As traders mature they typically change methods, time frames, and indicators. I'd like to know what method, time frame, or indicator you have tried and since discarded, and why. Please stay on topic, and do not bash another participant for his or her views about an indicator, time frame, or method, ie., if someone says "scalping is useless" and scalping works for you, then your post should center on why you discarded longer time frames. From this thread could evolve intelligent discussions of particular methods, time frames, and indicators. ___________________________________________ Very early on in my software based TA, I used to use the MACD as my entry trigger. I still use the MACD for other purposes, but not for entry. The reason is because a range of values will generate a buy or sell signal, and that range can be quite large depending on the trailing values that are used to derive the MACD. Thus there was not enough specificity to the entry price for me.
Recently I removed the 1 minute chart for NQ. Not criticizing anyone who scalps off 1 minute charts - but I felt I needed to concentrate on higher timeframes 3,5, 15 minute charts. doher
I removed the active Level 2 after the first 3 months I had it. I still keep a regional L2 which keeps the total shares, but doesn't break it down to each ECN or MM. I found when I was daytrading that this spooked me because of the number of bogus size posts that they flash up there.
No TA, No fundamentals, Keep the chart up there with volume, but don't use it for entry or exit. I thank the day my intuition left me, because that's why I learned TA. But now it is back and I don't need any indicators. But I used them all and many of them are old friends. If you don't know how you feel or what you think, all of them will help you keep it together. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Don't you go saying anything bad about my indicators, they saved my ass. And I see now, every one of them was a tool being used to get back what I lost and rebuild it on a sure foundation.
I promise not to post a disparaging comment about any indicator. At most, it will be why it didn't work for me!!!
My trading has changed 180 degrees. For two years I fought the trend because I thought that was the thing to do. The crowd is always wrong, right? Wrong! The crowd is wrong at the extremes but between the extremes the crowd is right and it is not wise to go against them. I read an article by David Floyd in SFO magazine a few weeks ago where he advocates trading with the trend and I had one of those religious moments of enlightenment. It has taken awhile to adjust but the improvement in my trading has been pretty dramatic.
inand my ma friend, I was just thinking about this. The topic is good start. 3 traders trade the exact same crossover, but trader A takes the first crossover B starts the system on the second crossover and C Starts on the third Lets say the first and second crossovers are a disaster, but the third one is the mother of all trends. All 3 trading the same system, but different results. This is an absurd example, but you get the idea. True, over time it all evens out, but how much time? And how much time is a trader going wait? Not talking about crossovers, just trading methods in general.
easy, I know exactly what you mean. Same thing happened to me. And it really is just like a religious revelation. Something in your head just clicks and you never look at the market the same ever again. That is why I am so big on getting your head together. It doesn't have to be seeing the trend, it could just as easily be seeing the fade, but something happens, your mind sort of snaps, and then you can look at any chart and see it the way it really is for you. And the funny thing is, before my mind snapped, I was a notorious zealot against any kind of TA. After my conversion I was telling everybody, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT CHARTS!!!
I had discarded Bollinger Bands, Then nihaba said something that made me see them in a whole new light. And not only bands, but any indicator. I quit trying to use them like crazy 8 balls and tried to really use them as tools.