925 Manual
925 Manual
USA 800-341-2288
Canada 800-268-3994
www.beltronics.com
©2004 Beltronics
Designed and Manufactured In Canada
Features, specifications and prices subject to change without notice.
Model E925
Owner’s Manual
R A D A R • L A S E R •
S A F E T Y D E T E C T O R
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing an EXPRESS 925 Radar/Laser/Safety
detector. Your new unit offers the most advanced technology
available for detecting all Radar and Laser speed monitoring
devices. In addition, EXPRESS 925 features Digital Voice
Messages for Radar/Laser and sws™.
To ensure maximum benefit from your unit, please read
all instructions before operation.
Remember, owning a Radar detector does not give you a
license to speed. Alerts from a Radar detector serve as an
effective reminder to check your speed. Laws vary
throughout North America governing the use of a Radar
detector. It is your responsibility to follow these laws.
SELECTABLE FEATURES
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Profile of Features ➤ page 4
Description of Features ➤ page 5
Power Up Test Sequence ➤ page 5
Tutorial Mode ➤ page 5
Memory Retention of Feature Selections ➤ page 5
Adjusting the Audio Level ➤ page 6
DARK (Bright/Dim/Dark) Button ➤ page 6
AUDIO (Audio Mute) Button ➤ page 6
CITY (City/Highway) Button ➤ page 7
Reset to Factory Settings ➤ page 8
Selectable Features ➤ page 8
Entering Selectable Features Mode ➤ page 10
Installation ➤ page 10
General Guidelines ➤ page 10
Understanding Radar, Laser and sws™ ➤ page 13
Interpretation of Alerts ➤ page 14
Radar Alerts ➤ page 14
Instant-On/Pulsed Radar Alert ➤ page 16
Typical False Alert (Radar) ➤ page 16
Laser Alerts ➤ page 17
VG-2 Guard® Alert ➤ page 17
Safety Warning System® (sws™) Alerts ➤ page 18
Performance Verification ➤ page 19
Conditions That Affect Radar Alerts ➤ page 19
Conditions That Affect Laser Alerts ➤ page 19
Troubleshooting ➤ page 20
Consumer Warranty ➤ page 21
Service ➤ page 22
Warranty Service ➤ page 22
Post-Warranty Service ➤ page 22
Specifications ➤ page 23
Accessories ➤ page 23
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PROFILE OF FEATURES
9 8
5
10
1
11
2 7
3 4 6
1. PWR/VOL (Power/Volume) Button: pressing PWR/VOL briefly will
turn the unit ON. Pressing PWR/VOL a second time will bypass the
power up test sequence. Holding the PWR/VOL and holding will
change the audio level.
2. sws™ Indicator: illumination of the green Safety Warning System®
LEDconfirms potential road hazards ahead.
3. Digital Display: communicates all mode selections, Radar
Signal Strength (1-9), presence of Laser (L) and sws™ category
(1-5). Display also indicates volume level selection.
4. Ka/X/K Band Indicators: the Radar band received is confirmed
by the illumination of the appropriate letter.
5. DARK (Bright/Dim/Dark) Button: provides dim or dark settings of
the display for discreet night travel. Audio alerts are not
affected.
6. AUDIO (Audio Mute) Button: provides automatic and manual
muting of X, K, Super Wideband Ka Radar and manual muting
of sws™ alerts.
4
8. Antenna Opening: Radar and sws™ signals are received by a
patented diecast antenna with integrated transition to
microstrip mixer.
10. Audio Alert Speaker: all audible alerts and Digital Voice
Messages are emitted from this location.
DESCRIPTION OF FEATURES
Power-Up Test Sequence
Each time your unit is turned ON, alerts for Laser, Ka, K, X and
Safety Warning System® are presented. After this test sequence,
illumination of digits 1, 2, 3 and/or 4 indicate if Selectable Features
are engaged (see page 8). To bypass the power-up test sequence,
press the P/V button again. If your unit presents an illumination pat-
tern other than this standard power-up test sequence, return it to
BELTRONICS for servicing.
Tutorial Mode
The Tutorial mode allows you to become more familiar with all
audible and visual alerts. To engage this mode, press and hold
CITY, then press AUDIO when the unit is OFF. The unit will cycle
continuously through audio/visual alerts for Laser, Ka, K, X and
VG-2 Guard® Alert as well as sample sws™ messages or sws™
categories. To exit tutorial mode, press the P/V button and your
unit will be ON and ready to receive signals.
5
Adjusting the Audio Level
Once your unit has completed the power-up test sequence, the
audio level can be adjusted by holding the PWR/VOL button down.
As you hear the audio level change, the digits 1-9 in the Digital
Display provide a visual reference of the audio level.
To reverse the direction in which the audio level increases/
decreases, briefly release, then hold down the PWR/VOL button again.
Important—if you press the the DARK button and do not receive
audible confirmation, the audio level has been set too low.
7
Activating the City X Mode will not change Super
Wideband Ka, K or instant-on X band Radar alert patterns.
SELECTABLE FEATURES
8
Digit #1 solid—sws™ is ON
Digit #1 flashing—sws™ is OFF
9
Entering Selectable Features Mode
1. With the unit OFF, press and hold the CITY button then press
the PWR/VOL button. The amber X LED will illuminate and a short
“beep” will sound.
5. Press the PWR/VOL button to retain your new settings for Selectable
Features. Two “beeps” will confirm that you have exited from
Selectable Features Mode and your unit will be ON.
INSTALLATION
General Guidelines
Do not mount your unit directly behind windshield wipers or
mirrored sunscreens which block Radar and Laser signals
and substantially reduce warning range. Unlike “after market”
mirrored sun-screens, regular tinted glass does not affect
Radar reception.
Radar signals are also reflected by the “heated windshields”
known as lnstaclear® and ElectriClear® available as an option on
some vehicles. This type of windshield makes any dash, visor or
windshield mounted detector ineffective. (If in doubt, check with
an appropriate dealership to see if this applies to your vehicle.)
Dash Mounting
1. Select an area that is relatively level, clean and dry. Adhere the
soft portion of the enclosed hook and loop fastener to this area
and the corresponding hard portion to the bottom of your unit.
Windshield Mounting
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4. Slide detector onto base plate unit, it snaps into place.
Note: Some vehicles have a plastic coating on the inside of the windshield
designed to protect occupants in case of an accident. Use of the
windshield bracket on this type of windshield can permanently
mark the surface. Check with your dealer if you are unsure
whether your vehicle is equipped with this type of windshield.
Visor Mounting
2. Slide the visor clip onto the top of the detector until it snaps into
place. Clip the detector to the edge of the sun visor nearest the
windshield.
12
Fuse Replacement
If the fuse has blown, remove the tip from the lighter plug
followed by the old fuse. Replace the fuse with a 1-amp, 3AG
fuse. Defeating the fuse protection can damage your unit or
your vehicle’s electrical system and will void your warranty.
13
Safety Warning System® (sws™)—What is it?
The Radio Association Defending Airwave Rights, Inc.
(R.A.D.A.R.) conceived and developed the Safety Warning
System®. The concept behind this system is to warn motorists of
potential road hazards by employing Safety Warning System®
transmitting devices in areas such as construction zones,
accident sites and detours. These sws™ transmitters operate
within the 24 GHz portion of the K band frequency and
broadcast uniquely, coded signals which are detected by your
EXPRESS 925.
INTERPRETATION OF ALER TS
Radar Alerts
The alerts provided by your unit are affected both by the type
of transmission (continuous wave or instant-on) and the
position of the Radar source. Generally, when you drive closer
to a Radar source, the intensity of the received signal increases,
resulting in a higher number appearing in the Digital Display
and a corresponding increase in the audio alert rate. Described
below are five common types of Radar encounters and the
alerts you will typically receive.
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or Super Wideband Ka audio and visual alerts and the simul-
taneous illumination of a signal strength digit. The actual
digit displayed will depend upon the strength of the signal
received. As the strength of the Radar signal increases, the
audio alert becomes more rapid and the signal strength digit
will progressively increase. Assuming the Radar signal
remains uninterrupted, the audible and visual alerts will
clearly indicate a “weak” signal becoming stronger as you
drive closer to the Radar source. Remember, when the police
Radar source is moving toward you, the Radar signal strength
will increase much more rapidly than if you are approaching a
stationary source.
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Radar signals travel in a straight line and do not pass through
earth. Consequently, police Radar aimed at the crest of a steep
hill cannot be received until you are at or near the top.
Warning time may be minimal (as in situation #2) since a
strong signal is not present until you are near the crest of the
hill. At this point, you may be nearly in the police officer's line
of sight. When cresting a hill, a weak initial alert followed very
quickly by a full alert is typical. This alert pattern requires
prompt attention.
Instant-On/Pulsed Radar
This type of signal appears suddenly when a Radar unit is
“triggered”. The instant-on alert consists of an intense, three
second X, K or Super Wide band Ka audio “burst”, coupled
with the illumination of the digit “9” and the corresponding
band indicator.
Laser Alerts
When Laser is detected, a flashing “L” will appear in the
Digital Display.
If a vehicle is a long distance from the source of Laser pulses,
fewer pulses will generally be received. The closer the vehicle
is to the source of Laser pulses, the greater the likelihood of
receiving a steady stream of Laser pulses. The reason for this
is the aiming stability of the Laser gun and the fact that it is
impossible to hold the gun absolutely still. Any movement of
the gun results in motion of the beam at the target. The further
the target, the greater the displacement of the beam and the
shorter the dwell time of the beam at the target point. There-
fore, there is the possibility of receiving only a few Laser pulses.
Due to these characteristics, all Laser alerts received from
your unit should be taken seriously.
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flashing, the VG-2 alert is over and your unit resumes
scanning for Radar and sws™ signals.
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PERFORMANCE VERIFICATION
If you feel your unit is not alerting properly, keep in mind that
there are many conditions that influence the intensity or
duration of an alert:
3. The highway traffic between your vehicle and the police Radar
source is heavy. This blocks/reflects transmitted signals. The
presence of several large trucks between you and the police
Radar unit could also significantly reduce reception.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Solutions for Common Problems
1-800-341-2288 USA
1-800-268-3994 CANADA
20
CONSUMER WARRANTY
Limited l-Year Warranty
8. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may
also have other rights which vary from state to state.
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9. You must provide a copy of a dated sales receipt for your unit
in order to receive service under warranty.
SERVICE
Warranty Service
If you feel your detector is not functioning properly please
review this manual, particularly the section on Performance
Verification. If you still feel service is required, please follow
the instructions below.
800-341-2288 USA
800-268-3994 CAN
Post-Warranty Service
The following arrangements apply if the one-year warranty
period has expired or you are not able to provide a copy of
your dated sales receipt indicating purchase within the last
twelve months.
800-341-2288 USA
800-268-3994 CAN
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SPECIFICATIONS
ACCESSORIES
800-341-2288 USA
800-268-3994 CAN
23