Horn size: Can we make it bigger? Radar Detector Reviews

[binarysleep]

I'm sure I'm not the first to think if this, but I am interested in learning more about the gain improvements by adding a bigger horn to the front of a detector.

Perhaps a simple extension to the current horn. Anyone tested this sort of idea?

[tactical22]

why would u want that?? you are only going to double your false alerts!

u could try a horn like the spectre 4+ has

[Qrr]

I read in Radar HandBook that even military radar have limit to
sensitivity because of the noise floor being reached ,
it is called the cosmic noise , can't find the reference
at htis moment ...

it is a 600 pages book !

I am not engeeneer just a fanatic hobyist.

[CJR238]

Wont really work, some have been made but it needs to be perfect. The gains aren't enough to make you want to do it anyway.
The horn designs are made to work best for there applications, bigger is not necessarily better.

[MEM-TEK]

Originally Posted by binarysleep

I'm sure I'm not the first to think if this, but I am interested in learning more about the gain improvements by adding a bigger horn to the front of a detector.

Perhaps a simple extension to the current horn. Anyone tested this sort of idea?

I did this over 20 years ago with a Cobra Trapshooter Pro II. I increased its horn size from approximately 1"x3" to a larger 1.6"x5". The increase in sensitivity was as expected based on area -- about 2.5X in sensitivity. The only caveat is that you would want to match the top, bottom an side flare angles of the original radar horn. Also, don't expect to get the full gain simply based on the new area of the horn compared to the original horn since you did not extend the wave guides which are present within the original horn. Still, the increased sensitivity results were impressive when I tried this years ago.

Unfortunately, trying this "horn extension" approach presents problems with modern radar detectors since modern radar detectors also feature laser sensors which are mounted adjacent to the front of the original horn. Thus extending the original horn will result in blocking some of the field of view for the laser sensor.

It is a neat and somewhat practical idea for those who also have an independent laser jammer installed, but is not recommended otherwise since some of the RD's laser sensing capability for some ranges of angles will be blocked.

[Qrr]

Mem-Tek ,

your experience is very interesting .
Did you see how the antenna of the Pni Sensoro is made , very original , it is
an open horn made of 2 triangles of copper .

Are you interested in a pic ...let me know.

The other interesting idea I saw was a plasma field that was used as
antenna , not a complicated field , it was made on the basis of a fluo
tube ....I lost the trace of this article ....

[Qrr]

Google ....

antenna plasma



'Stealth' Antenna Made Of Gas, Impervious To Jamming | Scientific Blogging

[MEM-TEK]

Originally Posted by Qrr

Mem-Tek ,

your experience is very interesting .
Did you see how the antenna of the Pni Sensoro is made , very original , it is
an open horn made of 2 triangles of copper .

Are you interested in a pic ...let me know.

The other interesting idea I saw was a plasma field that was used as
antenna , not a complicated field , it was made on the basis of a fluo
tube ....I lost the trace of this article ....

I've seen the internals of the PNI radar detector. Its horn is crude and doesn't feature a single wave guide -- let alone two wave guides. The performance of the PNI radar detector is horrible too. What else to say?