LASER SPEED GUN:

laser speed gun is a device that uses doppler radar to gauge the speed of various objects. It was invented in 1954 by Bryce K. Brown and was first used by law enforcement officials. Older, analog radar guns always display the strongest reflected signal. This creates great frustration when you are locked on to an approaching 18-wheeler in a group of oncoming vehicles that includes a speed demon sports car. You see the Mustang going 80 mph, but the radar gun shows 53 mph because it's reading the 18-wheeler. One solution to this problem is Fast Vehicle Mode (FVM), a technology first introduced by Kustom Signals. Digital radar guns that feature FVM display the fastest vehicle in a group of approaching vehicles, not just the most reflective target.

Doppler Radar:
Doppler radar is the process used in all laser speed guns. The doppler principle was discovered in 1842 by Christian Doppler, a scientist that used sound waves to make his discovery. Doppler radar works by emitting a laser beam towards the object being measured. The beam is then reflected back at the gun. The speed is determined by the change in wave frequency, and then displayed on the device. It is a specialized radar that makes use of the Doppler effect to produce velocity data about objects at a distance. It does this by beaming a microwave signal towards a desired target and listening for its reflection, then analyzing how the frequency of the returned signal has been altered by the object's motion. This variation gives direct and highly accurate measurements of the radial component of a target's velocity relative to the radar. Doppler radars are used in aviation, sounding satellites, meteorology, police speed guns,[1] radiology, and bistatic radar (surface to air missile).

Partly because of its common use by television meteorologists in on-air weather reporting, the specific term "Doppler Radar" has erroneously become popularly synonymous with the type of radar used in meteorology. Most modern weather radars use the pulse-doppler technique to examine the motion of precipitation, but it is only a part of the processing of their data. So, while these radars use a highly specialized form of doppler radar, the term is much broader in its meaning and its applications.

WORKING :

All UltraLyte models have pinpoint targeting, which is the only effective way to enforce speeds within multilane traffic. The laser's beam is approximately 3 feet wide when it reaches a distance of 1000 feet away. This is how our equipment makes it possible for officers to visually identify a speeding vehicle, pinpoint its exact location on the roadway, and then validate its precise speed. Providing unmatched versatility at your fingertips and offering a wide variety of add-on options - you can collect and report speed statistics, enforce the 2-second following rule, capture an image of a violators license plate or even map a crash or crime scene. With a range of models, there is sure to be an UltraLyte with the features to fulfill your needs.
Laser (or lidar, for light detection and ranging) speed guns use a more direct method that relies on the reflection time of light rather than doppler shift. You have probably experienced the reflection time of sound waves in the form of an echo. For example, if you shout down a well or across a canyon, the sound takes a noticeable amount of time to reach the bottom of the well and travel back to your ear. Sound travels at something like 1,000 feet (300 meters) per second, so a deep well or a wide canyon creates a very apparent round-trip time for the sound.

Types :
There are three types of laser speed guns. A hand-held unit is a common type used by law enforcement. Hand-held units are powered by batteries and can easily be aimed at moving objects. Stationary laser speed guns are mounted on an object, and gather information using antennas. The third type is a moving speed gun system, which is specifically made for use in motion. A laser speed gun measures the round-trip time for light to reach a car and reflect back. Light from a laser speed gun moves a lot faster than sound -- about 984,000,000 feet per second (300,000,000 meters), or roughly 1 foot (30 cm) per nanosecond. A laser speed gun shoots a very short burst of infrared laser light and then waits for it to reflect off the vehicle. The gun counts the number of nanoseconds it takes for the round trip, and by dividing by 2 it can calculate the distance to the car. If the gun takes 1,000 samples per second, it can compare the change in distance between samples and calculate the speed of the car. By taking several hundred samples over the course of a third of a second or so, the accuracy can be very high.

