Valentine One V1 Radar Detector
- Mute: With Mute
- Detection Area: Front / Rear
- Detection Bands: X Band K Band Ka Band Ku Band Laser
- Alert type: Audio / Visual
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V1 is the Best: Forget the Rest
Pros
The only detector that tells you where and how many; Fantastic range; Easy-to-use
Cons
Expensive; Many falses in urban locations
Recommended it?
Yes
Although I am quite familiar with highway expedience, I never felt the need to have a radar detector in my car. But one fateful day, as it usually goes, I got nabbed by a well-hidden Smoky looking for a quota-satisfying hit. Suddenly, I found myself in the market for some surveillance protection. After researching what I could on the Net, I confidently purchased a Valentine One Radar Locator (a.k.a. V1). My experience with the V1 confirms what everybody says: there are radar detectors and there is the V1. The V1 is quite simply the best detection product on the market.
The Valentine One is a well-designed easy-to-use product. A large, numeric counter tells you how many radar units the V1 is tracking. A line of LED lights indicate the band of the detected radar(s) (X, K, Superwide Ka and LASER). Three directional arrows tell you which way the detector radar signal(s) is coming from. A 8-LED signal strength bar tells you how strong the radar signal(s) is. To turn on the unit, twist the large rotary knob and set the volume to your exact preference, like a car radio. You can also set your preferred mute volume with the secondary dial. To mute the V1 at any time, you simply push the volume knob. To change the V1's logic modes (which are similar to city/highway modes on other detectors), push the volume knob until the display indicates the new mode is in use. That's all you need to know. The V1 takes care of the rest.
Installing the V1 is easy. Slide the unit into the windshield adapter and stick the V1 to the windshield using the rubber suction cups. Plug the power adapter into the cigarette lighter and connect the power cord from the adapter to the unit. Valentine Research is smart: the power cord is simple phone wire. So if you want to use a special length, you can make your own power cord with phone wire from the hardware store. You can also clip the V1 to the visor. I prefer the windshield because the unit is easier to see.
What's so great about the V1? The V1 is not just a radar detector, it is a radar LOCATOR. Unlike any other detection products on the market, the V1 tells you where the radar signal is coming from. Other detectors go "BEEP". The V1 goes "BEEP" and lights up either its up arrow (meaning radar ahead), down arrow (meaning radar behind) or sideways arrow (meaning radar to the side). Don't understand why this is important?
Consider: You are on the highway and a patrol car operating a radar unit is 1/2 mile behind you, traveling the same direction. A regular radar detector will go "BEEP" and indicate a weak signal. As you drive, the signal gets stronger and stronger. Cop car up ahead, right? Wrong! You aren't approaching a parked radar unit, but the patrol car behind you (driving past traffic as most patrol cars do on the highway) is closing in on you from behind, making his radar signal stronger. If you are looking for the unit ahead, you might get nailed from behind and without ever knowing it. Until the gumball lights flash, that is.
The V1 is intelligent. Since it tells you WHERE the radar signal is coming from, you know where to look. In the previous situation, the V1 would indicate a down arrow. You would know some signal is coming from behind. As the signal gets stronger, you can determine the signal is not fixed, but moving towards you, and realize you've got trouble from behind. You take proper measures and let the patrol car pass you without incident. That's what I call a great co-pilot!
Also consider: You pass by the Wal-Mart on your way to work. A regular radar detector, sensing the automatic door openers, goes "BEEP". That warning is from the electronic front doors, you think, and continue on. But what if one day, a patrol car operates a radar unit from the Wal-Mart lot. A regular radar detector still goes "BEEP". Drive as you usually do? That could be a mistake.
The V1 has the advantage - it has a bogey counter. It tells you how many radar units it is tracking. On normal days passing the Wal-Mart, the V1 would indicate a "2" on its bogey counter, indicating the electronic doors (these doors typically put out dual radar signals). But the day when law enforcement is out, the V1 signals a "3" on the bogey counter. 2 for the doors, a 1 for the radar unit operating under the door's radar cover. Seeing the "3", you know something is up and can take appropriate action.
