are there radar detectors that detect all types of radar? for example can you get one that detects even those radars which are only turned on for the amount of time the button is pressed?

 

May as well call it a "ticket detector" because that's all it will do, when you hear the beep, kindly pull over and have your paperwork ready.

 

The 9500ci will detect radar (K, Ka, and X band) and it will detect laser too, which is only turned on for the amount of time the button is pressed. Here is my story that proved to me that laser detectors aren't a 'by-the-time-they-go-off-youre-in-trouble' type of device: I was travelling behind a car going faster than the speed limit on i90 a few months ago near Spokane. An officer was shooting laser from the middle of the highway at the cars in front of me. Some of the diffused light found it's way to the 9500ci laser detectors on the front of my car and the system started singing and saying 'shifting' on the readout. This allowed me to take 15-20 mph off my current speed to avoid getting pulled over. When it was my turn, the officer targetted my car with laser (again setting off the detector), but by this time I was going a mile or two under the speed limit. It is possible that the laser was being shot at my car specifically to begin with, but I doubt it. There were far too many cars in front of me that the cop would want to shoot. If the cop *was* shooting laser at me, then the laser jammers did a great job of stalling the gun so I could slow down. Either way, they work great.

In the 6 months that I've had the 9500ci, I've only been hit with laser twice in my state. Radar is much more common here.

 

i wonder which type they use in ireland

 

There is no difference between broadcast radar and "instant on" radar. Any good detector will pick the signal up as soon as it is transmitted. What matters are the detection distance and frequency ranges, most commonly referred to as X, K, and Ka bands - again any good detector will pick up all three bands from a good distance.

I don't know about other brands, but the V1 was modified to detect European radar frequencies several years ago. I suspect their frequency range is different than ours even though its still in the same band.

 

As long as you have cars some distance in front of you for the instant on radar to be hitting then it can be picked up like any other. Just don't ignore the alerts when they go off then go away, come back, go away, etc. There is also something called POP - a type of instant on radar I think that the 9500ci says it detects but I don't remember enough to describe it here. Love my 9500ci and laser "shifters" .

 

Coming to the UK (and very briefly Ireland) next month for a monster golf trip, so I guess my US radar detector is going to be useless over there? I also have to get the upgrade for my Garmin for the UK & Ireland roads soon.