It was easy to install the STi-R remote radar module up on the passenger visor. We wrapped the cables around the windshield, located the display beside the steering wheel, doubled our radar detection performance over all other remotes tested at SML 2008, and saved a $1000 installation costs. We tested all radar detectors against the Spectre III and this new Spectre IV. Bel STi Driver, Bel STi-R and Passport 9500ci radar detectors were 100% invisible to all RDD. The real test of a radar detector is how well it can detect a hidden radar trap over the top of a hill or around blind curves. You know the situation, where you come over a hill and Johnny Law is waiting for you to come into his trap. With the Bel STi Driver and Valentine One radar detectors, these hidden radar traps are easily detected. If you use a $60 radar detector special from your local store, the poor radar detectors can not detect that hidden radar trap until it is too late.

June 27, El Paso Texas

Testing X, K, Ka radar detection

We tested the newest Whistler radar detector, XTR 695, Beltronics STi-Driver, Bel STi-R, Passport 9500ci, Valentine One, several Cobra radar detectors and the new VRX Motorcycle radar detector

June 28, El Paso Texes

Testing POP3 radar detection; Laser Jamming on Blinder M45 and ZR4 Shifter

All the good radar detectors, Bel STi Driver, Velentine One, Passport 9500i, Passport 9500xi, Bel STi-R, detected the MPG Bee POP3 radar gun. Several of the lesser radar detectors had difficulty. However, when the MPH Z25 K band POP3 gun was used, nobody could detect it. Either is was not transmitting, or nobody could detect it. I woullike to think it was off, but it was not. The K band POP, Z25 laser gun, was very good.

June 29, Sierra Blanca, Texas

Testing Long Distance radar detection, False Noise Alerts

The Bel STi Driver, Valentine One, our Passport 9500ci on the passenger visor and the STi-R on the passenger visor all tested best for long distance. The distance test really showed how good the install location on the passenger visor is for remote radar detectors. Red more below.

I would like to take a few minutes to discuss our new appraoch for installing remote radar detectors. Normally, the remote radar module is installed down in the grille, typically 2 to 3 feet above the road surface. We know by experience, the higher you install a radar detector module, the better the performance, so we wanted to test the remotes higher in the vehicle. We know installers charge a lot of money to intall remotes.

We tried a different approach of remote radar detector installation. Normally, the remote is installed down in the grille. But instead, we located the STi-R remote radar unit up on the passenger windshield visor using a special device we call the Radar Detector Visor Holder. It allowed us to hide the STi-R under the passenger visor, run the power cord from the visor, around the windshield trim, down the rocker arm windshield trim, down between the dash and door, under the dash to where the interface module connects all the cables.

We ran the voice speakers to the far right side of the dash and aimed the speaker at the driver location. I bought a simple radio shack cigarette plug in with screw posts on it, and connected all the wiring my self. I did not pay anybody $500 to $1000 to install the STi-R, which is the typical cost of install in the USA. I installed the Beltronics STi-R and I am just a salesman. I easily hid all the wires, installed the entire hidden remote radar detector with display, control module, speaker and radar unit to my satisfaction; and doubled the radar detection performance by moving the typical radar install location from the grille (2 feet above the road surface) up to the passenger visor (5+ feet off the ground).

I saved all the installation costs, more than doubled the radar detection performance over grille mounted remote radar detectors, still have 100% STi-R electronic invisibility to all police radar detector detectors, and the entire package is physically invisible to anybody driving by or walking by the vehicle.

We did the same thing with the Passport 9500ci which has a Passport ZR4 Laser Shifter, and it did not require an installation shop to install it because of the new turtle clamps provided. And again, we doubled the radar detection performance of the 9500ci radar module. This was all tested at Speed Measurement Labs from June 27 to June 30, 2008 and we proved the ZR4 Laser Shifter was a big improvement over the previous ZR3 shifter.