The purpose of a radar detector is to detect the invisible radar waves in the air that are used to get a speed measurement of your vehicle. When a radar detector encounters the invisible radar waves, it will give you an audio and visual alert so you can decide what to do with that information (for example, you can slow down!). Used properly, a radar detector can be a very powerful tool for not only preventing speeding tickets, but for being aware of other radar-emitting hazards on the road ahead such as construction zones, law-enforcement officers, and EMTs rendering aid to other motorists.
Radenso Radar Detectors Overview
Radenso DS1
Our new Radenso DS1 is filled with features you would expect in a premium radar detector, plus some no other radar detector can boast. GPS, auto lockouts, Bluetooth, USB-C, a color OLED display, magnetic mount, audio jack, stealth to radar detector detectors, and unmatched customization are just the start.
Radenso DS1 Long Range Stealth Radar Detector with Bluetooth & GPS Auto Lockouts
Every Radenso radar detector includes a manufacturer 1 year radar ticket free guarantee!
Radenso PRO-M
The Radenso Pro M is the detector for drivers who demand every last ounce of performance. If you don’t want to deal with the cost and effort of a custom installed detection system, but demand the best from a portable radar detector, look no further.
Every Radenso radar detector includes a manufacturer 1 year radar ticket free guarantee
Big Jeff Audio Pro-M Unboxing
Radenso XP
The Radenso XP is an unmatched value for a GPS radar detector. Best in-class sensitivity delivers radar alerts up to several miles away, while incredible blind spot monitor (BSM) filtering prevents false alerts.
Radenso XP Radar Detector w/ False Alert Filtering, Long Range & GPS Lockouts
Every Radenso radar detector includes a manufacturer 1 year radar ticket free guarantee!
Radenso FAQ
What is a radar detector?▼ Do you enjoy driving? Do you hate getting unfair speeding tickets? If so, a radar detector is a device that can maximize your enjoyment of your car while increasing your awareness when you drive!
The purpose of a radar detector is to detect the invisible radar waves in the air that are used to get a speed measurement of your vehicle. When a radar detector encounters the invisible radar waves, it will give you an audio and visual alert so you can decide what to do with that information (for example, you can slow down!). Used properly, a radar detector can be a very powerful tool for not only preventing speeding tickets, but for being aware of other radar-emitting hazards on the road ahead such as construction zones, law-enforcement officers, and EMTs rendering aid to other motorists.
How do radar detectors work?▼ While the concept of radar detection might sound high-tech, in reality radar detectors work based on a very simple concept. One helpful analogy is to picture a friend jumping into a pool at the opposite end of where you are swimming – when your friend contacts the water, he or she causes waves that continue to expand as they travel away from the point of contact. Even if you were blindfolded and had earplugs in, as long as you were in the pool you would sense those waves from your friend as they crashed against your body. Those waves would tell you that someone jumped into the pool. Radar detectors work in the same way. When a police officer shoots a radar gun, the gun causes invisible waves to be emitted (just like your friend jumping in the pool caused waves of water). When you are driving a few miles down the road with a radar detector, the antenna inside your detector will sense those waves hitting the antenna (just like the waves of water hitting you at the other end of the pool). This is how the radar detector knows that there is a radar-emitting source (like a police officer) up ahead. The better the design of the antenna and hardware in the radar detector, the further in advance the driver is warned of the threat up ahead.
Types of Radar Detectors▼ While there are many different models of radar detectors on the market, they can generally be divided into two categories – dash or window mount radar detectors, and custom-installed or remote radar detectors. Window mount detectors are just what they sound like – small electronic devices that fit in the palm of your hand that are attached to a windshield with suction cups. There are several benefits to this form factor, including the ability to easily and quickly transfer the detector from one car to another. This comes in handy when traveling as well – you can easily take a window mounted detector with you on an airplane, or use it in a rental car. Almost all manufacturers offer several accessories specifically designed for window mount detectors, including a direct wire kit (hides the power cord), visor mount clip, and extra suction cup mounts.
Custom installed or hidden radar detectors function similarly to dash mount radar detectors, but are a very different formfactor. While a dash mount detector has the antenna, control circuitry, display, and speakers all built into a single physical unit, a custom-installed detector typically has them separated into several different modules. This allows the modules to be hidden and integrated into the vehicle OEM-style. Usually, the antenna modules will be hidden behind the front and rear bumpers, while the display can be flush-mounted into an area of the car interior for easy access.
What are the differences between Ka, K, and X Bands?▼ So, you bought a radar detector – great! You’ve taken the first step towards more driving enjoyment and freedom. You’ve been driving with it for a while now, and maybe it’s even saved you a few times. But let’s be honest – radar detectors have traditionally not been the most user-friendly devices.
Nowadays, radar detectors have numerous settings to keep up with modern law enforcement technologies – and our Radenso detectors have over two hundred different voice alerts! We know that can seem like a lot to learn, but fear not – there are only a few critical alerts you really need to be familiar with, and they are probably the ones you have already heard several times.
