What frequency do New Zealand police use for radar?
What radar frequency do cops use in NZ?
New Zealand police use a different types of radar depending on the type of device being used.
- Ka band radar: This is the most common type of radar used by police in New Zealand. It operates at a frequency of 34.7 GHz. Ka band radar is very accurate and can be used to measure speeds up to 250 km/h. Modern radar detectors have very specific segmention meaning you can narrow down what the radar is looking for, which in turn means fewer false alerts (if any).
- K band radar: This type of radar is also used by police in New Zealand 24.1 GHz. K band radar is used exclusively in speed camera vans and static fixed speed camera poles. Few radar detectors can accuratly defend you on K band.
Understanding K band vs Ka band in radar is really no different to AM vs FM radio. They’re all forms of radio broadcast, just a different ange of frequencies.
Police radar in patrol cars using KA band is generally using a much more powerful transmitter compared to the K band radar in camera vans. Because of this, KA in patrol cars is easier to pick up from further away. Comparing this to vans using such a low power radar, it’s virtually impossible until you’re right on top of them. Read more about camera van detection.
False alerts
Unless you’re using the Stinger VIP, you’re going to get a lot of false alerts if you have K band on. You’d only use K band if you wanted to have any chance of detecting speed camera vans, and as they utilise such a low power radar, you generally get warning at the very last minute. Will you get enough warning? Maybe, sometimes. And more often maybe not. Will you get false aerts with K band left on? Yes. Lots and lots of false alerts. The Stinger is the exception, it’s smart enough to know the difference, it’s smart enough to ONLY look at low power radar as seen in the camera vans. The Singer is in a category of it’s own, so not something you can fairly compare to portable window-mounted detectors.
If you forget about camera vans and turn off the K band options in your radar detector, the chances of getting a radar false alert are very slim (assuming you’ve got KA segmentation set correctly).
Often customers get a blip or two on Ka and then nothing and assume it’s a false alert. Modern radar detectors that are set up correctly will rarely false on Ka. A couple of random alerts are most likely an actual legitimate polce radar threat, just far far away in the distance. Just because you don’t see the patrol car, doesn’t mean it’s not there. It could be the next road over, or so far off (several kilometres) that the sensitve radar detector only just picks it up at maximum range. That’s why false alerts on Ka band are often short blips, or weak and brief. More on false alerts here.
Got a dfr3 doesn’t like my mercedes electronics will try turning off k band to stop alerts,my other wisler don’t do this.
K band really is a waste of time. It’s only relevant for camera vans and your chances of getting reliable warnings on those are slim, not without dozens and dozens of false alerts.
What about X band? Is that so old its now a waste of time?
Off what your saying about K is that it’s a waste of time as well as no cop ars use it only camera vans and you won’t know/get an alertuntil I to late.
X band isn’t used in NZ for anything, it’s rare to see it used on anything relevant anywhere in the developed world. K band is only relevant for camera vans, and while a few detectors can get it, you get SO MANY false alerts that you end up ignoring the few legit camera van threats.
Some will say that auto false lockout feature will sort that issue. Auto lockouts are fine for your regular route, and then you probably know where the camera vans park anyway. The problem is when you’re driving out of town, unfamiliar roads. You don’t know where the vans hide, but the detector doesn’t recognise the falses either. It’s those unfamiliar areas that the false alerts will drive you insane…
So – turn off K-band and use eye-dar for the vans.
But that’s just our opinion.
I have K band off
I get a lot off false detects from civilian cars
My can Ka band settings are Ka1-Ka7 i think, sure I’ve only got Ka1-Ka3 selected
Hi Darryn!
Depending on which radar you have, KA 1 to 3 is probably a little low, the wrong set of bands. You need 34.7 GHz.
Hi Team, I have a Escort 9500ix – Passport. Do I read correctly that I should just select Ka Narrow 3 (34.600 – 34.800 GHz? Plus Laser naturally. I did have K turned on and I do get false alerts, the Auto learn does work well but only after you drive a road a few times with the K alert triggering and then it seems to Auto learn and stops after that. When we update the database does it add areas of known K bank false alerts?
My detector also has Ka Narrow 4 turned on (35.400 – 35.600 GHz) but maybe I can turn that of also?
Hi Dave – you need to get 3.7, so on the old 9500ix you ONLY want to use Ka 3 based on the info you’ve stated.
Turn off K band.
And turn off laser. Seems to attract false alerts on older detectors like the 9500ix, and the chance of a cop aiming at your windscreen instead of the licence plate is slim. Plus, you have less than half a second to react before they can get a lock on your speed with laser. Our advice is just to turn off laser to eliminate false alerts (or false hope).
Thank you changes made. I now only have Ka Narrow 3 on which is 34.600 to 34.800 GHz. X, Laser and all K bands are turned off
If I was to get a new detector for another vehicle and keep the 9500ix for towing what detector would you recommend these days? For a left hand drive American car mounted up by the rear view mirror which I’ll mainly cruise open road with. It would be useful if it took the same power plug (Like an old phone plug) but I am relaxed if I have to rewire the vehicle.
Hi Dave – everything we sell works off that same type of power connection.
You should consider the R4nz, or the dual-antenna R8nz. The latter will show where the threat is – in front, behind, or off to the side by use of visual arrows on the display (and spoken alerts as well).
Get the R8 here.