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Understanding Radar And Laser

Your Detector

Nothing comes close to a Cobra

®

19

Understanding Radar And Laser

Your Detector

18 English

Understanding Radar And Laser

Radar Speed Monitoring Systems

Three (3) band frequencies have been approved by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) for use by speed monitoring radar equipment: 

X band

10.525 GHz

K band

24.150 GHz

Ka band

33.400 – 36.00 GHz

Your detector detects signals in all three (3) radar bands.

Spectre 1 And VG-2

Spectre 1 and VG-2 are “detector detectors” that work by detecting low-level
signals emitted by most radar detectors. Your detector does not emit signals
that can be detected by Spectre 1 or VG-2, but does detect Spectre 1 and VG-2
signals and will alert you when a device is in use near your vehicle, if you 
so choose.

Safety Alert Traffic Warning  System

FCC-approved Safety Alert transmitters emit microwave radar signals that
indicate the presence of a safety-related concern. Depending on the frequency
of the signal emitted, it can indicate a speeding emergency vehicle or train, 
or a stationary road hazard. 

Because these microwave signals are within the K band frequency, most
conventional radar detectors will detect Safety Alert signals as standard 
K band radar. Your detector, however, is designed to differentiate between
standard K band and Safety Alert signals, and give separate alerts for each.

Safety Alert technology is relatively new. Safety Alert transmitters can 
be found in limited numbers in all 50 states, but the number is growing.
Depending on your location, you may not receive these alerts regularly 
and may often encounter emergency vehicles, trains and road hazards 
without being alerted. As the number of transmitters increases, 
these alerts will become more common. 

When you receive such an alert, please watch for emergency vehicles ahead 
of you, on cross streets and behind you. If you see an emergency vehicle
approaching, please pull over to the right side of the road and allow it to pass.

Strobe Alert

Special strobes mounted on the light bars of authorized emergency 
vehicles (fire trucks, police cars, ambulances) automatically change traffic
signals as the vehicle approaches an intersection. These strobes and the
special strobe detectors located on the traffic signals, introduced fairly
recently by 3M and Tomar, are already in use in more than 1000 cities
nationwide. Cobra’s exclusive Strobe Alert detector will detect these 
special strobes and give an emergency vehicle alert. 

When you receive such an alert, please watch for an approaching 
emergency vehicle and pull over to allow it to pass. To inquire about 
coverage in your area, contact your local fire and police departments.

LIDAR (Laser)

The correct name for the technology that most people refer to as 
laser is actually LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging.

LIDAR operates much like radar. Its signal spreads out like a radar 
signal, though not as widely. Unlike radar, LIDAR must have a clear 
line of sight to its target vehicle throughout the entire measurement 
interval. Obstructions such as sign posts, utility poles, tree branches, 
etc., will prevent valid speed measurement.

Some common questions about LIDAR include:

Does weather have any affect on LIDAR?
Yes. Rain, snow, smoke, fog, or airborne dust particles will reduce the 
effective range of LIDAR and can, if dense enough, prevent its operation.

Can LIDAR operate through glass?
Yes. Newer LIDAR guns can obtain readings through most types of glass.
However, the laser pulse also can be received through glass to trigger 
an alarm by your detector.

Can LIDAR operate while in motion?
No. Because LIDAR operates by line of sight, the person using it cannot
drive the vehicle, aim and operate the gun all at the same time.

Is LIDAR legal to use?
Yes. It is legal in all 50 states.

Summary of Contents for Pro 9580

Page 1: ...PRO 9580 11 BAND HIGH PERFORMANCE RADAR LASER DETECTOR WITH XTREME RANGE SUPERHETERODYNE TECHNOLOGY Nothing comes close to a Cobra English Operating Instructions Printed in China Part No 480 134 P...

Page 2: ...service vehicles are expected to exercise all due caution while using this product and to obey all applicable traffic laws Security Of Your Vehicle Before leaving your vehicle always remember to conce...

Page 3: ...m other K band signals Strobe Alert Emergency vehicle warning system Manual Mute Or Auto Mute A mute function of audio alerts IntelliMute A mute function which automatically reduces false alerts by se...

Page 4: ...ades Mirrored sun screens Dark tinting at the top of the windshield Heated windshields currently available on some vehicles Instaclear for Ford Electriclear for GM Consult your dealer to see if you ha...

Page 5: ...the cigarette lighter even while the ignition is Off If this is the case with your vehicle you should turn Off or unplug your detector when parking for lengthy periods S e c o n d a ry Ic o n s To Tu...

Page 6: ...lay To Change From City Mode Back To Highway Mode Press and release the City button again Tone Voice Visual Display Two 2 beeps Highway h appears in the display h c DigiView Data Display Brightness Yo...

Page 7: ...ur engine s revs see page 11 Whenever the revs are below that point IntelliMute will begin muting The activation point will be stored in memory and recalled each time the power is turned On The factor...

Page 8: ...ifferent vehicle NOTE When initially choosing your IntelliMute activation point a setting of approximately 300 to 600 RPMs above idle is recommended You can reset the activation point at any time to f...

Page 9: ...ollowed by more tones In Tone Alert mode you will hear the tones only The factory setting is Voice Alert mode Mute Button Press and hold for two 2 seconds To Change From Voice Alert To Tone Alert Whil...

Page 10: ...detected followed by more tones In Tone Alert mode you will hear the tones only In both Voice Alert and Tone Alert modes a distinctly different alert tone is used for each type of signal detected incl...

Page 11: ...tection Your Detector 16 English Instant On Detection Your detector is designed to detect Instant On speed monitoring signals which can suddenly appear at full strength NOTE You should take appropriat...

Page 12: ...se watch for emergency vehicles ahead of you on cross streets and behind you If you see an emergency vehicle approaching please pull over to the right side of the road and allow it to pass Strobe Aler...

Page 13: ...heck the power cord fuse Unscrew the ribbed end cap of the cigarette lighter adapter and examine the fuse If required replace it with a 2 amp fuse only Specifications Band And Frequencies Band Frequen...

Page 14: ...e A1 If you suspect that your unit requires service please call 773 889 3087 BEFORE shipping it to Cobra This will ensure that you receive service as quickly as possible If you are asked to send your...

Page 15: ...60707 U S A To Order Online Please visit our website www cobra com Amount Shipping Handling 10 00 or less 3 00 10 01 25 00 5 50 25 01 50 00 7 50 50 01 90 00 10 50 90 01 130 00 13 50 130 01 200 00 16...

Page 16: ...r products please visit our website www cobra com CB Radios microTALK Radios Radar Laser Detectors Safety Alert Traffic Warning Systems Accessories GPS Global Positioning System HighGear Accessories C...

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