The V1 tells you what you need to know and has no special bells and whistles to make the unit hard to use. It always tells you how many radar signals it is tracking, what bands these signals are on and what direction these signals are coming from. It is not unusual to get multiple radar signals from both front and behind (like in urbanized areas). The V1 sorts it out for you. If it is tracking multiple signals, it flashes the directional arrow and radar band LED light of the strongest signal. So you'll know what is the greatest threat.
The V1 carries a well-deserved reputation for sensitivity. If the signal is out there, the V1 picks it up. It is not unusual to identify police radar from one mile away, sometimes even more. Regardless of radio band (X, K, or Superwide Ka), the V1 typically beats its competitors in detection ability test after test. If roads were all straight and terrain flat, most detectors would do well. However, more often than not, police like to disguise their signal from detectors by hiding behind overhead passes and curves and using instant-on modes. This is where the V1's sensitivity is so important. Because it warns you to the weakest signals, you get the best chance to avoid trouble.
Many officers like to use the instant-on mode on their radar guns. This means that the gun is only sending out radar signals for short bursts. The cop will target a car, hit it with radar, almost instantaneously get the speed and turn off the radar gun until he targets the next car. If the radar gun is off, detectors can't sense them, including the V1. But the V1's sensitivity improves your odds. Because radar bounces off of objects, like targeted cars ahead of you, the V1 can sense instant-on signals with its incredible sensitivity. The V1 once warned me of a instant-on K-band radar unit about 1000 feet away around a curve: after miles of silence, the V1 indicated strong, but short-lived radar signals ahead. I knew there was trouble. I quickly moved to the right lane and slowed down. The person behind me in the lane honked his horn, upset that I was slowing down, but he didn't know what I knew. When I saw the patrol car as expected, I couldn't help but pet the V1 (I know, it sounds silly, but I love foiling the instant-on traps). Afterward, the other cars on the highway formed a line behind me - they wanted to profit from my radar detection ability. I can't blame them, but they should get their own V1.
Let me make it clear that having a V1 in your car is NOT a license to speed. It looks out for radar signals; it cannot look out for cop cars who pace you with their speedometers, highway patrols that use aircraft, or help out with VASCAR traps (those white strips on the road placed 300 feet apart). You have to remain vigilant if you choose to drive expediently. The V1 is only a co-pilot, even if it is a very good one. Oddly enough, I find myself driving somewhat SLOWER now that I have a V1. Why? It lets you in on so many radar signals, that it is easy to get paranoid. There are more speed traps on the highway than you may even realize. The V1 has alerted me to traps I never would have noticed even after driving past them (like when the patrol car is behind a bunch of trees on the side or nestled on the shoulder of an ascending onramp). So, when the V1 goes off - and it goes off a lot - I watch out.
I alluded to a side-effect of owning the V1 earlier. Other drivers notice it. Some recognize its distinctive blockish shape and know it means business. You may become a magnet as other cars latch on to you to take advantage of your surveillance tool. It is annoying to have other cars follow you lock and step. Get your own! And like any portable electronic device, the V1 is a theft target. Leave it on your windshield and you are inviting a break-in. Another gripe I have is that it is nearly impossible to identify the radar band indicators at night because they are all the same LED color and the labelling is not visible in the dark. The V1 does make different sounds for each band (beep=X, brap=K, brap-brap=Ka), but if don't hear them (stereo too loud, for instance), you can't tell. Of course, the V1 IS expensive. Four hundred bucks is a lot of money for a little black box. But consider this: (1) the V1's technology is superior to other products, (2) leather seats, moonroofs and automatic transmissions can each cost a grand. If you consider the V1 just another automotive option, the $400 is easier to justify, (3) the V1 actually has resale value, and a good one at that. Check eBay and see how many used V1's go for $300 or more, (4) the V1 is the only detector that I know of that is upgradable and does not have to become obsolete like other detectors.
The V1's incredible sensitivity can also work to your disadvantage. It ferrets out EVERYTHING. If you are driving in an urban area, over 95% of the radar alerts it displays are not from police signals, but from various electronic noise, like automatic doors, burglar alarms, some signal lights and all kinds of electronic devices. So you may become complacent with its seemingly constant alerts. It's not necessarily the V1's fault. These devices operate on the same frequencies as police radar. The V1 has to report them because it can't physically see the source. Fortunately, the V1 has some tricks up its sleeve to deal with this problem. You can put the V1 in one of its logic modes. If I am driving around town, I put the V1 in the "Advanced Logic" mode. This mode filters out what the V1 considers to be false alarms. The algorithm is protected by Valentine Research so I don't know how it filters, but I know it works rather well. If I drive by the local mall with the V1 in its regular "All Bogeys" mode, it lights up like a Christmas tree. But in AL mode, it is usually quiet. If there is a strong signal in the radio mess or something that doesn't seem right, the V1 lets me know. It errs on the side of wrongly reporting police radar as the logic modes don't want to filter out real radar, so it has to make mistakes.
Even if you don't consciously drive fast, you can benefit from a radar detection device. More drivers than not drive over the speed limit on the highway. The police can't (and don't) pull everybody over. They have to make a conscious decision on who to stop. If you belong to a demographically police-sensitive group, like young males, you have already one strike against you. The V1 arms you with information that you can use.
It is also important to note that radar detection devices are NOT illegal to use. Virginia prohibits them (and their law is being subjected to a constitutional challenge) as do some cities (they have to have signage to warn you), but the V1 is classified by the FCC as a radio. Police radar is not considered privileged information since radar is just a beam of radio waves. Congress has established that citizens have the constitutional right to detect these signals with radio devices, even if the intent of detection is to thwart law enforcement efforts. (I'm not making this up. I believe the Federal Communications Act of 1938 is what established these rights.) Radar JAMMERS, on the other hand, are often considered illegal since they alter the radar signal, but radar detectors simply look for the signals without changing them. As a result, a cop CANNOT pull you over for simply having a radar detector (although I think in Minnesota you can't hang anything from the windshield so they can get you for that). Like anything else, arm yourself with information.
If you are planning to buy a radar detector, get a Valentine One. I wouldn't fool with anything else. No other detector tells you where radar signals are coming from, how many and where is the greatest threat. No other detector has such a track record for superior sensitivity. Few detectors are as easy to use and understand. While no other detector costs as much as the V1, if you are going to do it, you might as well do it right. The V1 has my full recommendation.
On your left!
The Valentine One is a well-designed easy-to-use product. A large, numeric counter tells you how many radar units the V1 is tracking. A line of LED lights indicate the band of the detected radar(s) (X, K, Superwide Ka and LASER). Three directional arrows tell you which way the detector radar signal(s) is coming from. A 8-LED signal strength bar tells you how strong the radar signal(s) is. To turn on the unit, twist the large rotary knob and set the volume to your exact preference, like a car radio. You can also set your preferred mute volume with the secondary dial. To mute the V1 at any time, you simply push the volume knob. To change the V1's logic modes (which are similar to city/highway modes on other detectors), push the volume knob until the display indicates the new mode is in use. That's all you need to know. The V1 takes care of the rest.
Installing the V1 is easy. Slide the unit into the windshield adapter and stick the V1 to the windshield using the rubber suction cups. Plug the power adapter into the cigarette lighter and connect the power cord from the adapter to the unit. Valentine Research is smart: the power cord is simple phone wire. So if you want to use a special length, you can make your own power cord with phone wire from the hardware store. You can also clip the V1 to the visor. I prefer the windshield because the unit is easier to see.
What's so great about the V1? The V1 is not just a radar detector, it is a radar LOCATOR. Unlike any other detection products on the market, the V1 tells you where the radar signal is coming from. Other detectors go "BEEP". The V1 goes "BEEP" and lights up either its up arrow (meaning radar ahead), down arrow (meaning radar behind) or sideways arrow (meaning radar to the side). Don't understand why this is important?
