Your authority on radar detectors for the Australian driver

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REVIEWS

Reviewed by: Jeff D, Chicago, USA

31st July 2006

Firstly, let me start by stating that I have owned many remote radar detectors since the early 1980's (Fuzzbuster Wireless Remote), including a couple of Bell units.

I have been sold on the remote mounting idea ever since I had a honest conversation with a HWP officer who stated there was no way the officer would entertain any explanation of speeding with a radar detector mounted in the windscreen.

This installation of the RX75 was easy. Bell does a great job of supplying all the long cable lengths, necessary grommets, brackets, hardware etc, and a well thought out modular design. Since all the wires for each of the sensors and power supply go to the control unit first, this sure makes it easy to cable and then discreetly hide the visual display unit on your dash with only one wire connecting to it.

I mounted the Visual Display Unit on the backside of an in-dash storage compartment door. This allows either hiding the display unit from view (storage compartment door closed) and just listening to the audible warnings OR you can open the storage compartment to reveal the LED display and detector controls.

Since I didn’t buy the “plus” model with laser blocking, I didn’t think I would get much use out the remote mute button. Boy, was I wrong. I love the convenience of moving my finger onto the button (center console mounted) and muting the detector for the duration of the warning signal. Once the warning is finished, the next signal encountered is back at the regular volume setting…a very nice feature!

I also like the autoscan mode, easy to understand audible warnings and automatic adjustment of the display brightness. While the auto display brightness might not seem like such a big thing, it comes in handy when you drive a convertible like I do and LED controls can be difficult to see in varying amounts of direct sunlight. This feature along the others makes you feel like the radar detector requires no intervention and basically does everything for you.

Last of all, but not least, I love the rear laser detector mounting arrangement (on the rear license plate bracket)… just perfect for a convertible! The rear laser detector has gone off three times over the last six months and I am wondering how I ever drove without one.

If you want to dive into all the nitty gritty radar signal details, the RX75 has multiple program modes that allow you to monitor every aspect of the radar that is hitting the sensors. However, none of that is necessary with the “autoscan” mode which basically handles all types of signals for you with practically none of the false signals that many highly sensitive detectors produce. This thing goes off when I need it to and is silent the rest of the time. Nice job Beltronics!

A couple of final notes about installation: You are going to have to drill a hole behind your rear license plate to properly install the rear laser detector. Also, another hole will be required in your firewall to route the front radar and laser detector wires from behind your grill to the control unit behind your dash. If you are squeamish about drilling holes in your car and then sealing them properly, then this might not be the detector for you. Also, take a good hard look at your front end/grill design to ensure that you have a good mounting location for the sensors to “peek” out through your front grillwork without being mounted to the bottom of the car (where they will get damaged if they are too close to the road). The keys here are a metal cross-member to mount the bracket to (either a top or bottom or side mount will work as the brackets they give you are that good) and an unobstructed opening for the radar and laser signal to pass through to get to the sensor.

I haven’t written any downside or bad comments here because I frankly can not come up with any. Naturally, I’d like to spend a less on a detector, but I obviously feel this one is worth the extra money.