Owner’s Manual Real Voice X•K•Ka Superwide Radar/ Laser Detector Please read before using this equipment. Cat. No.
FEATURES Your RadioShack Real Voice X•K•Ka Superwide Radar/Laser Detector can alert you to all known police traffic radar and laser systems. It receives X-, K-, and Ka-band radar signals and also detects both the instant-on and laser systems many police departments use to measure vehicle speed. Plus, your detector can give you advance warning of potential road hazards by detecting signals from transmitters that broadcast Safety Warning System alerts.
High-Visibility Display — shows the text of 60 Safety Warning System messages. VG-2 Protection — makes your detector invisible to the VG-2 radar-detector detector when it senses VG-2 operation. 360° Detection — detects laser signals from both the front and the rear of your vehicle. City/Highway Modes — let you minimize alerts when you are in areas that have false radar sources. FAST (False Alert Suppression Technology) — helps prevent false alarms caused by non-traffic radar sources.
We recommend you record your detector’s serial number here. The number is on the detector’s bottom panel. Serial Number: _________________________________ Important: Some areas have laws regulating the use of radar detectors. Check with your local law enforcement agency about the laws in your area. One or more of the following patents apply: 4,315,261; 5,146,227; 5,379,456. Other patents pending.
CONTENTS A Quick Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mounting Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Hook-and-Loop Tape Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Windshield Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Visor Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Connecting Power . . . . . . . . . .
A QUICK LOOK 1. Rear Laser Detection Lens — receives incoming laser signals from the rear. 2. Speaker — sounds distinct audio and Real Voice warnings. 3. MUTE Button — press before a radar/laser signal is detected to reduce the level of audio alerts that sound when there is a signal. Press after a signal is detected to silence the alert, but still have visual alerts to keep you informed. 4. CITY Button — reduces false alerts typically encountered in urban driving areas. 5.
6. VOL / Buttons — Adjust volume up or down and turn the VG-2 option on or off. 7. PWR (Power/Volume) Button — turns the detector on and off and lets you engage the dim or dark setting. 8. Power Jack — the power cable plugs in here. 9. Bracket Release Button — lets you quickly remove the detector’s bracket. 12 10 11 10. Front Laser Detection Lens — receives incoming laser signals from the front. 11. Radar Detection Antenna — receives incoming radar signals. 12.
INSTALLATION MOUNTING GUIDELINES Follow these guidelines when selecting a location. • Choose a location that does not block the driver’s view of the road. • Mount the detector in a level position with a clear view to both the front and rear. • The detector’s view of the road must not be blocked by any metal object. • Some vehicles have InstaClear or ElectriClear defogging windshields, which have metal coatings that block signals.
HOOK-AND-LOOP TAPE MOUNTING For some dashboards, the hook-and-loop tape included with your detector might be best for mounting. Follow these steps to use the hook-and-loop tape. 1. Use a damp cloth to clean the bottom of the detector and the dashboard. Let both surfaces dry. Note: The tape’s adhesive might not stick to a surface treated with vinyl cleaner or protectant. 2. Remove the tape’s backing and stick the tape to the bottom of the detector.
WINDSHIELD MOUNTING The supplied suction-cup windshield bracket lets you easily mount the detector on the windshield. Caution: Do not use the bracket in a vehicle that has a plastic coating on the windshield designed to protect passengers during an accident. If you use the bracket on this type of windshield, you might permanently mar the windshield’s surface. 1. Align the groove in each suction cup with the slots in the windshield bracket and slide the suction cups out until they lock into place. 2.
To level the detector, press the bracket release button to remove the detector from the bracket. Then bend the bracket. illus of bracket release button location VISOR MOUNTING The supplied visor mounting bracket lets you easily mount the detector on your vehicle’s visor. 1. Slide the visor bracket’s tab into the detector’s bracket mounting slot. 2. Clip the visor bracket onto the visor, making sure it is relatively level and has a clear view of the road.
CONNECTING POWER Caution: • Use only the supplied straight or coiled power cord. If your power cord is lost or damaged, you can order a replacement cord from your local RadioShack store. • Before plugging the power cord’s cigarette-lighter plug into your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket, make sure the plug’s tip is screwed firmly onto the plug. See “Replacing the Fuse” on Page 27 for more information about the cigarettelighter plug.
OPERATION TURNING THE DETECTOR ON AND OFF To turn on the detector, press PWR. The detector sounds a distinctive alert and displays the indicators for each alert type as a self test, in this order: Alert Type Voice Alert Audible Alert Visual Alert X “X-band” Low steady X 9 K “K-band” High trill K 9 Ka “Ka-band” Medium warble Ka 9 Safety None None SAFETY Laser None None LASER VG-2 None None VG-2 OFF HIGHWAY To turn off the detector, press the PWR button.
DEMONSTRATING ALERTS To familiarize yourself with the different alerts your detector sounds, you can run a demonstration. To start the demonstration, press and release MUTE and CITY at the same time with the detector turned on. The detector displays TEACH, then demonstrates the alerts for X, K, Ka, laser, VG-2, and all 60 safety warning system messages, in that order. To stop the demonstration, hold down PWR.
SELECTING THE CITY AND HIGHWAY MODES Your detector’s CITY and CITY 1 modes are designed to reduce annoying false alerts triggered by automatic door openers, intrusion alarms, and other devices that share frequencies with police radar. In the CITY 1 mode, only X-band sensitivity is lowered. Note: The city modes have no effect on laser or VG-2 operation. To select the CITY mode, press CITY once. The detector displays CITY.
