PASSPORT 7500 Radar • Laser • Safety Detector
Quick Reference Guide
2-3
EZ Programming
10-14
10
• How to use EZProgramming
• ExampleofProgramming
• Overview ofProgramming
• DetailsofProgramming
Installation
4-5
4
10
• PowerConnection
• MountingLocation
• WindshieldMount
11
4
12-14
5
Technical Details
15-21
15
Controls and Features
• Powerand volume control
• Power-on indication
• AutoMute
6-9
6
• Specifications
• InterpretingAlerts
• How Radar Works
• How Laser Works
• How SafetyRadar Works
16-17
18
6
6
19
• Mute
6
20-21
• Auto / Highway / City Switch
• Dim / Dark Switch
• DarkMode
6
7
Service
22-25
22-23
24
7
• Troubleshooting
• Service
• Audible Alerts
7
• SignalStrength Meter
• ExpertMeter
8
• Warranty
• Accessories
25
8-9
25
1
Quick Reference Guide
Ra da r Antenna a nd La ser Lens
EZPr ogr a mming
ThebackofyourPassportshouldhave
aclear view ofthe road ahead. For
bestperformance,donotmountPass-
port directly behind windshield wipers
or tinted areas. Pg 4
Passport isreadyto go–just plugit in
and turn it on.But you can also easily
change 10 featuresfor your prefer-
ences.Pressboth top buttonsto enter
theProgramMode,theneasilyReview
or Change your settings. Pg 10-14
Mute Button
Brieflypressthisbutton (next to the
display)to silence the audio for
a specific alert. (The audio will alert
you to the next encounter.) Pg 6
Ma tr ix Displa y
Passport’sdisplaywillshow “Highway”,
“Auto,” or “City” as its power-on indica-
tion. Pg6.Ifyouprefer,youcanchoose
otherpower-on indications. Pg10-12
Duringanalert,thedisplaywillindi-
cate radarband,and aprecise bar
graph ofsignalstrength. Pg 8
Note:in the DarkMode the display
willnot light duringan alert. Pg 7
You can program Passport forthe
ExpertMeter,which displaysup to 8
radar signalsat once. Pg9
Dim Button
Presstoadjustdisplaybrightness.There
arethreebrightnesssettings,plusDark
Mode. Pg 7
In the DarkMode, the power-on
indication willbe changed to AD,HD,
orCD(indicating Auto, Highway,or
CityDark).IntheDarkMode,Passport’s
meterwillnotdisplayduringan alert,
onlythe audio willalert you. Pg7
The displaycan also show Safety
Radar text messages. Pg 20-21
3
Power Connection and Mounting Location
Power Connection
Mounting Location
To power Passport, plugthe smallend of
the supplied coiled power cord into the
telephone-type power jack on Passport's
left side, and plugthe lighter adapter into
your vehicle's lighter socket or accessory
socket.
WARNING:ESCORTcannotanticipate the
manywaysPassport can be mounted.It is
importantthatyoumountPassportwhere
it willnot impair your view nor present a
hazard in case ofan accident.
Wher e to mount Pa sspor t
Passport operateson 12voltsDCnegative
ground only.The lighter plugprovided is
standard size and will work in most ve-
hicles.Ofcourse,yourlightersocketmust
becleanandproperlyconnectedforproper
operation.
For optimum detection performance,we
recommendthefollowing:
•
Using the Windshield Mount, mount
Passport relativelyleveland a few inches
abovethedashboard–highenoughonyour
frontwindshieldtoprovideaclearview of
the road from the front and rear.
Note:dependingonyourvehicle,thelighter
socket power mayeither be continuously
on, or it maybe switched on and offwith
yourignition switch.
•
MountPassportawayfromwindshield
wipers, other solid objects, and heavily
tinted areas that might obstruct the radar
antennaorlaserlens.
Passport’sstandard lighteradapterhasan
integralfuseholder.Ifitisevernecessaryto
replace the fuse,simplyunscrew the tip of
the lighter plug and replace the fuse with
an identical2amp fuse.
Optiona l power cor ds
See the Accessories section for details on
ournew optionalSmartCordMuteDisplay
cord. Both a plug-in version and a direct-
wireversion areavailable.
4
Windshield Mount
Windshield Mount
Passport’sEasyMountwindshieldbracket
isdesignedforunobtrusiveandhassle-free
mounting.
3
Mount Passport on your windshield.
Usingthe EasyMount adjustment button,
slide Passport forward or backward to a
horizontalposition.
1
Insert each suction cup into large end
of bracket hole and rotate cup outward,
locking into place. A spare set of suction
cups is included for your convenience.
Save them for future use.
To ensure that the suction cupsadhere to
thewindshieldfirmly,besuretokeep both
yourwindshieldandthesuctioncupsclean.
Whenadjustedproperlytominimizebounc-
ing, the back top edge ofPassport should
restsolidlyagainstyourwindshield.
2
Depressthe adjustment button on the
top of Passport (by the word “ESCORT”)
and slide the EasyMount bracket into the
slotuntilmountislockedintotheposition
which best fits the angle of your wind-
shield (there are four settings available).
