the third brake light is a good idea, I doubt the housing would effect it's ability to detect. I'm not thinking to clearly right now to give you any ideas on where to mount the display though - sorry.

- Nathan

 

VG2 I believe is the gun that they use to see if your using a radar detector, I am not sure if V1 has any protection against it, I know my whistler has a VG2 detector on it, and goes off when that signal is picked up, but as far as cloaking it, I have no idea.

 

I have my v1 mounted just below the rear view mirror and Im putting the concealed display where the clock is. I like it cause you see no wires, and barely see the detector, but it still has its sensors unblocked and its just below the blue strip on the windshield which will effect it for you people that have it up high. radar will be fine pretty much where ever, and I know that laser is not really widely used, but that is what it will effect. its not much of a big deal, but I did get caught on laser once here (before I got the v1) so anyways you could do the 3rd brake light idea, if you dont mind losing laser protection. and yes v1's are supposedly undectable by vg2.

 

the 8500 is supposedly also equipped with the same radar detector detector detector feature as the V1...

sorry, couldn't resist...

 

Why not just wire it to the map lights >? It would only be like 6" worth of wire since you don't want to use the smartcord.

I too have mine mounted just below the mirror (Passport 8500), need to get rid of the coiled wire though...

 

Well the reason I want a stealth install is 1) be able to use it in VA/DC out of sight and have a kill switch for it and 2) not having to worry about leaving it visible inside the car once parked. I completed most of install but need to clean it up a bit. The V1 barely fits inside the 3rd brake light and I would have to replace the red reflector in the brake housing with custom one. Overall it doesn't look too bad and if you're not looking for it, you wouldn't even know it's there.

 

Most widely used band is Ka, that's their normal radar. Now they have X band but they dont use it much, and are using it less and less. X band is the "laser" detector. The problem with detecting it is the fact that the laser turns off when you let go of the trigger, so in order to catch X band on your detector other people in front of you have to get tagged, and you'll hear small X band signals coming from your detector. If you pass a cop and he is tailing you, or is tagging ONLY you, then you're screwed since the radar will let you know, but only after you've already been tagged.

So, the idea is, if you wanna be safe, then travel near traffic. If the road is empty and you're doing 120 while the cop is using a laser, not a normal radar Ka band system, which is highly unlikely, you'll be screwed.

Good news though, only 1/10 police cars that are equipped with ANY kind of detector have laser X-band detectors. Not only that, but mostly only state cops have them as is.

Go to www.radartest.com for more info on all that good stuff.

 

as far as custom reflector, go to Lowe's / home depot and look for a broken flourescent light replacement lense. Ask them if they will mark it down and sell it to you. Candy Apple or translucent red paint will do the trick...

 

Grodzman, I don't think X band is the same as Laser. Don't quote me on this but I believe they operate on different frequencies and Laser has the shortest wave length of them all, hence it's harder to detect unless it's pointed at you and since it operates as instant-on. The fact that laser as well as other bands used as instant-on is almost impossible to detect until you're tagged makes radar detectors unless in those cases. You have to use a lot of common sense while speeding even with a radar detector since it's you that reads the warnings (if any) and eases off the gas pedal. Around here, many cops have lasers and most are just your normal patrol cars. It's just how much your area is willing to spend to capitalize on speeding.

Thanks for the info MG1, I'll look into that.

 

yea lol laser and x band are not the same thing. x band is kinda getting faded out, while laser is becoming more popular, although its still rare. and any of these devices can be used in instant on mode, in which case you are screwed unless you pick it up from other cars being targeted in front of you. anyways pretty much where ever you are going to hide the radar is going to make it pretty much impossible to pick up laser. if you say more and more cops in your area are using it you may want to look into lidatek.