Description Of Features

Power-Up Test Sequence/Start-Up Mode

Each time your detector is turned ON, Bel 980 or Bel 950 will perform a power-up test sequence based upon the Start-Up mode selected. There are three Start-Up modes of operation plus a Tutorial mode. Release the PWR button at your chosen selection.

Note — Pressing PWR at any time during start-up will bypass the sequence.

• NORMAL (Factory pre-set Mode)
  
  Presets Audio and Text Messages for Laser, Ka, K, X and Safety Warning System (SWS). After this sequence, the status of Selectable Features is displayed: "CITY X" or "CITYALL"; "X/K/KA on/off"; "Amute on/off"; "R/LVoice"; "R/L tone"; "SWS on", "SWS off"; "SWSVoice", "SWStone"; "SCROLfast", "SCROLslow". Unit is now ready for operation.
  Note: City X, City All and X/K/Ka On/Off do not appear on model 950.
• MODS (Modifications Mode)
  
  Presents Audio and Text Messages for Laser, Ka, K, X and Safety Warning System, followed by the presentation of Selectable Features as chosen by the user. Unit is ready for operation.
• Q-START (Quick-Start Mode)
  
  Unit will bypass any form of a power-up test sequence and will display "CITY" or "HIGHWAY" depending upon the mode previously selected. Unit is ready for operation.
• TUTORIAL MODE
  
  The Tutorial Mode allows you to become more familiar with all audible and visual alerts. The message "TUTORIAL" appears in the display followed by the audio and corresponding Text Message for "LASER", "Ka AUDIO", "K AUDIO", "X AUDIO", sample Radar alert (K band signal ramping from weak to strong) and "SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM SAMPLE ALERTS". Three sample SWS messages are then presented in the display along with the corresponding Digital Voice Message:
  
  
  • Sample 1: "ACCIDENT AHEAD"
  • Sample 2: "HIGHWAY WORKCREW AHEAD"
  • Sample 3: "POLICE IN PURSUIT"
  While sample messages are playing you can access the complete list of SWS messages by pressing the CTY button to move forward in the list. "MSG 1" will appear in the display confirming your selection (to move backward in the list, press the DRK button). Pressing the AUD button allows you to listen to the SWS message while viewing it in the display. Press the CTY button again to step to the next message; press the AUD button to review, and so on. This allows you to review all 60 messages.
  To exit Tutorial Mode, press the PWR button and your unit will be ON and ready to receive signals.

Set and Forget Memory

Any time Bel 980 or Bel 950 are turned OFF or unplugged from the cigarette lighter socket, all feature settings you have selected are retained in the unit's memory. Set and Forget Memory eliminates the need to reset your preferred feature settings each time your unit is turned OFF and then back ON.

Reset to Factory Settings

You can reset your unit to factory settings for Start-Up mode, volume, DRK, AUD, CTY and Slectable Features. To reset, press and hold the CTY button until the display shows "RESET". Two "beeps" will sound and your unit will cycle through the Normal Start-Up Mode.

Voltage Warning

Your Bel 980 or Bel 950 continually check your vehicle's voltage to ensure proper performance of your detector. The unit's operating range is 10.5 to 16.0 volts. If voltage falls bellow 10.5 volts, display will show "LOW VOLT" until condition is rectified.

DRK (Bright/Dim/Dark) Button

The DRK button allows selection of a bright, fully adjustable dim mode or dark mode. The unit is factory preset to full bright display. To engage DIM mode, press and hold the DRK button. The display will cycle through various levels of dim illumination. Release the button at your chosen level. To engage dark mode, press the DRK button a second time. A single "beep" coupled with a brief illumination of "DARK" on the display confirms your selection. You'll notice an "H" (Highway mode) or "C" (City mode) remains dim to confirm your unit is receiving power. To return to a full bright setting, press the DRK button a third time; two "beeps" confirm this selection. Use of the DRK button does not affect audio alerts.

Important — if you press the DRK button and do not receive audible confirmation, the audio level has been set too low.

AUD (Auto-Mute/Volume Control) Button

Manual Muting of Audio Alerts (Radar and SWS)

Whether Auto-Mute is selected ON or OFF in Selectable Features, the audio alerts can be completely muted by pressing the AUD button during an alert. The display will briefly show "Quite". No audible alert will be heard for approximately 12 seconds. If the signal is still present after 12 seconds, the unit will remain in manual mode.

Note — because Laser alerts are not lengthy or sustained, muting is note required.

Volume Control

Press and hold the AUD button to engage the volume control. The Audio level has 9 settings for BEL 980 and 5 for BEL 950. Release the AUD button when you have reached your desired audio setting.

CTY (City/Highway) Button

The CTY mode has been designed to effectively reduce unwanted audio alerts caused by intrusion alarms, door openers and other devices which share X band with police Radar - without reducing sensitivity. Signals from non-police Radar sources are frequently encountered in urban and sub-urban areas, making use of this mode ideal in these areas.

Pressing the CTY button once engages the CTY mode which is confirmed by "CITY" in the display coupled with a single audio "beep". Pressing the CTY button a second time returns you to highway mode; "HIGHWAY" will appear in the display coupled with two "beeps". Once engaged, weak X band signals encountered will produce no audible alert until the signal strength reaches a preset level. However, visual alerts are processed the instant an X band signal is detected, keeping you quietly informed. Since most "false" X band signals are weak, use of the CTY mode allows you to drive out of their range before they reach the preset level and trigger a full audio alert. In contrast, signals from X band traffic Radar are generally stronger and will exceed the preset level, causing a full X band audio alert. Activating the CTY mode will not change Super Wideband Ka, K or instant-on X band Radar alert patterns.

Note — the CTY mode does not change the presentation of alerts for Laser or SWS.

City All (BEL 980 only)

City All mode is a Selectable Feature of the Bel 980 (see Selectable Features). This feature provides an alternate approach for improving selectivity on X, K and Super Wideband Ka and is ideal for use in areas with a high level of microwave transmissions which can cause falsing on all Radar bands.
While in City All mode, BEL 980 will provide an initial short X, K or Ka audio alert coupled with visual confirmation of the band detected and signal strength in the display. No further audible alert is provided until the signal strength reaches a preset level. When no audio alert is provided, the visual alert keeps you quietly informed.

Note — Once "CTY X" or "CTY ALL" is chosen in Selectable Features the CTY button must be pressed to engage your selection.