Decatur Electronics RAILMASTER-VP User manual

RAILMASTER-VP™ USER’S MANUAL
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Decatur Electronics, Inc.
715 Bright Street
Decatur, IL 62522
USA/Canada800.428.4315
Intl217.428.4315
Fax [phone]
www.decaturradar.com
Rev. 11/02 Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 Decatur Electronics, Inc.
RAILMASTER-VP™
USER’S MANUAL
Certified ISO 9001

RAILMASTER-VP™ USER’S MANUAL
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WELCOME TO DECATUR ELECTRONICS
Thank you for choosing this Decatur Electronics product—a highly
advanced radar system that will reward your department with
years of dependable service. The railmaster-VP™ design
incorporates high performance and long range, with many leading
features.
We urge you to study this manual before using the railmaster-VP,so
you can maximize the benefits of this sophisticated radar device.
Its digital signal processor (DSP) gives the device advanced
capabilities unseen by many users. If you are as pleased with its
performance as we think you will be, ask your Decatur sales
representative about other Decatur products. Try any one of our
products and see if you don’t agree that it is best-in-class!
—The management and staff at Decatur Electronics,
the nation’s oldest radar company

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to the Railmaster-VP™ .............................. 6
About this Manual ............................................................. 6
1. Quick Start..................................................................... 6
1.1 Initial Set Up ........................................................ 6
1.1.1 Insert the Batteries ..................................... 6
1.1.2 Control Panel Functions ............................ 7
1.1.3 Trigger Operation ....................................... 8
1.1.4 Measuring a Target Speed ........................ 8
2. Components ................................................................ 9
2.1 Batteries .............................................................. 9
2.1.1 Removing Batteries ................................... 10
2.1.2 Battery Charger ........................................ 10
2.2 Controls .............................................................. 11
2.2.1 Mode and Select ...................................... 11
2.2.2 Power ........................................................ 11
2.3 Display ................................................................ 12
2.4 Trigger Operation ................................................. 12
2.5 Mounting Configurations ..................................... 12
3. Operating Modes ......................................................... 13
3.1 Primary Menu ...................................................... 13
3.1.1 Backlight (bL)............................................. 13
3.1.2 Speed Sensitivity Level (SEn) ..................... 13
3.2 Secondary Menu ................................................. 13
3.2.1 Speed Range (Sr) ....................................... 14
3.2.2 Speed Units (Su) ........................................ 14
3.2.3 Serial Output Mode (Prt) ............................ 14
3.2.4 Speed Hold Time (ht) ................................. 14
4. Serial Output Mode ...................................................... 15
5. Performance Tips ......................................................... 16
5.1 How Radar Works ............................................... 16
5.2 Interference Sources and Remedies .................. 16
5.2.1 Angular Interference
(Cosine Error Effect) .............................. 17

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5.2.2 Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) ........ 18
5.2.3 Feedback Interference ............................ 18
5.2.4 Large Objects ......................................... 19
5.2.5 Multi-Path Beam Cancellation ................. 19
5.2.6 Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) ....... 19
5.2.7 Scanning ................................................. 20
6. Field Tests ..................................................................... 21
6.1 Tuning Fork Test ................................................... 21
7. Care, Cleaning, and Storage ........................................ 23
8. Specifications ............................................................... 24
8.1 Power Consumption Parameters ......................... 24
9. Legal Requirements ..................................................... 25
9.1 FCC Document .................................................... 25
10. Troubleshooting .......................................................... 26
10.1 Device Will Not Power Up ................................... 26
10.2 Radar Has Poor Range ..................................... 26
10.3 Low Battery (BAT) .............................................. 26
10.4 Error (Err) .......................................................... 26
11. Service ....................................................................... 27
11.1 Warranty ............................................................ 27
11.2 Service Return Procedure ................................. 27
11.3 Maintenance and Repair Record ....................... 29
12. How to Order Additional Products ............................... 30
User Notes ....................................................................... 31
Index .................................................................................. 32

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Introduction to the Railmaster-VP™
The Railmaster-VP™is a cordless, hand-held radar gun that comes
with a Black & Decker®interchangeable battery system. The
radar gun contains an antenna and transceiver for transmitting
and receiving K-band frequencies. The exclusive Digital Signal
Processing (DSP) algorithms in the Railmaster-VP use these
frequencies to obtain target vehicle speeds, which appear in the
display window.
About This Manual
Note the following symbols in this manual.
indicates a warning message about safety precautions.
Please read it carefully.
indicates a helpful tip or precaution to note.
1. Quick Start
If you are already familiar with radar tracking devices, you will
probably want to follow the quick start instructions.
1.1 Initial Set Up
1.1.1 Insert the Batteries
Remove the Black & Decker®VersaPakTM*
batteries from their package and charge them
according to the VersaPakTM instruction sheet
(see Section 2.1.2, Battery Charger, for more
about using the battery charger). After charging
the batteries, insert them into the handle grip,
as Figure 1.1.1 shows.
* VersaPak™is a registered trademark of the Black & Decker®Company.

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Figure 1.1.1 Insert the batteries into the handle grip.
Push the batteries into the receptacles in the
bottom of the handle until you hear them snap
into place.
After you insert the batteries, press the POWER
button. The Railmaster-VPwill run a display test,
show the results (8.8.8), flash the backlight in
the speed display window, then the display will
blank.
1.1.2 Control Panel Functions
The faceplate control panel consists of three
buttons, MODE, SELECT, and POWER for
controlling the settings in two menus, the
primary and secondary.Pressing the MODE
button displays the primary menu options. Press
SELECT after you press MODE to select a primary
menu option.
MODE
When you first press MODE after powering up,
the backlight (bL) setting appears. Press SELECT
to turn the backlight setting on or off.

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SELECT
Press MODE again, SEn displays. Then press the
SELECT button to select a sensitivity level (1
through 5, one is the least sensitive and five is
the most sensitive, for tracking distant objects.)
POWER
The POWER button turns the device on and off.
If the SELECT button is pressed during power up, the
system will reset to factory default.
1.1.3 Trigger Operation
The spring-loaded trigger controls the radar
signal transmission and speed-lock feature. To
transmit the radar signal to begin speed
measurements, pull the trigger once. When
released, the trigger button remains in the
pressed position. To stop transmitting the radar
signal and receivingspeed measurements, pull
and release the trigger. This locks the speed in
the display window and flashes it every 1/2
second. The locked speed flashes until you pull
the trigger to clear the display.
1.1.4 Measuring a Target Speed
Aim the Railmaster-VPat a moving target,
then pull the trigger. The Railmaster-VP
transmits a signal, then you will see the speed of
the vehicle in the display window that is
returning the strongest signal. To lock the
speed, pull and release the trigger. The current
speed will blink on and off, and the system will
no longer track the target. To clear the locked
speed, pull and release the trigger again.

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2. Components
2.1 Batteries
The Railmaster-VP comes with a Black & Decker®
interchangeable battery system: two nickel-cadmium
(NiCd), silver label, 3.6-volt VersaPakTM batteries and a
two-port AC auto charger (part number P702-VP135).
For increased runtime, you can use nickel metal
hydride (NiMH), gold label, VersaPak™batteries. For
increased runtime, you can also use nickel metal
hydride (NiMH), gold lavel, VersaPak™batteries with
the radar gun. Please read all the instructions and
warnings on the VersaPak™instruction sheet to en-
sure proper use and storage of your batteries.
Use the battery caps provided with the batteries to store
or carry them, so metal objects can not contact the
exposed metal end (keys, coins, etc.) Remember to
remove the caps before placing the batteries in the
charger or the Railmaster-VP.
If the device is idle for 30 minutes, it automatically
powers down to save the batteries. The batteries have a
minimum life of 300 charge cycles. You can purchase
additional batteries at hardware stores and from
Decatur Electronics.
•When the device is transmitting, it consumes roughly three
times as much power from the battery than when it is not
transmitting. Keep this in mind to maximize the time until
you need to recharge the batteries.
•The device draws power from the batteries even when the
power is off. When you are not using the device for
extendedperiods,removethebatteriesto save the charge.

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WARNINGS
•IMPORTANT: Do not combine a NiCd (silver label)
battery with a NiMH (gold label) battery pack in the
same gun. It can damage the batteries.
•IMPORTANT: Using batteries that have mismatched
voltages, such as one battery fully charged and
another with low voltage can cause the device to
incorrectly power up.
•Never attempt to open a battery. If the housing
breaks or cracks, immediately discontinue its use,
and do not recharge it.
•Do not incinerate the batteries. They can explode.
If you have problems or questions about your batteries,
contact Decatur Electronics, 800.428.4315, Black &
Decker®at 800.54.HOWTO.
2.1.1 Removing Batteries
To remove the batteries, press the red button
with your thumb while pulling on the battery
with your fingers.
2.1.2 Battery Charger
Charge the batteries with only the VersaPakTM
battery charger. It is normal for the charger
to hum and for the batteries and charger to
become warm while charging. If a battery does
not charge properly, check the receptacle to see if
it is working or move it somewhere with an air
temperature between +40°F and +105°F. Unplug
the charger when it is not in use.

