Bel sti

[whistler]

Has anyone been caught with there STi with spectre. Does it really work that good?

[MEM-TEK]

Has anyone been caught with there STi with spectre. Does it really work that good?

To my knowledge, nobody has had their STi detected by a Spectre. It really is that good! I'm not sure what the maximum range is that the Spectre can detect the STi, STi-R or 9500ci (all of which use the same antenna design), but I do know that the maximum range is under 2 feet when the radar detector antenna and the Spectre antenna are pointed directly at each other.

[djrams80]

I believe thestaton mentioned that a very reliable source told him that someone got caught with an STi by a Spectre.

[whistler]

Yea I'm not sold on it yet not enough evidence on it yet for me. (don't trust it.)

[djrams80]

Yea I'm not sold on it yet not enough evidence on it yet for me. (don't trust it.)

They are definitely Spectre proof for the most part. My point is that there is a possibility that a defective unit would still be able to be detected. Unless you personally tested your unit against a Spectre, there would be no way to know for sure. The STi's Spectre proof technology does work. That we know.

[CJR238]

Yea I'm not sold on it yet not enough evidence on it yet for me. (don't trust it.)

Well if you invite the LEO into your car with a Spectre RDD than you deserve a ticket.
There should be a tone of evidence here, you will find it.

[MEM-TEK]

While at SML 2008, I deliberately drove straight up to the front of the test car with the Spectre. Needless to say neither the STi or 9500ci produced any alert on the Spectre.

The M3 antenna uses special radar absorbing gaskets around its top antenna cover, but you can't see these gaskets unless you remove the top antenna cover -- something that I do not recommend that anyone do. Jimbonzzz pointed out that the X and K/Ka LNAs within the antenna horns also provide excellent reverse isolation. This allows radar to go in but doesn't allow radar to go out. Its kind of like the Roach Motel commercial. The only thing neither I or Jimbonzzz is sure about is what happens if either LNA fails due to excessive heat. Will a failed LNA allow some of the LO signals to leak out of a M3 antenna? We just don't know, but I suspect that it could. This is one reason why I never have allowed my STi to roast in sunlight within a parked car.

The one thing which the automatic self-calibration procedures can not detect is a failed LNA. Yet it is easy to check if your STi, STi-R or 9500ci for this condition. A failed X band LNA will cause X band false alert distances to plummet. Likewise a failed K/Ka band LNA will cause K band false alert distances to plummet. When I say "plummet," I mean that the range will be reduced to somewhere between 1/10 to 1/4 of the normal range for your various X or K band false alert locations.

Finally, the LNAs which Bel/Escort uses are military grade. They just can't fail unless they overheat due to the radar detector baking in sunlight within the passenger cabin of a parked car. The LNAs can handle excessive ambient heat as long as the radar detector is not powered on. But if your STi is nearly too hot to handle for more than a few seconds after returning to your car, simply allow it to cool off in the shade for at least 20 minutes or hold it up in front of an air conditioner vent for at least 5 minutes before powering it up. Then you will be good to go.

So, thats the long and the short of it. The M3 platform used in the STi, STi-R and 9500ci can not be detected by the Spectre unless you roasted the LNAs within the antenna. By the way, Bel/Escort actually does test every M3 antenna for stealth before it leaves the factory. It doesn't get better than that!

[hockey005]

mem u are a smart man....but yea the STi is the real deal and 1 hell of an RD

[YTCD]

Yea I'm not sold on it yet not enough evidence on it yet for me. (don't trust it.)

Your not sold on it? I doubt the STI was detected but if it was then so be it because its so rare the probability of it happening is around 0.00000001%. The failed LNA, yes could happen but hasn't been tested or proved yet so I wouldn't go so far to saying because of a failed LNA it can be detected but it is possible. And I think even if that was true the LEO/Spectre would have to be so close to you it probably isn't possible unless in the perfect situations.

And believe me its reliable, if it can't be detected unless its within 2 feet of the detector and in a controled area then I doubt it will ever happen.

[Deke]

Yea I'm not sold on it yet not enough evidence on it yet for me. (don't trust it.)

I own an STI driver in an area where radar detectors are illegal and believe me, there are plenty of spectre's in my area, and I have never had a problem. The STi is indetectable, I have all the evidence I need, I'm sold on the Beltronics STi driver....