Valentine One V1 User Manual

With exclusive computer modes:

• All-Bogeys

®

• Logic

®

• Advanced-Logic

®

OWNER’S MANUAL

The only one with Full Coverage

®

Contents page

Welcome to Full Coverage

Full Coverage........................................

1-2

What’s Included .....................................3

Starting up ..........................................3

What you should know about radar .....................4-6

Finding radar — On-the-road situations..................7-10

Laser Warning .......................................11

What you should know about laser .....................12

Finding Laser ........................................13

Controls & Functions. .................................14-16

Mounting — Where & How. ...........................17-18

Installation — Direct-wire Power Adapter ................19

Changing the fuse ....................................19, 22

Power Cords ........................................20

Installation — Concealed Display.......................21

Installation — Lighter Adapter, fuse......................22-23

Remote Audio Adapter ................................24-25

POP................................................26

Troubleshooting .....................................27-28

Doubts — Maybe it’s not working right ..................29

Service .............................................30

Specifications........................................31

Parts & Accessories ...................................31

Warranty ...........................................32

A few things to remember

What Full Coverage means for you

Finds all radars

Valentine One covers all four bands.

X band .........most common for moving and stationary;

can be used in “Instant-on” mode; this
frequency is shared with burglar alarms
and door openers.

K band .........moving and stationary radar; can be

used in “Instant-on” mode.

Ka band ........widest of the radar bands; moving or

stationary; can be used in “Instant-on.”

Photo radar .....K or Ka band; stationary only.

POP Protection . . covers POP mode on two bands—

specifically the MPH Industries models
BEE III and Enforcer on both K and Ka;
moving or stationary.

Ku band ........not used in U.S.; standard equipment

on all V1s, but not activated. To activate,
see: http://www.valentine1.com/lab/
MikesLabRpt3.asp.

Euro Mode ......narrows and intensifies radar coverage,

and limits it to K and the sections of Ka
bands used in Europe for photo radar.
Standard equipment on all V1s, but not
activated. To activate, see: http://www.
valentine1.com/lab/MikesLabRpt3.asp.

Finds all lasers

Valentine One covers all traffic laser. In the U.S., the
operating wavelength of traffic laser is 820-950 nanometers.

Welcome to Full Coverage

Dear Owner:

When an interest lasts for a year to two, that’s a
hobby. When it goes on non-stop for more than 25
years, I think it fairly can be called an obsession.

My wife says I’m obsessed with traffic
radar. She’s right. Radar is out there, skulking
(Stalking?) around, hiding in the bushes. And I
really get a kick out of finding it, finding it first,
finding it every time. This is a civilian version
of what the military calls Electronic Warfare
Support Measures (ESM). I find it compelling,
I can’t help it.

I’m pretty good at it too. That makes it more fun.

Back in the seventies, Jim Jaeger and I invented
Escort. It was the best radar finder on the market for a long
time and I enjoyed running the company that made it,
Cincinnati Microwave.

Since starting my own company, we’ve made other
products and earned a reputation for innovation. But
nothing is quite as much fun for me as finding radar.

V1’s legendary reputation is built on what’s inside. The
magnesium case still looks identical to the original, but the
electronics inside have been completely changed time and
time again. I believe in continuous improvement. That’s
what keeps V1’s performance ahead of the pack. I don’t
believe in planned obsolescence. Whenever we make a
performance breakthrough, we offer it to past customers
as an upgrade. Even the first V1 can be updated to today’s
protection. See www.valentine1.com for details; you’ll
also find a wide variety of radar and laser information not
available anywhere else.

I hope you enjoy your Valentine One as much as I enjoy
mine. Thanks for trusting me to find radar and laser for you.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Valentine
President

왖

Mike Valentine:
Electronics engineer,
former president of
Cincinnati Microwave,
and co-inventor
of Escort

®

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Older detectors find only two

or three types of radar.

Valentine One®finds all

radars, including Stalker.

What’s Included

With Valentine One Radar Locator:

1. Valentine One Radar Locator

2. Windshield mount

3. Visor mount

4. Lighter adapter

5. Power cord, coiled

6. Power cord, straight

7. Spare suction cups

8. Direct-wire power adapter

9. Wiring-harness connector

10. Owner’s Manual

11. Spare fuses

With the Concealed Display:

(optional at extra cost)

1. Straight power cord, 8-foot

2. Straight power cord, 3-inch

3. Display-module backplate, for mounting

4. Dual Lock

®

Fasteners

With the Remote Audio Adapter:

(optional at extra cost)

1. Power cord, straight

Starting Up

Valentine One has been designed for easy operation. Please
follow these steps:

1. Mount Valentine One so that it has a clear view ahead
and behind your car, using one of the mounts supplied.
For more information on mounting, see pages 17-18.

