A client from here in Jacksonville brought his brand new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray to Audio Designs and Custom Graphics for a radar detector and laser defense system. With almost 500 horsepower and fantastic traction from the rear-engine platform, the client knew that even a second too long on the gas pedal would put him well over the speed limit. He wanted a system that would alert him to radar guns and protect him from lidar speed measurement devices.
Vehicle Inspection and Installation Planning
Before we showed the client our proposed solution, we inspected the vehicle to ensure that we’d have a way to mount the laser transceivers according to the manufacturer’s specifications and that there were suitable locations for the system’s display and controls.
Armed with this information, we suggested the Escort MAX Ci 360 to provide the client with the protection he wanted. We explained how the system works and detailed where and how we’d mount each component in the vehicle. The client liked our plan and gave us the go-ahead to schedule the installation.
Radar Detector and Laser Defense Installation
Once we had this Corvette in our bay, we removed the front and rear bumper covers to mount the radar receiver modules. The MAX Ci 360 uses radar receivers with dual-horn antennae to provide optimized X, K and Ka-band radar signal sensitivity. Digital signal processing is used to filter unwanted noise and prevent false alarms from adaptive cruise control systems. Escort calls this their In-Vehicle Technology filter, and it helps to ensure that any warnings the system delivers are worth reacting to. We mounted the radar receivers to the chassis of the vehicle. The bumper covers conceal these units without affecting their performance.
Our fabrication team created a set of compound-angle mounts for the front ShifterMax laser transceivers. These 3/8-inch plexiglass brackets ensure that the sensors are aimed parallel to the ground and directly forward for optimum long-range performance. The plastic mounts blend perfectly with the trim in the front air intake.
We mounted the rear sensors just above the license plate on the back of the vehicle. Once again, we took the time to make sure everything was aligned perfectly to deliver the best range and protection possible.
Radar System Control and Display
The client wanted the display to be easily visible. After examining different mounting options, the client chose to have us mount the display for the Max Ci 360 in the lower-left corner of the instrument cluster.
The control panel is mounted on the right side of the dash, just underneath the ignition button. The client can easily reach the controls to adjust the volume, change settings or cancel the laser shifter operation once he’s confirmed the vehicle is traveling at a legal speed.
The remainder of the Escort system components are mounted under the Corvette dash, with the GPS antenna that’s used to mark the location of known false-alarms located at the top of the dash, so it has excellent reception. All the wiring for the ShifterMax sensors and radar antennae is secured to existing wiring harnesses so that it’s safe from damage or vibration.
Jacksonville’s Radar Detector Integration Experts
An important part of our custom-installed radar system installations is to explain how the system works and why it’s important to practice canceling the laser shifter signal. When the system detects a signal from a police lidar gun, it transmits a series of light pulses that prevents the gun from measuring the vehicle speed. To prevent the officer from knowing that a laser defense system is being used, it’s important to ensure the vehicle is traveling at a legal speed, then cancel the scrambled signal transmission. If you were to drive past an officer while still transmitting, he or she would know you are using a laser defense system and may choose to follow you.
The client was thrilled with the radar detector and laser defense system we installed in his Chevrolet Corvette and appreciated the explanation of how best to use the system. If you’d like to protect your car or truck, drop by Audio Designs and Custom Graphics in Jacksonville. You can also reach us by phone or e-mail using our contact page.
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