HOW TO MEASURE TENNIS BALL SPEED WITH THE POCKET RADARTM
The Pocket Radar is designed to be able to measure tennis ball exit speed right off the racquet. To capture an accurate
speed reading on a tennis ball, it is important to know when to press the button on the Pocket Radar.
First, line up the invisible cone shaped radar beam that comes out of the back of the Pocket Radar in-line with the path of
the ball (This can either be achieved by standing behind the player near the baseline, or in front of them kneeling down
behind the net; the Pocket Radar has 70 feet of range on a tennis ball). Then, tap (quickly "Press and Release") the red
button as the ball is hit. Do not hold the button down. This will give you an accurate reading of the peak speed of the
ball as it leaves the racquet. This may take a few measurements to become comfortable with the timing of the trigger. We
recommend getting used to the timing with a few practice rounds. If you see readings that do not make sense to you, such
as 5-15 MPH, you may be pressing the button too soon or too late and are measuring the arm speed of the player. Try
moving a couple feet to either side and point the Pocket Radar more at the ball itself, or practice a few times tapping the
button before the ball strikes the racquet.
As soon as the red button is pressed the radar activates and takes a series of very quick measurements (each about 1/50th
of a second), somewhat like the individual frames in a short movie clip. This entire sequence happens in about one-half a
second. The computer inside the unit analyzes all of the measurement data and sorts out what was the racquet and body
movement versus what was the ball. For this to work optimally, it is important to tap the button, (quickly press and
release) as the ball is struck.
Quickly TAP the button just as or just after
ball contact has been made with the racquet. It
can be used for speed measurement of serves
or groundstrokes. Make sure the Pocket Radar
beam is directly lined up with the path of the
ball, and that it is held vertically.
Measure speed from directly in front or
directly behind the player. Make sure the
back side of the Pocket Radar is facing the
action.
The Pocket Radar will display the peak speed seen during the measurement series after each button push. If it did not find
a valid speed it will display “- - -”. There is no need to clear or reset the display. The last speed will remain on the screen
for 30 seconds or until the button is pressed again and a new speed is displayed. The small black RECALL button can be
used to read the previous ten speed readings.
If you hold the button down too long, and do not release it right away, the measurement sequence will repeat again every
¾ of a second. This is not good for capturing the peak speed of a ball because you are not controlling the timing of when
the measurement happens. This mode is used to measure things like runners and cars. If you need any additional help,
please don’t hesitate and contact us at [email protected] or give us a call at 888-381-2672. Thanks!