Cobra Electronics XRS-979 User Guide

1515

Introduction

Important Information and Customer Assistance

The Cobra line of quality products includes:

CB Radios

microTALK

Radar/Laser Detectors

Safety Alert

HighGear

CobraMarine

Power Inverters

Accessories

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Radios

Traffic Warning Systems

Accessories

VHF Radios

For more information or to

order any of our products,

please visit our website:

www.cobra.com

English

15 BAND

™

ULTRA PERFORMANCE DIGITAL RADAR/LASER DETECTOR WITH XTREME RANGE SUPERHETERODYNE

TECHNOLOGY

XRS979

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Operating Instructions

Printed in China

Part No. 480-512-P

Version C

English

Important Information

Federal Laws Governing the Use of Radar Detectors

It is not against federal law to receive radar transmissions with your Cobra radar/ laser detector. The Communications Act of 1924 guarantees your right to receive radio transmissions on any frequency. Local laws that contravene this Act, while illegal, may be enforced by your local law enforcement officials until and unless they are prohibited from doing so by federal court action.

Safety/Strobe Alert

Use of this product is not intended to, and does not, ensure that motorists or passengers will not be involved in traffic accidents. It is only intended to alert the motorist that an emergency vehicle equipped with a Cobra Safety Alert, 3M or strobe transmitter is within range as defined by that product. Please call local fire and police departments to learn if coverage exists in your area.

Safe Driving

Motorists, as well as operators of emergency or service vehicles, are expected to exercise all due caution while using this product, and to obey all applicable traffic laws.

Security of Your Vehicle

Before leaving your vehicle, always remember to conceal your radar detector in order to reduce the possibility of break-in and theft.

Customer Assistance

Should you encounter any problems with this product, or not understand its many features, please refer to this owner’s manual. If you require further assistance after reading this manual, Cobra Electronics offers the following customer assistance services:

For Assistance in the U.S.A.

Automated Help Desk English only. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 773-889-3087 (phone).

Customer Assistance Operators English and Spanish. 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time

Mon. through Fri. (except holidays) 773-889-3087 (phone).

Questions English and Spanish. Faxes can be received at 773-622-2269 (fax).

Technical Assistance English only. www.cobra.com (on-line: Frequently Asked

Questions). English and Spanish. product info@cobra.com (e-mail).

For Assistance Outside the U.S.A.

Contact Your Local Dealer

6500 West Cortland Street

Chicago, Illinois 60707 USA

www.cobra.com

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

•

Introduction

Controls, Indicators, Connections and Display

Introduction

Product Features

Customer Assistance

Order Information and Trademark Acknowledgement

12V DC

Power Jack

USB Port

For connection of Optional GPS Locator.

Menu/Save Button

Press once to enter

Menu mode. Press

again to save settings.

Adjusts the display brightness.

Controls, Indicators, Connections and Display

Windshield Bracket

Release Button

On-Off/Volume Control

Allows user to adjust the volume

of the tone and voice alerts.

Dim3Button

In Menu mode, steps

backward through settings.

ExtremeBright DataGrafixTMDisplay

Blue sunlight-readable, extremely

bright display provides intuitive graphical

English

interaction and alert screens.

Windshield Bracket

Mounting Slot

For manual mute of audio alerts.

Mute6Button

In Menu mode, steps

down through options for

the selected setting.

LaserEye

For 360° detection of laser and strobe signals.

Auxiliary Audio Jack

On right side of unit.

Switches between Highway

In Menu mode, steps

forward through settings.

•

Speaker

City4Button

and City modes.

Congratulations! You’ve made a smart choice by purchasing an ultra performance digital radar/laser detector from Cobra. Just look at some of the sophisticated features and capabilities your new unit includes:

Xtreme Range Superheterodyne Technology

With super-fast sweep circuitry, XRS provides extra detection range and the best possible advance warning to even the fastest radar guns

Ultra Performance

Provides advanced warning with extra detection range

Detection and Separate Alerts

For radar signals (X, K, Ka and Ku bands, with signal strength indicated), Laser signals, Safety Alert signals, Strobe Alert signals, VG-2 signals, Spectre I & IV+ signals

8-Point Magnetic Compass

Displays direction of travel

LaserEye

For 360° detection of laser and strobe signals

Instant-On Ready

Detects radar guns with “instant-On” (very fast) speed monitoring capabilities

Pop Detection

Detects the latest super-fast instant-On single pulse radar guns

Voice or Tone Alert

With adjustable volume

ExtremeBright DataGrafix

Display

Easy-to-read graphical user interface

IntelliShield Highway/City Modes

Reduces falsing in urban areas with Highway mode and three levels of City mode settings

