It’s time to take a look at RMR’s latest radar detector and do a Rocky Mountain Radar Judge review. You see, many people consider Rocky Mountain Radar to be one of the biggest scammers in the radar detector industry. They make a lot of wild claims that turn out not to be true, justify their claims with nonsensical technobabble in the hopes that you get lost in the confusion of something that sounds intelligent and just take their word for it, but really they’re in the business of taking advantage of people who don’t know any better. As the saying does, “If you can’t dazzle ’em with brilliance, baffle ’em with bullshit.” :p
Their main claim to fame is that they advertise radar and laser “scrambling” capabilities, that like radar or laser jammers, they can prevent police officers from being able to acquire your speed. They claim it’s a passive technique which makes it different from jamming, but in practice, it has NO any impact on radar or laser guns pointed at you when you’re driving down the road. None.
Now you could test this out yourself by driving past a speed sign on the side of the road, but because the product doesn’t actually have any impact on radar guns, they’ll claim that there’s no computer inside of speed signs which makes no sense at all, but it’s really just a way to avoid people from discovering that their products do not work. RMR claims that their products only work against police radar and laser guns so… let’s test against those in this Rocky Mountain Radar Judge review, shall we? 🙂
Rocky Mountain Radar, The Judge: Tests & Review
Radar Scrambling:
Let’s start with radar scrambling. Here’s what RMR has to say about it on their website for the Judge:
So when the feature is activated, the detector should be able to prevent a police radar gun from being able to acquire your speed. I tested against 6 different police radar guns including the MPH Bee III, Stalker II, Decatur Genesis II, Genesis II Select, Kustom Falcon HR, and MPH Z35. The first 3 are Ka band guns, the last 3 are K band guns. Scrambling was enabled for every run of course as you’ll see in the video. However, as soon as each radar gun was activated, it was able to instantly acquire my speed. No scrambling capabilities were achieved.
Other radar detector enthusiasts have also tested the Judge and found the same results. Here’s a test that @erickonphoenix did with his Judge against the Stalker Dual and Kustom Silver Eagle radar guns. As expected, the Judge had no effect on either radar gun in his test either.
Laser Scrambling:
Next up, laser scrambling. This is supposed to work beyond 100 feet or so and prevent a police officer from being able to acquire your speed. My test course was 750 feet long, well beyond the “minimum distance” that this claims to work beyond. I found that even with the scrambling feature activated, I was able to instantly acquire the speed of my target vehicle with the Kustom ProLaser III, just like I could when the detector was powered off. No impact was made to the laser acquisition abilities.
POP Radar Detection:
POP is an automated, very quick burst of radar designed to let an officer preview your speed without triggering your radar detector. Then when they see someone they want to target, they switch their radar gun into normal operation to get a tracking history. Unfortunately there’s a whole host of problems with the legalities and accuracy of POP radar so it’s really not used much and many people actually turn POP detection off because it leads to improved performance and reduced false alerts. Thus POP detection isn’t a big deal in practice, but here’s what RMR has to say about POP detection with the Judge:
Now oddly enough, there is no option in the detector to enable or disable POP detection the way that other detectors have that actually are designed to detect POP. Either way, here’s a test with two different POP-capable radar guns, the MPH Bee III transmitting 67ms Ka band POP and the MPH Z35 transmitting a faster and more difficult to detect 16ms K band POP. The Judge is unable to detect (or scramble) a single POP shot.
Undetectability and RDD Immunity:
Some people want a radar detector that’s undetectable, particularly in areas where radar detectors are illegal. For those people, a stealth detector is desirable so that it can’t be detected by radar detector detectors (RDD’s). Here’s what RMR has to say about their stealth capabilities:
They advertise VG-2 immunity and in practice, yes it is immune to being detected by the VG-2. However, that’s an ancient RDD and one that most every radar detector is immune to. Becoming stealth to that is quite easy.
The latest RDD, the one that’s hardest to become immune to, and the one that’s currently in use is the Spectre Elite. Unfortunately the Judge is actually quite detectable by the Spectre Elite. An officer running one of these would have no trouble recognizing that a vehicle is actively running a Judge. Take a look here:
What about as a normal radar detector?
So as you can see, many of the advanced capabilities that Rocky Mountain Radar advertises are false in practice and don’t actually perform as advertised. What about as just a radar detector itself?
In terms of long range testing, I’ve found that my Stinger VIP alerts to K band speed signs much farther away than the Judge, even at the Judge’s most sensitive setting and the Stinger’s least sensitive setting. Now that’s not a fair comparison, comparing the Judge to a Stinger, not to mention that speed signs aren’t the best to test performance against, so I’ve sent the Judge out to the TXCTG for long range testing to see how it fares.
In terms of blind spot filtering, in the few days of driving that I’ve done with it, it actually seems to do a reasonably good job. I gotta give credit where credit is due. The thing is though, you can find detectors with effective BSM filters like the Uniden DFR6 for less than half the price so…
The detector doesn’t have many menu options at all. For example, there’s no ability to turn bands on and off (which.. I suppose is okay for a basic newbie-friendly detector) and it also lacks TSR to filter out traffic sensors along the side of the highway, a feature many people absolutely require.
One of the most bizarre things is that it lacks the ability to manually mute a signal when it arises, a basic feature that I’ve never seen missing in any other detector. There is a mute button on top to allow you to switch muting modes between “Mute Off” (alerting normally), “Automute” (Announcing the band, beeping a few times, then going silent), and “Mute On” (which announces the band and then doesn’t beep afterwards). However, if you press the mute button during the presence of an alert, it doesn’t actually mute the signal. It simply switches between muting modes. I’ve never seen this feature missing from a radar detector and am honestly kind of stunned.
The detector retails for $399 and in this price range, you generally find radar detectors with a GPS chip like the Uniden DFR7, Radenso XP, or Escort Passport Max. This GPS chip is vital for city driving to give you features like low speed muting, redlight camera alerts, or GPS lockouts. The Judge doesn’t offer these features so it puts the detector down among the class of detectors that often sell for $200 or less.
That extra price differential they are attempting to justify through the “added value” of so-called “scrambling” capabilities and whatnot. Not worth it…
Conclusion
Rocky Mountain Radar likes to bombard you with intelligent-sounding technobabble to get you believe that their products have incredible powers when in reality they’re very limited products that simply do not perform as advertised. They’ll tell you stories about how people have run many of their detectors for years without getting a ticket, about how they’ve seen police officers banging on their radar guns after not being able to acquire a customer’s speed, and so on. RMR’s technique is to prey on unsuspecting buyers who don’t know any better and understandably buy into their claims. I’m hoping that this review helps to show you how the Judge actually performs in practice. In no way, shape, or form do I recommend Rocky Mountain Radar’s products. There’s a reason why you don’t see radar detector enthusiasts like myself running these to keep us protected. Now you know why.
If you’re looking for a detector that genuinely is awesome, is a good way to spend your money, and will deliver the performance that you need, I recommend that you check out my Radar Detector Buyer’s Guide and take a look at my top picks.
If you know of someone who’s looking at the Judge, please send them a link to this review.
Thank you!
Full Disclosure:
I have zero affiliation with Rocky Mountain Radar. I purchased a retail copy of the detector brand new from Amazon and then returned it after testing. I was not provided this detector by anyone else and this review is not sponsored in any way. My review is my own objective opinion based on real world testing with police radar and laser guns. If it was a good detector, I’d be happy to link you to Amazon and make a commission when you purchase, just like I do with the other detectors I recommend instead because they are legitimately good detectors. There is no financial incentive for me to say anything bad about them. My goal is to provide you with the highest quality information so that you can make an informed and educated decision. You deserve that. I hope Rocky Mountain Radar decides to step up their game and begin selling and marketing their products with honest and integrity.
Since RMR employees have decided to start spamming the comment section of this post with further misinformation and mud-slinging instead of simply coming clean with the truth, I have shut down further comments. No need to waste your time. The facts are the facts. Thank you for reading.
| 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. |
20 comments
Skip to comment form
Hello dear vortex
Great and professional review.
I for one know that this company are scammers. But the thing is they rely on people who don’t have the knowledge about rd and simply take them for a ride and ripping them off. So that is where your activity becomes a bless and informative information for those who don’t know.
Keep up the good work
P.s
Can you please find out if in the future the uniden r3 will support Europe red light and speed camera database??
Thanks and best regards
Mottie
Vortex is full of shhht.
Y’all people know very well the technology is far beyond. So in my mind I guess y’all call yourselves putting false information out there so many people will think other wise about buying Rocky Mountain products. Rocky Mountain radar technology is military technology which they’ve been using since 1998.
The first time I use the technology was with that c450 Rocky Mountain radar /scrambler. It works perfectly. Only issues I had was that that the speaker had shorted out which I dropped outta of rental cars multiple times when switching my things out. But I use that same radar detector for years before it went out. If Rocky Mountain technology was a scam then why do y’all care. Lol it doesn’t make any sense how y’all just hate on one another when you can just move on. What I luv about Rocky Mountain is that they not only built and designed radar detectors like many other companies but they are the only company that built a detector with a shield technology. Which allows you to slow down if your out there driving too fast. What good is any radar detector if it can’t help me stay staff from being hit by radar or laser. Yes escort radar company has great detectors but if I am driving anywhere a cop can lock on to me even at distance away without enough warning to slow down. You no and I no a radar detector makes plenty of noise also that loud receiver will not block anything except make noise. Rocky Mountain is the best and believe that ????????
