Quote from Anekdoten:
1) I'm sure Esignal has HA bars. I mostly use their colors for quick reference.
2) I adjust tick/share volume depending on how I feel the current day is developing. If low volume day, might even go down to 150, 100. etc. Just looking for the right glasses you know.
3) I suggest to trade with a 1:1 risk vs reward ratio then as you get better you can increase the reward; as you get more optimal entry areas and a feel for when things are running your way. HA bars help for the runners, so do the dots I use on the bottom, HHs if you are long, LLs if you are short, etc. I believe this area is very personal but I definitely dont suggest a crazy 20 point stop and 10 point target, that's just plain bad risk management. You need to turn the odds in your favor or you won't win. Remember, the best trades always tend to work from the start causing very little heat. If your examination is correct, no need to use volatility as insurance. Big stops in contrast to targets are for the insecure.
Amateurs want to be right, professionals just want to make money, therefore, I believe a 1:1 risk vs reward is a good starting point to FORCE yourself to trade well. 1.3 risk vs 1.0 reward MAYBE for starters but never above that. As you get more experienced it is your duty, yes your duty, to start expanding that reward area, and only then is that you reach constant profitability. If you *have* to use a bigger stop then you simply need to polish your entry skills or else look for other risk management methods like adjusting stops on the fly, of course, always tightening NEVER widening. The idea is to REDUCE risk not increase it.
4) Congestion is when you see a HH and LL or HL and LH. ie Consolidation, Symmetric Triangles, etc. Uncertainty if you will.
5) I use it as guidance, indicators for me are simply confirmations, references. Price > all. If you feel better without them, by all means, get rid of them, more real estate for price ! However, I still find 5,3,3 crosses with the trend useful, I try to anticipate them all the time. Bollingers, again, another reference, when price is hugging a band, another quick reference of current momentum.
6) Absolutely, that is the plan for the future. Could not agree more.
Hope it helps.