Twoboxer
Member
Update 12/5/15
I've used the LabRadar several times since the original review, and early on had some real concerns that interference from other shooters would be a serious flaw requiring a workaround.
Whenever the unit would "hear" a shot from another bench, it would either record a down-range velocity when the projectile entered its radar beam, or it would pause saying "Unable to Track". The former would require me to delete that shot; the latter would require pressing a reset button. Annoying.
But now that I've gotten some experience with the settings, I'm no longer concerned.
Today there were 4 other shooters in the range house (walled on 3 sides, concrete floor, roof) so 5 of the 9 benches were in use. Calibers included 22LR, 223, 9mm carbine, 30-06, and my own 6mmAR. With those acoustics and several muzzle breaks in use, the shots get pretty loud
While other settings may work well, I was successful with a "Projectile Offset" of 6" (narrow beam, muzzle within 6 inches of unit) and #2 (of 4 possible) trigger levels.
I fired 5 mags of 5 or 25 shots and LabRadar recorded 24 of them. The one missing shot was my fault since I failed to arm the LabRadar to begin the third mag. Most important, LabRadar did NOT react in any way to any of the other shots! And there were times it sounded like a war movie lol.
I've re-read the original review and where additions/changes are made they are done in the same color as this text.
Got back in town yesterday and found my LabRadar at the front door!! It has been on order since early August, but they didn't send me any email or tracking number for the shipment . . . just shipped it. Pulled it out of the box and charged the USB battery pack last night.
Pretty anxious to try it out so I grabbed an AR15, a box of ammo and got over to the range ASAP today. Only had about 90 minutes before closing - damn the end of daylight savings time lol! Didn't have time to test my main concerns (how many shots missed and why? . . .how many neighbor shots recorded and why?). So Part 1 of my review is not much more useful than others I've seen posted. Hopefully I'll be able to do some more work on the weekend.
With that in mind, here goes:
Executive Summary:
- The LabRadar (LR) recorded 70 shots from my AR15 flawlessly, but did record (the only) two shots from a neighbor's 308. Time ran out on me before I could test other sensitivity settings.
- With the proper "Offset" and "Trigger Level" settings, the unit recorded all my shots as asked without reacting in any way to 4 other shooters in the same range house.
- Battery life using the USB Power pack was excellent. There should be enough power for at least 5 2-hour sessions recording ~100 shots. After 4 2-hour sessions, the battery pack remains between 25% and 50% charged.
- The USB Rechargeable Battery Pack is versatile and has a built-in LED flashlight.
- The LR Bench Mount is light, works extremely well, and I'd recommend it if you're primarily a bench shooter.
- Beyond the marketed specs, velocity and distance traveled is recorded every millisecond for each shot beginning ~13ms after firing and until the LR loses track of the projectile.
- The range at which you can measure velocity appears to be less than marketed. Today's 55gr 223 projectiles running 2900-3000fps were not accurately measured beyond approximately ~38yds. down range. In any case, IMO there is little value to velocities up to 100yds away.
Unboxing:
The LR, Carry Case, USB Rechargeable Battery Pack, and LR Bench Mount were each packaged in their own boxes and tightly fit into a single shipping carton with adequate padding. All arrived pristine.
The LR comes with a heavy-duty 5' USB to mini-connector cable. Plugged into (eg) a PC USB port, the cable will power the LR and simultaneously serve as a data cable for downloading and review of data.
The Battery Pack comes with a 1' USB to mini-connector that can be used to recharge the pack from any USB port. But its main use is to provide power from the pack to the LR (or other devices). Also included are 2 pieces of self-stick velcro tape so you can attach it to the side of the LR and remove it as necessary. Yes, the pack is firmly attached and No, the tape has not (yet) come off when the power pack is removed.
No charger is included since the pack can be charged directly from a USB port. My phone, Kindle, and Pad chargers all worked to charge the pack.
The LR Bench Mount and Carry Case came with no unattached accessories.
USB Rechargeable Battery Pack ($25):
The pack has a claimed capacity of 10,000 mAH. It has 4 LEDs that show the current level of charge in 25% increments (when continuously ON), and show when charging by blinking one or more LEDs. Pressing the adjacent TEST button displays the charge level at any time. Double-pressing the TEST button toggles the onboard LED flashlight ON/OFF.
There is one mini-socket for receiving charge, and 2 USB ports for powering devices. Any device having a mini-USB port can be powered or charged using the included cable. The battery pack arrived with a 50% charge according to it's onboard LED indicators. I used an Amazon Fire charger to top it off but did not note recharge time.
