Radio Shack XKKa User Manual

Owner’s Manual

X•K•Ka Superwide Radar/

Please read before using this equipment.

Stay Alert

Laser Detector

Cat. No.

22-1679

FEATURES

Your RadioShack Stay Aler t X•K•Ka Superwide Radar/Laser
Detector can alert you to all known police traffic radar and
laser systems. It receives X-, K-, and Ka-band radar signals
and also detects both the instant-on and laser systems many
police departments u se to measure vehicle speed. Plus, your
detector can give you advance warning of potential road haz­ards by detecting signals from transmitters that broadcast
Safety Warning System alerts.

Your detector has many useful features, including:

Stay Alert

ing every 30–60 seconds and asking if you are alert.

— tests your awareness behind the wheel by ring-

X-, K-, Ka-Band, and Laser Signal Detection

— warns you
when it detects signals from traffic radar or laser devices. Dif­ferent tones sound to let you know the type of signal received.

VG-2 Protection

— makes your detector invisible to the VG-2

radar-detector detector when it senses VG-2 operation.

Safety Warning System Detection

— alerts you to the pres­ence of potential road hazards and emergency vehicles sig­nalled by a Safety W arning System transmission.

360° Detection —

detects laser signals from both the front

and the rear of your vehicle.

1997 Tandy Corporation.



RadioShack is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

FAST is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

Safety Warning System and SWS are tr ademarks of

InstaClear is a registered trademark used by Ford Motor Company.

ElectriClear is a registered trademark used by Libbey, Owens, Ford,

All Rights Reserved.

Safety Warning System LLC.

and Delco-Remy.

2

City/Highway Modes

in areas that have false radar sources.

FAST (False Alert Suppression Technology)

vent false alarms caused by non-traffic radar sources.

— let you minimize alerts when you are

— helps pre-

Auto Quiet

volume alert for about 5 seconds, then reduce its alert to mini­mum volume.

Dim/Dark Modes

ation, or have the radar detector go completely dark whenever
it detects traffic radar signals.

Your radar/laser detector includes the following items:

•Power Cord

• Windshield Bracket with Suction Cups

• Hook and Loop Fastener
We recommend you record y our detector’s serial number here.

The number is on the detector’s bottom panel.
Serial Number: _________________________________

Important:

detectors. Check with your local law enforcement agency
about the laws in your area.

One or more of the following patents apply: 4,315,261;
5,146,227; 5,379,456. Other patents pending.

— lets you set the radar detector to give y o u a full-

— let you dim the display for nighttime oper-

Some areas have laws regulating the use of radar

3

CONTENTS

A Quick Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Mounting Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Hook-and-Loop Tape Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Windshield Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Connecting Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Turning the Detector On and Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Adjusting the Volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Muting Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Using Auto Quiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Selecting the City and Highway Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Dimming the Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Setting the VG-2 Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Receiving and Identifying Alert Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Using Stay Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Replacing the Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

4

A QUICK LOOK

1

Power Jack

2

Rear Laser Detection Lens

signals from the rear.

3

Speaker

4MUTE

detected to reduce the level of audio alerts that sound
when there is a signal. Press after a signal is detected to
silence the alert, while still showing visual alerts to keep
you informed.

5

High Visibility Alphanumeric Display

tinct visual confirmation of signals detected and signal
strength, and indicates the selected operating modes.

— the power cable plugs in here.

— sounds distinct warnings.

Button —

press before a radar/laser signal is

— receives incoming laser

— provides dis-

5

6CITY

Button

— reduces false alerts typically encountered

in urban driving areas.

7 DARK

Button —

changes the display to dim or dark, and

turns the VG-2 option on or off.

8PWR/VOL

(Power/Volume) Control

on and off and lets you adjust the volume.

9

Bracket Release Button

— lets you quickly remove the

detector’s bracket.

— turns the detector

10

Front Laser Detection Lens

signals from the front.

11

Radar Detection Antenna

signals.

12

Mounting Bracket Slot

bracket.

6

— receives incoming laser

— receives incoming radar

— holds the windshield mounting

INSTALLATION

MOUNTING GUIDELINES

Follow these guidelines when selecting a location.

• Choose a location that does not block the driver’s view of
the road.

• Mount the detector in a level position with a clear view to
both the front and rear.

• The detector’s view of the road must not be blocked by any
metal object.



• Some vehicles have InstaClear
windshields, which have metal coatings that block signals.
General Motor’s APV vans have a solar shield that keeps
the vehicle cooler during the summer, but also blocks sig­nals. A detector installed in a vehicle with any of these fea­tures will probably not detect a signal.

• Since window tinting reduces the received strength of laser
signals, you should not mount the detector behind any
tinted glass.

• Do not mount the detector where the driver or a passenger
might hit it in a sudden stop or accident.

or ElectriClear defogging

Caution:

detector out of view when you leave the vehicle. This keeps
the detector out of sight of thieves and prevents exposing it to
extremely high temperatures, which can temporarily impair
performance.

Whichever mounting method you choose, place the

7

HOOK-AND-LOOP TAPE MOUNTING

For some dashboards, the hook-and-loop tape included with
your detector might be best for mounting. F ollow these steps to
use the hook-and-loop tape.

1. Use a damp cloth to clean the b ottom of the detector and
the dashboard. Let both surfaces dry.

The tape’s adhesive might not stick to a surface

Note:

treated with vinyl cleaner or protectant.

2. Remove the tape’s backing and stick the tape to the bottom
of the detector.

Do not place the hook-and-loop tape over the detec-

Note:

tor’s serial number.

Serial
Number

On a curved dashboard, cut the supplied str ip in half and
use one strip on each side of the bottom of the detector.

3. Remove the backing from the other side of the tape and
press the detector onto the dashboard.

8