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Radar Detectors Revisited, or, NO MO TICKETS

rmiller511

rmiller511

Street Cruiser
This bothers me.  I hate when things that defeat me, and this is an ongoing annoyance. 

I have a fairly nice Escort detector but I found out the hard way that as is, it is a useless waste of space on my dash.  I don't ride with glasses so I cannot read the puny led display and you can forget hearing it beep - just not happening.

SSSoooooooo, I took this thing apart to see if I might have an epiphany, and sure enough, it struck me.  The lame speaker.  Easy enough to take off and use the electrical input for something else like attached to a relay that lights up a super bright LED mounted somewhere on the dash.  This would, in theory, work.

Only thing is, my knowledge of electronics is limited so i am turning this over to you bunch of Einstiens.

Does anyone know electronics well enough to point me in the right direction with this?
 
You may be able to replace the speaker with a large piezo buzzer.  They don't draw much current and can be very loud.
 
Speakers are typically driven by AC audio signal (amplified as needed, of course). Trying to use an audio signal as is out of the unit to drive a LED or other device will not work and needs some other electronics to convert the AC audio signal to a DC voltage that can effectively drive or activate a LED or relay.  There seem to be several radar detector visual alert products out there... let's take a look




 
No. Not what I had in mind.

An audio signal is still a burst of electrical current, as small as it may be, hence the need for the relay.

The relay acts off the slightest input (provided you use the right relay).  When the burst is detected, it
opens up the direct 12v line to a day bright LED.

In other words, you SEE it beep.

I just do not know enough about electronics to know what type of relay is needed and any other component added
prior to the relay to boost the input signal enough for it to be used by the relay.

In theory, this would work fine.
 
As I use a Sena Bluetooth in my helmet, I added the Sena SR10 on the Connie and plugged the RD into it. The SR10 connects to my helmet via BT so get the audio alerts in my helmet.
 
MotoCommuter said:
As I use a Sena Bluetooth in my helmet, I added the Sena SR10 on the Connie and plugged the RD into it. The SR10 connects to my helmet via BT so get the audio alerts in my helmet.
Click to expand...

Suck.

That is not an option.  I am already heavily invested in the Scala Rider (which, by the way, is awesome.  just ask SISF).
 
rickm_tx said:
MotoCommuter said:
As I use a Sena Bluetooth in my helmet, I added the Sena SR10 on the Connie and plugged the RD into it. The SR10 connects to my helmet via BT so get the audio alerts in my helmet.
Click to expand...

Suck.

That is not an option.  I am already heavily invested in the Scala Rider (which, by the way, is awesome.  just ask SISF).
Click to expand...

Suck, WTF does that mean?

The SR10 will work with any Motorcycle Bluetooth intercom device that can handle an additional connection. So if your awesome Scala Rider can handle it, it is an option.

What or who is a SISF?

 
MotoCommuter said:
rickm_tx said:
MotoCommuter said:
As I use a Sena Bluetooth in my helmet, I added the Sena SR10 on the Connie and plugged the RD into it. The SR10 connects to my helmet via BT so get the audio alerts in my helmet.
Click to expand...

Suck.

That is not an option.  I am already heavily invested in the Scala Rider (which, by the way, is awesome.  just ask SISF).
Click to expand...

Suck, WTF does that mean?

The SR10 will work with any Motorcycle Bluetooth intercom device that can handle an additional connection. So if your awesome Scala Rider can handle it, it is an option.

What or who is a SISF?
Click to expand...

Suck means I already made my hefty investment in a communication system, so i missed out.

Steve (S) In (I) Sunny (S) Florida (F).

Called me once while i was on the bike.  couldn't believe the quality of the Scala Rider. Rushed out and bought one.  About the 3rd person to have dont that.

Once you hear it, you want it.

Plain and simple.
 
Rick,

A small speaker like that takes very little in the way of voltage and current to drive it, and as others have said, it is an A/C type signal. So a simple relay won't work and would probably burn out the output transistor in the Escort because of the impedance mismatch. What you would need is a 8 ohm resistor and a simple bridge rectifier driving an opamp to amplify the signal which in turn drives FET which could then turn on a bright light or a seat buzzer. Not too difficult, but not something I have time for right now. I'm working like a dog 14 hours a day the way it is. Actually I'm working harder than a dog - mine sleeps all day.
 
PaulP said:
Rick,

A small speaker like that takes very little in the way of voltage and current to drive it, and as others have said, it is an A/C type signal. So a simple relay won't work and would probably burn out the output transistor in the Escort because of the impedance mismatch. What you would need is a 8 ohm resistor and a simple bridge rectifier driving an opamp to amplify the signal which in turn drives FET which could then turn on a bright light or a seat buzzer. Not too difficult, but not something I have time for right now. I'm working like a dog 14 hours a day the way it is. Actually I'm working harder than a dog - mine sleeps all day.
Click to expand...

And that is what i was looking for - a finger pointed in the right direction.  That's all I usually need.

Thank you so very much.
 
I've got a 35 year old surplus state police radar unit with instant on. With judicious use of the instant on button there's absolutely no warning because no signal is transmitted until the target is found, and then the lock button before the target can slow. I'm sure in the ensuing 35 years technology has made it more difficult to beat radar.
 
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