Why are radar guns inconsistent and often inaccurate?

 

What can be done to make them precise?

Well, one problem can be where the gun is aimed. You'll get three drastically different readings if you're measuring the speed right out of the pitcher's hand, when the pitch is on it's way to the plate, and when it crosses the plate. That could easily be a 6 MPH difference from one end of the spectrum to the other.

 

The other problem is that it's a precision instrument that's going to need to be calibrated fairly regularly, and it probably isn't.

 

I'm not exactly a science major, but that's the way I always understood it.

Well, one problem can be where the gun is aimed. You'll get three drastically different readings if you're measuring the speed right out of the pitcher's hand, when the pitch is on it's way to the plate, and when it crosses the plate. That could easily be a 6 MPH difference from one end of the spectrum to the other.

 

The other problem is that it's a precision instrument that's going to need to be calibrated fairly regularly, and it probably isn't.

 

I'm not exactly a science major, but that's the way I always understood it.

 

Interesting, I did not know that.

Well, one problem can be where the gun is aimed. You'll get three drastically different readings if you're measuring the speed right out of the pitcher's hand, when the pitch is on it's way to the plate, and when it crosses the plate. That could easily be a 6 MPH difference from one end of the spectrum to the other.

 

The other problem is that it's a precision instrument that's going to need to be calibrated fairly regularly, and it probably isn't.

 

I'm not exactly a science major, but that's the way I always understood it.

 

It shouldn't need to be calibrated as long as they check it with a tuning fork each day. You are correct on the other factors. One other is the distance from home plate the gun resides.