding “unintentional radiation” of RF
signals.
This evaluation was conducted in accordance
with accepted police practices for operation of radar and laser speed
measurement devices as outlined by the International Association of Chiefs (IACP)
and NHTSA.
Police officers observed,
reported, and verified the testing procedures.
Attested To This 31st Day of
October 2005
1 x STi-R
(hidden installed) radar detector
