If you are thinking about something like K band and what it is, then you probably thought about a radar detector. You must have questions like, what exactly is a radar detector, or what is K band and what bands of radar do police use? More questions like this would pop up in your head which is what we will answer here.
What is K Band Alert?
If you have just bought a radar detector, these are the most logical questions to have. Radar Detectors are now equipped with the best of features to ensure you are protected from any lasers or detectors that might be coming your way. Usually, users find a hard time trying to understand how to use them and have even got caught because of this. This is why you have to understand the different band alerts that are there and what exactly the radar detector indicates when it informs you about a K band alert.
Understanding radar waves
Before you get into understanding what K band means, you have to know how the radar waves that generate those band alerts, actually work. Simply put, a radar wave is something that has been turned into a certain frequency. Any radar detector detects the same frequencies that the police are using to alert you on time. This is where the bands come in. These bands are different frequencies used by various police vehicles and cars. All of them don’t use the same but stay within three frequencies or bands, which are K, X and KA bands. Your radar detectors are constantly trying to detect alerts on these certain bands only during any potential threats.
Understanding different bands
What Are The Differences Between Ka, K, And X Bands? The simple difference between the three is the frequency that they operate on. X band frequencies operate between 8 GHz to 12 GHz. This is what has been used for a long time which is why most people prefer switching off X band in their radar detectors. It is hard to find any X band alert, but better switch it on to stay updated. Most police cars that you will find work at 10.5 GHz on the X band. It has its own benefits, but it is an older technology of detection, but effective for lousy weather.
The K band radar is a better version of the X band radar we used to have. It operates on a frequency of 18 GHz to 27 GHz. Another disadvantage that it brings in for radar detector users is that many other things that use the frequency mechanism operate on the same frequency. It is easier to get false alerts on K band, although the latest radar detectors have been able to combat this issue to some extent. Some might ask this question: is it even relevant to use the K band or what does K band mean on radar detectors that it becomes that important? The answer to this is that K band is widespread, which is why it is beneficial to use. The frequency that police usually work on is 24.15 GHz which falls between its range.
The third band that radar detectors are using today is the Ka-band, which operates on a frequency range of 33.4 GHz to 35 GHz. It is much more complicated than the other two bands and entirely different from the work. In comparison to the X, K and Ka-band is, it works on five frequencies while others work on one or two at the maximum.
Getting K Band Alerts
The point of understanding different types of bands is to understand what they mean when you get one of their alerts on your radar detector. You have to know what to do when you get any of the alerts from different bands. An X band alert would probably be a false alarm, given it is not used as much today. K band is the most used one in the country, which is why you should be slowing down anytime soon. When it is a Ka-band alert, you have to slow down immediately because it is hard to detect and the police car would be close by. It is best to have all these alerts switched on in your radar detector to ensure nothing goes by you.