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Detection Technology
How Radar Works
Traffic radar, which consists of microwaves, travels in straight lines and is eas-
ily reflected by objects such as cars, trucks, even guardrails and overpasses.
Radar works by directing its microwave beam down the road. As your motor-
cycle travels into range, the microwave beam bounces off your motorcycle,
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 motorcycle 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 car or motorcy-
cle within range, it is up to the radar operator to decide which target is produc-
ing the strongest reflection. Since the strength of the reflection is affected by
both the size of the car or motorcycle and its proximity to the antenna, it is dif-
ficult for the radar operator to determine if the signal is from a car or motorcy-
cle 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 fre-
quency as X-band and K-band radar, your Road Tech 75 will occasionally
receive non-police radar signals. Since these X-band and K-band transmitters
are usually contained inside of buildings 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
riding, they will serve as confirmation that your Road Tech 75’s radar detection
abilities are fully operational.