Q: What are the different radar detector bands?
A:
- X-Band 10.525 GHz +/- 25 MHz
- An older band, mostly used by automatic doors in supermarkets and rarely used by law enforcement anymore. You can eliminate this band by turning off X band in the menu.
- K-Band 24.150 GHz +/- 100 MHz
- A potential radar strike that could also be a non-radar law enforcement. Know the area as many police still utilize this band.
- Ka-Band 34.700 GHz +/- 1300 MHz
- Alert! It’s the police. One of the most common used bands by law enforcement today.
- Laser 904nm, 33 MHz bandwidth
- Alert! It’s the police. Higher law enforcement such as state troopers often use laser.
Q: Are Cobra RAD 480i radar detectors allowed in my state?
A: Radar detectors are currently banned in some states in the U.S. Enclosed is a list and link to American Auto Association AAA, which keeps an ongoing list of permitted states.
ALABAMA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
ALASKA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
ARIZONA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
ARKANSAS — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
CALIFORNIA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
COLORADO — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
CONNECTICUT — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
DELAWARE — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — Radar detectors are not permitted.
FLORIDA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
GEORGIA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
HAWAII — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
IDAHO — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
ILLINOIS — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
INDIANA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
IOWA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
KANSAS — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
KENTUCKY — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
LOUISIANA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MAINE — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MARYLAND — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MASSACHUSETTS — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MICHIGAN — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MINNESOTA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MISSISSIPPI — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MISSOURI — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
MONTANA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEBRASKA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEVADA — Detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEW HAMPSHIRE — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEW JERSEY — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEW MEXICO — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NEW YORK — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NORTH CAROLINA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
NORTH DAKOTA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
OHIO — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
OKLAHOMA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
OREGON — Radar detectors are permitted but are prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
PENNSYLVANIA — Detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles, but prohibited for commercial vehicles.
RHODE ISLAND — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
SOUTH CAROLINA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
SOUTH DAKOTA — Detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
TENNESSEE — Detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
TEXAS — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
UTAH — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
VERMONT — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
VIRGINIA — Detectors are not permitted.
WASHINGTON — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
WEST VIRGINIA — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
WISCONSIN — detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
WYOMING — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
PUERTO RICO — Radar detectors are permitted for passenger vehicles but prohibited for use by commercial vehicles.
Q: What is the difference between HIGHWAY and CITY mode?
A: Radar detectors operate with various sensitivity levels. These levels determine the types of signals and signal ranges (bands) detected. Highway mode is the most sensitive level while City mode is the least sensitive. If the X band is left on in City mode, a radar detector can pick up many X band signals (such as garage door openers) that generate false alerts.
Q: My Cobra RAD 480i is alerting K band when no law enforcement is around.
A: One thing detectors are competing against for newer cars are the safety sensors. Cars that emit collision avoidance, lane monitoring, stop monitoring and similar features can set off the K band. To solve this issue, you can set the K band filter to ON, but this will lessen the capability to notify you to true K band alerts. However, the Cobra RAD 480i lacks the more sophisticated filtering of more expensive detectors, including the Cobra RAD 700i.
