Radar Detector
ELENA84
I'm just trying to get opinions on where to mount a radar detector on my 98
Grand Cherokee. Also,does it make sense to wire it in instead of using the
cigarette plug adapter? I'd hate to have a wire hanging down my dashboard.
Thanks,
Elena
Fred Redell
over those rocks?
Fred
83 CJ-7
Slow and wavin'
TXJEEPER
wondering.
ELENA84 wrote in message <19990502191742...@ng-ci1.aol.com>...
TWaldron
>wondering.
Yes, it's over there.
Remove "SPAM" from my email address to reply.
Pennhaven
>
> Hi:
> I'm just trying to get opinions on where to mount a radar detector on my 98
> Grand Cherokee. Also,does it make sense to wire it in instead of using the
> cigarette plug adapter? I'd hate to have a wire hanging down my dashboard.
>
> Thanks,
> Elena
Elena,
Best place is high on the windshield, and close to center. The higher it
is the further the detector can "see", also it will be less visible from
the outside of the vehicle if it is behind the tint band at the top of
the windshield. Mounting it near the center of the windshield prevents
interference with sun visor operation.
Yes it makes sense to "hard wire" the detector power cord, as this
eliminates the messy (and very obvious) power cord from the lighter
socket to the detector.
If you have the electronically dimmed rear view mirror option, as most
do, you can tap into the power leads for the mirror. This is very
straight forward and offers the benefit of a short, discrete power lead
to the detector, when mounted as per above. I posted a couple of
articles to this NG on doing this with a WJ ('99 GC) a while back. I
don't know how similar the wiring for the '98 GC is to the new vehicle,
so those instructions may not apply for your Jeep.
I also did this with a '93GC (ZJ) which more likely has the same wiring
as your '98. However I no longer recall the specifics on which wires to
use. Anyone who knows something about electrical circuits and vehicle
wiring should be able to figure this out for you though.
-- John
Pennhaven
>
> I also did this with a '93GC (ZJ) which more likely has the same wiring
> as your '98. However I no longer recall the specifics on which wires to
> use. Anyone who knows something about electrical circuits and vehicle
> wiring should be able to figure this out for you though.
>
intend to make any sexist implications, such as that you wouldn't know
anything about circuits and wiring. :^)
I'm trying, but old habits die hard.
--John
TWaldron
>is the further the detector can "see", also it will be less visible from
>the outside of the vehicle if it is behind the tint band at the top of
>the windshield.
Careful here, the tint band is said to lessen the sensitivity of the radar
detector.
Jerry E Anderson
---------------------------------------------------
ELENA84 <ele...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990502191742...@ng-ci1.aol.com...
Chris Thuemmel
I wired my detector into the wiring on the roof since I don't have power to
my mirror. I re-wired my dome light to be on all the time.... then added a
new switch up on the roof to turn it on and off so that there is always
power to my radar detector.
All you really need it to have a clue as to what you are doinf, and use a
volt meter to make sure that you connect the right wires.
BTW.... Mine was a 94 JGC
--
_________________________________________________________
To reply to my E-mail remove the X from the beginning of m e-mail address
AOL Instant Messanger = ThueChris
ICQ# = 30209490
_________________________________________________________
Pursuant to US Code, Title 47, Chapter 5, Subchapter II, '227, any and all
unsolicited commercial E-mail sent to this address
is subject to a download and archival fee in the amount of $500
US funds. E-mailing this address denotes acceptance of these terms
Jerry E Anderson <2ANDE...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
<7gkq7c$3gfm$1...@newssvr03-int.news.prodigy.com>...
little...@my-dejanews.com
Pennhaven <penn...@ameritech.net> wrote:
> ELENA84 wrote:
> >
> > Hi:
> > I'm just trying to get opinions on where to mount a radar detector on
my 98
> > Grand Cherokee. Also,does it make sense to wire it in instead of using the
> > cigarette plug adapter? I'd hate to have a wire hanging down my dashboard.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Elena
>
>
> Best place is high on the windshield, and close to center. The higher it
> is the further the detector can "see", also it will be less visible from
> the outside of the vehicle if it is behind the tint band at the top of
> interference with sun visor operation.
Alas for me and other Minnesota dwellers, it is illegal to stick a radar
detector to the windshield. Remember this when you are driving through
Minnesota, and happen upon a particularly anal cop.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Pennhaven
>
> > The higher it
> >is the further the detector can "see", also it will be less visible from
> >the outside of the vehicle if it is behind the tint band at the top of
> >the windshield.
>
> detector.
I've seen test reports that indicate "some" windshield tints (only those
with metallic content) interfere with radar detector peformance. My
experience with the Grand Cherokee is that the detector works just fine
behind the tint band. Logically you might also expect some decrease in
LASER detection capability if the tint absorbs light energy of the
LASER's frequency. Haven't seen this documented though, and again mine
seems to work fine, but I haven't performed any tests to prove that it's
not degraded to some extent.