For extremely horizontal or extremely
slopedwindshields,theEasyMountbracket
can be bent.
Ca ution!
A few vehicles (including some Porsche
944's) have windshields with a soft “anti-
lacerative” coating on the inside surface.
Use ofsuction cupswillpermanentlymar
thiscoating.Consultyourdealership orthe
vehicle’sowner’smanualto determine if
yourwindshield hasthiscoating.
User ’s Tip
You can leave the EasyMount bracket in
place on your windshield, and easily re-
move Passportbypressingthe adjustment
button andslidingPassportoffthemount.
Again,besuretopositionthebracketwhere
it won’t present ahazard in the event ofan
accident.
5
Controls and Features
Power and volume control
Mute
To turn Passport on and adjust the alert
tone volume level,rotate the thumbwheel
on Passport's left side. Turn the control
away from you to increase the audio vol-
ume. When you turn Passport on, it goes
through asequence ofalerts.
Ifyou prefer, you mayprogram your
Passportforashorterpower-on sequence.
See the EZ Programming section for details.
The Mute button, located on Passport’s
front panel, allows you to totally silence
the audio alertduringaradarencounter.
Tomutetheaudioforasinglespecific
signal,brieflypressthe Mute Button.After
thatradarencounterhaspassed,the mute
willautomaticallyresetandthe audio will
alert you to the next encounter.
Auto / Highway / City Switch
Power-on indication
The Citybutton selectsPassport’ssensitiv-
ity mode. We recommend the “Auto”
(AutoSensitivity)modeformostdriving.
Passport’snew AutoSensitivitymode
provides long-range warning, with mini-
mumfalsealarms.Inthismode,Passport’s
internalcomputercontinuouslyanalyzes
all incoming signals and intelligently ad-
juststhe sensitivitycircuits.
After Passport's start-up sequence is com-
plete, the matrix displaywillshow “High-
way”, “City”, or “Auto” to show which
operation mode isselected.
Ifyou prefer, you can select alternate
power-on displays. See the EZ Program-
mingsection fordetails.
Youcanalsoselectconventional“High-
way”and “City”modes. When driving in
urbanareaswhereannoyingX-bandintru-
sionalarmsanddooropenersarecommon,
CityModecanbeengagedtolowerX-band
sensitivityand reduce X-band alerts. Full
sensitivityismaintainedonallotherbands.
You can customize Passport’sCitymode
sensitivity. See the EZ Programming sec-
tion fordetails.
AutoMute
YourPassporthasourpatentedAutoMute
feature.AfterPassportalertsyou toaradar
encounter at the fullvolume, it automati-
cally mutes the volume to a lower level.
This keeps you informed without the an-
noyanceofacontinuousfull-volumealert.
If you prefer, you can turn the
AutoMute feature off.See the EZProgram-
mingsection fordetails.
6
Controls and Features
Dim / Dark Switch
Audible Alerts
Passport’s Dim button selects the bright-
ness ofPassport’s display. There are four
settings:Maximum,Medium,Minimum,and
Dark. Press the Dim button to select your
preferredbrightness.
Each time you turn Passport on, it
automaticallyselectsthebrightnesssetting
you last used.
For Radar signals:
Passport uses a geiger-counter-like
sound to indicate the signalstrength and
type ofradarsignalbeingencountered.
When youencounterradar,adistinct
AudibleAlertwillsoundandoccurfasteras
the signalgetsstronger.When the signalis
verystrong, the Audible Alertswillblend
into asolid tone.Thisallowsyou to judge
the distance from the signal source with-
out takingyour eyesfrom the road.
Each band hasadistinct tone foreasy
identification.X-band=beep tone,K-band
=raspybrap tone,Ka-band=double-brap
tone.
If you prefer, you can have Passport
alwaysturn on ataspecific brightness.See
the EZProgrammingsection fordetails.
Dark Mode
When you select the Dark mode with the
Dim switch, Passport changes to a very
inconspicuouspower-onindication:avery
dim “AD”, “HD”, or “CD”. (In thisdisplay,
the A,H,or CindicatesAuto,Highway,or
City,and the DindicatingDark.)
For Laser signals:
SinceLasersignalsareapossiblethreat
nomatterhow weak,Passportalertsyouto
alllaser signalswith afulllaser alert.
For Safety signals:
When Passport is in the Dark Mode,
the displaywillnot show visualalerts when
Passport detects signals. Only the audible
alert willtellyou ofdetected signals.
Ifyou prefer,you can have Passport’s
display totally dark when you are in the
Darkmode.(Thisisparticularlyusefulwhen
you have the optional SmartCord
MuteDisplay;alightercordwith power-on
light, alert light, and a mute button.) See
the EZProgrammingsection fordetails.
If you have turned on the SWS and
Safety Alert detection in Passport’s pro-
gramming,Passportwillalertyoutothese
signals with a double-beep tone, and a
correspondingtext message. Acomplete
listing of the text messages is on page 21.
Ifyouhaven’tprogrammedyourPass-
porttodecodethesafetysignals(seepages
10, 14, 21), it will still display them as
strongK-bandradarsignals.
