K band range on new rx65

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06-13-2006, 01:56 PM
CenterLane

K band range on new rx65

I have been reading the forum for some time now and appreciate all of the information given. I have been using a bel 980 for a number of years and have had a good experience with it. It's been malfunctioning off and on for a while now and so I decided to try the rx65 as a replacement. I'm within the 30 day return period and am intending to trade in the 980 for the $80 rebate. However, I'm finding the rx65's k band range to be not as good as the 980's.

I first noticed that the 65 didn't alert to the usual k band store door openers until I drove toward them and got closer (the 980 would alert as I passed them on the road.) I thought that this might be because of effective filtering of false signals, which would be good. But I came across a stationary k band speed detection sign and tested the 980 against the 65 one at a time. The 980 consistently alerted 100--200 feet before the 65. The road is flat with a bend to the right. Both alerted before the sign came into view, with the 980 ramping up appropriately as I approached the bend and then going to full alert as the sign came into view. The 65 showed 1 bar as I approached the bend and then very quickly rose to full alert as the sign came into view.

I guess I'm wondering if others have had concerns about the 65's k band ability, and whether it is reasonable for the 980 to out perform on any band against bel's top of the line detector? I'm thinking about sending the 65 back. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
06-13-2006, 02:11 PM
NooB1FieD

I would not worry about that, wait until you have a cop shooting K band. The reason I say dont worry about it is because the RX65 and X50 both have processors that reduce/eliminate false alerts. I think that shows the processor doing its job. You said you had to go towards it before the rx65 would alert, so I would guess it was not alerting because it didnt consider it a threat.

Keep testing it!

Dont test side by side, only have 1 unit on at the same time because they can negativly interfere with eachother, and make sure they are both at the same hight, because the higher up, the better radar detection it will get (most of the time).

Also, make sure you are in highway mode on the RX65.
06-13-2006, 04:19 PM
GTO_04

Quote:

Originally Posted by NooB1FieD

I would not worry about that, wait until you have a cop shooting K band. The reason I say dont worry about it is because the RX65 and X50 both have processors that reduce/eliminate false alerts. I think that shows the processor doing its job. You said you had to go towards it before the rx65 would alert, so I would guess it was not alerting because it didnt consider it a threat.

Keep testing it!

Dont test side by side, only have 1 unit on at the same time because they can negativly interfere with eachother, and make sure they are both at the same hight, because the higher up, the better radar detection it will get (most of the time).

Also, make sure you are in highway mode on the RX65.

I have a 985, an updated 980 with a few extra bells and whistles. It has K band range almost as good as the V1. I had a 980 also before that and it was just as good. It may be normal for the 980 to have better K band range than the newer BELs. I found the 985 to be better on K and Ka band than the 995 and the 995 is a very good RD, there are very few complaints on the forum about the 995.

A K-band signal is a K-band signal, there is no way to "filter" it out unless you cut the sensitivity.

GTO_04
06-16-2006, 01:24 PM
CenterLane

Thanks for the replies. More testing provides more information. Driving I95 south between Portsmouth and Hampton tolls got Ka alert with no source in sight. Set my odometer. Low grade alert continues, losing it briefly when at low points of road. Road not flat but straight. After a mile or so the alerts begin to increase pretty quickly, and then spot Leo facing traffic clocking speed from the median by bridge abutment. Total distance, 2-2.1 miles.

2nd encounter on I95 south of Newburyport in Mass. Pretty heavy traffic and get laser alert. Figure it must be a mistake as nothing in sight. See some lights 3/4-1 mile ahead or so that looks like construction on left side of highway. I'm in right lane of 3 lane road. Get closer and finally see Leo shooting handheld laser steadied against his open car door at front edge of construction zone. I couldn't have been targeted so I must have picked up scatter.

3rd encounter in small town. Find a Leo shooting K-band from his parked car as he is getting ready to direct traffic out of local high school. Circle around several times to measure distance. First alert at approx 1600 feet (.3 miles on odometer). I am traveling down a modest grade with 45 degree curve to left. Leo on left side of road facing traffic. Curve is about 1/2 way point between first alert and Leo.

Conclusions: Ka detection is much better than with 980. Very impressed with laser alert. K-band seems pretty good when against real police radar, but still not sure if it beats 980. Far fewer falses than I'm used to with 980, it is a very quiet unit which is part of what makes me uneasy I think. All in all, this seems to be a very respectable detector.
06-16-2006, 03:03 PM
sethy

Quote:

Very impressed with laser alert

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? :?:
06-16-2006, 05:00 PM
aust3333

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sethy

Quote:

Very impressed with laser alert

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? :?:

