One High Tech Detector
Written: Oct 04 '00 (Updated Apr 22 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Range; Tech-Mode; Selective bands
Cons: Only if you can't afford it
The Bottom Line: The 970 Bel is the alternative to the Escort 8500. The unit provide more than ample warning when applied correctly. I highly recommendation here.
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| A-RDR-GUY's Full Review: Beltronics BEL 970 Radar Detector |
Beltronics a Canadian based company now came subject to a merger with Escort, has produced second best products in it earlier days. Now, with DSP electronics being integrated in its detectors, Second best could be a thing of its past.
The Beltronics 970 aka Vector LR, one of the latest 900 series Detectors that has been reengineered from its predecessor the 845STii/855STi. This unit is Hand-Tuned from the factory for peak performance; and comes with a certificate that states tuner sensitivity. This unit comes with a 3-year manufacture warranty that if you question if the unit has lost some sensitivity (range), you can send it for a checkup; plus it can be updated if any newer certified police radar is produced on the market.
The unit is the conventional black, with ruff text over most of the detector. It has a ditto matrix red screen for your tactical information. The unit has four buttons on the topside; Power, Dark, Audio, and City. The power input is on the left and the Audio speaker on the right. This unit has only One frontal Radar Antenna and Laser Sensor set, plus a rear Laser pickup. Rear pickup on Laser is rare, but a Threat
Mounting can be challenging at first.
The Windshield mount is adjustable but difficult. The mount has a screw, that if not tighten correctly, the detector can fall of the windshield. With the adjustment, if you have a highly angled windshield “like a Firebird or Camaro,” you can adjust up/down and left/right to angle the antenna straight out the windshield. The visor mount can too be a pain. If your Visor is thin, the mount can slide around or off.
The Pros:
-3 year manufacture warranty which covers parts and labor
-Certified Performance specs in all bands
-A five Customized start up Mode Setting
-Tech Mode (Frequency/Gigor Counter)
-Memory retention
-Selectable Frequencies/Band Deletion
-Voltage Meter and Alert. If over 16v or under 10v
-Vg-2 non-Detectable
-Loud Clean/Clear Audio
This Tech-Mode displays the supposed frequency the radar officer is running. Like K band that is centered at 24.150GHz this can be helpful in day-to-day driving. If you are in an area that has a few false alerts at 24.133 or 24.185 and it displays 24.148GHz which is uncommon (radar) then you know what your next move is.
Other Frequency the officer is using. X band would look like 10.496, K band 24.148, and Ka band 35.863. In standard mode it will give you the meter. But the unit will not display both.
Selectable frequencies. If your town, city, or state does not run a current frequency you can eliminate that Band. Here in Virginia, they do not run X band so it is not selected. But in North Carolina X band is used but not Ka band (falsing from other detectors in this band).
The Programming of this detector to the driver is fair easy. Unlike www.radartest.com (Craig Peterson), which mentioned that, the unit is on the difficult side to program. They had mentioned that the 8500 Escort was easier; to me the 8500 was a little more of a pain.
Cons:
The two main problems I have run into with this detector is Audio and Visual.
The Audio although loud, it peak volume is poor. The unit does not sound as if the unit is at peak detection. When owning a Valentine, Whistler, and now an Escort, this is the only unit (so far) that is hard to know if peaked.
The Visual issue is on the nighttime drive. When running the detector on the Dim setting, the adjustable darkening is just not dark enough. I had even put a tint film over the screen (does help a little.)
Ranging is Strong:
X band- 1.15 miles
K band- 0.5-.4 City Average; 1.00-1.35 miles highway
Ka band-0.4-.8 city; 1.00-1.25 miles
For the price, features, and range this is a bargain. You should not have to replace this detector for the upgradability of the software ever again.
Keep in mind Use your Eyes and Brain 90% of the time and the Detector 10% since Law Enforcement does not all the time use just Radar.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
A-RDR-GUY
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Eric D
Location: Southeastern, Virginia
Reviews written: 32
Trusted by: 33 members
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