Whistler

People just love the fact that the Whistler Cruisader radar detector can be mounted in a standard 2 1/16 inch gauge enclosure! Since this is the only detector on this market with this feature, we are always getting asked if the Cruisader will work in a car, as well as a motorcycle.

The answer is yes, you can use a Cruisader in a car, but there are a couple of things to watch out for.

The most frequent problem is the wire length. The wires attached to the radar antenna, the control panel, and the additional laser receiver are each 10 feet in length. This should be plenty for most vehicles, but is too short in some.

Another issue may be that the installation guide is written with a motorcycle installation in mind. It may help to refer to the Whistler Pro 3450 installation guide for tips on things to look for in a typical vehicle installation.

Twice.com has an interesting article about the 2006 Cobra and Whistler detectors [free registration required].

They point out that the new Cobra models will support the Ku band, but the Whistler's will not. Whistler's research apparently determined that the Ku band will not be used in the United States in the "near future".

New from Whistler are a couple of detectors with remote controls. They are also following Bel's lead by offering models with exchangeable colored trim.

From the article:

Whistler's new 2006 detectors include two with remote control modules and several models with exchangeable colored trim plates. The XTR-220 and XTR-520 come with a remote control that is useful in SUVs or minivans that have large windshields or dashboards where the detector may be hard to reach.

Whistler also has a model that will let you totally customize the detector's alerts. You can record your own audio message to play, and even customize the display text for each alert. I'm sure the enthusiasts could have some fun with that feature!

UPDATE 2/6/06 - The article is incorrect. Some Whistler XTR series models WILL support the Ku band.