7
Controls and Indicators
Power Connector
Signal Strength Meter
Passport’s new power jack uses a tele-
phone-type connector. This new 4-con-
ductorconnectorworkswith theincluded
coiled cord, and with our optional new
SmartCordMuteDisplay.
TheSmartCordisaspecialpowercord
thathasapower-onindicator,abrightalert
light that warns of radar or laser, and a
convenientmute button righton the plug.
It’s the perfect addition for any car
where reachingthe detector mute button
on the windshield is a stretch. And for
discreet night driving, put Passport in the
DarkMode,andusetheSmartCordforyour
visualalerts.Otherdriverswon’tknow you
have adetector.
Passport’snew matrix displayconsistsof
280 individualLED’s, to provide an intui-
tive ultra-bright displayofsignalstrength
and text messages.
When Passport detects radar, it dis-
plays the band of the radar (X, K, or Ka),
and aprecise bar graph ofsignalstrength.
When Passport detects laser, the dis-
playwillshow “LASER.”
NOTE:IfyouareoperatingPassportin
the Dark Mode, the display will not light
when a signal is detected- only the audio
willalertyou.
ExpertMeter
Two versions are available: A
SmartCord that plugs into your lighter
socket and hasacoiled cord,and aDirect-
wireSmartCordmodulethatyouwireinto
yourelectricalsystem,withan8footstraight
cord to route to yourPassport.
Passport 7500’s n ew ExpertMeter op-
tion is an advan ced display for experi-
en ced detector users. Please use Pass-
port forafew weeksto get familiarwith its
otherfeatures before usingExpertMeter.
To use th e ExpertMeter in stead of
th e bar graph sign al stren gth m eter,
you m ust select ExpertMeter in Pass-
port’s EZProgram m in g (see pg10-12).
Passport’s standard signal strength
Formoreinformation ortoorder,call
us toll-free at 1-800-433-3487.
meter only displays information about a
single radar signal. If there are multiple
signalspresent, Passport’sinternalcomputer
determines which is the most important
threat to show on the bar graph meter.
8
Controls and Indicators
However, Passport’s ExpertMeter si-
multaneouslytracksup to8radarsignals.It
showsyoudetailedinformation on up to2
Ka-band,2K-band,and 4X-band signals.
ExpertMeter can help you spot a
change in your normal driving environ-
ment;forexample,atrafficradarunitbeing
operated in an area where there are nor-
mallyothersignalspresent.
The ExpertMeter is actually a minia-
turespectrumanalyzer.Itshowswhatband
each signalis,itsrelativefrequencywithin
the band,and itssignalstrength.
|| || ||||
KA K X
Here ExpertMeter shows 1 strong K-band
signal, and threeX-band signals, twostrong
and one weak.
|| || ||||
KA K X
Here ExpertMeter shows 1 weak Ka-band
signal, and three weak X-band signals.
|| || ||||
KA K X
On very weak signals, there will not be a
vertical line at all. This shows a very weak
X-band signal.
|| || ||||
KA K X
Above is the ExpertMeter Display if Passport
was detecting 2 strong Ka-band, 2 strong
K-band, and 4 strong X-band signals.
ExpertMeter Deta ils
The band designators (X, K, Ka) will
stayon the displayfor afew seconds after
thesignalhaspassed.Thisallowsyoutosee
what the unit detected, even on verybrief
signals.
Asyou can see,there are verticallines
aftereachbanddesignator.Eachlineshows
asignalbeingdetected.The heightofeach
line shows the relative signal strength of
that signal. The position ofthe line shows
the relative frequencyofthe signalwithin
theband.
NOTE: If you use ExpertMeter, the
brief signal shown in the power-on se-
quence when you turn on your Passport
willalso be in ExpertMeter:an “X”with a
single verticalline.
However,the verticallinesrepresent-
ingindividualsignals continuouslychange
(severaltimesasecond)to give you acon-
tinuousinstantaneousview ofallradarsig-
nalspresent.
Note: even long-time detector user s
will r equir e a significa nt time to get
fa milia r with this new level of infor -
ma tion a bout detected signa ls.
A few more examples will help you
better see how the ExpertMeter works.
9
How to customize Passport with EZ Programming
Thereare10user-selectableoptionssoyou
An exa mple
can customizeyourPassport7500foryour
own preferences.Thebuttonsthatarenor-
mally used for CITY and DIM are used to
enterthe Program Mode,to REVIEWyour
currentprogram settings,and to CHANGE
anysettingsasdesired.Pages12-14explain
each option in more detail.
For example,here’show you would turn
Passport’sAutoMute feature off.
1
Enter the Program Mode by holding
both buttonsdown for2seconds. Passport
will beep twice and display “Program”.
2
Then hold the REVIEWbutton down.
Passport will scroll through the categories,
starting with Pilot Light (“Pilot”),
then Power-on sequence (“PwrOn”),
then Signal strength meter (“Meter”),
and then AutoMute (“aMute”).
How to use EZ Programming
To enter Program Mode, hold both top
buttons down for 2 seconds. (The unit
will beep twice, and will display“Program”).
