Detection
21
Radar Frequencies
There are now three frequencies that have been
approved by the FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) for use in speed monitoring
equipment. They are:
X Band (10.525 GHz),K Band (24.150 GHz)
Ka Band (33.400-36.000 GHz)
Your Cobra ESD-9550 can detect signals in all
three radar bands including photo radar and
STALKER radar which use the Ka band, and
Cobra’s Safety Alert signals on the K band.
Facts About LIDAR (Laser)
What is LIDAR?
LIDAR stands for Light Detection And Ranging.
While everyone refers to it as LASER the correct
name is LIDAR.
How does LIDAR work?
LIDAR operates a lot like RADAR.Like RADAR,it
spreads out. Not as quickly, but it does spread, as
shown on the diagram below.
Radar
Frequencies
Facts About
LIDAR (Laser)
Facts About the Safety Alert® Traffic
Warning System
FCC-approved Safety Alert Transmitters emit
microwave radar signals to indicate the presence of a
safety-related concern. Depending on the frequency of
these signals, as set on the transmitter, the outgoing
signal can indicate whether the transmitter is on a
speeding emergency vehicle or train,or at a stationary
road hazard location. These microwave signals are
located in the K-band and as a result, any radar
detector which detects K-band radar will detect these
Safety signals as standard K-band radar alerts. However,
unlike a standard radar detector, your Cobra ESD-9550
is designed to differentiate between a standard K-band
alert and a Safety Alert warning. Safety technology is
relatively new so the number of transmitters in
operation is still growing.You may not receive Safety
Alert on a daily basis and should not be surprised to
encounter some emergency vehicles, road hazards or
trains not yet equipped with these transmitters ,
therefore failing to provide a signal. As Safety
Transmitters become more prevalent (the number of
operating transmitters is growing every day),these
Safety Alerts will become more common. The Safety
Alert Transmitter is in use in all 50 states in limited
quantities.
Facts About Strobe Alert™
Alerts motorists to over 50,000 emergency vehicles
equipped with strobe transmitters that activate red
lights at traffic intersections in emergency high speed
situations.
Note
Strobe Alert™ is available in
over 1,000 cities and works
with Tomar and Opticom
systems. Call your local
Fire/Police department for
your area coverage or area
in which you will be
traveling.
Detection
20
Facts About
Safety Alert
®
Tr a ff i c Wa rn i n g
System
LIDARs must have a clear
line of sight to target a
vehicle during the entire
measurement interval.
Intervening objects such as
signposts, utility poles, tree
branches, etc.,will prevent
a valid speed reading.
*9550.MANUAL 8/9/00 12:21 PM Page 20
