RD in the glove box

[Fred W]

No I didn't get a ticket (yet). But I can tell from past experience that having moved my Escort Passport into the glove box (for several worthy reasons) that the radar attenuation is more than I am willing to live with on a regular basis. On approach to a townie constable who is blasting constant K band radar down the road (as they are wont to do) I couldn't pick him up until I was much closer to him than when the RD was perched up in the clear.

Damn!! :angry: I was really hoping the difference would be minimal so I could keep the RD out of sight and out of the weather.

So now I'm looking (and thinking) of alternate solutions.

The ideal solution would be:

Weatherproof (so I don't have to pull over and put the RD away every time it starts to sprinkle

Opaque, so as to make the RD invisible to any constables that do happen to stop me for a chat.

Secureable, so I don't have to sweat getting the RD yoinked at every gas and pee stop.

And apparently it needs to be up high to get the best signal reception.

Is there already a manufactured solution that meets all of this criteria that I am somehow unaware of? Maybe this is my opportunity to make a zillion buck by inventing such a device?

I used to have a "Legal Speeding" brand two piece plastic box that was suppose to accomplish some of this. It wasn't fully waterproof, it was clear and so the Popo could tell I had it, and miscreants could see the RD ripe for the taking. It was pretty much a failure on all counts, and it was expensive to boot. One day I forgot to attach the strap I had oiver the top cover and it blew off on I-93. I didn't bother going back to recover it.

Plastic baggies are way out. The RD still gets wet inside eventually, and it doesn't do any of the other stuff I want.

Solutions? Solutions? Bueller?

 

[HotRodZilla]

Is there enough room in the nose cone to mount one under the Headlamps? Some tinted plastic flush mounted kind of like a Datel screen would let the RD see well and still be out of sight.

The height of the detector shouldn't make any difference because RADAR signals are so wide, any height on the bike should be reasonable. In the glove box there is too much metal and plastic interfering with the signal; which accounts for the crappy reception.

 

[RossKean]

You need to mount a radar dome on top of your helmet. Up high, out of sight (except for the alien-like brain bulge), protected from weather, theft proof.

Perfect solution.

and its Friday...

 

[Fred W]

I believe that you are right. It's probably the metal frame structure that accounts for the crappy reception. My "up high" comment was more for a clear line of sight, than actual vertical position.

Your idea has merit. There may be enough room underneath the headlights to fit the RD facing forward. And then it would only be "looking" through a single layer of thin plastic.

Or... what's behind the little "trap door" behind the windscreen? I've never pulled mine off before to look.. Well, I've had the whole nose off, but I mean right behind the little door. Reason being, I still use the same RD in my car too. So being able to move it between vehicles would be nice

(I know... I'm adding requirements. Just like any good product design engineer does :lol: )

PS - Thanks Ross. I can always count on you.

 

[rushes]

Find an old CB radio and gut it out. Stick that detector in there an them cops won't give it a second look.

 

[beemerdons]

Find an old CB radio and gut it out. Stick that detector in there an them cops won't give it a second look.

Now that is some damn good advice there from rushes, trust an Arkansas white lightning moonshine runner to come up with that beauty of an idea to hide that detector! jes' sayin' and nuff' said!

 

[Auburn]

Find an old CB radio and gut it out. Stick that detector in there an them cops won't give it a second look.

Might want to have an antenna mounted on the bike to make the fake complete

 

[someguy]

Find an old CB radio and gut it out. Stick that detector in there an them cops won't give it a second look.

Damn clever fella, you are.

I have one problem solved. : water

Send it here: www.liquipel.com

 

[bluejag]

Fred, although you are NOT a big fan of the XM group this might work ... simply remove all markings of Escort ,ect

from unit and install one big ( FREE!) XM/Garmin radio decal on the unit.. done! the strip of lights are just singnal strength for best reception :lol: If it's lit up like a Christmas tree with LEO beside you tell him it's one of those new POWER ROCK stations your tuned to! :grin: A.K.A. I have seen online some VERY nice stealth setups for the superfast exotic car/rich group where money is NO object!

 

[dcarver]

Noble endeavor.

Creative juices all dried up...

I decided my 4yr old rd was below dollar wo cares threshold should theft happen so leave it on bike nearly all the time.

X85 and clear plastic case no longer available.

One last thought, I run a Marc Panes illuminator, it flashes red LEDs w radar hit, I know the face shield is reflecting max red, a possible obvious indicator to the po-po?

 

[bluejag]

OR just hide inside a Staples big red EASY button!

 

[SacramentoMike]

You need to mount a radar dome on top of your helmet. Up high, out of sight (except for the alien-like brain bulge), protected from weather, theft proof.

Artist's conception:

(tip of the "hairmet" to Scrubs.)

 

[CAJW]

Fred,

Might want to send in your Escort for a tune-up as it just might be on the ragged edge of reception due to tuning issues. When I did my research a few years back there was zero difference in range between the external RAM mount vs buried in my glovebox. We are still on our NAFO return trip which saw 6 days of t-storms and the Escort has survived and kept me out of more than a few roadside chats. Might be worth a try as I've seen increased performance after having mine serviced.

 

[Patriot]

 

[FastJoyRide]

Fred: Send a PM to Colin24 in Canada. He created a very slick mount for his RD inside his Gen1 fairing upper including a small plastic window looking forward that dealt with any signal blockage issues.

As RD's are strictly verboten in Ontario, stealth was Colin's #1 concern, but I think his solution would address all of your concerns. He finished the last IBR on that very bike IIRC!

 

[SkooterG]

Fred: Send a PM to Colin24 in Canada. He created a very slick mount for his RD inside his Gen1 fairing upper including a small plastic window looking forward that dealt with any signal blockage issues.

As RD's are strictly verboten in Ontario, stealth was Colin's #1 concern, but I think his solution would address all of your concerns. He finished the last IBR on that very bike IIRC!

That's who it was!

I ran into him and his father on their matching 2005 FJRs just outside of Ouray, Colorado while returning from WFO-6 in Reno back in 2006. Saw that cool little window he had in the front fairing with the detector mounted behind it. Thought I took photos, but went through them all and couldn't find one. Neat solution, except it's a fairly permanent mount. Not easy to transfer detector to other vehicles.

 

[Fred W]

Fred,

Might want to send in your Escort for a tune-up as it just might be on the ragged edge of reception due to tuning issues. When I did my research a few years back there was zero difference in range between the external RAM mount vs buried in my glovebox. We are still on our NAFO return trip which saw 6 days of t-storms and the Escort has survived and kept me out of more than a few roadside chats. Might be worth a try as I've seen increased performance after having mine serviced.

Hmmm... But it does still work fine in the car or up in the open. The funny part was it would pick up the signal through the faring, but weaker. And as the angle to the transmitter changed the intensity varied. I'll try leaving it in the glove box for a while longer. It sure seemed like such an elegant solution. I'd really like it to work.

I can always count on you to show me how to spend a lot of money, Mike! I will be looking at these.

Are they completely waterproof?.

Are they as sensitive as a Passport?

edit - I've visited their web site. It says the control unit is "water resistant". It seems that it is not quite as sensitive as the Passport is. And it is not theft resistant. You still have to remove the head unit or risk it getting yoinked. Oh, and it is $400.

Fred: Send a PM to Colin24 in Canada. He created a very slick mount for his RD inside his Gen1 fairing upper including a small plastic window looking forward that dealt with any signal blockage issues.

As RD's are strictly verboten in Ontario, stealth was Colin's #1 concern, but I think his solution would address all of your concerns. He finished the last IBR on that very bike IIRC!

Thanks. I'll PM him for his setup ideas.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Fred, click me!

 

[wfooshee]

You can't put it under that panel behind the windshield, if that's what you were thinking. That's there so the nose can come off, because the windshield mechanism and the nose plastic "overlap." It's full of windshield drive behind that.