ᕡ
ᕢ
Then press the REVIEWbutton to review
the current settings. (You can either tap
the button to change from item to item, or
hold the button to scroll through the items.)
3
ReleasetheREVIEWbuttonwhenPass-
port shows the AutoMute item. Since the
factory setting is for AutoMute to be on,
Passport will display “aMute ON”.
(If you accidentally don’t release the
Review button in time, and Passport goes to
the next category, hold the Review button
down again, and after Passport scrolls
through all categories, it will begin again at
the top of the list.)
ᕣ Press th e CHANGE button to ch an ge
an y settin g. (You can either tapthebutton
to changefrom settingto setting, or hold the
button to scroll through all the options.)
ᕤ
To leave the Program Mode, simply wait
8 seconds without pressing any button.
(The unit will display “Complete”, beep 4
times, and return to normal operation.)
4
Press the CHANGE button to change
from “aMute ON” to “aMute OFF”
5
TocompletetheProgramming,simply
(To quicklyreturn to the allofthe factory
defaults, hold the City, Dim, and Mute
buttonsdown while turningon the unit.)
wait 8 seconds without pressing any but-
ton. Passport willdisplay“Complete”, beep
4 times, and return to normal operation.
10
Overview of EZ Programming Options
Press the REVIEW button
to go from one category
to the next
Press the CHANGE button
to change your setting
within a category
̄
̄
PILOT LIGHT
(Power-on indication)
Pilot HWY
Pilot H
(full word: Highwa y or Auto or City)
*
(letter: H or A or C)
(letter, with scanning dot)
Pilot H.>
Pilot +
Pilot +.>
Pilot +>
.
(symbol: + or
(symbol, with scanning dot)
(scanning symbol)
or – )
POWER-ON SEQUENCE
SIGNAL STRENGTH METER
AUTOMUTE
PwrOn STD
PwrOn FST
(standard power-on sequence)
(fast power-on sequence)
*
(standard signal strength meter)
Meter STD
Meter EXP
*
(Expert Meter)
aMute ON
aMute OFF
(automute on)
*
(automute off)
AUDIO TONES
Tone STD
Tone LOUD
(Standard tones)
(Loud tones)
*
CITY MODE SENSITIVITY
(Standard City mode sensitivity)
(Low X band sensitivity in City Mode)
(No X band sensitivity in City Mode)
City STD
City LoX
City NoX
*
BRIGHTNESS
Brt LAST
Brt MIN
Brt MED
Brt MAX
Brt DARK
(Last brightness used )
*
(Minimum brightness when turned on )
(Medium brightness when turned on)
(Maximum brightness when turned on)
(Dark Mode when Passport turned on)
DARK MODE
Dark STD
Dark ALL
(Standard Dark: shows HD, AD, CD)
(All Dark. No display.)
*
SAFETY WARNING SYSTEM
SAFETY ALERT
sws OFF
sws ON
(Safety Warning System detection off)
(Safety Warning System detection on)
*
(Safety Alert detection off)
sa OFF
sa ON
*
(Safety Alert detection on)
*These a re Pa ssport’s fa ctory settings
11
Details of EZ Programming Options
Pilot Light (power-on indication)
Power-on Sequence
Note:when you are usingthe Darkmode,
the displaywillonlyshow HD,AD,or CD,
(Highway-Dark,Auto-Dark,orCity-Dark).
PwrOnSTD (standar d)
In thissetting,each time you turn on Pass-
port, it will display "Passport 7500", "LA-
SER", "Ka-band", "K-band", "X-band", fol-
lowed byabriefX-band alert. (factoryde-
fault)
PilotHWY (full descr iption)
In this setting, Passpor t will displa y
"Highw ay," "City ," or "A uto" as its po wer-
on indication. (factor y default)
PwrOnFST (fast po wer-on)
In thissetting,each time you turn on Pass-
port,it willdisplayabriefX-band alert.
Pilot H (letter)
In this setting, Passpor t will displa y "H"
for Highw ay,"C" f or City,and "A" f or Auto.
Signal Strength Meter
Pilot H.> (Letter with scanning dot)
In thissetting,Passport willdisplay"H"
for Highway,"C"for City,and "A"for
Auto.Also,asingle dot willcontinuously
scrollacrossthe display.
MeterSTD (standar d meter)
In thissetting,the meterdisplaysthe band
of the received signal, and a bar graph
showing the relative signalstrength. (fac-
torydefault)
Pilot+ (symbol)
In thissetting,Passport willdisplay"+"for
Highway,"."for Auto,and "-"for City.
MeterEXP (Exper t Meter)
In this setting, the meter simultaneously
tracksmultipleradarsignals.Itshowsup to
2Kaband,2Kband,and 4Xband signals.
Pilot+.> (symbol with scanning dot)
In thissetting,Passport willdisplay"+"for
Highway,"."forAuto,and"-"forCity.Also,
asingledotwillcontinuouslyscrollacross
thedisplay.
Note: The Ex per tMeter fea tur e is ex -
pla ined in mor e deta il on pa ge 9.
Pilot+> (scanning symbol)
In thissetting,Passport willdisplay"+"for
Highway,"."forAuto,and"-"forCity.Each
willcontinuouslyscrollacrossthedisplay.
12
Details of EZ Programming Options
AutoMute
City Mode Sensitivity
aMute ON (autom ute on)
City STD (Standar d)
In thissetting, Passport’saudio alertswill
initiallybe at the volume you set,but after
afew seconds,Passportwillautomatically
reduce the volume level, to keep you in-
formed,butnotannoyed.(factorydefault)
In this setting, when you put Passport in
theCitymode,X-bandsensitivityissignifi-
cantlyreduced,toreduceannoyancefrom
X-band intrusion alarmsand motion sen-
sors.(factorydefault)
aMuteOFF (autom ute off)
City LoX (Lo w X band sensitivity)
In this setting, when you put Passport in
the City mode, X-band sensitivity is re-
ducedmorethanthestandardsetting.This
will reduce X band alarms from other
sourceseven further,butalsosignificantly
reducesrange to Xband traffic radar.
With AutoMuteoff,Passport’saudioalerts
will remain at the volume you set for the
duration oftheradarencounter.
Audio Tones
Tone STD (Standar d tones)
Thissettingusesmorepleasingtones.(fac-
torydefault)
City NoX (No X band sensitivity)
In this setting, when you put Passport in
the Citymode, Passport willnot respond
to any X band signals. WARNING: Only
choose this setting if you are absolutely
certain that there are no X band traffic
radarunitswhere you drive.
ToneLOUD (Loud tones)
Thissettingusestonesthat are more pierc-
ing,and easierto hearin aloudervehicle.
13
Details of EZ Programming Options
Brightness
Dark Mode
Brt LAST (Last)
Dark STD (standar d)
In this setting, when you tur n on P ass-
port,the displa y will be the last br ight-
ness you had selected dur ing oper ation
with the dim button. (factor y default)
In this setting, when you select the dark
mode, the onlydisplaywillbe averydim
HD, AD, or CD, indicatingHighway-Dark,
Auto-Dark,orCity-Dark).(factorydefault)
Brt MIN (Minim um)
DarkALL (all)
In this setting, each time y ou tur n on
Passpor t,the displa y will be at the lo west
brightness.
In this setting, when you select the dark
mode, Passport's display will be totally
dark,without even displayinganypower-
on indication.Thisisrecommended only
whenusingPassport'soptionalSmartCord
so you will have a visual indication to
confirmthatPassportisoperational.
Brt MED (medium)
In thissetting,each time you turn on Pass-
port, the display will be at the medium
brightness.
Safety Warning System
sws OFF (safety warning system
detection of f) (factor y default)
Brt MAX (maxim um)
In this setting, each time y ou tur n on
Passpor t,the displa y will be at the
maxim um br ightness.
sws ON (safety warning system
detection on)
Brt DARK (Dark)
In thissetting,each time you turn on Pass-
port,the displaywillbe in the darkmode.
This is recommended only when using
Passport'soptionalremote displayso you
stillhaveavisualindicationtoconfirmthat
Passportisoperational.
Safety Alert
sa OFF (safety aler t detection of f)
(factorydefault)
sa ON (safety aler t detection on)
14
Specifications
Features and Specifications
Program m able Features
Operatin g Ban ds
• Power-On Indication
• Power-On Sequence
• SignalStrength Meter
• AutoMute
• X-band 10.525 GHz ± 25 MHz
• K-band 24.150 GHz ± 100 MHz
• Ka-band 34.700 GHz ± 1300 MHz
• Laser 900nm, 33 MHzbandwidth
• Audio Tones
• CityMode Sensitivity
• DisplayBrightness
• DarkMode
• SafetyWarningSystem Alerts
• SafetyPilot Alerts
Radar Receiver / Detector Type
• Superheterodyne,GaAsFETVCO
• ScanningFrequencyDiscriminator
• DigitalSignalProcessing(DSP)
• 4-bit high-resolution A-to-Dconverter
Sen sitivity Con trol
• AutoSensitivity ™,Highway,and City
Laser Detection
Dim en sion s
1.1 x 2.8 x 5.0 Inches
• QuantumLimitedVideoReceiver
• 5 Laser Sensor Diodes
Paten ted Tech n ology
Display Type
Passport iscovered byone or more ofthe
followingEscortInc.USpatents.Additional
patentsmaybe listed inside the product.
• HP AlGaAs 280 LED Matrix/Text
• BarGraph orExpertMeter
™
5,668,554
5,305,007
5,111,207
4,954,828
4,862,175
4,613,989
4,313,216
D308,837
5,559,508
5,206,500
5,079,553
4,952,937
4,750,215
4,604,529
D314,178
D296,771
5,365,055
5,164,729
5,049,885
4,896,855
4,686,499
4,583,057
D313,365
D288,418
5,347,120
5,134,406
5,049,884
4,887,753
4,631,542
4,581,769
D310,167
D253,752
• 3-LevelDimming,plusDarkMode
Power Requirem en t
• 12VDC, Negative Ground
• SmartCordMuteDisplay ™ Compatible
15
Interpreting Alerts
Although Passport has a comprehensive
of radar being used, the type of transmis-
sion (continuous or instant-on) and the
location of the radar source.
