Not sure if this is exactly where this thread should be but...
just recently bought a valentine v1 from a guy on craigslist..didn't want to deal with shipping & tax and i've never been too patient. Anyway it was new in the box and he had one himself in his M3 with a sweet custom hardwire job.

Anyway, I've had it in for two days now and I've actually passed a few cops and nothing happens. For the most part the only thing that sets it off is some traffic lights and almost any corner bank or supermarket (I've had it on All bogey mode just to make sure it's working) - which doesn't bug me, just cos I'm glad to know that something's working in there. But I've passed about six cops and it's only gone off twice. Is this normal? I realize that it's only going to go off if their radar is on...but one cop that set it off was in the process of pulling someone else over and the other was just driving down the street. Four different instances didn't seem to set it off at all...I just want to see if this is bad chances or is something not working right? Any help would be appreciated

 

I've had a V1 for years. This is just a 'statistic pulled from personal experience', but about 40-50% of the times that I see police cars, I don't get a radar alert. I've always assumed it is because they don't have their radar on. I believe yours is working fine.

 

here in california, i just set a permanent mute on the X band (see valentine site for advanced options) and leave it on the big L. chp tends to use KA band so i rarely pay attention to K but i have it just in case. if you get KA that starts out dim but grows stronger and stronger youve got a cop on your hands for sure. random blips of KA are normally nothing. overall, you will learn what to pay attention to and i am sure you will find that the V1 is more than worth it. i did.

 

that's right...they don't have it on...but sometimes they do!!

 

thanks guys. another thing is, after the car has been sitting in the sun for an hour or so, i'll get in the car and notice that the radar is really damn hot. i realize it's probably made to handle such heat but just checking...is this ok? i mean..i can't even touch the thing, it would literally burn my fingers.

 

Mine has spent almost all of it's life in my car. I don't live in the southwest but we do get a few days where the temp climbs into the 90's up here in the summer. I don't believe I have ever left mine sitting in the sun. I am sure you are right. They are made to be in the car. Should be fine. You're going to love it!!

 

Cops don't always drive around with radar on.

 

yeah, but be careful they can instant on nowadays and just nail you with a Ka or laser.

 

 

I think that's one of the cool things you learn with a good radar detector... not all cops are out to get you all of the time. But enough are to make it worth my while! Have you noticed the false laser alerts from neon lights (especially Chevy SUV's yet?)

I love my V1... you made a great choice!

Heath

 

I also get false laser alerts from other Infiniti HID headlights as well. Also, the "night" setting on my Nav tends to set off my laser too (my V1 is mounted above my rear view mirror). Anybody if the updates from V1 would address this? I've noticed that certain cars with LED taillights will also set off the laser setting.

 

so far i've gotten one laser alarm in the past 6 days, and i'm not sure if it was a cop or a false alarm, but it was driving through a busy intersection so could have been either i suppose.