Road Angel GPS . . . . . . . - How I Did It -
Just kind of starting this one here today . . .
Over the years i have had a multitude of speed trap detectors, . . . . and a multitude of points on my licence.
Now days . . . being a responsible member of the community, a father and a Husband . . . . i thankfully have a clean licence and full complement of No-Claims-Bonus on my insurance.
Things wernt always that way though . . . In the early days those pesky GATSO and mobile speed traps had me flustered. . . . See, working as a mobile Technician had me on the road for 6 or more hours every day and covering over 35K a year in miles. Which put me at a higher risk of getting those dreaded points.
Now im not a speed freek by any means (I have to say that), but I've been caught out numerous times with the old "Doing 34mph in a 30mph zone" or "doing 54mph in a 50mph zone" type thing.
In the early days i had this kind of thing . . . .
you see back in those days there was no GPS or satnav. . . . i know MIND BLOWN RIGHT!!
The old detectors were RF based and worked on RADAR, the idea was that the radar detector you pick some stray signal ahead of the detection zone and give you a warning . . . . .Problem was that they false alarmed all the time..... you see it worked out that the Door open/close sensor at every high street store worked on the same frequency and would trigger the Radar detector . . . . . .Every woolworths, sainsbury, tesco etc etc etc beep, beeep, beeeeep, beeeeeep.
Newer speed trap technology brings into play Laser ranging, floor loops and now even HD CCTV cameras that read your number plate "ANPR" and track your journey and work out you average speed between two points and print out an automatic ticket without any human intervention.
Moving forward one of the first guys to start using the new GPS tech was. Morpheous Geodesy. These guys worked out how to load a map onto the device with RADAR or SPEED TRAP hotspots and give you a warning as you approached. . . . .
From that point on, numerous companies started producing a host of devices . . .
Snooper, Cheetah, 4Zero, Inforad, Drivesmart, RoadAngel . . . . . . etc etc. Now the problem with all of these units was that you had to take them out of the van and plug into a PC to updated the map database, which at best was a pain. so they never got updated for months at a time.
Untill the inclusion of the SIM card based unit from ROADANGEL, they had a prepaid SIM card inside that was part of the subscription. Now you had a fully automatic updating unit that even had collision detection . . . . . . which was a bit iffy!!! every time i went over a speed bump the Control center would phone through the unit and ask if everything was OK? LOL . . . . . bit strange when you chatting to the missus and some guy starts talking to you . . . I ended up switching that bit off.
Now the last one that i had in the Van that has served me faithfully was the Road Gem+
The problem is now the screen has faded and the subscription has run out. so it was time for an upgrade. The new replacement unit is called the ROAD ANGEL PURE. . . . . This time its wifi based for updates and subject to a yearly subscription.
This is what they have to say about it . . .
********************************************************
ROAD ANGEL PURE
Speed cameras are there for your safety but with ever-changing speed limits, it can be easy to make a mistake.
Don’t be caught out. The best drivers see the road ahead and drive to suit the conditions. Our advanced speed camera detector keeps you up to date, safer and will also help to avoid those hefty speeding fines.
DISPLAY
***********************************************************************************
Sounds good right? . . . . . well it was only ordered from them yesterday.
so you will have to wait for the full review . . . . . . . . check back soon.
Im planning to mount it high up by the rear view mirror and power if from the cables i had already pre installed behind the top roof cubby hole as seen here >>>>>>
12v Aux Feed + 5xusb Charging From Aux Battery - Today's Install
im not sure yet which cables, it may be the 12v feed or USB? either way I've got it covered.
The obvious answer to all of this ABIDE THE LAW and DRIVING REGULATIONS. Do not speed. Do Not do anything wrong. . . . . . . . But for the odd occasion that you are in a area you are not familiar with or ore being distracted by the kids and not paying full attention . . . . then a device like this will help in warning you that your right foot may be getting a bit heavy. . . . .
The future holds more assistance, with the internet and fully connected Head-units and the new SAT-NAVs will have a full connection to live map data and assist by automatically limiting the max speed of your car/van on the road you are traveling on. We already have speed adaptive cruise control and automatic lane assist . . . . . the next move of adding a max speed limit to the ACC is an easy technical solution but more of a problem will be the end user assumption of "too much automation" . . . . . . . but mark my words. it will happen.
So thats about it for now . . . . . . until it arrives that is and i can start testing it.
*********************************************************************************
Edit 2019:
In 2019 they added SMART MOTORWAYS to the Pure,
Because the unit is SIM card data based and is actively online all the time they can now push live motorway traffic/roadwords speed limits as well an now Live smart motorways . . . This feature was offered free at first in 2019 but has noe become part of the subcription package.
it was a bit scetchy at first but has now ironed out all the issues and proves itself to be fairly accurate. . . . . . a very nice addition to a great bit of kit.
*********************************************************************************
Edit jan 2020:
ok so tings changed a bit, i decided to move the Pure down to the dashboard so it could be permanently hardwired, attached and hidden easily when parked.
.
.
I put the BlackVue Dash cam at the normal top position hidden behind the rear view mirror.
.
.
.
.
( I did get a screen mount arm for the Pure . . . . but never bothered fitting it as i didnt like the setup)
The Pure now lives in the center dash pod, Its hardwired to the Ignition switched USB block for power when driving and has an internal battery too.
.
.
.
Its magnetic base is stuck to the dash, and the unit can be removed from the van if needed in another car.
.
Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread
.
Just kind of starting this one here today . . .
Over the years i have had a multitude of speed trap detectors, . . . . and a multitude of points on my licence.
Now days . . . being a responsible member of the community, a father and a Husband . . . . i thankfully have a clean licence and full complement of No-Claims-Bonus on my insurance.
Things wernt always that way though . . . In the early days those pesky GATSO and mobile speed traps had me flustered. . . . See, working as a mobile Technician had me on the road for 6 or more hours every day and covering over 35K a year in miles. Which put me at a higher risk of getting those dreaded points.
Now im not a speed freek by any means (I have to say that), but I've been caught out numerous times with the old "Doing 34mph in a 30mph zone" or "doing 54mph in a 50mph zone" type thing.
In the early days i had this kind of thing . . . .
you see back in those days there was no GPS or satnav. . . . i know MIND BLOWN RIGHT!!
The old detectors were RF based and worked on RADAR, the idea was that the radar detector you pick some stray signal ahead of the detection zone and give you a warning . . . . .Problem was that they false alarmed all the time..... you see it worked out that the Door open/close sensor at every high street store worked on the same frequency and would trigger the Radar detector . . . . . .Every woolworths, sainsbury, tesco etc etc etc beep, beeep, beeeeep, beeeeeep.
Newer speed trap technology brings into play Laser ranging, floor loops and now even HD CCTV cameras that read your number plate "ANPR" and track your journey and work out you average speed between two points and print out an automatic ticket without any human intervention.
Moving forward one of the first guys to start using the new GPS tech was. Morpheous Geodesy. These guys worked out how to load a map onto the device with RADAR or SPEED TRAP hotspots and give you a warning as you approached. . . . .
From that point on, numerous companies started producing a host of devices . . .
Snooper, Cheetah, 4Zero, Inforad, Drivesmart, RoadAngel . . . . . . etc etc. Now the problem with all of these units was that you had to take them out of the van and plug into a PC to updated the map database, which at best was a pain. so they never got updated for months at a time.
Untill the inclusion of the SIM card based unit from ROADANGEL, they had a prepaid SIM card inside that was part of the subscription. Now you had a fully automatic updating unit that even had collision detection . . . . . . which was a bit iffy!!! every time i went over a speed bump the Control center would phone through the unit and ask if everything was OK? LOL . . . . . bit strange when you chatting to the missus and some guy starts talking to you . . . I ended up switching that bit off.
Now the last one that i had in the Van that has served me faithfully was the Road Gem+
The problem is now the screen has faded and the subscription has run out. so it was time for an upgrade. The new replacement unit is called the ROAD ANGEL PURE. . . . . This time its wifi based for updates and subject to a yearly subscription.
This is what they have to say about it . . .
********************************************************
ROAD ANGEL PURE
Speed cameras are there for your safety but with ever-changing speed limits, it can be easy to make a mistake.
Don’t be caught out. The best drivers see the road ahead and drive to suit the conditions. Our advanced speed camera detector keeps you up to date, safer and will also help to avoid those hefty speeding fines.
DISPLAY
- 2.4″ clear sunlight readable TFT screen
- 240 x 320 pixel resolution
- High-Brightness white LED backlight
- Wide viewing angle
- Auto-dimming based on ambient light
- Gorilla Glass (scratch resistant, antiglare)
- New UI with higher resolution graphics
- Wide temperature (-20c to +40c)
- Touch sensitive buttons and improved usability
- Live camera information
- Camera Share
- Real time average speed for average speed cameras
- Personalised overspeed alerts
- Journey tracking
- Snap to road alert technology to reduce false alarms
- Red Light Camera
- Fixed Safety Cameras
- Mobile Safety Cameras
- Motorway Safety Cameras
- Blackspot areas
- School zones
- Congestion charge zones
- In-built Laser gun detection
- UK wide Safety Camera locations
- Road speed limits
- 100% legal
- Road and Vehicle Categorisation
- Built in WiFi for updates of firmware and all Databases via Smartphone
- Configurable by Smartphone – iOS and Android
- Configurable by PC or Mac
- Wireless charging via the Smart Mount
- Longer battery life
- Built in cooling
- Choice of Voice Alerts
- Choice of Sound Alerts
- New Dynamic Sound for a new High-Quality Sound
- Intelligent Mute
***********************************************************************************
Sounds good right? . . . . . well it was only ordered from them yesterday.
so you will have to wait for the full review . . . . . . . . check back soon.
Im planning to mount it high up by the rear view mirror and power if from the cables i had already pre installed behind the top roof cubby hole as seen here >>>>>>
12v Aux Feed + 5xusb Charging From Aux Battery - Today's Install
im not sure yet which cables, it may be the 12v feed or USB? either way I've got it covered.
The obvious answer to all of this ABIDE THE LAW and DRIVING REGULATIONS. Do not speed. Do Not do anything wrong. . . . . . . . But for the odd occasion that you are in a area you are not familiar with or ore being distracted by the kids and not paying full attention . . . . then a device like this will help in warning you that your right foot may be getting a bit heavy. . . . .
The future holds more assistance, with the internet and fully connected Head-units and the new SAT-NAVs will have a full connection to live map data and assist by automatically limiting the max speed of your car/van on the road you are traveling on. We already have speed adaptive cruise control and automatic lane assist . . . . . the next move of adding a max speed limit to the ACC is an easy technical solution but more of a problem will be the end user assumption of "too much automation" . . . . . . . but mark my words. it will happen.
So thats about it for now . . . . . . until it arrives that is and i can start testing it.
*********************************************************************************
Edit 2019:
In 2019 they added SMART MOTORWAYS to the Pure,
Because the unit is SIM card data based and is actively online all the time they can now push live motorway traffic/roadwords speed limits as well an now Live smart motorways . . . This feature was offered free at first in 2019 but has noe become part of the subcription package.
it was a bit scetchy at first but has now ironed out all the issues and proves itself to be fairly accurate. . . . . . a very nice addition to a great bit of kit.
*********************************************************************************
Edit jan 2020:
ok so tings changed a bit, i decided to move the Pure down to the dashboard so it could be permanently hardwired, attached and hidden easily when parked.
.
.
I put the BlackVue Dash cam at the normal top position hidden behind the rear view mirror.
.
.
.
.
( I did get a screen mount arm for the Pure . . . . but never bothered fitting it as i didnt like the setup)
The Pure now lives in the center dash pod, Its hardwired to the Ignition switched USB block for power when driving and has an internal battery too.
.
.
.
Its magnetic base is stuck to the dash, and the unit can be removed from the van if needed in another car.
.
Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread
.
Last edited:
