What is the best way to improve performance of my Sport Radar?

To get the best results from the Sport Radar, it is recommended to follow these general guidelines.

• Place the Sport Radar as close to being directly inline with the ball flight as possible. The further the unit is away from the ball flight, the greater chance of faulty readings.
• Make sure that there isn’t anything obstructing the sensor while in use. The Sport Radar needs a clear line of sight to what it is reading.
• Avoid any other moving objects being in line with the sensor. The Sport Radar senses all movement so eliminating any motion other than the ball will maximize the unit’s performance.
• Sport Radar needs a good “view” of the ball to get accurate readings. Heavy nets that obstruct the Sport Radar’s sensor can result in inaccurate or missed readings. If this is the case, choose a safe location for the Sport Radar beside the net, but be careful not to hit the unit while in use.
• Do not point the radar directly into the sun. This will cause the unit to give faulty readings.
• Balls with synthetic covers may give less accurate readings, or no readings at all. For best results, SKLZ recommends using leather baseballs and softballs with the Sport Radar.

What sports may encounter issues with speed tracking? 

• We have found that Balls with synthetic covers may give less accurate readings, or no readings at all. Also, balls that remain close to the ground, or move from a down-to-up trajectory, do not get tracked as accurately. For this reason, you may encounter issues tracking the speed of hockey pucks or golf balls. 

How should I be positioned when using the Sport Radar?

• The user must be a minimum of 20 feet away from the unit to get a reading. For top performance, position the user between 35 and 50 feet from the unit.
• The further the user is outside this area, the greater the chance of inconsistent readings.

How should I position the Sport Radar?

• Align the Sport Radar as closely to the path of the ball as possible. The base of the radar is designed to be situated at a 16 degree angle.
• When used at this angle behind a net, the radar aligns well with the path of a baseball pitched to the strike zone.
• Note this standard positioning is used for baseball, softball, and soccer.
• Some sports like lacrosse and football aim higher than a typical strike zone. In this case, you can place the Sport Radar on a stool, bucket or other pedestal to raise the “strike zone” to your desired height. 

Can the Sport Radar detect ANY speed, no matter how fast or slow?

In order for the speed of the ball to be registered, the ball must traveling faster than 14 MPH (23 KM/H) and slower than 150 MPH (199 KM/H).  Throwing or kicking above or below the min or max speeds may lead to an inaccurate reading.  Remember to aim for the desired strike zone. Balls pitched outside the strike zone may not be detected or may register slower speeds so throw from beyond 20 feet and at a speed of greater than 20mph.