Escort 7500S User Manual
RADAR•LASER•SAFETY•DETECTOR
Owner’s Manual
Your new TurboCharged Passport 7500S is
the most advanced radar detector available.
The 7500S includes full X, K, and
SuperWide Ka radar protection, front and
rear laser detection, Digital Signal
Processing for superior range and falsing
rejection, our patented Mute and AutoMute,
audible and visual band alerts, and all the
performance you’d expect from Escort.
In addition, the new Passport 7500S
introduces a new level of TurboCharged
performance and innovative features.
• New long-range radar performance
• Multiple laser sensors for long-range
detection
• Exclusive EZ-Programming lets you
instantly set 10 features
• Exclusive AutoSensitivity
™
mode,
plus Highway and City settings
• 280 LED Text-Matrix Display for easy
to read messages
• Exclusive ExpertMeter tracks and
displays up to 8 radar signals
• Detects all Safety Radar signals
• New VG-2 Alert/Auto Shutoff
• Optional SmartCord compatible
• Optional Laser Shifter ZR3
compatible
If you’ve used a radar detector before, a
review of the Quick Reference Guide on
pages 2 and 3, and the EZ-Programming
information on pages 10 and 11 will briefly
explain the new features.
If this is your first detector, please read
the manual in detail to get the most out of
Passport’s performance and features.
Please drive safely.
FCC Note:
Modifications not expressly approved by
the manufacture could void the user’s FCC
granted authority to operate the equipment.
Congratulations
Table of Contents
Quick Reference Guide 2-3
Installation 4-5
• Power Connection 4
• Mounting Location 4
• Windshield Mount 5
Controls and Features 6-9
• Power and volume control 6
• Power-on indication 6
• AutoMute 6
• Mute 6
• Auto / Highway / City Switch 6
• Dim / Dark Switch 7
• Dark Mode 7
• Audible Alerts 7
• Signal Strength Meter 8
• ExpertMeter 8-9
• VG2 9
EZ-Programming 10-14
• How to use EZ-Programming 10
• Example of Programming 10
• Overview of Programming 11
• Details of Programming 12-14
Technical Details 15-21
• Specifications 15
• Interpreting Alerts 16-18
• How Radar Works 18
• How Laser Works 19
• How Safety Radar Works 20-21
Service 22-25
• Troubleshooting 22-23
• Service 24
• Warranty 25
• Accessories 25
1
Quick Reference Guide
To begin using your Passport,
just follow these simple steps
1 Plug the small end of the power cord
into the side jack of the detector, and
plug the large end of the power cord
into your car’s lighter socket.
2 Mount your Passport on the windshield
using the supplied windshield mount.
3 Rotate the volume thumbwheel on
Passport’s left side to turn Passport on
and adjust the volume.
Please read the manual to fully understand
Passport’s operation and features.
EasyMount Slot
Insert Passport’s adjustable Windshield
mount into this slot. Page 4-5
EasyMount Button
Press the button, and slide the Windshield
mount into one of its four locking positions.
Page 5
Power Jack
Plug power cord or optional SmartCord
into this connector. Pages 4, 8, 25
City Button
Switches between AutoSensitivity, City, and
Highway settings. In general, we recommend the Auto mode. Page 6
Power/Volume Control
Rotate the thumbwheel to turn Passport on
and set the volume. Page 6
AutoMute
Passport’s patented AutoMute automatically
reduces the volume level of the audio alert
after a brief period. Page 6. If you prefer,
you can turn AutoMute off. Page 10
2 3
Radar Antenna and Laser Lens
The rear panel of your Passport should have
a clear view of the road ahead. For best
performance, do not mount Passport
directly behind windshield wipers or
tinted areas. Page 4
Alphanumeric Matrix Display
Passport’s display will show Highway, Auto,
or City as its power-on indication. If you
prefer, you can choose other power-on
indications. Page 10-12
During an alert, the display will indicate
radar band, and a precise bar graph of signal
strength. Page 8
Note: In the Dark Mode the display will
not light during an alert. Page 7
You can program Passport for the
ExpertMeter, which displays up to 8 radar
signals at once. Page 8-9
The display can also show Safety
Radar text messages. Page 20-21
Dim Button
Press to adjust display brightness. There are
three brightness settings, plus Dark Mode.
Page 7
In the Dark Mode, the power-on
indication will be changed to a dim “AD,”
“HD,” or “CD” (indicating Auto, Highway,
or City Dark). In the Dark Mode, Passport’s
meter will not display during an alert, only
the audio will alert you. Page 7
Mute Button
Briefly press this button (next to the
display) to silence the audio for a specific
alert. (The audio will alert you to the next
encounter.) Page 6
EZ-Programming
Passport is ready to go, just plug it in and
turn it on. But you can also easily change 10
features for your preferences. Press both
top buttons to enter the Program Mode,
then easily Review or Change your settings.
Page 10-14
Power Connection
To power Passport, plug the small end of
the supplied coiled power cord into the
telephone-type power jack on Passport’s
left side, and plug the lighter adapter into
your vehicle’s lighter socket or accessory
socket.
Passport operates on
12 volts DC negative
ground only. The lighter plug provided is
standard size and will work in most
vehicles. Of course, your lighter socket
must be clean and properly connected for
proper operation.
Note: depending on your vehicle, the
lighter socket power may either be
continuously on, or it may be switched on
and off with your ignition switch.
Passport’s standard lighter adapter has an
integral fuseholder. If it is ever necessary to
replace the fuse, simply unscrew the tip of
the lighter plug and replace the fuse with an
identical 2 amp fuse.
Optional power cords
See the Accessories section for details on
our optional SmartCord.
Mounting Location
WARNING: ESCORT cannot anticipate the
many ways Passport can be mounted. It is
important that you mount Passport where it
will not impair your view nor present
a hazard in case of an accident.
Where to mount Passport
For optimum detection performance, we
recommend the following:
• Using the Windshield Mount, mount your
Passport level, a few inches above the dashboard, and high enough on your front windshield to provide a clear view of the road
from the front and rear.
• Mount Passport away from windshield
wipers, other solid objects, and heavily
tinted areas that might obstruct the radar
antenna or laser lens.
4 5
Installation
Windshield Mount
Passport’s EasyMount windshield bracket is
designed for unobtrusive and hassle-free
mounting.
1 Depress the adjustment button on the
top of Passport (by the word ESCORT) and
slide the EasyMount bracket into the slot
until it is locked into the position which
best fits the angle of your windshield (there
are four settings available). For extremely
horizontal or extremely sloped windshields,
the EasyMount bracket can be bent.
To ensure that the suction cups adhere to
the windshield firmly, be sure to keep both
your windshield and the suction cups clean.
2 To adjust Passport on your windshield,
use the EasyMount adjustment button
located on the top of the Passport, and slide
Passport forward or backward to obtain a
level horizontal position.
When installed and adjusted properly, the
back top edge of Passport should rest
solidly against your windshield.
Caution!
A few vehicles (including some Porsches)
have windshields with a soft anti-lacerative
coating on the inside surface. Use of suction
cups will permanently mar this coating.
Consult your dealership or the vehicle
owner’s manual to determine if your windshield has this coating.
User’s Tip
You can leave the EasyMount bracket in
place on your windshield, and easily remove
Passport by pressing the adjustment button
and sliding Passport off the mount. Again,
be sure to position the bracket where it
won’t present a hazard in the event of an
accident. Additional mounts are available.
Controls and Features
Power and volume control
To turn Passport on and adjust the alert
tone volume level, rotate the thumbwheel
on Passport’s left side. Turn the control
away from you to increase the audio
volume. When you turn Passport on, it goes
through a sequence of alerts.
If you prefer, you may program your
Passport for a shorter power-on sequence.
See the EZ-Programming section for details.
Power-on indication
After Passport’s start-up sequence is
complete, the alphanumeric display will
show Highway, City, or Auto to indicate
which sensitivity mode is selected.
If you prefer, you can select alternate
power-on displays. See the EZ-Programming
section for details.
AutoMute
Your Passport has our patented AutoMute
feature. After Passport alerts you to a radar
encounter at the volume you have selected,
the AutoMute feature will automatically
reduce the volume to a lower level. This
keeps you informed without the annoyance
of a continuous full-volume alert.
If you prefer, you can turn the AutoMute
feature off. See the EZ-Programming section
for details.
Mute
The Mute button, located on Passport’s
front panel, allows you to silence the audio
alert during a radar encounter.
To mute the audio for a single specific
signal, briefly press the Mute button. After
that radar encounter has passed, the mute
will automatically reset and the audio will
alert you to the next encounter.
Auto / Highway / City Switch
The City button selects Passport’s sensitivity
mode. We recommend the Auto
(AutoSensitivity) mode for most driving.
Passport’s AutoSensitivity mode
provides long-range warning, with
minimum false alarms. In this mode,
Passport’s internal computer continuously
analyzes all incoming signals and intelligently adjusts the sensitivity circuits.
You can also select conventional
Highway and City modes. When driving in
urban areas where annoying X-band intrusion alarms and door openers are common,
City mode can be engaged to lower X-band
sensitivity and reduce X-band alerts. Full
sensitivity is maintained on all other bands.
You can customize Passport’s City mode
sensitivity. See the EZ-Programming section
for details.
6 7
Dim / Dark Switch
Passport’s Dim button selects the brightness
of Passport's display. There are four settings:
Maximum, Medium, Minimum, and Dark.
Press the Dim button to select your
preferred brightness.
If you prefer, you can have Passport
always turn on at a specific brightness. See
the EZ-Programming section for details.
Dark Mode
When you select the Dark mode with the
Dim switch, Passport changes to a very
inconspicuous power-on indication: a very
dim AD, HD, or CD. (In this display, the A,
H, or C indicates Auto, Highway, or City,
and the D indicates Dark.)
When Passport is in the Dark mode,
the display will not show visual alerts when
Passport detects signals. Only the audible
alert will tell you of detected signals.
If you prefer, you can have Passport’s
display totally dark, (see the EZ-Programming
section) and use the visual alerts on the
SmartCord.
Audible Alerts
For Radar signals:
Passport uses a Geiger-counter-like
sound to indicate the signal strength and
type of radar signal being encountered.
When you encounter radar, a distinct
audible alert will sound and occur faster as
the signal gets stronger. When the signal is
very strong, the audible alerts will blend
into a solid tone. This allows you to judge
the distance from the signal source without
taking your eyes from the road.
Each band has a distinct tone for easy
identification.
X-band = beep tone
K-band = raspy brap tone
Ka-band = double-brap tone
For Laser signals:
Since laser signals are a possible threat
no matter how weak, Passport alerts you to
all laser signals with a full laser alert.
For Safety signals:
Passport will alert you to these signals
with a double-beep tone, and a corresponding
text message. A complete listing of the text
messages is on page 21.
Controls and Features
8 9
Power Connector
Passport’s new power jack uses a
telephone- type connector. This new 4conductor connector works with the
included coiled cord, and with our optional
new SmartCord MuteDisplay.
The SmartCord is a special power cord
that has a power-on indicator, a bright alert
light that warns of radar or laser, and a
convenient mute button right on the plug.
It’s the perfect addition for any car
where reaching the detector mute button
on the windshield is a stretch. And for
discreet night driving, put Passport in the
Dark Mode, and use the SmartCord for your
visual alerts. Other drivers won’t know you
have a detector.
Two versions are available: A
SmartCord that plugs into your lighter
socket and has a coiled cord, and a Directwire SmartCord module that you wire into
your electrical system, with an 8 foot
straight cord to route to your Passport.
For more information or to order, call
us toll-free at 1-800-433-3487.
Signal Strength Meter
Passport’s alphanumeric display consists of
280 individual LEDs, to provide an intuitive
ultra-bright display of signal strength and
text messages.
Passport’s standard bar-graph signal
strength meter only displays information on
a single radar signal. If there are multiple
signals present, Passport’s internal computer
determines which is the most important
threat to show on the bar-graph meter.
When Passport detects radar, it displays
the band (X, K, or Ka), and a precise bar
graph of the signal strength. When Passport
detects a laser signal, the display will show
“LASER.”
NOTE: If you are operating Passport in
the Dark mode, the display will not light
when a signal is detected – only the audio,
and the flashing alert lamp on the
SmartCord.
ExpertMeter
Passport’s ExpertMeter option is an
advanced display for experienced detector
users. Please use Passport for a few weeks
to get familiar with its other features before
using ExpertMeter.
To use the ExpertMeter instead of the
bar graph signal strength meter, you must
select ExpertMeter in Passport’s EZProgramming (see page 10-12).
Passport’s ExpertMeter simultaneously
tracks up to 8 radar signals. It shows you
detailed information on up to 2 Ka-band, 2
K-band, and 4 X-band signals.
ExpertMeter can help you spot a
change in your normal driving environment;
for example, a traffic radar unit being operated in an area where there are normally
other signals present.
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