How Does a Speed Radar Detector Work?
A speed radar detector is a specialized electronic gadget used by certain motorists to detect whether law enforcement or police are monitoring their speed using a radar gun. The radar detector allows the drivers to reduce their speed, and avoid getting a ticket for over speeding. The development of radar detectors proves that law bending has become prevalent and widely accepted. Introduced in the 70s, radar detectors have gained popularity, and become a must–have accessory for most speed junkies.
Certain countries have outlawed the processing or use of radar detectors or jammers. Drivers caught using such devices face traffic ticket violations and fines, seizure of the gadgets, or both. The premise for prohibition is that a driver who uses the device is more likely to over speed, thus posing a greater risk to other motorists and pedestrians, than a driver who does not use the device. However, a 2001 research conducted by Ipsos MORI, a market research organization based in the UK, suggested that users of the radar detector posed a 28 percent lower possibility of accident.
How a Speed Radar Detector Works
The first step in understanding how a radar detector works is by knowing what exactly the device detects, i.e., radar. The basic speed gun used by law enforcement is a combination of a radio receiver and transmitter in one unit. The transmitter fluctuates an electrical current upwards and downwards at a certain frequency, generating electromagnetic energy that travels through the air as a wave. It also has an amplifier that enhances the intensity of the energy, as well as an antenna that broadcasts the energy into the air. On the other hand, the receiver performs the opposite, by picking up electromagnetic waves using the antenna, and converting them into an electrical current.
Radar uses radio waves to detect and monitor objects, and give an indication of how far away an object is, by emitting a concentrated wave and listening for the echo. Radio waves move through the air at the speed of light; therefore, a radar device can calculate how far an object is, based on the duration it takes for the signal to return.
When it comes to measuring speed, radar technology uses the Doppler shift. Radio waves have a certain frequency, just like sound waves. When the car and the radar gun are both still, the original signal and the echo have the same frequency, with each section of the reflected signal mirroring the original signal; however, when the car is moving, the signal frequency changes, thus, the reflected signal creates different wave patterns, based on the direction and speed the car is travelling.
The radar gun can calculate the velocity of a car that is moving away from it or towards it, based on the frequency changes. Sometimes, police use a radar gun while inside a moving police car. In this case, the speed of the police car must factor in the calculation. For example, if the gun detects that the other car is moving away at 30 miles an hour and the police car is moving at 50 miles an hour, then the target must be moving at 80 miles an hour.
A speed radar detector is able to detect a radar gun based on the radio waves it emits. In simple terms, a radar detector acts as a radio receiver, and picks up specific radar device frequencies. Since police radar guns cast a wide radio wave net while tracking a single target, other motorists with radio detectors in their cars can detect radar radio waves before they come within range of the police car.
Law enforcement has added new detectors that use light instead of radio waves to try to stay a step ahead of people who use radar detectors. Unfortunately, certain types of detectors are able to detect the presence of laser speed guns; in fact, the more advanced radar detectors can even throw off the readings that a radar gun receives.