The fully charged unit has been "ON" for 2 hours today, was "Armed" (ie, radar active) for at least 30-45 minutes, and recorded 70 shots at the range. The battery pack (and the LR) report the pack is still fully charged . . . which says it hasn't discharged 25% yet.
LR Bench Mount ($30):
The plate is a light but very sturdy 12" aluminum square with four rubber feet on one side and a tripod-like ball mount on the other. A knurled wheel on the mounting base can then be raised and tightened against the LR to hold it firmly. A separate control allows the ball mount to rotate in its socket to correct for any leveling issues and angle the LR as needed.
The Bench Mount does the job very well. The LR is held firmly yet can be adjusted as needed. The base plate is more than adequate to prevent the LR from being knocked over without being a burden to carry. The rubber feet prevent the assembled unit from sliding on your bench. If you are shooting from a bench, IMO this is the way to go rather than buying a tripod.
Long-barreled rifles may require pushing the LabRadar to the end of the bench, where a c-clamp may be useful to secure it.
LR Padded Carry Case ($40):
The carry case fits the LR perfectly, is well-padded, has a velcro-sealed pouch on the back for "stuff" like cables, has great zippers and pulls, good carry handles, and still seems over-priced lol. It will not hold the LR Bench Mount, nor does it have straps to hold a tripod. A short bungee cord works to secure the Bench Mount to the Carry Case.
Labradar ($560):
It isn't hard to learn and/or use the LR. However . . .
I *urge* anyone who buys one to spend the time at home to read the manual and put the unit through its paces. Alternatively, you could do it my way and waste a lot of time at the range getting the info piece by piece from the manual.
At the very least, learn and set ALL the parameters as you think you will first use them. Then review them to ensure they are actually set. Also learn exactly how to switch the unit between its 3 modes . . . ON, ARMED, REVIEW. And how to review different series and/or the shots in a series.
All of the buttons press easily and give good feedback except the "ENTER" key on my unit. This key requires a firmer press . . . firm enough that I have to hold the LR with one hand while pressing the key with the other. I don't yet know whether this is a design feature, or a flaw in my unit.
The screen displays velocity for each shot in BIG PRINT even my old eyes can see well. Entering Review Mode gives summary data (see screenshot below) and allows you to look at previous shots.
As mentioned above, the unit recorded 70 shots from my 223 flawlessly. And it was a joy to run off 40 shots in my 3rd and final series at multiple targets downrange and NEVER have to think about the chrono . . . or shooting the chrono . . . or worry about POI changing.
However, set on max sensitivity the LR also recorded the only 2 shots a neighbor fired from his 308 off a bench 10' away. The two rogue shots were easy to delete. But time ran out on me before I could test the most important stuff, ie, whether different settings would eliminate others' shots while still recording all of mine. Next time! As noted previously, proper settings eliminated this issue. It would be wise to plan your initial use to test Trigger Level and Offset settings.
Data and the SD Card:
Without an SD card, the LR's internal memory "can record 100 series of 100 shots". I don't know if that's 100 shots max in total, or up to 100 shots in each of up to 100 series. Also, without an SD card "advanced reports" are not available due to space limitations. This may refer to the TRK files described below.
I used a Sandisk 16GB SDHC card. No formatting was necessary. "Downloading" can be done either by attaching the LR to your PC via cable, or by using the SD card on your PC. A built-in card reader slot or a USB Memory Card Reader can be used. Either way, the LR's internal memory or the SD card becomes available for use as a "disk".
An "SRxxxx" folder is created for each series. Inside are an SRxxxx Report.csv file and a TRK folder. Double-clicking the (eg) SR0003 Report brings up Excel (or presumably the free Open Office Calc if you have either) and displays all the data very nicely.
Each shot shows MV and velocity at your 5 pre-set range points (if the LR could record them), kinetic energy at each of those data points, power factor, and date/time of the shot. Average, High, and Low velocity as well as ES and SD for the series are calculated and shown.
In use today (recording 55gr 223 bullets at MVs between 2900-3000 fps at 65 degrees, 70%RH, close to sea level) the LR always recorded MV and velocity at 20yds, rarely recorded velocity at 50 yds which was my second chosen distance setting, and never recorded any distance beyond that. The same results occurred using 6mm projectiles at up to ~2700fps.
Double-clicking the TRK folder reveals a Shotxxxx Track.csv file for each shot in the series. Beginning at ~13ms after firing, this file records one data line every millisecond until the LR loses track of the bullet. Each data line shows flight time, velocity, distance flown, and the unit's SNR (signal to noise ratio).
For this caliber, weight, velocity, and environmental conditions the LR gave reasonable data out to about 38yds. Some data beyond that point was often recorded, but looks unreliable (low SNR, increasing velocities, etc).
