Decatur Electronics Railmaster User manual

Railmaster™
User’s Manual
Rev 5-2-19

Table of Contents
Welcome to Decatur Electronics ...........................................6
About This Manual ....................................................7
1 Safety Information ....................................................7
2 Receiving Inspection ..................................................9
3 Getting Started ..................................................... 10
3.1 Introduction .....................................................10
3.2 Battery Charging................................................ 10
3.3 Removing The Battery Holder ................................... 10
3.4 Battery Installation.............................................. 11
3.5 Inserting The Holder Into The Railmaster™ ....................... 11
3.6 Charging The Batteries ...........................................12
3.7 Charging Status Indicator (LED) ................................. 13
3.8 Battery Run Time ............................................... 14
3.8.1 Auto Power O ................................................15
3.9 Replacing Batteries ............................................. 15
3.10 Connecting The Power Cord................................... 15
3.11 Plug In The Power Cord ....................................... 15
3.12 Control Panel Functions ...................................... 15
4 Components ........................................................ 15
4.1 Control Buttons................................................. 15
4.2 Display ..........................................................17
4.2.1 Number Segments.............................................17
4.2.2 Status Indicator Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 Trigger ..........................................................19
4.4 Mounting Conguration .........................................19
5 Operating Modes ....................................................19
5.1 Menu............................................................19
5.1.1 Backlight (bL)..................................................22
5.1.2 Sensitivity Level (SN)...........................................22
5.1.3 Serial Port (Pr) .................................................23
5.1.4 Speed Units (Su) ...............................................24
5.1.5 Power Down (Pd) ..............................................24
6 Performance Tips ....................................................25
6.1 How Radar Works ............................................... 25

6.2 Interference Sources and Remedies ............................. 25
6.2.1 Angular Interference (Cosine Eect) ........................... 26
6.2.2 Fan Interference .............................................. 27
6.2.3 Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) ............................ 27
6.2.4 Feedback Interference ........................................ 28
6.2.5 Multi-Path Beam Cancellation ................................. 28
6.2.6 Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) ............................ 28
6.2.7 Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.2.8 Vehicle Ignition Interference).................................. 29
7 Testing The Device ...................................................29
7.1 Self Test on Power Up ...........................................29
7.2 Tuning Fork Test ................................................30
8 Care, Cleaning, and Storage ......................................... 31
9 Specications ........................................................31
9.1 Antenna Parameters K-Band.....................................31
9.2 Environment....................................................32
9.3 Speed Range Parameters........................................32
9.4 Power Consumption Parameters ................................32
10 Legal Requirements ..................................................33
10.1 Documents .....................................................33
11 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ....................................34
12 Warranty.............................................................35
13 Service Return Procedure.............................................36
14 How to Order Additional Products ....................................37

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4
Welcome to Decatur Electronics, Inc.
Thank you for choosing this Decatur Electronics product — A highly
advanced radar unit that will reward you with years of dependable
service. The Railmaster™ incorporate high performance and long
range, with many leading features. We urge you to study this manual
before using the Railmaster™ so you can maximize the benets of
this sophisticated radar device. We believe you will be pleasantly
surprised by the features and advantages.
If you are as pleased with its performance as we think you will be,
ask your Decatur sales representative about other Decatur products
including the Genesis™ line of radars, the Onsite™ line of speed
trailers, dollies, and pole signs and the Responder™ line of in-car
video systems.
—The Management and Sta at Decatur Electronics,

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About This Manual
This manual contains valuable information to help you set up, use
and maintain your radar, so you can extend its life and keep it at peak
performance. Please take a moment to read through it, and keep it
handy for future reference.
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. Safety Information
All service needs should be referred back to the manufacturer.
WARNINGS
• Do not over voltage the radar - it can damage the unit!
See notes.
• When replacing batteries in the Railmaster™ you
should replace all 6 with new batteries even if you
suspect that only one cell is defective.
• Use rechargeable Nickle-Metal-Hydride batteries only.
• The Railmaster™ is designed to operate o of
conventional +12 VDC (10.8 to 16.5 VDC) from the
power cable. In addition the Railmaster™ is also
designed to operate at 7.2VDC from the internal
batteries. Over voltage to the power cables or incorrect
batteries can cause damage.

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• Opening the Railmaster™ (other than battery
replacement) automatically voids any warranty still in
eect. There are no user serviceable parts inside.
• Do not expose the Railmaster™ to excessive moisture.
Never submerge the device. Violation of these
guidelines may void the warranty.
• Do not drop the Railmaster™ on hard surfaces since
damage could occur. Units damaged by dropping or
abuse are not covered for warranty repair.

