Almost every driver for his driving experience at least once, but violated the speed limit: someone likes to scam, someone is forced to do this in connection with certain circumstances.
Protect from fines will help radar detector. The choice of such devices in stores is huge: the models differ in functionality, design and cost, so car owners can always choose the right option.
One of the leading manufacturers of radar detectors is the Korean company Sho-Me, which has won the market with affordable prices and high quality products. One of the most popular devices of this brand is the Sho-Me 520 radar detector.
This model was first released in 2009, and over the period of its existence, it has gained considerable popularity among both Russian and foreign car owners.
Options radar
Complete with Sho-Me 520 radar detector are delivered:
- Radar detector with LED lamps located on the front panel.
- The adapter for connecting to the cigarette lighter socket of the car and the power cord.
- Spare fuse.
- Mount with two suction cups.
- Special mat for dashboard on double-sided tape.
- Sho-Me 520 radar detector user manual.
- Warranty card.
Specifications
Technical characteristics of the Sho-Me 520 radar detector are divided into three categories: signal reception, general and laser reception.
- Are common. Compact dimensions - 100x68x32 mm, light weight - 81 grams. The sustained temperature range is from -30 to +80 degrees Celsius. Black and gray body colors, so it looks good in the interior of any car.
- The operating ranges of the Sho-Me 520 radar detector are X, K, Ka, Ultra X, Ultra K.
- It captures the signals of the VG-2 system and various lasers.
Operating modes
The Sho-Me 520 anti-radar operates in 4 modes, for each of which you can set individual settings.
- In the "City" mode, the sensitivity of the radar detector with respect to X-format models is automatically reduced, which reduces the frequency of false positives and allows the driver not to be distracted from driving.
- The “Track” mode is most demanded when traveling on motorways, expressways and outside the city limits, as it allows to increase the radar sensitivity and expand the range of traffic police radar capture.
- Dimming the screen in the dark is one of the useful functions of the Sho-Me 520 radar detector. If there are no radars and lasers in the recognition radius, the brightness of the instrument's LEDs is dimmed almost twice.
- The silent mode provided by the developers allows you to keep silence in the car interior and focus only on the light indication of the radar detector.
Among the additional functions of the radar detector is the ability to save user settings, smooth inclusion using the wheel, two mounting options - on the suction cups to the windshield or on the dashboard by means of a mat.
Device benefits
According to reviews on the Sho-Me 520 radar detector, the following advantages of the model can be distinguished:
- Intuitive controls. Any difficulties are easily eliminated and corrected by the owner of the vehicle without contacting specialists. The instructions for the Sho-Me 520 radar detector contain sections-structured information about the device, information about possible errors and problems, and how to solve them.
- High-quality reception of signals. The radar detector detects not only stationary, but also mobile traffic police radars.
- Signals are captured at a large distance from the tracking devices - about 350 meters, so that the driver can slow down in time. As you approach the radar, the volume and frequency of sound alerts increase.
- At a distance of 500 to 700 meters, it captures cameras located high from the ground - on poles or bridges.
- Automatic shutdown after 6 hours of continuous operation, which allows you to save battery power. Switching off is accompanied by flashing LEDs and a sound signal. You can restore the instrument by pressing the DIM key.
- A bright color display improves signal indication.
- In the "City" and "Route" modes, filters are automatically turned on.
Disadvantages of a radar detector
According to user reviews, the radar detector has its drawbacks:
- Work only from the on-board network of the car.
- False positives occur.
- Mounting the device on suction cups is unreliable, so it is better to install it on the dashboard.
- As the backlight, multi-colored LEDs are used, which blind the driver in the dark.
User's manual
Before you set up your Sho-Me 520 radar detector and start using it, you need to install it correctly in the passenger compartment. To ensure the normal functioning of the gadget, it is necessary to observe several basic requirements:
- Install the detector in the middle of the car windshield as low as possible.
- Do not install the device behind the wipers or the upper sun stripe. The metal elements that are part of their design degrade the quality of signal reception, which increases the response of alerts and warnings.
