Swing Speed Training¶

OpenFlight can run a club-only swing speed training mode for air swings, speed sticks, and overspeed training. This mode uses the OPS243-A fast speed stream and does not require a ball strike or SparkFun sound trigger.

scripts/start-kiosk.sh --swing-speed

Optional tuning:

scripts/start-kiosk.sh --swing-speed \
  --swing-speed-threshold 35 \
  --swing-speed-min-readings 3 \
  --swing-speed-single-peak 60 \
  --swing-speed-num-reports 8 \
  --swing-speed-end-ms 1000 \
  --swing-speed-cooldown-ms 900 \
  --swing-speed-rejected-cooldown-ms 100

How It Works¶

The OPS243-A is configured for fast outbound speed reporting. A swing rep starts when outbound speed crosses the threshold, keeps collecting qualifying readings while the club or training stick is moving through the hitting zone, then emits the peak speed after a short quiet period. A rep must include multiple qualifying readings so a single hand-motion or noise spike does not count as a swing. Very fast peaks can still count from a single reading, which helps with short indoor swings where the club is only in the radar beam for a moment.

The threshold is also applied to the OPS243 speed filter so the radar does not stream low-speed background movement while waiting for a swing. Swing speed mode requests multiple OPS speed reports and uses the fastest outbound candidate, since the strongest radar return can be a slower part of the club or body rather than the club head. The default --swing-speed-num-reports 8 keeps weaker but faster club-head candidates in the stream.

The server emits a swing_speed WebSocket event:

{
  "event": {
    "peak_speed_mph": 101.4,
    "timestamp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00",
    "duration_ms": 348,
    "reading_count": 9,
    "trigger_speed_mph": 32.2,
    "peak_magnitude": 42,
    "unit": "mph",
    "mode": "swing-speed"
  },
  "stats": {
    "swing_count": 3,
    "best_speed_mph": 105.2,
    "avg_speed_mph": 101.8,
    "last_speed_mph": 101.4
  }
}

Radar Placement¶

Place the OPS243-A behind the swing area and point it down the target line, the same general position used for launch monitor mode. The radar measures radial speed, so the downswing and follow-through should move mostly away from the radar.

Some speed sticks may have a weaker radar return than a metal club head. If readings are inconsistent, test with a real club first to confirm setup, then consider a small, secure radar-reflective marker on the training device.

If hand motion or room noise creates false reps, raise the threshold or require more readings:

scripts/start-kiosk.sh --swing-speed \
  --swing-speed-threshold 45 \
  --swing-speed-min-readings 4 \
  --swing-speed-single-peak 70 \
  --swing-speed-end-ms 1000

Radar Mode¶

Training runs the OPS243-A in CW speed-reporting mode, not rolling buffer. OPS243Radar.configure_for_swing_speed_training() owns that setup and sends GS — per AN-010-AD (API Commands, p21) GS selects "CW operation only" and is the documented way out of rolling-buffer mode. restore_rolling_buffer_mode() hands the radar back with GC.

Two things to know before changing this path:

• GC, not G1. AN-010-AD records that rolling-buffer mode "previously was G1". The older AN-027 app note still documents the pre-rename G1/G0 pair, so treat AN-010-AD as authoritative. tests/test_ops243_mode_commands.py pins the byte sequences.
• Training never writes flash. No A! on this path. The HOST_INT trigger workaround requires the board to boot into rolling-buffer mode from persistent memory, so persisting speed mode would break launch mode until test_rolling_buffer_persist.py --setup was re-run.

The setup is kept separate from configure_for_speed_trigger(), which tunes the radar to detect a swing and hand off to the rolling buffer for the launch monitor. Retuning that path must not silently change training measurements; the two configurations are expected to diverge.

Notes¶

Swing speed mode is separate from launch monitor shots. It reports club-only training reps and does not calculate ball speed, smash factor, spin, launch angle, or carry.