TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
ARE DETECTORS LEGAL?
SPEED FACTS
17
PROBLEM:
Unit alarms when using vehicle
electrical accessories
(brakes, power mirrors/
windows, directionals, horn, etc.).
• Vehicle’s electrical system, including battery
and alternator, may have electrical noise.
Install a filter capacitor
(470mfd. 25 volt or larger
capacitance value)
on the back of the lighter socket.
PROBLEM:
Unit alarms when vehicle hits bumps.
• Check for loose lighter socket; tighten and clean.
• Check connections at both ends of power cord.
Substitute another cord to determine if cord is
defective. Return defective cord to the factory.
PROBLEM:
Unit gives laser alert when accelerating.
• Possible bad or low quality distributor cap.
Replace with high quality cap.
If difficulties occur which cannot be solved by information in
this Troubleshooting Guide, please call Whistler
Customer Service at
1-800-531-0004
or visit our FAQ
page at
www.whistlergroup.com/faq-detectors.asp
before returning your unit for service.
Care & Maintenance
During the summer months, avoid prolonged
exposure to direct sunlight by removing your unit
from the dash when your vehicle is parked for an
extended period of time. Do not spray water,
cleaners, or polishes directly onto the unit. The
spray may penetrate through the openings and
damage the unit. Also, do not use any abrasive
cleaners on the units exterior.
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In Most States YES!
Laser detectors are completely legal in every state
when used in automobiles or light trucks (under
10,000 lbs.). Similarly, when used in automobiles or
light trucks, radar detectors are legal in almost every
state. Exceptions are Virginia and Washington, D.C.,
which have local regulations restricting the use of
radar receivers in any vehicle. Concerning trucks
over 10,000 lbs., the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) issued a regulation, effective January, 1994
which prohibits radar and laser
detector use in these types of vehicles nationally.
Prior to the FHWA regulation, laws existed in the
state of New York restricting the use of radar
detectors in trucks over 18,000 lbs. and in the state
of Illinois in trucks over 26,000 lbs.
FCC Information
FCC ID HSXWH01 - SRT 30R
FCC ID HSXWH10 - SRT 30R
FCC ID HSXWH14 - SRT 35R
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference.
(2) This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
IMPORTANT
FCC requirements state that changes or modifications
not expressly approved by Whistler could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.
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Radar Facts
A radar gun operates by transmitting radio waves at
certain frequencies which reflect off objects and are
then picked up by the radar gun’s receiving section.
When a radar beam reflects off a moving target, a
measurable frequency shift occurs. The radar unit
converts this shift into miles per hour to determine
your vehicle’s speed. Currently, the FCC (Federal
Communications Commission) permits operation
of traffic radar guns at X Band (10.500 - 10.550 GHz),
K Band (24.050 - 24.250 GHz), and Ka Band
(33.400 - 36.000 GHz).
Note:
A radar detector will not alarm if an officer
is not transmitting on any one of the above radar bands.
Laser Facts
It’s well documented that many radar guns cannot
reliably provide the speed of a targeted vehicle
that is traveling in a group of vehicles. In contrast,
a laser gun can target a specific vehicle out of a
line of traffic and determine its speed. The advantage
of laser over radar in terms of target identification
is the result of the laser gun’s narrow beam. A
radar transmission can cover more than a four-lane
highway at a distance of 1,000 feet, compared with
a laser transmission which covers about 3 feet at
the same distance. For best protection, keep these
points, listed on the following section, in mind:
