Buy Radar Detectors

Radar detectors and CB radios have been used together for decades as a more complete countermeasure to traffic and speed enforcement on the road. Before radar detectors were outlawed on commercial vehicles, truckers relied on both devices extensively during hauls, and in those days it was indeed rare to sit in the cab of a typical rig and find one without the other.

These days such a radar detector and CB radio combo is more important than ever. Technologies such as aerial surveillance, VASCAR and mobile speed cameras are becoming more frequently used, and these methods of traffic enforcement are making it more difficult, if not impossible, to rely on the typical radar detector alone to alert drivers to their presence. in such situations, your best (and sometimes only) defense is the ability to instantly obtain or communicate warnings and alerts with other drivers around you.

Commercial truck drivers may no longer have a radar or laser detector on their dash, and they must rely on radio contact with fellow drivers and their own instincts for alerts. However, the typical non-commercial vehicle can have both, giving the drivers of these vehicles an important advantage.

There is no doubt having both a radar detector and CB radio in your vehicle can keep you informed of the latest threats on the road. But some radar detectors seem to perform better than others. Is this also true of CB radios? If so, which ones work the best together? Is there a winning combination, or does it really matter?

There is no argument that some radar detectors perform better than others, and some have specific features that some drivers want or need more than others. The same is true with CB radios. Some lower end radios have basic features and functions, while higher-end models offer additional capabilities such as Bluetooth™ connectivity and NOAA weather channels, which can keep you informed of emergency weather conditions when you are on the open road. The type of antenna used with the radio can also make a difference. In addition, CB radios come in many different sizes and styles. Matching the right radar detector to the right CB radio is a personal choice. It depends on your budget, your needs, and your personal taste.

To help you find the best of both, Buy Radar Detectors created this handy chart with many possible combinations. Simply choose a radar detector on the left and a CB radio on the right and you are bound to find the perfect match made just for you.

	Radar Detector	- Match a radar detector with a CB radio -		CB Radio
	Beltronics Pro 100			Cobra 19DX IV
	Beltronics Pro 200			Cobra HH 38 WX ST
	Beltronics Pro 300			Cobra 18WX STII
	Beltronics Pro 500			Cobra HH-Roadtrip
	Beltronics STi Magnum			Cobra 25 LTD Classic
	Beltronics STiR Plus			Cobra 75 WX ST
	Cobra XRS 9370			Cobra 25 LX LCD SE
	Escort Passport 8500 X50 (Red Display)			Cobra 29-LTD-CHR Chrome SE
	Escort Passport 8500 X50 (Blue Display)			Cobra 29-LX-CHR-LE Chrome SE
	Escort Solo S3 Cordless			Cobra 29 LX LCD
	Escort Passport 9500ix			Cobra 148 GTL SSB
	Escort Passport iQ			Cobra 29 LX BT LCD With Bluetooth
	Escort Passport Redline			Cobra 29-LTD-BT With Bluetooth
	Escort Passport Max			Cobra 29 WX NW ST
	Escort Passport 8500ci			Galaxy DX 929
	Escort Passport 8500ci Plus			Galaxy DX 949 SSB
	Valentine One			Galaxy DX 959 SSB
	Whistler CR65			Uniden PRO510XL
	Whistler CR70			Uniden PRO520XL
	Whistler CR75			Uniden Bearcat PC687
	Whistler CR80			Uniden PC68LTW
	Whistler CR85			Uniden Bearcat 680
	Whistler CR90 w/GPS Alerts			Uniden Bearcat PC787
	Whistler Cruisader			Uniden Bearcat 880
	Whistler Pro 3600 Remote			Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB

The use of VASCAR in speed enforcement is nothing new, but still popular, presumably due to the increasing number of vehicles equipped with radar and laser detectors. Since VASCAR is based on visual observation and does not incorporate the use of radar or laser guns, it cannot be detected with a radar detector. The use of additional detection enhancement technologies such as Escort Live! and other national "real-time" traffic threat databases may help alert drivers to possible VASCAR zones proactively in some situations, but if VASCAR is used in a mobile scenario, even those "detection" methods likely won't work. VASCAR is, in effect, undetectable.

How do you defeat VASCAR? Simply put, you can't. However, if you know its limitations, and with the help of fellow travelers, you can defend yourself against it.

Before you try to defend against a VASCAR threat, you need to know what VASCAR is and how it works. To simplify the system, markers are placed on or near the road at a measured distance apart. When a vehicle passes the first marker, the officer starts a timer. When the vehicle passes the last marker, the officer stops the timer. The time it took for the vehicle to pass the distance between the markers is calculated to determine its average speed.

There are some definite advantages that make VASCAR an attractive option for speed enforcement agencies. Unlike measures such as radar and laser, VASCAR allows officers to stay some distance from the road or even above it, providing more concealment, thus ensuring an element of undetected surveillance and surprise.