Kifaa cha Kupima Kasi cha Radar Hufanyaje Kazi? Radar ya kasi ni kifaa cha kipekee cha elektroniki kinachotumiwa na madereva fulani kugundua kama polisi au polisi wanafuatilia kasi yao kwa kutumia bunduki ya rada. Detector ya rada inaruhusu madereva kupunguza kasi yao, na kuepuka kupata tiketi kwa ajili ya kupita kasi. Maendeleo ya vifaa vya kugundua radari yanathibitisha kwamba kupotosha sheria kumekuwa jambo la kawaida na linalokubaliwa sana. Radar detector ni kifaa cha kugundua kasi cha kasi cha kasi cha kasi cha kasi cha kasi cha kasi cha kasi. Nchi fulani zimepiga marufuku utengenezaji au matumizi ya vifaa vya kugundua radari au vya kuharibu. Madereva wanaokamatwa wakitumia vifaa hivyo wanakabiliwa na makosa ya tiketi za barabarani na faini, kukamatwa kwa vifaa hivyo, au vyote viwili. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""dereva anayetumia kifaa hicho ana uwezekano mkubwa wa kuendesha kwa kasi kupita kiasi, na hivyo kuanzisha hatari kubwa kwa madereva wengine na watembea kwa miguu, kuliko dereva ambaye hatumii kifaa hicho.""" Utafiti uliofanywa na Ipsos Mori, shirika la utafiti wa soko la Uingereza, ulionyesha kuwa watumiaji wa vifaa vya kugundua radari walikuwa na uwezekano wa kuanguka kwa asilimia 28. Jinsi Radar Detector ya Kasi Inavyofanya Kazi Hatua ya kwanza katika kuelewa jinsi detector ya radar inafanya kazi ni kwa kujua nini hasa kifaa hicho kinagundua, yaani, radar. Bunduki ya kasi ya msingi inayotumiwa na kutekeleza sheria ni mchanganyiko wa mpokeaji wa redio na mtangazaji katika kitengo kimoja. Kipeperushi hicho hutumia umeme wa umeme kwenda juu na chini kwa mzunguko fulani, na hivyo kutokeza nishati ya sumaku-umeme ambayo husafiri hewani kama wimbi. Pia ina kipanuaji ambacho huongeza nguvu ya nishati, na pia antena ambayo hutangaza nishati hiyo hewani. Kwa upande mwingine, kipokezi hufanya kinyume, kwa kuchukua mawimbi ya umeme kwa kutumia antena, na kugeuza kuwa mkondo wa umeme. Radar hutumia mawimbi ya redio kugundua na kufuatilia vitu, na kutoa dalili ya jinsi mbali kitu ni, kwa kutoa wimbi mkali na kusikiliza kwa echo. Mawimbi ya redio husafiri hewani kwa kasi ya mwanga, na kwa hivyo, kifaa cha rada kinaweza kuhesabu umbali wa kitu kulingana na muda unaochukuliwa kwa ishara kurudi. Inapohusu kupima mwendo, teknolojia ya rada hutumia mabadiliko ya Doppler. Mawimbi ya redio yana mzunguko fulani, kama vile mawimbi ya sauti. Wakati gari na bunduki ya rada zote mbili ziko, ishara ya awali na echo zina mzunguko sawa, na kila sehemu ya ishara iliyoonyeshwa inaonyesha ishara ya awali; hata hivyo, wakati gari linakwenda, mzunguko wa ishara hubadilika, na hivyo ishara iliyoonyeshwa huunda mifumo tofauti ya wimbi kulingana na mwelekeo na kasi ya gari. Radar inaweza kuhesabu mwendo wa gari linaloelekea au kutoka kwa gari, kulingana na mabadiliko ya mzunguko. Nyakati nyingine, polisi hutumia bunduki ya rada wakiwa ndani ya gari la polisi linaloenda. Katika kisa hiki, mwendo wa gari la polisi lazima ufikishwe katika hesabu. "Kwa mfano, kama bunduki inagundua kwamba gari la mwingine linaenda kwa mwendo wa kilomita 30 kwa saa na gari la polisi linaenda kwa mwendo wa kilomita 50 kwa saa, basi lengo lazima liende kwa mwendo wa kilomita 80 kwa saa.""" Kifaa cha kugundua mwendo wa gari kwa kutumia rada kinaweza kugundua bunduki ya rada kwa kutegemea mawimbi ya redio inayotokezwa na bunduki hiyo. Kwa maneno sahili, detector ya rada hufanya kazi kama mpokeaji wa redio, na huchukua masafa maalum ya kifaa cha rada. Kwa kuwa bunduki za radari za polisi hutumia mawimbi ya redio kwa upana wakati wa kufuatilia shabaha moja, madereva wengine wenye vifaa vya kugundua mawimbi ya redio katika magari yao wanaweza kugundua mawimbi ya redio ya radari kabla ya kuingia ndani ya umbali wa gari la polisi. Polisi wametumia vifaa vya kugundua mawimbi ya redio badala ya mwanga ili kuwapitia watu wanaotumia vifaa vya kugundua mawimbi ya rada. Kwa bahati mbaya, aina fulani za detectors ni uwezo wa kugundua uwepo wa bunduki laser kasi; kwa kweli, zaidi ya juu radar detectors inaweza hata kutupa mbali masomo kwamba bunduki radar anapokea.