When approaching a radar source, your radar detector will give you a voice alert that says one of three things: “X band,” “K band,” or “KA band.” Then, it will follow with a series of beeps that change in intensity to match the signal level of the threat. When you hear these alerts, it is generally best practice to slow down and visually scan for a law enforcement officer. But what do these alerts really mean?
What exactly is a radar wave?▼ To understand the difference between radar bands, we first have to understand what a radar wave is. Simply put, a radar wave is simply a form of electromagnetic radiation in between a certain set of frequencies. You can think of radar waves just like any other type of radio waves – for example, when you tune in to your favorite radio station, you are tuning in to a specific frequency.
When you think of tuning into FM radio, you have many different stations that operate on many different frequencies while still being considered “FM.” Maybe your favorite station is 91.7, or maybe it’s 101.5 – either way, you are still listening to FM radio. If you tune your radio too low or too high, you won’t pick up any music – you have to have your radio looking for the right frequency.
Radar works the same way, just with waves that operate on a different frequency than AM or FM radio. In a very real way, your radar detector is basically a fancy radio receiver that is looking for the specific “frequencies” or “stations” that police radar operates on.
To use a simple analogy, X, K, and KA bands are essentially like the names of three of your favorite radio stations. They are names for the frequencies that police radar (and sometimes false alerts) operate on. Since we know that police radar uses these frequencies, your radar detector is always tuned into them and listening for signal. If it picks something up, it will notify you so you can slow down with plenty of warning distance.
What is X band?▼ X band radar is defined as radar waves that fall between 8.0ghz and 12ghz, but law enforcement X band radar guns operate universally on 10.5ghz. This is the oldest type of licensed police radar frequency, and is not widely used anymore. It does still exist, so we don’t recommend turning off X band in your settings – it is mostly found in rural areas, or in areas where police departments did not have adequate funding to upgrade to more modern radar guns.
The main advantage of X band over K and KA band is that it is affected less by poor weather conditions. However, this advantage is outweighed by several significant cons. X band radar guns require a larger antenna, X band is easy for radar detectors to pick up at long distance, and most of the X band radar guns that are still in service are bulky and frustrating to use. False alerts on X band do exist, but they are rare compared to K band false alerts. Check out the Radenso Pro M Radar Detector, with advanced Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) false alert filtering!
What is K band?▼ K band radar is the chunk of radar frequency that stretches from 18ghz-27ghz. Luckily for us, police K band radar operates strictly at 24.125 and 24.15ghz. In the law enforcement world, K band radar began to be adopted a couple decades ago as a higher-performance alternative to X band radar.
Since it operates on a higher frequency and with lower power output, K band radar is harder to detect at long distance than X band. This gives radar detector users less time to react (though modern radar detectors have largely neutralized this advantage).
One thing to keep in mind about K band is that many non-law enforcement radar sources operate in this frequency range, including automatic door openers and some blind spot monitoring systems on vehicles. This has given K band radar a reputation for a high percentage of false alerts – sometimes, other companies even recommend disabling K band entirely to reduce these annoying false positives. This is not a good idea in most cases, as K band radar is extremely widespread throughout the USA.
The increasing level of K band false alerts is why it is so important to select a radar detector that has superior false alert filtering – otherwise, you will not be able to reliably trust K band alerts from your detector!
What is Ka band?▼ First introduced in 1983, Ka band radar is the “latest and greatest” law enforcement radar that is currently allowed to be used (all police radar is regulated by the FCC). Ka band is comprised of radar waves between 33.4 and 36.0ghz. Unfortunately for radar detector users, Ka band is slightly more complex than X and K bands. While X and K band police radar guns operate on just one or two frequencies, KA band guns operate on as many as five.
With a narrower beam pattern and lower power output than X and K band, Ka band is the most difficult type of radar to detect at long distance. The ability to reliably detect low-powered Ka band is why purchasing a detector with class-leading range is so important. With Ka band, even the best detectors might only deliver .75 to 1 mile of range in difficult terrain – cheaper or older detectors may not possess enough sensitivity to save the driver.
With very few exceptions, if your detector alerts you of Ka band you can be sure there is legitimate threat ahead or behind you. Due to the fact that not many non-law enforcement radar sources operate in this band, Ka band typically has very minimal false alerts.
While Ka band was a nasty threat when first introduced (and remains the most dangerous type of police radar for the radar detector user), if you select a modern top-flight radar detector platform, you can ensure yourself more than adequate protection against even the sneakiest officers and best Ka band radar guns.
Top 3 Reasons your Radar Detector didn't Alert you▼
6 Common Radar Detector Mistakes▼
Radenso
Radenso's XP radar/laser detector with GPS keeps you abreast of incoming threats with speed, accuracy, and loads of useful information, without the false alarms that can diminish your driving experience. It also includes a preloaded camera database so it can warn you of upcoming enforcement areas. And if you like to keep things stealthy, Radenso's got you covered as well. Best of all, its value-oriented price lets you enjoy a wealth of features at a price that's very competitive with comparable detecto
