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TRAX Flex HS Manual

1. 1 5 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual ae ee DEFAULT CLR T DATE e tilities menu contains an SYS TEST EXIT assortment of features that are necessary and or helpful to the op eration of the TRAX The options INT SPACE DT TEMP ACCESSORY that can be selected are Default Utilities Menu with Default highlighted Clr T Date Sys and Test As you move the highlight on these options the bottom two lines of the display will update to show what the currently highlight option is used for Let s first take a look at what s available in the Default menu Highlight this option then press the DO key There are several options in the Default menu that can be used to change settings in the TRAX The one we are interested in right now is the Space setting so highlight this option then press DO Setting the Tube Spacing When collecting data that will be TUBE SPACING processed for speed or classifica 2 0 ft tion you have to use a tube layout with at least two road tubes set at a fixed distance apart It is by know ing what this fixed distance is that Tube Spacing Screen speed and classification can be determined DO enter TAB clear There are two values that are typically used for this distance with the TRAX Flex 2 0 ft if you are using traditional road tubes like mini tubes or 0 3 ft 4 inches if you are using the EZ Belt Each EZ Belt contains two tubes connected at four inches apart by a thin layer of rubber
2. TRAX Flex HS User s Manual LIMITED WARRANTY JAMAR Technologies Inc warrants the TRAX Flex HS 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 notextend 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 Innoeventshall JAMAR Technologies Inc be liable for any damages arising from the use of this product including dama
3. 1 13 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual In the example shown below the pulse strength is excellent for the A C and D tubes However the pulse strength for the B tube is poor indicating that the tube should be checked and possibly replaced Count Status Screen 4 By checking this screen you can determine if a tube should be reinstalled or replaced before leaving the site Note that the Main Menu of the TRAX also contains a version of this tube test feature which assigns numeric values to the strength of the pulses ranging from 0 for no pulse to 9 for strongest pulse These are shown by the numbers on the far right side of the screen on the Main Menu Now press TAB again and the display will go back to showing the first of the status screens If we were doing a real count at this point we d close the lid of the TRAX and lock it up The TRAX will then continue to do its job of collecting data until we tell it to stop It s a good idea to periodically check the status of your count if possible when you are doing one for an extended period of time If you are doing a count for a week or more you may want to stop by and check the status screens once or twice during the count just to make sure everything is still recording correctly Ending the Count When you want to end a count simply turn the TRAX off by pressing the POWER key and holding it down for 5 6 seconds This shuts the TRAX down and stores the count file in memory
4. This includes motorcycles motor scooters mopeds motor powered bicycles and three wheel motorcycles Class 2 Passenger cars This class includes all sedans coupes and station wagons manufactured primarily for the purpose of carrying passengers including those pulling recreational or other light trailers Class 3 Pickups Vans and other 2 axle 4 tire single unit vehicles This class includes all two axle four tire ve hicles other than passenger cars which includes pickups vans campers small motor homes ambulances minibuses and carryalls These types of vehicles which are pulling recreational or other light trailers are included Class 4 Buses This class includes all vehicles manu factured as traditional passenger carrying buses with two axles and six tires or three or more axles This includes only traditional buses including school and transit buses functioning as passenger carrying vehicles All two axle four tire minibuses should be classified as Class 3 Mod ified buses should be considered to be trucks and classified appropriately Class 5 Two Axle Six Tire Single Unit Trucks This class includes all vehicles on a single frame which have two axles and dual rear tires This includes trucks camp ing and recreation vehicles motor homes etc Class 6 Three Axle Single Unit Trucks This class includes all vehicles on a single frame which have three axles This includes trucks camping and recreatio
5. This selection allows you to download latitude and longitude from a hand held GPS unit into the TRAX The TRAX Flex HS supports the NMEA protocol which is a standard for the transmission of GPS data available in most GPS units To load GPS information into Receiving GPS Data the TRAX connect the GPS LAT unit to the TRAX s RS 232 se LON rial port The GPS coordinates can only be uploaded via the serial port not the USB port Press DO to Accept Note The Receiving GPS Data screen needs to be up on the TRAX display before you connect the GPS device to the TRAX If the GPS device is connected first the TRAX may not receive the signal properly Some GPS units may require you to send the data others may auto matically do so In either case if the information is properly sent you will see the latitude and longitude information appear on the TRAX s display Press DO to return to the Count Start up Menu 2 14 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS START When you select Start from the Count Start up menu the TRAX Flex HS will begin recording data You will be shown a screen that displays the data as it is being collected There are several screens available for viewing while the TRAX Flex HS is collecting data Press the TAB key to page though the available status screens The following are examples of the types of screens that are available for review depending on the study you have programmed
6. USB Port Download eene 2 21 Chapter 3 Using the EZ Belt 1 eee eese ee eese eene ee enses etna tnato 3 1 What isthe EZ Belt i iaia 3 2 Installing the EZ B lt deett eet erra 3 2 Step 1 Select an Installation Location 3 3 Step 2 5elect EayQUt oer Gap fame eres 3 3 Step 3 Prepare the Installation Equipment 3 3 Step 4 Install the EZ Belt eee 3 4 Step 5 Check for Accuracy ii 3 4 lv Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation cene eese e esee eee eene en etna tnuto 4 1 Using Ro ad T be assoldato 4 2 Installing Road Tubes 4 2 Step 1 Select an Installation Location ss 4 3 Step 2 Select Layout beet tre e Rai 4 3 Step 3 Prepare the Road Tube Lengths 4 3 Step 4 Prepare the Installation Equipment 4 4 Step 5 Install the Road Tubes eese 4 4 Step 6 Check for Accuracy ii 4 6 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts c eeeeeeeeeeeeeenee 5 1 Layouts for the TRAX Flex HS sese 5 2 Layout Els O iostekgevubnERSSe geh wes 5 3 Layout L2 aste cut eT or 5 4 bayout L3 udhibuteevesseg RR EE 5 5 LayoutzE4 stalli Regine lalui 5 6 Layo t Eb5 farina
7. of the JAMAR web site and TRAXPro installation CDs for versions later than 1 7 1 If you are downloading the drivers from the JAMAR web site be sure to follow the directions listed there If you would like to use the drivers on the TRAXPro CD insert the CD into your drive Once you are ready to pro ceed click Next The Wiz ard will then start searching for the best available driv ers and you ll see a screen like the one shown to the right Found New Hardware Wizard Please wait while the wizard searches e Trax USE A 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Once the wizard is finished searching it will begin to load the driver it has found and you ll see a screen like the one shown to the right Note that if the Wizard finds more than one driver like if you are using Win dows Update and also have a TRAXPro CD in you drive the Wizard will list all the available drivers proceed When the driver is finished installing you ll see a screen like the one shown to the right Click Finish and you ll complete installing this driver but there s still one more to go Once you click Finish the Windows Found New Hardware message will pop up again referencing a USB Serial Port and the Found New Hardware Wizard will reappear Don t be alarmed this 1s what s supposed to happen There is a second driver that needs to be installed to create a virtual comm port Found New Hardware Wizard Please wait w
8. the mode of data collection you have selected you can produce reports in the software for volume class speed gap length and following distance Perform miscellaneous operations that include the option to clear the counter program the default settings set the time amp date restore default tables and perform diagnostic tests on the TRAX Select to display available memory counts stored battery power and time date This is the same screen as the second one shown after turning on the TRAX Flex HS TAB until STAT is flashing then hold the DO key down to review the information on this screen Approximately five seconds after releasing the DO key the screen will return to the Main Menu Note that the four numbers on the far right side of the display are related to the TRAX Flex HS road tube testing feature Any time you have road tubes connected to the TRAX these numbers will reflect the strength of the air pulses being received ranging from 0 for no pulse to 9 for strongest pulse This feature is discussed in more detail on page 2 10 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Utilities Menu The Utilities Menu contains an assortment of operations that are necessary and or helpful to the operation of the TRAX Flex HS Press the TAB key until Utilities is flashing then press the DO key to enter this menu When DEFAULT CLR T DATE you have selected UTILS from the SYS TEST EXIT Main Menu the screen shown here is di
9. Go ahead and do that now to end the count we started Once the unit is turned off press the POWER key to start it back up again Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Downloading Your Data Once you have collected data and stored it in memory the next step is to download it The data can be downloaded either through the Serial Port of the TRA X or the USB port For this tutorial we ll describe using the USB Port Detailed explanations of using either the serial port or the USB port can be found in chapter 2 To download your data first mm TRAX Flex HS plug a USB cable into the USB L la e pi port of the TRAX then into sese Sy amuse device your computer Note that the first time you are connecting the TRAX to a computer using the USB port you will need to install the drivers for it Refer to the Appendix for information on how to do this before proceeding The USB drivers create a virtual comm port that you will select in the TRAXPro software On the TRAX itself check to see if the Main Menu is visible Your data can be downloaded if this screen is visible Once your TRAX is properly connected and the drivers have been installed start the TRAXPro software and click on the Download a TRAX counter icon The Read TRAX Counter screen will then appear The baud rate setting determines how fast the data will be transferred into the program Note that the TRAX Flex HS will automatically sense whatever baud rate y
10. The bottom line shows what number count this is in the TRAX s memory the percentage of memory available and the battery voltage Data Format Layout Selected iue L06 BASIC DATA Battery A Voltage B CNT 01 MEM 97 6 4v Count Number amp Count Status Screen 1 Memory Available Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Press the TAB key and the second status screen will appear This screen provides a more detailed description of the layout we are using along with the default dead time value DT set in the TRAX Dead Time is explained in detail in chapter 2 in most cases a value from 25 40 mil liseconds will work fine Layout Description L6 Two Equal Tubes with spacing 2 dir DT 35ms Dead Time Count Status Screen 2 Setting Press the TAB key again and the third status screen will appear This screen shows the time and date that are set in the TRAX along with any site code that has been entered Time amp Date 16 13 52 09 16 06 SITE CODE Site Code Fields Count Status Screen 3 Press the TAB key again and the final status screen is shown This screen shows the strength of the hits that are being received on the tubes that you are using When a hit is received on a tube the strength of that hit is shown for about a second on the display of the TRAX Pulse levels are broken down into 4 categories X for Poor for Fair G for Good and for Excellent
11. a dp RI 5 7 bayout O s aspre ea 5 8 Layout uibukSewueeaen getestet ese 5 9 Layoutz L8 parlata eth ee eee 5 10 Layout EO 1 zu eee n eR HERE 5 11 Layout LIO ug erede 5 12 Layout LIT uil vaio 5 13 Layout E12 cilea ale repe veneers 5 14 Layo t L13 siii Hawaii 5 15 Layout LI4 manie titel Gansta o 5 16 Chapter 6 Battery Care seesessesessesossesoosossesoesossesossossesossessesossesossossee 6 1 Maintaining Your Battery sess 6 2 Solar Panel Use sura aee RW 6 2 Manual Battery Charging esee 6 3 Additional Notes ui 6 4 Replacing the Battery i 6 5 Chapter 7 Troubleshooting rerrrcrrrericerie rise rezece sen eccereonecerionecezeoneo 7 1 Appendix gt 0 iesrsisceresianeszoneziiazonis iena cciosiiiansidcnezznete A 1 Installing USB Drivers i A 2 Low Speed Data Collection esee A 7 FHWA Type F Classification Scheme esee A 9 Memory Table ases te terere teen toes A 11 Specifications arlbitenal dal lalla lA dina A 12 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Quick Setup Guide for the TRAX Flex HS 1 Turn the TRAX Flex HS ON by pressing the POWER button 2 On the Main Menu check the battery voltage bat X Xv For longer studies week or more the voltage should be at least 6 4 It can be less for shorter counts but should not be below 6 1 3 T