Them long range radar detectors are worthless if your foot is heavy and you drive fast every day. U might get away on radar a little by using people vehicles as a front door but laser you can’t hide unless you own a jammer. Laser is narrow light . Radar is very wide burst of signal
Author
As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. This world is full of people who believe all sorts of different things. Best of luck to you on your journey sir.
Do you work RmR?
Great job Vortex! Because of your bogus test of the RMR-C495, the FCC tested it and it was so effective, they made Rocky Mountain Radar pull the plug on the production of this specific unit. Who’s paying you under the table to conduct these bogus test! I tested this unit on 5 different and current radar guns. In no case was I able to maintain a consistent lock on the vehicle this unit was in. You should be ashamed of yourself! By the way, I will be posting my live review on youtube. My name is Anti-Vortex.
Author
Great. My wish is that one day, you guys at RMR devote your energy and passion into making products that benefit your customers instead of scamming them. You can be successful and profitable while also being honorable and truthful. That is my wish for you. Best wishes to you on your journey.
Anti-Vortex….really? lol, what are you 9 years old?
@Anti-Vortex. If Rocky Mountain Radar of their own free will chooses to engage in manufacturing, importing, marketing, selling, or operating equipment which emits electromagnetic energy, operating in licensed and controlled spectrum, and does so in violation of federal laws, and bylaws prohibiting doing such — then the pure, unavoidable, and sure result is they become subject to the legal consequences of doing so.
Applicable Law:
The Communications Act of 1934
Section 301 – requires persons operating or using radio transmitters to be licensed or authorized under the Commission’s rules (47 U.S.C. § 301)
Section 302(b) – prohibits the manufacture, importation, marketing, sale or operation of these devices within the United States (47 U.S.C. § 302a(b))
Section 333 – prohibits willful or malicious interference with the radio communications of any station licensed or authorized under the Act or operated by the U.S. Government (47 U.S.C. § 333)
Section 503 – allows the FCC to impose forfeitures for willful or repeated violations of the Communications Act, the Commission’s rules, regulations, or related orders, as well as for violations of the terms and conditions of any license, certificate, or other Commission authorization, among other things.
Sections 510 – allows for seizure of unlawful equipment (47 U.S.C. § 510)
The Commission’s Rules
Section 2.803 – prohibits the manufacture, importation, marketing, sale or operation of these devices within the United States (47 C.F.R. § 2.803)
Section 2.807 – provides for certain limited exceptions, such as the sale to U.S. government users (47 C.F.R. § 2.807)
The Criminal Code (Enforced by the Department of Justice)
Title 18, Section 1362 – prohibits willful or malicious interference to US government communications; subjects the operator to possible fines, imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. § 1362)
Title 18, Section 1367(a) – prohibits intentional or malicious interference to satellite communications; subjects the operator to possible fines, imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. § 1367(a))
FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 3; see also FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 3.
The Reports further state that the FCC tested the devices in three different ways to detect radiated emissions. First, the FCC placed the devices near an active police radar gun and a tuning fork. Striking a tuning fork is a standard calibration method to see if the radar gun has a clear Doppler tone and to guarantee that the radar gun produces valid readings. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 5; see also FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 5. In both cases, when the device was turned on and the tuning fork was struck, the police radar gun was unable to operate effectively when in proximity to the device. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 5; see also FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 4. Second, the devices were activated and placed in vehicles travelling at thirty, forty and fifty miles per hour. A stationary radar gun was activated nearby and tracked the vehicles to ascertain their speeds. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 6; see also FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 5. Once again, the placement of the devices in the vehicles caused the radar gun to cease functioning properly, and the radar gun was unable to track the vehicle’s speed. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 6; see also FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 5. Third, the devices were placed on a rotating table, and a horn antenna was used to measure any radiated emissions. The FCC’s RMR-C450 report stated that the RMR-C450’s *733 peak radiated emission occurred at 11.225 GHz. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 7-9. The RMR-S201 generated no emissions. FCC’s RMR-S201 Report 5. Based on these tests, the Post Grant Technical Reports concluded that the RMR-C450 and the RMR-S201 were intentional radiators designed to interfere with licensed radio services. FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 10; see also FCC’s RMR-C450 Report 5.
