I agree with your sentiment about a one-minute chart. Whereas this was the time frame I had used until a few years ago, I could never consider going back. As I have refined my rules using sub-one-minute charts (no, not one-second), I came to realize that what I have developed no longer works on one-minute charts, let alone a five-minute. These longer-term charts have their uses, but not for actual entry timing, as far as I'm concerned. That's why I was a bit taken aback when I learned that CQG does not support sub-one-minute charting. Not that I would be spending that kind of money on software any time soon, but even so, I found it a bit troubling.
Joe owns and repairs an Atomic Clock that times his computers, and his entire house is nuclear powered. He is the most interesting man in the world. "Stay thirsty my friends". (Joe, I hope you know I'm just having fun. I couldn't resist!)
On another thread where I am abusing the OP, a poster wrote that he was a nuclear engineer. I also studied that, but abandoned it for other bluer pastures. Now I am an unclear engineer.
It tells you something. Rejoice that the community sees nothing there. My trading changed forever when a correspondent told me "I collect and process every tick." Now I am stuck in the Nagual like a fly in amber. Or as I tell my wife at the end of the day, "It's tiring trying to see things that aren't there." I synchronize my breathing to the chart. One respiration every eight seconds. Two breaths for every backtest cycle. Aaaaaauuuuuuummmmmmm.
My methods are volatility based. It's much easier for me to see changes in volatility on time charts in comparison to tick/volume/range charts. In addition, I want to use what the big boys are using. Therefore, had I saw them using tick/volume/range charts...I would be using it too considering I want to see what they're looking at whenever they're viewing their charts. Sub one minute charts are mainly for those that are scalpers although a few may use those types of charts for some other purpose. Thus, I don't know any institutional firms that are scalping. Mark
Fair enough if you want a sub 1min chart. Most pro scalpers don't bother with sub 15min charts because you sit in front of TT all day and build sub 15min charts in your head from the flow, skilled entry on scalping is not about 1 minute or sub 1 minute charts, it's about the order book on the DOM. Hence, I have 4 screens of TT ladders and only 2 screens of cqg and I use profile, 15min and 60min candles and my trades are very often only open for a few seconds. I don't know anyone that scalps and has cqg that has any interest in a sub 1 minute chart so that's probably why it's not a default option but you can custom build any chart you want. Call cqg and they'll explain how.
Gabfly1 has implied he has contacted CQG and learned they didn't have such. Maybe he meant they didn't have it as a default option. Hopefully, he didn't start this thread via talking to another trader without talking to CQG themselves. Regardless...I believe anyone with any programming skills and familiarity with the data vendors coding can custom build any type of charts from any one (cheap or high end). By the way, you're the very first person I've heard from that uses the 15 minute and 60 minute charts for trades that last only a few seconds. However, I'm wondering if such types of trades for you are mainly via the order book and DOM instead of via the 15 min and 60 min charts. Also, for clarification, every institutional trader I've met also have order book and DOM screens but they aren't scalping nor do they have sub 1 minute charts. Mark
I must admit, I can't get wrap my head around what you're saying. But then, I am not a "pro scalper" by any stretch. 15-minute charts for scalping? I just can't fathom it. However, I must admit that I don't pay much attention to the DOM. I think I'd go batty if I focused on it for the indexes.