gsxr750

OK ! So here is my review of the PASSPORT 9500 IX , Traveled a total of around 650 miles in and out of southern California.

I kept the speed in a safe manner in order to avoid any tickets as this was only a test of the radars ability.

Overall I had about 15 occurrences with police , ( 10 highway and 5 local).

Every X band and K Band were always false alerts, had to disable X band alerts.

All police encounters that set off the detector were KA band or no reading at all.

Surprisingly for me the I did get 2 long range readings of readings of KA Band set ups, range about 1 mile.

I also picked up 2 KA signals that locked up the radar unit, where it displayed a constant KA signals for 3-5 miles , I pulled to the side while it was still making a lot of noise, unplugged it and restarted it and the signal was gone.


So on the thruway, I had about 8 occurrences of KA band , 2 alerts could have been considered long range 1 1/4 mile and 3/4 miles and 2more about a 1/2 mile.

The rest of the highway KA band were short range indications of only about a 10th mile, basically you seen the cop and the radar unit displayed KA band , no time to slow down.

I also got one constant KA short range signal from a school warning.

2 KA short range signals from moving local PD.

3 none signals from one CHP off thruway and 2 other local PD.

One red light camera alert on intersection above the thruway.

Not one laser alerts at all.

So in conclusion I would say the 9500 IX did give some long distance alerts , but it also gave a lot of short range results , that would have resulted in a lot of tickets, if I was speeding over the limit and targeted.

Then it also got 2 KA alerts that locked it up and it had to be powered down and powered up to clear it self ????

In comparison the cheap Cobra $110 radar/ laser detector , there are a lot of similar short range results, it would have been nice to have the 2 detectors working side by side for a review.

So is there a benefit to the escort VS the cheap $110 Cobra unit , the answer is yes, possibly better in long range detection and it gives you speed and red light camera alerts.

Is it worth $500 for the 9500 IX , probably not.

I feel that it question whether your detector warns you or not or if you get nailed for speeding, really depends on the equipment the police are using and the tactics they use for deploying it.

If the police set up parallel to the road , you may pick up a long range signal, but it seems most of the police set up the KA radar so it only emits a short range signal (perpendicular or at an angle to on coming traffic).

So is a radar laser detector of any real benefit, yes they are , but minor even with 50/50 chance on the KA band alerts. You still face the almost unbeatable detection from Laser and Lidar and Speed Cameras using buried road sensors.

It all boils down to a crap shoot 50/ 50 chance with a $200-$500 ticket and your insurance going thu the roof for about 4 yrs.

For me I will stick with the Garmin GPS with red light camera alerts and just lay back with the CRUISE CONTROL SET AT THE SPEED LIMIT and not worry.