Comparison and Analysis of KA-Band Radar vs. X-Band Radar; Final rept

摘要

This project focuses on the New Jersey State Police commitment to highway safety by enforcing posted speed limits. Effective enforcement of speeding statutes requires measured speed to be accurate and state of the art. This requirement is necessary in order to successfully prosecute by using both moving and stationary radar. The New Jersey State Police currently utilizes MPH Industries K55 X-band radar units. The New Jersey courts have taken judicial notice as to the scientific reliability of the K55 radar. The advent of new Ka-band Radar technology now allows smaller and safer radar units to be employed. To successfully utilize these new Ka-band Radar units their speed measurement accuracy must be established in a scientific manner that will be accepted by the New Jersey courts. This research project 1) established a program for testing the performance of the new Ka-band radar units relative to the present K55 radar, 2) monitored the implementation of this testing program, 3) reviewed the test results, 4) provided conclusions on performance and 5) documented these conclusions in a way that will facilitate the employment of Kaband radar by the New Jersey Sate Police. The relative characteristic and performance of available laser speed detection units will also be investigated and documented. More than 1,000 measurements proved (1) Ka-band radar speed measurements correlate very closely with the X-band measurements, (2) Weather had minimal affect on the Ka-band performance, and (3) Indicated speeds are well within National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards.