DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	3 Months Ended
May 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]	NOTE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of Business CalAmp Corp. ("CalAmp" or the "Company") develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communication and other applications. The Company's two business segments are Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite market. The Company uses a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to February 28, which for fiscal 2012 fell on February 25, 2012. Fiscal 2013, a 53-week year, will end on March 2, 2013. The actual interim periods ended on May 26, 2012 and May 28, 2011, both consisting of 13 weeks. In the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements, the 2012 fiscal year end is shown as February 28 and the interim period end for both years is shown as May 31 for clarity of presentation. Certain notes and other information are condensed or omitted from the interim financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2012. In the opinion of the Company's management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary to present fairly the Company's financial position at May 31, 2012 and its results of operations for the three months ended May 31, 2012 and 2011. The results of operations for such periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full fiscal year. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes revenue from product sales when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable and collection of the sales price is reasonably assured. Generally, these criteria are met at the time product is shipped, except for shipments made on the basis of "FOB Destination" terms, in which case title transfers to the customer and the revenue is recorded by the Company when the shipment reaches the customer. Customers do not have rights of return except for defective products returned during the warranty period. The Company defers the recognition of revenues for products that are sold with data communication services because the services are essential to the functionality of the products, and accordingly, the associated product costs are recorded as deferred costs. The deferred product revenue and deferred product cost amounts are recognized on a straight-line basis over the minimum contractual service period of one year. Revenues from renewals of data communication services after the initial one year term are recognized as the services are provided. When customers prepay data communication service renewals, such amounts are recorded as deferred revenues and are recognized over the renewal term. The Company also undertakes projects that include the design and development of communication systems used in the public safety and transportation sectors that are customized to customers' specifications or that involve fixed site construction. Sales under such contracts are recorded under the percentage-of-completion method. Costs and estimated revenues are recorded as work is performed based on the percentage that incurred costs bear to estimated total costs utilizing the most recent estimates of costs. If the current contract estimate indicates a loss, provision is made for the total anticipated loss in the current period. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts arise when contract revenues have been recognized on the percentage-of-completion method in advance of when the amounts can be invoiced to the customers under the terms of the contracts. Such amounts are billable to the customers upon various measures of performance, including achievement of certain milestones, completion of specified units, or completion of a contract. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practicable to estimate: Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable - The carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value given the short maturity of these instruments. Debt - The estimated fair value of the Company's bank debt approximates the carrying value of such debt because the interest rate is variable and is market-based. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income”. This guidance requires companies to present the components of net income and other comprehensive income either as one continuous statement or as two consecutive statements. It eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The standard does not change the items which must be reported in other comprehensive income, how such items are measured or when they must be reclassified to net income. The Company adopted this pronouncement in this first quarter ended May 31, 2012. The Company had no components of other comprehensive income during the quarters ended May 31, 2012 and May 31, 2011.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

3 Months Ended

May 31, 2012

Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]

NOTE 1 - DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business

CalAmp Corp. ("CalAmp" or the "Company") develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communication and other applications. The Company's two business segments are Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite market.

The Company uses a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Saturday closest to February 28, which for fiscal 2012 fell on February 25, 2012. Fiscal 2013, a 53-week year, will end on March 2, 2013. The actual interim periods ended on May 26, 2012 and May 28, 2011, both consisting of 13 weeks. In the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements, the 2012 fiscal year end is shown as February 28 and the interim period end for both years is shown as May 31 for clarity of presentation.

Certain notes and other information are condensed or omitted from the interim financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Therefore, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2012.

In the opinion of the Company's management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary to present fairly the Company's financial position at May 31, 2012 and its results of operations for the three months ended May 31, 2012 and 2011. The results of operations for such periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue from product sales when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable and collection of the sales price is reasonably assured. Generally, these criteria are met at the time product is shipped, except for shipments made on the basis of "FOB Destination" terms, in which case title transfers to the customer and the revenue is recorded by the Company when the shipment reaches the customer. Customers do not have rights of return except for defective products returned during the warranty period.

The Company defers the recognition of revenues for products that are sold with data communication services because the services are essential to the functionality of the products, and accordingly, the associated product costs are recorded as deferred costs. The deferred product revenue and deferred product cost amounts are recognized on a straight-line basis over the minimum contractual service period of one year. Revenues from renewals of data communication services after the initial one year term are recognized as the services are provided. When customers prepay data communication service renewals, such amounts are recorded as deferred revenues and are recognized over the renewal term.

The Company also undertakes projects that include the design and development of communication systems used in the public safety and transportation sectors that are customized to customers' specifications or that involve fixed site construction. Sales under such contracts are recorded under the percentage-of-completion method. Costs and estimated revenues are recorded as work is performed based on the percentage that incurred costs bear to estimated total costs utilizing the most recent estimates of costs. If the current contract estimate indicates a loss, provision is made for the total anticipated loss in the current period. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts arise when contract revenues have been recognized on the percentage-of-completion method in advance of when the amounts can be invoiced to the customers under the terms of the contracts. Such amounts are billable to the customers upon various measures of performance, including achievement of certain milestones, completion of specified units, or completion of a contract. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument for which it is practicable to estimate:

Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable - The carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value given the short maturity of these instruments.

Debt - The estimated fair value of the Company's bank debt approximates the carrying value of such debt because the interest rate is variable and is market-based.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income”. This guidance requires companies to present the components of net income and other comprehensive income either as one continuous statement or as two consecutive statements. It eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity. The standard does not change the items which must be reported in other comprehensive income, how such items are measured or when they must be reclassified to net income. The Company adopted this pronouncement in this first quarter ended May 31, 2012. The Company had no components of other comprehensive income during the quarters ended May 31, 2012 and May 31, 2011.