My radar detector and my e60 battle
08-06-2009, 03:15 AM
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Originally Posted by DRANGED' post='967096' date='Aug 6 2009, 12:27 AM
UPDATE: chowbox moved his V1 just to the right of the rear view mirror and TAH DAH...seems to be working with out any phantom signal. I think we will still try to shield the Satellite radio antenna in the near future.
08-07-2009, 06:18 AM
#42
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Originally Posted by sdg1871' post='967315' date='Aug 6 2009, 06:15 AM
Glad to see that you guys found a fix for the problem.
After talking to Mike Valentine i was very optimistic that i'd solve this by moving the detector or shielding the shark fin.
I pulled the shark fin access down to shield it. I put 8 layers of tin foil covering a ~8" area over the access hole for the fin. Mike said that they never heard back from the guy that tried shielding his so he was unsure if it would solve the problem.
well NO!
DRanged & Audieater were over pillaging my Coor's light supply last night. I put Audieater's Passport 9500 next to my V1 & went for a spin. the signal wasn't picked up by his 9500. I noticed that the rear antenna for the 9500 is the size of pencil eraser/ hard nipple. I think the size of that rear antenna has a lot to do with this.
DRanged mentioned there is a way to decrease the Ka sensitivity on the unit. I'm not sure i want to do that though. Ka seems like the prominent radar used these days aside from the laser.
I'm calling Mike V when i get a chance today to get anymore ideas
It's pouring rain & i have a hectic schedule after work so i doubt i'll be trying my next idea of covering the rear window with tin foil
Funny that when all my beer was gone, John & John left last night. weird
08-07-2009, 06:32 AM
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Originally Posted by chowbox' post='968424' date='Aug 7 2009, 10:18 AM
the phantom signal is back.
After talking to Mike Valentine i was very optimistic that i'd solve this by moving the detector or shielding the shark fin.
I pulled the shark fin access down to shield it. I put 8 layers of tin foil covering a ~8" area over the access hole for the fin. Mike said that they never heard back from the guy that tried shielding his so he was unsure if it would solve the problem.
well NO!
DRanged & Audieater were over pillaging my Coor's light supply last night. I put Audieater's Passport 9500 next to my V1 & went for a spin. the signal wasn't picked up by his 9500. I noticed that the rear antenna for the 9500 is the size of pencil eraser/ hard nipple. I think the size of that rear antenna has a lot to do with this.
DRanged mentioned there is a way to decrease the Ka sensitivity on the unit. I'm not sure i want to do that though. Ka seems like the prominent radar used these days aside from the laser.
I'm calling Mike V when i get a chance today to get anymore ideas
It's pouring rain & i have a hectic schedule after work so i doubt i'll be trying my next idea of covering the rear window with tin foil
Funny that when all my beer was gone, John & John left last night. weird
After talking to Mike Valentine i was very optimistic that i'd solve this by moving the detector or shielding the shark fin.
I pulled the shark fin access down to shield it. I put 8 layers of tin foil covering a ~8" area over the access hole for the fin. Mike said that they never heard back from the guy that tried shielding his so he was unsure if it would solve the problem.
well NO!
DRanged & Audieater were over pillaging my Coor's light supply last night. I put Audieater's Passport 9500 next to my V1 & went for a spin. the signal wasn't picked up by his 9500. I noticed that the rear antenna for the 9500 is the size of pencil eraser/ hard nipple. I think the size of that rear antenna has a lot to do with this.
DRanged mentioned there is a way to decrease the Ka sensitivity on the unit. I'm not sure i want to do that though. Ka seems like the prominent radar used these days aside from the laser.
I'm calling Mike V when i get a chance today to get anymore ideas
It's pouring rain & i have a hectic schedule after work so i doubt i'll be trying my next idea of covering the rear window with tin foil
Funny that when all my beer was gone, John & John left last night. weird
08-07-2009, 06:56 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='968434' date='Aug 7 2009, 09:32 AM
What about my active cruise control theory? Does your car have it or not??
i have sat radio (activated) and navigation. the signal IS coming from the sharkfin. Wiether it's from the inside or outside is yet to be determined. I think i'll be able to tell by foiling my rear window. DRanged has the same options but his sat radio is not active and his car is one year older. He does not have the same problem. There have been a few guys mentioning that the problem only came about when they had a new fin put on, like there is an updated one that is more powerful perhaps??? The GPS part of the antenna is only a receiver. The sat radio portion is powered.
The new PDF Valentine1 owners manual mentioned the sat radio antenna problem (not BMW) & says to move the antenna.
I didn't have this problem with my 07 GS350. it had a sharkfin w/ sat radio & navigation 
08-07-2009, 07:49 AM
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satellite communications specific to the satellite radio application downlinks/uplinks anywhere from 12-18 ghz, this is the Ku Band. your radar detector should not be detecting Ku band.