Safety Alert

Traffic warning system distinguishes important safety alerts from other K band signals

Strobe Alert

Emergency vehicle warning system

Manual Mute or Auto Mute

A mute function of audio alerts

IntelliMute

A mute function which automatically reduces false audio alerts by sensing engine RPMs

Intellimute Pro

Prevents detection by radar detector detectors (RDDs) when traveling at slower speeds

SmartPower

A timed power saving function that saves your car’s battery

EasySet Menu

User-friendly mode selection and setting with visual guidance

Car Battery Voltage

Displays your car battery voltage

Low Car Battery Voltage Warning

Alert can be provided when voltage goes below 11.9 volts

Auxiliary Audio Jack

For external speaker connection

Mounting

Mounts easily on windshield or dashboard Optional GPS Ready (See page 33)

The Optional GPS Locator unit adds: Photo Enforced, Caution and User Location Alerts; Speed Alert; GPS Compass and Vehicle Location (Latitude & Longitude)

IntelliScope

Uses Optional GPS Locator to show direction of Location Based Alerts relative to your moving vehicle

WARNING

Modifications or parts substitutions not approved by Cobra Electronics Corporation may violate FCC Rules and void your authority to operate this equipment.

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Ordering From U.S.A.

Call 773-889-3087 for pricing or visit www.cobra.com.

For Credit Card Orders

Call 773-889-3087 [Press one from the main menu] 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.

Item # Description

RDA GPSL55 Plug-in GPS Locator Unit

420-030-N-001 Straight 12V Power Cord

420-026-N-001 Coiled 12V Power Cord

545-159-N-001 Windshield Mounting Bracket

CLP-2B Dual Por t Pow er Adapte r

Make Check or Money Order Payable To

Cobra Electronics Attn: Accessories Dept. 6500 West Cortland Street Chicago, IL 60707 U.S.A.

To Order Online

Please visit our website: www.cobra.com

Trademark Acknowledgement

Cobra®, DigiView®, EasySet®, Extra Sensory Detection®, IntelliMute®, IntelliMute®Pro, IntelliShield System, Strobe Alert

, LaserEye®, Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra®, Safety Alert®Traffic Warning

, VG-2 Alert®, Xtreme Range Superheterodyne®and the snake design

•

are registered trademarks of Cobra Electronics Corporation, USA. Cobra Electronics Corporation™, 14 Band™, 15 Band™, Extreme Bright DataGrafix™,

IntelliLink™, IntelliScope™, IntelliView™, Revolution™ Series, SmartPower™, Spectre Alert™, Super-Xtreme Range Superheterodyne™, S-XRS™, UltraBright™, and Voice Alert™ are trademarks of Cobra Electronics Corporation, USA.

Opticom™ is a trademark of 3M Corporation. Instaclear trademark of Ford Motor Company, Inc. Electriclear

for Ford is a registered

for GM is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation. 20-20™ and Ultra-Lyte™ are trademarks of Laser Technology, Inc. ProLaser™ and ProLaser III™ are trademarks of Kustom Signals, Inc. Bee III™ and Pop™ are a trademarks of MPH Industries. Stalker™ LIDAR is a trademark of Applied Concepts, Inc. Spectre I™ and Spectre IV+™ are trademarks of Stealth Micro Systems Pty. Ltd. SpeedLaser™ is a trademark of Laser Atlanta, LLC. Interceptor VG-2™ is a trademark of TechniSonic Industries LTD. Tomar

is a registered trademark of TOMAR Electronics, Inc.

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Introduction

Contents

Introduction

Important Information . . . . . . . . . . A1

Customer Assistance . . . . . . . . . . A1

Controls, Indicators,

Connections and Display . . . . . . A2

Product Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Your Detector

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Power On/Off and Audio Volume . 6

Standby Screen Icons . . . . . . . . . 7

Display Brightness Control . . . . . . . 9

Display Timeout Mode . . . . . . . . . . 9

IntelliShield Highway/City Modes . 10

Muting an Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Auxiliary Audio Jack . . . . . . . . . 11

EasySet Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Menu Flow Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . 14

Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

User Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

IntelliShield City Mode Default 16

IntelliMute Mode . . . . . . . . . . 16

IntelliMute Pro Mode . . . . . . . 16

Set Activation Point . . . . . . . . 18

Auto Mute Mode . . . . . . . . . . 19

Voice or Tone Mode . . . . . . . . 19

Display Timeout . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Compass Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Set Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

SmartPower Mode . . . . . . . . . 21

Speed Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Restore Factory Settings . . . . 21

Alert Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Pop Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

X Band Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Ku Band Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Alert Settings Continued

VG-2 Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

VG-2 Audio Mode . . . . . . . . . 22

Spectre I & IV+ Alerts . . . . . . 22

Spectre Audio Mode . . . . . . . 23

Safety Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Car Battery Low Voltage

Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Signals Detected . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Audio Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Visual Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Instant-On Detection . . . . . . . . . 27

Pop Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Responding to Alerts . . . . . . . . . 27

Understanding Radar and Laser . . 28

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Optional Global Position System Locator

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Initial Satellite Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Optional GPS Locator

Activated Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

IntelliScope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Warranty

Limited 1-Year Warranty . . . . . . . . 38

Customer Assistance

Product Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Optional Accessories

Optional Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Accessories Order Info . . . . . . . . . 41

Trademark Acknowledgement . . . . 41

K Band Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Introduction

Overview

Your Detector

Installation

This manual describes the simple steps for mounting, setting up and using your detector. It also provides helpful information about how radar and laser guns are used and how you can interpret the alerts you receive.

Before you begin your installation, please read the Important Information section on page A1 and use the descriptions and feature lists on pages A2 and A3 to become familiar with your new detector.

About Your Detector

Display

This detector’s innovative new display provides more, easier-to-use information than any technology to date. Using an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen, the display offers large graphical alerts to signals as they are detected.

Do not be alarmed by the nearly blank display you see when you first turn the unit On. The detector will function and alerts will appear as signals are detected. You can also elect to turn On the built-in Compass, IntelliMute and IntelliMute Pro, so that they appear during normal operation. The initial and startup screens are shown on page 6.

EasySet Menu

EasySet Menu lets you conveniently customize the operation of your detector by changing the settings. You may want to start using the detector with the factory settings and then make changes after you are more familiar with the unit.

About This Manual

Once the detector is in use, the modular descriptions in this manual can be used as a ready reference to individual topics as needed. Each topic is completely covered in its section and cross-references to related topics are included where appropriate.

Installation

•

Where to Mount Your Unit

You will get optimum performance from your detector if you mount it at a point approximately in the center of the vehicle, as low as possible on the front windshield without obstructing the unit’s view of the road either to the front or rear. You can also mount it directly on the dashboard.

•

The unit’s lens must not be blocked and the LaserEye should have a clear view out the back window to allow 360° detection.

•

Radar and laser signals pass through glass but not through other materials and objects. Objects that can block or weaken incoming signals include:

■

Windshield wiper blades

■

Mirrored sun screens

■

Dark tinting at the top of the windshield

■

Heated windshields currently available on some vehicles (Instaclear for Ford, Electriclear for GM). Consult your dealer to see if you have this option.

Windshield Mounting Dashboard Mounting

The LaserEye Should Have a Clear View

English

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Your Detector

Installation

Your Detector

Installation

Windshield Mounting

1. Attach the rubber

2. Make sure the rubber cups and your windshield are clean.

3. Push the bracket firmly

4. Attach the detector to the

5. To adjust the angle if

6. Plug the power cord

7. Plug the cigarette lighter

8. You can temporarily remove the detector whenever you

cups to the bracket.

onto the windshield.

bracket. Check that the

unit is parallel to the road's surface.

necessary, gently push or pull on the bracket to bend it. DO NOT use the detector to bend the bracket.

into the detector.

adapter on the power cord into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter.

wish by depressing the bracket release button and sliding it off the bracket.

Dashboard Mounting

1. Place the detector on the dashboard to find a location

where the unit has a clear view of the road and is parallel to the road's surface. The angle CANNOT

be adjusted after mounting.

2. Remove the paper backing from one side of the hookand-loop fastener.

3. Attach the pad to the dashboard at your chosen location and remove the other paper backing.

4. Attach the detector to the hook-and-loop fastener. You can remove and reattach the unit as often as you like.

5. Plug the power cord into the detector.

6. Plug the cigarette lighter adapter on the power cord into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter.

English

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Your Detector

Getting Started

Your Detector

Getting Started

Power On/Off and Audio Volume

To Turn on the Unit and Adjust the Audio Volume

Rotate the OnOff/Volume control

clockwise (away from you).