12. analyzed for speed class or gap information Press DO when the layout you want to use is flashing You will then be taken to the Site Code menu Site Code The data in the TRAX Flex HS includes the date and time that the study was done but no YES N EXIT Enter Site Code direct information on where the Press DO to select 2 12 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS study was done unless GPS coordinates have been uploaded Use of the Site Code is a way for you to identify the assigned count location To enter a Site Code press DO while YES is flashing You then have the option of using either a numeric numbers only site code or an alpha numeric numbers letters and symbols site code Numeric Site Code Numeric site codes can be one or two lines with up to 20 characters on each line Enter the value for the first line of the site code using the numbered key on the TRAX Once done press DO to move to the second line Once the second line has been entered press DO and the code is stored You are then returned to the Site Code selection screen with the code you entered shown Select OK to proceed to the Count Start Up menu Alpha numeric Site Code Alpha numeric site codes can be one or two lines with up to 20 characters on each line The alpha numeric code can use numbers lower case letters upper case letters and or symbols Use of an al pha numeric site code allows you to include street names or
13. be mismatched by even a small amount can have a negative effect on your results We recommend using matched 25 foot lengths when con nect either a one lane or two lane EZ belt back to the TRAX 3 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Once you have your equipment gathered you re ready to head out into the field Step 4 Install the EZ Belt The EZ Belt should be placed exactly perpendicular to the flow of traffic Apply mastic tape to each end of the belt to start then additional mastic strips can be applied to the EZ Belt to further secure it as shown in the diagram below A long strip of mastic should then be placed across the edge of the belt that is being struck first by the traffic Once the EZ Belt has been secured two 25 ft mini tubes should be con nected from the end of the belt back to the TRAX recorder EZ Belt Installation Apply mastic strip across edge of belt being struck first by Mastic traffic Strips Mini Tube 25 lengths are recommended Coil any excess near the TRAX Step 5 Check for Accuracy Once the EZ Belt is installed and you are collecting data observe the traffic as itis being recorded to be sure everything is working correctly If possible check the EZ Belt periodically during the study to ensure they it has not been damaged and data is being recorded as programmed Upon completion of your data collection remove the EZ Belt and any thing else that may be of danger to the motorists The mas
14. damage Do not risk expensive repair bills by trying to squeezing a few extra studies out of old tube One rule of thumb is to replace the EZ Belt after 30 days of use Installing the EZ Belt Proper installation of the EZ Belt is very important for collecting accurate data with your TRAX Flex HS The EZ Belt and the TRAX Flex HS 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 A slideshow demonstration of the proper techniques for installing the EZ Belt can be viewed on the JAMAR web site at www jamartech com We recommend viewing this demonstration if you are new to the process of installing the EZ Belt or would like additional tips on installation 3 2 Chapter 3 Using the EZ Belt Step 1 Select an Installation Location The first step in the installation process is to select the location where the EZ Belt will be installed The EZ Belt should be placed exactly perpen dicular to the flow of traffic and should be installed on a straight stretch of road so that vehicles are not hitting the belt on an angle For the best results do not install the EZ Belt in a location where traffic will be queueing up and stopping on the belt or in a location where vehicle will be making a turn over the belt or ot
15. other text as part of your identification information When you first enter the Alpha numeric site code screen the first field is flashing along with the OK 0 9 A Z az SYM OK selection To enter a value Press DO for next press the TAB key until the field for numbers upper case letters lower case letters or symbols is flashing Use the Change keys 3 and 6 to scroll through the values for the option you ve selected Once the character you want is entered press DO and the highlight will move to the next field Once the code you want has been entered press the TAB key until OK is flashing then press DO You are then returned to the Site Code selection screen with the code you entered shown Select OK to proceed to the Count Start Up menu 2 13 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Count Start up Menu The Count Start Up menu allows START STAT GPS you to immediately begin a count EXIT check the status of the setup or load GPS coordinates into the TRAX STAT When you select STAT from the L5 Two Equal Tubes Count Start up menu you are with spacing 1 dir shown some summary infor mation on the configuration of DT 35 ms the TRAX Press DO to Start The first screen shows the tube layout selection and the Dead Time setting Press the TAB key to see the current date and time as well as the Site Code After you have tabbed through the available screens you will be returned to the Count Start up Menu GPS
16. page 2 18 Once your TRAX is properly connected start the TRAXPro software and click on the Download a TRAX counter icon and the Read TRAX Counter screen will appear The baud rate setting determines how fast the data will be transferred into the program Note that the TRAX Flex HS will automatically sense whatever baud rate you select in the software The higher the baud rate the faster your data will be downloaded Most computers can be set for the highest setting 115200 Once this is set select the com port to which you have connected the TRAX TRAXPro will only list the com ports that are available on your computer making the selection easier After making any needed adjustments click on the Begin button and the program will attempt to connect to the counter The traffic signal icons at the bottom of the TRAXPro screen provide the status of the download If the connection is made you will see a blue progress bar moving across the screen as the data is transferred While the data is being downloaded the TRAX will display the screen shown below TRANSFER IN PROGRESS COUNT 01 BLOCK 000001 Sending Data When all of the data in the TRAX has been downloaded you will either see a screen for assigning a name to your file or if there is more than one count a list of counts to choose from Once the data has been transferred to the computer the TRAX display will return to the screen it was on before the download began Down
17. shown on the display at one time The first screen shown above shows the lay outs L1 through L10 Let s take a look at how we can see the rest of the layouts Press the TAB key and the highlight will move from L1 to L2 Also notice that the bottom two lines of the display changes to provide a description of whichever layout you have highlighted Press TAB until L5 is flashing then press it once more Notice that the display has changed so that the first row of layouts L1 through L5 has moved off the screen and the third row L11 through L15 has now ap peared This is how you move through the available layouts Now keep pressing TAB until you are back at L1 Which layout you select largely depends on the type of data you need Some layouts can only provide volume and gap data L1 L2 L3 L4 L7 L8 L9 L13 L14 while others will provide speed and class in addition to volume and gap L5 L6 L10 L11 L12 For full descriptions of the dif ferent tube layouts refer to chapter 5 If you need to produce reports for speed or classification data the most commonly used layout is L6 This is designed for standard two lane roads with traffic traveling in opposite directions Another commonly used lay out is L5 which is designed for one lane of traffic or possibly two if each lane is going in the same direction The data for either of these layouts can be collected with one EZ Belt or two road tubes if you are not using the EZ Belt
18. this shortly Basic data can be processed to provide data for volume speed classification amp gap all from the same original file With Volume Only data as the name implies you can only get volume information This format also does not time stamp every axle but rather sorts and stores the volume data into specific interval times In general we recommend that you use the Basic format whenever you can There are several reasons for this the most important of which is that if something goes wrong with one of your counts it is much easier to de termine why and potentially fix the problem without having to re do the count if the data is collected in the Basic format There is a third option listed on this menu Tubes that can be used to view the strength of the pulses that are coming in on the road tubes We ll learn more about this feature a little later on in the tutorial With Basic highlighted on the screen press the DO key 1 10 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Selecting a Layout Li L2 L3 L4 L5 The next screen you see is used to L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 select the type of layout you will L1 Two Channel Vol be using to collect your data A B gt The TRAX contains 15 pre pro Layout Menu with L1 highlighted grammed layouts labelled L1 through L15 These all represent different ways of placing road tubes on the road to collect data Since there are many different layout possibilities they can t all be
19. to recharge the battery more often 6 2 Chapter 6 Battery Care 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 the unit should be turned off and set in bright sunlight Manual Battery Charging Monitor your battery voltage by checking the STAT screen of the Main Menu 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 battery 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 Usually 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 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 w
20. use the TAB button to select DT and press DO Use the keypad to enter in the DT and press DO when completed Typically this value is set for 35 milliseconds which will give good results on most traffic travelling at speeds from 10 to 70 mph If you are recording traffic at faster speeds you may want to lower the DT At slower speeds a higher DT can be used Refer to the Appendix for more information DBV Main Menu Utils Defaults DBV This selection allows you to set the default Distance Between Vehicles Enter in feet the longest distance between consecutive axles of the largest vehicle you would expect to see at the study site The TRAX Flex HS will use this number to determine if two axles could be from the same vehicle or if the distance is great enough that the axles must be from separate vehicles Example setting the DBV for 36 ft tells the TRAX Flex HS that any axles spaced at over 36 ft apart must be from separate vehicles In the example from the following diagram a DBV setting of 40 feet would tell the TRAX Flex HS the axles spaced at 30 feet could be from the same vehicle but the axles spaced at 42 feet must be from separate vehicles REF When a pulse is received by the TRAX the air switch will only record it if it is of a certain strength This selection allows you to set the sensitivity for the air switches that the TRAX uses to record data The lower the value the more sensitive the air switch will be when
21. AB to Utils and press the DO key once With Default flashing press the DO key once 4 TAB to Space and press the DO key once Check the spacing currently set for the study If you are using normal road tubes the spacing should be set to 2 0 ft If you are using the EZ Belt the spacing should be set to 0 3 ft Hit the DO key when your selection is correct 5 Hit the DO key twice with Exit flashing to return to the main menu The default tube spacing will remain stored in the TRAX for all future studies You will not need to set it again unless you are going to use a different spacing 6 From the Main Menu press the DO key when Count is flashing 7 Select the type of study you wish to do by using the TAB key and hitting DO when your selection is flashing The options are Basic and Volume Only Basic time stamped raw data This study gives you the greatest flexibility and depending on the layout selected can be used to get volume class speed and gap information This is the selection that is most commonly used with the TRAX Flex HS and the one we recommend Volume Only axle or divide by two vehicle counting This study type can be used if you are only interested in vehicle volumes For Volume Axle each axle is counted For Volume Vehicle every two axles is counted as one divide by two technique 8 After selecting your type of study you will be prompted to select a tube layout Refer to the descriptions on the TRAX Flex HS o
22. AMPLE A car is traveling southbound approaching the tubes As the vehicle passes over both the A and B tubes the TRAX records the class and speed or time stamps of the vehicle Traditional Road Tubes 48 ft Round 12f 38 ft Mini Spacing 2 feet North ini 12 ft 25 ft Mini North 5 7 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L6 Layout Type EZ Belt or Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 4 Inches for EZ Belt or Two Feet for Road Tubes Count Formats Basic Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 2 Directions A to B B to 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 EXAMPLE A car is traveling southbound approaching the tubes As the vehicle passes over both the A tube then the B tube the TRAX records the class and speed or time stamps of the vehicle in the first direction A car traveling northbound passing of the B tube then the A tube gets recorded in the second direction Traditional Road Tubes 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft Al Spacing 2 feet Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L7 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing None Count Formats Basic Volume Only Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A B C D This layout is the same a
23. Basic Data Status Screens The top line of this screen LO6 BASIC DATA A kkkkkk gives the layout that has been selected L6 and the type of study being done Basic The next two lines CNT 02 MEM 95 6 4v represent the tubes that data is being recorded on A B As the tires from an axle strike the tubes an asterisk is recorded in the appropriate channel The bottom line tells you what number count this study is CNT 02 the percentage of memory available MEM 95 and the battery voltage 6 4v B a kkkkkk The top two lines of this screen tell you the layout selected and the how the tubes should be arranged for this study The fourth DT 35ms line tells you what the dead time or D bounce is set for DT 35ms L6 Two Equal Tubes with spacing 2 dir The top line of this screen gives the date and time as 07 13 12 10 16 06 they are set in the TRAX SITE CODE Flex HS The next three 6003 2006 lines provide information MAIN ST AT ELM ST on the site code that has been programmed for the study 2 15 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual This screen shows the road tube diagnostics refer to page 2 10 which allows you to check the strength of the pulses coming from the tubes while the study is being conducted By using the screen you can check to see if any road tubes are starting to fail while you are still collecting data Volume Only Status Screens The top line of this screen CHNLCNTS Int 0001 tells y
24. Note that any layouts that provide speed amp class data also automatically provide volume data 1 11 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual For this tutorial we ll select the L6 layout so press the TAB key until L6 is flashing then press DO The next screen gives you the option to enter a Site Code for your count This feature allows you to enter information specific to where the study was done such as street names location codes etc If you do a lot of counts at different locations using Site Codes can help you keep track of them all We won t use one for this tutorial so press TAB to highlight NO the press DO We re now ready to start our count START STAT GPS Before we do so notice the two EXIT other options listed on this screen The STAT option lets you review how you have set up the count The GPS option lets you upload GPS Count Start Menu with Start highlighted coordinates into the TRAX if you have a GPS receiver Press DO to Start Now to start our count press DO with Start flashing The TRAX immedi ately goes into data recording mode and the count has begun Once the count has begun the first of four status screens is displayed The top line of this screen tells us what layout we have selected and the data format we are using The middle two lines will show the hits that are being received on the road tubes Whenever a vehicle s axle hits one of the road tubes you should see an asterisk appear on that tube s row
25. Set the Tube Spacing to the value you will be using by pressing the num bers on the keypad If you are using the EZ Belt enter 0 3 by pressing 0 0 3 If you are using traditional tubes enter 2 0 by pressing 0 2 0 Once the correct number is entered press DO 1 6 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS The other settings in the Defaults menu are ones that you probably won t ever need to change from their factory settings so we won t go into them in this tutorial Chapter 2 provides details on every setting in the TRAX if you do ever need to change any of these values With Exit flashing press the DO key and we ll return to the Utilites menu Clearing the Data Memory The second option listed in the Utilites menu is CLR which stands for Clear This option is used to clear the data memory of the TRAX When you do a count with the TRAX that count stays in the memory of the TRAX until you clear the memory using this option That s an impor tant fact to remember so we ll repeat it when you do a count with the TRAX that count stays in the memory of the TRAX until you clear the memory using this option Let s take a closer look at this process Highlight CLR then press the DO key If you are worried about losing your data by following the previous in struction don t be When you select the CLR option the TRAX does not immediately clear the memory Instead it brings up the first of two con firmation screen that you m
26. annual basis as required by the FHWA to assure proper operations and results Should you detect any problems with any of our products please notify JAMAR Technologies immediately and discontinue use of the unit until we have verified its operation A 12
27. apter 6 Battery Care for more information on battery maintenance Using the Keypad The TRAX Flex HS contains a membrane keypad comprised of 12 keys numbers 0 through 9 DO and TAB also POWER This keypad is used to make all entries and menu selections for the TRAX Important Note The keys of the membrane keypad do not need to be pressed very hard to activate A light touch is best and will prolong the life of the keypad The POWER button also used as the TAB button is used to turn the unit on Simply press the press the button and the unit will turn itself on To turn the TRAX off press and hold down the POWER button for five seconds Two buttons are all that are used to move from menu to menu and to select from the various options shown on the display One key TAB is used to move the highlight to the option you want and another is used to implement it the DO key In general you press the TAB key until the option you want is flashing and then press the DO key If you move the highlight too far and overshoot the desired option just keep pressing the TAB key until it is re selected 2 2 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Start up Screens A four line 20 char DER zz Dl OH dl a d Sis acter LCD display located in the middle Rm na LE a n ia Bi BH of the TRAX Flex HS front panel is used to D TRAX display current options ie LE and status O gt Important
28. ashing Press it again and Stat is flashing Press TAB again and the display goes back to Count flashing The TAB key is used to scroll through the various options shown on the display TAB NEXT DO Select 0 0 14 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Now press TAB until Stat starts flashing again With Stat flashing press the DO key and hold it down Status Screen What you re looking at now is the Status screen for the unit It displays some of the main settings of the TRAX including the currently pro grammed tube spacing the amount of available memory the number of counts currently stored in memory the battery voltage and the time amp date Tube Spacing Remaining Memory Battery Available Tube sp 0 3 ft Voltage Mem 15789K Avail Counts 01 bat 6 4 Counts Stored TD 10 25 12 10 13 06 in Memory TRAX Status Screen Time amp Date It s a good idea to get in the habit of checking this screen whenever you are going to start a new count You can then be sure that your tube spacing is set correctly for the count that your battery voltage is strong enough to complete the count and that the correct date and time are set in the TRAX Release the DO key and the display will go back to showing the Main Menu We ll now take a look at how we can change some of the settings we just saw on the Status screen On the Main Menu press the TAB key until Utils is flashing then press the DO key
29. ata with a high degree of accuracy from as low as idle speeds to 10 mph If you are attempting to collect data at locations where speeds will be very low such as driveways and parking lots adjustments should be made to compensate for the speed of the vehicles being recorded The following guidelines should be used for these applications Dead Time DT When recording traffic with road tubes there is always the possibility that the tires from each side of an axle will hit the tubes a fraction of a second apart either from the road tubes being slightly angled or from the vehicle being slightly angled as it hits the tubes The Dead Time setting is used to keep these extra hits from showing up as additional volume in the data This setting allows you to set a specific time in the TRAX when it will not accept a new pulse from the road tube after it has just received a pulse At normal traffic speeds the time from one tire of an axle hitting the tube to when the other tire from an axle hits the tube is usually just a few milliseconds However this time increases the slower vehicles are moving In the TRAX the DT is typically set at 20 to 40 milliseconds for normal traffic as this will cover most speeds Speeds from idle to 10 mph will require the DT setting to be increased When recording traffic in a very low speed situation use a DT setting of 200 to 300 milliseconds to avoid double counting Whenever you adjust the DT setting we recomm
30. ate The third option listed in the Utilites menu is T DATE which stands for Time amp Date This option is used to enter the correct time and date in the TRAX The TRAX contains a real time clock which means it is always keeping track of the time whether the TRAX is turned on or off When you do a count the data is stored based on the time and date that is set in the TRAX so it s important that the time and date are set correctly If they are not the data you produce will be inaccurate HR MIN MON DAY YR Highlight 7 Date then press the 14 06 09 16 06 DO key To change a value in this screen you press the TAB key to highlight the field you want to change You then press the Change Time amp Date Screen keys numbers 3 and 6 to either scroll up or down through the values 3 and 6 change Press DO to set date 1 8 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Let s give this a try With HR flashing press the 3 key several times and notice that the hour value increases up Now press the 6 key several times and notice that the value decreases Use the 3 or 6 key to reset the time to the correct hour Note that the time style used is the military format meaning 2 00 PM equals 14 00 so be sure you re selecting the correct hour If you set the TRAX to 2 00 it s set to 2 00 AM Check the remaining time and date values to make sure they are correct for your location Make any changes that are necessary then press t
31. ately 13 5 years 30 Minute Intervals Approximately 27 years 60 Minute Intervals Approximately 54 years TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Specifications Size 11 x 7 x 4 5 Weight Approximately 8 pounds Power Rechargeable lead gel battery with optional solar panel Interface RS 232 serial comm port 9 pin DBS socket or USB B port Download Speed Up to 115200 bps Memory 16 MB Internal Memory Clock Always active real time clock Data Collection Formats Volume Time stamped raw data Inputs Four road tubes Temperature Range Minus 40F 40C to 165F 74C Date Format USA MM DD YY or World DD MM Y Y Recording Intervals 5 10 15 30 60 minutes for Volume Only format Units English feet or Metric meters Display Wide Temperature 4 line by 20 character LCD display Output Binary file capable of being read by JAMAR software We are pleased that you have chosen the JAMAR TRAX Flex HS for 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 TRAX Flex HS has undergone extensive testing to verify the accuracy of its operations and each unit is tested before it leaves our facility However just like other complex electronic devices problems can occur We always suggested that users verify the continuing accuracy of any device they use Verification against manual counts or with a JAMAR Traffic Counter Tester should be performed on an
32. count Select VOL VEH for a divide by two study where every two hits is counted as one Select VOL AXLE for an axle count where every hit is counted as one After you select the type of study you want you will be taken to the tube layout selection menu described on the next page 2 11 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Important note In general we recommend that you use the Basic format whenever you can There are several reasons for this the most important of which is that if something goes wrong with one of your counts it is much easier to determine why and potentially fix the problem without having to re do the count if the data is collected in the Basic format Tube Layout Selection L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 A screen similar to the one shown here is displayed when in the Tube Layout Selection Menu The TAB key is used to move through the layouts A description of the currently flashing layout is dis played on the bottom two lines Refer to Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts for a more detailed description of the individual layouts Listed below are the types of layouts that can be used depending on the data collection mode selected Volume Only lor2Road Tubes L1 L2 L3 L4 3 or 4 Road Tubes L7 L8 L9 L13 L14 Basic 1 or 2 Road Tubes L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 3 or 4 Road Tubes L7 L8 L9 LIO L11 L12 L13 L14 L15 Note that only the L5 L6 L10 L11 and L12 layouts can produce data that can be
