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  1. #1
    Old Timer
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    6,806

    Default Got my V1 back...

    My V1 came back from its tune-up. VR didn't charge me for the repair, which was nice. But how do I know if they even did anything? There was no note in the box other than the no-charge repair invoice. The V1 looks exactly as it did when I sent it out; they didn't replace the lenses or anything like some people have reported they do.

    Do they normally give no information on a repair? Is there any way to tell that it was fixed, or even if they found any problem, short of trying to find the exact radar sign that the V1 didn't alert on before?

    Just wondering. I haven't driven with it yet, but it did pick up the usual X false in our parking lot, so at least it works. But then it worked before, it just missed a couple of K bogeys.
    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


  2. #2
    Professional
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,483

    Default

    when my Bel rx65 got heat damage i sent it in and theygave me a paper telling all the stuff they did.

  3. #3
    Old Timer
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    6,806

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hookem202
    when my Bel rx65 got heat damage i sent it in and theygave me a paper telling all the stuff they did.
    That's Bel though, not VR...
    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


  4. #4
    V1 Zombie
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    2,376

    Default

    heat burn eh ha ha

    as already posted dude


    I. How to enter the Programming Mode.
    Starting with the Control Knob in the "off" position, Press and hold-in Knob and at the same time turn the Knob “on;” continue holding in the Knob until all front-panel lights are on (takes about 5 seconds).
    Release the Control Knob.

    II. How to determine your software version.
    Press and immediately release the Control Knob to display software version. The software-version number is four digits that display one digit at a time in the Bogey Counter-example: 2.869.
    Note your software number, then see the table below for features that are programmable in your unit.
    Press and immediately release the Control Knob to exit software-version display.

  5. #5
    Old Timer
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    6,806

    Default

    Yeah I checked the firmware, still at 3.813. I expected this since I only asked to have the tuning checked, not get any upgrades.

    I just thought they'd include a note in the box saying that they found/fixed (a, b, c) or that they found no problem.

    Actually they must have looked at it/played with it or at least reset it since it was in A mode instead of L when I first plugged it in.
    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


  6. #6
    Power User
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    My Home
    Posts
    3,169

    Default

    ghz1, i think Kpatz just did a tune up not an upgrade.

  7. #7
    Radar Fanatic
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Staffordshire, Uk
    Posts
    2,000

    Default

    they just checked if it was still in tune. and if it wasnt they adjusted it....

    a few mins on the lab desk and its done!

  8. #8
    Good Citizen
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    San Jose, California
    Posts
    96

    Default

    I hate to say this, but the whole point of a receiver is to be able to differentiate the frequency content of received signals. I suppose with consumer electronics operating at 33 GHz for $400 my expectations might be a bit high. But the lack of an internal reference and phase-locked loop does not impress me. V1 apparently uses a free-running oscillator that requires periodic tweaking? What about variation over time and temperature, I suppose the accuracy of the frequencies received is not great. Nor does it need to be, unless it "drifts" outside the range of interest . . . :wink:

  9. #9
    Advanced Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    7,509

    Default

    Valentine and the other manufacturers test their oscillators thoroughly for temperature drift in thermotrons etc prior to production. They'll cycle the temperature over many days in order to be sure that the oscillators will remain stable. Normally, the production oscillators do not require periodic tweaking, however they can and do fail like other electronics.

    It is difficult to have stability of free running oscillators operating in the 10-15 GHz range, so most detectors will scan off each edge some to ensure that the radar band is always covered. Example: For the 200MHz wide K-Band, they might scan 20 MHz off each edge to compensate for drift of 10%.

    But the Belscorts have their "self calibration" feature that attempts to eliminate this additional scanning off each edge, and can therefore examine the real frequencies of interest longer, resulting in more sensitivity than if they did not use this method. They use mixer products produced by the Second LO, which IS phase-locked and crystal-referenced, in order to calibrate the first and second LOs.

    There are drawbacks to this method though. According to Escort, the unit will self-calibrate frequently without even showing it on the display. In order to calibrate, it must set the oscillators to specific values and stop the sweep. When it does this, it isn't sweeping for police radar :shock: .

    I also question what the results would be if the unit has drifted, and hasn't calibrated itself for a while. What if it encounters radar at the edge of the range? Since it isn't sweeping off the edge, maybe this radar wouldn't be detected.

    Jim

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

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jimbonzzz
    There are drawbacks to this method though. According to Escort, the unit will self-calibrate frequently without even showing it on the display. In order to calibrate, it must set the oscillators to specific values and stop the sweep. When it does this, it isn't sweeping for police radar :shock: .
    Is that necessarily true? Perhaps the Escort checks its calibration as part of its regular radar sweep, by comparing the 1st LO and 2nd at a particular point in the sweep or something. Perhaps it can make minor adjustments on the fly at the same time. If that check fails, the "Self Cal" message pops up and then it switches the oscillator to fixed mode and does the full calibration.

    I could be full of it too, I don't know how it really works. But I would guess that it doesn't stop scanning for radar unless the Self Cal message pops up.

    But then this thread was about the V1 isn't it?
    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


 

 

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