Escort Max - DUDE or DUD ?

[STiMULi]

I am not sure this is accurate, but I have a strong suspicion that units with GPS location filtering & so forth, cannot be stealth. I don't know if it has to do with the frequencies being used that is the issue or what, but if you look none of the stealth windshield units have GPS at all.

Based on my discussions with one of the engineers at Escort a few years ago they pretty much said the reason they were not stealth was the fact that the RD had a GPS and in doing so they had to add a window in the design of the case to allow for RF to pass to the GPS antenna so it can "see" the GPS constellation. This window also lets RF out to the RDDs.

That window would be need to be present to allow the GPS to work even if the case were made out of metal as most of the stealth RDs are inside magnesium cases which act as a "Faraday Cages". This reduces or eliminates the RF oscillation that the RDDs (SPECTRE) look for but the window opens it back up to the RDDs.

From an engineering standpoint there is no real reason why a powered GPS and its antenna could not be a separate device that plugs into the RD and feeds the NMEA information that the RD uses for location information.

Unless there are patent issues that have been or are pertinent I would expect that a stealth RD with GPS to be the next evolution in the RD world. Maybe they would call it the "Milspec Max" or the "TEMPEST" (Check out the link at the left for more info on RF leakage)

Having not opened a my 9500ix for a number of years I do not remember the GPS chip that is being used. Since the release of the 9500ix the GPS chip technology has changed big-time. It is much smaller and cheaper as well as easier to make one work in all kinds of environments using less power and with greater sensitivity and intelligence.

I would imagine that someone with all the right assets could produce a magnesium (or some other light metal alloy) case for the 9500ix or the MAX and then extend the GPS that normally sits on the center-top of the device out to another location. Doing so may (probably will) change some of the dynamics of the RD as far as reception of radar signals go. This means that it may be something that someone with an oscilloscope and many other bench toys may want to take on.

Another issue may be that the RF oscillations that the RDDs (SPECTRE) look for from a RD may follow the extended GPS cable right out of the case and still tell on you. There are many ways to hide or subdue this to the point of near invisibility. One common way is the use of toroids.

All of this I have stated is not facts but is WAGs however I will bet you that it is at least in the correct arena.

If anyone has any close up photos of the guts of a MAX please post them. I know there were some vague photos associated with the FCC cert but nothing is better than what users see as they are not trying to hide anything.


About the MAX:

I am still waiting to be billed and shipping confirmation but I expect it to be a few days more if I have not pissed them off to no end yet. I will update on my opinion on it as time progresses.

[Wannago]

*Edit*

[Magestic]

I am not sure this is accurate, but I have a strong suspicion that units with GPS location filtering & so forth, cannot be stealth. I don't know if it has to do with the frequencies being used that is the issue or what, but if you look none of the stealth windshield units have GPS at all.

Based on my discussions with one of the engineers at Escort a few years ago they pretty much said the reason they were not stealth was the fact that the RD had a GPS and in doing so they had to add a window in the design of the case to allow for RF to pass to the GPS antenna so it can "see" the GPS constellation. This window also lets RF out to the RDDs.

That window would be need to be present to allow the GPS to work even if the case were made out of metal as most of the stealth RDs are inside magnesium cases which act as a "Faraday Cages". This reduces or eliminates the RF oscillation that the RDDs (SPECTRE) look for but the window opens it back up to the RDDs.

From an engineering standpoint there is no real reason why a powered GPS and its antenna could not be a separate device that plugs into the RD and feeds the NMEA information that the RD uses for location information.

Unless there are patent issues that have been or are pertinent I would expect that a stealth RD with GPS to be the next evolution in the RD world. Maybe they would call it the "Milspec Max" or the "TEMPEST" (Check out the link at the left for more info on RF leakage)

Having not opened a my 9500ix for a number of years I do not remember the GPS chip that is being used. Since the release of the 9500ix the GPS chip technology has changed big-time. It is much smaller and cheaper as well as easier to make one work in all kinds of environments using less power and with greater sensitivity and intelligence.

I would imagine that someone with all the right assets could produce a magnesium (or some other light metal alloy) case for the 9500ix or the MAX and then extend the GPS that normally sits on the center-top of the device out to another location. Doing so may (probably will) change some of the dynamics of the RD as far as reception of radar signals go. This means that it may be something that someone with an oscilloscope and many other bench toys may want to take on.

