Beltronics Pro GX65 Radar Detector Price: $269.99 Shipping Options: $5 Standard OR $10 Two-Day OR $20 One-Day Shipping Estimates: Ships in 1-2 business days (Monday, May 12 to Tuesday, May 13) + transit Condition: New
Not just illegal to own - illegal to purchase for use in, sell to, ship to or deliver to Virginia. Every ad I’ve ever seen for radar detectors by companies that make or regularly sell them includes a disclaimer about cannot be sold or shipped to residents of VA. Woot needs to update the copy ASAP, because they could be open to legal liability on this.
I’ve had the Beltronics RX 65 for 8 years and I LOVE IT. If I had the cash available right now and it wasn’t Mother’s Day this weekend, I’d be in for the upgrade. I paid around $250 for mine which was a steal back then and this is a steal now. I’m hoping Woot has this model up for grabs in the future and I’ll be on it quicker than a Boy Scout at a Nambla Convention.
So, I’ve never owned a radar detector (so completely ignorant here), but aren’t these pretty worthless these days? I’ve heard laser is pretty impossible to detect except when they’ve already got you and don’t many depts use lasers now? Even with radar, don’t many of them only turn it on to pop you (so you’d never get the warning)?
I’m not a speed-demon these days so I don’t really need it too much, but I am curious…
Radar is still far more prevalent than laser in most places. And while it’s true, it’s harder to pick up laser, you can still sometimes get some early warning. Really though, laser detection is meant to work with laser jamming to give you time to slow down before you reach the burn through point.
I have the Bel Pro200, which has the same detection innards, just not the gps related features. It’s a great detector, and has saved my ass on numerous occasions.
Is Woot considered an authorized dealer of Beltronics ? They don’t honor warranty if you don’t buy it from an authorized dealer, so if you buy one on ebay for example, you’re out of luck.
Not illegal to “own” in VA. Illegal to operate in or on a motor vehicle. Gray area, but I can buy one on woot, have it shipped to VA and never turn it on or mount it while in my vehicle and I wouldn’t be breaking any laws. I mean, I am clearly playing devils advocate here, but just pointing out that Woot can sell them to you from Maryland or wherever it will come from as long as that wherever isn’t VA.
So if you live in VA and want to buy this as a gift for your brother in Maryland, you’re fine…
This has VG2 immunity. VG2 is what the police in VA use to see if you have a radar detector.
Follow me:
VG2 is a radar detector detector, this has a radar detector detector detector and turns itself off when it detects said radar detector detector detector.
I’ve got this detector and it’s great. I bought it a few years back when it first came out for about $400. It’s worth every penny. The detection range is upto 14 miles if you’re on flat ground, but that probably won’t apply to most situations. You’ll get plenty of notice, regardless.
The GX65 has GPS for two reasons. 1) It has a speed/red light camera database built in and will alert you if you approach one. The database is updatable but requires a subscription. 2) It allows you to ignore radar signals selectively. If you drive by a store that constantly sets off your detector or a speed sign and you choose to ignore it because you know it’s not a police radar source all you have to do is press mute 3x. The detector will remember the location and frequency of the radar source and ignore it in the future.
“But what happens if a cop hides right next to an ignored radar source?”, you ask. Not to worry. Because the detector stored the location AND frequency of the source, the cop hiding there is no threat. Your detector will immediately alert you to his radar signal since it will be a different frequency.
This detector can also show you if there are multiple radar signals in the area. In the default setup it will only show you the strongest signal, but in expert mode it will show you upto 3 signals at once.
Finally, it has a feature that I find indispensable. There are two LEDs and a button on the power plug. There’s a green LED to let you know whether the unit is powered on. There’s a red LED that flashes when the detector goes off. Last, but not least, there’s a mute button. The button lets you silence the detector without having to reach across your dash, but also allows you to quickly and easily store radar signals to ignore.
Highlights:
Detects radar and laser (you can get a laser shifter or jammer to mitigate the laser threat)
Red light and speed camera database built in. (Red lights are sacred to me so this isn’t of much use. The speed cameras are good to know about, though.)
Ignore known false alarms (You can unignore them later fairly easily if you need to)
Last month I got pulled over because I hit my brakes when a Virginia State Trouper radared me.
He knew I had a Radar Detector and I didn’t argue the point.
He took my detector to his car, I think he wrote down the SN, and then he returned it to me.
He ticketed me for speeding and for the detector but didn’t take my detector.
I was doing 78 in a 70 zone. If I had not hit my brakes he most likely would not have pulled me over and I wouldn’t have gotten any tickets.
Correct, not illegal to own but it IS illegal to sell.
Virginia:
§ 46.2-1079. Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes. It shall be unlawful to use any such device or mechanism on any such motor vehicle on the highways. It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth. However, provisions of this section shall not apply to any receiver of radio waves utilized for lawful purposes to receive any signal from a frequency lawfully licensed by any state or federal agency.
This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person’s request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him. Any unclaimed devices may be destroyed on court order after six months have elapsed from the final date for filing an appeal.
Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated.
B. A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle.
C. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and used by law-enforcement officers in their official duties, nor to the sale of any such device or mechanism to law-enforcement agencies for use in their official duties.
D. No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section. Any demerit points awarded by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 1992, for any violation of this section shall be rescinded and the driving record of any person awarded demerit points for a violation of this section shall be amended to reflect such rescission.
I’ve used many makes and models of radar/laser detectors religiously for decades. Over the years it has become obvious (to me) that the device is way better if it has directional arrows telling you where the cop is. Which leaves only one brand that has the technology patented. Every year on February 14th I celebrate my love for the brand I prefer.
![[Preview 1]](http://d3gqasl9vmjfd8.cloudfront.net/fb00d28e-a493-4bbe-8b86-54e9b94e9be5.jpg){kind=link}
![[Preview 2]](http://d3gqasl9vmjfd8.cloudfront.net/d40a3764-f897-4835-8a19-bbeccadc439b.jpg){kind=link}
