TRAX RD Manual - JAMAR Technologies
Contents
1. lb If you have any questions about the use of the TRAX RD please call the following number 1 215 491 4899 Monday Friday 8 00 AM to 5 00 PM Eastern time You may also contact us by e mail at sales O jamartech com For more information on our products or for the latest news in product development visit our web site at www jamartech com Address any correspondence to JAMAR Technologies Inc 151 Keith Valley Road Horsham PA 19044 1411 Volume 1 5 August 2006 1 TRAX RD User s Manual LIMITED WARRANTY JAMAR Technologies Inc warrants the TRAX RD against defects in material and workmanship for a period of one 1 year limited warranty on parts and one 1 year limited warranty on labor from the date of purchase For information on extended warranty call 1 800 776 0940 JAMAR Technologies Inc warrants each new instrument manufactured by the company to be free from defective material and workmanship and agrees to remedy any such defect At its option it may furnish a new part in exchange for any part of any instrument of its manufacture which under normal installation use and service discloses such defect The instrument must be returned to our factory or authorized service agent intact for examination with all transportation charges prepaid This warranty does not extend to any products which have been subject to misuse neglect accident vandalism or incorrect wiring not our own This warranty does not2. Next secure the tube on the traveled portion of the road surface by using mastic As aminimum one piece of mastic should be placed on the zone line middle of the road and two pieces of mastic should be placed in the middle of each lane Additional mastic should be used as deemed necessary to prevent the tube from moving when stuck by a vehicle 4 3 TRAX RD User s Manual Round Tube Installation Clamp Clamp End Plate End Plate Chinese Chinese Finger or Finger or Figure 8 Figure 8 MASTIC 6 Lengths are TUBE 60 ft lengths are recommended satisfactory Coil any excess tube near the counter The tube should be stretched 1 ft for every ten ft of road surface Mini Tube 187 ID x 365 OD Since mini tube is smaller and lighter than standard round tube less hardware is required to install the tubes Also mini tube should not be stretched when installed just placed on the road Mini Tube Installation Mastic or Duct Tape Webbing MASTIC OR DUCT TAPE 6 Lengths are satisfactory WEBBING Approx TUBE 50 ft lengths are recommended 4 to 5 long Loop over Coil any excess tube near the counter tube and nail as shown above Do not stretch the tube just pull it tight to avoid any movement Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation Webbing can be used to secure the tube at each end of the roadway You may tie aknot at the far end of the tube instead of using an end plug or PK nail Sinc
3. Operation of the TRAX RD Press the TAB key again and you will see the counts screen This contains information on the number of counts currently stored and the battery volt age Counts 01 B 6 4 Press the TAB key again and you will see the Site Code screen This screen contains any site code that has been entered into the RD for the count Note that you must use the TCU software as described in Chapter 3 in order to enter a site code You are not required to use an identifier It is provided for those users who need it Pressing the TAB key on the ID screen will cycle you back to the initial Count screen Ending a Count To end a count turn the RD off The count will be stored in the RD s in ternal memory Additional studies can then be conducted with the unit The RD can hold up to 99 different studies or 16 MB of data in its memory TRAX RD User s Manual 2 8 Chapter 3 TCU TRAX Configuration Utility TRAX RD User s Manual Introduction to the TCU The TRAX Configuration Utility TCU is a software program which allows you to change some of the settings of the RD including the time date and site code This is a free program available to all TRAX RD users While it is not necessary to use the program in order to use the RD you may need to use it to make certain changes to the RD Installing the TCU Begin the installation by placing the TCU CD into your CD ROM drive If your CD drive is configured for A
4. assume a length of twelve feet per lane ACtual O of traffic and are shown for round tube Size and mini tube Round Mini Tube Tube 5 2 Chapter 5 Road Tube Layouts Layout L1 Volume Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing None Data Volume Gap Channels 2 Channels A B In this layout channel A and channel B record independently 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini 24 ft 44 9P 4 Layout L2 Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 2 Feet Data Volume Gap Channels 2 Channels A B A In this layout channel A and channel B record independently The A tube is extended over one lane while the B tube is extended over two lanes 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 2 foot spacing between tubes 5 3 TRAX RD User s Manual Layout L3 Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 4 Inches Data Volume Gap Channels 2 Channels A to B B to A In this layout both tubes A and B are extended across the lanes to be counted and is designed for bi directional traffic 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft gt Spacing Layout L4 Sensors Used 1 Road Tube Spacing None Data Volume Gap Channels 1 Channel A In this layout one tube is extended across the lanes to be counted This layout can be used with single direction or bidirectional traffic however there is no lane separation 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft 5 4 Chapter 5 Roa
5. it will only download to the TRAXPro software Uploading to the RD Once you have set the values in the TCU to the ones you want upload them to the RD by clicking on the to gt J Configure Unit button Note that the RD must be turned Finished on properly connected to the computer and with the display active for the upload to work The Finished screen will then appear which means that the upload has been successful TRAX RD User s Manual 3 6 Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation TRAX RD User s Manual Installing Road Tube Proper road tube installation is very important for collecting accurate data with your TRAX RD The road tube and the RD s air switches comprise the sensing device for the unit As with all receivers the sensor has to be functioning properly to record reliable information With this in mind examine your installations carefully and be absolutely certain that your unit is recording data as programmed The followin installation en round tube 25 side Actual Size diameter ID by 60 outside diameter OD and mini tube 187 ID by 365 OD These directions will assist you in placing your road tubes correctly O on the road surface with confidence and a minimum Round Mini of effort Tube Tube Tube Length Tube length is very critical in order to record accurate vehicle data The following guidelines should be followed for all studies regardless of sim plicity The lengths listed for
6. lt gt 5 2 foot spacing between tubes 5 6 Chapter 5 Road Tube Layouts Layout L9 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing 4 inches Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A to B B to A C to D D to C This layout is the same as the L3 layout but with four tubes over four lanes rather than two tubes over two lanes 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 26 ft Minj 24 ft gt 4 inch spacing between tubes Layout L10 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Eight Feet Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 2 Directions A to B C to D This layout is the same as the L5 layout but with four tubes over two lanes rather than two tubes over one lane The tubes should be spaced eight feet apart and be of equal length isi 48 ft Round 48 ft Round ion 38 ft Mini 38 ft Mini 8 foot spacing between tubes 5 7 TRAX RD User s Manual Layout L11 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Eight Feet A to C and B to D Six inches A to B Cto D Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 1 Direction A to C B to D With Lane Separation This layout is the same as the L5 layout but with the addition of two half tubes A and C to provide lane separation This layout is for single direc tion traffic The A and C tubes should be spaced eight feet apart as should the B and D tubes The A tube should be spaced six inches from the B tube and the C tube should be spaced six inches fro
7. count There are up to 12 pre programmed layouts that you can choose from depending on the model purchased Layouts L1 through L6 are two tube layouts while layouts L7 through L12 are four tube layouts Press the DO key to change the layout number Refer to Chapter 5 for more information on what layout to choose for the type of data you would like to receive Once you have selected the proper layout press the TAB key and you will be taken to the Data Module screen DATA MODULE The Data Module screen allows users of a TRAX Data Module to check the status of the module and transfer data from the RD for easy transport back to a computer To bypass this screen press TAB and you will be taken to the Erase Counts screen described on page 2 6 2 4 Chapter 2 Operation of the TRAX RD To check the status of a module connect it to the Comm Port of the RD using the module cable and press the DO key C 001 90 V 1 2 The module status screen lists the number of counts currently stored in the module C 001 the percentage of memory available in the module 90 and the firmware version of the module V 1 2 To prepare to download or clear the module press the DO key gt Dump lt Erase X This screen allows you to either transfer data from the RD to your module or erase the information currently stored in the module To erase the module press the TAB key until the bracket highlights gt lt are around Erase then press the DO
8. each study below have shown to provide the best results based on extensive testing L1 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L9 L10 Long tube setups To encompass all types of vehicles and speeds a tube length of sixty 60 feet is recommended for round tube fifty 50 feet for mini tube These lengths should satisfy all requirements for normal street road highway and interstate traffic patterns L2 L8 L11 L12 Short tube long tube setups To ensure the pulses from the road tubes arrive at the counter in the proper order the tube length must be the same from the edge of the road to the RD This will ensure that the pulse from the short tube arrives before the pulse from the long tube EXAMPLE You are using mini tube to install an L11 layout across two lanes of traffic and each lane is twelve feet wide In order to ensure that the distance the air pulse has to travel from the edge of the road to the counter is the same for all tubes you should use 38 feet for the short tubes A amp C and 50 feet for the long tubes B amp D The short tubes will be installed over only one lane 12 feet leaving 26 feet of tube back to the RD The long tubes will be installed over two lanes 4 2 Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation 24 feet but since they are 50 feet long you will still have 26 feet back to the RD For round tube the lengths would be 48 feet for the short tubes and 60 feet for the long tubes It is very important that the air pulses tr
9. extend to water damage caused by the use of faulty or improperly installed road tube or damage caused by improper installation in disregard of the instructions furnished by us This warranty does not extend to products which have been repaired or altered outside our factory or authorized service agent There is a 90 day warranty on the rechargeable battery of the TRAX In no event shall JAMAR Technologies Inc be liable for any damages arising from the use of this product including damages arising from the loss of information This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied and no representative or person is authorized to assume for us any other liability in connection with the sale or use of our products JAMAR Technologies Inc reserves the right to make improvements on the product and or specifications at any time without notice Questions concerning this warranty or any JAMAR Technologies Inc product should be directed by mail or telephone to JAMAR Technologies Inc 151 Keith Valley Road Horsham PA 19044 215 491 4899 COPYRIGHT NOTICE This manual is copyrighted All rights are reserved This document may not be in whole or part photocopied reproduced translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine readable form without prior consent in writing from JAMAR Technologies Inc Copyright 2006 by JAMAR Technologies Inc il Table of Contents Table of Contents Technical Support icsc