Another issue may be that the RF oscillations that the RDDs (SPECTRE) look for from a RD may follow the extended GPS cable right out of the case and still tell on you. There are many ways to hide or subdue this to the point of near invisibility. One common way is the use of toroids.

All of this I have stated is not facts but is WAGs however I will bet you that it is at least in the correct arena.

If anyone has any close up photos of the guts of a MAX please post them. I know there were some vague photos associated with the FCC cert but nothing is better than what users see as they are not trying to hide anything.


About the MAX:

I am still waiting to be billed and shipping confirmation but I expect it to be a few days more if I have not pissed them off to no end yet. I will update on my opinion on it as time progresses.

Thank you for your post!

I had figured it was something like that, but I didn't know for sure & I'm not an engineer either. I got to that conclusion through logical deduction, the stealth ones didn't have GPS & the GPS ones didn't have stealth, didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out!

Your post was very informative, so thanks for taking the time to share it with the community, not to mention making me feel better that I am not a complete moron...emphasis on the word "complete".

[mfs165]

Same here. The Escort site seems to be DOWN. I was counting on those who are driving their MAX to provide some data

[bryanj0308]

My Max seems to false more than my Redline. I am slightly disgruntled after listening to how all of the military grade DSP technology was going to change the face of radar detection. My Max has nice detection range on Ka like expected, but I still get the annoying Ka falses (unlike from my Stir+ which is segmented). My Max is also super sensitive on K band. The lane departure/anti collision systems absolutely blow my Max up. There is definitely a lot of work to do on this detector before it lives up to what I expected it to be.

[dwaimwhoru]

My Max seems to false more than my Redline. I am slightly disgruntled after listening to how all of the military grade DSP technology was going to change the face of radar detection. My Max has nice detection range on Ka like expected, but I still get the annoying Ka falses (unlike from my Stir+ which is segmented). My Max is also super sensitive on K band. The lane departure/anti collision systems absolutely blow my Max up. There is definitely a lot of work to do on this detector before it lives up to what I expected it to be.

i have a question. im having a issue to keep the max beeping. im hooked up to the "live cable" but it beeps once and thats it. no ramp up.. i can see it "ramping up" on screen but no noise. im not pressing mute or anything.. thoughts?

[bryanj0308]

Do you have automute enabled? Also, there is a current glitch with the max and cruise alert. If you are driving at or under the PSL according to live and receive a radar alert and then go above the PSL, the detector will remain in cruise alert mode and wont start ramping up.

[dwaimwhoru]

Do you have automute enabled? Also, there is a current glitch with the max and cruise alert. If you are driving at or under the PSL according to live and receive a radar alert and then go above the PSL, the detector will remain in cruise alert mode and wont start ramping up.

well ill be.. i think you got something there. i have my cruise set to 80mph because i didnt know what it was lol..

[dwaimwhoru]

Do you have automute enabled? Also, there is a current glitch with the max and cruise alert. If you are driving at or under the PSL according to live and receive a radar alert and then go above the PSL, the detector will remain in cruise alert mode and wont start ramping up.

well ill be.. i think you got something there. i have my cruise set to 80mph because i didnt know what it was lol..

while i have your attention.. what should i have this thing on? auto? or highway? whats the difference? im a v1 zombie trying new grounds lol

thank you

[bryanj0308]

I have been experimenting with both highway mode and auto mode. I don't see any difference on Ka detection (as there shouldn't be), but I do see a difference on lower speed/city x band and k band falses that havent been locked out yet. All of these new anti collision/cruise radar systems on cars now a days are a terror for radar detectors. The auto mode seems to quiet these down a bit when driving at lower speeds instead of detecting them 1/2 mile away when at a stoplight....and trust me, that gets annoying. They tend to chime in at 24.06X-24.09X or even lower in the 23.9XX range. Don't be afraid to throw it in auto mode unless you are concerned about I/O K band in the city, which then it may delay you slightly. Nothing is for sure yet though...im still testing away and comparing it to my redline and stir plus. Ive yet to venture into Valentine land...although the arrows do sound tempting.