33. d rather have the TRAX continue running and possibly complete a count even if the battery voltage gets low disable this setting TEST Main Menu gt Utils gt Test This option allows you to MEMORY DISPLAY KEYS S PORT TUBES EXIT perform diagnostic tests on various features of the TRAX Flex HS to be sure they are operating correctly Memory Main Menu gt Utils gt Test gt Memory The Memory test will check all memory locations in the unit s 16 MB memory To perform the test press DO while Memory is flashing and the TRAX Flex HS automatically starts testing the memory Note that the memory must be cleared of any count data before the test can be performed Display Main Menu gt Utils gt Test gt Display The Display test allows you to view all segments of the liquid crystal display to be sure the display has not been damaged To test the display press DO after each of the screens that are shown Keys Main Menu gt Utils gt Test gt Keys The Keys test allows you to check the functionality of each of the buttons on the keyboard When in this test mode a simulation of the 12 keys is shown on the left side of the display As you press a key an X should briefly appear at the correct location in the simu lation Pressing the DO key will exit you from the test TRAX Flex HS User s Manual S Port Main Menu gt Utils gt Test gt S Port The Serial Port test allows you be sure that the port used for re trievi
34. d rear axles strike the A tube a one is registered in the A channel The front and rear axles then strike the B tube but these hits are ignored since the A tube has just been hit Conversely a car traveling northbound will strike the B tube first recording it in the B channel and then have its hits on the A tube ignored 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft gt Traditional Road Tubes EZ Belt TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L4 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 1 Road Tube Spacing None Count Formats Basic Volume Only Data Volume Gap Channels 1 Channel A In this layout one tube is extended across the lanes to be counted When in Volume mode the TRAX can do either a straight axle count or use the divide by two technique 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 4 4 t k _ gt A 5 6 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L5 Layout Type EZ Belt or Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 4 Inches for EZ Belt Two Feet for Road Tubes Count Formats Basic 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 two feet apart and be of equal length EX
35. e class speed and gap can be generated Before You Do a Count Before you attempt to collect important data with the TRAX Flex HS we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with both the operation of the TRAX and how to properly install your road tubes or EZ Belt Few things are more frustrating than trying to resolve problems when working on a tight deadline or with critical data The next section provides a tutorial that walks you through the basics of setting up the TRAX and starting a count Whenever possible we recommend that you perform a test count if you are new to the TRAX Flex HS 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 count 1 2 Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Learning about the TRAX Flex HS The remainder of this chapter provides a tutorial that will walk you through the basics of setting up the TRAX and starting a new study Once you have completed this tutorial you should have a good working knowledge of how the TRAX Flex HS operates At its heart the TRAX is a very simple unit to set up and use This tutorial will not attempt to cover every feature and option of the TRAX just those that are most commonly used If you would like more information on a specific feature that is not covered in this tutorial refe
36. e some common principles that should be used with any layout that is chosen The condition of the EZ Belt or road tubes and the manner in which they are installed are critical to achieving good results Refer to Chap ters 3 amp 4 for more installation information When using road tube 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 In all tube setups of more than one tube the tube length from the end of the road to the TRAX must be the same for all tubes n all short tube long tube layouts the vehicle must strike the short tube first To collect class or speed data a minimum of two feet of tube spacing is required to achieve accurate results when using traditional road tubes If using the EZ Belt the spacing should be set at 4 inches 0 3 ft For counts done in the Volume Only mode the TRAX Flex HS will either do a straight axle count or use the divide by two technique in which every two axle hits will increment the TRAX Flex HS by one Data can be collected in the Basic mode with any of the tube layouts since basic data is essentially a collection of all the sensor activations on an individual basis However the minimum tube spacing requirements still apply to Basic data If a layout says volume only that is the only information you will be able to accurately get from it You can collect data in the Basic mode with an L1 lay
37. elf to determine if there is any data in memory It does this by scanning the entire memory If it finds data it will insert a proper end of file marker to allow you to download any data that was stored before the problem occurred 7 2 Chapter 7 Troubleshooting What do the numbers on the right side of the Main Menu mean These are related to the TRAX Flex HS road tube testing feature Any time you have road tubes connected to the TRA X these numbers will reflect the strength of the air pulses being received ranging from 0 for no pulse to 9 for strongest pulse This feature is discussed in more detail on page 2 10 The TRAX Flex HS will not download Check your connection between the TRAX Flex HS and the computer Refer to chapter 2 for other items to check When collecting volume data the data isn t being collected in the time intervals desired How do I change this The majority of the internal settings for the TRAX are stored in the Default menu of the Utilities To access these select Utils from the Main Menu then select Default The Interval setting is accessed through Int Not all layouts are listed when I select to do a Volume Only count Why is this Depending on the type of data you are collecting only certain layouts can be used Volume Only layouts are L1 L2 L3 L4 L7 L8 L9 L13 and L14 Refer to Chapter 5 for more information I cannot view the tube pulse strengths on the TRAX Flex HS display after the stud
38. end that you watch the TRAX as a few vehicles are recorded to be sure the TRAX is recording correctly NOTE Be sure to reset the DT setting once you have finished your low speed counting Using an incorrect DT setting for normal speed traffic will produce incorrect data A 7 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Tube Length The total length of road tubes used in low speed applications should not exceed forty 40 feet Shorter lengths may be used provided all traffic is travelling at low speeds Tube Placement The TRAX will record a count even if the front and rear tires on only one side of the vehicle passes over the tube As a result you may choose to extend the road tube only as far as is necessary to be hit by one side of the vehicle The above rules may be varied slightly since each tube installation for low speed traffic counting is unique The tube length and DT may be adjusted to fit your specific parameters Once you have decided on your settings monitor incoming data to ensure accuracy With low speed data collection we recommend that data be collected in the Basic mode This allows you to make further adjustments in the TRAXPro software once your data has been downloaded Appendix FHWA Type F Vehicle Classification Scheme Class 1 Motorcycles This class includes all two or three wheeled motorized vehicles These vehicles typically have a saddle type of seat and are steered by handlebars rather than a steering wheel ONE
39. ers 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 A slideshow demonstration of the proper techniques for installing road tubes can be viewed on the JAMAR web site at www jamartech com We recommend viewing this demonstration if you are new to the process of installing road tubes or would like additional tips on installation Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation Step 1 Select an Installation Location The first step in the installation process is to select the location where the road tubes will be installed The tubes should be placed exactly perpen dicular to the flow of traffic and should be installed on a straight stretch of road so that vehicles are not hitting the tubes on an angle For the best results do not install the tubes in a location where traffic will be queueing up and stopping on the tubes or in a location where vehicle will be turning over the tubes or otherwise striking them on an angle Step 2 Select Layout Once you have selected your location the next step is to decide what lay out to use Which layout you select largely depends on the type of data you want to collect The L1 L2 L3 L4 L7 L8 L9 L13 and L14 layouts allow you to record data for volume information while the L5 L6 L10 L11 and L12 layouts allow you to record data for speed clas
40. every day The Never option tells the unit to never split the study The Daily option tells it to split the study on a day by day basis and is normally only used if the TRAX is set up at a permanent location or if data is being retrieved while the unit is still recording data The Weekly option tells it to split the study on a weekly basis starting at 12 AM Sunday Power Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Power This selection allows you to set two options related to battery conservation issues The dle setting is used to tell the TRAX whether or not it should turn itself off if no keys have been pressed for 10 minutes and there is no count in progress If this option is enabled the TRAX will shut itself down to save the battery We recommend enabling this feature as it prevents the battery from draining if the unit is accidentally left on The Battery setting is used to tell the TRAX whether or not it should turn itself off even if a count is in progress if the battery voltage falls to 5 7 volts or lower If this option is enabled the 2 8 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS TRAX will shut itself down when the battery falls to 5 7 volts If this option is disabled the TRAX will continue to run even if the battery voltage gets low How you set this option depends on your preference If you d prefer to preserve your battery even if it means shutting down the TRAX during a count enable this setting If you woul
41. ey are set in the TRAX Flex HS The next three lines provide information on the site code that has 07 13 12 10 16 06 SITE CODE 6003 2006 MAIN ST AT ELM ST been programmed for the study This screen shows the road tube diagnostics refer to page 2 10 which allows you to check the strength of the pulses coming from the tubes while the study is being conducted By using this screen you can check to see if any road tubes are starting to fail while you are still collecting data 2 17 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Ending a Count There are several ways to end a count The most common way is to manu ally turn the TRAX Flex HS off To turn the TRAX off press the POWER key and hold it down for 5 6 seconds The TRAX will turn off and the count will be stored in its internal memory Additional studies can then be conducted with the unit The TRAX Flex HS can hold up to 150 different studies in its memory BACK NEW STOP REF You can also end the count through the options accessed by hitting the DO key while a study is in prog ress The New option will end the cur rent count and immediately begin a new one with the same default settings This option is useful if you want to download data you have collected but still want to leave the TRAX in place The Stop option will end the current count without restarting it The Back option will return you to the Status screens The Ref option allows you to adjust the sensitiv
42. factory 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 Step 6 Check 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 1 6 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layouts for the TRAX Flex HS The TRAX Flex HS is equipped with fourteen pre programmed layouts for recording traffic data These are designated as L1 through L14 and represent the most common types of layouts used to record traffic data The following are descriptions of each of the layouts the type of data that can be collected and the type of sensor traditional road tube or EZ Belt that can be used with each Each layout is different but there ar
43. ficiently 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 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 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