However, there are also considerable disadvantages to VASCAR. Whether on the ground or in the air, VASCAR relies on favorable conditions for sighting the target vehicle, which means that, although it can be used at night, it isn't practical for use under inclement weather conditions that can severely limit visibility, such as heavy rain or fog. In addition, an accurate measurement largely depends on the visual acuity and motor skills of the individual officer operating the VASCAR device and "clocking" each vehicle. If the reaction time of the officer is inconsistent when the vehicle passes each marker, the calculated speed of the vehicle can be inaccurate.

Also, the officer must observe the vehicle as it traverses the distance between the markers. This means only a single vehicle is clocked at a time. If traffic is very heavy or other vehicles are obscuring the view of the target vehicle, the accuracy of visual observation is affected. While these disadvantages may not necessarily prevent a ticket, they may make it easier to contest it, if the driver understands them and can prove one or more of those conditions existed at the time he or she was "clocked".

Beating a VASCAR ticket isn't guaranteed, of course, and your chances will depend a lot on the circumstances and how prepared you are to fight it. However, you can still utilize countermeasures that can minimize your chances of getting one in the first place. When it comes to VASCAR, your best countermeasure is your own sensory perception. More specifically, it is your ability to pick up visual cues and to listen and communicate with the other drivers around you.

• Watch for signs that VASCAR may be in use. Yes, we're talking about literal signs. Some jurisdictions actually post signs warning motorists that speed is checked by VASCAR. If it is a nice, clear day and you pass a sign warning you that speed is monitored by aircraft, don't assume it's a fake. Some states actually rely on aircraft surveillance a lot. Take the hint, and drive with caution.
• Watch for anything that could serve as a VASCAR marker. Sometimes various roadside items are used as markers such as reflectors, bridges, and light posts, but more often you will encounter sections of road with lines, boxes or other markings painted on the road or near the edges of it. These are obvious signs, as Rod Serling could have said, that you are about to enter The VASCAR Zone (he probably never said it, but he could have).
• Watch for other vehicles pacing you. Don't be paranoid about it, but if you're being followed and the other driver seems to be checking your speed, it could be an unmarked patrol car clocking you.
• Drop your speed before you hit the markers. VASCAR results are based on your average speed calculated between the markers, not your highest or lowest speed reached while in the Zone. Once you pass the first marker, it's too late.
• Look up. Don't take you're eyes off the road unnecessarily, of course, but when you are scanning the road and the traffic around you (presumably while also watching the road ahead), don't forget to check above, as well. You won't always hear a plane or chopper when you are inside your vehicle, especially with the windows up, so a visual check may be necessary. If you see one, it could be from the local radio station doing their traffic reports. Then again, maybe not. Just saying.
• Consider adding Escort Live! to your detection system. It isn't a full countermeasure against VASCAR, but in some situations it can help alert you to areas where VASCAR may be in use, and the possibility of a warning is better than no warning at all.
• Add a CB radio to your radar and laser detection system. When it comes to staying alert to possible threats of any kind, communication is key. The ability to listen to chatter from other drivers and communicate with them can keep you "in the loop" on traffic conditions and traffic enforcement threats, especially those beyond your immediate view. In other words, "heads up" warnings and alerts from other drivers have long been a reliable and important countermeasure against traffic enforcement threats, and when it comes to an undetectable system such as VASCAR, it may be the only one that keeps you from getting nailed. No, not every other driver has a CB radio, but millions do, and your chances of getting a VASCAR alert over your CB radio are a lot better if you have one - a radio, that is. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and they are legal to own and operate. It is a small investment for something that may help when your radar detector or other detection tools won't.
• Keep your CB radio on and listen to truckers. No one knows the roads like a trucker. They aren't perfect, but they sit a lot higher on the highway than most of the rest of us do, and from their vantage point they can often see things the rest of us can't. They may be able to catch a glimpse of the trooper on top of an approaching overpass or that VASCAR plane over your head when you can't. And since they can't legally have radar detectors in their rigs, they tend to keep each other up to speed on possible threats, and chances are they are watching for things you aren't. Keep your CB radio on, listen in and pay attention to alerts. When you are on the lookout for VASCAR and other hidden threats, a trucker can be your best friend.

VASCAR may be undetectable to your radar detector, and you may not be able to completely defeat it, but there are ways to minimize the threat of a ticket. Read the signs, watch for markers, pay attention to what is happening on the road around you and expand your detection system with additional tools such as Escort Live! and a CB radio to share alerts and communicate with other drivers. These are all countermeasures that, when utilized collectively, can help you get through The VASCAR Zone unscathed. However, there is no one detection device that will do it all for you. When you enter the VASCAR Zone, the best countermeasure is you.

Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder or VASCAR is a type of system used to determine the speed of a moving vehicle. Developed in the mid-1960's, VASCAR has been used by many traffic enforcement agencies as an alternative to radar and laser guns to avoid detection by radar detectors and catch speeders.

The concept of VASCAR is relatively simple. Visual markers are placed on or near a roadway and spaced a specific distance apart from one another. Using a computer and/or stopwatch, an officer "clocks" a vehicle crossing the marker zone from the moment it passes the first marker to the moment it passes the last. Using the formula Speed = Distance/Time the officer can calculate the speed of the vehicle based on the time it took that vehicle to travel the distance between the markers.

VASCAR can be used by traffic enforcement officers while they are moving or while parked, and there are several methods used for each scenario. When in motion, the officer can clock a vehicle while following it, when approaching it from the opposite direction or when the vehicle is following the officer from behind. When stationary, the officer can either be parked adjacent to the road, or at an angle, at ground level or from above the road, such as on an overpass. Some states, such as Florida and Iowa, often use aircraft for VASCAR, or a combination of both ground and air assets.

While not new, VASCAR is still actively used. It is commonly used by traffic enforcement agencies as an alternative to radar and laser in order to avoid detection by radar detectors. In some states, it is the preferred system for speed enforcement. If you travel in or across these areas, you need to be informed about VASCAR and alert to its possible use.

To learn more about VASCAR, download this Analysis of VASCAR from the U.S.Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Today's radar and laser detectors offer a measure of warning against speed and red light camera threats, but it's not a complete solution. Reliance on a radar detector alone isn't always enough. Sometimes you need that "heads up" from fellow travelers to avoid a speed trap, especially one that frequently changes location, such as a mobile speed camera. What if your speed is monitored by aircraft? A radar detector certainly won't help you there.

In such situations, communication with other road warriors can become vitally important. But how? Flashing headlights back and forth to one another across the road, although almost universally practiced, is cumbersome. The signals can be confusing, and it's not always practical, thus not all that effective.

But there is one old school, tried and true method of communication that can and does work. It's instant, it's convenient and it's legal. It's CB radio.

A CB radio is a great companion for a radar detector, and when mounted in a vehicle next to the detector, complements it nicely. Of course, everyone knows CB or Citizen's Band has been used by truckers and professional drivers to spot "smokies" and other traffic threats for decades, and until radar detectors were outlawed on commercial rigs, the two devices were often considered inseparable. Unfortunately, since radar detectors were outlawed on commercial vehicles, truckers can no longer keep them side by side with a a radio on the dash, but citizens in private vehicles can (except in Virginia and Washington, D.C., where radar detectors are currently verboten).

But, what about new technology such as Escort Live! and iRadar, systems that allow your radar detector to integrate with detection systems from other drivers in "real time" automatically, without any real interaction or communication between the drivers themselves? Isn't that enough?

Not really. they definitely give drivers an edge, and they do cover some of the key blind spots that a radar detector alone can miss. However, these systems require an internet connection and integration with a smartphone app, which, while very effective, isn't always stable, since it requires a constant, always-on connection between multiple links. If one link breaks, such as your phone's connection to the Internet, the entire system is broken, which affects "real time" detection.

In addition, traffic enforcement measures such as mobile speed cameras and aerial surveillance such as Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder or VASCAR are difficult or impossible to detect with a radar detector, even when used with detection enhancement technologies such as iRadar and Escort Live! systems. In the case of VASCAR in particular, your best method of detection depends on visual or audible awareness of what is above you. In such situations, the other drivers around you and a reliable means of communicating with one or more of them can be indispensible.

This is when a CB radio can become an important addition to your radar detection system. Although not as widely used now as they were in the 70's, CB radios are still found in millions of commercial and privately owned vehicles across the US and they are commonly used by truckers and others on the road to provide traffic reports, weather alerts and to generally pass the time with fellow travelers. They are also used for instant alerts to speed traps and other traffic enforcement measures in real time.

Best of all, unlike a cell phone, using a CB radio involves no residual costs. There are no subscriptions, no monthly fees, and no per minute charges. Plus, you don't need to purchase a license to operate a CB radio. Any US citizen can legally operate CB for commercial or private use.

For complete radar and laser detection, communication is one link in your system that shouldn't be missing, and if your detector doesn't catch it all, a CB radio may be the one component that keeps you from getting a ticket in real time. As two long-time companions that have shared dashboards for decades, CB radios and radar detectors are a perfect match.

Buy Radar Detectors has a radar detector and CB radio to fit almost any private vehicle and budget. Considering a low cost Cobra XRS 9370? Why not get a Cobra 19DX IV CB Radio to ride along? Looking for something high end, such as an Escort Passport MAX? Add a Uniden Bearcat PC787 CB Radio to match!

