Beltronics Vector 985 Radar Laser Detector

I spent a lot of time researching radar detectors before purchasing this one. I wanted to make sure I got the best one for the job before I laid out roughly [$]. I've been using this detector for a little over a month and so far, I've had no problems. There are very few false alarms. The only time I have trouble is if I'm parked right in front of an automatic door. And even in this case you can turn off X-band so that it won't chirp. One of the greatest things about this detector is the owners manual, it walks you through all of the options and diagrams radar scenarios to help inform the user of what to avoid. When you mail in your registration you get notified when upgrades become available.

The only problem I had with buying a radar detector is that there was not enough information on individual models. I hope this helps you make an informed choice. Enjoy.

Basic Features:
You can turn of x-band, k-band and laser by choosing one of the 3 city options. There's the highway...Read more

I have long searched for a radar detector to do what it says, and I have finally found it. The Bel 985!. I have owned numerous radar detectors in the past (Bel 970, Escort 8500, uniden, whistler), but none have had all the necessary features to be a complete radar detector. Well I have to admit that the Bel 970 was very good but falsed a little too much, and the escort 8500 was good also. I thought I was upgrading to the escort 8500 but found out the range was same as the Bel 970. (I conducted side by side comparisons).
The Bel 985 has excellent range, better than the Escort and older Bel, it has the best anti-falsing software I have ever seen, and it has voice (so you can keep your eye on the road). But if you think I am bashing the other products, check out Speedzones.com latest report (Jul 02). It compares all the major brands. Both the Bel and Valentine were pretty much comparable. The key here is that the Bel 985 is [a lot]less!. The only area that I see where the...Read more

I live in Phoenix but I assume most other cities are similar when it comes to radar detectors. This thing picks up all kinds of nonsense when driving through town. You can turn off individual bands, but as far as i know you cant turn off certain frequencies within a band. I pick up 24.050 on K as a false alarm constantly and wish i could just put it on perminant ignore. There are a few others, but this one stands out big time. Its not really that big of a deal because its a level 1 type alert, meaning it beeps about once every 2 seconds.. but it is irritating to her it going off all the time and you know its a false alert, i tend to reach for the mute button every time I'm near a major intersection.

As for the real alerts its done a real good job so far. When it picks up real radar signals it goes absolutely nuts, so you can easily tell the difference between a false or a weak signal and a strong radar clock on or near you. The easiest ones its spotted so far are the signs...Read more