Radar Detectors:

A countermeasure to laser speed guns are radar detectors. These detect whether there is a doppler radar system being used nearby. Should the radar detector detect the laser, it will issue an alert. In response to this, law enforcement officials have started using radar detectordetectors.

ADVANTAGES:
The advantage of a laser speed gun (for the police anyway) is that the size of the "cone" of light that the gun emits is very small, even at a range like 1,000 feet (300 meters). The cone at this distance might be 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter. This allows the gun to target a specific vehicle. A laser speed gun is also very accurate. The disadvantage is that the officer has to aim a laser speed gun -- normal police radar with a broad radar beam can detect doppler shift without aiming.

LASER GUN IN MARKET :

Laser Technology's UltraLyte Series were created to provide police agencies with the most durable and reliable speed enforcement tools on the market. No other laser on the planet can compare to the UltraLytes ruggedness and courtroom reliability, which is why our lasers are used 3 to 1 around the world. Every UltraLyte model has a high-impact waterproof casing that has been proven time and time again it's able to hold up in the harshest conditions.

Some have referred to the UltraLyte laser as "a tank" because they truly do stand up to all kinds of situations faced by law enforcement professionals.

All our laser speed guns have LTI's exclusive Accuracy Validation software, which ensures the accuracy of every speed measurement before it even displays reading in the device.

Accuracy validation is what makes all LTI lasers the most dependable speed devices in the world and why they always have stood up in court.

Instructions: Laser Technology

1

Allow your police force to use the laser-operated speed radar technology as necessary to provide street safety. It is particular helpful in protecting pedestrians in school and other low speed/high traffic crossing zones. When using the tool, choose a straight piece of road and zoom in on one particular vehicle that appears to be traveling too fast. Move your arm slowly as you turn toward the "target." 2

Trust that the latest technology is in use, such as the Talon II Laser Gun. When using, hold this top of the line piece of equipment about six inches in front of you. LED areas on the gun including an area in the middle that shows how fast the tracked car is traveling. The newer guns only detect cars traveling in one direction so there will not be duplicate cars chosen. 3

Realize that laser is the choice of most cities for speed radar guns. Some areas still use older technology, but most municipalities upgrade as soon as the budget allows. Until that time, do what your tool is capable of and watch out for other vehicles, overpasses, and even reflective surfaces that could give false readings because of bounced beams. Digital Signal Technology 4

Know what other technology is available. Digital Signal technology, often used in some areas, has been around longer than laser technology. You can track speeds as low as one mile per hour accurately. Once you pull the trigger, the speed is registered. This aspect is a plus in the fight against radar detectors.

Press the trigger mechanism on the Bushnell variety to send radio waves to measure the movement of the car or person you are tracking. The gun calculates the difference between the transmission and the receiver frequency and gives you a speed number. You can track the speed of a car traveling outside of your field of vision. 6

Clock how fast a runner (human or animal) is moving. Use speed radar guns in sports to track an object (ball or other thrown item). A car's speed is readable at a distance of 1300 feet, while a baseball's speed is readable up to a distance of only 75 feet. Each reading is accurate to within one-tenth of a mile.

APPLICATIONS: In Sports :
Laser speed guns are used extensively in sports. They can be used to take speed measurements in baseball, football, track, NASCAR, tennis, golf, soccer and any other sport where speed statistics are required. Hand held laser speed guns are commonly marketed towards the sports market.

In Law Enforcement :
Law enforcement was the first to use speed guns, and they employ all three types to catch speeding vehicles. Hand held guns and stationary types are used for patrols that stay in a speed trap. The moving speed gun system allows officers to move while tracking speeds.

Tips & Warnings :

1. Radar guns now have technology to defeat radar detectors sold to consumers. In addition, radar detectors are mostly useless against laser technology.

2. Try to position yourself directly in front of a moving object.

3. For further information on this specialized task, each user should attend a training class.

4. Although often illegal, some areas of the country allow their residents to use speed radar guns to keep their neighborhood safe.