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2.2 Controls
The faceplate control panel consists of three buttons
MODE, SELECT, and POWER for navigating in two
menus, the primary and secondary.
Figure 2.2 The control panel
2.2.1 Mode and Select
The MODE and SELECT buttons let you select
options in a primary and secondary menu. To
access the primary menu press MODE to see each
option, then press SELECT to see the setting
choices for the option. To access secondary
menu options, press and hold the SELECT
button, then press MODE to see each option.
When you see the option you want to change,
press the SELECT button until you see the
setting for the option that you want. To select
the setting, display it in the window until the
system times out. (See section 3 Operating Modes
for more on the menus and available options.)
2.2.2 Power
The POWER button turns the device on and off.
If the select button is pressed on during power up, the
system will reset to the factory default settings.

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2.3 Display
The Railmaster-VP speed window (status indicator)
displays the target speed readings, error messages, and
mode indictors such as sensitivity levels.
2.4 Trigger Operation
The spring-loaded trigger controls the radar signal
transmission and speed-lock feature. To transmit the
radar signal to begin speed measurements, pull the
trigger once. When released, the trigger button remains
in the pressed position. To stop transmitting the radar
signal and receiving speed measurements, pull and
release the trigger. This locks the speed in the display
window. The display window will show the locked speed
and flash it every 1/2 second. The locked speed flashes
until you pull the trigger to clear the display.
2.5 Mounting Configurations
The Railmaster-VP is compatible with large display signs,
which display vehicle target speeds. Also, you can
mount it to a standard tripod. To order tripods, see
section 12 How to Order Additional Products.

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3. Operating Modes
The control panel on the Railmaster-VP has two menus, the
primary and secondary. The primary menu is the main
operating mode, which you will work in most of the time. The
secondary menu is for adjusting settings to save as a new
default.
3.1 Primary Menu
To select options in the primary menu, press the MODE
button to see each option, then press the SELECT button
to view the choices for the option. To select an option
setting, simply display it in the display window until the
system times out.
3.1.1 Backlight (bL)
The Railmaster-VP has a backlight LCD is for use
at night. Press the MODE button. When bL is in
the display window, press the SELECT button to
turn the backlight on or off.
3.1.2 Speed Sensitivity Level (SEn)
When you press MODE again, SEn displays.
While SEn is displaying, press the SELECT button
to choose a sensitivity level, from 1 to 5. One is
the least sensitive, and five is the most sensitive
for the most distant objects.
3.2 Secondary Menu
To access secondary mode options, press and hold
the SELECT button, then press MODE to see each option.
When you see the option you want to change, press the
SELECT button until you see the setting that you want
for that option. To select the setting, display it in the
window until the system times out.

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3.2.1 Speed Range (Sr)
To set the speed range, select Sr. You can set the
speed range to 0, 1, or 2, which are
Speed Range MPH KPH KNOTS
0: Tenths Display 1.0 -> 75.9 1.5 -> 99.9 1.0 -> 65.9
1: Whole Display 1 -> 75 1 -> 120 1 -> 65
2: Whole Display 3 -> 320 5 -> 500 3 -> 275
3.2.2 Speed Units (Su)
The Railmaster-VP records speeds in mph or kph.
Select the speed units (Su). The options are 0, 1,
or 5, which represent
0: MPH
1: KPH
5: KNOTS
3.2.3 Serial Output Mode (Prt)
Prt is the serial output mode option. You can set
the mode to the one of the following options (0, 2,
or 3):
0: No serial output
2: Unitec Sign Protocol
3: 9600 baud 8:n:1 [hundreds][tens][ones][.][tenths]
3.2.4 Speed Hold Time (ht)
The speed hold time (ht) options are 0through 10,
which represent the number of seconds that the
device will hold a target speed if no new speed is
recorded to replace it.

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4. Serial Output Mode
The Railmaster-VP enables RS232 communications through
the port located on the side panel of the device. The
communication port lets you connect and transmit data to
Decatur’s large display signs, in-car video, and PC where you
can report and analyze speed data. To connect to a PC, plug a
Decatur Electronics custom RS232 communications cable
(part number S769-100) into the device and the serial
communications port on your PC. (You can purchase this
cable from Decatur Electronics, see section 12 How to Order
Additional Products.)

