Uniden R7 radar detector - sold

[SG951]

SOLD, thanks

[ReidMcT]

I've had one of these for years, and like it a lot. I recently downloaded a firmware update, which was easy to do.

[dr bob]

Ironically, I ordered a new R7 a week before this thread was started, and it arrived at about the same time I saw the listing. Oh well...

For those not familiar, the R7 offers very impressive range. Beyond that, it has GPS built in, and allows you to map and selectively mute sources it finds, like the radar speed signs that dot many local roads here. There are (at least) eight of those within just a couple miles of home, so my less-intelligent detector spent a lot of time muted or volume-low. It took a few trips with the R7 to learn them and auto-mute the warning tones. They still show up on the display, but in a (configurable) muted color.

Uniden offers an online-update service through an app for your PC. Connect to the detector with a data cable, and you can update firmware, and also the most-current speed-camera database. Speed cameras have been in discussion here in city council meeting lately, so it's just a matter of time before they show up in town.

Configuration options through the app are very comprehensive. Where we live, X band is not used for speed radar enforcement, so X alerts come from radar door openers in stores and the like. I set the X sensitivity down, and have the option to turn it off. It ignores known blind-spot-monitoring systems and driver-assist rangefinders from other cars. The list of settings is almost overwhelming. There's a good third-party support for those options at vortexradar.com, and it includes a few learned-preferences settings-file downloads to try out. Also has performance reviews for many detectors if you are undecided.

Since the even-pricier R8 was recently introduced, the R7 has been selling in the $450-500 range pretty reliably. This offer at $375 is very reasonable especially for a unit that's still in such pristine condition. If you are shopping for a higher-capability radar detector, the R7 is certainly worth a hard look. And at this price, here's a chance to help yourself and another Carpokes member out at the same time.

[996C438]

I don't see it in the pics but will ask anyway , does it have a wire to hard wire into fuse box ?

[dr bob]

It doesn't come with one. I bought an accessory 'box' that gathers hardwired power and ground, plus power-on and 'detect' LEDS, plus a mute button.

You have pretty infinite control over the display (colors, brightness, etc) so yoiu can make the display stealthy and be able to mute the audibles if needed via that button. There's an auduble-alarm option that generates a tone for just a few seconds then drops (to a level you can also configure) so you don't have to enjoy the noise once you are aware of the threat. I'm still playing with settings. With the PC app, I make the settings changes on screen then load to the detector. You can also save the current configuration out, making it 'safe' to try new settings. That Save function grabs any changes you've made from the buttons on the detector itself since you last session on the PC. Lots of versatility.

The connection to the unit itself is via a once-standard RJ11 phone cable and connector. That opens the door to using any phone cable you might have lying around, and just powering through that from wherever you have power available. A little creativity will let you duplicate a popular accessory that has a short section of that phone cord, with thin tinned 'stab' tips to connect to the back of your inside mirror, or something else in an overhead console. You can buy those to ~~$10 on Amazon if you want more instant gratification.

The phone ribbon cable is pretty tiny, so plan on using a dedicated small-value fuse to protect it. Jury is out on whether it's going to be easier to replace a hidden fuse vs. replacing the wire it's intended to protect. Fig Newton's Third Law of Electrical Reciprocity states the wire will fail first, protecting the fuse. I have personal experience with that law, usually with stuff that's a lot more costly than a short (sorry...) piece of phone wire.

I've been using the included coil-cord and lighter adapter as I experiment with detector mountings and locations. Many claim that the best location for radar performance is up by the rearview mirror. In my experience, it's only marginally less sensitive sitting center of dash, looking through the wipers across the hood. Down lower there, drivers following you don't get the whole light-show when it detects something. That could be beneficial if/when the threat pulls up behind you. Then maybe give you the light-show.

Bottom line is that getting power to it will be amazingly easy, once you decide a mounting location and method. There are some excellent mounts that clamp around the stem of mirror mount and place the detector right underneath, for instance. I'll save the supplied suction cups and the coil-cord power adapter pieces for rental cars I think.

I'm having a lot of fun with the R7, by the way. ODOT has hidden radar speed sensors along some main roads just for traffic monitoring, something I didn't think about previously. Driving up the 'parkway', I see a lot of sources that aren't on the parkway itself. They get 'learned' and cataloged, and from then on no alarms. Muted display, but no audible alarm or messaging. I have the 'voice alerts' disabled by the way. Maybe after it gathers and learns all the not-threat sources around here I'll turn it back on. It will be a great option when I'm out touring solo. But K is HOH so having 'extra' voices in the cabin bothers her. Lots of things to consider... er, configure.