The following examples will give
you an introduction to understanding
Passport ’s warning system for radar, la-
ser and safety alerts.
warning system and this handbook is as
complete as we can make it, only expe-
rience will teach you what to expect
from your Passport and how to interpret
what it “tells” you. The radar alerts you
receive are affected by the specific type
Explanation
Alert
You are approaching a continuous radar
source aimed in your direction.
Passport begins to sound slowly, then the rate
of alerts increases until the alert becomes a
solid tone. The Signal Meter ramps accordingly.
An instant-on radar source is being used ahead
of you and out of your view.
Passport emits short alerts for a few seconds
and then falls silent only to briefly alert and
fall silent again.
An instant-on radar source or laser source is
being used nearby. This kind of alert requires
immediate attention!
Passport suddenly sounds a continuous tone
for the appropriate band received. All
segments in the Signal Strength Meter are lit.
Laser is being used in the area. Because laser is
inherently difficult to detect, any laser alert
may indicate a source very close by.
A brief laser alert.
A moving patrol car with continuous radar is
overtaking you from behind. Because these
signals are reflected (reflections are increased
by large objects), they may or may not
Passport receives weak signals. These signals
may be a little stronger as you pass large,
roadside objects. The signals increase in
frequency.
eventually melt into a solid point even when
the patrol car is directly behind you.
You are approaching a radar unit concealed by
a hill or an obstructed curve.
Passport alerts slowly for awhile and then
abruptly jumps to a strong alert.
16
Interpreting Alerts
Alert
Explanation
Passport alerts intermittently. Rate and
strength of alerts may be consistent or vary
wildly.
A patrol car is travelling in front of you with a
radar source aimed forward. Because signals
are sometimes reflected off of large objects
and sometimes not, the alerts may seem
inconsistent.
Passport alerts intermittently. Rate and
strength of signal increases with each alert.
A patrol car is approaching from the other
direction, “sampling” traffic with instant-on
radar. Such alerts should be taken seriously.
Passport gives an X-band alert intermittently.
You are driving through an area populated
with radar motion sensors (door openers,
burglar alarms, etc.) Since these transmitters
are usually contained inside buildings or aimed
toward OR away from you, they are typically
not as strong or lasting as a real radar
encounter.
CAUTION: Since the characteristics of these
alerts may be similar to some of the preceding
examples, overconfidence in an unfamiliar
area can be dangerous. Likewise, if an alert in
a commonly travelled area is suddenly stronger
or on a different band than usual, speed radar
may be set up nearby.
17
How Radar Works
How Radar Works
Trafficradar,whichconsistsofmicrowaves,
travels in straight lines and is easily re-
flectedbyobjectssuch ascars,trucks,even
guardrailsandoverpasses.Radarworksby
directing its microwave beam down the
road.Asyourvehicletravelsintorange,the
microwavebeambouncesoffyourcar,and
theradarantennalooksforthereflections.
Using the Doppler Principle, the radar
equipment then calculatesyour speed by
comparingthe frequencyofthe reflection
ofyourcarto the originalfrequencyofthe
beam sent out.
Traffic radarhaslimitations,the most
significant of these being that it typically
can monitor only one target at a time. If
thereismorethanonevehiclewithinrange,
it is up to the radar operator to decide
which target is producing the strongest
reflection.Since the strength ofthe reflec-
tion is affected by both the size of the
vehicle anditsproximitytothe antenna,it
isdifficult for the radar operator to deter-
mineifthesignalisfromasportscarnearby
orasemi-truckseveralhundred feetaway.
Radarrangealsodependsonthepower
ofthe radarequipmentitself.The strength
of the radar unit’s beam diminishes with
distance.Thefarthertheradarhastotravel,
the lessenergyit hasfor speed detection.
Because intrusion alarmsand motion sen-
sorsoften operate on the same frequency
as X-Band radar, your Passport willocca-
sionallyreceive non-police radar signals.
SincetheseX-Bandtransmittersareusually
contained inside ofbuildingsoraimed to-
ward the ground, theywillgenerallypro-
duce much weaker readings than will a
trueradarencounter.Asyoubecomefamil-
iarwith thesourcesofthesepseudoalarms
in your daily driving, they will serve as
confirmationthatyourPassport’sradarde-
tection abilitiesarefullyoperational.
18
How Laser Works
How Laser (Lidar) Works
Laser speed detection is actually LIDAR
(LightDetectionAndRanging).LIDARguns
project abeam ofinvisible infrared light.
The signalisaseriesofveryshort infrared
lightenergypulseswhichmoveinastraight
line,reflectingoffyourcarandreturningto
the gun. LIDAR uses these light pulses to
measure the distance toavehicle.Speedis
thencalculatedbymeasuringhow quickly
these pulsesare reflected given the known
speed oflight.
