Wavetronix VDR24 Radar - Manual (Page 54)

Setting Up Lanes, Zones, and Channels
54 VDR24 Radar Detection System, Rev 1.0
8.3. SSM-Rail Tab 1 - Establish Lanes for Traffic
After Sensor Settings, the next configuration step available from the main menu is Sensor
Setup. When you click this option, the first screen that appears is Lanes & Stop Bars.
The Lanes & Stop Bars screen shows the sensor’s 140-ft. (30.5-m), 90° degree view and
provides automatic and manual controls to quickly and easily configure the sensor to the
roadway. The sensor’s view has the appearance of a baseball infield with the sensor icon
shown at the position where home plate would be.
Right away you should see small dotted blue icons that represent return echoes from vehicles
moving over the roadway (called radar “trackers”). These breadcrumb-like icons are not vehicle
(or train) detections per se, but are the returned emissions from the radar elements within the
sensor. These trackers are continuously evaluated by the radar for energy level, movement,
position relative to lanes, and other attributes. If a group of “unconstrained trackers”, as they are
called, meet all the necessary criteria they can qualify as a valid vehicle or detectable object.
Then, if they are in a valid lane and detection zone they are finally detected as vehicles in an
established detection zone. All this happens in a matter of milliseconds on a continuous basis.
8.3.1. Orient Display to Match Physical Sensor Location
The SSM-Rail software shows the position of the radar
sensor and the view is drawn from the perspective of the
sensor. The sensor’s default position is in the bottom-left
corner of the display. If the perspective in the software does
not match your perspective of the roadway, click the Rotate
View button until the sensor position matches the approach
you are configuring.
8.3.2. Verify Proper Physical Aiming of the Sensors
Now is the time to verify that the sensor is positioned and
aimed so that the crossing detection zone (or train detection
zone) area is as centered as possible in the quarter-circle
shaped detection footprint. Adjust the position of the sensor
if necessary to be sure the intended detection zone area is
well within the footprint. If there are not a sufficient number
of vehicles in motion across the area, you can have
someone walk around the perimeter of the crossing island.
Most humans will emit a sufficient trail of radar trackers that
this area can be identified on the display. This technique will
be used later to precisely set the detection zone boundaries.
8.3.3. Set Lane Placement, Lane Widths, and Direction
There are a number of semi-automated ways to establish
lane position and other lane attributes. However, we
recommend manual placement and design of the lanes
within the detection footprint for optimum performance.
8.3.3.1. Establish Lanes in the Detection Footprint
To add lanes, left click on the radar’s detection footprint (the yellow quarter-circle shaped area).
A dialog box will appear providing the opportunity to add a lane. Select Add Lane and a black
lane will be randomly placed in the detection footprint. Using the blue handles at the ends of the
lane, move the lane in the detection footprint so that it is directly over and centered on one of
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Click Rotate View button to
orient the display to match the
physical location of the radar
sensor and the detection area