Types of Radar Guns

Radar guns are used everywhere within the limits of civilized society today. Ever since its inception in law enforcement in April 1954 by Leonard Baldy, its range of applications have widened from just traffic law enforcement to automatic door openers, Major League Baseball, golf and a variety of sports as well.

It is based on the Doppler Effect that is applied to a radar beam in order to measure the speed of an object. Radar guns are mainly used for two purposes since its technology has improved over the last few decades.

The first type is the police radar guns that cops use to detect the speed of trucks and other automobiles for the purpose of speed limit enforcement. Very simply, these are actually radio transmitters and receivers. Most of these devices are either hand-held, vehicle mounted or in a static position and so accurate that the only errors that are normally made are due to the mistakes made by its user.

Interestingly, radar detectors have been known to be used by motorists who would like to avoid being prosecuted for going over speed limits, and this has set off an electronics warfare of sorts between the ‘thieves’ and the police.

Sports radar guns is the second type of radar gun that is normally used to detect the speed of a pitcher throwing a ball, and which normally give sportswriters and fans alike something to talk about while scouts and coaches also get to know what players are capable of. And if you still can’t make the connection between baseball and sports radar guns, watch Dennis Quaid in ‘The Rookie’.