10. key A confirmation screen will then appear Press DO again to complete the erase To download or dump data from the RD to the module press the TAB key until the bracket highlight is around Dump then press the DO key Dump gt New lt All The Dump screen allows you to select which counts to download to the module either all counts or just new ones If you select All all of the currently stored counts will be downloaded If you select New only those counts that have never been downloaded before will be transferred Once the download is complete you will be taken back to the initial setup screen To bypass the Data Module screen press the TAB key and you will be taken to the Erase Counts screen Erase Counts This screen allows you to delete all the currently stored counts from the RD s memory If you do not want to erase your counts press the TAB key and you will be cycled back to the initial setup screen 2 5 TRAX RD User s Manual To erase the counts press the DO key and you will be shown a confirmation screen Press DO and you will be prompted again to press DO to be sure this is what you want to do If so press DO again and the counts will be erased After the counts have been erased you will be taken back to the initial setup screen Count Screens If you press the DO key while on the Counts Memory or Time Date setup screens a new count is immediately started and you will be shown the axle hits screen 0
11. or higher 2 The battery will only hold a charge for a short time under load conditions 3 The battery will discharge faster than normal during storage under no load With this in mind recharge the battery to its highest potential normally from 6 4 volts and up once it has fallen to 6 1 or 6 0 volts The battery can be charged through the charge port with the TRAX Battery charger or a similar 6VDC charger with the correct plug and polarity The battery may also be removed for charging if desired Solar Panel Use If your TRAX is equipped with a solar panel the panel can provide power to the unit when in the field and exposed to sunlight This can extend the time between needing to recharge the battery since the bat tery is not being used if the unit is able to get power from the solar panel The solar panel draws sunlight and converts it to voltage which is regulated to as high as 7 0 volts 7 2 Chapter 7 Battery Care If your TRAX is used frequently and exposed to sunlight often the time span between needing to manually recharge the battery will be extended However if your unit is used infrequently and not exposed to sunlight you may need to recharge the battery more often Note that the Solar Panel will not generally charge the battery of the TRAX if the unit is in use In this case the power being supplied by the solar panel is used to directly power the TRAX itself To charge the battery using the solar panel th
12. 00 000 or 000 000 000 000 This screen records the number of sensor hits as they happen The sets of numbers correspond to the input letters printed on the faceplate directly above the display Two road tube units will have numbers for A and B while four road tube units will have numbers for A through D You will see numbers recorded for an input when a sensor hit is received for that input After installing your tubes and starting a count we recommend observing vehicles for a short period of time to be sure they are being recorded cor rectly As a vehicle passes over a tube you should see the number in the corresponding input increment by the amount of axles on the vehicle For example if you are using an L6 layout A and B tubes stretched across two lanes and a passenger car passes over the tubes both the A and B totals should increase by two the number of axles on the vehicle This screen is designed to allow you to observe traffic as it is being recorded to be certain that the data is being recorded correctly It is not meant to show the total volume recorded When any of the input numbers reach 999 they will roll over to 000 and start again When a count is in progress there are several other status screens that can be reviewed Once you are sure that the data is being recorded correctly press the TAB key The next count screen shows the current time and date that is programmed in the RD 14 24 40 02 13 01 2 6 Chapter 2
13. 2 As the data is transferred the display will show which count is being down loaded C 01 and what block the download is up to Each block represents 4096 bytes of data Once the data has been transferred to the computer you may turn the RD off Do not clear the data out of the RD until you are certain that it has been downloaded successfully to the computer TRAX RD User s Manual 6 4 Chapter 7 Battery Care TRAX RD User s Manual Battery Care The following information regarding battery care is furnished to assist you in the use and maintenance of rechargeable batteries Battery life is dependent on the user s preventative maintenance procedures Establish regular routines for all of your batteries regardless of their usage The TRAX RD turns itself off when the battery voltage falls to 5 9 volts The TRAX also will not allow a new study to be started if the voltage is 6 0 or below This is to prevent damage from occurring to the battery if the voltage were allowed to fall too low Charging a battery is very important for obvious reasons Your TRAX de pends on a fully charged battery to operate efficiently and to produce reliable and correct data Batteries should not be allowed to sit in a discharged state for any length of time Once the battery discharges below 5 8 volts damage to the cells has already begun Symptoms of a damaged battery are 1 The battery will not charge to its full capacity of 6 4 volts
