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Still having problems with Chrony Alpha

Rule3

Rule3

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So I have only had this a few months and used it about 3 times. The last two times I am getting crazy readings. Just random bizarre, high numbers with no decimal place. I have only been able to get a few strings that I consider reliable with a 22lr, 9mm and a 44 special. I think it has Gremlins in it.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reload...chrony-master-alpha-some-strange-results.html


I have moved it forward and back, used the sky screens and not. Raise and lowered the screens etc. Put a large piece of card board on top of the sky screens as it is out in full sun. Moved it closer under the diffused shade of the shooting line. Raised it, lowered it.

Sometimes it works, some times it doesn't. It's really ticking me off. I called Chrony and the "tech" was no help at all, he just said they are real sensitive and to test it again. If it still acts up to return it.

So my options are. Send it back to the factory and have them mess with it OR return it to Midway and get my money back or credit and get a different brand or model. I am leaning towards a different model.

I bought this to see what my reloads were doing, not to fiddle around with some electronic equipment. It's no fun standing out in the sweltering heat and humidity and farting around with this chronograph.

Whatever I get, It needs to work in bright sunlight.

So, is there a more reliable model that is not a lot more expensive??

Thanks
 
"Whatever I get, It needs to work in bright sunlight."

After Qehler quit selling consumer goods, I bought PACT for our club.

I don't know whether your unit is defective, but your siting sounds problematic. Direct sun under a deep blue sky is about the worst condition possible. The deep blue of the sky is just too much like black. Direct sunlight on a sensor is a problem. A translucent panel like those used for skylights in a barn can provide a spot of open shade for the whole unit and may get it going again. Just nail the panel up on posts in a convenient spot. Also, if your unit works fine on a cloudy day, then the unit is not broken. Of couse stay back 10 feet to keep from reading the shock wave.
 
I had similar issues with my first Chrony. I recall I was getting error numbers which were translated in the manual. The two biggest issues for me are direct sunlight and the distance from the muzzle. I ended up sending mine back twice, once for a bad component which was replaced free of charge with a three week turn around. The second was when I shot mine with a .45 ACP 200 gr LCSWC. :( I'm thinking that those large numbers you are seeing may actually be error codes. Try checking the trouble shooting section of the manual to see if any of the numbers you are seeing are codes.

I typically set mine up with the short supports and plastic sun screens. I have the remote reader on my bench and stretch the screen unit out as long as the patch cord, about 10 feet. I have been able to measure all of my handgun calibers up to and including .357 and .44 mag.

There customer service ended up being pretty good. This is a small operation that only picks mail up once a week, so keep that in mind when you deal with them.

I hope that helps,

Frank
 
I had a chrony; gave it to my buddy before I ever used it. Hope he doesn't hate me.
Bought a PACT PC2; it's good although it has a bunch of buttons that don't do anything. It does do velocity and average and std deviation and that's all I need so I'm okay. Customer service ignored me.
And I laughed at other folks who shot the vertical struts for the "roof" until I shot one myself. Darn!
Sonny
 
Thanks for the replies. The only error code that is part of the codes listed in the manual is err 1 which is the front sensor not picking up the bullet. The rest of the gibberish are just long strings of numbers such as 33456 which are meaningless. I explained that to the tech and he had no idea.
I made some wood dowels to hold the sky screens so in case I shot one the unit would not be damaged.

OKFCO5, I think you may be on to something. Each time the unit has messed up was in the morning with me shooting due East so the sun was pretty much at a 10 o'clock angle to direct over head, that's why I tried a 2 x2 ft piece of cardboard today as the small little sky screens do not seem to shade the sensors.

I will try later in the afternoon with the sun behind me and see if that works. (except it usually is raining by then).
 
I think that a solid "roof" such as a sheet of plywood or piece of cardboard is a huge problem. There has to be some diffused, and fairly bright light, entering the sensors in order to cast a shadow that they can detect.

While I don't advocate having the chony sensors look directly up toward a bright blue sky, you should have good results on a cloudy day between maybe 10 and five o'clock. Or on cloudless days use the diffusers and make sure that their shadow is cast upon the sensor eyes. That may mean adjusting your shooting angle, or tilting your chrony on the tripod stand until the sensors are not looking into direct sunlight.

Instead of cardboard, you might try making a sunroof between the diffusers with common waxed paper. That allows plenty of diffused sunlight to make the shadow of the bullet trigger the chono sensors.
 
