Radar guns

The sun was in my eyes, the wind caught it, ... okay, duh, you got me. I was trying to think of a way of getting the desired data and came up with the view outside of the traditional power line and my brain dropped a large part of the physics while I was at it. I see my spelling was bad, too.

I haven't seen a radar advertised that captures multiple readings over time. I imagine they exist, but not at a price tag that many parents or coaches are likely to buy.

Another issue with radar guns that I've not seen addressed is that of calibration. Guns do need to be recalibrated from time to time to maintain accuracy.

 

I was going to ask this question and it needs to be understood that all measuring devices whether they are radar guns or micrometers, need to calibrated AND the operating conditions under which they are calibrated. Using a gun in an air conditioned training facility is completely different from using the same gun at a tournament when it is 90º+ and very high humidity.

Guns are most useful for comparison of speeds under the same conditions and not for absolute speed. Finding the plate speed would be very difficult unless the gun can also report the distance at which the speed in the curve is reported also.

Cosine error(as better batter pointed out) is an important variable. Here is a chart that might give you an idea of error at the different angles. Look on the left for the gun "reported speed", estimate your angle to the pitching line and see what the speed might have been if you were in line.

 

I bet that MOST of the moms/dads that use radar guns have never even thought of, or heard of, cosine errors or angles of measurement and how they impact the readings on the guns.

It appears that TBR has just gotten to the root of the abundance of pitchers that throw "in the 60's." From what I hear and read, nobody throws in the mid-to-high 50's anymore. Maybe this helps to explain why.....

 

DDD...you are correct! I can't recall ever talking about the cosine error on the softball field. I knew when I posted this thread that the Bushnell guns didn't come close to the accuracy of the more expensive guns. If my DD ever develops a passion for the art of pitching, then the more expensive gun might be an option. Right now, she enjoys it but is only willing to pitch once or twice a week outside of her normal lesson. I was just wondering if anyone out there had experience with the two models mentioned above and what their thoughts were. I never thought this thread would get into plate speed, release speed, etc. But that's what I've loved about this website so far in my short experience and that's a wealth of knowledge and experience!

 

Since we are talking about measuring ball speed... What about the system that uses a special ball with a chip in it that measure inertial and wirelessly transmits the data to a handheld unit? Are these accurate compared to the radar guns?

They would only be useful in a training environment. When is measuring ball speed more important, in training or in a game?

 

NO

These aren't accurate for recording speeds. I have one. When I asked Rev Fire about the speed readings the told me up front they aren't accurate for speed. I do like the Rev Fire and I have seen several colleges using them at camps.

 

Ross Perot is on TBR??......

....I've been wondering where the ex Presidential candidate went!

I know I'm poking at you pitching gurus....because all of ya'll need an outside thrown pitch up in the wheel house to a kid can hit it back at you which wil make you forget speed as THE interpretaion of who is best...I know ya'll aren't saying this but go with me TBR pitch Dads, ....moving the ball around and disrupting timing, in on the hands maybe, DOWN, UP, all of these gigs keep the ball in the park. .......uhhhhh, I'll still take the QB who slings it 70! ....oh, the only angle that matters is the arm movement of the ump with his right arm kicking the batter to the curb.

 

Poke away, it's all for fun....

I made that chart to show the effect of off-angle radar gun usage only. I see many people sitting off to the side radar gunning a pitching. Just more info to consume. I agree about the movement and timing point, but wasnt this a thread about radar guns? And by the way, I am not even close to being even a beginner pitching advice giver... just a dad that likes math

 

Niether am I!!!!....

....CMG. And yes this is a a cool thread. ......oh!!!!,...the chart thing......I thought it was great, but com'n,....the Ross Perot blast??!!....ya gutta gev me credik un that one!....sigmed, Englysh major in schuul, the Fish.

 

Heck, that chart looked so professional, I thought you'd ripped it off some website somewhere.