JAMAR Technologies Black Cat II User manual

i
Black Cat II
Radar Recorder
User’s Manual
JAMAR
Technologies, Inc.

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
ii

iii
LIMITED WARRANTY
JAMAR Technologies, Inc. warrants the Black Cat II Radar Recorder against
defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year limited warranty
on parts and one (1) year limited warranty on labor from the date of purchase. For
information on extended warranty call 1-800-776-0940.
JAMAR Technologies, Inc. warrants each new instrument manufactured by the
company to be free from defective material and workmanship and agrees to remedy
any such defect. At its option, it may furnish a new part in exchange for any part
of any instrument of its manufacture which, under normal installation, use and
service discloses such defect. The instrument must be returned to our factory or
authorized service agent intact, for examination, with all transportation charges
prepaid.
This warranty does not extend to any products which have been subject to misuse,
neglect, accident, vandalism or incorrect wiring not our own. This warranty
does not extend to damage caused by improper installation in disregard of the
instructions furnished by us. This warranty does not extend to products which have
been repaired or altered outside our factory or authorized service agent. There is a
90 day warranty on the rechargeable battery of the Black Cat II Radar Recorder.
In no event shall JAMAR Technologies, Inc. be liable for any damages arising from
the use of this product including damages arising from the loss of information.
This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied and no
representative or person is authorized to assume for us any other liability in
connection with the sale or use of our products.
JAMARTechnologies, Inc. reserves the right to make improvements on the product
and/or specifications at any time without notice.
Questions concerning this warranty or any JAMAR Technologies, Inc. product
should be directed by mail or telephone to:
JAMAR Technologies, Inc.
1500 Industry Road, Suite C
Hatfield, PA 19440
215-361-2244
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This manual is copyrighted. All rights are reserved. This document may not
be, in whole or part, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any
electronic medium or machine readable form without prior consent, in writ-
ing, from JAMAR Technologies, Inc.
Copyright 2020 by JAMAR Technologies, Inc.

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
iv
Volume 3.3 February 2020
If you have any questions about the Black Cat II Radar Recorder that you
cannot find answers for in this manual, there are several ways to get ad-
ditional information.
For the latest support information on the Black Cat II Radar Recorder,
please visit our web site at:
www.jamartech.com/blackcatradarsupport.html
Support is also available by e-mail at:
[email protected]
Support is also available by phone at:
1-215-361-2244
Monday — Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time

v
Technical Support .................................................................. iv
Quick Setup Guide for the Black Cat II Radar Recorder............................ vi
Chapter 1 – Introduction ................................................................ 1-1
What is the Black Cat II Radar Recorder? ........................................ 1-2
How is the Black Cat II Radar Recorder Powered? .......................... 1-3
Before You Begin ................................................................ 1-4
Chapter 2 – Site Installation ................................................................ 2-1
Installation ................................................................ 2-2
Selecting a Site ................................................................ 2-2
Mounting the Black Cat II Radar Recorder................................2-3
Chapter 3 – Programming the Radar Head ................................................ 3-1
Connecting the Black Cat II Radar to Your Computer ...................... 3-2
Connecting the Black Cat II Radar - USB Port.......................... 3-2
Connecting the Black Cat II Radar - Wireless Bluetooth........... 3-5
Connecting the Black Cat II Radar - Remote GSM Modem...... 3-6
Setting Up a Study ................................................................ 3-9
LiveView .............................................................. 3-11
Chapter 4 – Downloading Data ................................................................ 4-1
Downloading Data ................................................................ 4-2
Chapter 5 – Battery Care .................................................................5-1
Maintaining Your Battery ................................................................ 5-2
Battery Charging ................................................................ 5-2
Additional Notes ................................................................ 5-4
Appendix ................................................................A-1
Specifications ............................................................... A-2
Table of Contents

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
vi
Quick Setup Guide for the
Black Cat II Radar Recorder
1. Install the STARnext software for use with the Black Cat II Radar Re-
corder, following the instructions that came with the software.
2. Check the battery voltage of the battery to be used for your study. If the
charge is sufficient (13.4 or higher), connect the battery to the Black Cat
II Radar Recorder.
3. Install the Recorder in the field, following the directions in Chapter 2.
For the best results, the Black Cat II Radar Recorder should be installed:
• Six to ten feet back from the road.
• At least six feet above the ground.
• At a 45 degree angle to the flow of traffic.
• Where the far side lane is no greater than 50 feet away.
• Where traffic is free flowing.
The unit should not be installed:
• At an intersection.
• Near where vehicles are likely to park.
• In a position that causes the radar head to be at an extreme angle.
• Near where pedestrians are likely to be crossing.
• Where the Radar's "view" is obstructed.
4. Use the STARnext software to setup the Black Cat II Radar Recorder as
described in Chapter 3. Use the Real Time feature of the software to check
that data is being recorded properly.
5. Leave the Black Cat II Radar Recorder to record data for the time period
you would like. A fully charged battery will record data for approximately
6 days.
6. Download the data using the STARnext software.
7. Use the STARnext software to view your data and produce reports.

