The radar detector is a mobile electronic device mounted on a car. Its purpose is to promptly notify the driver that he is in the coverage area of the traffic police radar. Such a warning can be displayed on the monitor screen in the form of an inscription, an audible warning signal of a certain tone, or a synthesized message. In any case, the driver is given the opportunity to reduce the speed in advance and avoid unpleasant conversations with the traffic inspector. The article is devoted to the correct choice of the Inspector radar detector, its configuration and the rules for working with it.
Work basics
The car inspector radar emits a signal in the direction of a moving car. It is an unmodulated signal of a certain frequency. The frequency of the reflected signal due to the Doppler effect has a different meaning. The change depends on the speed of the vehicle. The magnitude of the “shift” of the frequency determines the value of speed. Most existing radio frequency X-band radars (10 525 MHz) work on this principle. The main sources of interference for motorists are in this range. An assessment of a speed violation can be made from a distance of not more than 300 meters.
Longer range detection of the intruder can achieve the radar bands K (24 150 MHz) and Ka (34 700 MHz). It ranges from 600 to 1,500 meters. This is achieved by a shorter and more powerful probe pulse. In the laser range (wavelengths from 800 to 1,100 nanometers), another principle for determining velocity is applied. When applying several short pulses of constant frequency each time, the distance to the object is changed by the reflected signal. According to the path traveled by the wave in a known time, speed is calculated.
Radar detectors "Inspector" RD X3 operate in all ranges, including laser. For them, the fact of the presence of radiation, which they can detect at a distance of up to 3 km, is a prerequisite.
Signature Instrument Principles
The “Inspector” radar detector is a passive superheterodyne receiver. Receiving a high-frequency signal from an irradiating police locator, it performs its analysis in a signature module. A signature (signature) is a fixed and described signal parameters.
The module software contains a database that describes all the types of emitting signals of police radars that are known today. The main task is to filter out signals that are unnecessary interference. In urban conditions there is a significant amount of such interference - sensors for automatically opening the doors of shopping centers, cruise control systems for expensive cars, their analysis of dead zones while driving.
Combo devices "Inspector"
The use of combined multifunctional devices makes the driving process safer and more comfortable for motorists. Hybrid models combine several different gadgets. Often they use a common electronic filling - “iron”.
With regard to devices intended for car drivers, the following combinations can be noted:
- radar detector "Inspector" + GPS informant;
- auto-recorder + radar "Inspector" + GPS informant.
With a wide range of functions performed, combo devices are more compact and ergonomic. For databases stored in them, manufacturers are constantly releasing updates.
Radar Detector with GPS Informator Function
Combined devices of this class include the RD X3 TAU. The “Inspector” radar detector can receive and process STRELKA ST / M radar signals in the ranges X, K, Ka, LASER (360 °).
It is based on a superheterodyne receiver with a frequency converter, frequency discriminator and digital signal processing. An integrated laser sensor provides operation of the Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes module. The OLED LCD with a resolution of 255 x 32 pixels offers 3 gradations of brightness. The receiver has the following sensitivity levels:
Intelligent IQ mode allows you to select the appropriate level depending on the speed of the vehicle. The greatest sensitivity (track) corresponds to an increase in speed of more than 80 km / h.
GPS-informant uses updated GPS base of coordinates of traffic police radars, photo and video registration cameras, and other stationary speed control systems. The power supply of the +12 V. combi device with negative grounding is carried out through the supplied cable inserted into the “cigarette lighter”. In their reviews of the “Inspector” RD X3 TAU radar detectors, users mention the lack of a cable in the configuration that allows you to conduct power wiring directly from the vehicle's on-board network.
Inspector Marlin Combo
The user interface of the Inspector Marlin model of the radar detector includes control of both the radar detector and the DVR. All the information necessary for the driver is displayed on the device’s common screen with a diagonal of 2.4 inches and a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.
The radar detector of the combined device receives, converts, and digitally processes radar signals in all ranges used, including laser. An updated database of GPS coordinates allows you to determine the proximity to all stationary complexes of speed control, including dummies “ARROW” and low-power radars, with the issuance of visual and audio messages. The irradiating radar signal is received by a horn antenna located in the housing in a horizontal plane.
To reduce the number of false alarms of the detector, the level of its sensitivity can be reduced depending on the environment and speed. The “Track” mode corresponds to the maximum value, where a large detection distance for irradiating radars is required. In large settlements, the “City” modes are used (1, 2). Timely alarms are activated for (500-800) meters in urban conditions and for 1,300 meters when driving along the highway (depending on the terrain and weather conditions).
The hardware and software of the “Inspector Marlin” radar detector allows the driver to independently record points of interest to the device’s memory with the coordinates determined by GPS. This possibility is provided when the car is moving and is confidently “capturing” at least 4 working satellites by pressing the REC button on the control panel. Pressing the button and holding it (until the sound signal appears) is made at the moment of passage of the point of interest.
The DVR function allows the device to record continuously in Full HD format. Recording is made on a microSD memory card. The recorder supports memory cards with a capacity of (16–32) GB with a recording class of 6–10 for organizing continuous recording. Video is recorded in a resolution of 1 920 x 1,080 pixels. Quality is ensured by a powerful electronic “filling” and a camera with a viewing angle of 130 °. Synchronous recording of sound conditions in the cabin is provided by a built-in microphone.
Database update
On the official website of the South Korean manufacturer Inspector, the GPS coordinate base is updated monthly. How to update the “Inspector” radar detector? To do this, you first need to accurately determine the software version (SW) of the device used.
On the site page you need to select the "Software Update" section, in which for the selected SW a new database is downloaded and saved on the computer.
When the power is turned off, the microSD card is removed from the slot and placed in the USB card reader supplied with the device. After that, the card is formatted on the computer, in which the data stored on it is destroyed. From a new database saved on the computer, a file with the extension .bin is copied to microSD. Now the memory card can be inserted into the “Inspector” slot and the update is confirmed.
User reviews
Familiarity with the reviews about the “Inspector” RD X3 radar detectors shows that users who have been operating products of this manufacturer for a long time do not find obvious shortcomings in them. It was noted that the joint display of the DVR image and the parameters of the radar signal detector allows the driver to fix dangerous situations on the road in time and minimize the risks of speeding.
Conclusion
It should be noted that the purpose of this article is not a detailed guide to using a particular model. A general acquaintance with the principles of the “Inspector” radar detectors and some basic functions of combo devices from this manufacturer are given. After reading the material, the reader will be able to make an informed choice when buying and pay attention to those product parameters that guarantee him a comfortable and safe driving.