Unit will cycle through the Power On / Self Test.

Alert settings changed from factory defaults will scroll; those still at defaults will not show.

Shows only when the Optional GPS Locator is installed. See page 31 for more information.

Standby screen will show City or Highway icon and others as they are activated. See note.

Display changes to Display Timeout after 30 seconds (factory default).

NOTE

When the system is first turned On from new, only the CIty or Highway icon will show on the screen because the Magnetic Compass, IntelliMute and IntelliMute Pro functions are set to Off at the factory. These icons will be added to the Standby screen when turned On as described on pages 10, 17 and 19. The satellite icon will show only if the Optional GPS Locator is installed.

NOTE

In some vehicles, power is supplied to the cigarette lighter even while the ignition is Off. If this is the case with your vehicle and you have turned the SmartPower Off, you should turn Off or unplug your detector when parking for lengthy periods. Cobra recommends leaving SmartPower at the factory setting, which is On. See page 21.

English

Tone Visual Display Voice

None None

Three beeps Testing,

then three beeps

None None

None System Ready

None None

•

Standby Screen Icons

•

Your detector uses the following icons to indicate modes and functions when set:

City Mode

IntelliMute Above Activation Point

Highway Mode

IntelliMute Below Activation Point

Magnetic Compass

User and Alert Settings Menu

NOTE

For example, the sample screen indicates that IntelliMute is active, the Compass is calibrated and your system is set to Highway mode. The satellite icon will show only if the Optional GPS Locator is installed.

Main Standby

Screen

Standby Screens

Press Mute6 while the down arrowhead is

Car Battery Voltage

Sample Screen (see note)

•

displayed at the top center of any Standby

I-Mute/I-Mute Pro

City/Hwy Mode

Car Voltage

Compass

Speed

Latitude/Longitude

screen to cycle through and select a different screen. The Standby screens will be displayed in the order shown to the left.

NOTE

Last Standby screen viewed will be displayed when exiting Display Timeout mode.

NOTE

Compass will display if either the magnetic compass in the detector unit is turned On and calibrated or the Optional GPS Locator unit is installed and receiving a signal. Speed and and Latitude/Longitude (marked with an *)

will display only if the Optional GPS Locator unit is installed and receiving a signal.

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

Your Detector

Getting Started

Your Detector

Getting Started

Standby Screens

Main Standby Screen

Displays the maximum possible information about the detector and its settings. The GPS icon will show only if the Optional GPS Locator unit is connected.

I-Mute or I-Mute Pro and City or Hwy Mode

Displays the status of alert filtering (City mode) and automatic muting (IntelliMute or IntelliMute Pro mode). See pages 10 and 17 to set these features.

Car Voltage

Displays voltage level of your car battery. See page 23 for Voltage Warning information.

Compass

The compass indicates driving direction if either the magnetic compass in the detector unit is turned On and calibrated or the Optional GPS Locator unit is installed and receiving a signal. If neither is active, the center of the compass icon will show two bars.

Speed

If the Optional GPS Locator unit is installed and receiving a signal, the vehicle's speed will be shown. (You can select mph or km/h in Menu mode.) See page 34 for Speed Alert information.

Lat/Lon

If the Optional GPS Locator unit is installed and receiving a signal, the vehicle's present location will be shown.

•

Display Control

•

Illumination

The display illumination intensity can be adjusted to suit driving conditions:

■

Bright for daytime driving. (Factory default is Bright, then Display Timeout after 30 seconds.)

■

Dim for dusk driving.

■

Dimmer for night driving.

■

Dark to blank the screen for discreet use. In this mode, alerts will sound, but not show. (A dot will blink at the center of the screen to indicate the detector is ON.)

You can adjust the illumination by pressing the Dim

3button to step through

the levels in the sequence listed above.

Dim3Button

Press and release

Display Timeout

Your detector has a Display Timeout mode. When Display Timeout is turned On (factory default is 30 seconds), the screen will change to Dark from Bright, Dim, or Dimmer after the time interval selected in Menu mode (see page 12). The Display Timeout setting can be changed so the display is always On.

In Display Timeout mode, the display will show a small dot moving slowly back and forth near the center of the screen to indicate the unit is turned On.

NOTE

While at the Dark level under timer control, any alert will turn On the display at the last brightness setting (Bright, Dim or Dimmer). Touching any button will also turn On the the display.

English

Nothing Comes Close to a Cobra

+ 16 hidden pages