Laser 'Shifting' (jamming)

[jpalamaro]

www.blinder.net The Blinder unit, (M20 X-treme is very well suited to motorcycle installation) according to what I have read is 'one' of the best. I need an engineer that can solve this 'minor' issue. The 'notification/alert' system consists of a chintzy buzzer and a single LED. The voltage to the buzzer according to their tech support (I have not tested it) is 12VDC. I have the Autocom SuperPro AVI on my GT. The buzzer is useless, and I would hope to take the 12VDC output to the buzzer when an alert 'sounds' and power some audio-type device that I can feed into my comm unit. Any ideas you engineering types?

[SilverBuffalo]

I may have a solution or at least a couple of suggestions for you,

there are products out there like the "radar screamer" and another that uses a bright flashing LED light to get your attention.
If you've got "some" electrical skills you could do what I did for my Valentine.
At Radio Shack you can buy an amplified speaker for $30. they are mostly designed for use with a CB but you can plug any "sound" into it and the amp will amplify that sound,
here's a link with a little more info.
http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14399&highlight=hear+valentine

[jpalamaro]

Thanks for the response. The unit already has a flashing LED but sadly, no audio out. I am looking for a 'code practice oscillator' type circuitry than can be keyed on/off with the 12v output that powers the buzzer; but, the buzzer is simply an electrical-mechanical device with no audio out.

Will find something I am sure.

[eljeffe]

+1 for the Radar Screamer. Grif had one on his LT, and I swear I could hear it chirping behind me when we were engaged in a spirited run up NM502 on the way to Los Alamos, NM a couple years back.

[Josmas]

www.blinder.net The Blinder unit, (M20 X-treme is very well suited to motorcycle installation) according to what I have read is 'one' of the best. I need an engineer that can solve this 'minor' issue. The 'notification/alert' system consists of a chintzy buzzer and a single LED. The voltage to the buzzer according to their tech support (I have not tested it) is 12VDC. I have the Autocom SuperPro AVI on my GT. The buzzer is useless, and I would hope to take the 12VDC output to the buzzer when an alert 'sounds' and power some audio-type device that I can feed into my comm unit. Any ideas you engineering types?

It sounds like your looking for a tone generator that functions on 12vdc and has an audio output.
I searched around a bit for something like that, but didn't come up with anything. There must be something out there that functions that way.

[jpalamaro]

Exactly, and a friend of mine (engineer) is building one and has even simulated the Euro-siren warble (high-low-high-low). Will keep all apprised of the project!

[Josmas]

Will keep all apprised of the project!

Please do.
I'm also curious to read your review of the M20. I know it can be tough to estimate the unit's effectiveness under real world conditions, but I'd like to know your opinion after getting a "hit" with the unit functioning. I guess the best way to test is to have a LEO friend with a laser unit do a little simulation with you. My buddies are all local who run radar only. They don't have the fancy toys the Staties and big city boys have.
Good luck.

[jpalamaro]

The project has been stalled for a tad because of the lack of an audio output on the Blinder unit. There's a 'Sonalert' that makes a noise at alleged 95 dbA and an LED that lights when laser is detected and 'jamming' is occurring but I want an audio output from my Autocom Pro AVI to feed my helmet/Etymotic earbuds. Well, an engineer is in the final phases of such an audio device. It will be activiated when jamming occurs and will play thru the Autocom, to my helmet/ear buds. You just have to love engineers...he thought the Euro warble high-low-high-low would be neat. Anyhow, the only item I am awaiting is the audio gen for the Autocom and it should be a short term project thereafter. Now, just have to find a LEO that wants to help!http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

Blinder gives you a 30 second window to test the unit with infra-red (e.g. TV/VCR/DVR remote)...after that a 'filter' of some sort blocks the infra-red?

[Josmas]

John, are you using a radar detector in conjunction with the Blinder?
I'm using the V-1 with helmet speakers.
I'm wondering if the laser warning from your radar detector could substitute the warning from the Blinder?
Do you plan to wire the audio from both the radar detector and the Blinder through the comm system?