14. AX RD User s Manual The TCU allows you to change several settings in the RD These include the Time Date Site Code Layout Spacing and Dead Time DT Time Date The Time and Date listings in the TCU can either be entered manually or read from your computer s clock To enter a time or date manually be sure the Use PC Time Date box in the middle left side is unchecked If you place a check in this box the TCU will use the computer s clock for the time and date The Date Format field can be used to control how the date is listed in the RD The options are USA month day year or World day month year If you want to change the time date or date format in the RD be sure to check the Set Time Date box in the middle left of the TCU If this box is not checked the TCU will ignore the time date and format settings when uploading to the RD Site Code The Site Code is a numeric count identifier that can be used to provide ad ditional information about a count You are not required to use a Site Code for your counts it is provided for those users who need it If you would like to use a site code enter it in the Site Code field You can use up to a 12 digit number Only numeric site codes can be used The TCU program has fields for uploading alpha numeric site codes to other TRAX units but these fields are disabled when connected to an RD Layout The layout field allows you to select which road tube layout should be used in t
15. Manual Quick Setup Guide for the TRAX RD 1 Turn the TRAX RD ON Once the start up process is complete the following menu will be displayed Counts 00 B 6 4 2 Check the battery voltage Bat x xV Refer to Chapter 7 for information on proper battery care Note that the RD will automatically shut down when the battery voltage falls to 5 0 3 To select a tube layout press the TAB key until the fol lowing screen is displayed Layout L01 4 Refer to the list of layouts on the RD s faceplate and select the one for your study by pressing DO until the number of your layout is displayed 5 Press TAB until the initial setup screen is again dis played 6 Press DO to begin your study The following screen will be displayed 000 000 or 000 000 000 000 You will see numbers recorded for an input when a sensor hit is received for that input iv Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX RD TRAX RD User s Manual What is the TRAX RD The TRAX RD is an automatic traffic recorder designed and built by JAMAR Technologies Inc It is designed for ease of use but contains many options and features that are needed for comprehensive traffic data collection The RD stands for Raw Data which means that the unit will record a time stamp of every sensor hit that occurs during a study The RD can store up to 99 different studies using its 16 MB of memory At any convenient time you can transfer the data from the RD to your
16. ash memory Each kilobyte of memory can hold approximately 512 axle hits Refer to the following tables for an estimate of how long you can conduct a count before filling the memory ic Ron Left KB _Axles 3578 Memory Usage KB ADT Day 2 Days 3 Days 4 Days 5 Days 6 Days 7 Days 1000 j 0 59 89 118 148 177 207 Appendix Menu Tree Power On JAMAR TRAX RD Version 1 0 00 Serial 999999 Mem 7998K Counts 01 B 6 4V Mem 7998K starts ount TAB DO Starts Count DO garg TAB TAB TAB TAB po TAB TAB TAB po TRAX RD User s Manual TRAX RD Specifications Size 11 x 7 x 4 5 or 9 x 7 x 5 depending on model Weight approximately 8 Ibs Sensor Inputs two or four road tubes depending on model Memory 16 MB internal flash memory Power 6 volt 4 5 amp hour rechargeable lead gel battery with optional solar panel or 6 volt non rechargeable disposable battery depending on model Internal lithium battery for real time clock Interface RS 232 serial communications port 9 pin DBS socket Temperature Range minus 40 F 40 C to 165 F 72 C Date Format USA MM DD YY or World DD MM YY Display wide temperature 16 character LCD display Output binary file capable of being read by JAMAR or compatible software Data Collection Time stamped raw data Clock always active real time clock We are pleased that you have chosen the TRAX RD f
17. avel over the same distance when two or more tubes are used to record data To accommodate the required length of tube brass splices may be used The splices are approximately three 3 inches long hollow and do not restrict the flow of air Do not use the splices on the roadway itself only on the section of tube after the clamp nearest the RD Tube Placement Tubes should be placed exactly perpendicular to the flow of traffic to prevent double counting When using two or more tubes that must be set at specific distances from each other always use a tape measure or ruler to measure from the center of each tube to determine the proper spacing In short tube long tube setups the short tube should be installed to the zone line center of the highway Observe traffic to be sure that vehicles in the outer lane are not coming in contact with the short tube Installation Round Tube 25 ID x 60 OD Round tube should be stretched one foot for every ten feet of roadway when being installed Each tube should be secured at each end of the roadway by using a galvanized C Clamp Chinese Finger Figure 8 Grip or an End Plate Whichever is used ensure the proper nail size is used Use the longer nail size normally 2 1 2 inch or longer in hot weather due to the softness of the asphalt In cold weather applications the asphalt becomes harder making it more difficult to drive in the nails In this situation smaller nails 1 1 2 inch can be used
18. computer or adata module through the unit s RS 232 communications port The data can then be processed using JAMAR s TRAXPro software A variety of reports and graphs can be created from the data using the software Report options include volume class speed gap and several others 1 2 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX RD How is the TRAX RD powered The TRAX RD is powered by a rechargeable lead gel battery The solar panel also provides power when in the field which extends the time before the battery needs to be recharged Depending upon use batteries may last for several months before they need to be recharged manually The TRAX RD displays the battery voltage when it is first turned on This allows you to determine if there is enough battery power to complete a study Generally battery voltage should register at 6 3 VDC or higher for a full charge Note that the RD will automatically shut down when the battery voltage falls to 5 0 Refer to Chapter 7 Battery Care for more information on battery maintenance Programming the TRAX RD An OFF ON switch on top of the front panel is used to turn the RD on and off A 16 character display helps you select the proper entries Two but tons are all that are used to program the RD The TAB key is used to cycle through options while the DO key is used to select an option 1 3 TRAX RD User s Manual Before You Do a Study Before you attempt to collect important data w
19. csssecssectoconassssncesssscesstdsenvasececsecsstesseveasednnscoescesencede i Quick Setup Guide for the TRAX RD sssssssssesssessccesocesocesocsoossooesoseese iv Introduction to the TRAX RD rrrrrte ne rune nee ee rene ee ree re 1 1 What1s the TRAX ERN N Ran 1 2 How is the TRAX RD Powered eke ek kek 1 3 Programming the TRAX RD eee erkeke kek nenn 1 3 Operation of the TRAX RD n Henne cere ce nece ree eoeeeee eee ce 2 1 Start Up Screens s2n yi 2 R a KWE NE N Aa ilari 2 2 Malle D N rx j ll en aa 2 3 Count SCLEGMS l iaia ali k k d a la kik a k n 2 6 Ending Co ht teta 2 7 TCU TRAX Configuration Utility 3 1 Introduction to the TCU i 3 2 Installing the TCU aran ai ve wa de 3 2 Using the TCU 3 555 enti ale ii ail liv MERWE MNE RAN 3 3 Uploading to the RD ie 3 5 Road Tube Installation een 4 1 Road Tube Layouts e nenere rence reee ce eee ce ee we ce ee weee Hecer ne He 5 1 Downloading the TRAX RDI 4s s4 s ss e eseee ece ee eee ce 02000000000 6 1 Battery Care siccscssscsccsescccsvsssesssstscccsoutsssenssesntsvsascdensssovessssececencsesctsssssceus 7 1 TEOUDIESHOOUIAG cscsscssencsssecsseotesonsussessseadesoncessenvensvessagsd sseestGascensseeesessen 8 1 A essesssecestectsseeses A 1 111 TRAX RD User s
20. d Tube Layouts Layout L5 Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing Eight Feet Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 1 Direction A to B In this layout both tubes A and B are extended across the lane to be stud ied Channel A and channel B record dependent on each other The tubes should be spaced eight feet apart and be of equal length 48 ft Round Of 38 ft Mini Spacing 8 feet Layout L6 Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing Eight Feet Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 2 Directions A to B Bto A In this layout both tubes A and B are extended across the lanes to be studied Channel A and channel B record dependent on each other The tubes should be spaced two feet apart and be of equal length 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft S9 Spacing 8 feet TRAX RD User s Manual Layout L7 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing None Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A B C D This layout is the same as the L1 layout but with four tubes over four separate lanes rather than two tubes over two lanes 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini 24 ft G A 4 A B Layout L8 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A B A C D C This layout is the same as the L2 layout but with four tubes over four lanes rather than two tubes over two lanes 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini gt
21. e the mini tube is light and low profile you may use duct tape or two inch mastic to secure the tube to the roadway Generally three pieces of tape mastic are sufficient To reduce wear and or break age of the tape do not install the tape in the path of the vehicle tires When installing a short tube long tube configuration L2 L8 L11 L12 you may install both tubes completely across the road and tie a knot midway of the half tube This eliminates nailing the half tube on the center line which can create a safety problem for installation personnel Checking for Accuracy Once your tubes are installed and you are collecting data observe the traffic as it is being recorded to be sure everything is working correctly If possible check the tubes periodically during the study to ensure they have not been damaged and data is being recorded as programmed Upon completion of your data collection remove the tubes clamps nails and anything else that may be of danger to the motorists The mastic may be hard to remove in some instances especially in hotter weather In those cases it may be left on the highway and eventually it will blend into the asphalt from the flow of traffic TRAX RD User s Manual 4 6 Chapter 5 Road Tube Layouts TRAX RD User s Manual Road Tube Layouts for the TRAX RD The RD is equipped with twelve pre programmed tube layouts for recording traffic data These are designated as L1 through L12 and rep
22. e unit should be turned off and set in bright sunlight Manual Battery Charging Monitor your battery voltage by checking the Main Menu of the RD We recommend that the battery be recharged to its highest charge level usually 6 4 volts and above once it discharges to 6 1 or 6 0 volts A good battery may charge as high as 7 0 volts or better A defective bat tery may not charge any higher than 6 1 volts after a reasonable charge time Charge time will vary with the level of the battery voltage Usu ally a battery of 6 0 volts can be charged to its highest potential in 12 hours or less To manually charge the TRAX s battery plug the TRAX Battery Charger shown here into an out let then connect it to the Battery Charger port of the TRAX er CHARGER z 24W Never plug a charger into a charge port unless you are abso lutely sure of the voltage output and polarity We recommend that the TRAX be turned off during the charging pro cess However the charger will still charge even if the TRAX is on While the unit is charging the light on the TRAX Battery Charger will be amber yellow in color Once the charge is complete the light will be green If there is a problem with the charge the light will be red TRAX RD User s Manual After a battery has been charged allow it to sit for several hours then check the voltage to determine if the battery kept its charge Some re duction in voltage is acceptable However if the ba
