XTR-690: EXCELLENT off-axis K-band detect today!

[jdong]

Well, I got a nice rewarding set of experiences on my way to Detroit Metro Airport this morning, off to school till November (oh beloved XTR-690, how I'll miss you in the meantime...)

I had my XTR-690 and 1793SE with me for good luck, had my XTR-690 mounted. I know entering the 180-degree turn into the terminal, there was a K-band speed sign mounted right as you come out of the turn. I've driven this route many many times before, and most of the time my 1793SE alerts to this threat like halfway through the turn, as I'm coming out of it. It's enough reaction time before the merge lane goes out far enough to place me within the beam of the radar antenna and my speed to show up, and the rapid ramp-up is a good clue to watch that accelerator pedal...

Going into it, I expected my XTR-690 to do worse because GOL showed that the XTR-690 is like 10% lower range on K-band than the 1793SE. Would I have enough detection distance?

Well. Guess what? The XTR-690 started alerting half a mile before reaching the hairpin turn, and as I entered the curving portion of the turn, got a rapid ramp up that smoothly went up as I completed the turn. Fantastic!

So... what's up? Is the XTR-690 really less sensitive on K-band than the 1793SE platform? Or did Whistler do something to drastically improve off-axis detection?

[Stealthcb]

Well, I got a nice rewarding set of experiences on my way to Detroit Metro Airport this morning, off to school till November (oh beloved XTR-690, how I'll miss you in the meantime...)

I had my XTR-690 and 1793SE with me for good luck, had my XTR-690 mounted. I know entering the 180-degree turn into the terminal, there was a K-band speed sign mounted right as you come out of the turn. I've driven this route many many times before, and most of the time my 1793SE alerts to this threat like halfway through the turn, as I'm coming out of it. It's enough reaction time before the merge lane goes out far enough to place me within the beam of the radar antenna and my speed to show up, and the rapid ramp-up is a good clue to watch that accelerator pedal...

Going into it, I expected my XTR-690 to do worse because GOL showed that the XTR-690 is like 10% lower range on K-band than the 1793SE. Would I have enough detection distance?

Well. Guess what? The XTR-690 started alerting half a mile before reaching the hairpin turn, and as I entered the curving portion of the turn, got a rapid ramp up that smoothly went up as I completed the turn. Fantastic!

So... what's up? Is the XTR-690 really less sensitive on K-band than the 1793SE platform? Or did Whistler do something to drastically improve off-axis detection?

The Pro-78/XTR-690 platform is MORE sensitive on K than its predecessors. It's X-band that is less sensitive. I believe it's 2db more sensitive...something like that.

And off-axis -- see my thread above. I think its fine on off-axis, but it could be reflection.

[jdong]

I realize the detector is claimed to be more sensitive than K band, but from my intuition with K-band door openers, and also these GOL results, it would seem like the XTR-690 platform is less sensitive on K-band?

[guit123]

i get very good range on K too, door openers are usually low power k's hence i think they dont get full 9 alert on them.

[Stealthcb]

I realize the detector is claimed to be more sensitive than K band, but from my intuition with K-band door openers, and also these GOL results, it would seem like the XTR-690 platform is less sensitive on K-band?

That's why I wonder about the specific Pro-78 they used for that test. I know mine is better against K than the 73, and I've tested them against the same sources.

[jdong]

Hmm, interesting. As I said, with a door opener source, particularly a noisy parking lot with multiple sources, the XTR-690 behaves very weakly to the alerts. Still off-axis door openers do not trip full rampup until I am directly in front of one, as close as I can without crushing the people coming out . Halfway across the parking lot, my detector is silent. Compare that to my 1793SE which is saying K band Ka band alternating so much my little sister has a little song and dance to the tune.... (yikes...)

However, when I test against speed signs and run-ins with real cops, I have always found the XTR-690 come out on top in detection range and ramp-up.

[Stealthcb]

Hmm, interesting. As I said, with a door opener source, particularly a noisy parking lot with multiple sources, the XTR-690 behaves very weakly to the alerts. Still off-axis door openers do not trip full rampup until I am directly in front of one, as close as I can without crushing the people coming out . Halfway across the parking lot, my detector is silent. Compare that to my 1793SE which is saying K band Ka band alternating so much my little sister has a little song and dance to the tune.... (yikes...)

However, when I test against speed signs and run-ins with real cops, I have always found the XTR-690 come out on top in detection range and ramp-up.

I see fewer door openers, but I see them from farther away and stronger. in the parking lot with my gym, a safeway, a bank, a blockbuster, and a wendys, I get a PULSE K-band alert.

[Michael B]

The Pro78 and XTR-690 products have had some improvements since the GOL testing.

[WhistlerMan]

That is differently a true statement Michael B, and I think another test of the Pro-78 would get different results.

I got my new Pro-78 in last Friday, and when I approached a service station in my area where my Vector 895 start beeping due to their Automatic Door opener, the Pro-78 alerted me a good block before my Vector 895 has done many times over the past year. The Pro-78 is without a doubt more sensitive to K-band door openers, than my Vector 895 is.

BTW, after comparing Vector's 995 specifications from the Beltronic website, to the owners manual for my Vector 895 it shows the exact same specifications for both 995 and the 895. So the 895 that was made for RS, is nothing more then a 995 a hundred numbers less.

I am liking my Whistler Pro-78 more and more each day.

Here is my 895 specs, if you would like to compare them to the 995 specs.

Operating Bands
X-band: 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz
K-band: 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz
Ka-band: 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz
Ku-band: 13.400 GHz ± 25 MHz
Laser: 904nm, 33MHz bandwidth

Radar Receiver/Detector Type
Superheterodyne, VTO
Scanning Frequency Discriminator
Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

Laser Detection
Quantum Limited Video Receiver
Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes

Display Type
280 LED Alphanumeric
Bar Graph or Tech Display
3 Levels of Brightness, plus Dark Mode

Power Requirement
12VDC, Negative Ground

Programmable Features
Power-On Indication
Voice Alerts
Power-On Sequence
AutoMute
City Mode Sensitivity
Radar/Laser Bands

Sensitivity Control
Highway, AutoScan™ and City

Auto Calibration Circuitry

VG2 Immunity

Dimensions (Inches)
1.25H x 2.75W x 4.75L