Page 1 of 6 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 52
  1. #1
    Good Citizen
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    108

    Default Is this for real?

    This was a review on amazon.

    I have a new Beltronics STi Driver. I live in West Virginia but drive through Virginia to work each day. I purchased this radar detector because of it's total shield technology, it's supposed to be undetectable. The other day when I crossed the state line into Virginia, I got off the highway and was driving through a small country town at 35mph which was the speed limit. I drove past a cop sitting at a gas station, he came out with force. His lights came on and I stopped. He asked if I had a radar detector? I said yes, I live in WV and forgot to turn it off when I crossed the state line. He was very nice since I was honest and asked to see it. He said this is a good one, then he handed it back to me and said try to remember to turn it off next time or I'll write you a ticket and confiscate it. I said you were able to detect my radar detector? He said yes they just installed Spectre Elite which detects all radar detectors so I suggest you stop using that thing. I quickly said thank you and was on my way. That was a waste of money, now I have a Magnesium paper weight unless I'm driving through states other than Virginia or D.C. Of course not all squad cars have this equipment but who wants to risk losing such an expensive radar detector. In the last two weeks 3 other squad cars came after me but I was able to turn it off before they got close to me, I wasn't speeding any of those times. I looked up the Spectre Elite and sure enough it detects all radar detectors. I thought is was a coincidence that I was being stalked by Virginia cops more now after purchasing and using my STi Driver (and wasn't speeding in any of these situations) but it's Spectre Elite. The STi Drivers owners manual says it's undetectable by all current and future (RDD) Radar Detector Detectors. When I informed Beltronics they said they will investigate further and at least I can use it in states other than Virginia. The problem is I only get tickets in Virgina. I had to laugh at that myself. Other than being detectable it's a great product.
    Help other customers find the most help

  2. #2
    Newcomer
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    HeavenOnEarth
    Posts
    63

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    Quote Originally Posted by STI_Boy View Post
    This was a review on amazon.

    I have a new Beltronics STi Driver. I live in West Virginia but drive through Virginia to work each day. I purchased this radar detector because of it's total shield technology, it's supposed to be undetectable. The other day when I crossed the state line into Virginia, I got off the highway and was driving through a small country town at 35mph which was the speed limit. I drove past a cop sitting at a gas station, he came out with force. His lights came on and I stopped. He asked if I had a radar detector? I said yes, I live in WV and forgot to turn it off when I crossed the state line. He was very nice since I was honest and asked to see it. He said this is a good one, then he handed it back to me and said try to remember to turn it off next time or I'll write you a ticket and confiscate it. I said you were able to detect my radar detector? He said yes they just installed Spectre Elite which detects all radar detectors so I suggest you stop using that thing. I quickly said thank you and was on my way. That was a waste of money, now I have a Magnesium paper weight unless I'm driving through states other than Virginia or D.C. Of course not all squad cars have this equipment but who wants to risk losing such an expensive radar detector. In the last two weeks 3 other squad cars came after me but I was able to turn it off before they got close to me, I wasn't speeding any of those times. I looked up the Spectre Elite and sure enough it detects all radar detectors. I thought is was a coincidence that I was being stalked by Virginia cops more now after purchasing and using my STi Driver (and wasn't speeding in any of these situations) but it's Spectre Elite. The STi Drivers owners manual says it's undetectable by all current and future (RDD) Radar Detector Detectors. When I informed Beltronics they said they will investigate further and at least I can use it in states other than Virginia. The problem is I only get tickets in Virgina. I had to laugh at that myself. Other than being detectable it's a great product.
    Help other customers find the most help
    Obviously, somebody who thinks that taking the "contrary" view makes them out to be a genius.

  3. #3
    Lead Foot
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    444

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    It's not detectable. I don't care what the cop said, it's not detectable from more than 3 ft away.

  4. #4
    Professional
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    127.0.0.1
    Posts
    1,295

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    Cop probably just saw it. I highly doubt it was detected. To make a unit so sensitive that it could detect an STi or Redline would make it unbearable with false alerts and incredibly unreliable.

    Straight from the Stalker Radar webpage(The Sole Distributor of the Spectre in the US):
    Specifications
    • Operating Frequency:
    10 GHz - 25 GHz
    • Temperature Range:
    32° - 176° F
    • Power Requirement:
    11.5 - 14.5 VDC
    • Current Requirement:
    300 - 500 ma
    • Weight: 1 lb.
    • Sensitivity:
    -110 dBm @ 25 GHz typical
    • Detects: Most radar detectors
    • Dimensions:
    6.1” D x 3.5” W x 1.4” H
    Here's the part to pay attention to:
    • Detects: Most radar detectors

  5. #5
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    2,817

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    I thought the VA ban did not include confiscation as a penalty.

    Where was their STi mounted? Could the LEO have just seen it? I've had a Spectre right up to my windshield and it could detect neither the STi nor the Redline.

    I am skeptical to say the least.

    GTO_04
    Last edited by GTO_04; 06-25-2011 at 10:38 AM.

  6. #6
    Good Citizen
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    123

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    I have had several RD tickets in Virginia. I have never had anyone say anything about confiscating one from someone out of state. I think his spectre 'vision' aka eyesight picked up that RD. Hence, the reason I'm running the STIR+ now

    If the RD doesn't leak, they can come out with a Spectre Elite Extreme Deluxe and it's not going to do much for them.