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5. Performance Tips
Understanding potential radar interference and what to do
when it occurs can greatly increase the radar’s performance.
5.1 How Radar Works
Determining a vehicle’s speed, begins with the radar
antenna transmitting and directing a beam of microwave
energy (radio waves) at an approaching (or departing)
target vehicle. When energy from this beam strikes a
moving vehicle, a small amount of the beam is reflected
back to the antenna. The reflected signal frequency shifts
by an amount proportional to the speed of the target
vehicle. This is known as the Doppler effect. The radar
device then determines the target vehicle’s speed from the
difference in frequency between the reflected and
transmitted signal.
5.2 Interference Sources and Remedies
When properly installed and operated, Doppler radar
technology is extremely accurate and reliable. However,
variations in the environment can cause situations and
circumstances, which can cause spurious (erratic and
unusually low or high) speeds to display. Signs that a
speed is spurious can include the following
characteristics:
•A reading appears when no target vehicle is in the
operational range of the antenna.
•A target vehicle enters the operational range
overrides the interference signal, causing the displayed
speed to change suddenly to the vehicle’s speed.
•Speeds are irregular and do not provide a valid
traffic history.

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5.2.1 Angular Interference (Cosine Error Effect)
The cosine effect causes the system to display a
speed, which is lower than the actual vehicle
speed. This condition exists when the target
vehicle’s path is not parallel to the antenna,
including conditions such as the vehicle traveling
on a curve or a hill.
As the angle between the beam of the antenna
and the target vehicle increases, the displayed
speed decreases. Ideally, an angle of 0° is
preferable, because the displayed speed is the
actual target vehicle speed. However, in all uses
of police radar, the radar device is always at a
slight angle to the target vehicle to avoid
collisions.
Figure 5.2.1 An angle between the antenna and the target
vehicle causes the cosine effect.

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The following table shows the effect that an
increasing angle has on a displayed speed.
Horizontal angle degrees:
0° 1° 3° 5° 10° 15° 20° 30° 45° 60° 90°
Actual
speed: Displayed speeds:
30 mph 30 29 29 29 29 28 28 26 21 15 0
40 mph 40 39 39 39 39 38 37 34 28 20 0
50 mph 50 49 49 49 49 48 46 43 35 25 0
60 mph 60 59 59 59 59 57 56 51 31 30 0
70 mph 70 69 69 69 68 67 65 60 49 35 0
80 mph 80 79 79 79 78 77 75 69 57 40 0
Table 5.2.1 Actual and displayed speeds at different
antenna-to-target angles
Small angles (less than 10°) have little effect on
accuracy. As the angle increases, the displayed
speed decreases. At 90°, the target speed is 0
mph—grossly incorrect.
5.2.2 Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
Operating motors can produce EMI. EMI from
power seats or windshield wipers can also
produce spurious target speeds. To correct this
type of interference, simply turn off its source.
5.2.3 Feedback Interference
When you direct the radar beam at laptop
computer screens, streetlights, and other
electronic devices, the radar gun can display
spurious speeds. To correct this type of
interference, relocate the radar antenna.

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5.2.4 Large Objects
The Railmaster-VP detects a wide range of objects.
When an object is large, it is easy for the system
to “see” it as the target. However, when a large
target, such as a moving train, is not present,
the Railmaster-VP will “see” smaller objects. The
Railmaster-VP low sensitivity level can detect
light, rain, insects, birds, and walking people.
(See section 3.1 Primary Menu, for how to adjust
sensitivity levels). When the system is “seeing” a
small object, the displayed speeds will be erratic.
Then when a large target moves in front of the
radar, the system will display the speed of it
instead of the smaller targets. If the system
displays speeds for no obvious target, direct the
radar at a large moving object or perform one of
the tests described in section 6 Field Tests to
verify that the device is working properly.
5.2.5 Multi-Path Beam Cancellation
If multi-path beam cancellation occurs, the target
vehicle speed sporadically blinks and reappears
at semi-random intervals. This type of
interference occurs when the radar loses track of
a target vehicle, because the target is reflecting
two or more signals, which are interfering with
each other. The Railmaster-VP is immune to
multi-path cancellation.
5.2.6 Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)
The system can inadvertently process radio
energy as Doppler speeds, including that from
airport radar, microwave transmission towers,
CB radio transmitters, and AM/FM transmission
towers. For this type of interference to occur, the
radar unit must be operating very close to the
radio transmitter.

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The Railmaster-VP contains an RFI detection
circuit that detects excess radio frequency
energy. When stray radio frequency energy
reaches an excessive level, the system
displays an RFI message and stops
processing and displaying speeds. The
system resumes normal operation when the
RFI condition no longer exists. At that time,
any locked speeds will display again.
5.2.7 Scanning
The Railmaster-VP is designed to use while
attached to a solid mount or hand-held in a
steady position. Moving or “scanning” the
antenna past stationary objects can cause the
system to detect motion. Obtaining a speed
reading from scanning will not happen when
you properly use the radar and is considered
deliberate misuse of the system.