23. emory Mem 15838K After a few seconds the screen clears and the first of the Setup Menus is displayed Counts 01 B 6 4 Chapter 2 Operation of the TRAX RD Setup Screens After the TRAX RD has been turned on and the initial start up screens have been displayed the unit will display the first of the Setup menus Counts 01 B 6 4 This screen lists the number of counts or studies that are currently stored in the RD as well as the current battery voltage Note that the RD will automatically shut down when the battery voltage falls to 5 0 Refer to Chapter 7 for more information on battery care If you press DO while on this screen a new count will start and you will be taken to the first of the Count screens which is described on page 2 6 If you press TAB while on this screen you will be taken to the Memory screen Mem 15838K This screen is the same as the one shown during the start up of the RD It displays the amount of memory in the counter that is currently available for use The RD contains 16 MB 16000 KB of memory Always check this screen before starting a new count to make certain you will have enough memory for your entire count Refer to the Memory Table in the Appendix for additional memory information If you press DO while on this screen a new count will start and you will be taken to the first of the Count menus which is described on page 2 6 If you press TAB while on this screen you will be take
24. erminal may be indicated by a minus sign or black mark The effectiveness of the solar panel can be reduced if it is dirty or scratched up For best results try to keep the panel clean 7 4 Chapter 8 Troubleshooting Chapter 8 Troubleshooting TRAX RD User s Manual TROUBLESHOOTING The following are some common questions problems that can be encoun tered when using the TRAX RD The possible answers that are stated with them are not necessarily the only answer but should be checked first before contacting JAMAR If you cannot find the answer to your problem question do not hesitate to contact us Contact information is listed on the first page of this manual There is no display visible on the RD Check that the RD is turned on and that the unit is not in its power sav ing mode The display automatically goes out when the RD has not been disturbed for several minutes To bring the display back up hit the DO or TAB key The display on the RD will not come on The battery voltage may have gone too low to power the display If you are using lantern batteries replace the battery with a new one and see if the display comes up If you are using rechargeable batteries connect the RD to a battery charger and charge for 12 hours then see if the display comes up If the unit was in the field collecting data when this problem occurred turn the unit off return it to your office and charge Cannot view all of the informa
25. he RD There are 12 pre programmed layouts available Refer to Chapter 5 for more information on what layout to choose for the type of data you would like to receive Note that the layout can also be changed directly through the RD itself Refer to page 2 4 for more information on this 3 4 Spacing The Spacing selection allows you to set the proper spacing for the tube layout you will be using in the filed The default value used is 8 feet for layouts designed for speed and class data collection L5 L6 L10 L11 L12 The Spacing value is not used with volume only layouts L1 L2 L3 L4 L7 L8 L9 DT Dead Time The DT field allows you to set the Dead Time also known as D Bounce for the air switches This setting tells the RD how long to wait after it receives a sensor hit before it will accept another The default setting in the RD is 25 milliseconds which is acceptable for most applications However the DT can be set anywhere from 1 to 990 ms Note that the DT can also be changed directly through the RD itself Refer to page 2 4 for more information on this Additional Settings There are several other settings in the TCU that are not used with the RD These include the DBV Units and Interval Length settings These fields can be set when the TCU is being used with other TRAX units The En able High Speed Communications box can be used to configure the RD to download at speeds higher than 19200 If the RD is enabled for this
26. ith the TRAX RD we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the operation of the TRAX RD how to properly install your road tubes and how to download the data to your computer Few things are more frustrating than trying to resolve problems when working on a tight deadline or with critical data Whenever possible we recommend that you perform a test study if you are new to the TRAX RD or are planning to collect data that you have not in the past This will help you become comfortable with the operation of the equipment and how the data is collected which should make things easier when you have to do a real study 1 4 Chapter 2 Operation of the TRAX RD TRAX RD User s Manual Start up Screens A 16 character display located in the middle of the TRAX RD s front panel is used to display the unit s current options and status Note that the dis play of the RD has a power saving feature that turns off the screen if the unit has not been disturbed for several minutes To bring the display back up press either the DO or TAB key When you turn on the TRAX RD it will display several screens with infor mation on the current status of the unit After the title screen the next screen shows the version number of the firmware Version 3 0 00 This is followed by the serial number of the unit Serial 999999 The next screen shows the amount of memory available The TRAX RD contains approximately 16 MB or 16000 KB of m
27. m the D tube Remember vehicles must always strike the short tube first 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini _ lt gt 6 inch spacing from A to B and from C to D B 8 foot spacing from D A to C and from B to D Layout L12 Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Eight Feet A to C and B to D Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 2 Directions A to C D to B This layout is the same as the L11 layout but for bidirectional traffic Refer to the L11 layout for further information The A and C tubes should be spaced two feet apart as should the B and D tubes The A tube should be spaced six inches from the B tube and the C tube should be spaced six inches from the D tube Remember vehicles must always strike the half tube first 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini bi gt 6 inch spacing from A to B and from C to D B 8 foot spacing from D A to C and from B to D Chapter 6 Downloading the TRAX RD TRAX RD User s Manual Downloading the TRAX RD The TRAX RD is designed to be down loaded to a computer or data module using its communications serial port To properly download the RD you will need JAMAR s TRAXPro software an available serial port on your computer Y In and a JAMAR universal cable shown amp gt to the right Note that you cannot download an RD to a computer or module while it is collecting data You must end any counts by turning the RD off before you download To prepare to download
