2nd X50 Self-Cal since initial purchase almost one year ago.

[below_the_radar]

This was uncanny, so I had to post a SWAG or two.

Almost to the day, my X50 had run fine for 5 month periods, then it goes into Self-Cal for 30 seconds or so, and is back on it's feet again.
It's always been direct wired, power is good, no other RF or GPS devices, etc. Each time the Self-Cal was when I first started up the car, never while driving around.

This second time the car was in the garage overnight and the temperature was mild, around 54F. The detector had worked fine the night before I parked the car, as there is a speed sign in my neighborhood which it alerted to as usual.

Wild theory #1:
So I started doing some math, I start the car about six or seven times a day or so, over a 5 month period, that's about 1,000 power on cycles. Could it be that after every 1,000th power on cycle the X50 remembers and forces a pre-emptive Self-Cal ?
To shoot holes in this theory, if a board member has a X50 Rev 5, that has gone for years without a Self-Cal, then so much for this idea.


Wild theory #2
Could it be my X50's components just coincidentally take 5 months to drift out of tune far enough that it detects this and does a Self-Cal ?
I guess I will wait and see if 5 months from now, near the middle of October if my X50 Self-Cal's again.

[stealthJamal]

This was uncanny, so I had to post a SWAG or two.

Almost to the day, my X50 had run fine for 5 month periods, then it goes into Self-Cal for 30 seconds or so, and is back on it's feet again.
It's always been direct wired, power is good, no other RF or GPS devices, etc. Each time the Self-Cal was when I first started up the car, never while driving around.

This second time the car was in the garage overnight and the temperature was mild, around 54F. The detector had worked fine the night before I parked the car, as there is a speed sign in my neighborhood which it alerted to as usual.

Wild theory #1:
So I started doing some math, I start the car about six or seven times a day or so, over a 5 month period, that's about 1,000 power on cycles. Could it be that after every 1,000th power on cycle the X50 remembers and forces a pre-emptive Self-Cal ?
To shoot holes in this theory, if a board member has a X50 Rev 5, that has gone for years without a Self-Cal, then so much for this idea.


Wild theory #2
Could it be my X50's components just coincidentally take 5 months to drift out of tune far enough that it detects this and does a Self-Cal ?
I guess I will wait and see if 5 months from now, near the middle of October if my X50 Self-Cal's again.

Welcome to my world. I bought mine from directly from Escort right after the X50 came out and before I found radarbusters.com. I'm on my 3rd X50, my first two had to be exchanged because they were defective.

My 3rd one worked great for over a year. I "babied it" never left it out in the sun, always turn it off before I turned my car off/on, never been dropped, ect. After my 3rd one worked fine for almost a year it went into self cal. All 3 of the X50's I've had have never provided me consistent Ka detection either. This is why I have never been able to trust my X50's. I have been meaning to call Escort about my X50 going into self cal to see what kind of BS they try to feed me. I'm hoping I can exchange my X50 for an X50 with the new antenna design because I think this might have somethig to do with the self cal errors or I may just sell it and be done with it.

But from what I've seen on here some people have never had problems with theirs and they say that they get consistent Ka detection range.

[below_the_radar]

stealthJamal,

Thanks for the feedback!

In my own mind, I believe that the lions share of the X50 Self-Cal messages could in fact be a good thing! That is something however that I would very much like Escort to elaborate on.

FYI: Ka range on my X50 also has always been consistently great. It is a fine detector.

[stealthJamal]

stealthJamal,

Thanks for the feedback!

In the back of my mind I want to believe that the lions share of the X50 Self-Cal messages could in fact be a good thing. That is something however that I would very much like Escort to elaborate on.

Good luck on trying to get Escort to do that. But if by some miracle you can get a REAL honest response from someone that knows their stuff at Escort, please share it with us.

Don't let them tell you that the self cal is normal because there are people that have X50's that never get self cals and these are usually the same people that have praise for their X50's also. Another thing to watch out for if you call Escort is some of the reps will try to feed you some BS that the self cal is caused by leaving your detector on when you turn your car off and then start the car again with the detector still on. Not all X50's give self cal errors just some, so don't let them feed you a BS excuse to get you off the phone.

BTW, I have this theory that the X50 with the new antennas don't have self cal problems. I think it was isolated to some, not all of the X50's with the first antenna. See if you can get Escort to confirm that. Good luck.

To anyone else reading this that owns an X50, don't worry. Only some X50's get self cal, if your X50 is working fine then don't worry.

[below_the_radar]

Thanks. The antenna comment was also a off-the-cuff post I had previously made when the RX-65 made the initial change. Takes a lot of $$$$ to make such a decision.

[Orbital75]

stealthJamal,

Don't let them tell you that the self cal is normal because there are people that have X50's that never get self cals. Another thing to watch out for if you call Escort is some of the reps will try to feed you some BS that the self cal is caused by leaving your detector on when you turn your car off and then start the car again with the detector still on. Not all X50's give self cal errors just some.

Just to add to the conversation, I bought my x50 directly from Escort two years ago and have never had a Self Cal Test run on the detector. I have to admit though I do baby it. I never leave it in the sun and turn it off after use. I feel I may be an exception to the rule however because my Lighter is constanly hot ( it's always on even when car is off. ) I do have it hardwired to the fusebox though no matter what it still has power after the car is cut off. Now I never leave it on, I always turn it off.

Not really sure what can be causing this but I do agree I have heard some users really furstrated and concerned by this. I have heard that if you have it set to "Normal Start" it will go through all Radar bands with tone and if needed will self calibrate. If you have it in " Fast Start " where you just turn it on and it's ready, you will not see the "Self Cal" message if it proforms one. Can anyone back me up on this?

[stealthJamal]

The self cal is not supposed to happen and the self cal has nothing to do with the start up sequence. If you get it, self cal pops up randomly after the detector has already been on. One time mine did it after it was on for about 45 minutes. I heard this chirping sound coming from it so I looked and it said self cal on the screen. It lasted for what seemed like a minute or 2. During the self cal I had no detection and when it was finished it re-boot itself.

It's a good thing if you haven't had a self cal.

[below_the_radar]

I have heard that if you have it set to "Normal Start" it will go through all Radar bands with tone and if need will self calibrate. If you have it in " Fast Start " where you just turn it on and it's ready, you will not see the "Self Cal" message if it proforms one. Can anyone back me up on this?

Thanks for all the Info. My X50 has always been set to "Fast Start". The Self-Cal will still show up in that mode as well.

[NooB1FieD]

Thanks for all the Info. My X50 has always been set to "Fast Start". The Self-Cal will still show up in that mode as well.

I can confirm this.... sadly....

[SmaartAasSaabr]

I think the normal POST and the "Fast Start" are actually the same, just one has less beeping and flashing...