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Decatur Electronics Railmaster, User Manual, Page: 5 / 36

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Decatur Electronics Railmaster User Manual Download Page 5

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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 off of 

conven12 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 . 

Summary of Contents for Railmaster

Page 1: ...Railmaster User s Manual Rev 5 2 19 ...

Page 2: ... Indicator LED 13 3 8 Battery Run Time 14 3 8 1 Auto Power Off 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 Configuration 19 5 Operating Modes 19 5 1 Menu 19 5 1 1 Backlight bL 22...

Page 3: ... 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 Specifications 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 ...

Page 4: ...y this manual before using the Railmaster so you can maximize the benefits 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 an...

Page 5: ...ion 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 off...

Page 6: ...in effect 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 ...

Page 7: ...ng 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 ...

Page 8: ... 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 first 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 first received the holder should already have bat...

Page 9: ... 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 t...

Page 10: ... 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 th...

Page 11: ...ies 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 figure 3 7 The table below defines the status Fast blinking green ...

Page 12: ...arge 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...

Page 13: ...ecting the Power Cord If you choose to run off 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 ...

Page 14: ...gs in each of the menu options To change a menu option press the SEL button PWR The PWR button turns the radar on and off When first powered on the Railmaster will display the screen shown in Figure 4 1 When you power the Railmaster off 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 las...

Page 15: ...h 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 first turned on the Railmaster performs a segment check of the display to show that all segments and icons are working The fol...

Page 16: ...ng 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 ind...

Page 17: ...enu 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 effect If neither MENU or SEL is pressed after 2 se...

Page 18: ...Railmaster User s Manual 18 Table 5 1 shows the menu choices that can be set Table 5 1 Menu Settings ...

Page 19: ...Railmaster User s Manual 19 The Port settings are shown in the table below Select the setting that best fits your application Table 5 2 Port Selection Table 1 International Version Only ...

Page 20: ... 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 off 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 Sensit...

Page 21: ...rial communication and 1 through 7 are the various setting options See Table 5 2 Figure 5 1 3a Serial Port Settings The serial port is located on the bottom of the handle Using a custom RS232 communications cable you can connect the radar and transmit data to display signs in car video and PCs for recording and analyzing speed data Figure 5 1 3b Port Location on bottom of handle ...

Page 22: ...speeds in either miles per hour or in kilometers per hour Zero 0 sets the gun to miles per hour with MPH showing in the display and one 1 sets the gun to kilometers per hour with KPH showing in the display Zero MPH is the default setting Figure 5 1 4 Speed Unit Settings 5 1 5 Power Down Pd The Power Down option is designed to maximize the amount of time the radar can operate before the batteries n...

Page 23: ...eam is reflected back to the antenna The reflected signal frequency shifts by an amount proportional to the speed of the target This is known as the Doppler effect The radar device then determines the speed from the difference in frequency between the reflected and transmitted signal 6 2 Interference Sources When properly installed and operated Doppler radar technology is extremely accurate and re...

Page 24: ...is lower than the actual target s speed This condition occurs when the target s path is not parallel to the antenna including conditions such as a vehicle traveling on a curve or hill As the angle between the beam of the antenna and the target vehicle increases the displayed speed decreases Ideally an angle of zero 0 degrees is preferable because the displayed speed is the actual target speed Howe...

Page 25: ...ncreases the displayed speed decreases At 90 the target speed is 0 grossly incorrect 6 2 2 Fan Interference Fan interference is the most common form of interference that you are likely to experience if you operate the Railmaster from the inside of a vehicle It is caused when the radar measures the speed of the vehicle blower fan Changing the fan speed causes a proportional change in the display sp...

Page 26: ...mmune from multi path cancellation 6 2 6 Radio Frequency Interference RFI The system can inadvertently process radio energy as Doppler speeds including that from police radios airport radar microwave transmission towers CB radio transmitters and AM FM transmission towers For this type of interference to occur the radar gun must be operating very close to the radio transmitter If you experience RFI...

Page 27: ...k then vehicle ignition interference will not be a factor If you suspect your vehicle s electrical system contact Decatur Electronics Customer Service Department for more information 7 Testing the Device 7 1 Self Test on Power Up When you first power up the Railmaster it runs a self test and checks the following Display Test The display test verifies that the digit segments and status icons are wo...

Page 28: ...ibly Then place the tuning fork that you tapped with the narrow side facing about 3 inches directly in front of the antenna Pull the trigger and compare the speed in the display window to the speed stamped on the fork If the difference is within 1 display unit the radar gun is working properly Figure 7 2 Place the vibrating tuning fork about 3 inches in front of the antenna If the device does not ...

Page 29: ... of 1 will not allow a proper tuning fork test to occur 8 Care Cleaning and Storage Avoid spilling food beverages and other liquids on the radar device When you are not using or transporting the device store it in its original packaging To clean the radar device dust it with a soft clean cloth which is free of cleaning solutions 9 Specifications 9 1 Antenna Parameters K Band Nominal transmission f...

Page 30: ...gh speed km h option 20 337 9 4 Power Consumption Parameters Supply voltage range with power cord 8 5VDC 16 5VDC Low voltage trip with antenna on with power cord 8 5VDC Battery supply voltage 7 2VDC Battery low voltage trip with antenna on 6 3VDC When using power cord All currents measured at 13 8VDC with backlight on Standby antenna off 105 amperes Antenna ON 170 amperes no targets displayed Ante...

Page 31: ...on Randall Sanner NOT TRANSFERABLE EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION is hereby issued to the named GRANTEE and is VALID ONLY for the equipment identified hereon for use under the Commission s Rules and Regulations listed below FCC IDENTIFIER HTRCR 1KD Name of Grantee Decatur Electronics Inc Equipment Class Part 15 Field Disturbance Sensor Notes Traffic Safety Radar Frequency Output Frequency Emission Grant ...

Page 32: ... not power up call Decatur Electronics at 800 428 4315 Q My radar gun has poor range How can I remedy this A Verify that the antenna has no obstructions in front of it If the gun still has poor range increase the sensitivity level SN If you still have this problem contact Decatur Electronics Q Will my radar work while my vehicle is moving A No the Railmaster is a stationary only model so your vehi...

Page 33: ...es not include normal wear and tear crushing dropping fire impact immersion over tightening of screws or damage from attempted repair or modifications by unauthorized service agents For repairs simply return the unit transportation prepaid directly to a Decatur authorized warranty service center Refer to section 14 Service Return Procedure TWO YEAR WARRANTY EXCEPTION If you purchased the unit unde...

Page 34: ...kage shipped express or next day air there will be an additional charge If you are referred to a Service Provider and your product is under warranty then once your product has been received the Service Provider will investigate the problem Once they have diagnosed the problem they will repair the product and return it to you If you are referred to a Service Provider and your unit is not under warr...

Page 35: ... to you 14 How to Order Additional Products You can order upgrades to the Railmaster when available as well as cases power supplies tripods and tuning forks To see product descriptions or order products see the Decatur Electronics Web site at www DecaturElectronics com or call the sales office at 800 428 4315 ...

Page 36: ...www DecaturElectronics com 800 428 4315 ...

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