Beltronics Vector 995 Radar Detector With Selectable Bands And Voice Alerts

The 995 replaces the best-selling 985 model, one of the perennial top-rated detectors in tests. Aside from a new case with big, easily reached buttons, the BEL Vector 995 is one of two recent additions to the BEL lineup to offer a trio of alternate top plates to customize its appearance. Standard is brushed aluminum, attractive but prone to generating plenty of windshield glare. Three others of deeper hues--blue, red and dark yellow--are included and snap into place. If you're troubled by the glare or have a yen to be even more fashionable, any of the alternate plates is an improvement.

The Vector 995 has digital voice alerts and a digital display, making threat identification a simple task. Aside from the features common to high-end BELs--settings memory, auto mute, tutorial mode and multiple programmable options, among others--the BEL Vector 995 also has the unique Tech Mode. This displays the radar's frequency, crucial information for techno-geeks since it can tip you to whether the source is a Safeway door opener or real police radar.

Also unique among this group, the BEL Vector 995 offers Ku band detection, making it suitable for international travel. Selectable band defeat allows the disabling of any frequency not used in a particular state or country, X band for instance, to limit false alarms. And there's a soft carry case included for travel duty.

The Vector 995 can be linked to the Beltronics (BEL) LaserPro LP 905 laser shifter system and, once connected with the single wire, it controls the BEL Laser Pro LP 905 and its display depicts threats and system status. The BEL Vector 995 offers three city modes to limit urban falses plus Highway for maximum sensitivity and AutoScan, which lets the detector adjust sensitivity automatically to suit ambient conditions. The latter is good enough at optimizing sensitivity while eliminating false alarms that most will use it exclusively. The standard display spells out the frequency--X, K or Ka, or laser--and conveys signal strength with a bar graph. Among the seven user-programmable options are Voltage Meter, which displays vehicle system voltage, a handy diagnostic tool.

Programming is far more intuitive than in past models and the big, top-mounted manual mute button--also used for menu option selection during programming--is easy to reach, even in total darkness. The voice alerts are of excellent quality, audio volume is loud enough for use on anything short of an un-muffled Harley and the display is sufficiently intense to be seen even under difficult lighting conditions. At the fiendishly difficult Curve Test site, against the lethal digital Ka-band radar it gave an additional 30 to 50 percent more warning distance than all but the K40 RD850 (made by BEL for K40), which narrowly trailed it. And it led the pack in POP mode detection as well.

Vivid Racing is an authorized reseller of Beltronics through DBL Distributing.