LIDAR(orlaser)isanewertechnology
and isnot aswidespread asconventional
radar, therefore, you may not encounter
laser on a daily basis. And unlike radar
detection, laser detection is not prone to
“false”alarms. Because LIDARtransmitsa
much narrowerbeamthan doesradar,itis
much more accurate in itsabilityto distin-
guish between targets and is also more
difficulttodetect.ASARESULT,EVENTHE
BRIEFEST LASER ALERT SHOULD BE
TAKENSERIOUSLY.
There are limitationsto LIDARequip-
ment. LIDAR is much more sensitive to
weather conditions than RADAR, and a
LIDAR gun’s range will be decreased by
anything affecting visibility such as rain,
fog,orsmoke.ALIDARgun cannotoperate
through glassand it must be stationaryin
order to get an accurate reading. Because
LIDARmust have aclearline ofsight and is
subjecttocosineerror(aninaccuracywhich
increasesastheanglebetween thegun and
the vehicle increases)police typicallyuse
LIDAR equipment parallel to the road or
fromanoverpass.LIDARcanbeuseddayor
night.
19
How Safety Radar Works
How Safety Radar Works
There are two separate Safety Radar sys-
temsin limiteduse today:SafetyAlert,and
Safety Warning System (SWS). Both sys-
temsusemodifiedK-bandradarsignals.
Fromthefactory,yourPassportispro-
grammedwith safetyradardecodingOFF.
If Safety Radar is used in your area, your
Passport will display these signals as K
band radar signals instead ofsafetyradar
unlessyouusetheEZProgrammingtoturn
Passport’ssafetyradardecodingON.
The Safety Alert safety radar system
hasthree possible alerts:
Note: some of the safety messages
have been condensed, so each message
can bedisplayedon oneortwoscreenson
Passport’seightcharacterdisplay.
Since Safetyradar technologyisrela-
tivelynew andthe numberoftransmitters
inoperationisnotyetwidespread,youwill
not receive Safetysignals on a dailybasis
and should not be surprised to encounter
emergencyvehicles,roadhazardsandrail-
road crossings that are unequipped with
these transmitters and, therefore, fail to
provide a signal. As Safety transmitters
become more prevalent (the number of
operating transmitters is growing every
day), these Safety radar signals will be-
comemorecommon.
• SafetyVehicle
• RoadHazard
• Train Nearby
The SWS safety radar system has 64
possiblemessages(60currentlyallocated).
The SWSmessagesyour Passport can dis-
playare listed on the facingpage.
Formoreinformationanddetailsabout
SWS safety radar, visit their web site at
20
SWS Safety Radar Text Messages
SWS Text Messages
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
WorkZone
Road
Bridge
WorkCrew Highway
WorkCrew Utility
Detour
Truck
MustExit
Rtlane
CntrLane Closed
LeftLane Closed
Future
Police
Train
Low
BridgeUp
Bridge
RockSlid Area
School
Road
Sharp
Croswalk
Deer
Blind or Deaf Kid
SteepUse LowGear
Accident
PoorRoad Surface
Loading SchooBus
DontPass
Dangrous Intrsect
Emergncy Vehicle
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
HighWind
Severe
Closed
Closed
Weather
HeavyFog
Flooding
BridgIce
RoadIce
Dust
Sand
Blinding Snow
Future
RestArea
RestArea w/servic
24hrFuel
Insp Stn Open
Insp Stn Closed
Reduced Speed
Detour
Blowing
Blowing
9
Closed
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
use
use
Overpass
Wt Limit
Speed
HazMatls Exit
Enforced
Zone
Narrows
Curve
Expect
10 Min
20 Min
30 Min
1 Hour
Traffic TunRadio
Pay Toll
Trucks
Trucks
Future
Delay
Delay
Delay
Delay
Delay
Crossing
ExitRght
ExitLeft
use
EmergVeh Moving
Police
Pursuit
Oversize Vehicle
SloMovng Vehicle
Future
use
21
Troubleshooting
Problem
Passport beeps briefly at the same
location every day, but no radar
source is in sight.
Solution
•
An X-band motion sensor or intrusion alarm is located
within range of your route. With time, you will learn
predictable patterns of these signals.
Passport does not seem sensitive to
radar or laser.
•
Make sure that Passport’s radar antenna is not blocked by
windshield wipers and that the laser lens is not behind
tinted areas.
•
Determine if your vehicle has an Instaclear®, ElectriClear®
or solar reflective windshield which may deflect radar or
laser signals.
•
Passport may be in City Mode.
Passport did not alert when a police
car was in view.
•
VASCAR, (Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder)
a stopwatch method of speed detection, may be in use.
•
Officer may not have radar or laser unit turned on.
Passport did not provide a Safety
signal while within range of an
emergency vehicle.
•
Safety transmitters may not be commonly used in your
area.
Passport’s display is not working.
•
•
Press the Dim button to deactivate Dark Mode.
Passport’s audible alerts are less loud
after the first few alerts.
Passport is in AutoMute Mode. See page 6 for details.
Passport bounces or sags on
windshield.
•
Passport is not making contact with the windshield to
provide stability. While holding down Passport’s EasyMount
button, slide Passport further back toward the windshield so
that the back top edge makes firm contact.
Passport’s power-on sequence
reoccurs while you are driving.