[jpalamaro]

John, are you using a radar detector in conjunction with the Blinder?
I'm using the V-1 with helmet speakers.
I'm wondering if the laser warning from your radar detector could substitute the warning from the Blinder?
Do you plan to wire the audio from both the radar detector and the Blinder through the comm system?

That was a consideration but am not convinced that the V1 is good enough for the warning. I have the Gadget Guy mount for my V1 and it sits fairly high (at least above the instrument cluster). Radar, I've read at 500 feet has a very 'wide swath' for alerting, while Laser, I've read is 18 inches at 500 feet. Not the fault of the V1, but inherent in the laser. I thinkk the Blinder's sensor is more strategically located nestled right under the oil cooler. But, you idea was a great one! And, the V1 is not disabled, so, should both go off...an added bonus!

[lucky26]

Yesterday I was pulled over and was accused of having a jamming system. In Ontario Canada these are illegal. I do not have any such system, and until he accused me of having one I didn't know there were such things, however I did jam the officer's laser radar. He kept me for close to an hour inspecting the bike, running the plates and my driver lic. No ticket, but he never believed that I didn't have a jamming system.
I am not sure but the only thing I did different was that I had my bright lights on because of a mild fog and I was on a two lane road. I am trying to find out if the lights can effect a laser radar system. Had one response in another posting re: Nm frequency, but no other ideas.
In Ontario he could of taken the bike apart to find a illegal jammer or detecter, so I would like to find the reason for jamming his radar before a more determined officer decides my bike should be taken apart. If it is the bright light, and it is OEM, I would like to know that also.

[JPSpen]

Don't know if these would trigger the "jamming" warning or not..

Just wondering if you had a headlight cover or have sprayed some of that anti-laser coating on the headlight...

Does your bike have an HID headlamp ? Any LED visible from the front ?

That'd be a real drag for the man to take your bike and tear it all up looking for something that isn't there...

Good Luck,

John

[BecketMa]

<mild fog>

Water vapor reflects and refracts light. And, of course, laser is only light.

Bob

[mefly2]

...I was pulled over and was accused of having a jamming system. ... however I did jam the officer's laser radar. ....

It is difficult to understand what you are asking ... :confused: did you or did you not have a device for jamming "the officer's laser radar"?

Laser and radar are two different concepts ... in the US, laser jammers have not yet been deemed illegal by the feds (however, it may not be legal in all locales ... YMMV) but, since it is an active transmitter, radar jammers are illegal across the board!

[jpalamaro]

Not sure if I posted elsewhere. All problems solved, audio plays thru Autocom as desired and Blinder does its job against Laser. However, rather than the auto-shut-off of some units, mine alerts me both visually AND thru headset/Autocom and I have a switch to kill Blinder and drop to legal speed.

DOES IT WORK? Using a 'laser pointer', yup, works very very well. I have also used my handgun "Laser Trace' grips at a couple of hundred feet, and yes, it works fine. No real-life laser test yet.

WHAT DID I HOPE TO ACHIEVE? I don't speed much other than at times overtaking and/or getting away from Interstate 'wolf packs' which are inherently dangerous to cars and especially cycles. Also, being the lead/only vehicle and singled out 'mistakenly'http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif And, it was a fun project.

ARE MOTORCYCLES INHERENTLY 'LASERPROOF'. Don't know. We have a very narrow profile and dark colors are best. At least the GT and sport bikes are relatively narrow. But, a couple of years ago I was 'laser-ed' by a very sophisticated unit, described to me by the FL Hwy Patrol as I believe, the 'stalker'. It had a laser device that could track, I think up to 6 vehicles automatically on a video screen (camera) showing each vehicle and the speed dead on the vehicle. I was on the wider/bulbous LT at the time. In defense of my riding it was 65 in a 55 construction zone where construction ceased months ago and the D.O.T. never removed the 55 mph signs. It was a favorite spot, I learned later, that could reasonably be called a 'speed trap'. Thank goodness for lawyers!