Or you might try building a coffin like they use in USPSA to cancel out the changing sun angles. I bought mine from Midway about the same time you said you got yours, and I had good luck with it. Usually shooting in bright afternoon sun, and the full cable distance away. Mine is the red one, and a friend has the blue model and they are within 15-25 fps of each other. I do not use the coffin with mine. If you get Front Sight Magazine they have been featuring articles on chronos lately.
 
sar4937 said:
Or you might try building a coffin like they use in USPSA to cancel out the changing sun angles. I bought mine from Midway about the same time you said you got yours, and I had good luck with it. Usually shooting in bright afternoon sun, and the full cable distance away. Mine is the red one, and a friend has the blue model and they are within 15-25 fps of each other. I do not use the coffin with mine. If you get Front Sight Magazine they have been featuring articles on chronos lately.
Click to expand...

What does the "coffin" thing look like or made off??

Nitesite, even with the small piece of cardboard I placed on top of the sky diffusers there is still lots of light reflecting off the ground and coming in at all angles. It is sub tropic where I live and the sun is really intense.
I will try some kind of light egg crate or the plastic diffusers like "cracked ice" plastic panels for overhead lighting.
 
Welcome to Chrony, land of cheap sky screens. What makes the Oehler so much better are the superior screens. I have shot o/ my friends Chrony & CED & my Oehler. They are all within 4-5fps of each other but my Ohlert almost never misses a shot. The Chrony, about 50% on sunny days.
 
fredj338 said:
Welcome to Chrony, land of cheap sky screens. What makes the Oehler so much better are the superior screens. I have shot o/ my friends Chrony & CED & my Oehler. They are all within 4-5fps of each other but my Ohlert almost never misses a shot. The Chrony, about 50% on sunny days.
Click to expand...

You think if i made larger sky screens that the unit would function better?

All the are, are thin, narrow pieces of opaque plastic.

Isn't Oehler out of business.
 
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A chrono box, or coffin is a box roughly 3x3x4 meant to house the chrono, and shield it from the effects of the sun changing angles throughout the day. It has an 8 inch hole front and back and an access panel to load the chrono through. Generally built of plywood. It is used because competitor's are chrono'd throughout the day, and it keeps the readings consistant. It is painted a light color inside, but not white. Chrono Box Pictures - Glock Talk This is a pretty nice one, but I don't think it needs to be this elaborate. Again, if you know someone in USPSA that gets Front Sight Magazine they have had some chrono articles in the last couple months that have been interesting. I could not find a link to the magazine articles, but I may have missed them online.
 
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Thanks for that link to the Chrono Box. That is a really great set up but not something I would get into. Also a great discussion on the whole thing. They are using IR sensors so the enclosed box is a a more accurate set up.

I did test my battery and it reads full power but have not changed it.

After reading the linked article, I believe my problem is the the bright sunlight and varying angle. I will try some of the suggestions given.

If not, when I am HOT, SWEATY and annoyed, I'll shoot the damn thing!;):D
 
I was thinking more like a TV box with a hole cut in each end, just to see if that cures your problem. I do not think the brand is poor quality, so you either have a bad unit, or that Florida sun is throwing it off. I'm no chrono expert, but I believe they all use IR sensors and the white band defines the zone it sweeps. Some of those in that discussion are in this forum as well.
 
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sar4937 said:
I was thinking more like a TV box with a hole cut in each end, just to see if that cures your problem. I do not think the brand is poor quality, so you either have a bad unit, or that Florida sun is throwing it off. I'm no chrono expert, but I believe they all use IR sensors and the white band defines the zone it sweeps. Some of those in that discussion are in this forum as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks, another good idea. I actually do have a really large dog crate that is not being used but it is for a dog the size of a German Shepard or the like, probably too big.

My first attempt will be to just try in later in the day.
I will also try a 2 x2 ft plastic light diffuser panel. I have to replace my kitchen panels which use 6 of them as the yellow over time. I'll bring a box also.
 
"I'm no chrono expert, but I believe they all use IR sensors"

Unless yours works in near dark, it's not an IR setup.
I have both the IR and regular visible light sensor setups, and they are not the same. The changing sun angles screwing the regular readings as they change from morning to evening is the motivation for IDPA going to a closed box and IR sensors.
 
I am pretty sure mine, the Chrony Alpha uses visible light sensors, hence my problem in bright light. Isn't that why you take the sky screens off on overcast cloudy days??
 
Like I stated, I'm no chrony expert. Yes my Alpha Chrony has visible light sensors. It works, it was cheap, and it generally concurs with the match chrony. My suggestion was to stabilize the light for more consistant readings.
 
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