Alfa Romeo Countermeasures for the PNW

Hey everyone from the Northwest Alfa Romeo Club. Thanks for joining me for our May 11th live chat.

This companion article goes with our conversation about using radar detectors, laser jammers, and dashcams in your Alfa Romeo and driving in the Pacific Northwest.

Police Radar

Here’s a look at a police radar gun in action:

Stalker DSR 2X police radar gun tracking multiple vehicles

Police run radar actively throughout the PNW. Probably 90%+ of what I see around here is radar.

Good radar detectors give plenty of advanced warning while minimizing false alerts.

Radar Detectors (Windshield Mounts)

Uniden R3

Best radar detector under $300.

Uniden R3

Purchase the Uniden R3 here

Uniden R7

Best radar detector under $500. Adds arrows and autolockouts over R3.

Uniden R7

Purchase the Uniden R7 here

Valentine 1 Gen2 w/ JBV1

Best radar detector for enthusiasts. Arrows, great performance, and excellent apps.

Valentine One Gen2

Purchase the V1 Gen2 here

Download JBV1 here (Android)

Purchase V1Driver (iOS)

Escort Redline 360c

Top of the line radar detector.

Redline 360c

Purchase the Escort Redline 360c here

Radar Detectors (Custom Installed)

Custom installed detectors are more hidden and stealth.

They require professional installation, though you can DIY if you’re comfortable.

Radenso RC M

Great custom installed radar detector, integrates with AntiLaser Priority.

Radenso RC M radar detector

Purchase the Radenso RC M here

Escort Max Ci 360

Offers a little more automation than the Radenso, but doesn’t integrate with ALP. Separate controller and display. I like their radar detector, but skip their laser jammer.

Escort Max Ci 360 Radar Detector & Laser Jammer

Find an Escort Max Ci 360 dealer

Police Laser

Laser makes it easier for officers to pinpoint specific vehicles, but they have to be stationary to use it. Officers run laser both in the city and on highways.

Unlike with radar, you generally don’t get any advanced warning against laser.

Kustom ProLaser III police laser gun being used

Laser Jammers

These are your countermeasures against laser.

When shot with laser, you’ll want to slow down and then disable your jammers.

AntiLaser Priority

Best laser jammer on the market.

AntiLaser Priority

Purchase the AntiLaser Priority

Read my ALP setup guide

Stinger Fibers

Tiny heads if you don’t want to cut your grill, but 2x the price of ALP’s.

Stinger fiber laser jammers

Stinger strip display

Purchase the Stinger Fibers here

Laser Jammer Placement

Two regular heads in lower grill to protect headlights, center of vehicle, and edges of vehicle.

Center head at least 20″ above the ground.

Regular heads will require cutting the grill. Tx head for the center should fit in the grill.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Front ALP Placement Alfa Romeo Stelvio Rear ALP Placement

Alfa Romeo Giulia Front ALP Placement Alfa Romeo Giulia Rear ALP Placement

Tips:

  • Make sure heads are pointed straight and level
  • Heads need good line of sight, don’t mount behind grill
  • Tx head should be at least 20″ above ground
  • Tx head should be at least 8″ away from regular heads

Installation

To install this equipment, you can DIY if you’re comfortable, or you can have a pro do it.

I use Musicar Northwest in Portland, OR. They’re excellent.

I’ve also heard good things about Systems Unlimited in Bellevue, WA. I’ve never been there or had them do work on my car though.

In general I recommend reviewing my ALP setup guide before getting your install done. Some installers are great with mounting equipment and running wires, but they aren’t necessarily as familiar with proper placement to ensure everything works optimally.

Apps

Adds realtime crowd-sourced info for speed traps, air enforcement, or fixed speed cameras.

Fixed speed cameras are used in many cities. GPS databases in your radar detector in an app can alert you to these.

Police also sometimes run speed enforcement by aircraft. Your radar detector and laser jammer will not help against these. Air enforcement is very rare in practice though.

WSP aircraft enforcement

Waze

Most popular app for police spotted alerts.

Download Waze for Android or iOS

Highway Radar

Like Waze, but better alerts and adds aircraft monitoring.

Highway Radar with helicopter

Download Highway Radar for Android

Not available for iOS.

JBV1 (with Valentine 1)

Similar to Highway Radar, but great V1 integration too.

JBV1 GM BSM and CSA alerts ahead on map

JBV1 alerting to GM BSM falses and realtime crowd-sourced police spotted alerts

Download JBV1 for Android

Not available for iOS.

Phone Mounts

iOttie Wireless Charging Phone Mount

Mounts to windshield or dash, wirelessly charges phone.

iOttie Qi Wireless Charging Phone Mount

Purchase the wireless charging phone mount here

Purchase the standard non-charging version here

Dash Cameras

Dashcams to record while you’re driving or parked.

Viofo A119 v3

Best inexpensive dashcam for front-only recording.

Viofo A119 v3 dashcam

Purchase the Viofo A119 v3

Purchase the suction cup mount

Viofo A129 Pro Duo

Best bang for the buck 4K dashcam for front and rear

Viofo A129 Pro Duo

Purchase the Viofo A129 Pro Duo

Thinkware U1000

Best premium 4K dashcam

Thinkware U1000 with rear cam and radar module

Purchase the Thinkware U1000 (front only)

Purchase the Thinkware U1000 (front and rear)

Purchase the Thinkware U1000 radar module

Blackvue DR750LTE

Integrated cloud functionality

Blackvue DR750-2CH LTE deal

Purchase the DR750LTE here

Blackvue DR900X w/ CM100LTE

Cloud with 4K recording

Blackvue DR900X-2CH

Blackvue CM100LTE with SIM card slot

Purchase the DR900X and CM100LTE

BlackboxMyCar BI-750

Best dashcam battery pack. It charges while you drive and powers your dashcam while you’re parked.

Purchase the BBMC BI-750

Recommended Memory Card

You’ll want a large capacity and reliable memory card that’s meant for high endurance applications like constantly being written to in a dashcam.

Sandisk 256gb High Endurance MicroSD Card

Purchase your memory card here.

This website contains affiliate links and I sometimes make commissions on purchases. All opinions are my own. I don’t do paid or sponsored reviews.

Click here to read my affiliate disclosure.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.vortexradar.com/2021/05/alfa-romeo-countermeasures-pnw/

2 comments

    • Vince on May 10, 2021 at 6:52 pm
    • Reply

    I have purchase max ci escort radar detector . I have all setting correct. The radar does work but doesn’t work with trailer radar cameras which are placed on the HWY in Queensland Australia. . I have driven through these cameras many times and my radar detector has not given me any warning . If I pass the camera there is no warning at all. Why is this so !

    1. Did you purchase the international version? I don’t know if the Max Ci is designed to detect those specific radar guns. I’d recommend asking on the Escort section of RDF or on the Australia section of the forum to get more info.

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