Bottom line, based on my personal experience, I'll stand by my advice to
Elena.
YMMV
-- John
Pennhaven
> Alas for me and other Minnesota dwellers, it is illegal to stick a radar
> detector to the windshield. Remember this when you are driving through
> Minnesota, and happen upon a particularly anal cop.
Well get Jesse the Governor on the case! Infringement of citizens
rights! Live free or die! (Whoops that's another state ;^)
Seriously thanks for the post, this info may come in handy some day when
heading thru on I-94.
--
John
EMJp
When car and driver tested the cordless detectors compared to their
car-powered conterparts they found that they were significantly less effective
than standard ones. And they're more expensive, to boot!
They performed the same test several times over, driving toward a fixed-mount
radar gun at the same speed, same vehicle, same position on the window. The
battery powered ones went off, sure, but they're much less sensitve due to the
fact that they had circuts to minimize current draw in their recievers.
Essentially, they made them less sensitive to maximize battery life. The
corded versions suck about twice the current of cordless ones.
Sure, they work. they'll go off. Eventually. but that space between when the
more sensitive ones and the battery powered one finally sees the radar could
mean the difference between a ticket and slowing down in time.
Elena, see if you can find the comarison in an old car/driver at the library
it was in late '98 I believe. I think it mentioned it on the cover, so look
for that. BTW: the valentine-1 is by far the best radar detector made. They
not only tell you which direction the radar is in, but how many sources there
are. Assuming you can afford the rather hefty price tag, that is. I borrow my
fathers from time to time, and it kicks some serious butt.
EMJp
Tom
Tom
EMJp <ecm...@memphis.edu> wrote in message
news:373091F2...@memphis.edu...
Jerry Bransford
usually not that important. What's important is if there are cars in
front of you in a radar zone. If there are, then your radar detector
will pick up the radar pulses being used to clock the cars in front of
you in time for you to react.
If there are no cars in front of you, then the detector will usually
only detect it at exactly the same time your speed was clocked. They no
longer sit with the radar running continuously, at least most units
don't operate that way any more. They wait until you're in their sights
and then "pull the trigger" for an instantaneous reading. So if I'm
traveling alone with no cars in front of me, I'll be extra cautious with
my speed since he'll get me well before I can react to a radar
detector... even the very best radar detector.
One more thought... laser detectors combined with radar detectors are
often totally useless. The laser beam is very narrow, as opposed to a
radar beam. So unless the laser beam accidentally hits your laser
detector mounted high on the windshield, then you're toast... since the
laser beam is normally aimed at the hood area and isn't wide enough to
reach the windshield area.
Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL KC6TAY C.A.P.
The Zen Hotdog... make me one with everything!
Shaw - John G.
pay your ticket if you get one. They allegedly emit RF that "jams" the
officers radar gun.
john
95 YJ 2.5
Jerry Bransford (jer...@home.com) wrote:
: The maximum distance a radar detector can be away from the radar gun is
--
Jerry Bransford
jammers that are for sale are strictly passive. That is, they simply
attempt to reflect the signal back in such a way that the originating
radar gun is confused. The present "jammers", according to many recent
tests, were completely and totally ineffective. A good idea, but
because by law they must be passive devices, they don't work.
Jerry
John Garrison
Jerry Bransford <jer...@home.com> wrote in message
news:3731DB85...@home.com...
> Nothing that actually transmits a signal is legal for sale, so the
> jammers that are for sale are strictly passive. That is, they simply
> attempt to reflect the signal back in such a way that the originating
> radar gun is confused. The present "jammers", according to many recent
> tests, were completely and totally ineffective. A good idea, but
> because by law they must be passive devices, they don't work.
>
Car and Driver et als. have tested and them several times and found them
well....lacking
t_d_cody
Jerry Bransford wrote:
> One more thought... laser detectors combined with radar detectors are
> often totally useless. The laser beam is very narrow, as opposed to a
> radar beam. So unless the laser beam accidentally hits your laser
> detector mounted high on the windshield, then you're toast... since the
> laser beam is normally aimed at the hood area and isn't wide enough to
> reach the windshield area.
Not true...my radar/laser detector regularly detects laser pulses aimed at
cars ahead of me. The difficulty in escaping laser is that it can only be
detected in time if someone in front of you gets clocked. It's much faster
than radar, so if you pick up the pulse that's tracking you, it's usually
too late.
I suspect that either cops are still using "continuously on" radar as
well, or that a pulse radar gun emits some kind of background noise even
when not being pulsed, because I often pick up traps ahead of me when I am
traveling alone on the road.
Dave Geiger