1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction
Chapter 1 — Introduction

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
1-2
What is the Black Cat II Radar Recorder?
The Black Cat II Radar Recorder is an automatic traffic data collector dis-
tributed by JAMAR Technologies, Inc. It is designed for ease of use, but
contains many options and features to provide comprehensive traffic data
collection. This device is a non-invasive data collector that uses radar to
gather highly accurate traffic data, which means there is no need to install
any road tubes, loops or other type of sensor in the road.
With the Black Cat II Radar Recorder, you can gather data that includes
vehicle speed, length, gap and volume. At any convenient time, you can
transfer the data from the Black Cat II Radar Recorder to your computer
for processing. Data can be collected for either bidirectional roads or two
lanes going the same direction. The Black Cat II Radar Recorder contains
2 GB of memory, allowing you to record up to 200,000,000 vehicles.
The head unit of the Black Cat II Radar Recorder contains several con-
nection ports and LED lights with which you should familiarize yourself.
These are shown below.
12 V Battery
Connection Port
Bluetooth
Antenna Port
Display
LEDS
USB Mini Setup
& Download
Port
Power On\Wake
Button
Cellular GSM Modem
Antenna Port (Optional)

1-3
Display LEDs
Alarm Indicator – This light illuminates during boot-up. It also illuminates
when a fault is detected. Wait for this light to go off before attempting to
connect to the STARnext Software.
Run/Vehicle Indicator – This is normally ON, and flashes off when a
vehicle is detected.
Busy Indicator– The Busy Indicator alone, or in conjunction with theAlarm
Indicator, indicates the unit is conducting a firmware update.
USB Indicator – This indicates that the Black Cat II is connected to a
computer using the Mini USB port.
*The Display LEDs may time out after approximately 1 minute. Simply
push the Wake button to again see the indicators.
Power On\View Button
This button is multi-functional. Pressing the button will activate the indica-
tors for a period of approximately 1 minute. If the button is pressed and
held for approximately 10 seconds, it will shut down the Black Cat II Radar
Recorder. Pressing it again will restart it.
How is the Black Cat II
Radar Recorder Powered?
The Black Cat II Radar Recorder is powered by a 12 Volt rechargeable
battery. The standard battery used with the device is a 12V 12A lead acid
battery. In general, a fully charged battery (13.4 volts or higher) will record
data for 6 to 10 days before needing to be recharged. The amount of time
is generally based on whether or not the Power Saving option is enabled.
The battery voltage can be seen when the unit is connected to the STARnext
Software.
An optional solar panel is also available for long-term installations.
When the Black Cat II Radar Recorder is first shipped to you the battery is
disconnected and will need to be connected before first use. We recommend
that you check the voltage level of the battery when it is first connected.
Chapter 1 — Introduction

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
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A fully charged battery should register at 13.4 or higher. If your battery
is lower than this, we recommend that you charge it before the first use.
Note that the Black Cat II will not turn on if the battery voltage is below
12.0. Also note that the Black Cat II will stop collecting data once the
battery falls to 11.2 volts.
We recommend that you disconnect the battery whenever the Black Cat II
Radar Recorder is not in the field collecting data.
Keeping your battery properly charged is very important. The rechargeable
battery will begin to decay and become less effective if it is allowed to fall
below 11.0 volts. To avoid having to replace your battery prematurely,
keep it consistently charged. A well-maintained battery will last for years
without having to be replaced. Refer to Chapter 5 Battery Care for more
information on battery maintenance.
Before You Begin
Before you attempt to collect important data with the Black Cat II Radar
Recorder we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with both the
operation of the Black Cat II Radar Recorder, and the software that is used
with it, by reading all of the documentation that came with the equipment.
Whenever possible, we recommend that you perform a test study if you
are new to the Black Cat II Radar Recorder. This will help you become
comfortable with the operation of the equipment and how the data is both
collected and analyzed. This should make things easier for you when you
have to do your first real study.

2-1
Chapter 2
Site
Installation
Chapter 2 — Site Installation

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
2-2
Installation
Before going to the site to install the Black Cat II Radar Recorder, check
that you have the following items from the installation kit:
You will also need a standard flat-head screwdriver or 5/16 inch nut driver
(not included with kit) to tighten the mounting clamp.
Check that your laptop is fully charged, has the latest version of the
STARnext software installed, and that the date and time on the laptop are
correct. You will synchronize the Black Cat II Radar Recorder's time and
date to that of the laptop during setup.
Selecting a Site
When choosing a location to install the Black Cat II Radar Recorder, keep
in mind that it will need to be mounted to a pole (typically a utility pole) or
tree, so the site will need to have one of these available for use.
For the best results, the Black Cat II Radar Recorder should be installed:
• Six to ten feet back from the road.
• At least six feet above the ground.
• At a 45 degree angle to the flow of traffic.
• Where the far side lane is no greater than 50 feet away.
• Where traffic is free flowing.
The unit should not be installed:
• At an intersection.
• Near where vehicles are likely to park.
• In a position that causes the radar head to be at an extreme angle.
• Near where pedestrians are likely to be crossing.
• Where the Radar's "view" is obstructed.
ChainPole mounting bracket Locks with keys
Clamp Bands

