If the same direction RADAR is improperly set, how will the target speed be affected?

When a radar unit is improperly set, especially in terms of direction, it can lead to inaccuracies in measuring the target's speed. Specifically, in the case of a same direction radar setting, if the unit is not calibrated or is misaligned, it can result in a speed reading that is inflated based on the patrol speed of the officer.

When a radar is aimed in the same direction as the target's movement, any misalignment can cause the radar to calculate the speed incorrectly. This often results in the measurement reflecting not just the speed of the target vehicle but also an erroneous additional increment due to the patrol vehicle's own speed. The relationship observed in this scenario is that the speed reading may increase by a factor of two for each mile per hour of the patrol speed.

For instance, if the patrol vehicle is traveling at 50 mph and the target is going in the same direction but at a slower speed, the radar may read that target's speed as significantly higher than it actually is. In this misalignment situation, the reflected signal from the target would get compounded and the radar's interpretation misrepresents the target's actual speed.

Thus, an improper direction setup in the radar leads to a change of approximately two mph for each mph of