Radenso DS1 Firmware 1.09

The Radenso DS1 (purchase here) has been updated to firmware 1.09. This improves the GPS lockouts and K notch filters, plus it adds some new features and bug fixes.

Customizable Lockout Range

There are now new options to widen the frequency range of your K band lockouts. This can be helpful to ensure that poorly designed speed signs whose frequencies may drift over time, especially as the temperature changes, stay locked out.

If you notice lockouts not “sticking,” you can widen the lockout range beyond the +/- 10 MHz it used to be (new default is +/- 15 MHz), but keep in mind this makes the lockout more likely to inadvertently lock out additional signals that aren’t intended to be locked out.

Under “GPS,” there’s a new “Advanced Lockout” option to customize the new lockout range.

New Speed Display

There’s a new setting that lets you display your current speed in large text on the display. I love this new option because it does a much better job of taking advantage of the big display on the DS1. It gives you a nice big speedometer while driving.

To activate, go to “Display” -> “Idle Mode” -> “Speed”

New Way to Update DS1

Lots of newer cars are no longer shipping with cig. lighter ports at all. Instead they have USB ports and you can plug your DS1 directly into those ports for power. However with some cars, the data connection would send the DS1 into update mode instead of powering on properly and so now, any time the DS1 is plugged into USB, by default it will power on normally.

Now when you want to update the DS1, you’ll plug it into your computer via USB, the press and hold – and + on top of the detector for 5 sec at startup. When you do, the detector will go into download mode and your computer will be able to see your detector.

This is a change from the previous behavior where you could simply plug the detector into your computer and your computer would see it. Now you have to press the two buttons first to put it into download mode.

K Notch Changes

There’s been a bunch of changes to K Notch (which apply to both Auto and Custom modes).

Additional K Notches

The K Notch now covers two more frequency ranges.

• 24.121 – 24.124
• 24.158 – 24.168 (New, helps cover Hondas, Acuras, Jeeps, GM’s, and more)
• 24.194 – 24.204
• 24.224 – 24.225 (New, for Honda Pilots)

Settings Changes

Next up, the menu options have been changed. Radenso removed the “K Notch display” that controls whether K Notch’ed signals show up on screen.

The K Notch menu now has new settings:

• Block all signals (Does not display any alert on screen)
• Mute all signals (Visually displays in gray with K notch in green)
• Mute weak signals (Visually alerts in gray with  K notch in green for weak alerts)
• Off

When muting weak signals, when the signal strength is 1 or 2, the signal will be muted and grayed out. When it’s 3 or higher, you’ll get a normal display and alert.

K Notch settings only apply in Custom mode. They are ignored in Auto mode and the detector effectively runs with K Notch set to “Block all signals.”

Customizable Auto City Mode Speed Threshold

Auto Mode used to automatically switch K band sensitivity between 65% when driving above 50 mph and 50% sensitivity when driving below 50 mph.

Now we have control to adjust the speed where it switches sensitivity levels.

“User Pref.” -> “Auto Speed Setting” will allow you to set the threshold between 15 – 60 mph.

Multiple Signal Muting Change

There’s been some changes to help keep the detector muted when signals come and go.

When a signal is detected, it is muted based on frequency.  If a new signal is detected, it will alert the new signal, but keep the first signal muted.  Finally, whenever a currently muted signal is dropped, if it is picked up again within 15 seconds, the detector will keep it muted.  It only alerts if it has been longer than 15 seconds since the signal was last seen.

With previous firmware, if a muted signal dropped out for even two seconds and then was picked up again, the mute would have be cancelled and the signal would annoying resume alerting again.

Bogey Tone Changes

There used to be two nearly identical sounding bogey tone options (tones 2 and 3). They’ve removed one of those options.

They’ve also added an “Off” option to disable the new bogey tone altogether.

Disable Passing Chime for RLC / Speedcam

There’s a new menu option to disable the pass chime for RLC & speed camera alerts

You can go to “GPS” then “RLC/SPD Chime” and adjust the setting on or off. It defaults to off.

K Band Detection Bug Fix

Finally there’s a small bug fix for K band detection. Now if you disable K band, but you leave K POP on, K band alerts will be fully disabled.

How to Update your DS1

To update your DS1, you can download the update software and latest firmware from Radenso’s website. Be sure to use the new – and + button trick I talked about earlier to set your detector into download mode so you can update.

Alternatively, you can update over the air using the Radenso Nexus app for Android.

Finally if you need a DS1, you can purchase a Radenso DS1 here.