•
A loose power connection or dirty lighter socket can
cause Passport to be briefly disconnected.
Your 14-year old son has changed all
10 of the EZ Programming options.
•
You can return all of the programming options to the
factory defaults by holding down the City, Dim, and Mute
buttons while you turn Passport on.
22
Troubleshooting
Problem
Passport will not turn on.
Solution
•
•
•
•
•
Check that both ends of the cord are properly connected.
Check that volume control is ON.
Check that vehicle ignition is ON.
Check that vehicle lighter socket is functional
Try Passport in another vehicle.
Passport feels very warm.
•
It is normal for Passport to feel warm.
Explanation of Displays
AD
Sensitivity control is in Automode, display is in Dark Mode (page 7)
Sensitivity control is in Highway mode, display is in Dark Mode (page 7)
Sensitivity control is in City mode, display is in Dark Mode (page 7)
Passport is in the Dark Mode, and is programmed for AllDark (page 7,14)
One of the many programming messages (pages 10-14)
HD
CD
No display
PilotHWY
WorkZone
Caution
One of the many Safety Radar messages (pages 20-21)
Passport has detected a Safety Radar Signal, but the signal isn’t yet strong
enough to decode the specific safetymessage (page 20-21)
X|
Passport hasbeen programmed in the ExpertMeterMode (page 8,9)
or K|
or KA| etc.
23
Service
Service Procedure
Out Of Warranty Repairs
If Your Pa sspor t ever needs ser vice,
plea se follow these simple steps:
For out of warranty repairs, include pre-
payment in the amount you were quoted
bythe Escort Customer Service Represen-
tative. If the detector has been damaged,
abusedormodified,therepaircostwillbe
calculated on a parts and labor basis. If it
exceeds the basic repair charge, you will
be contacted with aquotation.Ifthe addi-
tional payment is not received within 30
days(orifyounotifyusthatyouchoosenot
tohave yourPassportrepairedatthe price
quoted), your Passport will be returned,
without repair. Payment can be made by
check,moneyorderorcredit card.
1
Checkthe troubleshootingsection of
thismanual.Itmayhaveasolution toyour
problem.
2
Call us at 1-800-543-1608. We may be
abletosolveyourproblemoverthephone.
Ifthe problemrequiresthatyou sendyour
Passport to the factoryfor repair, we will
provideyouwith aServiceOrderNumber,
which must be included on the outside of
yourshippingbox.
Ma il Pa sspor t a nd Power Cor d To:
Enclose Th e Following Infor ma tion
With Your Pa sspor t :
ESCORT
•
•
•
•
YourServiceOrderNumber
Yournameandreturn address
Yourdaytimetelephonenumber
Adescription ofthe problem you are
experiencing.
CustomerServiceDepartment
Service Order Number ______________
5440 West Chester Road
West Chester, Ohio 45069
Foryourown protection,we recommend
that you ship your Passport postpaid and
insured. Insist on a proof of delivery and
keep the receipt until the return of your
Passport.
24
Warranty and Accessories
ESCORT One Year Limited Warranty
Accessories
ESCORTwarrantsyourPassportagainstall
defectsinmaterialsandworkmanship fora
period ofone (1)year from the date ofthe
originalpurchase,subjecttothefollowing
termsandconditions:
Thefollowingaccessoriesandreplacement
partsare available for Passport 7500.
Repla cement coiled cor d
Soft Ca r r ying Ca se
$14.00
$12.00
•
The sole responsibility of ESCORT
under this Warranty is limited to either
repairor,attheoptionofESCORT,replace-
mentofthePassportdetector.Thereareno
expressedorimpliedwarranties,including
those offitnessforaparticularpurpose or
merchantability,whichextendbeyondthe
face hereof.Some statesdo not allow limi-
tationson how longan implied warranty
lasts, so the above limitationsmaynot ap-
plyto you.
Sma r tCor d MuteDispla y
$29.95
Aspecialpower cord that hasapower-on
indicator,abright alert light that warnsof
radarorlaser,and aconvenient mute but-
ton right on the plug.
It’s the perfect addition for any car
where reachingthe detector mute button
on the windshield is a stretch. And for
discreet night driving, put Passport in the
DarkMode,andusetheSmartCordforyour
visual alerts. Other cars won’t know you
have adetector.
Two versions are available: A
SmartCord that plugs into your lighter
socketandhasacoiledcord(shown),and
aDirect-wire SmartCord module that you
wire into your electricalsystem,with an 8
footstraightcordtoroutetoyourPassport.
•
ESCORTisnotliableforanyincidental
orconsequentialdamages arisingfromthe
use,misuse,ormountingofthe Passport .
Some statesdo not allow the exclusion or
limitation ofincidentalor consequential
damages,sotheabovelimitation orexclu-
sion maynot applyto you.
•
ThisWarrantygivesyouspecificrights.
Youmayhaveotherlegalrightswhichvary
from state to state.ThisWarrantydoesnot
applyiftheserialnumberonthehousingof
the Passport hasbeen removed,or ifyour
Passport has been subjected to physical
abuse,improper installation,ormodifica-
tion.
25
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