- The radar detector should not be in direct contact with the windshield.
- The reception quality of radio signals may change under the influence of some synthetic coatings - for example, Intraclear and Electriclear.
Installation of a radar detector
A radar detector is installed in two ways, one of which involves the use of special suction cups to attach the gadget to the windshield of the car. The bumper and suction cups are inserted into the holes on the bracket, after which the device itself is fixed.
The second installation option is to mount the Sho-Me 520 on the dashboard using a mat with a sticky bottom surface. The installation site must be clean, even and degreased. The device must be installed carefully: the serial number must not be sealed, otherwise service centers may refuse to repair the Sho-Me 520 radar detector under warranty.
After installing the gadget, it is connected to the on-board network of the car. To do this, just insert the power cable into the cigarette lighter socket. Then the radar detector is turned on by scrolling the wheel clockwise. You should not change the sequence of actions: there is a possibility of failure of either the power cable or the gadget itself.
Instrument Testing
After the first launch, the radar detector passes a self-test cycle, which is accompanied by the operation of the LEDs on the display and the sound signals corresponding to all lasers and frequency ranges. This function is necessary to check the health of the display and speakers of the gadget.
According to the results of all tests and reviews of independent experts, the Sho-Me 520 radar detector was recognized as the most effective and best device in its price class. During the tests, the device showed excellent work, fixing all the stationary cameras and radars of the traffic police. Tracking devices are detected by the device at a distance of 600 to 1000 meters. The only drawback is the lack of indication when the silent mode is on.
The possibility of refinement Sho-Me 520
The efficiency and effectiveness of the radar detector can be increased by removing two screws located in the body of the trapping part. The Sho-Me 520 anti-radar scheme allows you to add a home-made horn to the standard horn, which also increases its performance, increases the range of radar detection and reduces the likelihood of false positives.
The disadvantage of the radar detector is that it does not record the latest models of equipment used by traffic police - for example, devices of the type "Strelka-ST" and "Chris-P".
The cost of the device
The price of a Sho-Me 520 radar detector can vary from one and a half to two and a half thousand rubles, depending on the place of sale, region and the availability of certain shares in stores. The gadget belongs to the middle price category, and its cost is fully consistent with the build quality, functionality and work efficiency.
Radar detector Sho-Me 700STR
An equally popular and sought-after model is the Sho-Me 700STR radar detector. The device registers most of the radars used by traffic police inspectors, including Avtodoriya, Strelka, Robot, Krecheta, Arena and others. It works in the ranges K, Ku, Ka, X. The receiver's operating mode is automatically selected by the device along with a set of filters and sensitivity level.
The radar detector is equipped with a GPS-receiver, which allows you to mark the point of false alarms. The advantage of the Sho Me 700STR is its affordable cost: on average, its price is 5300 rubles. The device belongs to the budget price category and fully justifies its value with high build quality and functionality.
The disadvantages of the gadget include the lack of support for the F-POP standard, which can cause problems with the fixation of radars operating in a pulsed mode.
Most car owners leave positive reviews for this Sho-Me model. The radar detector perfectly detects all tracking devices, automatically updates the database, has good voice and sound alerts, original design, wide functionality and affordable price.
Radar detector Sho-Me G1000STR
An improved version of the Sho-Me 700STR model, which received some hardware changes. It supports the POP standard, due to which it detects pulsed radars. Rich and vibrant display with OLED technology. Software and database updates are carried out without connecting to a personal computer.
Pleasant features include the “Auto” mode, disabling certain operating modes to reduce the likelihood of false positives. Signal processing is carried out by a digital processor DSP. It is equipped with an anti-radar with adhesive tape designed for mounting the device anywhere in the cabin.
According to user reviews, Sho-Me G1000STR is characterized by high quality work and the ability to fix all modern models of radars and lasers. The interface and settings menu are intuitive and simple, the GPS-receiver works without failures and errors.