Is it the Chrono or the Conditions?

[labnoti]

I had a hell of a time yesterday with my Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph. I've had it for a few weeks and used it a half-dozen days. It has worked great on overcast days. It had a little trouble one day when it was sunny and the plastic canopy arms cast a shadow across the top. I just turned it a different angle and it worked.

Yesterday, it was about an hour before sunset and I went out to use it to measure four groups of new handloads. So I set it up in the shadow of a hillside. I figured that way the lower-angle of sunlight wouldn't trouble it. But apparently, it was too dark to measure anything. I had to move it to the sun to get any measurements, but then half my measurements were way off (253 fps instead of ~1100 fps).

Am I just asking too much of a Chrono to use it in these conditions or can I get a better Chrono? The store will let me return this one, but today is the last day I can return it.

 

[Laphroaig]

For sure there are better chronographs. Labradar and Magnetospeed come to mind.

From what you said, the lighting conditions probably were the reason for your problems. My prochrono has worked really well for me, except one time when it was drizzling rain. For a $125 instrument I'm willing to put up with a few limitations.

 

[jmr40]

I made a very large sunscreen from cardboard. About 3' square, that I attached to the the plastic screens. I then attached some stick on LED lights to the underside of the cardboard screen.

https://www.amazon.com/Ledinus-Batt...8-17-spons&keywords=led+stick+on+lights&psc=1

I read about this hack somewhere on the internet. I've only used in a couple of times since the modification, but it seems to work better. The light is coming from the LED's and is not dependent on sunlight from odd angles and should be more consistent.

What I did is similar to this. I just made a much larger sun screen from cardboard.

 

[Walkalong]

about an hour before sunset

The low angle of the sun can really play havoc with one sometimes.

 

[jmorris]

If it worked fine on the overcast days, it’s not the chronograph.

You can isolate them from odd angle lighting and even use them at night.

I used cardboard and a right angle flash light one night that I needed to use a chronograph after dark.



You just can’t use fluorescent lighting as it cycles on and off.