More will follow as necessary.
I've used the LabRadar several times since the original review, and early on had some real concerns that interference from other shooters would be a serious flaw requiring a workaround.
Whenever the unit would "hear" a shot from another bench, it would either record a down-range velocity when the projectile entered its radar beam, or it would pause saying "Unable to Track". The former would require me to delete that shot; the latter would require pressing a reset button. Annoying.
But now that I've gotten some experience with the settings, I'm no longer concerned.
Today there were 4 other shooters in the range house (walled on 3 sides, concrete floor, roof) so 5 of the 9 benches were in use. Calibers included 22LR, 223, 9mm carbine, 30-06, and my own 6mmAR. With those acoustics and several muzzle breaks in use, the shots get pretty loud
While other settings may work well, I was successful with a "Projectile Offset" of 6" (narrow beam, muzzle within 6 inches of unit) and #2 (of 4 possible) trigger levels. I fired 5 mags of 5 or 25 shots and LabRadar recorded 24 of them. The one missing shot was my fault since I failed to arm the LabRadar to begin the third mag. Most important, LabRadar did NOT react in any way to any of the other shots! And there were times it sounded like a war movie lol.
I've re-read the original review and where additions/changes are made they are done in the same color as this text.
Got back in town yesterday and found my LabRadar at the front door!! It has been on order since early August, but they didn't send me any email or tracking number for the shipment . . . just shipped it. Pulled it out of the box and charged the USB battery pack last night.
Pretty anxious to try it out so I grabbed an AR15, a box of ammo and got over to the range ASAP today. Only had about 90 minutes before closing - damn the end of daylight savings time lol! Didn't have time to test my main concerns (how many shots missed and why? . . .how many neighbor shots recorded and why?). So Part 1 of my review is not much more useful than others I've seen posted. Hopefully I'll be able to do some more work on the weekend.
With that in mind, here goes:
Executive Summary:
- The LabRadar (LR) recorded 70 shots from my AR15 flawlessly, but did record (the only) two shots from a neighbor's 308. Time ran out on me before I could test other sensitivity settings.
- With the proper "Offset" and "Trigger Level" settings, the unit recorded all my shots as asked without reacting in any way to 4 other shooters in the same range house.
- Battery life using the USB Power pack was excellent. There should be enough power for at least 5 2-hour sessions recording ~100 shots. After 4 2-hour sessions, the battery pack remains between 25% and 50% charged.
- The USB Rechargeable Battery Pack is versatile and has a built-in LED flashlight.
- The LR Bench Mount is light, works extremely well, and I'd recommend it if you're primarily a bench shooter.
- Beyond the marketed specs, velocity and distance traveled is recorded every millisecond for each shot beginning ~13ms after firing and until the LR loses track of the projectile.
- The range at which you can measure velocity appears to be less than marketed. Today's 55gr 223 projectiles running 2900-3000fps were not accurately measured beyond approximately ~38yds. down range. In any case, IMO there is little value to velocities up to 100yds away.
Unboxing:
The LR, Carry Case, USB Rechargeable Battery Pack, and LR Bench Mount were each packaged in their own boxes and tightly fit into a single shipping carton with adequate padding. All arrived pristine.
The LR comes with a heavy-duty 5' USB to mini-connector cable. Plugged into (eg) a PC USB port, the cable will power the LR and simultaneously serve as a data cable for downloading and review of data.
The Battery Pack comes with a 1' USB to mini-connector that can be used to recharge the pack from any USB port. But its main use is to provide power from the pack to the LR (or other devices). Also included are 2 pieces of self-stick velcro tape so you can attach it to the side of the LR and remove it as necessary. Yes, the pack is firmly attached and No, the tape has not (yet) come off when the power pack is removed.
No charger is included since the pack can be charged directly from a USB port. My phone, Kindle, and Pad chargers all worked to charge the pack.
The LR Bench Mount and Carry Case came with no unattached accessories.
USB Rechargeable Battery Pack ($25):
The pack has a claimed capacity of 10,000 mAH. It has 4 LEDs that show the current level of charge in 25% increments (when continuously ON), and show when charging by blinking one or more LEDs. Pressing the adjacent TEST button displays the charge level at any time. Double-pressing the TEST button toggles the onboard LED flashlight ON/OFF.
There is one mini-socket for receiving charge, and 2 USB ports for powering devices. Any device having a mini-USB port can be powered or charged using the included cable. The battery pack arrived with a 50% charge according to it's onboard LED indicators. I used an Amazon Fire charger to top it off but did not note recharge time.
The fully charged unit has been "ON" for 2 hours today, was "Armed" (ie, radar active) for at least 30-45 minutes, and recorded 70 shots at the range. The battery pack (and the LR) report the pack is still fully charged . . . which says it hasn't discharged 25% yet.
