Well I finally got a radar detector, I think it will make great use when traveling on I-35S. So far it has worked fairly decent but am wondering are they suppose to only pick up cops when they are using their radars or does it just pick up like the radio frequencies they use too? I have no idea how the K, X or any of those bands really work, some insight would be nice. Does anyone else have a cobra detector and have they been useful to you?

Hate to be a jerk, but the safest route is to not speed. After we started having a speed limit here again I kept having "issues" with cops with guns and ticket books... Now that I slowed down I have more free money and I don't have to worry about loosing my ride.

For mine, They needed to be clocking me, It wouldnt go off if a cop was right next to me, (which there was) and this was 100$ at best buy.

BTW, Ben thats good you got one, especially for those long travels back to iowa.

The Eagan cops are lame :p

X, K, and KA bands are all bands of frequencies on the radiation band of light known as X-Ray band. Which is the frequency of light that RADAR works on. FM RF and XRay RF are TOTALLY different creatures on the light scale.

Bottom line: your Cobra will NOT detect radio transmissions at all, nor will it detect a RADAR gun in Stand By. Only when it's radiating.

And if it has lazar detection if it goes off it's too late they got you. You may pick up some scatter if the LEO is painting some one else but more then likely by the time the detector picks up lazer it's too late.

Ohh and just remember they don't need radar or lazer or any electrical means to bust you for speeding.

cobras are horrible...bottome line is if you want a good radar dector its going to cost you hundreds. not 80 dollars

The only thing the detector is fool proof on is photo radar because it's constantly monitoring. Your detector will pick it up because it never turns off. If you are paying attention you will slow down. If you drive with the detector for a long period of time you will start ignoring it.
X band is typically constantly on, but that band is old school and typically not used by police anymore.
K and KA band are "triggered" unless it's a photo setup, the only time your detector is going to detect that is if you pick up the scattered radar or if you get hit with it yourself.
Laser, as said in a previous post will usually only be detected if you are being hit yourself in which case it is too late to hit the brakes.
Even with a detector you still need to be on top of your game..... Even the $400 detectors won't always save you from a radar that get's triggered by a monitoring officer.

Plus auto doors (like markets and such) use X band and will trip a cheap detector.

Your not being a jerk at all. I realize that radar detectors may not be worth it but in the long run they may save you from a couple of tickets which would be well over the price that you paid for the unit in your vehicle.

Jorgs_7 my radar sometimes goes off when I'm near cops or if they are pretty far down the road and it gives me a decent heads up but of course like others have said I should stay on my A game and not speed or be very alert when doing so.