Buy Radar Detectors would like to wish you a great and safe Memorial Day! Our offices will be closed for the day on Monday, May 26, 2014. If you need assistance please send us an e-mail, visit our Facebook page or give us a call after 8 AM EDT Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at (800) 584-1445. Please stay safe while traveling, remember to keep your radar detector on and watch your speed.

The Cincinnati Microwave ZR4 is highly regarded as the laser defense system of choice among users of radar and laser detectors. It's small, installs in a vehicle discreetly and detects and blocks police laser guns quite effectively. Manufactured by Escort, the ZR4 integrates with all current models of Beltronics and Escort radar detectors, including the Escort 8500 X50, 9500ix and the Beltronics STi Magnum.

But not anymore The ZR4 has been discontinued. It is being replaced by a new and improved laser jammer, the Cincinnati Microwave Laser ShifterPro.

Like its predecessor, the Laser ShifterPro is an active solution to police laser guns. It actually blocks the laser, preventing the laser gun from calculating your speed. As laser guns can perform a speed check in about a quarter of a second, such blocking can buy valuable time to react to a laser alert.

Like the ZR4, the ShifterPro hides discreetly in your vehicle. The interface control module, (now called the Bridge Box) installs out of site, and the power on/off LED can be integrated into your dash or where ever you need it. Two front laser receivers install in the front of your vehicle to protect you from incoming threats.

Yet, while there are similarities, there are also differences. The ZR4 came equipped with both front and rear laser shifters, however the new Laser ShifterPro has only the two front receivers. The rear shifter is not included in the package, but can be purchased as an option. In addition, the ZR4 integrated directly with the Beltronics and Escort radar detectors. The ShifterPro is a stand-alone device and does not actively engage or interact with your existing radar detector. Also, unlike the older model, the new ShifterPro is software upgradable. Escort's ShifterPro software allows the Laser ShifterPro to stay up-to-date against the latest laser threats on the road.

Escort bills the Laser ShifterPro as "the most advanced laser defense system available". Although the new shifter does not integrate with radar detectors as the ZR4 did, the ability to operate independently allows the ShifterPro to be used side by side with almost any radar detector. The fact that it is also upgradable makes it more powerful, versatile and perhaps even smarter than the ZR4. As laser defense systems go, that's advanced.

Buy Radar Detectors would like to wish everyone a happy and safe new year! Our offices will be closed for the day on Tuesday December 31, 2013 and Wednesday, January 1, 2014. If you need assistance please send us an e-mail, visit our Facebook page or give us a call after 8 AM EST Thursday, January 2, 2014 at (800) 584-1445. Please stay safe while traveling, don't drink and drive, keep your radar detector on, and watch your speed.

Cobra recently revamped their line with a new set of assorted dash mounted radar detectors. As an Authorized Cobra Dealer, we stock them in our warehouse for immediate shipment at Buy Radar Detectors. To make shopping for a Cobra radar detector easier, we have several resources to help you find the radar detector that's right for you, including articles and reviews, product videos and our online comparison tool.

Below is a list of the Cobra Radar Detectors currently available and some of their highlighted features. To compare the current models in this chart with previous models, refer to our 2011-2012 Cobra Radar Detector Comparison Chart. You can also compare them to our 2013 Beltronics, Escort and Whistler radar detector comparison charts.

Buy Radar Detectors wishes everyone safe and happy holidays! Our offices will be closed on Tuesday December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, 2013. If you need assistance please send us an e-mail, visit our Facebook page or give us a call after 8 AM EST Thursday, December 26, 2013 at (800) 584-1445. Please stay safe while traveling, remember to keep your radar detector on and watch your speed.

Most of the core features of a typical radar detector are built right into the Whistler CR Series by default, and, as typical of most other brands, the farther up the line you go, the more of those standard features you get. The Whistler CR75 is no exception. As the model in the middle, it has basically all the same core features the lower end Whistler models with an added tweak or two of its own. Most, of these features are explained in the owner's manual that accompanies the device. However, there is one feature that, although included on the list of menu items printed in the manual, isn't really explained at all. It is a feature called Selectable Tone.

The Whistler CR75 emits a different tone for alerts on X, K and Ka bands. Each tone is a simple, yet distinct sound that helps you identify the specific radar band that triggered the alert without taking your eyes off the road and actually looking at the display. These alerts are somewhat "customizable", meaning that you can choose which one of the alert tones are assigned to each band. Since there are three tones and three bands, one would think there are nine possible combinations of bands and tones, but there are only three.

To choose your alerts, press the menu button until TONE X appears (X is a number from 1 to 3). DARK and QUIET buttons to toggle back and forth through TONE 1, TONE 2 and TONE 3. The CR75 will emit the three tones in each set of tones for your review. Press MENU to set your choice and you are ready to go.