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2. Receiving Inspection
• When you receive your radar, inspect all components for
freight damage that might have happened during shipping or
unloading.
• Notify the freight company immediately of any damage,
preferably while the driver is present. Record the damage on the
bill of lading and keep a record of the problems or damage.
• The package should include the following pictured items along
with this User’s Manual.
Railmaster™ Radar Detachable power cable
Tuning Fork Batteries & Carry Case
battery holder (case style may vary)

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3. Getting Started
3.1 Introduction
The Railmaster™ is a stationary radar that allows you to track the
speed of targets approaching, receding, or moving in both directions
simultaneously.
3.2 Battery Charging
The Railmaster™ is designed to operate o of six (6) rechargeable
Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries (or o the DC power cord). When
you rst receive your radar, the batteries will need to be charged for
the rst time before using. Once batteries have been charged if you
do not use the Railmaster™ for 3-4 weeks, you will want to recharge
the batteries before use in order to get the full run time. To charge
batteries for the rst time or to replace the batteries following steps
3.6 to 3.7.
3.3 Removing the Battery Holder
The battery holder is located inside the handle of the Railmaster™
and is accessed by means of a sliding door. When rst received,
the holder should already have batteries installed, but if not then
you will need to remove the holder and loaded it with batteries. To
remove the battery holder slide the battery cover to the right until
the battery holder is released as shown in Figure 3.3. The door can be
completely removed from the slide.
Figure 3.3
Slide the battery door open.

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3.4 Battery Installation
Insert the batteries into the battery holder following the polarity
guide that is on the inside of the battery holder (Figure 3.4a.) Once
properly loaded the battery holder will look like the example in
Figure 3.4b
Figure 3.4b
Battery holder with batteries
Figure 3.4a
Battery holder
Notice that the negative side of each battery goes to the spring
contacts of the holder.
3.5 Inserting the Holder into the Railmaster™
The battery holder is designed so that it can only make contact with
the power connections inside the gun if the holder is slid into the
gun in the correct way. If you look closely at the holder you will see
that there is a positive and negative terminal on it. These need to be
inserted into the gun with the terminals located at the top as shown
in Figure 3.5.

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Figure 3.5
Insert batteries.
Once the batteries have been properly loaded into the holder and
the holder has been inserted into the handle of the gun then the
door can be put back in place and slid closed. If you have not already
charged the batteries using an optional NiMH charger, you are now
ready to charge the batteries using the power cable.
• If the holder has been placed incorrectly into the
handle the door can not be put back in place and
closed..
3.6 Charging the Batteries
The power cable that comes with the Railmaster™ can be used to
either power the Railmaster™ directly from your vehicle receptacle
(or portable battery pack) or to charge the Railmaster's™ batteries.
Once the batteries have been properly installed into the holder
and inserted into the handle plug the power cord into the power
connector at the base of the handle by aligning the red dot on the
power cord’s plug with the red dot on the connector. Failure to align
the plug with the connector properly will result in damage to the
pins of the jack. Reference gure 3.6 for proper alignment.

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Figure 3.6
Align the dots.
Next, plug the lighter plug into an active cigarette lighter receptacle
in the vehicle. The red led on the lighter plug should come on
showing that power is being applied to the Railmaster™. With
the Railmaster™ turned o, it will take approximately 2 hours to
fully charge the batteries. Turning the Railmaster™ on with the
cord plugged in will stop the charge cycle allowing the gun to be
operated from the power cord. Batteries do not charge when the gun
is turned on.
3.7 Charge Status Indicator (LED)
The status of the charge can be determined by the Charge Status
Indicator LED located on the bottom of the handle (See gure 3.7).
The table below denes the status.
Fast blinking green light = checking battery condition
Medium blinking green light = charging battery
Solid green light = charged
Solid red light = charging error

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Figure 3.7
Charge status indicator.
The normal charging sequence is fast blink for 60 seconds, medium
blink until batteries are fully charged (approximately 2 hours for fully
discharged batteries) and solid green once batteries are charged.
The gun can be left to charge indenitely. The charging circuit will
automatically shut o once charging is complete.
• The Railmaster™ must be OFF or the batteries will
not charge. You can not operate the Railmaster™ and
charge the batteries at the same time.
• Best performance from your batteries is obtained when
recharged at temperature between 50ºF (10ºC) and
113ºF (45ºC). Recharging outside of that temperature
range may result in reduced battery life or incomplete
charging..
3.8 Battery Run Time
How long the Railmaster™ can operate between recharges depends
upon several factors including the milliamp hour (mAh) capacity of
the batteries, age of the batteries, and how the Railmaster™ is used.
Generally a set of 6 new 2500 mAh batteries fully charged should run
for approximately 1 week between recharges given normal use.

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3.8.1 Auto Power O
If no trigger or key press is detected the Railmaster™ will
automatically power o after 30 minutes in order to conserve battery
life.
3.9 Replacing Batteries
When replacing the batteries with new ones remember to use only
rechargeable Nickel-Metal-Hydride batteries and to replace ALL the
batteries at the same time even if you suspect that only one battery is
bad. Follow the instructions listed in steps 3.2 through 3.7 for proper
installation and charging when replacing batteries.
3.10 Connecting the Power Cord
If you choose to run o the power cord instead of the internal
batteries, connect the power cord to the receptacle on the bottom
of the Railmaster™ being sure to properly align the plug on the
power cord to the connector on the bottom of the Railmaster™. The
Railmaster™ automatically will switch from the internal batteries to
the power cord for power when the unit is turned on.
3.11 Plug In the Power Cord
Plug the radar’s power cord into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter
receptacle. If you are using a separate battery pack as a power source,
plug the radar’s power cord into the battery pack’s receptacle.
3.12 Control Panel Functions
The operation of the Railmaster™ is controlled by the ve-button key
pad and the trigger.

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4. Components
4.1 Control Buttons
Figure 4.1
Faceplate (Display and Control Buttons)
MENU
The MENU button lets you view the options you can change.
Repeatedly pressing the MENU button advances through the
programmable features.
SEL
The select (SEL) button lets you choose the settings in each of the
menu options. To change a menu option, press the SEL button.
PWR
The PWR button turns the radar on and o. When rst powered on
the Railmaster™ will display the screen shown in Figure 4.1. When you
power the Railmaster™ o the word OFF will appear in the display
and the unit will power down.
RCL
When the recall button (RCL) is pressed the unit enters recall mode
and will display the last speed reading taken. The function is active if
the letter "r" appears on the left-hand side of the display.

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MODE
The MODE button lets you change the speed range that the radar
processes. Each time the radar is turned on it will power up in low
speed mode and speeds will be displayed in 10ths with a decimal
point showing in the display window. Pressing the Mode button will
switch the radar to high speed mode changing both the speed range
that radar will process and the resolution of the display.
Low speed mode processes speeds from 1.0 MPH (2.0 KM/H) to 75.0
MPH (122.0 KM/H). High speed mode processes speeds from 10 MPH
(20 KM/H) to 210 MPH (337 KM/H).
4.2 Display
4.2.1 Number Segments
The 5 large digits (88888) display the speed. Resolution is
determined by the placement of the decimal point. The icons
indicate the status.
4.2.2 Status Indicator Icons
When rst turned on the Railmaster™ performs a segment check of
the display to show that all segments and icons are working. The
following icons will appear at the top and bottom of the display
screen, however not all of the icons are for features used by the
Railmaster™. The icons that represent the features that are used by
the Railmaster™ describe the following conditions:
Figure 4.2.2a
Number segments and status indicator icons.

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POWER
When POWER appears, the power is on.
LOW BAT
The LOW BAT icon indicates that your vehicle’s battery (or your
separate battery pack) may be low on power. The system will not
transmit or display any new speeds while LOW BAT appears, and
if the system is displaying a locked speed, the speed will remain
locked.
XMIT
XMIT means the radar is transmitting.
HOLD
HOLD indicates the system is not transmitting.
MPH and KPH
The radar displays speeds in miles-per-hour (MPH) with the MPH
indicator appearing in the display or in kilometers-per-hour (KM/H)
with the KPH appearing in the display.
Once the segment check test is completed the display will show
the POWER, HOLD and the units of measure (MPH or KPH) icons
along with a dot ( • ) representing a decimal point indicating the
low speed mode is active. The Railmaster™ is now ready to use.
Figure 4.2.2b
The display showing the segment check test is completed
and the Railmaster™ is ready to use..

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4.3 Trigger
The radar transmits and receives microwave energy when you pull
the trigger. To measure the speeds pull and hold the trigger.
4.4 Mounting Congurations
The radar is designed for hand-held operation. Optionally, you can
mount it to a standard camera tripod.
5. Operating Modes
The MENU and SEL buttons on the Railmaster™ control panel lets
you review and change programmable settings. The radar gun will
remember the settings you last set when it is turned o and will
power up with them.
5.1 Menu
You can use the factory default settings or you can select your own
settings. To select a setting, repeatedly press the MENU button until
the setting you want to change appears. Then press the select (SEL)
button to advance through the selections for that setting. When you
have made your selection, release the button and your new settings
will be in eect. If neither MENU or SEL is pressed after 2 seconds, the
radar gun will return to normal operating mode, capturing whatever
settings you have selected to that point.
The menu options are:
• bl = Backlight (on/o)
• SN = Sensitivity (1-6 with 6 being maximum sensitivity)
• Pr = Serial port setting (0 - 7) See port selection Table 5.2
• Su = Units of measure (0 = MPH, 1 = KM/H)
• Pd = Automatic power down (on/o)

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Table 5.1 shows the menu choices that can be set.
Table 5.1
Menu Settings

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The Port settings are shown in the table below. Select the setting that
best ts your application.
Table 5.2
Port Selection Table
1 International Version Only

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An explanation of each the menu option follows:
5.1.1 Backlight (bL)
Use the backlight function to turn the Railmaster's™ display
backlight on or o. Turning the backlight o when not needed
saves battery power.
Figure 5.1.1
Backlight mode
5.1.2 Sensitivity Level (SN)
The sensitivity function lets you control the maximum target-
acquisition range. Sensitivity levels range from 1 through 6 (1 is
o, 2 is the minimum range, and 6 is the maximum range.) You will
normally want to start with the maximum range and decrease it
until you attain the desired performance level.
Figure 5.1.2
Sensitivity Mode