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Quiz 3 - Traffic
Radar Quiz
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Your
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Answered
Correctly
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Answered
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Total
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Average
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%$Average%
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1.
The term "radar" is an acronym
for Radio Detection and
Ranging.
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Correct
Answer: TRUE.
Your
Answer: %$Q1M%
Explanation
Used as a speed detection device
since the late 1940s, radar uses
radio waves reflected off moving
objects to determine speed. To
put it in more simplistic terms.
a radar unit generates a signal
that sends a beam at your car,
once it hits your vehicle, it
immediately bounces back to the
radar operator where the signal
is analyzed and displayed in a
readout device.
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2.
X, K, and Ka bands refers to the
frequency level used by the radar
unit.
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Correct
Answer: TRUE.
Your
Answer: %$Q2M%
Explanation
Radar systems send out radio
waves similar to a radio station
but at a much greater speed --
higher the frequency, the more
accurate the speed reading. For
example, a AM radio station sends
a radio signal at about 1 million
waves per second but a traffic
radar unit can emit signals that
are up to 36 billion waves per
second. X-band (11GHz), K-band
(24 GHz) and Ka-band (32-36
GHz).
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3.
Radar is the most frequent method
used for speed
detection.
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Correct
Answer: TRUE.
Your
Answer: %$Q3M%
Explanation
It's by far the clear weapon of
choice in a traffic officer's
arsenal, however, many local law
enforcement agencies are
beginning to use Laser as an
alternative.
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4.
Radar uses a laser pointer-type
beam which is capable of
determining which vehicle is
being tracked.
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q4M%
Explanation
A traffic radar unit is incapable
of determining with vehicle is
being tracked because the signal
the radar unit emits a cone
shaped beam. This beam has the
width of approximately two lanes
at a distance of 100 feet from
the unit and increases to over
four lanes of traffic at a
distance of 1,500
feet.
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5.
Radar is NOT subject to radio or
microwave
interference.
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q5M%
Explanation
According to a International
Bureau of Police Chiefs
report, traffic radar is subject
to electromagnetic interference
from airport radar, CB or Ham or
police radio, cellular phones,
power lines, power substations
and neon lights. In studies, all
have been proven to cause a radar
unit to miscalculate a vehicle's
speed.
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6.
For speed detection, there are
three different types of radar in
use today: rotating antenna
system, traffic radar and
instant-on.
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q6M%
Explanation
There are actually two types of
radar used today. (1) Rotating
antenna system which is utilized
by the military, airports, ships
at sea, etc. The second (2) is
traffic radar such as a radar gun
or a stationary unit mounted in a
vehicle. Instant-on actually
refers to a type of mode a radar
unit operates. Typically used by
handheld units, it only shoots a
beam when an officer activates it
to calculate a vehicle's speed.
This prevents radar detectors
from picking up the signal until
its too late.
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7.
Radar has a high accuracy rate
under ideal
conditions.
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Correct
Answer: TRUE.
Your
Answer: %$Q7M%
Explanation
The key word is "ideal " As it
stands, radar systems are
extremely accurate as long as the
following conditions all exist at
the same time:
- The
road must be straight and
flat.
- There
must be good
visibility.
- There
needs to be light
traffic.
- The
operator needs to be properly
trained to recognize false
signals.
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8.
Radar Detectors are legal in all
50 states.
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q8M%
Explanation
It is illegal to possess a radar
detector unit in your vehicle
while driving in Virginia and
Washington DC. If caught, they
will typically confiscate the
detector. Commercial vehicle
operators are forbidden to have a
radar detector unit -- in
any state.
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9.
Radar units with the
self-calibration feature should
always be considered accurate and
reliable.
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q9M%
Explanation
Virtually all scientific
instruments used for measuring
need to be regularly calibrated
to ensure accuracy. The most
common method is an internal
checking mechanism that the unit
employs to make sure it is
accurate. But is this reliable?
When a unit self-calibrates
itself, it consists of the unit
reading a signal generated by an
internal frequency-generating
device called a crystal. The
resulting number is to correlate
with a predetermined speed. The
problem is that the test does not
measure both the frequency
and counting circuits
concurrently. In a Connecticut
case State v. Tomannelli,
216 A.2d 625 (1965) reports that
a certified tuning fork is the
only acceptable method of
calibrating a radar
unit.
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10.
All law enforcement officers in
the U.S. who operate a traffic
radar unit must be licensed by
the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC).
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Correct
Answer: FALSE.
Your
Answer: %$Q10M%
Explanation
This may come as a shock to many
quiz takers by the operator of a
traffic radar unit does not need
to be certified or licensed. The
law enforcement agency is,
however, required to be licensed
by the FCC but not the
operator. In other words, the
department needs to have possess
a FCC certificate but not the
officer using the radar unit to
tag traffic violators.
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