44. fied Vehicles This class includes all vehicles which the TRAX Flex HS could not process into one of the existing 13 classes This data can be retained in your reports or it can be redistributed by the software into the existing 13 classes based on the percentages in each of those classes A 10 Appendix Memory Table The TRAX Flex HS contains 16 megabytes 16 000 kilobytes of flash memory The usage of this memory depends on the type of data being collected If you are collecting Basic data each kilobyte of memory can hold ap proximately 340 axle hits which means the unit can record well over 5 million hits before the memory is filled The table below lists how long you can conduct a typical 2 road tube study assuming 4 axle hits per vehicle before filling the memory based on the volume of traffic Average Daily Traffic Volume Amount of Continuous Data 1000 Approximately 1 333 days If you are collecting data in the Volume Only format the data is stored in memory on an interval by interval basis Each one of these intervals can be a maximum of 34 bytes in size which equals approximately 30 intervals per kilobyte or 480 000 intervals for the entire memory The table below lists the amount of continuous data that can be recorded with a given in terval time Interval Length Used Amount of Continuous Data 5 Minute Intervals Approximately 4 5 years 10 Minute Intervals Approximately 9 years 15 Minute Intervals Approxim
45. ge 2 4 for more details Press the DO or TAB key to exit the tube test screen 2 10 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Count Menu BASIC VOLUME ONLY When you select Count from the TUBES EXIT Main Menu you are given the op tion of the type of data you would like to collect or to test the tubes Tubes Selecting this option will take you to the road tube test screen which is described on page 2 10 Basic Basic data means that the data you are collecting in the field with the TRAX is in its most basic format a time stamp recording for every single axle that goes over the road tubes you have put down Some people refer to this type of data as Raw data or Time stamped data we call it Basic data They all essentially mean the same thing Depending on the tube layout you select Basic data can be processed to provide data for volume speed classification amp gap all from the same original file Selecting this type of count will take you into the tube layout selection menu described on the next page Volume Only As the name implies with Volume Only data you can only get volume information This format also does not time stamp every axle but rather sorts and stores the volume data into specific interval times If you select Volume Only VgOL VEH VOL AXLE you will be taken to the screen EXIT shown here where you can choose a study using either the divide by two technique or a straight axle
46. ges 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 rightto 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 1500 Industry Road Suite C Hatfield PA 19440 215 361 2244 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 writ ing from JAMAR Technologies Inc Copyright 2008 by JAMAR Technologies Inc il If you have any questions about the TRAX Flex HS that you cannot find answers for in this manual there are several ways to get additional infor mation On the Hardware Support section of our web site at www jamartech com Contact us by e mail at sales jamartech com Contact us by phone at 215 361 2244 Monday Friday 8 00 AM to 5 00 PM Eastern time Volume 1 5 August 2008 ill TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Table of Contents Technical Support eseesessssessesoesossesocsossosossosossossossesossssoesossosos
47. he DO key to store the values and return to the Utilities menu The fourth option on the Utilites menu Sys lets you change some system settings for the TRAX In most cases you probably won t need to change any of these However if you re using the TRAX outside the US you can use this menu to set the TRAX to Metric mode The fifth option on the Utilities menu Test allows you to run several di agnostic tests on the TRAX in case you ever encounter a problem with it use Now that we ve taken a look at how to program some of the setting of the TRAX let see how to actually start a count Highlight Exit on the Utilites menu the press DO to return to the Main Menu 1 9 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Starting a New Count With Count highlighted on the Main Menu press the DO key You have two options for the type B ASIC VOLUME ONLY of data you want to collect Basic TUBES EXIT or Volume Only Basic Data Press DO to select So what do we mean when we say Basic data and Volume Only Count Menu with Basic highlighted data Basic data means that the data you are collecting in the field with the TRAX is in its most basic format a time stamp recording for every single axle that goes over the road tubes you have put down Some people refer to this type of data as Raw data or Time stamped data we call it Basic data They all essentially mean the same thing Depending on the tube layout you select we ll cover
48. herwise striking it on an angle Step 2 Select Layout Once you have selected your location the next step is to decide what lay out to use The EZ Belt is compatible with 5 standard layouts L3 L5 L6 L9 and L10 Which layout you select largely depends on the type of data you want to collect The L3 and L9 layouts allow you to record data for volume information while the L5 L6 and L10 layouts allow you to record data for speed class and gap in addition to volume The most commonly used layouts are L5 and L6 The L5 layout is de signed for single direction traffic The L6 layout is designed for bidirec tional traffic over two lanes Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts contains more detailed information on each individual layout Step 3 Prepare the Installation Equipment Once you have decided on your layout you re just about ready to install the EZ Belt However first be sure you have all the equipment you ll need to do the installation quickly and efficiently The equipment you ll need in cludes the EZ Belt itself 25 foot mini road tube sections two per belt for connecting the EZ belt back to the TRAX mastic tape including several pre cut 10 inch strips and a utility knife for cutting mastic in the field IMPORTANT It is critical that the mini tubes used to connect the EZ Belt back to the TRAX Plus be IDENTICAL in length The margin for error when using a four inch tube spacing is very small so having the tubes
49. hile the wizard installs the software Lo JAMAR Trax USB 232 LI w Nunn To CAWINDOWS spatem32 Te Newt Caste You can then select the one you d like and then Found New Hardware Wizard Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard The wacerd has finshed installing the software fox M JAMAR Trax USB 232 Dick Finish lo close lhe wizard Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard Thes wad helps you install solimere foc USB Serial Port M your hardware came with an installation CD lt gt ot floppy disk insert it now What do you warnt ve wizard lo do instal rom a kit ce specific bestion Advanced Dick Next to continue se ue oce A 4 Appendix To install this second driver follow the same steps as the first i er n nnw daore waart NINS Peace wait ade the wierd seachen 2 Uf Sont Pt a Peace mal ahde the mirad mati the salina 3 AMAN Tom OTR Completing the Found New Lc Hardware Wizard LZ The mead h hashed reising Pe sanae hor funa JAMAN Toe UB 22 Te C QAO WS eroi 3 m Once the second driver is installed you may see a message like the one below prompting you to restart your computer System Settings Change x Windows has finished installing new devices Tho afore Pa suspi Dado requis Bib Vo tut yc 2 computer You must restart your computer before the new settings wil take Do you wart to restart your computer now Eng Res
50. hort tubes will be installed over only one lane 12 feet leaving 26 feet of tube back to the TRAX Flex HS The long tubes will be installed over two lanes 24 feet but since they are 50 feet long you will still have 26 feet back to the TRAX Flex HS 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 travel 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 to fit two tubes together 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 TRAX Flex HS Step 4 Prepare the Installation Equipment Once you have decided on your layout and prepared your tubes you re just about ready to begin the installation However first be sure you have all the equipment you ll need to do the installation quickly and efficiently The equipment you ll typically need depending on the type of road tube you are using includes the road tubes themselves a hammer and PK nails mastic tape in 6 inch strips webbing or another type of clamp a utility knife a tape measure and end plugs Step 5 Install the Road Tubes Road tubes should be installed exactly perpendicular to the traffic flow When using two or more tubes that must be set at specific d
51. ill be green If there is a problem with the charge the light will be red 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 battery 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 6 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual 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 t is normal for a battery to become warm to the touch during charg ing t 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 Always store in a cool dry location Keep batteries away from fire and do not incinerate they may explode Under no circumstances should you attempt to open the batter
52. istances 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 The following sections detail the specific installation procedures for both standard round tube and for mini tube 4 4 Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation Standard 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 2 5 inch or longer in hotter temperatures to compensate for softer road surfaces In cold weather applications the asphalt becomes harder making it more difficult to drive in the nails In this situation smaller nails 1 5 inch can be used Next secure the tube on the traveled portion of the road surface by using mastic As a minimum one piece of mastic should be placed on the zone line middle of the road and two pieces of mastic should be placed in each lane Additional mastic should be used as deemed necessary to prevent the tube from moving when stuck by a vehicle Refer to the diagram below for
53. it s non volatile memory until changed Date Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Date This selection allows you to determine the format of the date used in the unit The options are USA month day year or World day month year Units Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Units This selection allows you to determine the format of the units used in the TRAX Flex HS The options are English or Metric 2 7 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Download Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Download This selection allows you to determine how the TRAX should act if you download data while a study is in progress The options are to Stop the current study and download its data or to Continue the current study while downloading older studies Note that with the Continue option the data stored in the currently running study will not be included in the download Mem Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Mem This selection allows you to determine how the TRAX should respond if the memory is filled The options are to Stop recording data or to Overwrite the beginning of the memory In most cases you will never come close to filling the entire memory of the unit The TRAX Flex HS 16 MB of internal memory will record over 6 million vehicles before the memory is filled Split Main Menu gt Utils gt Sys gt Split This selection allows you to determine whether data should be recorded in continuous mode or if a new file should be started at midnight
54. ity of the air switches while data is being collected Refer to page 2 6 for more information on changing the Ref value A third option for ending a count is to have it stop automatically and start a new count when you download data This option can be set up through the Download selection of the System menu as described on page 2 8 2 18 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Downloading a TRAX Flex HS The TRAX Flex HS is designed to be downloaded to a computer running the TRAXPro software The download of data is done through either the serial port of the TRAX or the USB Port Serial Port Download To prepare to download your data connect the JAMAR universal cable to a serial port on your computer Most serial ports are a 9 pin plug and there may be more than one on the computer The following tips should help you to avoid problems when download through a computer s serial port 1 You must correctly identify what port you are plugging the cable into The 9 pin connectors used for serial ports are also used for se rial or parallel printers mice plotters video cards and other devices Consult your computer instruction manual if you have any questions on which ports are serial ports on your computer 2 Some 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 16 You wil
55. l need to know this number to download the unit 3 Some devices that are plugged into a computer s serial port will not allow the TRAX Flex HS to download its data properly These are devices that require a program called a device driver to be running in the computer at all times These device drivers are very self centered and think that all the data coming into the serial port is for them Digital cameras mice digitizer boards PDAs and light pens are all devices that may require these device drivers to be run ning If you have to unplug a device from the serial port to plug your TRAX Flex HS in or if you are using a switch box be sure that the device does not have a driver running in memory 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 the USB port of the TRAX to connect to one of your computer s USB ports Refer to the next section for information on how to do this On the TRAX itself you must have either the Main Menu or the Count Status screen visible to download data If the Main Menu is visible the 2 19 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual download will transfer all data currently stored in memory If the Count Status screen is visible the download will transfer all counts stored in memory but not the count currently being done If you have a count in progress that you would like to download you must end the count using one of the options discussed on
56. lay to come back up similarly the TRAX has another feature that will turn itself off com pletely if no keys are pressed for 10 minutes if there is no count in progress of course If this occurs you can press the POWER key and the TRAX will turn itself back on The nice thing about this feature is that it will preserve the charge on the TRAX s battery if the TRAX is accidently left turned on Now that we re familiar with how to turn the TRAX off and on let s restart it and start looking at some of the features Press the POWER key again to restart the TRAX and let it boot up to the Main Menu Menu Navigation There are two keys on the keypad of the TRAX that are used to navigate through Qo the various screens and select options The Srs black TAB key is used for navigation while the red DO key is used to select an option In general you press the TAB key until the option you want is flashing and then press the DO key to select the option If you move the highlight too far and overshoot the desired option just keep pressing the TAB key until it is re selected Let s see how this works Press to move Press to select highlight option The Main Menu shows several COUNT UTILS STAT 0 options on the top line Count 0 Utils and Stat Notice that Count is i flashing This means that it is the currently active option Now press Bat 6 4V the TAB key once and notice that Main Menu with Count highlighted Utils is now fl
57. loaded counts will remain in the memory of the TRAX until they are cleared Refer to page 2 7 for information on how to clear the memory Important Do not clear the memory of the TRAX until you are certain that the data has been successfully downloaded to you computer 2 20 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS USB Port Download Note USB download is only recommended for Windows XP or higher operating systems We recommend using the Serial Port Download described in the previous section for Windows 95 ME or 2000 To prepare to download your data connect a USB cable to your com puter and the USB port of the TRAX then turn the TRAX on Note that the first time you are downloading the TRAX to a computer us ing the USB port you will need to install the drivers for it Refer to the Appendix for information on how to do this before proceeding The USB drivers create a virtual comm port that you will select in the TRAXPro software On the TRAX itself you must have either the Main Menu or the Count Status screen visible to download data If the Main Menu is visible the download will transfer all data currently stored in memory If the Count Status screen is visible the download will transfer all counts stored in memory but not the count currently being done If you have a count in progress that you would like to download you must end the count using one of the options discussed on page 2 18 Once your TRAX i
58. more details Standard Round Tube Installation Clamp Clamp End Plate End Plate Chinese Chinese Finger or Mastic 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 Road Tube 20 ID x 375 OD Since mini tube is smaller and lighter than standard round tube less hard ware is required to install the tubes Also mini tube should not be stretched when installed just placed on the road Webbing can be used to secure the tube at each end of the roadway You may tie a knot at the far end of the tube instead of using an end plug or PK 4 5 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual nail Since 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 breakage 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 Mini Tube Installation Mastic or i Duct Tape Mx u p Webbing TRAX N Tube MASTIC OR DUCT TAPE 6 Lengths are satis
59. n ve hicles motor homes etc Class 7 Four or More Axle Single Unit Trucks This class includes all vehicles on a single frame with four or more axles A 9 DA TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Class 8 Four or Less Axle Single Trailer Trucks This class includes all vehicles with four or less axles consisting of two units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck Class 9 Five Axle Single Trailer Trucks This class includes all five axle vehicles consisting of two units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck Class 10 Six or More Axle Single Trailer Trucks This class includes all vehicles with six or more axles consisting pa m of two units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single 3d CATAL unit truck Class 11 Five or Less Axle Multi Trailer Trucks This class includes all vehicles with five or less axles consisting of three or more units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck class includes all six axle vehicles consisting of three or more units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck Class 12 Six Axle Multi Trailer Trucks This EN Class 13 Seven or More Axle Multi Trailer Trucks This class includes all vehicles with seven or more axles consisting of three or more units in which the pulling unit is a tractor or single unit truck The TRAX Flex HS also collects data for Class 14 Unclassi
60. ng data from the TRAX is working correctly To perform the test properly the 2 amp 3 pins of the port must be looped together A straightened paper clip can be used to perform this test by carefully inserting one end into the 2 pin and the other end into the 3 pin NOTE This test will fail if a test connector Pin3 Pin2 is not used properly The cable used for downloading data cannot be used as a test oon c 0000 connector Tubes The Tubes test allows you to check the quality of the air pulses that are being received by the TRAX from the road tubes This test should be performed once the TRAX is in the field and connected to the road tubes to be used for the study The test lets you identify potential problems with the tubes enabling you to take corrective action When a pulse is received while in test mode the strength of the pulse is shown for about a sec ond on the display of the TRAX Pulse levels are broken down into 4 categories X for Poor for Fair G for Good and for Excellent In the example shown here the pulse strength is excellent for the A C and D tubes However the pulse strength for the B tube is poor indicating that the tube should be checked and possibly replaced Note that the Main Menu of the TRAX also contains a version of this tube test feature which assigns numeric values to the strength of the pulses ranging from 0 for no pulse to 9 for strongest pulse Refer to pa
61. note The ai Oo O o ez TRAX Flex HS has a om power saving feature O O O RE that turns off the dis play if no keys have o0 been pressed on the unit for two minutes To bring the display back up simply hit any of the buttons on the keypad After you power on the TRAX Flex HS the sign on screen is displayed This shows the version number of the firmware in the TRAX Flex HS on the bottom line The firmware is the internal program that the TRAX uses to operate If you ever encounter a problem with your unit and request support for it you may be asked for this version number JAMAR TECHNOLOGIES TRAX FLEX HS C 2007 SN 000000 V 1 0 01 4 Firmware version The second screen as shown below displays the tube spacing that is set in the TRAX the amount of memory remaining for new studies the number of counts stored in memory the status of the battery and the time and date that is set in your TRA X Tube sp 0 3 ft Mem 15789K Avail Counts 01 bat 6 4V TD 10 25 12 10 13 06 After a few seconds the screen clears and the Main Menu is displayed 2 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Main Menu COUNT UTILS STAT 0 0 TAB NEXT DO Select Bat 6 4V 0 The Main Menu is the starting point for all of the options in the TRAX Flex HS The options on this screen are COUNT UTILS Utilities STAT Program a new count When Count is selected you can choose from BASIC or VOLUME ONLY Depending on
62. ontact us Contact information is listed on page iii of this manual How do I turn the TRAX Flex HS on and off To turn the Flex on press the POWER button also labelled TAB To turn the Flex off press the POWER button and hold it down for 5 6 seconds I turned the TRAX Flex on but now there is no display visible What s wrong The Flex may have gone into power conservation mode to preserve its battery charge The display automatically goes out when no keys on the keypad have been pressed for two minutes To bring the display back up hit any key If the TRAX is left inactive for 10 minutes or more and it is not in data collection mode it will turn itself off completely In this case press the POWER key to restart the TRAX The display on the TRAX Flex HS will not come on even after I hit the POWER key What s wrong The battery voltage may have gone too low to power the display Connect the TRAX Flex HS 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 Even if the battery voltage was too low to power the display it may have been high enough to continue collecting data When the Flex is turned on the display reads Improper Shutdown What s wrong If the TRAX Flex encounters a problem that causes it to shut down unexpect edly when it is turned back on it will inspect its
63. ou select in the software The higher the baud rate the faster your data will be downloaded Most computers can be set for the highest setting 115200 so select this Once this is set select the comm port which was created by the USB driver Refer to the Appendix for more informa tion on this TRAXPro will only list the comm ports that are available on your computer making the selection easier After making any needed adjustments click on the Begin button in TRAXPro and the program will attempt to connect to the TRAX The traffic signal icons at the bottom of the TRAXPro screen provide the status of the download 1 15 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual If the connection is made you will see a blue progress bar moving across the TRAXPro screen as the data is transferred While the data is being downloaded the display on the TRAX will show TRANSFER IN PROGRESS COUNT 01 BLOCK 000001 Sending Data Download in Progress When all of the data in the TRAX has been downloaded you will either see a screen for assigning a name to your file or if there is more than one count a list of counts to choose from Once the data has been transferred to the computer the TRAX display will return to the screen it was on before the download began Downloaded counts will remain in the memory of the TRAX until they are cleared using the method we covered earlier in this tutorial Congratulations Now that you have completed this tutorial yo
64. ou the way in which d i the data is being collected B s CHNL CNTS or Chan E nel Counts and the cur TD 07 19 50 10 16 06 rent interval number Int 0001 The next two lines give you the total per channel for the current interval The last line gives you the time and date as they are programmed in the TRAX Flex HS This screen provides the to tal accumulated volume for TOTAL COUNTS each channel for the entire A 000006 study This can be used to B A 000008 get a total count without having to download the counter to a computer The top line of this screen L02 VOL VEH tells you the layout that has A been selected L2 and the Bree type of study being done E AAG VOL VEH The next two CNT 02 MEM 99 6 4v lines represent the channels that data is being recorded on A and B As the tires from an axle strike the tubes an asterisk is recorded in the appropriate channel The bottom line tells you what number count this study is in the TRAX Flex HS CNT 02 the percentage of memory available MEM 99 and the battery voltage 6 4v 2 16 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS The top two lines of this screen tell you the layout selected and how the tubes should be arranged for this study The fourth line tells you what length of interval L2 Two Tube Vol A B A Intv 15 min is being used for the study Intv 15min The top line of this screen gives the date and time as th
65. out but you will only be able to get volume data not class speed etc The diagrams for the following layouts assume a length of twelve feet per lane of traffic and are shown for round tube and mini tube 5 2 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L1 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing None Count Formats Basic Volume Only Data Volume Gap Channels 2 Channels A B In this layout channel A and channel B record independently When in Volume mode the TRAX can do either a straight axle count or use the divide by two technique EXAMPLE The TRAX has been programmed to use the divide by two technique As a passenger car passes over the A the unit records one count As a four axle truck passes over the A tube the unit records two counts 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini 24 ft Apl 8 P 5 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L2 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 2 Feet Count Formats Basic Volume Only 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 Hits on the A tube are recorded in channel 1 Hits on the B tube are recorded in channel 2 unless they were immediately preceded by a hit on the A tube in
66. ows connect Io Windows Update to search for software C Yes Gre tine only Yes now and every Sme connect a device No not thin tee ture before you ll first see Ck Next to corte ascreen like the one shown s news Cem to the right when you first connect the TRAX The drivers for the TRAX are available through this feature so if you d like to allow the wizard to connect to the Internet select one for the first two options and click Next A 2 After you click Next or if you have previously instructed Windows to al ways check the Windows Update web site for driv ers you ll see the screen shown to the right This screen is used to tell Windows where to look for the drivers it needs We recommend using the first Appendix Found New Hardware Wizard This wizard helps you instal solere foc Tix USB M your hardware came with an installation CD lt E ot lloppy disk insert it now What do you wart lve wizard to do instal hom a lat or specific location Advanced Dick Next to continue des De co selection Install the Software Automatically Note that whenever possible we recommend you use the drivers avail able through the Windows Update web site as this is the easiest method for loading the drivers However if you are not able to use the Windows Update web site the drivers are also available on the Downloads section
67. r to Chapter 5 for the appropriate selection Layouts L5 L6 L10 L11 and L12 can be used to collect data for speed class gap and volume The remaining layouts can provide only gap and volume data TAB to your selection and press the DO key to select it 9 You will then be prompted to select a site code Press DO with Yes flashing to enter one or press DO with No flashing to not use a site code 10 Press DO with Start flashing to begin your study vi Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS TRAX Flex HS User s Manual What is the TRAX Flex HS The TRAX Flex HS Counter Classifier is an automatic traffic recorder de signed 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 analysis The HS stands for high speed which best describes the processing power of this unit With the TRAX Flex HS you can collect data than can be processed for volume speed class and gap using a tube spacing as small as four inches The TRAX Flex HS can store up to 150 different studies It stores the type of study done the date and time a site code amp GPS coordinates if entered and the data for the study At any convenient time you can transfer the data to your computer or PDA using either the RS 232 serial port or the USB port Once the data is in the TRAXPro software reports for volum
68. r to chapter 2 which provides details on all the features and options of the TRAX Flex Turning the TRAX On and Off To start we ll familiarize ourselves with the ba sic features of the TRAX Open the lid of your TRAX and you will see the faceplate which contains a display for showing information and keys for entering data The first thing we want to do is turn the unit on This is done by pressing POWER the black POWER key also labeled TAB at the lower right of the keys Press this button now Two start up screens will appear on the display then it will finally show the Main Menu Before we start to learn about this screen let s learn how to turn the unit off Again press the POWER key but this time continue to hold it down for about 5 6 seconds The display will go off and the TRAX is now turned off It s as simple as that press the POWER key to turn the TRAX on press and hold the same key to turn the TRAX off Note that you can turn the TRAX off at any time regardless of which screen you are on by press ing and holding the POWER key down for 5 6 seconds 1 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Battery Conservation The TRAX has a battery saving feature that turns the display off if no keys have been pressed for 2 minutes The TRAX is still on and run ning but the display has shut itself off to conserve power When the TRAX goes into this conservation mode you need only hit any of the keys on the keypad for the disp
69. recording data The default value is 40 which will work well in most cases This setting may need to be adjusted for permanent installations where piezoes are being used The 2 amp 3 keys can be used to lower the value while the 5 amp 6 keys will raise the value 2 6 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Clear CLR Main Menu gt Utils gt Clr The Clear option allows you to clear the memory of all data You are given two chances to change your mind before data is removed from the nonvolatile memory Time Date This option allows you to pro gram the date and time to be HR MIN MON DAY YR used in your TRAX Flex HS 14 06 09 16 06 To use this option press TAB 3 and 6 change until T DATE is flashing and Press DO to set date then press DO Set the current time and date for your location starting with the hour Use the Change buttons 3 and 6 to correct the settings as required Use the TAB key to move from the hour setting to the minutes then enter the correct number of minutes The same process can then be repeated to set the month day and year When completed press the DO button NOTE The real time clock in the TRAX Flex HS uses a 24 hour military format i e 5 00 P M is 17 00 System SYS Thi i ll Is option a ows you le DATE UNITS DOWNLOAD program some of the system settings of the TRAX Flex MEM SPLIT POWER EXI HS Like the Default settings the System settings will be re tained in the un
70. s 25 ft Mini 5 ft Mini 24 ft lt lt 5 11 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L10 Layout Type EZ Belt or Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet Count Formats Basic Data Class Speed Gap Volume Directions 2 Directions A to B C toD This layout is the same as the L5 layout but with four tubes over two lanes rather than two tubes over one lane Refer to the L5 description for more information The tubes should be spaced two feet apart and be of equal length Traditional Road Tubes 15 6 48 ft Round 48 ft Round i 38 ft Mini 38 ft Mini 2 foot spacing between tubes 12 ft ini inj 12 ft 25 ft Mini 25 ft Mini j j 5 12 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L11 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet A to C and B to D Six Inches A to B C toD Count Formats Basic 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 Refer to the L5 layout for further information This layout is for single direction traffic 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
71. s and gap in addition to volume Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts contains more detailed informa tion on each individual layout Step 3 Prepare the Road Tube Lengths Proper tube length is a crucial aspect of accurate data collection The fol lowing guidelines should be followed for all studies regardless of simplicity The lengths listed for 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 standard round tube and 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 L13 L14 Short tube long tube 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 TRAX Flex HS This will ensure that the pulse from the short tube arrives before the pulse from the long tube 13 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual 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 s
72. s properly connected start the TRAXPro software and click on the Download a TRAX counter icon and the Read TRAX Counter screen will appear The baud rate setting determines how fast the data will be transferred into the program Note that the TRAX Flex HS will automatically sense whatever baud rate you select in the software The higher the baud rate the faster your data will be downloaded Most computers can be set for the highest setting 115200 Once this is set select the comm port which was created by the USB driver Refer to the Appendix for more information on this TRAXPro will only list the comm ports that are available on your computer making the selection easier After making any needed adjustments click on the Begin button and the program will attempt to connect to the TRAX The traffic signal icons at the bottom of the TRAXPro screen provide the status of the 2 2 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual download If the connection is made you will see a blue progress bar moving across the screen as the data is transferred While the data is being downloaded the TRAX will display the screen shown below TRANSFER IN PROGRESS COUNT 01 BLOCK 000001 Sending Data When all of the data in the TRAX has been downloaded you will either see a screen for assigning a name to your file or if there is more than one count a list of counts to choose from Once the data has been transferred to the computer the TRAX display will ret
73. s the L1 layout but with four tubes over four sepa rate lanes rather than two tubes over two lanes Refer to the L1 description for more information 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini 24 ft lt M 4 mM 4 A B 5 0 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L8 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet Count Formats Basic Volume Only 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 Refer to the L2 description for more information The tubes should be spaced two feet apart 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 26 ft Mini lt gt lt gt 2 foot spacing between tubes 5 10 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L9 Layout Type EZ Belt or Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing 4 Inches Count Formats Basic Volume Only Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A to B B to A C to D Dto C This layout is the same as the L3 layout but with four tubes over four lanes rather than two tubes over two lanes Refer to the L3 description for more information The tubes should be spaced four and a half inches apart Traditional Road Tubes 36 ft Round 36 ft Round 24 ft 26 ft Mini 26 ft Minj 24 ft gt 4 inch spacing between tube
74. sese iii Quick Setup Guide for the TRAX Flex HS recesso riceereziceezeneoo vi Chapter 1 Introduction to the TRAX Flex HS eere 1 1 What is the TRAX Flex HS 20 ee een 1 2 Before You Do a Count iiie ette eee rere EH 1 2 Learning About the TRAX Flex HS esee 1 3 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS 2 1 How is the TRAX Flex HS Powered esee 2 2 Using the Keypad assensus emet eto peret 2 2 Start up Screefis ribelle 2 3 Mai Menu anne nale best Ree eere een 2 4 Utilities Men Goteseen ie et teer ad 2 5 Defaulis Sane iau e en E e e 2 5 Clears tenacia 2 7 Time Date ineuseesfee rent aaa 2 7 Syste i akute snp et p i na 2 7 Test 1 feno nada PR UTR es 2 9 Count Menu co eI ERU pra bandi 2 11 Tubes webucesuesO vero tente Oe E 2 11 BasiG o dalle ebbi 2 11 Volume Only icona E ala 2 11 Tube Layout Selection eee 2 12 SiteCode tad Selah data pe lia 2 12 Count Start up Menu i 2 14 SEAT 70 aunnncensesuaaceud la 2 14 GPS ade et ee cede Hes 2 14 Ob gt REN AG RS 2 15 Basic Data Status Screens in 2 15 Volume Only Status Screens esses 2 16 Ending a Count s eee onere 2 18 Downloading a TRAX Flex HS see 2 19 Serial Port Download eene 2 19
75. so that the battery compartment is fully exposed Disconnect the battery wire connections from the black and red terminals on the battery When disconnecting be care ful not to pull directly on the wires but rather on the connectors themselves Once the battery wires have been dis connected use a screwdriver to remove the four screws from the battery bracket and lift the bracket off TRAX Flex HS User s Manual With the bracket removed lift out the old battery and replace it with the new one When installing the new battery make sure the battery terminals are toward the top Once the new battery is in place re place the battery bracket then connect the battery wires of the faceplate to the terminals on the battery Replace the faceplate and screw it back down After you have completed the installa tion of the battery turn the Flex on to make sure it is getting power from the new battery On the Main Menu check the battery voltage of the new battery If it is 6 1 or lower be sure to fully charge it before using it to do a new study L Chapter 7 Troubleshooting Chapter 7 Troubleshooting TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Troubleshooting The following are some frequently asked questions related to the TRAX Flex HS The possible answers that are stated with them are not necessarily the only answer but should be checked first If you cannot find the answer to your question do not hesitate to c
76. splayed Defaults Main Menu gt Utils gt Defaults Note The nonvolatile mem ory in the TRAX Flex HS will INT SPACE DT DBV REF retain the default settings you EXIT program These settings willbe Select time interval used for future traffic studies for Binned Data without having to re enter the DEFAULTS menu Interval Int Main Menu gt Utils gt Defaults gt Int The Interval selection applies to data collected in Volume Only mode It allows you to internally store data in 5 10 15 30 or 60 minute intervals Use the TAB button to select INT and press DO Use TAB to highlight the number of minutes in which you would like the data stored With the number flashing press DO Space The Space selection applies to data collected in Basic mode It al lows you to set the proper spacing for the tube layout you will be using Use the TAB button to select SPACE and press DO Use the keypad to enter your correct tube spacing When finished press DO Note If you are using the EZ Belt to collect data the spacing should be set to 0 3 ft DT Main Menu gt Utils gt Defaults gt DT DT stands for Dead Time also known as D Bounce which is the amount of time the air switch in the TRAX Flex HS will wait after it has recorded a pulse before it will accept another one This helps the TRAX to eliminate extraneous pulses caused by an initial pulse reverberating in the road tube 2 5 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual To set the DT
77. strike the short tube first 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 24 ft 4 1 6 inch spacing from A to B and from C to D B 2 foot spacing from D A to C and from B toD 5 13 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L12 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet A to C and B to D Count Formats Basic 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 26 ft Mini 24 ft 4 6 inch spacing from A to B and from C to D B 2 foot spacing from D A to C and from B to D 5 14 Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L13 Layout Type Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 3 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet Count Formats Basic Volume Data Volume Gap Channels 3 Channels A B A C B This layout is the same as the L2 layout but with the addition of a tube for a third channel Refer to the L2 layout for further information The tubes should be spaced two feet apart For improved accuracy with
78. tart your computer to complete the process of installing the drivers The process of installing the USB drivers has created a virtual comm port on your computer and assigned this port a number from 1 to 16 You will need to select this comm port number in TRAXPro when you go to download your TRAX TRAXPro makes this easier to do by only listing the comm ports that are available in the download screen However if you want to check to see what port number the virtual comm port has been assigned you can do so through the computer s Device Manager list A 5 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual To access this information right click on the My Computer icon then select Properties In the System Properties window click on the Hardware Tab then click the Device Manager button Click the plus sign 4 next to Ports and you should see a list similar to the one shown below showing the port number that your computer has assigned Ele Acton Yew deb HS 10 ATAJATART controller Je Irfrorod devices gt Keyboards a Y COP Preter Port PTI E Processors m Sound video and game controllers System devices A 6 Low Speed Data Collection The default settings of the TRAX are designed to accurately collect traf fic data at speeds ranging from 10 to 70 mph In these situations data can usually be collected without making any adjustments to the settings of the TRAX However the TRAX Flex HS is capable of recording vehicle d
79. this type of data collection we recommend that the L7 layout be used with the Road Ramp system to isolate each lane Visit our web site at www jamartech com for more information 36 ft Round t 26 ft Mini 2 foot spacing between tubes 5 15 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Layout L14 Layout Type Road Tubes Sensors Used 4 Road Tubes Spacing Two Feet Count Formats Basic Volume Data Volume Gap Channels 4 Channels A B A C B D C This layout is the same as the L2 layout but with the addition of two tubes for two additional channels Refer to the L2 layout for further informa tion The tubes should be spaced two feet apart For improved accuracy with this type of data collection we recommend that the L7 layout be used with the Road Ramp system to isolate each lane Visit our web site at www jamartech com for more information 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 2 foot spacing between tubes 5 16 Chapter 6 Battery Care Chapter 6 Battery Care TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Maintaining Your Battery 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 Charging a battery is very important for obvious reasons Your TRAX de pends on a fully charged battery to operate ef
80. tic 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 3 4 Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation Chapter 4 Road Tube Installation TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Using Road Tube In addition to the EZ Belt discussed in Chapter 3 the TRAX Flex HS can also use traditional road tubes for data collection following installation instructions cover standard O directions will assist you in placing your road tubes Road tubes come in several different varieties The Actual Size round tube 25 inside diameter by 60 outside di ameter and mini tube 187 ID by 365 OD These correctly on the road surface with confidence and a Round Mini minimum of effort Tube Tube Road tubes should be replaced on a fairly consistent basis Older tube will eventually develop splits that can allow water to enter When an air pulse is received this water can be forced back into the unit s air switch potentially causing serious damage Do not risk expensive repair bills by trying to squeezing a few extra studies out of old tube One rule of thumb is to replace tubes after 30 days of use Installing Road Tubes Proper road tube installation is very important for collecting accurate data with your TRAX Flex HS The road tube and the TRAX Flex HS air switches comprise the sensing device for the unit As with all receiv
81. u should have a good work ing knowledge of how the TRAX operates The next chapter covers all the options and features of the TRAX in detail both those we touched on in this tutorial and additional ones We commend you on your choice of the TRAX Flex HS for your data col lection needs A lot of thought and care has gone into the design of this unit and it should provide you with years of reliable service 1 16 Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS Chapter 2 Operational Features of the TRAX Flex HS TRAX Flex HS User s Manual How is the TRAX Flex HS powered The TRAX Flex HS 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 Flex HS 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 Keeping your battery properly charged is very important The rechargeable battery will begin to decay and become less effective if it is allowed to fall below 5 9 volts To avoid having to replace your battery prematurely keep it consistently charged A well maintained battery will last for years without having to be replaced Refer to Ch
82. urn to the screen it was on before the download began Downloaded counts will remain in the memory of the TRAX until they are cleared Refer to page 2 7 for information on how to clear the memory Important Do not clear the memory of the TRAX until you are certain that the data has been successfully downloaded to you computer 2 22 Chapter 3 Using the EZ Belt Chapter 3 Using the EZ Belt TRAX Flex HS User s Manual What is the EZ Belt The EZ Belt is a revolutionary new form of road tube that eliminates the need to measure tube spacing in the field The belt consists of two pneumatic tubes connected together at a 4 inch spacing by a thin layer of rubber Since the two tubes are manufactured at a set distance apart there is no need for you to do any measuring while in the field When connected to a TRAX Flex HS recorder you can record accurate data for volume speed class and gap using the EZ Belt The EZ Belt comes in two sizes a 14 foot length for one lane applications and a 26 foot length for two lane applications The EZ Belt is installed in the lanes you want to record then mini tubes are connected to the end of the belt and run back to the TRAX recorder The EZ Belt should be replaced on a fairly consistent basis Older belts will eventually develop splits in the tubes that can allow water to enter When an air pulse is received this water can be forced back into the unit s air switch potentially causing serious
83. ust go through before the memory is actually cleared This is designed to prevent you from accidentally clearing the memory To clear the memory you must confirm that that is what you want to do on both confirmation screens How often you should clear the memory is a matter of personal preference We recommend that you clear the memory after you have downloaded your data to the computer and checked to make sure it looks okay How ever some people like to leave the counts in the TRAX s memory for a while as a sort of a backup of the data It s up to you to decide which you prefer Since we don t want to actually clear the memory at this point press DO with Exit flashing to return to the Utilites menu 1 7 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Data Memory There are a few common questions people ask related to the memory of the TRAX Q If I download the data from the TRAX to the computer does that remove the data from the TRAX A No You can download the same data as many times as you like and it doesn t affect what s stored in the TRAX Q If I start a new count in the TRAX does that wipe out any old counts A No The TRAX can store up to 150 different counts in its memory Q If I have several counts stored in the memory of the TRAX can I delete just one specific one A No Clearing the memory deletes the entire memory You cannot clear individual counts from the memory Setting the Time and D
84. vers Note that installing and using the USB drivers for the TRAX Flex HS is only recommended for the Windows XP or higher operating systems It may not work correctly for Windows 98 ME or 2000 We recommend using the Serial Port Download see page 2 19 for these operating systems The first time you are downloading the TRAX to a computer using the USB port you will need to install the drivers for it There are two drivers that will be installed one right after the other These drivers are available on the Downloads section of the JAMAR web site www jamartech com on the installation CD for the TRAXPro software and as part of the Windows Update feature available from Microsoft using an Internet connection To install the drivers first connect a USB cable to your computer and then to the USB port of the TRA X Next turn the TRAX on The Windows Found New Hardware message will pop up referencing JAMAR TRAX USB 232 then the Found New Hardware Wizard will ap pear One of the features of Win ie dows XP is to use your In ternet connection to search the Windows Update web site for any available driv ers for USB devices you connect to your computer like the TRAX Flex HS If you have not used this fea Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard Windome will esaech for cunent and updated solbwane by looking on your computer on the hardware installation CD a on the Windows Update Web site vith your pesmiszioni Can Wind
85. which case the B hit is ignored When in Volume mode the TRAX can do either a straight axle count or use the divide by two technique Traffic in the outer lane can be going in either direction EXAMPLE The TRAX has been programmed to use the divide by two technique As a car approaches the tubes in the inner lane and both front and rear axles pass over the A and the B tube the unit records a one in the A channel but ignores the hit on the B channel since it occurred immediately after the A hit As a second car approaches the tubes in the outer lane and both front and rear axles pass over the B tube the unit records a one in the B channel One vehicle has been recorded in each lane of the study 36 ft Round 26 ft Mini 2 foot spacing between tubes Chapter 5 EZ Belt amp Road Tube Layouts Layout L3 Layout Type EZ Belt or Traditional Road Tubes Sensors Used 2 Road Tubes Spacing 4 Inches Count Formats Basic Volume Only 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 Channel A and channel B record independent of each other When one tube is hit the next hit is ignored When in Volume mode the TRAX can do either a straight axle count or use the divide by two technique EXAMPLE The TRAX has been programmed to use the divide by two technique A car is traveling southbound approaching the tubes As the front an
86. y case 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 terminal 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 Chapter 6 Battery Care Replacing the Battery The TRAX s rechargeable battery will provide years of good use if it is well maintained For maintenance tips refer to the earlier part of this chapter However even a well maintained battery may eventually need to be replaced Signs that your TRAX s battery needs to be replaced in clude 1 The battery will not charge to its full capacity of 6 4 volts or higher 2 The battery only holds a charge for a short time under load conditions 3 The battery discharges faster than normal when the TRAX is off If any of these conditions occur with your battery it should be replaced Replacement batteries can be ordered directly from JAMAR To replace the battery of your TRAX open the lid of the TRAX and make sure the unit is turned off Then using a screwdriver remove the four screws in the corners of the faceplate of the TRAX Next carefully lift the faceplate up and move it off to the side
87. y has begun How do I view this while the study is in progress There are multiple status screens available when in data collection mode including the tube test screen To view these screens press the TAB key When I go to Tests and select Serial Port test the test result says Failed Is the serial port bad Not necessarily Make sure that you are using a test connector or paper clip to connect the 2 amp 3 pins You must connect these pins for the test to run correctly The test will fail if these pins are not connected The cable used for downloading cannot be used as a test connector Refer to page 2 9 for more details 7 3 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual The data I m getting is not accurate What went wrong In most cases issues with bad data are related to the road tubes and how they were installed Check the tube layout used in the field and the condition of the tubes themselves 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 go to use the Tube Test diagnostic Refer to page 2 10 for more information on this Additional support information can also 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 iii of this manual Appendix Appendix A 1 TRAX Flex HS User s Manual Installing USB Dri

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