2-3
Mounting the Black Cat II Radar Recorder
Once a site has been selected, the Black Cat II Radar Recorder can be
easily mounted using the installation kit.
Step #1 - Thread the SnapLock clamp bands through the openings on
the pole bracket.
Step #2 - For the most accurate results, the bracket should be installed
so the Black Cat II Radar Recorder is facing traffic on a 45 degree angle.
IMPORTANT: The
area of the Black Cat
II Radar Recorder
that you are aiming
toward the road on
a 45 degree angle is
the crosshairs on the
front of the Radar
head, as shown in the
picture here.
Once you have determined the 45 degree angle for the bracket, wrap the
bands around the pole and place the bracket.
Chapter 2 — Site Installation

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
2-4
Step #3 - Snap down the screws on the clamp bands and tighten the
clamp with a flat-head screwdriver or 5/16 inch nut driver.
Step #4 - Insert the pegs on the back of the Black Cat II Radar Record-
er's mounting bracket into the large holes of the pole mounting bracket
and slide the Black Cat II Radar Recorder down to secure it in place.
Note that it is the front of the Black Cat II Radar Recorder that you are
aiming toward the road at a 45 degree angle.

2-5
Chapter 2 — Site Installation
Step #5 - Lock the unit into the mounting bracket using the hole at the
bottom of the bracket. Once the Black Cat II Radar Recorder has been
setup using the STARnext software (refer to the next chapter), close and
lock the lid. If you wish to add further security to the installation, the
chain that was provided with the recorder can be used. We recommend
wrapping the chain around the pole above the unit, then feeding the chain
down through the open in the bracket and locking it into place using the
lower lock hole of the radar's case.

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
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Step #6 - Depending on how high you mount the Black Cat II, you
may need to tilt the unit so it is facing down into the traffic lane. This is
done by adjusting the bracket on the back of the Black Cat II. Loosen the
top bolt on the bracket (there is one on each side) using the provided hex
head allen wrench. Once loosened, the unit can be tilted down. The allen
wrench can then be used to retighten the bracket.

3-1
Programming the
Radar Head
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 — Programming the Radar Head

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
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Connecting the
Black Cat II Radar to Your Computer – USB Port
Once you have the Black Cat II Radar Recorder installed, it needs to be
programmed to record the data you want. To do this you'll need to connect
a USB cable from your computer to the Black Cat II's mini USB Port.
Note that BEFORE you connect your computer to the Black Cat II for the
first time, run the USB Driver Installation Program, which can be found on
the STARnext software flash drive.
STEP 1 – Open the case of the
Black Cat II Radar Recorder.
STEP 2 – Press the Wake button to
‘wake up’ the Black Cat II. The Run/
Vehicle light will be on when the
unit is awake. Note that you must
always ‘wake up’ the Black Cat II
before you connect when using the
USB cable.
STEP 3 – Once the Black Cat II is
awake, plug the USB cable into a
standard USB port on your com-
puter.
Connecting the
Black Cat II Radar to Your Computer
There are three ways to connect the Black Cat II Radar Recorder to your
computer:
• Direct hardwire USB connection.
• Local wireless Bluetooth connection.
• Remote GSM modem connection (optional).

3-3
Start the STARnext software on your laptop and select Setup from the Ac-
tions section of the Quick Start screen. You'll then see a screen showing the
different devices for setup. Select Black Cat Radar on the right.
Chapter 3 — Programming the Radar Head
STEP 4 – Plug the other end of the USB cable into the Mini USB port on
the Black Cat II. If the connection is successful the USB LED will light
on the Black Cat II.

Black Cat II Radar Recorder User’s Manual
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Once the Black Cat Radar Recorder Setup screen appears, select the COM
Port from the dropdown box and click the Connect button.
STARnext will at-
tempt to connect to
the Black Cat II Radar
Recorder and, if suc-
cessful, show the cur-
rent status of the unit.
Once connected, the
middle of the screen
will show the Counter
Info, which includes:
• Battery voltage – the current voltage of the battery. A fully charged
battery should be around 13V or higher. The Radar will not be able to
start if the voltage is below 12V.
• Primary firmware & Detector firmware number – updates for these
are posted periodically at www.jamartech.com.
• Count Type – defaulted to Per Vehicle
• Counter Status – this will be either Not Counting if no count is in
progress or Counting... if a count is in progress.
• Date/Time – this is the date & time current programmed in the unit.
You will be shown a warning that the date and time are not correct if they
are not within a minute of the computer’s date and time. This will be
automatically corrected the next time you upload settings to the unit.