Consider: You are on the highway and a patrol car operating a radar unit is 1/2 mile behind you, traveling the same direction. A regular radar detector will go "BEEP" and indicate a weak signal. As you drive, the signal gets stronger and stronger. Cop car up ahead, right? Wrong! You aren't approaching a parked radar unit, but the patrol car behind you (driving past traffic as most patrol cars do on the highway) is closing in on you from behind, making his radar signal stronger. If you are looking for the unit ahead, you might get nailed from behind and without ever knowing it. Until the gumball lights flash, that is.
The V1 is intelligent. Since it tells you WHERE the radar signal is coming from, you know where to look. In the previous situation, the V1 would indicate a down arrow. You would know some signal is coming from behind. As the signal gets stronger, you can determine the signal is not fixed, but moving towards you, and realize you've got trouble from behind. You take proper measures and let the patrol car pass you without incident. That's what I call a great co-pilot!
Also consider: You pass by the Wal-Mart on your way to work. A regular radar detector, sensing the automatic door openers, goes "BEEP". That warning is from the electronic front doors, you think, and continue on. But what if one day, a patrol car operates a radar unit from the Wal-Mart lot. A regular radar detector still goes "BEEP". Drive as you usually do? That could be a mistake.
The V1 has the advantage - it has a bogey counter. It tells you how many radar units it is tracking. On normal days passing the Wal-Mart, the V1 would indicate a "2" on its bogey counter, indicating the electronic doors (these doors typically put out dual radar signals). But the day when law enforcement is out, the V1 signals a "3" on the bogey counter. 2 for the doors, a 1 for the radar unit operating under the door's radar cover. Seeing the "3", you know something is up and can take appropriate action.
The V1 tells you what you need to know and has no special bells and whistles to make the unit hard to use. It always tells you how many radar signals it is tracking, what bands these signals are on and what direction these signals are coming from. It is not unusual to get multiple radar signals from both front and behind (like in urbanized areas). The V1 sorts it out for you. If it is tracking multiple signals, it flashes the directional arrow and radar band LED light of the strongest signal. So you'll know what is the greatest threat.
The V1 carries a well-deserved reputation for sensitivity. If the signal is out there, the V1 picks it up. It is not unusual to identify police radar from one mile away, sometimes even more. Regardless of radio band (X, K, or Superwide Ka), the V1 typically beats its competitors in detection ability test after test. If roads were all straight and terrain flat, most detectors would do well. However, more often than not, police like to disguise their signal from detectors by hiding behind overhead passes and curves and using instant-on modes. This is where the V1's sensitivity is so important. Because it warns you to the weakest signals, you get the best chance to avoid trouble.
Many officers like to use the instant-on mode on their radar guns. This means that the gun is only sending out radar signals for short bursts. The cop will target a car, hit it with radar, almost instantaneously get the speed and turn off the radar gun until he targets the next car. If the radar gun is off, detectors can't sense them, including the V1. But the V1's sensitivity improves your odds. Because radar bounces off of objects, like targeted cars ahead of you, the V1 can sense instant-on signals with its incredible sensitivity. The V1 once warned me of a instant-on K-band radar unit about 1000 feet away around a curve: after miles of silence, the V1 indicated strong, but short-lived radar signals ahead. I knew there was trouble. I quickly moved to the right lane and slowed down. The person behind me in the lane honked his horn, upset that I was slowing down, but he didn't know what I knew. When I saw the patrol car as expected, I couldn't help but pet the V1 (I know, it sounds silly, but I love foiling the instant-on traps). Afterward, the other cars on the highway formed a line behind me - they wanted to profit from my radar detection ability. I can't blame them, but they should get their own V1.
Let me make it clear that having a V1 in your car is NOT a license to speed. It looks out for radar signals; it cannot look out for cop cars who pace you with their speedometers, highway patrols that use aircraft, or help out with VASCAR traps (those white strips on the road placed 300 feet apart). You have to remain vigilant if you choose to drive expediently. The V1 is only a co-pilot, even if it is a very good one. Oddly enough, I find myself driving somewhat SLOWER now that I have a V1. Why? It lets you in on so many radar signals, that it is easy to get paranoid. There are more speed traps on the highway than you may even realize. The V1 has alerted me to traps I never would have noticed even after driving past them (like when the patrol car is behind a bunch of trees on the side or nestled on the shoulder of an ascending onramp). So, when the V1 goes off - and it goes off a lot - I watch out.
