Beltronics, Inc. contracted with SML to establish the detectablity of their new STi Driver radar detector. Detectabilty is defined as not emitting any signal complying with the FCC “unintentional radiator” provisions of CFR 47, Part 15 as referred to previously and to being detected by RDDs.

Methodology

As with all SML tests, the standard practice of operating all radar guns and other enforcement equipment by radar/laser certified police officers using the devices in accordance with guidelines of the IACP was applied. The police officers themselves also took down the results of tested products along with riding in the test vehicle with the representatives of the respective radar detector maker as observers. These “ride along” officers are the ones that report to the test vehicle the performance of the tested products. This standard practice eliminates any bias from the results. Beltronics provided Ron Gividen as a representative of their company and he brought the STi Driver sample, unit to the field for testing. The STi Driver is a solid build made with a finely detailed black, metal case. It feels heavy and substantial because it is. You could hit it with a hammer and it would just smile back at you. It’s designed for durability, longevity and the abuse of dropping it out of your SUV on a four wheel camping trip. We were tempted to drag it attached to the bumper of the test vehicle for a mile before putting it into operation. In 20 years of testing radar detectors, we’ve never seen such a solid construction.

Prior to testing for RF leakage, the sample, i.e. Beltronics STi Driver, was tested for reception of normal radar bands from 1/2 and 1/4 mile distances. Orange cones were placed at these locations and distance confirmed using a Kustom Signals Pro Laser III laser gun set to the range mode. This assures accuracy to 1/10th of a foot. A white Ford Taurus was used as a test vehicle and the STi Driver was mounted per the instruction manual of the product Mr. Gividen brought with him. The pavement was dry with an ambient temperature ranging from 57F to 74F. Humidity as reported by National Weather Service Radio was 13%. Testing began at 0900 hrs. and ended at 1500 hrs. The testing location has an elevation of 3,216 feet above sea level and is devoid of any RF signals in the radar bands to be evaluated. A RF sweep was made of the test course prior to testing insuring no competing RF signals were present. During the 1/2 and 1/4 mile test, the sample was exposed to radar guns transmitting on X band at 10.525 GHz, K band at 24.150 GHz, and Ka band at 34.7 GHz. The sample correctly identified each transmitted frequency at each distance cone. For re-verification, other radar detectors were also included in this common distance reception test including a Valentine One and a Whistler 1778 model. All models were also exposed to a Kustom Signals Pro Laser III transmitting at 904 nanometers. When aimed at the detectors, all models correctly reported laser reception.

The RDD test began at the completion of the radar gun verification evaluation. The test vehicle containing the detectors began approaching the van containing the RDDs from the 1/4 mile cone at 30 mph. Once detected, the driver was told to stop and the detection distance was recorded by the laser gun in the range mode. The detection distance was re-verified by a second laser reading while the test vehicle was stopped. All detectors were given five runs at four different RDDs including the VG-2, VG-4, Spectre II, and Spectre III. The Spectre III was provided by the police officers as they brought it to the test site. The five detection distances were then averaged. If the test vehicle did not stop immediately when told to do so by the van’s radio operator, that particular run was cancelled and it was run again.