# noise filters

Synergy Signal includes several layers of noise filtering to reduce false signals, especially in choppy or transitional market conditions. Here is every filter, what it does, and how to control it.

## 1. Chop Zone Block

**Setting:** Block Chop Zone (State section)

The most impactful noise filter. When enabled, any bar where the **Momentum line** falls between **Chop Zone Low** and **Chop Zone High** is treated as a ranging environment — and no signals fire.

| Setting        | Default | Effect                           |
| -------------- | ------- | -------------------------------- |
| Chop Zone Low  | 35      | Lower edge of the chop dead zone |
| Chop Zone High | 65      | Upper edge of the chop dead zone |

**How to tune it:**

* **Wider zone (e.g., 40/60):** More aggressive filtering. Signals only fire when Momentum is clearly trending. Fewer signals, higher quality.
* **Narrower zone (e.g., 30/70):** Only filters the very center of ranging. More signals, some may be in choppy conditions.
* **Disable entirely:** Turn off Block Chop Zone if you want to trade mean-reversion setups in ranging markets.

> **Visual cue:** The dotted white lines on the oscillator panel mark the Chop Zone Low and Chop Zone High boundaries.

## 2. Regime Filter

**Setting:** Regime Filter (Noise Filter section)

When enabled, the **Expansion Wave's regime assessment** gates all entries:

* **Longs** are only allowed when the Expansion Wave is bullish (`bullOK`)
* **Shorts** are only allowed when the Expansion Wave is bearish (`bearOK`)

This is the strictest directional filter. It prevents all counter-trend entries and only allows signals that align with the current Expansion Wave regime.

**When to use it:**

* ✅ Trend-following strategies on 1H+ timeframes
* ✅ When you want to avoid catching falling knives or shorting into strong rallies
* ❌ Mean-reversion or range trading strategies
* ❌ When the Expansion Wave pillar is disabled (the filter has no effect without it)

## 3. Curl Protection

This filter runs automatically and cannot be toggled. It prevents signals when Momentum and Order Flow are clearly moving against the intended trade direction.

**Blocks long signals when:**

* Momentum line is falling for 2+ bars
* Momentum is below its moving average
* Order Flow is also falling

**Blocks short signals when:**

* Momentum line is rising for 2+ bars
* Momentum is above its moving average
* Order Flow is also rising

This prevents entries when the live market internals are curling strongly against you.

## 4. Cooldown Timer

**Setting:** Cooldown bars after flip (Noise Filter section) — Default: 10

After any signal fires, the indicator enters a cooldown period. No new signal fires until the set number of bars has elapsed.

| Cooldown     | Effect                                             |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| 0            | No cooldown — signals can fire on consecutive bars |
| 5            | Short cooldown — suitable for faster timeframes    |
| 10 (default) | Standard for 1H charts                             |
| 20+          | Forces significant separation between signals      |

The cooldown prevents rapid back-and-forth flipping when conditions are near a threshold boundary.

**Recommended by timeframe:**

| Timeframe    | Suggested Cooldown |
| ------------ | ------------------ |
| 1m – 5m      | 3–5 bars           |
| 15m – 30m    | 5–8 bars           |
| 1H (default) | 10 bars            |
| 4H           | 5–8 bars           |
| Daily        | 3–5 bars           |

## 5. Volatility Gate

The Volatility pillar acts as a final directional gate. Even if the score and all other filters pass, the Volatility line must confirm the direction:

* **Long blocked if:** Volatility line ≥ 80 (Volatility Overbought — don't enter longs when already maxed out)
* **Short blocked if:** Volatility line ≤ 20 (Volatility Oversold — don't enter shorts when already depleted)

## 6. Only Plot on State Change

**Setting:** Only plot on state change (Signals section)

When enabled (default), dots are only plotted on the **first bar** when a new signal direction is entered. If the signal condition persists across multiple consecutive bars, no additional dots are drawn.

When disabled, a dot appears on **every bar** where the signal condition is true — useful for debugging or understanding signal persistence, but produces cluttered charts in live use.

## Filter Interaction Summary

| Filter          | Blocks Long | Blocks Short | How to Adjust                       |
| --------------- | ----------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------- |
| Chop Zone       | ✅           | ✅            | Adjust boundaries or disable toggle |
| Regime Filter   | ✅           | ✅            | Disable toggle                      |
| Curl Protection | ✅           | ✅            | Cannot disable (automatic)          |
| Cooldown Timer  | ✅           | ✅            | Set to 0 to disable                 |
| Volatility Gate | ✅           | ✅            | Disable Volatility pillar           |
| Score Threshold | ✅           | ✅            | Lower Base Min Score                |


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