DIMMING THE DISPLAY To dim the display, hold down PWR for 2 seconds. The detector displays DIM, then the display dims. To make the display black out, hold down PWR for 2 more seconds. The detector displays DARK. The display dims when it is not detecting a signal, and blacks out entirely while it is receiving a signal and for 20 seconds after the signal. Hold down PWR for 2 more seconds to restore the display to full brightness.
SELECTING OPTIONS Entering Option Select Mode allows you to personalize the tone, Real Voice, power up sequence and VG-2 mode. When selecting options, you must press , , or MENU within 20 seconds or the detector automatically exits the option mode.
RECEIVING AND IDENTIFYING ALERT SIGNALS Your detector gives different audible and visual alerts for each signal. In addition, the alert tone pulse rate increases with signal strength and the detector displays a digit from 1 to 9 to indicate the signal strength (1 is weakest and 9 is strongest). When your detector senses instant-on radar, it sounds an intense, 3-second tone and displays PULSE.
Safety Radar Alerts Your radar detector detects all safety radar including the new Safety Warning System. This system provides advanced warning of hazards and lets you respond appropriately to potentially dangerous conditions. Note: Not all areas have Safety Warning System transmitters. Your radar detector only alerts you to hazards if the area you are in has transmitters sending signals. When your radar detector encounters safety radar, it sounds a distinctive tone and displays the signal strength.
Display Road Hazard Detected CENTER LANE CLOSED Center Lane Closed Ahead LEFT LANE CLOSED Left Lane Closed Ahead STANDING POLICE VEHICLE Stationary Police Vehicle Ahead TRAIN AT CROSSING Train Approaching/At Crossing LOW OVERPASS Low Overpass Ahead DRAW BRIDGE Drawbridge Up BRIDGE WEIGHT LIMIT Observe Bridge Weight Limit ROCK SLIDE AREA Rock Slide Area Ahead SCHOOL ZONE School Zone Ahead ROAD NARROWS Road Narrows Ahead SHARP CURVE Sharp Curve Ahead PEDEST CROSSING Pedestrian Crossing
Display Road Hazard Detected STANDING EMERGENCY VEHICLE Stationary Emergency Vehicle Ahead HIGH WIND High Wind Ahead SEVERE WEATHER Severe Weather Ahead HEAVY FOG Heavy Fog Ahead WATER FLOODING High Water/Flooding Ahead ICE ON BRIDGE Ice On Bridge Ahead ICE ON ROAD Ice On Road Ahead BLOWING DUST Blowing Dust Ahead BLOWING SAND Blowing Sand Ahead BLOWING SNOW Blowing Snow White Out Ahead REST AREA Rest Area Ahead REST SERVICE AREA Rest Area With Service Ahead 24 HOUR FUEL SERVICE 2
Display Road Hazard Detected EXPECT TWENTY MINUTE DELAY Expect 20 Minute Delay EXPECT THIRTY MINUTE DELAY Expect 30 Minute Delay EXPECT ONE HOUR DELAY Expect 1 Hour Delay TRAFFIC ALERT TUNE AM RADIO Traffic Alert/Tune AM Radio PAY TOLL Pay Toll Ahead TRUCKS EXIT RIGHT Trucks Exit Right TRUCKS EXIT LEFT Trucks Exit Left EMERGENCY VEHICLE Emergency Vehicle in Transit POLICE PURSUIT Police in Pursuit OVERSIZE VEHICLE Oversize Vehicle in Transit SLOW MOVING VEHICLE Slow Moving Vehicle CAUT
Any laser alert, regardless of duration, requires immediate action! If you are the targeted vehicle, a laser gun can often determine your speed within seconds after you receive an alert. However, if you are traveling near or behind the targeted vehicle and receive an alert, you should have time to respond. USING STAY ALERT Stay Alert helps you test your alertness behind the wheel by sounding beeps and asking if you are alert. Warning: Stay Alert is not intended as a substitute for adequate rest.
RESETTING THE DETECTOR The detector keeps the audio level, city/highway mode, mute mode, dim mode, auto quiet mode, VG-2 option, and on or off setting in memory when power is removed. When you reapply power, it returns to these same settings. To reset the detector to its factory default settings, unplug the detector’s power cord from the cigarette-lighter socket, hold down PWR and MUTE, plug in the power cord, wait for it to beep, then release PWR and MUTE.
TROUBLESHOOTING If you have problems operating your radar/laser detector, the suggestions in this section might help. If you cannot solve the problem after trying these suggestions, take your detector to your local RadioShack store for assistance. If the detector does not turn on: • Be sure all power connections are secure. • Check the fuse that controls power to the cigarette-lighter socket. See your vehicle’s owner’s manual. • Check the fuse in the cigarette-lighter plug.
If the detector gives a false alert when you use accessories such as power windows, motorized mirrors, brakes, and so on: • Check the vehicle’s electrical system, including the main battery cable and alternator connections. • Install a filter capacitor (1,000 µf, 35 volts, such as Cat. No. 272-1032) on the back of the cigarette-lighter socket, across the power connections.
REPLACING THE FUSE If the detector stops operating, check the fuse in the DC power cord’s cigarette-lighter plug. If it has blown, follow these steps to replace it with a 2-Amp, 11/4 × 1/4 mm, fast-acting fuse (Cat. No. 270-1007). Caution: Using a fuse that does not meet these ratings or defeating the fuse protection can damage your detector or the vehicle’s electrical system. 1. Carefully unscrew the tip of the cigarette-lighter plug. 2.
Limited One-Year Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioShack company-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
