Please read before using this equipment.
ˆ Contents Features ................................................................................. 4 A Quick Look ......................................................................... 7 Safety Warning System ................................................... 8 Installation ............................................................................. 9 Selecting a Mounting Location ........................................ 9 Mounting Guidelines .................................................
Receiving and Identifying Radar, Laser, and Safety Alert Signals .................................................................................. 18 SWS Categories and Messages ............................ 19 Troubleshooting .................................................................. 24 Care and Maintenance ........................................................ 26 Replacing the Fuse ........................................................ 26 FCC Information .......................................
ˆ Features Your RadioShack Talking 360° Laser/Radar Detector can alert you to all known police traffic radar and laser systems with its distinct visual and audio alerts, including a voice alert. It receives X-, K-, and Ka-band radar signals, and 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.
VG-2 Protection — makes your detector invisible to the VG-2 radar-detector when it senses VG-2 operation. X-, K-, Ka-Band, Laser, and Ultralyte Laser Signal Detection — warns you when it detects signals from traffic radar or laser devices. Different tones and display indicators let you know the type of signal received. Safety Warning System Detection — alerts you to the presence of potential road hazards, and emergency vehicles signaled by a Safety Warning System transmission.
Your radar/laser detector includes the following items: • coiled power cord • windshield bracket with suction cups • hook and loop tape • stand for hook and loop mounting • spare fuse • Question and Answer About Vehicle Speed Detection Important: Some areas have laws regulating the use of radar detectors. Check with your local law enforcement agency about the laws in your area.
ˆ A Quick Look Speaker CITY 360° Laser Eye MUTE DIM Display VOLUME/OFF LED Compass 1. 360° Laser Eye — receives incoming laser signals directed at your vehicle from all directions 2. DC 12V Jack — the power cord connection 3. DIM — controls the brightness of the alphanumeric display 4. MUTE — silences the alert tone for about 20 seconds after the current signal is lost 5. CITY (City/Highway) — switches between the city and highway modes 6.
. VOLUME/OFF — lets you turn the detector on and off and adjust the volume 9. High Visibility Alphanumeric Display — provides a distinct visual of signal detected, signal strength, and heading information, and indicates the selected operating mode SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM The revolutionary Safety Warning System (SWS) has won formal approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate on the 24.05–24.25 GHz band for highway safety alerting and traffic signal control purposes.
ˆ Installation SELECTING A MOUNTING LOCATION For the best performance, select a location for the detector where it has a direct view of the road. The detector's radar antenna is at the opposite end from display. Note: Though the detector has a 360° laser and radar detection coverage, the radar detection is more sensitive to the front. Mounting Guidelines Follow these guidelines when selecting a location. • Choose a location that does not block the driver's view of the road.
• Do not mount the detector where the driver or a passenger might hit it in a sudden stop or accident. • Attach the stand to the bottom of the detector using the two tabs on the stand. Locate the tabs over the two openings on the detector’s base and press down. Note: After attaching the stand, to remove it, press on the tab until it clicks and remove the stand. Caution: When not in your vehicle, place your detector out of view to help discourage theft and to protect it from high temperatures.
1. Clean the selected windshield area, position the bracket on the windshield, and press firmly on each suction cup to secure it in place. 2. Slide the detector onto the base plate until it snaps into place. To adjust the mounting angle, remove the detector from the bracket. Then, remove the bracket from the windshield and adjust it by carefully bending it. HOOK-AND-LOOP MOUNTING In some vehicles, the dashboard may be the best location to mount the detector.
2. Attach the stand to the bottom of the detector. Tape Stand Bottom of Detector 3. Remove the tape's paper backing and stick the tape to the bottom of stand. Remove the paper backing from the other side of the tape and press your detector onto the dashboard. ˆ Connecting Power Caution: • Use only the supplied power cord. If your power cord is lost or damaged, you can order a replacement cord from your local RadioShack store.
• Unplug the power cord's cigarette-lighter plug from your vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket when you turn off the ignition. This prevents your vehicle's battery from being drained if you leave the detector on when you turn off the ignition. Plug the supplied power cord's barrel plug into the detector's DC 12V jack. Then plug the cord's cigarette-lighter plug into your vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket.
ADJUSTING THE VOLUME Rotate VOLUME/OFF to the left to increase the detector's volume. Rotate it to the right to decrease the volume. TUTORIAL MODE Your detector has a tutorial mode to demonstrate the alphanumeric display. Use the tutorial mode to familiarize yourself with the alphanumeric display. Starting the Tutorial Mode To start the tutorial mode, turn on the detector while holding down DIM and CITY. The tutorial mode starts when TUTORIAL and MODE flash alternately.
Finishing the Tutorial Mode To end the tutorial mode, press MUTE at any time. ELECTRONIC COMPASS Your radar detector has an electronic compass that can display 8 different headings: N, E, S, W, NE, NW, SE, SW Note: The detector displays the electronic compass heading information until it picks up a signal. After the detector displays the signal, it returns to the electronic compass display. Calibrating the Electronic Compass You must calibrate the electronic compass in your area before using it.
• It is being used in a different location. • The magnetic distortion flag, DISTORT is continuously displayed. Follow these steps to calibrate your detector. 1. Press CITY for more than 2 seconds until the voice says “Please turn your vehicle twice,” and CAL.... appears; then TURN and TWICE flash alternately. 2. With the detector mounted in your vehicle, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right or left and continue driving in a circular motion. Then press CITY. 3.
