Kidpower 63-1130 Quicksilver Radar Gun User Manual Principles of Operation
Kidpower Inc Quicksilver Radar Gun Principles of Operation
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QUICKSILVER RADAR GUN INSTRUCTION MANUAL
DRAFT VERSION
Revised 8/2/01
Principles of Operation:
The Quicksilver Radar Gun is a microprocessor based computing device that uses a low power doppler
radar transceiver. The radar gun sends out a signal, which bounces off the object you are targeting and is
reflected back to the radar gun. A mixer provides the difference in the frequencies of the original sent
signal, and the signal that was reflected back. From the difference in signal, which is proportional to the
speed of the object, a microprocessor calculates the speed and displays it on the LCD screen in either MPH
(miles per hour) or KMH (kilometers per hour).
Operating Your Radar Gun
To register an object’s speed; the object must be coming toward or going away from the radar gun, please
reference figure. The radar gun will not read or will give a false reading on an object passing across the
front of the gun on a perpendicular path , please reference figure. The angle at which the object is coming
at, or going away from, the direction that the gun is pointing can affect the accuracy of the reading. Optimal
accuracy is achieved when the object when the object is moving on a line less than 10 degrees from the line
that the radar gun is pointing, please reference figure. For angles greater than this, the speed that is
displayed will be less than the actual object speed. At 30 degrees off the line on the gun, the displayed
speed will be about 87% of the actual speed. Size, shape and material of target object determine the range
and accuracy of the reading. Large, solid objects can be read up to 100 feet away. Smaller objects such as a
tennis ball or baseball have a range of 20 to 30 feet. When a speed is registered, the speed will be displayed
on the screen for 5 seconds. The speed will continue to be displayed for 4 to 5 seconds. The Quicksilver
Radar Gun is most accurate when measuring speeds in the range between 10 and 110 MPH.
Ghost Readings
The Quicksilver Radar Gun is a very sensitive piece of electronic equipment. You may occasionally notice
a speed reading in your display when there is no Target Object in sight, or you may see a speed that is
obviously incorrect. These readings are called Ghost Readings and are a result of one of three sources of
interference, detailed below. If you experience Ghost Readings, the best remedy is to reposition the radar
gun until it is pointing away from the source of interference.
1. Electrical Devices- Some radio and TV towers, walkie-talkies, fluorescent lights, laptop computers
and cellular phones can cause “ghost readings”.
2. Moving Objects- Sources include objects that move, spin, or vibrate such as fans or nearby road
traffic.
3. Vibration- Tapping or bumping the gun when it is trying to acquire a target can generate vibration
which the Radar Gun will perceive to be a target object.
Off/ Trigger/ Continuous
The power slide switch has three positions, Off, Trigger and Continuous. The two “On” positions are
described below:
Trigger- When in the “Trigger” mode, the Radar Gun will only record a speed when the trigger is pulled.
The speed will be displayed for 4 seconds.
Continuous- When in the “Continuous” mode, the Radar Gun is continually trying to acquire a speed.
When a speed is registered, it will be displayed for 5 seconds. A new speed cannot be acquired until the
previous speed is no longer displayed.
Auto Off
When in “Trigger” mode, the Radar Gun has been programmed to turn itself off after 1.25 minutes of
inactivity to maximize battery life. In order to re-set, the slide switch must be moved to the “Off” position,
then the gun may be turned back on.
Function Buttons
There are three function buttons, KMH/MPH, Filter, and Recall.
KM/MPH- This button switches the measurement between Kilometers per Hour (KMH) and Miles per
Hour (MPH). The unit of measure is displayed on the LCD screen as either KMH or MPH.
Filter- When the Filter option is shown, and the LCD screen displays the word “Filter”, the Radar Gun will
not register speeds less than 18 MPH, or 30 KMH. This function will prevent the Radar Gun from
mistakenly registering unintended targets. For instance, when throwing a baseball at close range, the Radar
Gun might register the speed of your arm moving before it registers the baseball. Having the Radar Gun in
“Filter” mode will prevent this from happening and insure that only the baseball speed is recorded.
Recall- Pressing the Recall button will display the last recorded speed.
Battery Replacement
The Radio Shack Radar Gun requires 6 type AAA (1.5V) batteries for operation. To replace batteries,
remove battery door retaining screw on the top side of the radar gun, and remove the battery compartment
cover. Follow the orientation instructions as engraved into the battery compartment.
FCC Compliance:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, persuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and , if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interfernce to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
-Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
-Increase the seperation between the equipment and the receiver.
-Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Note: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Kidpower, Inc. could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment.