Doppler Radar Pros & Cons of buying a Jugs gun?
By: Bear
HR,
Short answer: Depends on what you want to spend.
Medium Answer:
~ $15.00 Self Timer in Ball (Rawlings)
~ $20.00 readout goes into pad of Glove
~ $100.00 Readout on Bucket that you Sit on
~ $200 LL model Readout 20-75 mph at 55 ft
~ $700 Jugs MPH Radar Gun (Pro Model)
~ $1700 Jugs 'Deluxe' with remoted display
Long answer:
With modern technology available with the advances of digital signal processing computer, radar is now being used in just about everyday life, not just baseball. The newer 'Doppler' radar has been developed and is better, smaller, more efficient, and cost less to build. Doppler Radar works on the Doppler Effect by that the frequency of an electromagnetic wave is changed when the wave hits a moving object.
I have seen Baseball Radar Guns for the LL's start at about $200. They measure up to from the low end of 20 Mph to 75 mph or so and at reduced distances (55 ft or so). Some measure sound waves
I have an aging Decateur. It's sometime's called the Ray Gun, and measures the velocity of the ball at the plate (rather than the more acceptable approach today of measuring the velocity of the ball out of the hand.) It starts to measure velocities at 50 mph and up! (Thus no applicable to a LL'er 45 mph fastball)
It's getting to be a hassle and expensive to maintain the old Ray Gun. Because of this, I usually keep it home (or in the shop) when I head out to watch some young lively arm. Because of this, I think I have gotten better (since the late 80's) at estimating ball speeds. When Randy Johnson and Benitez matched up in the late innings a couple of years ago, I was holding the Jugs gun behind the dish up at Camden. Their was absolutly no way I could tell the difference between Johson's 97 mph gas, and Benitez 99 mph stinkin cheese.
Yes, the Jugs Radar Gun is a sales leader, However, other manufacturer's models have become smaller, weigh less, and with a battery pack that last for almost 12 hours.
Last summer, I saw a Lombarginni of all baseball set ups. A Radar gun, with a remote 12" three decimal digit readout display. Put the guy back about $1600. ($700 for the Jugs Gun, $900 more for the remote display readout).
http://www.thejugscompany.com/products/details.cfm?product_id=283
http://www.thejugscompany.com/products/details.cfm?product_id=301
- I have also seen advertised a 'bucket' that the LL coach sits on with a two digit readout. That just looks like fun for the LL.
- Then their is also the readout that you put in your glove. "Palm Radar"?
- And of course, the Radar ball that Rawlings came out with first. Has a self timer in it for the LLr's to play with for measuring relative ball speeds. (That's about $15.)
cheers
Bear
ps. Do you have any idea where Trappe, Maryland is (and the reason why I ask)? If you are travelling to Ocean City, Maryland on Rt 50 east, and right before going over the Choptank River, there is a small town, named Trappe, where Frank HR Baker was born, and died. Lot's of east coast baseball history & tradition around there with Connie Mack and Clark Griffin travelling to 'find' baseball players, and then Ruth and Gehrig doing several travelling road shows e.g. Barnstorming (from which they got in trouble for with the Commissioner)