OPERATION SETTINGS Selecting the City and Highway Modes Your detector has two operating modes: city and highway. In city mode, the detector requires a stronger X-, K-, or Ka-band signal before it sounds or displays an alert. Notes: • City mode helps prevent false alerts in tightly populated areas where radar signals can bounce off surrounding structures. • The city mode has no effect on laser alerts or instant-on radar. The highway mode provides maximum sensitivity for open-road driving.
Pressing DIM once reduces the display's brightness by half; the voice alert says “Display dim.” Pressing DIM a second time reduces the display's brightness by 90%; the voice alert says “Display dark.” Pressing DIM a third time returns the display to full brightness; the voice alert says “Display bright.” Muting the Audio Alert While the detector sounds a radar or safety alert signal, press MUTE to temporarily silence the detector. When you press MUTE, the voice alert says “Mute on” and M appears.
Note: The closer you get to the source of the radar, the higher the signal strength number. When your detector senses an instant-on radar signal, INSTANT - ON appears and the instant-on alert tone sounds. For radar signal detection, if the signal strength number goes higher than 3, the voice alert says “X-band detected,” “K-band detected,” or “KA-band detected.” When your detector senses a laser signal, LASER flashes and the voice alert says “Laser detected.
Category 1: Highway Construction Maintenance BRIDGE CLOSED AHEAD/FOLLOW DETOUR HIGHWAY WORK CREW AHEAD UTILITY WORK CREW AHEAD ALL TRAFFIC FOLLOW DETOUR AHEAD ALL TRUCKS FOLLOW DETOUR AHEAD ALL TRAFFIC EXIT AHEAD RIGHT LANE CLOSED AHEAD CENTER LANE CLOSED AHEAD LEFT LANE CLOSED AHEAD Category 2: Highway Hazard Zone Advisory I STATIONARY POLICE VEHICLE AHEAD TRAIN APPROACHING/AT CROSSING LOW OVERPASS AHEAD DRAW BRIDGE UP OBSERVE BRIDGE WEIGHT LIMIT ROCK SLIDE AHEAD SCHOOL ZONE AHEAD 20 Operation
Category 2: Highway Hazard Zone Advisory I ROAD NARROWS AHEAD SHARP CURVE AHEAD PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AHEAD Category 3: Highway Hazard Zone Advisory II DEER/MOOSE CROSSING BLIND/DEAF CHILD AHEAD STEEP GRADE AHEAD/TRUCK USE LOW GEAR ACCIDENT AHEAD POOR ROAD SURFACE AHEAD SCHOOL BUS LOADING/UNLOADING NO PASSING ZONE DANGEROUS INTERSECTION AHEAD STATIONARY EMERGENCY VEHICLE AHEAD Category 4: Weather Related Hazards HIGH WIND AHEAD SEVERE WEATHER AHEAD Operation 21
Category 4: Weather Related Hazards HEAVY FOG AHEAD HIGH WATER/FLOODING AHEAD ICE ON BRIDGE AHEAD ICE ON ROAD AHEAD BLOWING DUST AHEAD BLOWING SAND AHEAD BLOWING SNOW WHITE OUT AHEAD Category 5: Travel Information/Convenience I REST AREA AHEAD REST AREA WITH SERVICE AHEAD 24 HOUR FUEL SERVICE AHEAD INSPECTION STATION OPEN INSPECTION STATION CLOSED REDUCE SPEED AREA AHEAD SPEED LIMIT ENFORCED HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EXIT AHEAD CONGESTION AHEAD/EXPECT DELAY 22 Operation
Category 5: Travel Information/Convenience I EXPECT 10 MINUTE DELAY Category 6: Travel Information/Convenience II EXPECT 20 MINUTE DELAY EXPECT 30 MINUTE DELAY EXPECT 1 HOUR DELAY TRAFFIC ALERT/TURN ON AM RADIO PAY TOLL AHEAD TRUCKS EXIT RIGHT TRUCKS EXIT LEFT Category 7: Fast/Slow Moving Vehicles EMERGENCY VEHICLE IN TRANSIT POLICE IN PURSUIT OVERSIZED VEHICLE IN TRANSIT SLOW MOVING VEHICLE Operation 23
ˆ Troubleshooting If you have problems operating your 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. Problem Suggestion The detector does not turn on. Be sure all power connections are secure. The cigarette-lighter socket might be dirty. Clean it with fine emery cloth to ensure a good, clean connection. Check the fuse in the power cord's cigarette lighter plug.
Problem Suggestion The detector gives a false alert when you use vehicle accessories such as power windows, motorized mirrors, brakes, and so on. Check the vehicle's electrical system for loose connections, including the main battery cable and alternator connections. The detector performs the self-test, but does not respond to radar signals when you see a police car. A police car might not be equipped with radar (see the supplied booklet, Questions and Answers About Vehicle Speed Detection).
ˆ Care and Maintenance Your RadioShack Talking 360° Laser/Radar Detector is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your detector so you can enjoy it for years. • Keep the detector dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. • Keep the detector away from dust and dirt, which can cause premature wear of parts. • Handle the detector gently and carefully.
Caution: Using a fuse that does not meet this requirement can damage your detector, the power cable, or the vehicle's electrical system. 1. Turn the knurled ring on the cigarette-lighter plug counterclockwise to unscrew it. Knurled Ring Caution: If you must use pliers to loosen the ring, be careful not to crush the ring or the metal tip inside the ring. 2. Remove the ring and tip from the power cord’s cigarettelighter plug, then remove the old fuse.
ˆ FCC Information This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by RadioShack may cause interference and void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