I alluded to a side-effect of owning the V1 earlier. Other drivers notice it. Some recognize its distinctive blockish shape and know it means business. You may become a magnet as other cars latch on to you to take advantage of your surveillance tool. It is annoying to have other cars follow you lock and step. Get your own! And like any portable electronic device, the V1 is a theft target. Leave it on your windshield and you are inviting a break-in. Another gripe I have is that it is nearly impossible to identify the radar band indicators at night because they are all the same LED color and the labelling is not visible in the dark. The V1 does make different sounds for each band (beep=X, brap=K, brap-brap=Ka), but if don't hear them (stereo too loud, for instance), you can't tell. Of course, the V1 IS expensive. Four hundred bucks is a lot of money for a little black box. But consider this: (1) the V1's technology is superior to other products, (2) leather seats, moonroofs and automatic transmissions can each cost a grand. If you consider the V1 just another automotive option, the $400 is easier to justify, (3) the V1 actually has resale value, and a good one at that. Check eBay and see how many used V1's go for $300 or more, (4) the V1 is the only detector that I know of that is upgradable and does not have to become obsolete like other detectors.
The V1's incredible sensitivity can also work to your disadvantage. It ferrets out EVERYTHING. If you are driving in an urban area, over 95% of the radar alerts it displays are not from police signals, but from various electronic noise, like automatic doors, burglar alarms, some signal lights and all kinds of electronic devices. So you may become complacent with its seemingly constant alerts. It's not necessarily the V1's fault. These devices operate on the same frequencies as police radar. The V1 has to report them because it can't physically see the source. Fortunately, the V1 has some tricks up its sleeve to deal with this problem. You can put the V1 in one of its logic modes. If I am driving around town, I put the V1 in the "Advanced Logic" mode. This mode filters out what the V1 considers to be false alarms. The algorithm is protected by Valentine Research so I don't know how it filters, but I know it works rather well. If I drive by the local mall with the V1 in its regular "All Bogeys" mode, it lights up like a Christmas tree. But in AL mode, it is usually quiet. If there is a strong signal in the radio mess or something that doesn't seem right, the V1 lets me know. It errs on the side of wrongly reporting police radar as the logic modes don't want to filter out real radar, so it has to make mistakes.
Even if you don't consciously drive fast, you can benefit from a radar detection device. More drivers than not drive over the speed limit on the highway. The police can't (and don't) pull everybody over. They have to make a conscious decision on who to stop. If you belong to a demographically police-sensitive group, like young males, you have already one strike against you. The V1 arms you with information that you can use.
It is also important to note that radar detection devices are NOT illegal to use. Virginia prohibits them (and their law is being subjected to a constitutional challenge) as do some cities (they have to have signage to warn you), but the V1 is classified by the FCC as a radio. Police radar is not considered privileged information since radar is just a beam of radio waves. Congress has established that citizens have the constitutional right to detect these signals with radio devices, even if the intent of detection is to thwart law enforcement efforts. (I'm not making this up. I believe the Federal Communications Act of 1938 is what established these rights.) Radar JAMMERS, on the other hand, are often considered illegal since they alter the radar signal, but radar detectors simply look for the signals without changing them. As a result, a cop CANNOT pull you over for simply having a radar detector (although I think in Minnesota you can't hang anything from the windshield so they can get you for that). Like anything else, arm yourself with information.
If you are planning to buy a radar detector, get a Valentine One. I wouldn't fool with anything else. No other detector tells you where radar signals are coming from, how many and where is the greatest threat. No other detector has such a track record for superior sensitivity. Few detectors are as easy to use and understand. While no other detector costs as much as the V1, if you are going to do it, you might as well do it right. The V1 has my full recommendation.
On your left!