Now... your detector most definately detects K band, which starts at 18 GHz. i guess it is a slight possibility that this is setting off your detector, although i have never heard of this. If for some strange reason your detector DOES detect Ku Band, i would attempt to disable alerts for that band. K band and Ka band is what you need to look out for as far as radar speed traps go. Ka band starts at something like 26 GHz, so there is no way you will receive a Ka alert from sat comms
might i also suggest if your detector does this, set the alert you think you are receiving from the sat comms to a "false alert" or whatever it is, you should be fine. If for some reason you are receiving your sat downlink at exactly 18GHz prompting a K band alert you will not receive faulty alerts from that frequency anymore. I dont know what the frequency threshold is for the "false alert" application on your specific detector.
I hope this proves helpful. let me know if i can further assist you. keep in mind my expertise is signals specific, not detector specific.
Now... your detector most definately detects K band, which starts at 18 GHz. i guess it is a slight possibility that this is setting off your detector, although i have never heard of this. If for some strange reason your detector DOES detect Ku Band, i would attempt to disable alerts for that band. K band and Ka band is what you need to look out for as far as radar speed traps go. Ka band starts at something like 26 GHz, so there is no way you will receive a Ka alert from sat comms
might i also suggest if your detector does this, set the alert you think you are receiving from the sat comms to a "false alert" or whatever it is, you should be fine. If for some reason you are receiving your sat downlink at exactly 18GHz prompting a K band alert you will not receive faulty alerts from that frequency anymore. I dont know what the frequency threshold is for the "false alert" application on your specific detector.
I hope this proves helpful. let me know if i can further assist you. keep in mind my expertise is signals specific, not detector specific.
08-07-2009, 08:03 AM
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OKAY.... if your problem is NOT fixed, this is the solution:
Ku band IS STANDARD on ALL V1s. YOU NEED TO DISABLE Ku Band detection. THIS WILL CAUSE YOUR DETECTOR to go off from satellite.
I am blown away that Ku Band is detected by a radar detector, especially in the US
Ku band IS STANDARD on ALL V1s. YOU NEED TO DISABLE Ku Band detection. THIS WILL CAUSE YOUR DETECTOR to go off from satellite.
I am blown away that Ku Band is detected by a radar detector, especially in the US
08-07-2009, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by craigm1841' post='968495' date='Aug 7 2009, 10:49 AM
satellite communications specific to the satellite radio application downlinks/uplinks anywhere from 12-18 ghz, this is the Ku Band. your radar detector should not be detecting Ku band.
Now... your detector most definately detects K band, which starts at 18 GHz. i guess it is a slight possibility that this is setting off your detector, although i have never heard of this. If for some strange reason your detector DOES detect Ku Band, i would attempt to disable alerts for that band. K band and Ka band is what you need to look out for as far as radar speed traps go. Ka band starts at something like 26 GHz, so there is no way you will receive a Ka alert from sat comms
might i also suggest if your detector does this, set the alert you think you are receiving from the sat comms to a "false alert" or whatever it is, you should be fine. If for some reason you are receiving your sat downlink at exactly 18GHz prompting a K band alert you will not receive faulty alerts from that frequency anymore. I dont know what the frequency threshold is for the "false alert" application on your specific detector.
I hope this proves helpful. let me know if i can further assist you. keep in mind my expertise is signals specific, not detector specific.
Now... your detector most definately detects K band, which starts at 18 GHz. i guess it is a slight possibility that this is setting off your detector, although i have never heard of this. If for some strange reason your detector DOES detect Ku Band, i would attempt to disable alerts for that band. K band and Ka band is what you need to look out for as far as radar speed traps go. Ka band starts at something like 26 GHz, so there is no way you will receive a Ka alert from sat comms
might i also suggest if your detector does this, set the alert you think you are receiving from the sat comms to a "false alert" or whatever it is, you should be fine. If for some reason you are receiving your sat downlink at exactly 18GHz prompting a K band alert you will not receive faulty alerts from that frequency anymore. I dont know what the frequency threshold is for the "false alert" application on your specific detector.
I hope this proves helpful. let me know if i can further assist you. keep in mind my expertise is signals specific, not detector specific.
08-07-2009, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by chowbox' post='968528' date='Aug 7 2009, 12:11 PM
Well i don't know the frequency of the signal my V1 is picking up, but is surly the Ka band that is being illuminated on my unit. You say to set it to "false alert" i can mute the signal, but it will always be up with an arrow pointing to the rear of my vehicle where the signal is originating from (sharkfin) there is no way to set this frequency or specific signal to a "false alert" mode so it doesn't re occur.
"When activated, Ku-band warnings are indicated visually by illuminating the decimal point in the Bogey Counter. The sound is identical to the K-band warning. "
false Ka alerts can be caused by other radar detectors. that seems to be about it. after doing a little research, I am finding that you are not the only one getting false Ka alerts. people seem to be sending the detectors back to V1 to get them fixed and downloading the latest firmware.
I know NOTHING about these detectors, but I can guarantee that there is NO WAY you are getting Ka alerts from satellite radio.