We have access to some great tools to help us with our trading. Plenty of different scanners, studies, and algos out there thanks to technology. But just because you have the tools, doesn’t mean it ends there, you must master and take everything you can out of them.

At SMB Training our favorite tool is the Radar. It was designed by our own traders, so it fits our intraday In Play style perfectly. Yet even with a tool that was specifically tailored for us, there is still more work to be done (no free lunch). Veterans will adapt very quickly to the Radar, but newer traders must get to know it first. Watch the Top In Play, Strong Today, and Weak Today names (top 5-10 max) everyday. You will start to see patterns emerge and soon enough they become almost obvious. Our favorite (simple) pattern lately has been the Spencer Special.

But it doesn’t end there. Learn the other columns, watch the Price Spike. The Price Spike beats our live news feed almost 90% of the time. This is a huge advantage, but that doesn’t mean every price spike is a BUY. The other day Gman reviewed a trade he crushed ($HPQ) thanks to the Price Spike alert, but spent just as much time discussing the alerts you need to pass on and the characteristics of a good Price Spike.

Confirm the Spike with its reading (should  be above 7.0 to be worth your time and above 12.00 to be a really good opportunity). And put the spike into perspective to the longer term chart. Being first is great, but not if there isn’t really a party. When you watch and study the tool long enough (take notes, review charts that were on the Radar), you will become extremely efficient and effective with it.

Use the same thought process for whatever you are using to supplement your trading. Tools like the Radar can be extremely powerful. At SMB Training we find most of our best plays in it every day. But if you aren’t putting in the work, your results will reflect that. And if you haven’ t mastered your tool, it will only hurt you.

Here were today’s top picks on the Radar – #1 Strong Today and Weak Today from 10:00am. If you are using the Radar, were you in these trades? And if not, you need to ask why.