795 test run

[TexasDriver]

Took the 795 for a test run to grandpa's house. No falses at all. It didn't pick up any of the doors at the shopping centers.

Had a Trooper merge ahead of me on the hwy and about 30 seconds later the RD went off. There were a few cars ahead of me then the trooper. Figured he just turned on the radar. A lttle later I got an alert when i was coming up on a traffic stop in the opposite lane. Should mention that I was driving on divided 4 lane hwy with a fairly big median. Was a little disappointed that the range wasn't better but may have been an instant on radar. Other than that a pretty quiet drive.

I'll post progress on runs with the 795 in this thread for general information. Hopefully I'll see more action.

[vw242]

I think the Bel 795 is deaf. You have to be right on top of any signal to get an alert. This may make it quiet, but does this make it an effective tool in police radar detection? In a word NO!

[boomerman]

I do not know what is wrong with your 795 but mine has given me plenty of warning on both k and ka band.

I admit this is no high end unit and has its limitations but for a low end unit you are not going to get one that detects any better for under $100

[AirMoore]

I do not know what is wrong with your 795 but mine has given me plenty of warning on both k and ka band.

I admit this is no high end unit and has its limitations but for a low end unit you are not going to get one that detects any better for under $100

This is exactly my feeling, for such a cheap detector it is great and mine has tested very well overall in my opinion

(The problem could be people are comparing it to the V1, x50, RX65 I mean whats the line of thought on that?)

[boomerman]

I have even tested it with my X band and K band radar guns and have had over a 1/4 of a mile of warning on both bands, even more on the X band.

I mount mine just above my mirror

[cardosor]

I'm comparing my E795 to my ancient Cobra ESD6060... Sure the Cobra is noisy as hell and this Bel silent, but at least the Cobra would pick up cops in the vicinity, whereas the Bel will not unless their heading right at you.

I drove through a speed trap on a flat level road (not knowing the LEOS were there) and the E795 did not make any alert at all. I spotted the copper standing in the road aiming his gun at traffic, I was the lead car. I will take a ride by again with the E795 to see if it makes any noise, then again with my oldy Cobra to see the difference.

It is possible that I got a bad apple Bel, their QA & durability sucks. I only bought it based one reviews of this forum + $80 price.

The kicker is that just this AM I spotted a copper on a city street at 300 yards, so I know it'll detect them, I just think it's a little deaf, or mute with it's "filtering"... 300 yds is not a good enough warning for me...

All I know is this thing has another week to prove itself to me comparing to my old Cobra, if it doesn't, it's going back to the RatShack.

I don't use city mode and I mount it above my mirror in a Jetta...

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions???

[brick]

Although I doubt this is the problem, I would suggest that you try a slightly lower mounting location so that it is not behind the tint strip. This is on the off chance that the tint is metallic and hampering range. The other possibility is that you are encountering instant-on radar. When you do pick up a signal does it ramp up from low power or does it go immediately to high-strength? The latter would indicate instant-on, which can't be picked up unless he targets someone ahead of you.

FWIW, I have encountered a healthy mix of instant vs. constant radar in RI. They also use a lot of Ka which is a harder signal for any radar detector to pick up. It could be that you just need something with more sensitivity to suit your conditions.

[ES13Raven]

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions???
Send it to GOL to test it out. They are doing a test 1/28/06. Could be interesting to see how it performs up against the top detectors. :wink:

[Rottman]

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions???
Send it to GOL to test it out. They are doing a test 1/28/06. Could be interesting to see how it performs up against the top detectors. :wink: I second that idea! I would love to know the results.

[vw242]

I would rather see them test the Bel Vector 985 with Accusweep enabled!
Jimbozz was there at the last test and thought the Bel Vector tested was in Wide Ka mode as it is the default mode. Another great backup would be the Escort Passport 8500.

[TexasDriver]

Well i've had it for quite a while now and overall I'd say I've been happy with it. I've had ample warning of LEOS in the area. Onlt fault so far and this might be true of most RD's but at a 90 degree angle to a LEO I get nothing. I was at a stop sign with a Leo on the road to my right. The 795 gave be a one led warning at the stop sign and did not go off full bar until i passed in front of him and turned onto the road.

[cardosor]

Regarding my mounting location. I don't have any tint on my windshield at all, so I know that there is nothing hampering a head-on signal from reaching the unit (I was careful to make sure of that). I never had problem with my ancient Cobra picking up store doors even when I was driving by on the highway, in the exact same mounting location...

As far as the instant on, sure that's a possibility. However, I had the same issue whether on the highway or on city roads (where lazy cops just leave the RADAR on constant mode even when driving around). Perhaps with it not being the beginning or end of the month all the cops parked on the side of the road I've come across have just left their RADAR units at the station or have them off because they have no quota pressures.

The reason I got this Bel to begin with was all the rave reviews I had read here praising the effectiveness of this device and even comparing it to pricier Bel's... For a casual speeder like myself, who seldom goes +5 to +10 over the posted highway speed limit, I thought this Bel would even be a little overkill (based on reviews here).

I'm having a run of back luck with moving violations (3 in two years, for various reasons 1. forgot RD at home 2. was paced 3. had wife's car with no RD) and want decent protection just to know when I'm being observed or when the heat may be near.

Another interesting thing is that I ran both the Cobra and E795 side by side. I would have thought the Bel would go nuts with falsing. In fact what was happening was the Cobra was falsing on K band at the rate of a chirp every 2-3 seconds. I noted this for miles, and at different locations where I knew there was nothing. Turning off the Bel shut the Cobra up everytime... The Bel was stone cold quiet the entire time.

Is this evidence of a bad Bel, or is the Cobra just too loose with years of being direct wired into my dome light, left in the car during the summer and winter?

I would send my unit for GOL to test, I just don't hink tests under "ideal" conditions (direct line of sight etc.) are meaningful for real world performace. Remember with the sensitivity range of this Bel's (per the tests), I should be picking up cops within blocks of my direction of travel. Instead they cross in front of me, I drive through speed traps and get nothing at all, it's kind of nerve racking especially in the close quarters driving of a city.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, much appreciated.

Like I have said before, I will give it a bit more time to give it a fair shot, but if I had to decide today, I'm sad to say I'd return it to RS for a refund.

[vw242]

Detector Immediacy of Response Time

Cobra 9700 1.24 seconds

Cobra 9400 1.24 seconds

Bel 895 .77 seconds

Bel RX65 .67 seconds

Bel V995 .60 seconds

Escort 8500 X50 .96 seconds

Valentine 1 1.01 seconds

Whistler 1788 .73 seconds

Whistler 1776 .73 seconds

Whistler 1778 .73 seconds

PNI RW 3000 1.48 seconds

Radio Shack 3000 2.34 seconds

Radio Shack Express 795 "zzz zz z Uh! Could you repeat the question??"

[TexasDriver]

No one expects the 795 to perform like a 300 dollar RD. If you drive mostly interstate or hwy i'd say it pretty much is okay. Sure it could be more sensitive but then no one buys this RD out of choice i'm sure. With the price being under 100 bucks it's more out of costs and neccessity. I'll upgrade later this year when i get the funds available but for now the 795 works very well for the price paid. No Falses and it detects LEO's in a decent amount of time, not great, but decent.

[AirMoore]

No one expects the 795 to perform like a 300 dollar RD. If you drive mostly interstate or hwy i'd say it pretty much is okay. Sure it could be more sensitive but then no one buys this RD out of choice i'm sure. With the price being under 100 bucks it's more out of costs and neccessity. I'll upgrade later this year when i get the funds available but for now the 795 works very well for the price paid. No Falses and it detects LEO's in a decent amount of time, not great, but decent.

Yeah I think this could also be part of the problem... people comparing detection range to 'The top 3' and other such high end detectors...could also be some lemons. Hopefully Boomerman gets his 795 to GOL testing to see what they find.

[vw242]

Why not steer people to older models that do work ? Examples would be the Escort Passport 8500 or Bel Vector 985. I thought the purpose of this forum was to help us avoid tickets!! :x

[aust3333]

Detector Immediacy of Response Time

Cobra 9700 1.24 seconds

Cobra 9400 1.24 seconds

Bel 895 .77 seconds

Bel RX65 .67 seconds

Bel V995 .60 seconds

Escort 8500 X50 .96 seconds

Valentine 1 1.01 seconds

Whistler 1788 .73 seconds

Whistler 1776 .73 seconds

Whistler 1778 .73 seconds

PNI RW 3000 1.48 seconds

Radio Shack 3000 2.34 seconds

Radio Shack Express 795 "zzz zz z Uh! Could you repeat the question??"


LMAO. Classic post.

[TexasDriver]

Why not steer people to older models that do work ? Examples would be the Escort Passport 8500 or Bel Vector 985. I thought the purpose of this forum was to help us avoid tickets!! :x

Hey, I'd stear them towards any of the "Big Three". If someone had the cash to spend on them i'm sure they wouldn't have gotten an 100 dollar or below RD. Whatever model they have or have a question about they deserve a fair response and opinions are just fine too. My opinion is if you want a RD that gives you better range and quicker response time then you are gonna have to spend alot more. If you want something that gives you an ok response time and ok range and you have to spend 100 bucks on it the 795 is fine. Not to say that other's experience with the RD is a good one but that could be challked up to different reasons i.e. bad RD, driving way to carless with a cheaper model and so forth.

[boomerman]

I think many of you are comparing the 795 in performance to the big 3 and it is not a fair judgement.
I bought the 795 to test against other low end units like the Whistler PRO.
I know the 795 is no V1, X50 or RX65 and it is not meant to compete with them.
This unit is for people who do not want to spend a lot of money on a radar detector but still wants some kind of protection.
For a unit that costs under $100 it is hard to beat.
Yes the range is not that good but it is on par with any detector in its price range.

What little time I have had to use it and test it, mine has done very well, I have given it to speedqueen to use and she has given me some good reports on it when she is using it, and believe me her name fits her well, she drives like a wild woman!! It has saved her a few times.

I do not know why some of you are saying it does not work that good, well what do you want for a low end detector??
If you are serious about your speeding then you should NOT even consider buying a low end unit period.
I have tested this with my K band gun and X band gun and I have gotten plenty of time to reduce my speed before I could visually be targeted.
Yes the range is short compared to my V1 and other units I have but I expect that from a low end unit.

As for suggesting older units like the Bel 980 or 985 or Escort 8500, I do suggesst people look for these units. But a lot of people do not want to buy a used unit or do not want to buy one off of ebay.

You can get some great detectors off of ebay and you can get some junk ones as well.
I tell a lot of people to save a few more $$ and buy a good used V1 version 1.7 off of ebay.
For the money that unit is hard to beat, even today it still will run with the best of them, yes it does not detect POP but for many that is not a problem.
They can use this while they save some more money and then have it upgraded to the latest and greatest. Sometimes this ends up costing more than buying a new one in the long run but some people can not afford all of that money at one time.
For me I have been lucky on buying used units off of ebay, but I know others who have not.

For those who say the 795 does not work I really do not have an answer as to why they do not work for you, but I have tested mine and I know for the money it is not a bad unit.
I also realize it is NO V1 but I can deal with that.

[cardosor]

It was in a test reviewing the E795 where they say that the range is comparable to a top shelf detector...

They comapered (in the test) to two low end Whistlers (sub $100 models from RS), but they said the range of E795 was up there with much more expensive units.

[carlito]

It was in a test reviewing the E795 where they say that the range is comparable to a top shelf detector...

They comapered (in the test) to two low end Whistlers (sub $100 models from RS), but they said the range of E795 was up there with much more expensive units. I will be the frist to say if you are talking about the review on CP website www.radartest.com then they are wrong to because they never should of compare the range on this e795 unit to the top bels like the v995 or rx65 unit but anyway if you really want to compare a $200 d unit to the $340d range top 2 dogs then save some cash and pick up a brand new vector 895 and u will see the difference! day and night i think the KA detection is up there with my x50 but with less tunel v to it :evil: .

[TexasDriver]

Took it to New Orleans recently. Across the 24 mile toll bridge it picked up radar 3/4 to a mile ahead. The LEO's usually sit in the crossovers. I wasn't speeding but knew that it would be a good test for it. For the money it will help keep you out of trouble. I feel 50% better about not getting a ticket with it with me. When I get one of the big boys that will raise up to 90%.

[Tick Magnet]

Yup. I had this unti before I switch to the v895 and then to the x50. I thought it was great range wise. For a $79 it was a steal! But I just think the people who critize the 795 do it just because that don't want to belive something that cost 2 or $300 less than there detector could hang. 8)