Preliminary LabRadar Testing

[richardca99]

My guess is range has little to do with how much power you can supply but regulatory limits.

I would also think that a chrono that requires a generator will have a significantly diminished buyer population – remember, a lot of us like the LabRadar because it is easier to setup, but having to bring your generator to the range would take that in the opposite direction in a huge way...… :

This. I love my 35P, but I often don't take it to the range because of the hassle in setting it up. If this thing can sit on the edge of the bench and give me precise velocity out to 100 yards in hunting calibers, and I don't have to hassle with adding-machine paper, I'm sold. It's that simple. They appear to have revolutionized the end-user experience in chronographs, and you can bet they'll release firmware upgrades once they have sufficient user data back. I don't need to do long-range BC analysis; that's why I buy Brian's books.

For those of you who are disappointed, please cancel your pre-orders so that I can move up in the list.

 

[Gappmast]

All you get with the current crony's is a muzzle reading and all the setup hassle. Even if the LabRadar only gave muzzle readings I would be happy just to get away from the set up hassle.

 

[340 Wby]

Hi, tried the data from post #31 in a BC software program. Seems like the BC drops when the distance is increasing. And, for sure the distance measured is to short to get good data for evaluation. Shot #9 seems to be an error reading.
Would be great if someone could check the LabRadar with bigger slugs. Like a .338 or so and check if you can get readings out to hopefully 100yards.

 

[michaelbz]

Thank you to all who had posted data from the Labradar. Could you all post your data with temp, humidity, and pressure (alt) information included? If you didn't record that info, can you include that info with future data dumps?

Thanks

 

[RallyFan]

Transmit power is 483mW at approx 24Ghz; that's achieved by pumping 4.84dBm into a 22dB gain antenna (158.49 numerical), this is the upper 32 element patch antenna array and consists of 8x4 elements. The transmitter effective radiated power and radiated field strength is FCC limited in the United States and appropriate regulatory body in other countries.

The lower antenna is the 192 element receive array of approx 29.83dB gain (962.28 numerical).

Assuming the transmit system is at it's maximum permitted power level (it will in practice be set low to compensate for upper bound system and component tolerances) and receiver sensitivities are fixed (typically noise figure and processing dominated), then further improvements in range would only be possible with an improved receive antenna. So maybe in future versions we can see a user accessible receive antenna port..?

 

[RallyFan]

One thing I will say is that I'm really looking forward to getting my own LabRadar, and that it does look like a well implemented product, and I'd also say excellent value for money.

With that in mind, having an integrated antenna and not not user accessible antenna port does keep the parts bill and assembly costs lower, which is especially important on a first to market high tech device such as is the case with the LabRadar.

 

[dcali]

So maybe in future versions we can see a user accessible receive antenna port..?

Assuming such a port existed on a future model, any idea on how much more range you could buy yourself and what it would cost?

 

[Bob L.]

I just received an email informing me that the Labradar I pre-ordered will not ship in May as originally communicated, but will ship in July. I am not unique, it appears, as July is when the existing pre-orders will be filled in total.

Another Labradar schedule delay. As Gomer Pyle would say, "Surprise, surprise, surprise."

Their credibility tank is running on fumes.

Bob

 

[RallyFan]

Damondcali,

Having given this some thought I've pretty much convinced myself that most non-RF experts just won't be able to set up higher gain and higher directionality antennas accurately enough; the beam-width really is narrow already with the 192 element array, let alone with a larger aperture dish antenna!

And while I have dish antennas and 24GHz LNBs (Low Noise Block amplifiers) kicking around (I'm a geek), I suspect that it'd cost as much as a LabRadar unit again to purchase the appropriate parts. Like I said before, the LabRadar unit looks like good value for money.

 

[RallyFan]

I shoot 6.5mm Berger Hybrids, so for kicks I think I'll 3D model one and calculate the rear profile RCS (Radar Cross Section) at 24GHz...

 

[Bryan Litz Ballistics]

I took the Labradar to a rifle match in North Carolina last week (Sinclair East Coast Fullbore Championship). Some F-Open shooters were trying it out during a team match.

One question was if it could pick up rifles on both sides (left and right). In a team match format, a coach usually sits in between two shooters who are laying about 3 to 5 feet apart. For this test, the coach placed the Labradar in front of himself and it was able to read the shots on either side, but did not trigger on shots coming from other competitors who were on adjacent firing points about 10 feet on either side of the 'intended' shooters.

There was no accuracy comparison of the data, but the shooters noted that the measured velocities were just as they expected.

-Bryan

 

[Berger.Fan222]

I took the Labradar to a rifle match in North Carolina last week (Sinclair East Coast Fullbore Championship). Some F-Open shooters were trying it out during a team match.

One question was if it could pick up rifles on both sides (left and right). In a team match format, a coach usually sits in between two shooters who are laying about 3 to 5 feet apart. For this test, the coach placed the Labradar in front of himself and it was able to read the shots on either side, but did not trigger on shots coming from other competitors who were on adjacent firing points about 10 feet on either side of the 'intended' shooters.

There was no accuracy comparison of the data, but the shooters noted that the measured velocities were just as they expected.

-Bryan

Thanks Bryan. This is an interesting development, as it seems that it wil be possible to use the LabRadar to help diagnose dropped points from low or high hits.

It also seems that the match organizers had no problem with the unit at the line, as long as it was operated by a coach and not a shooter.

 

[Berger.Fan222]

I just received an email informing me that the Labradar I pre-ordered will not ship in May as originally communicated, but will ship in July. I am not unique, it appears, as July is when the existing pre-orders will be filled in total.

Another Labradar schedule delay. As Gomer Pyle would say, "Surprise, surprise, surprise."

Their credibility tank is running on fumes.

Bob

The customer service failures are a disappointing feature of what might otherwise be an exciting introduction of new technology.

 

[KT]

I took the Labradar to a rifle match in North Carolina last week (Sinclair East Coast Fullbore Championship). Some F-Open shooters were trying it out during a team match.

One question was if it could pick up rifles on both sides (left and right). In a team match format, a coach usually sits in between two shooters who are laying about 3 to 5 feet apart. For this test, the coach placed the Labradar in front of himself and it was able to read the shots on either side, but did not trigger on shots coming from other competitors who were on adjacent firing points about 10 feet on either side of the 'intended' shooters.

There was no accuracy comparison of the data, but the shooters noted that the measured velocities were just as they expected.

-Bryan

Thanks Bryan. This is an interesting development, as it seems that it wil be possible to use the LabRadar to help diagnose dropped points from low or high hits.

It also seems that the match organizers had no problem with the unit at the line, as long as it was operated by a coach and not a shooter.

I tested the Lab Radar on the line. The unit worked fantastic. I'm not sure the word "operated" is exactly correct. You really don't do anything but turn the unit on. As far as seeing low or high shots I'm unsure that it will help. There was one instance were a bullet dropped about 20fps below the average and still went into the same spot. Granted this was preliminary testing and I didn't get to see all the shots due to having to try and call wind but I'm very impressed with the unit. It may be a possibility to see high and low shots correlated to the Lab Radar but I think it would need to be tested much more to say for sure.

After the little bit of time I spent with the unit, I can say I'm glad that I ordered one. It should really make things easier when going to a public range and not having to set up a ohler or shoot twice when using a magneto speed. (once for speed and once with out the unit attached to the barrel).
KT

 

[OKyote73]

Anyone done anymore testing with the sub-calibers. .224,.204,.17???

 

[ryanjay11]

I put a 34" 1/11 Obermeyer barrel on my F-T/R rifle and shot the first 49 200 Hybrids through it this evening. There was a variable 5-7 mph wind with typical Missouri spring mirage. After getting it sighted in at 600, I turned on the Labradar and kept track for 30 rounds. I was hoping for .5 MOA all day long, so I must not have done my part. ;D Oh well, they would have all been 10's.

Varget Shot 1 Shot 2 Shot 3 Shot 4 Shot 5 SD ES Mean MOA Vert. MOA Horz. 42.5 2593 2582 2591 2575 2592 7.8 18 2587 0.72 0.14 42.7 2608 2607 2595 2609 2609 6.0 14 2606 0.57 0.63 42.9 2615 2605 2617 2598 2601 8.4 19 2607 0.94 0.82 43.1 2623 2624 2647 2633 2628 9.8 24 2631 0.66 0.88 43.3 2634 2652 2655 2636 2649 9.6 21 2645 1.00 0.43 43.5 2645 2648 2649 2665 2659 8.4 20 2653 0.74 0.36

I have several variables to test before I get my load tuned up, but I thought I would share my results here for the guys that are waiting on their units to arrive. This one does not personally belong to me, but it is a safe bet that I will purchase one when they start hitting the market.

By the way, we also shot 5 75 grain Amaxes out of an AR and it registered all 5 without any issues.

 

[Berger.Fan222]

Varget Shot 1 Shot 2 Shot 3 Shot 4 Shot 5 SD ES Mean MOA Vert. MOA Horz. 42.5 2593 2582 2591 2575 2592 7.8 18 2587 0.72 0.14 42.7 2608 2607 2595 2609 2609 6.0 14 2606 0.57 0.63 42.9 2615 2605 2617 2598 2601 8.4 19 2607 0.94 0.82 43.1 2623 2624 2647 2633 2628 9.8 24 2631 0.66 0.88 43.3 2634 2652 2655 2636 2649 9.6 21 2645 1.00 0.43 43.5 2645 2648 2649 2665 2659 8.4 20 2653 0.74 0.36

Thanks for posting the data. As I expected, the SD is correlated with the vertical spread, supporting the idea that the LabRadar used on the line in mid and long range will be useful in diagnosing whether velocity is an issue in individual dropped points. At R = 0.55, there seem to be other factors also contributing to the vertical spread.

 

[KT]

Ryan,
Great post. After doing the little bit of testing with Bryan's unit. I can't wait to get mine. Maybe Bryan can post the data that I recorded when I used his.

KT

 

[Joe R]

Well, it seems that a Labradar may be in my near future, depending on the waiting list.

However, for all the guys that are going to hang on to their Oehler 35's a little longer, here's a video that shows how to set it up in about a minute and very little effort. I show it as a prone setup, but it will work for any chrono. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evWpZUuaalw

Kindest regards,

Joe

 

[Matt P]

Will the "average Joe" ever see these (I'm beginning to have my doubts)?? :-X
Matt P