28. n to the Time Date screen 14 24 40 02 13 01 This screen lists the current time military format and date that are programmed in the RD To change the time or date you must use the TRAX Configuration Utility software as discussed in chapter 3 If you press DO while on this screen a new count will start and you will be taken to the first of the Count screens which is described on page 2 6 2 3 TRAX RD User s Manual If you press TAB while on this screen you will be taken to the Dead Time screen DT 25ms This screen allows you to set the Dead Time also known as D Bounce for the air switches This setting tells the RD how long to wait after it receives a sensor hit before it will accept another The default setting in the RD is 25 milliseconds which is acceptable for most applications However you can change this value by pressing the DO key The options that are available are 25 40 90 or 300 ms A high DT is recommend for slow moving traffic or traffic that might be hitting the tubes on an angle as this will reduce the likelihood of double hits being recorded by the same axle The DT setting can also be set in the RD by using the TCU software as described in chapter 3 The TCU software allows the DT to be set to any value from 1 to 990 ms Once you have set the DT press the TAB key and you will be taken to the Layout screen Layout L01 This screen allows you to select the road tube layout to be used for your
29. nsferred to your computer Once the files have been copied onto the computer the Setup Complete screen will appear Click Finish to exit the installation Using the TCU Once the software has been installed the program can be accessed by click ing on the Windows Start button going to Programs choosing JAMAR then TCU To communicate with the RD from the TCU connect the JAMAR universal cable to the RD and plug the other end into a Comm Port on the computer Refer to Chapter 6 for more information on comm ports ES Please Select Com Port When you first start the program you will be prompted to select the Comm Port on the com puter that will be used by the TCU Click OK and the program will start Once the program is open select the Comm Port to be used by selecting a port in the Serial Port field at the upper right xi If the RD is turned on and prop Ele Settings About erly connected you can read the Refresh Quit current setting in the unit by si clicking the Refesh button inished reading data FW Set Time Date 7 Enable High Speed Communications Note that the RD s display must Mec tata be on for the connection to be Date Format uo DEL 2 B USA C Word Engish C Metric a made If the unit is in power Fo os as Layout os save mode press the DO or Date 03 01 05 DBV n n TAB key to wake the display 000000000005 Spacing 08 00 up Ep 035 ms Ponte Lent TE min TR
30. or your traffic data collection needs We have strived to develop a unit that is easy to use and has the options that our customers require The RD has undergone extensive testing to verify the accuracy of its operations and each unit is extensively tested before it leaves our facility However we recommend that you verify the continuing accuracy of any traffic counting device you use To assure that your unit is operating properly verification against manual counts should be performed on an annual basis as required by the Federal Highway Administration Should you detect any problems with any of our products please notify us immediately and discontinue use of the unit until we have verified its operation A 4
31. resent the most common types of layouts used to record traffic data Since the RD collects raw data the way in which the data is recorded in the unit is the same for all layouts When the tires of a vehicle s axle cross a tube a time stamp is recorded in the channel that corresponds to the tube hit The following are descriptions of each of the layouts and the type of reports that can be generated from the data collected Each layout is different but there are some common principles that should be used with any layout that is chosen e The condition of the road tubes the manner in which they are installed and the length of the tubes are all critical to achieving good results Refer to Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation for more information on this A tube length of sixty 60 feet is recommended for round tube and a tube length of fifty 50 feet is recommended for mini tube e In all tube setups of more than one tube the tube length from the end of the road to the counter must be the same for all tubes In all short tube long tube layouts the vehicle must strike the short tube first e Some layouts L1 L2 L3 L4 L7 L8 L9 will only allow volume reports to be generated from the data To be able to produce all possible reports such as class or speed from the data layouts with a minimum of eight feet of tube spacing L5 L6 L10 L11 L12 are required to achieve accurate results The diagrams for the following layouts
32. tion desired on the RD s display after the study has begun There are multiple status screens that can be viewed while the RD is col lecting data To view these screens use the TAB key The data produced is not accurate In most cases if the data is not accurate the problem is not with the RD but the layout Check the tube layout used in the field and the condition of the tubes Make sure the tubes were set with the proper length spacing and perpendicular to the flow of traffic One simple condition check of a tube that is laid out in the field is to disconnect the tube from the RD and hold the end to your cheek You should feel the air pulse as tires cross the tube If you do not there may be a tear in the tube or it may be blocked After setting up a counter always observe the display and traffic to be sure data is being recorded properly Refer to Chapter 5 Road Tube Layouts for more information 8 2 Chapter 8 Troubleshooting The RD will not download Check your connection between the RD and the computer Refer to Chapter 6 Downloading the TRAX RD for other items to check Additional troubleshooting information can be found on our web site at www jamartech com If you are unable to find a solution to your problem contact us using the information located on the first page of this manual TRAX RD User s Manual 8 4 Appendix TRAX RD User s Manual Memory Table The TRAX RD contains 16 MB 16000KB of fl
