I've checked this several times and I am certain my detector beeps far more often in my zed than bad weather car. I know the local hot spots and shop doors that set it off. At first I thought slightly different voltage effect on sensitivity or something coming off the alarm system or engine electrics but cant explain it.

 

Could it be that the zeds alloy bonnet / hood is acting as a radar guide and amplifing signals? Its defo not paranoia.

I cant see how a material of a bonnet can amplify radio signals.

 

Stuart

I have a Bell 550 and behaves the same in the Zed as it did in my old pug 206

Originally posted by WillieO

I've checked this several times and I am certain my detector beeps far more often in my zed than bad weather car. I know the local hot spots and shop doors that set it off. At first I thought slightly different voltage effect on sensitivity or something coming off the alarm system or engine electrics but cant explain it.

 

Could it be that the zeds alloy bonnet / hood is acting as a radar guide and amplifing signals? Its defo not paranoia.

Has your "bad weather" car got a heated front screen?

Is your "bad weather" car a Ford? In which case it's probably sulking and can't be bothered to bleep. :D :D

I have an ultra-cheapo snooper in my zed, it goes off at practically everything :rolleyes:

An added bonus it has is that it blocks sky digital transmissions :D

Dave

Does your 2nd car have one of those quick de-icer screens (usually in Fords I think!) ?

They jam some of the signals coming through !

 

My Bel 990 works a treat in both cars - even warned me about a Helicopper that was stalking me in my Z late one night ! :) :)

 

Course - not having a metal roof may mean you get extra false alarm signals coming in that way ?

Other cars a Rover so no heated front screen. The thing about the zed I thought might be the bonnet shape and the fact its ally. I had the detector to bits to try to quieten down the beeper as its so loud even at minimum. There is a forward facing horn shape gizmo that is obviously the collector for the radar frequencies. The slope of the horn part sort of matches the slope of the zed bonnet hence the nutty theory that it was increasing the sensitivity on a zed.

 

Who had been caught head on with radar? Maybe a zed has stealth characteristics from the front and a low radar reflection! Sharp edge forward etc.

 

Hey Konrad, I didnt know helicopters could use radar on you! Surely they cant get a true speed cos your hardly in the same plane as it were?

It actually triggered a laser alert and had me baffled for a bit 'cause I was on a totally empty dual carriageway at about 1am. Lucky Z's have glass roofs or I'd never had known and continued on !

 

I don't reckon they could do you from the air as like you say they can't actually gauge their ground speed, but I guess they can get a pretty good idea and then radio ahead to get a panda car lying in wait ! :mad:

 

I've heard that strong infra-red lights can trigger the laser detectors so maybe he just had his IR flodlights on me to try and read the plates; again it's a good job we have t-bars as the signal would not have got through the roof otherwise !

 

Saved my licence :D Thanks Mr Bel !!

You know those white squares painted on some roads?

 

Well they are a measured distance. Click as you pass box 1, click as you pass box 2 = average speed over a fixed distance - you're nicked. Perfect from a helicopter.

 

Tim

I have a Bel550 which works exactly the same in the Z and the Alfa. I keep it set on 'city all' so it only beeps once to warn you but still gives visual readings.

It picks up gatso's well but doesnt always bleep for hand held speed traps. Anybody had any experiences ot this? I think they have to be pulling the trigger ?

Anyone tried a laser diffuser?

Yeah Tim , theres not too many roads round here with the white blobs tho:) .

I think they're mainly used for joyrider chasing.

Where's the harm in the likes of us doing 100+ on an empty road at night time , no danger to anyone.

But i guess we all know the motorist is easy pickings and we've got money... any of you joined the ABD yet?

Hi Trev

 

I've got a Bel 550 and they will only alert you if the hand held trigger is pulled. Otherwise the gun isn't emitting any signal... I've been very happy with mine - good advance Gatso warning and it's saved me a couple of times from mobile speed traps. :D :D :D

 

Have you bothered to disable any of the frequencies on yours? Some false signals (petrol station automatic doors etc..) can be a PITA. If you have done this maybe we could swap notes...

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

Heya Steve,

No i havnt disabled any of the frequencies on it, i usually turn it off if im only driving round town, but i keep it set on 'cityall' all the time so it only bleeps once anyway.

Its also good knowing which gatsos are active and which ones you dont have to hammer on the brakes for isnt it:D

Originally posted by Trevz

Heya Steve,

No i havnt disabled any of the frequencies on it, i usually turn it off if im only driving round town, but i keep it set on 'cityall' all the time so it only bleeps once anyway.

Its also good knowing which gatsos are active and which ones you dont have to hammer on the brakes for isnt it:D

I've got a list of false signal frequencies somewhere and I might get round to reprogramming it soon! I'll let you know how I get on...

 

Cheerz

 

Steve

 

(Soon to be banned thanks to his radar detector not working properly ;) :D )

ive got an cheap, snooper £99 at halfords one ( i got it for £20 from a man in a van, so im not complaining!) but it goes off for anything, good thing is you know youre approaching a traffic light from 500 yards away.

 

The only one time it has ever done me any good was on the way to one of the slogh meets on the M40, i was doing about a ton and it started beeping, i thought it was a bit unusual for it to beep at all on a motorway so i kerbed my speed, next bridge had coppers on it with their zapper in hand.

 

So its earned its £20 id say, plus they look the part in a zed!

Theres white blocks on the roads everywhere down here. The helicopters can only use VASCAR as far as i know (measure you distance between the white blocks to work out the speed) but this doesnt use radar or laser, just a video camera and built in "stop-watch".

 

The margin of error is obviously quite high so they probably wont do you unless you're considerably speeding.

 

 

 

As for the detector thing, it may be that the dectector you have and where you've possitioned it means the radar waves are being deflected to it more from the zed than your other car, probably because of its shape.

I keep it bottom right hand corner of the windscreen - maybe try it somewhere else but if its high up then you have wires annoying you.

 

I wondered as well if the radar emitter zone protection thingy on the Clifford alarm on the zed was operating causing the extra false alarms. I know its not supposed to till you lock the car.

wouldnt have thought thats the prob, but hey, you never know!

 

The detector is best in the centre of the car, so either put it in the middle of your screen at the bottom (wont have any wires flapping about) or under the rear view (provided u have enough wire to run it around the edge of the windscreen). The first option is best, but just looks a little naff sometimes!

I've mounted mine above the rear view mirror, but to save the mess of wiring, I've simply soldered it directly into the courtesy light circuit (standard 12V). This way, it's got better reception, it's more visible to you (the driver) and it's less noticable to thieves who might want to nick it!

 

 

It's a quick and painless job. Be aware however, that this circuit is live all the time so you need to switch the detector on and off manually... ;)

 

Cheerz

 

Steve