Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Escort Passport 8500

The 8500 has a true rear antenna... it's the bump on the top with the rearward facing lens. However, since changes in signal strength tell you plainly where the radar is, the directional arrows really don't provide additional information. I'll take the 8500's ability to monitor the strength of up to 8 different radar sources at once (ExpertMeter mode) over the arrows.

To me, the V1 only counting radar sources in total and not breaking them down by band and monitoring individual strength is far less complete than the 8500 not providing arrows. However, it is to each driver to pick what information is most important to them, and what the value of that information is.

I picked a wire that is ignition controlled (don't even know what I tapped into) and my 8500 turns on and off with the key, and with the remote display in my gauge cluster (part of the hardwire kit), I can be as stealth as I wish with the detector velcroed to the left side of my dash (for easy removal).