Sethy I will be the first to tell you that the RX65 is bad with laser, but I too picked up some laser scatter while on a long roadtrip. It impressed th hell out of me, but it does happen from time to time. The RX65 is sometime pretty good with laser and others just down right terrible. Hey, Centerlane before I finished reading all of your post I was saying to myself "wait until he sees the Ka range and he will start to sing a different tune." Your 980 might just be better at K band than the 65 but K band is so wide it is relatively easy to pick up so you will have plenty of time to slow with the 65. Another thing too Centerlane is instant on K band, I think that if you were to do comparison there the results would be totally lopsided with the 65 smoking the 980. As for the 65 being quiet and you being concerned, don't be. Take it from me, the 65 will perform when real threats are out there. I have owned Whistlers in the past and was pretty much use to getting falses every few minutes but when I got the 65 I was feeling just like you with an uneasy feeling about how quiet it is. Let me tell you Centerlane, if Bel got one thing right it was FILTERING. I have to take my hat off to them in that regard, they just flat out got it right. Lastly, Centerlane when I first purchased my 65 I had every intention on returning the unit because I could not justify paying $300 for it, but after a couple of days, I was hooked and wondered to myself why I did'nt get it a long time ago. Keep driving with the 65, I think it will completely prove itself in a short time. Good luck.
06-16-2006, 07:00 PM
CenterLane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sethy

Quote:

Very impressed with laser alert

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? :?:

It's just an impression based on the amount of traffic and the distance from the source. There was no line of sight with Leo when my alert went off, too many cars between us, and the distance was at least 1/2 mile. I'm not making any universal claims about the rx-65's laser ability, but it gave me an alert from scatter that I appreciated and did not expect. More than the 980 has ever given.
06-16-2006, 07:16 PM
CenterLane

Quote:

Originally Posted by aust3333

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sethy

Quote:

Very impressed with laser alert

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? :?:

Sethy I will be the first to tell you that the RX65 is bad with laser, but I too picked up some laser scatter while on a long roadtrip. It impressed th hell out of me, but it does happen from time to time. The RX65 is sometime pretty good with laser and others just down right terrible. Hey, Centerlane before I finished reading all of your post I was saying to myself "wait until he sees the Ka range and he will start to sing a different tune." Your 980 might just be better at K band than the 65 but K band is so wide it is relatively easy to pick up so you will have plenty of time to slow with the 65. Another thing too Centerlane is instant on K band, I think that if you were to do comparison there the results would be totally lopsided with the 65 smoking the 980. As for the 65 being quiet and you being concerned, don't be. Take it from me, the 65 will perform when real threats are out there. I have owned Whistlers in the past and was pretty much use to getting falses every few minutes but when I got the 65 I was feeling just like you with an uneasy feeling about how quiet it is. Let me tell you Centerlane, if Bel got one thing right it was FILTERING. I have to take my hat off to them in that regard, they just flat out got it right. Lastly, Centerlane when I first purchased my 65 I had every intention on returning the unit because I could not justify paying $300 for it, but after a couple of days, I was hooked and wondered to myself why I did'nt get it a long time ago. Keep driving with the 65, I think it will completely prove itself in a short time. Good luck.

aust3333, I have to say that your description is describing my experience. Roy, along with NooB1FieD, also counsled to wait until I had encountered actual police radar. Bel seems to have found a way to minimize nuisance alerts while reacting more robustly to actual police. My concern with k-band comes mostly from the local patrol cars clocking while on the move. The 980 did a very good job of alerting around corners and in the midst of hills. This evening I encountered a moving k-band coming towards me and I received ample warning around a corner and on a hill. Hard to tell how the 980 would react but I easily had enough time to respond in a relaxed manner.
06-19-2006, 11:32 PM
aust3333

Quote:

Originally Posted by CenterLane

Quote:

Originally Posted by aust3333

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sethy

Quote:

Very impressed with laser alert

How in the world did you come to that conclusion? :?:

Sethy I will be the first to tell you that the RX65 is bad with laser, but I too picked up some laser scatter while on a long roadtrip. It impressed th hell out of me, but it does happen from time to time. The RX65 is sometime pretty good with laser and others just down right terrible. Hey, Centerlane before I finished reading all of your post I was saying to myself "wait until he sees the Ka range and he will start to sing a different tune." Your 980 might just be better at K band than the 65 but K band is so wide it is relatively easy to pick up so you will have plenty of time to slow with the 65. Another thing too Centerlane is instant on K band, I think that if you were to do comparison there the results would be totally lopsided with the 65 smoking the 980. As for the 65 being quiet and you being concerned, don't be. Take it from me, the 65 will perform when real threats are out there. I have owned Whistlers in the past and was pretty much use to getting falses every few minutes but when I got the 65 I was feeling just like you with an uneasy feeling about how quiet it is. Let me tell you Centerlane, if Bel got one thing right it was FILTERING. I have to take my hat off to them in that regard, they just flat out got it right. Lastly, Centerlane when I first purchased my 65 I had every intention on returning the unit because I could not justify paying $300 for it, but after a couple of days, I was hooked and wondered to myself why I did'nt get it a long time ago. Keep driving with the 65, I think it will completely prove itself in a short time. Good luck.

aust3333, I have to say that your description is describing my experience. Roy, along with NooB1FieD, also counsled to wait until I had encountered actual police radar. Bel seems to have found a way to minimize nuisance alerts while reacting more robustly to actual police. My concern with k-band comes mostly from the local patrol cars clocking while on the move. The 980 did a very good job of alerting around corners and in the midst of hills. This evening I encountered a moving k-band coming towards me and I received ample warning around a corner and on a hill. Hard to tell how the 980 would react but I easily had enough time to respond in a relaxed manner.

Glad to hear that. Continue to keep us posted.