  7. #7
    Power User
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    not here.
    Posts
    4,150

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    .
    Last edited by v1user; 09-20-2011 at 10:10 PM.

  8. #8
    Newcomer
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Plano, Texas
    Posts
    14

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    It would be interesting to be able to test one. I have plans (if my wife doesn't kill me due to the $) to get an Escort Redline. I'd like to test it vs our Spectre Elite if I get one. I wouldn't say it is impossible for them to be detected. Here is some info from the Spectre website on the new Elite:

    The new Elite model RDD

    These improvements have been introduced on the Elite model RDD:

    Improvements to the anti cloaking system to defeat radar detectors with VG-2 alert or Spectre alert.
    The addition of a filter switch which enables the operator to shorten the range on poorly designed radar detectors whilst simultaneously retaining good sensitivity on more expensive units.
    Increased sensitivity on high end radar detectors
    Optional fitting of battery powered audio remote with "in operation" indicator. See specifications and further information below.
    I will definitely post my findings if I'm ever able to test any of the detectors. So far the only toys I get to play with are radar, lidar & RDDs.

    The thing about the RDD though, even if the detection range is only 50 feet, what the officer is supposed to be trained to do is sit along the edge of the road and angle it across at a 70-90 degree angle. This way they can pick up individual cars instead of driving along and pointing it forward (where you can't tell who has what or how far they are).

  9. #9
    Power User
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    St. Petersburg, Fl
    Posts
    3,307

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    I have a new Beltronics STi Driver. I live in West Virginia but drive through Virginia to work each day. I purchased this radar detector because of it's total shield technology, it's supposed to be undetectable. The other day when I crossed the state line into Virginia, I got off the highway and was driving through a small country town at 35mph which was the speed limit. I drove past a cop sitting at a gas station, he came out with force. His lights came on and I stopped. He asked if I had a radar detector? I said yes, I live in WV and forgot to turn it off when I crossed the state line. He was very nice since I was honest and asked to see it. He said this is a good one, then he handed it back to me and said try to remember to turn it off next time or I'll write you a ticket and confiscate it. I said you were able to detect my radar detector? He said yes they just installed Spectre Elite which detects all radar detectors so I suggest you stop using that thing. I quickly said thank you and was on my way. That was a waste of money, now I have a Magnesium paper weight unless I'm driving through states other than Virginia or D.C. Of course not all squad cars have this equipment but who wants to risk losing such an expensive radar detector. In the last two weeks 3 other squad cars came after me but I was able to turn it off before they got close to me, I wasn't speeding any of those times. I looked up the Spectre Elite and sure enough it detects all radar detectors. I thought is was a coincidence that I was being stalked by Virginia cops more now after purchasing and using my STi Driver (and wasn't speeding in any of these situations) but it's Spectre Elite. The STi Drivers owners manual says it's undetectable by all current and future (RDD) Radar Detector Detectors. When I informed Beltronics they said they will investigate further and at least I can use it in states other than Virginia. The problem is I only get tickets in Virgina. I had to laugh at that myself. Other than being detectable it's a great product.
    Help other customers find the most help

    Appears the LEO was sitting at a gas station monitoring the speed of cars in that 35 MPH section. Could have braked when his STI first alerted, or more than likely since he was the only one doing 35, this was a dead give away to the cop that he had a RD. Yes the fact he was not speeding is what told the cop he had an RD.

  10. #10
    Old Timer
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    6,806

    Default Re: Is this for real?

    Quote Originally Posted by Freebird View Post
    or more than likely since he was the only one doing 35, this was a dead give away to the cop that he had a RD. Yes the fact he was not speeding is what told the cop he had an RD.
    How's that for a catch 22? Speed through there and get pulled for speeding. Do the speed limit and get pulled for allegedly having an RD. I'd love to see the first person wrongly pulled over by that cop (not speeding OR running an RD) going to court over it.

    Most likely if he was watching the cars, he saw the STi on the windshield and pulled him over because of that. I think they're trained to tell people that they can detect your detector, even if they can't, just to convince you it's not worth running one (yet it is, even if you run a detectable one).

    From what I've heard the Spectre can only detect the Sti/Redline from a few feet away (like, 3 feet). There's almost no way his Spectre alerted, unless it was a fluke. If it's sensitive enough to pick up an Sti from 50 feet away, it'll be picking up Cobras from 2 miles away.

    An interesting test would be to drive around VA with a radar detector in the middle of the windshield, but NOT PLUGGED IN. Drive at the speed limit, and when one of their cookie cops pulls you over for the RD, see if he spouts any BS about "detecting" it. Even the Spectre Uber-Duper Mega Sensitive model won't detect an RD that isn't running.
    Last edited by kpatz; 06-25-2011 at 12:12 PM.
    If I'm passing you on the right, YOU are in the wrong lane!

    If speed kills, how come I'm still alive?

    Active Countermeasures: V1 3.858, Escort Redline, Beltronics STi-R+, LI Dual 7.1x CPU/8.7 Heads (front)
    Other/Backup Countermeasures: V1 3.813 (loaned to friend), Beltronics Pro RX65 M4 6.3
    Vehicle: 2002 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro
    LEO Toys: Kustom Pro Laser II & III
    Encounters/Saves August 2011: Radar 3/1, Laser 0/0


 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-22-2009, 04:33 PM
  2. Got my first J and it was a real LEO :(
    By jdoggydogg18 in forum Valentine One
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 01-06-2007, 10:13 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •