Permanent Courses

[Gnitworp]

Long enough for us to run round the course(s) the next day, and of course use the suspension bridge.

[dch]

I am wondering if it would be possible to use QR codes - most smart phones read them. The QR Droid app captures the code and the time it was scanned and stores that in history. I guess that is similar for other smart phone apps. I am not so sure about how to send a list of QR codes to a website to produce results. Any ideas?

If this was possible then you have (virtually) zero cost controls in the forest with no batteries to replace and timing devices for participants that they already own.

I have implemented a QR code based punching system intended to be used for permanent courses. This should work with any phone with a QR code reader app and internet access, but involves communicating with the server at each control so relies on network coverage being available throughout the course. This has not yet been used on a real permanent course. I am aware of work being done on another approach to QR code based punching.

[madmike]

i suggest you could speak to HH as I think David Heale and SimonE have already done something along those lines on QR codes. David is now HH sec.

[oo_wrong_way]

I have implemented a QR code based punching system intended to be used for permanent courses. This should work with any phone with a QR code reader app and internet access, but involves communicating with the server at each control so relies on network coverage being available throughout the course. This has not yet been used on a real permanent course. I am aware of work being done on another approach to QR code based punching.

Are you able to share any lessons learned?

[Simon E]

Prompted by madmike, here's a brief summary of where the HH tests have got to.

David wrote an initial proof of concept as he describes above. This worked perfectly in my garden which had the benefit of wifi coverage from the house. From that we learnt that the QR idea was workable, but requiring essentially permanent internet access wasn't. There are various QR code readers available to download, and some are noticeably better (faster) than others. i-nigma is what I would currently recommend.

I then developed an Android app (currenty called ood - orienteering on demand) to get round the connection problem. This is essentially a recording stopwatch. You can just press a button at each control, or you can use the QR code reader. All timings are stored on the phone, and you can then upload a splits file once you have finished. We have tested this with a selection of tame HH juniors on a naughty numbers course. They seemed to manage OK.

Control 101 QR code

C101.png (688 Bytes) Viewed 3527 times

There are all sorts of ways of encoding the information in the QR code itself. At present I use a web address with a parameter which is the control code. If you are running the ood app it intercepts the QR code, spots the parameter and treats it as a control. If you are not running the app (like any person walking past and scanning the code out of interest) then your QR reader will open the website and you could get directed to a suitable page giving information about the course.

The web end needs quite a lot of work to get to something more user-friendly. At present all that it does is add any new splits to the existing list. You can see some examples at the ood site.

The next stage is to roll this out for real on a permanent course. That may happen this summer.

In a few years all phones will be NFC enabled (near field communication which allows the phone to read a suitable chip which could be encapsulated in the control marker). I think that will probably be a better way to go than QR codes since it is much easier just to place the phone next to the marker than scan a bar code.

The other (and to me more interesting) way forward is to allow upload of a GPX file from a GPS watch or phone. This then requires an application that reads the file and works out which controls you got close to (say within 20m). That would have the huge advantage of not needing anything at all put out in advance. There is a Swedish project called FROG which seems to be getting close to this.

If anyone wants to try this out then I'll have the necessary bits at the JK.

[DaveK]

Sadly, I just remember the 'good old days' when QR was a control code.

[Big Jon]

There are (or were 8 years ago) a couple of rotting trestles left in Culbin from WOC '76 relay. Bring me a map and I'll try to remember the locations...

[Roger]

The other (and to me more interesting) way forward is to allow upload of a GPX file from a GPS watch or phone. This then requires an application that reads the file and works out which controls you got close to (say within 20m). That would have the huge advantage of not needing anything at all put out in advance.

The Midland Trailquest folk have been discussing using data-loggers for a while, but so far seem to be sticking with pin-punching. The MTQ concept is to download the trace from the logger at the race HQ (and to require a particular model of logger, to ensure compatibility with the download equipment) whereas for a permanent course the onus would be on the user to upload the track. Same issues regarding proving that you've been to the stipulated location though.