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Operational concerns of the fastest and same direction modes
(FS version only)
Description of the fastest mode
Historically, traffic radar has displayed the strongest target. Case law has centered around the
ability of the radar operator to confidently identify what vehicle is associated with that indication.
It was relatively simple for analog radars to process this method.
Modern DSP radar such as the PYTHON III can process many targets at the same time, but
there is no practical way to display multiple targets and associate them with the correct targets
(like air traffic control radar does).
Fastest mode gives the operator an opportunity to view one other target in addition to the
strongest. In this mode, the PYTHON III considers all possible targets in range (there may be
several) and displays the strongest and fastest ones.
While the speeds indicated in fastest mode are as accurate as normal targets, visual identification
of the offending vehicle is more difficult. For this reason, the PYTHON III only displays fastest
targets on request from a momentary switch, and does not allow them to be locked. It is intended
to be used as a way to gather additional information about a specific situation, not a primary
operating mode.
Operation in fastest mode
Fastest mode operation is available anytime
except in same direction mode
. Pressing the FAST
button on the remote will initiate a search for any vehicles that are faster than the strongest target.
Activation of this mode will be indicated on the front panel with the "Fast" icon below the middle
window. The display's middle window will show the speed of the fastest target that is moving
faster than the strongest vehicle, if there is such a target within the range of the PYTHON III.
Otherwise, the window will be blank, showing that it is looking for a faster target but there isn't
one within the range of the radar. The PYTHON III will remain in fastest mode until the FAST
button is pressed again.
Important points to remember when using the fastest mode:
1) In any mode, the PYTHON III’s target window
ALWAYS
displays the strongest target in the
selected direction of travel. The speed displayed in the target window is the
ONLY
speed that
may be locked.
2) If the strongest target
is
the fastest target, the speed will not be duplicated in the fastest
window. This serves as an alert to the operator that the strongest is the fastest, and its speed
may be locked. Often a speed will appear in the fastest window first and then shift to the
target window when the previous strongest target exits the antenna field. In these situations
the fastest mode provides more tracking information and additional time to observe or lock the
target.