LR Bench Mount ($30):
The plate is a light but very sturdy 12" aluminum square with four rubber feet on one side and a tripod-like ball mount on the other. A knurled wheel on the mounting base can then be raised and tightened against the LR to hold it firmly. A separate control allows the ball mount to rotate in its socket to correct for any leveling issues and angle the LR as needed.
The Bench Mount does the job very well. The LR is held firmly yet can be adjusted as needed. The base plate is more than adequate to prevent the LR from being knocked over without being a burden to carry. The rubber feet prevent the assembled unit from sliding on your bench. If you are shooting from a bench, IMO this is the way to go rather than buying a tripod.
Long-barreled rifles may require pushing the LabRadar to the end of the bench, where a c-clamp may be useful to secure it.
LR Padded Carry Case ($40):
The carry case fits the LR perfectly, is well-padded, has a velcro-sealed pouch on the back for "stuff" like cables, has great zippers and pulls, good carry handles, and still seems over-priced lol. It will not hold the LR Bench Mount, nor does it have straps to hold a tripod. A short bungee cord works to secure the Bench Mount to the Carry Case.
Labradar ($560):
It isn't hard to learn and/or use the LR. However . . .
I *urge* anyone who buys one to spend the time at home to read the manual and put the unit through its paces. Alternatively, you could do it my way and waste a lot of time at the range getting the info piece by piece from the manual
. At the very least, learn and set ALL the parameters as you think you will first use them. Then review them to ensure they are actually set. Also learn exactly how to switch the unit between its 3 modes . . . ON, ARMED, REVIEW. And how to review different series and/or the shots in a series.
All of the buttons press easily and give good feedback except the "ENTER" key on my unit. This key requires a firmer press . . . firm enough that I have to hold the LR with one hand while pressing the key with the other. I don't yet know whether this is a design feature, or a flaw in my unit.
The screen displays velocity for each shot in BIG PRINT even my old eyes can see well
. Entering Review Mode gives summary data (see screenshot below) and allows you to look at previous shots.As mentioned above, the unit recorded 70 shots from my 223 flawlessly. And it was a joy to run off 40 shots in my 3rd and final series at multiple targets downrange and NEVER have to think about the chrono . . . or shooting the chrono . . . or worry about POI changing.
However, set on max sensitivity the LR also recorded the only 2 shots a neighbor fired from his 308 off a bench 10' away. The two rogue shots were easy to delete. But time ran out on me before I could test the most important stuff, ie, whether different settings would eliminate others' shots while still recording all of mine. Next time! As noted previously, proper settings eliminated this issue. It would be wise to plan your initial use to test Trigger Level and Offset settings.
Data and the SD Card:
Without an SD card, the LR's internal memory "can record 100 series of 100 shots". I don't know if that's 100 shots max in total, or up to 100 shots in each of up to 100 series. Also, without an SD card "advanced reports" are not available due to space limitations. This may refer to the TRK files described below.
I used a Sandisk 16GB SDHC card. No formatting was necessary. "Downloading" can be done either by attaching the LR to your PC via cable, or by using the SD card on your PC. A built-in card reader slot or a USB Memory Card Reader can be used. Either way, the LR's internal memory or the SD card becomes available for use as a "disk".
An "SRxxxx" folder is created for each series. Inside are an SRxxxx Report.csv file and a TRK folder. Double-clicking the (eg) SR0003 Report brings up Excel (or presumably the free Open Office Calc if you have either) and displays all the data very nicely.
Each shot shows MV and velocity at your 5 pre-set range points (if the LR could record them), kinetic energy at each of those data points, power factor, and date/time of the shot. Average, High, and Low velocity as well as ES and SD for the series are calculated and shown.
In use today (recording 55gr 223 bullets at MVs between 2900-3000 fps at 65 degrees, 70%RH, close to sea level) the LR always recorded MV and velocity at 20yds, rarely recorded velocity at 50 yds which was my second chosen distance setting, and never recorded any distance beyond that. The same results occurred using 6mm projectiles at up to ~2700fps.
Double-clicking the TRK folder reveals a Shotxxxx Track.csv file for each shot in the series. Beginning at ~13ms after firing, this file records one data line every millisecond until the LR loses track of the bullet. Each data line shows flight time, velocity, distance flown, and the unit's SNR (signal to noise ratio).
For this caliber, weight, velocity, and environmental conditions the LR gave reasonable data out to about 38yds. Some data beyond that point was often recorded, but looks unreliable (low SNR, increasing velocities, etc).
More will follow as necessary.
Last edited:
