The FX Pocket Chronograph was one of the 20 – yes twenty! – new products launched at the 2019 IWA Show. HAM brought you a first glimpse of it back in early March.
Now the product is shipping and is available for sale from Airgun Depot. Read on to discover how it works…
This new FX Pocket Chronograph is a tiny device that’s set under the muzzle of the gun. It uses Doppler radar technology to record the pellet’s muzzle velocity.
Control and display of the unit and it’s results is managed by a downloadable smartphone app. Both Android and iOS versions of the app are available for free download from their respective online app stores.
Setup, control and operation are simple, as Travis from Airgun Depot demonstrates in his latest video below.
FX Pocket Chronograph Technology Overview
The unit is powered by three AAA batteries and measures velocities of up to 1300 FPS. It can also display muzzle energy values if this option is selected from the cellphone setup menu.
Note that – as Travis explains in his video – this unit measure at one distance only. It’s not like the much more expensive LabRadar unit which measures at multiple different distances, even if they both use Doppler radar technology. From that perspective, it functions just like a regular chronograph.
Also – unlike Labradar – Travis reports that the FX Pocket Chronograph is unaffected by reflections from walls and other surfaces. This makes it ideal for use in confined spaces indoors. (This is not a slam on Labradar, it’s just an indication of similar Doppler radar technology being used in different ways to achieve different results).
FX also provided more interesting information about how the FX Pocket Chronograph works. They explained that the unit actually creates a small Doppler wave “bubble” around itself – it extends about 100 cm (about 40 Inches) in front and 30 cm (about 12 Inches) to either side.
The company tells HAM that when a pellet is fired, it is usually detected 6 to 8 Inches in front of the sensor. In fact, the pellet is actually recorded by the Doppler radar multiple times. The information is then processed and the best/strongest reading is presented.
Due to the Doppler “bubble”, the Pocket Chronograph is able to easily detect muzzle velocities with different air rifles by slightly altering it’s position relative the the muzzle. This is because different barrel, shroud and HPA cylinders can affect the bubble in subtly different ways.
There’s A Software Update Coming…
Also, FX is expecting a big update this week for the software app. Average FPS, high and low velocities and Standard Deviation figures will all be available on the app’s front screen. Also, there will be a built-in ability to calibrate the FX Pocket Chronograph by up to + or – 2%, if required.
That’s obviously a great benefit of using a cellphone as the chronograph’s control system. Additional functionality can be made available to both new and existing owners of the unit, simply by updating the app.
Note that the tiny tripod Travis uses in his video is not included with the unit. They’re easily available as a camera accessory.
BUY FROM AIRGUN DEPOT
FX Radar Pocket Wireless Chronograph
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