Drummer from Boston driving a 2012 GTI

[dichertz]

Hey

My name is Dana, I am a professional show drummer (Broadway musicals) and an educator in Mass and Florida.
My job requires me to drive 40-50,000 miles a year, so I make sure I'm comfortable and that I drive those miles quickly.
My 2012 GTI is an Autobahn with Stage 2 mods and I didn't skimp on the protective devices.

I use a Bel STI R Plus, and since I used the same V1 since 1993 and couldn't bear to part with it, I updated the software through Valentine and run the V1 remotely for the arrows and a bit of backup for the Bel on laser and Ka. (I have noticed a bit of higher sensitivity for the V1 on Ka--occasionally, but they pretty much run hand in hand).

I also have a Blinder system, the M35 I think (front only) and a Uniden BCT 396xt hardwired into the car and a Home Patrol scanner for my travels.

I've had the car for 7 months, 30,000 miles and ZERO tickets. I've driven in 22 states, and have only been pulled over once, and that was being clocked from behind in Twin Mountain, NH going 45 in a 30, and I saw the LEO sitting at the traffic light. I had driven on that road 500 times before and didn't know that the first 2/10 mile was 30 then 55. No ticket, no warning, didn't even run my license.

So that's it for me.
Now to post the question I had under the Bel forum.

Later

Dana

[dichertz]

And I discovered this Forum through Google, using the search:
Bel STI R Plus really undetectable?
And Radar Roy, if you read this, thank you.
You and your research are why I bought the Bel.

And for those unfamiliar, the BCT 396 is a "police" scanner and the Home Patrol is a scanner with GPS capability that loads all chosen frequencies automatically as you drive. (So the GTI has a total of 3 GPS units).

And I forgot to mention that I have Sirius built into the car and a Remote XM receiver for Basaball.

Dana

Dana

[AvsBest]

Wow. Welcome. It is not that often we get newcomers with that kind of a set up.

To be picky, I would upgrade your Blinder for the new HP-905 or Laser interceptor. But that's just to be picky

[dichertz]

Avs,

It's funny you should be the first to respond.
I read a couple of your posts and reading your signature, realized that in coming to this website maybe my set up wasn't so great after all.

I have to look at my settings on both the radars and see how they compare with yours.
My V1 is in the same status as yours, except I"m not sure about the Ka guard. I forget.

I'm slightly behind on my knowledge, so I'll have to look into the HP 905.
I've looked at the L Int, but thought that the Blinder was the best....
In your opinion; which of the two you mentioned is the best?
I'll go with what you say.

Ok, you live in Canada---I'm driving from Sault St Marie to Buffalo in about 10 days and the reason I came here was to see if the Bel is really undetectable?
The odds are about 70% that you live in a Province that they are illegal.
How are your experiences with the RCMP/OPP?
It will be kind of hard to remove my radar detector if it IS detected.

Thanks for your response.
Dana

[AvsBest]

Avs,

It's funny you should be the first to respond.
I read a couple of your posts and reading your signature, realized that in coming to this website maybe my set up wasn't so great after all.

I have to look at my settings on both the radars and see how they compare with yours.
My V1 is in the same status as yours, except I"m not sure about the Ka guard. I forget.

I'm slightly behind on my knowledge, so I'll have to look into the HP 905.
I've looked at the L Int, but thought that the Blinder was the best....
In your opinion; which of the two you mentioned is the best?
I'll go with what you say.

Ok, you live in Canada---I'm driving from Sault St Marie to Buffalo in about 10 days and the reason I came here was to see if the Bel is really undetectable?
The odds are about 70% that you live in a Province that they are illegal.
How are your experiences with the RCMP/OPP?
It will be kind of hard to remove my radar detector if it IS detected.

Thanks for your response.
Dana

First of all, if you run your Plus with RDR ON and Ka SW ON, you pretty much transformed the best detector ever made to your higher end windshield detector. You absolutely have to turn RDR OFF. If you want to run Ka SW ON, it's not that big of a deal but RDR is a huge deal.

If your V1 never falses on Ka, then you probably have Ka guard ON which is fine as long as you have RDR off on the Plus. Having RDR off will create some Ka falses though so I suggest you run the spec meter so that you know what frequency is being detected.

If you think I have a good set up, that's nothing compared to some of the guys. Some have 10 detectors (not running at the same time), 2 jammers, 2 scanners and much more

Your blinder will more likely throw jam codes on the Laser which could raise some suspicion and ruin your day pretty fast. I don't know how is the performance of yours but given that it's a few years old, and that laser gun changed a little bit recently, I would upgrade but that's just me. Also, the HP-905 and the LI are usb upgradable so if a new unjammable gun comes out, the company can release a fix through an update and you are good to go. They are also not suppose to throw jam codes on lasers. The 905 is only a few weeks old so there is a not a whole lot of testing that has been made. The LI is pretty much the reference among the hardcore users. There is a recent test from Binder on the 905 vs the LI somewhere on the forum. Fairly easy to find.

Jammer is not really my thing so I am sure other members could direct you in a better direction

Well I live in the other 30% of Canada but I do know a few things about the eastern crew. The plus is only detectable by Spectre at 3 inches. So it is in fact undetectable.

If your plus is stealth in your grill, I wouldn't worry about it, you will be fine as long as you don't pull newbie stuff like taping your brakes everytime your RD goes off or pull a fred flingstone brake check if hit at point blank I/O in the middle of night all alone. The fine in Ontario is somewhere around 400$ and they take your detector away. Doesn't matter if it is a remote detector, they unplug stuff, unscrew things and it is coming out.

If you are coming the other way through Manitoba, I wouldn't worry too much. OPP are probably much more hardcore about that stuff than manitoba and the fine is lower in manitoba I think.

[dichertz]

Avs , thank you for your suggestions about the settings.
I checked my V1: The Ka guard is on and my Ka is set to more sensitive.
I when I drive through Ohio, should I turn X on on the V1 or the Bel or both?

However, my STI had RDR, SWS and TSR on. :-(
Those have been shut off.
I had not adjusted the Ka SW, but I now have shut off 1 and 10, and after I keep track of what I see on my ride from Boston to Cincinnati, to Sault St Marie to Buffalo, I'll decide about the other bands. I KNOW everyone says I don't need them, but I like to find out for myself.

I know a lot of musicians (drummers) that are like the people with 10 detectors and other things.
I don't mess around. I buy what in my research to be the best and stick with it, and apparently (with your suggestions) I now have a BETTER setup.

Thanks for your advice about Canada, I will drive with more comfort now. And without the V1.

Dana

[AvsBest]

If I drive somewhere else than my own province, I never deactivate X band but I am lightning fast on the lockout button though. I keep K and X off on the V1 at all times. The plus takes care of that even though the V1 is the best detector ever made for K band.

[dichertz]

Thank you again.
That is the status I am going to run on my V1.
I won't activate X on the Bel until Canada. (And I will hide the V1 before I get to the Queenston/Lewiston bridge).

Thanks for the tips.
Dana

[AvsBest]

I guess you can deactivate X if you really want but I would probably hang myself if I get a C/O X band ticket from a very poor police service