Step 2: When — the timing signal

In one sentence

When price is at your level, the QPulse zero-line cross tells you when to get in.

Why it matters

A good level is not enough. You also need a sign that buyers or sellers are taking over. QPulse gives that sign.

Timing also protects your math. The later you enter, the further you are from your stop. Your reward gets smaller while your risk stays the same.

Do this

1. Wait for price to reach a level you marked in Step 1.
2. Watch QPulse. For a buy, wait for it to cross from below zero to above zero. For a sell, the other way.
3. Enter on the cross. Sage does not wait for the candle to close.
4. Use the candle count. The 1st candle after the cross is best. The 2nd is still fine. The 3rd is your last chance.
5. If it is the 4th candle or later, let it go. Wait for the next setup.
6. Do not start a new trade when QPulse is already stretched far from zero. The move has mostly happened.

Real example

This teaching diagram shows the candle count after a QPulse cross. It is not a real trade.

From Sage's STS notes: "If you missed it, you missed it. The next setup will come."

Common mistakes

• Chasing candle four or five. Your stop is the same, but your reward has shrunk. That is chasing.
• Trading a cross with no level. A cross in the middle of nowhere is a signal without meaning.
• Waiting for proof. By the time it feels safe, the good entry is gone.