2. Plug lighter adapter into lighter socket and connect
power cord to Main jack. For more information on
power connections, see pages 19-20.

3. Switch power “on” and adjust volume. For more
information on control settings, see pages 14-16.

4. Enjoy Full Coverage radar and laser protection. For
more information on interpreting warnings, see
pages 4-13.

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3

Tells Where

Valentine One is the only detector that locates radar. You
are vulnerable to radar either ahead of you or behind you.
But radar can’t get you from the side.

Valentine One also locates the laser source, either ahead
or behind. Like radar, laser can’t get you from the side.

Tells How Many

Valentine One is the only detector that tracks multiple
threats (bogeys). How many are out there? Consider:

Example 1: Let’s say your detector is in full alert, then you
see a radar unit. Naturally you assume the radar you saw is
the cause of the alert. But what if there’s another radar unit
just up the road waiting for you?

Example 2: Let’s say you’re in an alert caused by a known
X-band burglar alarm. What if a radar operator, using
Instant-on, is simultaneously working the same territory?

In both cases, an ordinary radar detector would set you up
for a big surprise because it would lead you to believe that
only one bogey was out there. Valentine One is your
insurance against surprises. It always tells you how many.

Anything less is not Full Coverage!

Radar ahead Radar to the side Radar behind

Ordinary detectors scan

ahead of your car only.

Ordinary detectors give
the same warning for one
or multiple radar signals.

Valentine One®scans

all around your car.

Valentine One®counts

threats so you’ll never
be surprised.

What you should know about radar

How Traffic Radar Works

Traffic radar uses a radar beam to measure speed. Think
of the beam as a searchlight. It’s invisible because it’s made
of microwaves instead of light, but otherwise it acts very
much like a light beam. It travels in straight lines. It’s easily
reflected. It scatters as it is passed through dust and
moisture in the air. And — this is essential — it has to hit
your car before it can determine your speed.

Radar can’t see around corners or through hills. It can’t
see you when you are behind another vehicle. When in
the clear, how strongly your vehicle reflects determines
how far the radar can read your speed. Generally, larger
vehicles reflect more strongly than smaller vehicles.
Truck are “visible” on radar farther away than cars.

The principle on which radar operates is absolutely
reliable. Radar equipment, on the other hand, is only as
good as the quality of its design and manufacture. Traffic
radars tend to be unreliable. They’re cheaply made and
therefore vulnerable to many interferences that cause false
readings. And, compared to the military and weather radar
which have rotating antennas, traffic radars are vastly
simplified. This simplification means that traffic radar
cannot tell one car from another. The operator has to do
that, and since the operator can’t see an invisible beam any
better than you can, he frequently doesn’t know which
vehicle’s speed is being read. This is a source of many
undeserved tickets.

How Radar Detectors Work

A radar detector works like a radio tuned to microwave
frequencies. Valentine One is an extremely sensitive radio,
and it’s tuned exactly to the frequency bands used by all
traffic radar in the U.S. — X band, K band, Ka Band, which
includes photo. Moreover, it has two antennas, one aimed
forward and one rearward, so that it can locate the radar.

Because Valentine One is so sensitive, it can easily find
radar from the scattering of the beam, and it can find these
scatters a long time before the actual beam hits your car.
The only exception is Instant-on radar.

How Instant-on (Pulse) Radar Works

As a defense against detectors, many radar units can be
operated in the Instant-on mode, also called the Pulse
mode. This means the radar is in position, but it is not
transmitting a beam. So it cannot be detected. When the
target is within range, the radar operator switches on the
beam and the radar calculates the speed, usually in less
than a second. This calculation happens too quickly for
the target (you) to respond in time.

Still, you can defend against Instant-on by recognizing it
when the operator zaps traffic ahead of you. Valentine
One’s great sensitivity — and your attention to the nuances
of its warnings — gives you at least a sporting chance.

The Difference Between X Band and the K Bands

X-band alerts (“Beep”) are often found at long distances.
K and Ka bands are usually detected at closer range, and
alerts on those frequencies are much more likely to be
radar. So Valentine One makes a different sound (“Brap”)
to warn you of these more urgent threats (bogeys).

What are False Alarms

Since all radar detectors are simply radios tuned to
the microwave frequencies used by traffic radar, they
automatically sound their alert whenever they encounter
signals on those frequencies.

The problem is, other devices that are not radar are also
operating on radar frequencies. A detecting radio must
respond to them too. Every response indicates a threat, a
bogey. How can you tell the difference between radar and
what people commonly refer to as false alarms? Your
judgment is the only way. But here are the basics:

• X band: A catch-all band, still used regularly in some

areas by traffic radar, but heavily populated by sensors
for supermarket automatic doors and other nuisance
signals. In shopping areas, expect door sensors. But
know the territory. Unless you’re sure that X band is
not used locally for radar, stay alert until you’ve
identified the bogey.

• K band: Maybe radar, maybe not. Supermarket door

sensors operating on K have recently begun corrupting
this formerly reliable warning of radar. Another non­radar source — cheapie radar detectors that pollute by
transmitting on K.

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Identifying Alarms From Junk Detectors

Here are a few clues for spotting offending detectors.
You may get a brief K warning just as you meet an
oncoming car. Or a lingering K, nearly constant strength,
as you move with traffic. Big hint: a direction change on
the Radar Locator as you pass another car. Look for a
detector in the windshield. But stay alert until you know
for sure. See page 16 for what “Dee-Dah-Do” tone means.

• Ka band: Watch out! Most of the new-tech radars
operate on Ka. Expect some contamination from cheapie
detectors, just as with K (clues above also apply to Ka).
Do not

dismiss Ka alerts until you’ve positively identified

the source.

How To Identify Bogeys

Look first at the Radar Locator. If it points to the side, the
bogey is non-threatening — radar can’t get you from the
side. If the Locator points ahead or behind, try for visual
identification. And when the Locator changes from Ahead
to Beside and then Behind, you can be sure the bogey is
safely behind you.

Check the Bogey Counter. Because many non-radar devices
occur in multiples. For example, most microwave door
sensors have at least two transmitters (for In and Out). Often
such an installation will have multiple doors too, so there
will be many transmitters. When you see two or more
on the Bogey Counter, and particularly when you see it
counting up quickly to four or more, you’ve likely found
a nest of door sensors.

Burglar-alarm microwave sensors are often multiples too,
because a single transmitter is not enough to safeguard an
entire building. But microwaves from alarms are less likely
to leak out of buildings. So alarms may appear singly or in
low multiples.

Single bogeys must be regarded as threats until you see
them or put them safely behind you.

Remember, too, that radar beams are easily reflected.
Buildings, overhead signs and passing traffic are all
good reflectors. When you have a strong signal from one
direction, don’t be surprised if the Radar Locator shows
brief flickers from another direction also as you drive
by reflectors.

And never forget that a brief alert, acting alone, may be
Instant-on radar zapping other traffic.

Finding Radar

On-the-road situations

Valentine One gives you far more information about radar
than any radar detector. Still, to achieve the best defense,
you must interpret this information correctly. The following
examples will help you get maximum protection.

Situation 1: You are driving toward a radar aimed at you.

Your Warning: The Ahead arrow will glow. The Bogey

Counter will show 1. You’ll hear a slow Beep for X band or
Brap for other radars. As you come close to the radar, the
Beeps (or Braps) will become more frequent until they
merge into a continuous tone. By this time you should see
the radar.

The Beside arrow and then the Behind arrow will glow as
you pass the radar.

In this situation, moving radar and stationary radar will give
the same alert, except the Beep rate will increase faster with
moving radar because the closing speed is greater.

Situation 2: You’re driving on a hilly road. Radar is

waiting over the next hill.

Your Warning: Well before you reach the hilltop, the

Ahead arrow will glow. The Bogey Counter will show 1.
You’ll hear a slow Beep or Brap, and the rate will increase
very quickly as you near the hilltop. As soon as you can see
over the hill, you will probably spot the radar.

Situation 3: You’re driving on a curvy road. Radar is

waiting around the next curve.

Your Warning: The Ahead arrow will glow (because the

radar is forward, not to the side, of your car). The Bogey
Counter will show 1. You’ll hear a slow Beep or Brap, and
the rate will increase very quickly as you turn the corner.
You should see the radar as soon as you’re around the
corner.

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