How Radar Works; How Pop Works; How Laser Works - Escort PASPORT Max Owner's Manual

Caution: Overconfidence in an unfamiliar area can be dangerous. Likewise, if an alert in a commonly
traveled area is suddenly stronger or on a different band than usual, speed radar may be set up nearby.

How Radar Works

Traffic radar, which consists of microwaves, travels in straight lines and is easily reflected by objects such
as cars, trucks, and even guardrails and overpasses. Radar works by directing its microwave beam down
the road. As your vehicle travels into range, the microwave beam bounces off your car, and the radar
antenna looks for the reflections. Using the Doppler principle, the radar equipment then calculates your
speed by comparing the frequency of the reflection of your car to the original frequency of the beam
sent out.
Traffic radar has limitations, the most significant of these being that it typically can monitor only one
target at a time. If there is more than one vehicle within range, it is up to the radar operator to decide
which target is producing the strongest reflection. Since the strength of the reflection is affected by both
the size of the vehicle and its proximity to the antenna, it is difficult for the radar operator to determine
if the signal is from a sports car nearby or a semi truck several hundred feet away.
Radar range also depends on the power of the radar equipment itself. The strength of the radar unit's
beam diminishes with distance. The farther the radar has to travel, the less energy it has for speed
detection.
Because intrusion alarms and motion sensors often operate on the same frequency as X and K band
radar, your detector will occasionally receive non-police radar signals. Since these X band transmitters
are usually contained inside of a building or aimed toward the ground, they will generally produce much
weaker readings than will a true radar encounter. As you become familiar with the sources of these
pseudo alarms in your daily driving, they will serve as confirmation that the device's radar detection
abilities are fully operational.

How Pop Works

Pop works by transmitting an extremely short burst, within the allocated band, to identify speeding
vehicles in traffic. Once the target is identified, or "popped," the gun is then turned to its normal
operating mode to provide a vehicle tracking history (required by law).
Note: According to radar gun manufacturers, tickets should not be issued in pop mode.

How Laser Works

Laser speed detection is actually light detection and ranging (LIDAR). Laser guns project a beam of
invisible infrared light. The signal is a series of very short infrared light energy pulses that move in a
straight line, reflecting off your car and returning to the gun. Laser uses these light pulses to measure
the distance to a vehicle. Speed is then calculated by measuring how quickly these pulses are reflected,
given the known speed of light.
Laser is a newer technology whose use is not as widespread as conventional radar; therefore, you may
not encounter it on a daily basis. And unlike radar detection, laser is not prone to false alarms. Because
laser transmits a much narrower beam than does radar, it is much more accurate in its ability to
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