Author
I tested the C495 at point blank range with a few radar guns and also found that up close, it can create fake readings on radar guns if things are lined up just right, somewhat similar to aiming a radar gun at an A/C unit in a car. See this long and not really edited/shortened video. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgVT7mIvmgY
However, in no way has any RMR product ever achieved any impact upon preventing a radar gun from acquiring the speed of a moving vehicle in practice. https://youtu.be/rq06d_0iqzU
I even called up RMR and spoke with them about why the C495 wasn’t able to scramble and their response was less than encouraging. https://youtu.be/eDO3zbD9tG8
Now as for the C450 that you mention in this FCC report, in testing again no one is finding that it can do anything against a moving vehicle. See these test results available online, posted by others:
http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=8502
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXcHaIeLTtE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ4KBcRhX7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnN5jq1AhaE
Anyone can go out and reproduce these tests. That’s the beauty of testing and verifying manufacturer’s claims and it’s something I actively encourage people to do. Here’s another tester testing out the Judge (which this post is about) against multiple radar guns and he found the same thing I did.
https://www.rdforum.org/index.php?threads/67102/
If these products worked as advertised, those of us with closets full of radar detectors wouldn’t bother with only detecting radar. Why detect only when you can scramble too? Those of us with radar guns would be able to test and see the results for ourselves, sharing the results with everyone else online. We’d be recommending them and we’d be running them ourselves. However, the products don’t work and so those are the test results that you’ll see online. It’s that simple.
I appreciate your passion and I’m not here to fight you, even if you want to fight with me. If anything, I’d love to see your passion and energy channeled into something more positive where we can benefit others by providing accurate and truthful information online.
Try video evidence. That seems to work better than spreading B.S. by text that anyone can make up – at least to the educated. Stop trolling uninformed consumers and scamming them out of their money. They clearly don’t work and I’m glad there is video evidence to support it.
That video doesn’t mean anything without proper tools of testing anything out.
Them guys like radar Roy and many more others have been trying for years to convince the world that Rocky Mountain technology is a scam. Rocky Mountain radar company has been in business since 1998. Only difference between yesterday’ s technology vs today is that’s its gotten a whole lot better then before. But it’s like that with any company who starts out. Look at Kia automotive, before their vehicles were crappy and cheap cars on the roads. Today Kia automotive has increased to the top. Why because the technology. Hello
Imma say this here how ever much money they are paying you to advertise a lie against a company that is still growing. Do ya job bruh long as it still works for me Om good. Today I only feel safe when I use Rocky Mountain radar technology when I drive anything from a rental car or even my personal vehicles wherever I may go that’s real.
Author
If you feel safe, I’m very glad to hear that. That’s one of the main reasons that we run radar detectors. Whether or not the tool performs as advertised is another story, but I’m glad that you feel safe. I’d want nothing less for you. 🙂
“A.Adams”, “Abdull Adams” I see this morons name under everything to do with rocky mountain radars. RMR must be really struggling to find employees if they have to hire someone with such terrible grammar. Sad.
Most every detector leaks emissions – that’s why the Spectres can detect them. That doesn’t prove they “jam” the guns.
?
I just have a simple question. If what you say is true then how is it That thousands of people across the globe just like myself are using that same technology and detectors Rocky Mountain radar built.
The Wife really luvs that same judge radar detector your testing out. I bet you probably need to here her testimonies since she’s a bachelor degree in law. The scramblers works perfectly. What ever you all doing apparently it must b tested very wrong.
Listen I understand you’ll all doing ya job trying to impress the world over some lie. But I’ve travelled through out many states all across America the scrambler technology works perfectly. It’s only programmed to something you do have excess to period. One more thing , there is no way on this planet I am able to speed through a town at 50mph in a 30 zone while a local cop ahead running radar and able to slow down in front of him and pass without receiving a ticket. A radar detector cannot save you in that situation. Year 2006 till now I am still able to safely drive through many states without fear.
Author
You don’t have to believe me. You can test and verify for yourself if you like, or you can continue driving around with it, thinking that it will scramble. I suppose ignorance is bliss sometimes, but it’s up to you my friend. Cheers.
First of all you can test and keep testing all you want. I been using Rocky Mountain scrambler technology fir years bruh. It’s been since 2006 and still using their products today. I wouldn’t dare use a dam radar detector by itself today unless it’s that scrambler. I speed everyday just like the average vehicles u see running down the highways 75 and 80mph. At first many years ago I didn’t believe the scrambler can do all that but when I tested it on a dozens of police cars ?. It gives them what their used to looking at which is called the mirror image reflection. It’s nothing you can do about it period try convincing thousands of other people out there. The reason y’all upset is because of jealousy that just because you advertise a funky radar detector because of looks and specks it’s and it picks up 10 miles up the road. Yiu May loose customers. Big deal get over it. Rocky Mountain technology only works against police ? only is because it’s programmed to their systems not a gad darn radar gun or laser. It’s technology something you do not have access to period because you are not a cop. COMPUTERS AND CHIPS HELLO. that same phaser 3 I bought in 2012 saved my ass a hella speeding ticket up agytwo state troopers. Quarter mile hit I was speeding in a Cadillac how is it that I can drive all these years without getting tickets vs a radar detector alone. Now days you need more than something that makes noise. Shield is the best defense weapon have. So you guys can all kick rocks.
Stop trolling and scamming people.