33. ttery falls below 6 1 volts recharge it for a longer period of time If this does not improve the charge the battery is most likely defective and should be replaced Monitor your battery voltages frequently charging when necessary and you will extend the life of your battery Additional Notes Do not expose the battery to moisture or rain Do not drop hit or abuse the battery it may break and expose the contents which are highly corrosive Do not short circuit battery terminals Some batteries are protected with self resetting fuses but short circuits may still cause severe dam age to the battery It is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charg ing It is normal for a battery to self discharge during prolonged stor age Always fully charge a battery prior to storage While in storage periodically check the batteries with a voltmeter to ensure they have not discharged below a level that may cause permanent damage e Always store in a cool dry location e Keep batteries away from fire and do not incinerate they may explode Under no circumstances should you attempt to open the battery case e Always observe polarity when connecting your battery to any electronic electrical device If your device is not protected for im proper battery hookup you may cause severe damage to the electronic circuitry The positive terminal may be indicated by a plus sign or red mark The negative t
34. utoplay the installation program will start after a few seconds Otherwise click on the Start button on your Windows desktop Select Run from the list of options and type the command line X setup where X is the letter of your CD ROM drive Press OK and the installation will begin x The Welcome screen reminds you to be sure all other pro grams are closed before pro gan ceeding with the installation PRETE During the installation files used by the program will be placed on the computer in cluding some Windows sys tem files If other programs are open and using some of the files that need to be installed an error can occur during the installation process To proceed click on the Next button Welcome to TCU Setup setup WE x The Choose Destination Lo e i FAN cation screen is used to select Setup wil install TCU in the following folder the directory in which the TCU To instal to is folder lek Nest To instal toa diferent Ilder olek Browse and select will be installed The default location is C Program Files JAMAR TCU Once the direc tory has been set click Next to Destination Folder continue CAPtogram FilesWAMAR TCU Browse InstallShield The Start Copying Files screen Chapter 3 TCU TRAX Configuration Utility will then appear with a summary of the options you have selected If every thing looks okay click Next and you will see the files begin to be tra
35. vices that require these device drivers to be running If you have to unplug a device from the serial port to plug your RD in or if you are using a switch box be sure that the device does not have a driver running in memory 6 2 Chapter 6 Downloading the TRAX RD 4 If you have a conflict with another device on a serial port or if your computer does not have a serial port you can use a USB port by using a USB to Serial Converter These devices allow serial peripherals like JAMAR equipment to interface with a USB port There are several of these devices available on line and at computer stores Go to the hard ware support section of our web site www jamartech com for a link to one of these devices that we have tested and found to work well Once the universal cable is plugged into the computer plug the other end into the RD and slide the ON OFF switch on the RD to the ON position After a brief period of self diagnostics the counter will display a screen similar to the one shown below Counts 01 B 6 4 This is the screen from which all downloading is done At this point refer to your software manual for information on how to setup the software for downloading Note that the RD will automatically sense whatever baud rate you select in the software The higher the baud rate the faster your data will be transferred While the data is being downloaded the display on the RD will be similar to the one shown below C 01 BIk 0000
36. your data connect the universal cable to a serial port on your computer Some serial ports have 25 pins and some have 9 Generally COM 1 is a 9 pin COM 2 is a 25 or 9 pin The ports may be labeled on the computer itself with COM 1 listed as 1 or A and COM 2 listed as 2 or B The following tips should help you to avoid problems when download through a computer s serial port 1 You must correctly identify the port into which you are plugging the cable The 25 and 9 pin connectors used for serial ports are also used for serial or parallel printers mice plotters video cards and other devices Just because your cable fits into a connector on your PC does not mean itis aserial port Consult your computer instruction manual if you have any questions on which ports are serial ports on your computer 2 Many computers have more than one serial port You will need to know which serial port you are plugging the universal cable into Serial ports are designated as COMx where x is a number from 1 to 4 You will need to know this number to download the RD 3 Some devices that are plugged into a computer s serial port will not allow the RD to download its data properly These are devices that require a program called a device driver to be running in the com puter at all times These device drivers are very self centered and think that all the data coming into the serial port is for them Mice digitizer boards Palm Pilots and light pens are all de
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