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Houston Radar Armadillo Tracker Installation And User Manual

Multi-lane bidirectional traffic statistics gathering device
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®
Armadillo
Tracker
Multi-Lane Bidirectional Traffic Statistics
Gathering Device
Installation and User Guide
Rev 2.1, October 24, 2023
Houston Radar Armadillo® Tracker Non-Intrusive Multi-Lane Bidirectional Traffic Statistics Gathering Device
T r a c k e r
P a g e 1 o f 5 9

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Summary of Contents for Houston Radar Armadillo Tracker

  • Page 1 Multi-Lane Bidirectional Traffic Statistics Gathering Device Installation and User Guide Rev 2.1, October 24, 2023 Houston Radar Armadillo® Tracker Non-Intrusive Multi-Lane Bidirectional Traffic Statistics Gathering Device T r a c k e r P a g e 1 o f 5 9...
  • Page 2 This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    4.4 Power ON and Verify Detection ....................12 4.5 Optional Solar Panel ........................13 4.6 Optional Armadillo Booster Pack ....................14 5.0 Retrieving Data from the Tracker Using Houston Radar StatsAnalyzer ...... 16 5.1 Wired USB Interface ........................16 5.2 Wireless Bluetooth Interface ......................16 5.3 Retrieving Data Using USB or Bluetooth Connection ..............
  • Page 4 11.3 Create Remote Radar Connections Within StatsAnalyzer ............. 54 12.0 Houston Radar Tetryon™ Cloud Server ................. 56 12.1 Tetryon Live Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location ............. 57 12.2 Tetryon Historical Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location ..........58 12.3 Tetryon Historical Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Multiple Locations ..........59...

  • Page 5: A Look Inside An Armadillo Tracker Radar

    1.0 A Look Inside an Armadillo Tracker Radar T r a c k e r P a g e 5 o f 5 9...

  • Page 6: Hardware Included With The Armadillo Tracker

    2.0 Hardware Included With the Armadillo Tracker Indoor Fast AC 9.6V LiFePO4 Fast AC Charger Charger with worldwide plugs Y-Cable for Power & 900-0045 USB Connection Long Range Class 1 110-0036 Windows Bluetooth Dongle Universal Pole- Mounting Bracket and Sliding Plate to 110-0020 &...

  • Page 7: Preparing The Tracker For Use

    The Fast AC Charger is NOT weatherproof. It must only be used indoors and under supervision. Do not charge in locations which are out of sight. Houston Radar does offer a ruggedized AC charger suitable for use outdoors; please contact sales@houston-radar.com...

  • Page 8: Select Installation Location

    3.2 Select Installation Location * Follow this link to watch a short installation YouTube video for the Armadillo Tracker: http://youtu.be/QGLEoxRIM4c A suitable installation location is one where the traffic flows freely and has at least 100 feet (30m) of unobstructed road in either direction.
  • Page 9 Mount in the median of a four-lane divided road to measure both directions. Pick a location where the median is no more than 12 (3.6m) feet wide. Mounting on the side of a 4-lane divided road will allow the Tracker to capture only the closest two incoming lanes accurately.

  • Page 10: Set The Time, Speed Units And Data Collection Speed Range

    Reference Section 8.2 to adjust the Speed Units and Minimum and Maximum Speeds for data collection. 4.0 Installation The Armadillo Tracker’s design allows for multiple suitable installation types. The Armadillo Tracker is commonly mounted on posts and poles for which the user has right-of-way permission such as luminaires and MUTCD (or equivalent) sign structures.

  • Page 11: Mounting The Tracker

    Airtag tracker inside the bracket to track the device in case it is stolen. 4.3 Aiming the Tracker The Armadillo Tracker has a beam angle of 20-degrees vertical and 60-degrees horizontal, with an effective detection range of approximately 300 feet (90m). Vehicles must travel through the detection zone at least 80-100 feet (25-30m) and pass the radar’s mounting location to be accurately logged.

  • Page 12: Power On And Verify Detection

    10 minutes to conserve battery power even if coordinates have not been acquired. Please see page 9 of the Houston Radar Smartphone App User Guide (Armadillo Tracker Operations> Radar Info) to learn how to verify a GPS signal has been attained.

  • Page 13: Optional Solar Panel

    4.5 Optional Solar Panel The optional solar panel kit will provide year-round autonomy in most locations with the built-in Maximum Power Point Technology (MPPT) solar charger. In the northern hemisphere, the solar panel must be pointed towards true south (not magnetic south) and angled based on the latitude of the location. Most smart phones feature a compass that may be set to point towards true South.

  • Page 14: Optional Armadillo Booster Pack

    Booster Pack via the provided Fast AC Charger, connect the provided “Y-able” to the Booster Pack. The “Y” charging cable for the Tracker and the Fast AC Charger are identical for the Armadillo Tracker and the Booster Pack. Either cable or charger may be used.
  • Page 15 Tracker will quickly charge the Booster Pack (or vice-versa) until both reach equilibrium. • If a solar panel is also connected to the optional Solar Connector on the Armadillo Tracker, it will charge both the internal battery and the Booster Pack.

  • Page 16: Retrieving Data From The Tracker Using Houston Radar Statsanalyzer

    5.0 Retrieving Data from the Tracker Using Houston Radar StatsAnalyzer To view data collected by the Armadillo Tracker, the data must be copied from the radar to compatible software. The most commonly used software is Houston Radar’s MS Windows based StatsAnalyzer program.

  • Page 17: Retrieving Data Using Usb Or Bluetooth Connection

    Each Tracker must be paired with the computer before a connection in StatsAnalyzer can be established. The Bluetooth adapter in the Armadillo Tracker is not available to transfer data (even though it’s discoverable and can be paired) if the Armadillo Tracker is simultaneously connected to a computer over a USB port. The Armadillo Tracker’s Bluetooth adapter is not affected by being connected to the Fast AC Charger or a dedicated USB charger.
  • Page 18 If “Auto Detect Port” is selected from this drop-down menu, StatsAnalyzer will search all available COM ports in If the radar parallel to find a paired or connected radar. Otherwise, the software will only search on the selected port. is not detected, it can be advantageous to select the actual port the radar is connected to, as this is the only case where Windows connection errors are shown to the user.
  • Page 19 5. Select the preferred location to save the *.dat file created from reading the Tracker’s data. We recommend using the default file name created by StatsAnalyzer but you may assign a user-defined file name, then select “Save”. 6. The time it takes to read the Tracker’s data is proportional to the amount of data being read – the more data stored in the radar, the longer the read process will take.

  • Page 20: Importing Data Into Houston Radar Statsanalyzer To Generate Reports

    The Houston Radar Advanced StatsAnalyzer User Manual is available on our website using the link above. It can also be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet by scanning the QR code below. 6.1 StatsAnalyzer Home Screen...
  • Page 21 18) Exit: Exit StatsAnalyzer. 19) About: Display the software version number 20) Contact Us: Launch your email client to send an email to Houston Radar 21) Feature Request: Launch your email client to request a feature from Houston Radar 22) Change Log: View list of changes from previous software version 23) Name Filter: Enter text in this box to only show projects containing the text entered.

  • Page 22: Stats Analyzer Configuration Window

    6.2 Stats Analyzer Configuration Window The Configuration window contains options and values for organizing how data is presented in StatsAnalyzer reports and exports. 1. “Enable Speed Rebinning for Excel Reports” affects the configuration of the exported “Histogram” reports (Incoming/Outgoing, or Merged), and adds a line for Pace on the "Summary" reports. The first speed bin column in the Histogram reports includes the volume of all vehicles less than the "Min Speed Bin"...

  • Page 23: Importing Data Into Projects

    6.3 Importing Data into Projects To view collected data, that data must be imported into a project within StatsAnalyzer. There are two import methods: “Import Data From Radar” and “Import Data From File”. 6.3.1 Import Data From Radar Use this import method in instances when you have access to a radar (via Bluetooth, USB, or cellular) that has stored data not yet retrieved for analysis.
  • Page 24 4. Click “Import” in the bottom right of the “Project Import” window. When the process is complete, you will see a new window indicating the import was completed successfully. 5. Once the traffic stats are read you may choose to erase the Tracker’s data memory with the “Erase Radar Data” button in the “Connect to Radar”...
  • Page 25 a. To create a new project, right-click in the left pane with the list of existing projects, then click on the resulting window “Create New Project”. Type in a name for the new project and hit enter. You can then drag and drop the data from the right pane onto the new project.

  • Page 26: Prepare Project For Analysis

    6.4 Prepare Project for Analysis After the import operation has been completed, your project has been created in StatsAnalyzer, and is available to open from StatsAnalyzer’s Project Selection Pane. Use the computer’s cursor to hover over the appropriate project, then click “Open”. The Date Selection View tab shows you a calendar with days marked in bold text if data records are present.
  • Page 27 The Manage Imported Data tab displays a tree view which shows each imported dataset as an individual entry. If more than one dataset has been imported into this project, there will be multiple entries. Once the data has been successfully imported from the radar into the project database, you can (optionally) rename the import by location name and/or traffic direction from the Manage Imported Data tab.

  • Page 28: Organizing Data

    There are several reports configured for the Armadillo Tracker in StatsAnalyzer available for viewing within the program, and for exporting for use outside of the program. Many of these reports have filtering and/or sorting features to aid in the data’s analysis.

  • Page 29: Analyzing Data And Generating Reports

    7.0 Analyzing Data and Generating Reports The Houston Radar StatsAnalyzer program is a powerful tool to analyze collected traffic data and generate reports. Traffic data may be selected by date or by choosing individual import records. There are several options and parameters to choose from when analyzing data in StatsAnalyzer reports.

  • Page 30: Manage Imported Data Tab

    The Lane Configuration tab provides access to data export settings unique to certain third-party software. For more information on the Lane Configuration tab, please reference the Houston Radar StatsAnalyzer User Manual, or contact Houston Radar’s Service Department at support@houston-radar.com or +1.888.602.8111. T r a c k e r...

  • Page 31: Gps Location Map Tab (Optional)

    7.4 GPS Location Map tab (OPTIONAL) The GPS Location Map tab is available for projects whose data was imported from an Armadillo Tracker with the optional GPS upgrade, or optional cellular modem with GPS upgrade. 1. Map with pushpins indicating the GPS coordinates where each dataset was collected.

  • Page 32: Conduct Data Analyses / Generate Reports

    7.5 Conduct Data Analyses / Generate Reports Within the Houston Radar ecosystem, the phrases “conduct an analysis”, “generate a report”, “run a report” (and similar) will have the same meaning, which is the action of having the StatsAnalyzer software process project data for review.
  • Page 33 When the Incoming or Outgoing tabs are selected, the row of tabs below them will display the various reports selected from the previous step. The right side of the reports window will display options for filtering the report data by size classification, gap, binned volumes, and duration.

  • Page 34: Available Reports In Statsanalyzer

    7.7 Available Reports in StatsAnalyzer Following is a list of reports StatsAnalyzer can generate for the Armadillo Tracker, including the user actions available for each. *Summary (filter by direction and class) *Histogram (filter by direction and class) *Monthly (filter by direction, class, month, and Custom Settings) •...
  • Page 35 7.7.1 Summary Report (Incoming or Outgoing) 1. Project information, including project name, notes, and timestamp of the analysis 2. Time range of reported data 3. 85 percentile speed, number of vehicles within the 85 percentile speed, total volume, and Average Daily Traffic (or Annual Average Daily Traffic, depending on range of time) 4.
  • Page 36 7.7.2 Histogram Report (Incoming or Outgoing) 1. Starting time and user-defined intervals of analysis 2. Volume by user-defined speed bins per interval 3. Average speed, 85 percentile speed, pace speed data, and speed violator data per interval 4. Volume by size classification per interval 7.7.3 Raw Data Report 1.

  • Page 37: Export And Print Data From Statsanalyzer

    7.8 Export and Print Data from StatsAnalyzer Data displayed in StatsAnalyzer has limitations for how it can be shared and organized within the software. For those reasons, users will typically export or print the data so it can be shared and organized by other methods. From the StatsAnalyzer reports window, click the “Export”...
  • Page 38 1. Print: Choose this action to send the report displayed in the preview pane to a printer installed on the computer. Choose this action to also export the single report selected in the preview pane to one of the available file formats.
  • Page 39 7.8.1 Available File Formats from Export Window There are fifteen file formats to choose from in the export window: • • HTML • • • DOCX • XLSX • • • • • • • TIFF • • T r a c k e r P a g e 3 9 o f 5 9...

  • Page 40: Additional Operations In Statsanalyzer

    8.1 Adjust the Radar Clock The Armadillo Tracker’s internal clock is set to US Central Time during the production process. Before being deployed for data collection, the Tracker’s internal clock should be adjusted to match the time zone in which data is being collected.

  • Page 41: Adjust Speed Units

    8.2 Adjust Speed Units The Armadillo Tracker’s default Speed Units value is Imperial (Miles Per Hour or mph), with a user option to record speed in Metric (Kilometers Per Hour or km/h). Before being deployed for data collection, the Tracker’s Speed Units value should be adjusted to match the appropriate units of measurement in the area in which data is being collected.

  • Page 42: Enable Bluetooth Pin For Secure Login

    The Armadillo Tracker offers added security for Bluetooth connections using a Bluetooth PIN. The Bluetooth PIN is disabled by default, to allow new users easier Bluetooth access to the Tracker. Houston Radar recommends all users add a Bluetooth PIN to their Armadillo Trackers to help secure the radars against unauthorized access.

  • Page 43: Advanced Menu

    8.4 Advanced Menu Additional functionality can be accessed in the Advanced Menu of the Connection window once a connection to a Tracker has been established. T r a c k e r P a g e 4 3 o f 5 9...
  • Page 44 1. Firmware Upgrade: Choose a new firmware version to load into the Tracker. Please contact Houston Radar’s Service Department for the latest firmware at support@houston-radar.com or +1.888.602.8111. The firmware in the device is in a stable state. However, we may occasionally release new versions to improve performance, support new features or fix a bug.

  • Page 45: Application Note: Armadillo Tracker Classification Feature

    The Armadillo Tracker is not recommended for roads where traffic consists primarily of buses or large trucks or where traffic classification is a primary consideration. It is considered a “secondary value added” feature of the product. For such needs, we recommend our SpeedLane Pro, True dual beam side-fire radar that directly measures the vehicle lengths in 8 length based class bins.

  • Page 46: Using The Houston Radar Smartphone App

    10.0 Using the Houston Radar Smartphone App The Armadillo Tracker includes a Bluetooth module with compatibility with Android and Windows devices included as standard. The Tracker has an optional hardware upgrade to also add Bluetooth compatibility for Apple iOS devices. For more information on Houston Radar’s smartphone app, please reference the “Houston Radar Android App User Guide”.

  • Page 47: How To Download The Iphone App

    10.1.1 How to Connect to the Radar via Bluetooth using Android. Click “Pair” Select your radar Click “Bluetooth (confirm ID with label Scan” on your device) 10.2 How to Download the iPhone App. Go to App Search for “Houston Click “GET” Click “Open”...
  • Page 48 10.2.1 How to Connect iPhone to the Radar via Bluetooth This is an optional feature that requires the purchase of the “MFI” (Made for iOS) hardware option in the Armadillo Tracker. This option can only be installed at the factory. Please contact Houston Radar’s Sales Department at sales@houston-radar.com or +1.888.602.3111 for information on pricing and upgrades to your existing units.

  • Page 49: Direction Verification Using Your Smartphone

    10.3 Direction Verification using your smartphone The “Live Data” feature of our Android and Apple smartphone apps can make the detection verification process easier. Click Live Data to ensure that the Tracker is “seeing” both lanes. Sync Time Live Data From the Connection screen, view the displayed Radar Clock time.

  • Page 50: Downloading Data Via Your Cell Phone

    Downloading Data via your Cell Phone 10.4 You can create one-tap operations to achieve multiple actions including making a connection, downloading data, syncing clock, erasing data, and sharing the downloaded file Select “Default Email Click on the drop- Click “Settings” Address”...
  • Page 51 We recommend you select Erase Data so that you don’t save old data each time. Play One-Tap Operations: The first time you Operations to perform: Connect, download data the app Download Radar Data, Synchronize will ask how you want to Radar Time, Share Radar Data and share.

  • Page 52: Setting Up The Cellular Modem

    If you have purchased the cellular modem option to enable remote operation and data retrieval, the modem will need to be configured for use within StatsAnalyzer. If you provided a SIM card to Houston Radar during the production of your Tracker, much of the process was undertaken during production.

  • Page 53: Modem Setup

    Setup”, and will initiate a connection to the address set by “Callout Server IP” in “Network Setup”. Your SIM card may use a private dynamic IP address in this mode. This mode is required for use with Houston Radar’s Tetryon Cloud Server.

  • Page 54: Create Remote Radar Connections Within Statsanalyzer

    4. The “Carrier” and “APN” fields are dependent upon the chosen cellular carrier. If the APN information was not received with the delivery of SIM cards, please contact the carrier. Note, the Armadillo Tracker’s modem does not support SIM cards with PIN enabled. You must disable the SIM’s PIN before it can be used in the device. Codes to disable the SIM PIN are available from the carrier.
  • Page 55 TCP/IP link. When using the Call Server mode, such as for operation with Houston Radar’s Tetryon Cloud Server, you will also need to enter the server address, call interval, and port number. Connect to the unit using the StatsAnalyzer software and navigate to “Radar Setup”...

  • Page 56: Houston Radar Tetryon™ Cloud Server

    +1.888+602.3111. For detailed information on how to integrate your Armadillo Tracker with Tetryon, please refer to Houston Radar’s Tetryon Cloud Server User Guide. T r a c k e r P a g e 5 6 o f 5 9...

  • Page 57: Tetryon Live Charts For Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location

    12.1 Tetryon Live Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location Speed • Intervals of 5, 15, 30, 60 min • Timeframe of 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 min • Filterable by Lane Groups Percentile Speed • Intervals of 5, 15, 30, 60 min •...

  • Page 58: Tetryon Historical Charts For Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location

    12.2 Tetryon Historical Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Individual Location Speed • Intervals of 5, 15, 30, 60 min, day, week, month • Any historical timeframe • Filterable by Lane Groups Percentile Speed • Intervals of 5, 15, 30, 60 min, day, week, month •...

  • Page 59: Tetryon Historical Charts For Armadillo Tracker, Multiple Locations

    12.3 Tetryon Historical Charts for Armadillo Tracker, Multiple Locations Speed • Intervals of 1, 5, 15, 30, 60 min, day, week, month • Any historical timeframe • Filterable by Lane Groups Percentile Speed • Intervals of 1, 5, 15, 30, 60 min, day, week, month •...

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