Radio Controls

[andy]

Hey,
I'm currently trying to investigate Radio Controls for use at Spey2007 / other Scottish events, and have so far only been able to find any reference to such technology at this site:
http://gpprojects.com/si.htm
I haven't as yet had a reply from them, but thought I'd see what other experiences people have had investigating/using these.
I know they were used on Day 6 of the last 6 days and am currently investigating this too.

any input/experiences/pros/cons with using Radio Controls?

[Duncan]

I believe that website is from Marsden and Co. I'm sure they will respond in due course.

Although entirely unrelated to your question, I did think the orienteering photo on that web page would make good "name that orienteer" and "name the event" competitions. Very sad, but any guesses?

[NeilC]

and "name the event" competitions. Very sad, but any guesses?

Graithwaite JK spectator control for the Elites.

[tendon]

Well done Neil, thats half a point - and for the other half?

[distracted]

that wouldn't be Becks would it?

[Paulo]

This page might be of interest - Gavin Andrews has programmed radio controls for a couple of SLOW events in the past which seemed to work very well, linking back to a laptop with live results in the car park.

http://www.radiotiming.dsl.pipex.com/main.htm

[andy]

Well done Neil, thats half a point - and for the other half?

might be 'harry' as per [Nope] naming conventions

but thanks for the responses (also in pm, getting there) - any extra info always useful.

[HOCOLITE]

Could be Alison O'neil

[FromTheGrassyKnoll]

any input/experiences/pros/cons with using Radio Controls?

Great fun but need to be planned into the event. The most obvious use is for relay hand-over pre-warning and this has been used to great effect at previous Harvesters.

All the radio controls do is take the data stream out of a Master Unit (programmed with AutoSend ON) and get that information across the ether to a bit of wire where it squirts out the other end. The data can then be used to drive an OE application or your own software.

The magic comes in with how to get the system to work in practice. If you have line of sight between the control and the results area then big distances are possible... many km... if you have hills in the way then its more tricky with ranges being only a few 100s of meters. In these cases you will need to have 'hops' between the stations and obviously the scope for something failing increases. Planning the event with this in mind really helps.

What effect are you trying to achieve? How will the results be seen? Will there be a commentary?

The more technology you employ the more likely it is that a wire will fall out, a battery will go flat, ... but it's fun if it works.

[Mrs H.]

How about Jenny Johnson (nee Whitehead)?

[m]

i think it might be me

[graeme]

Andy,

I planned one of the events on the site (Chasing Sprint 2004). The radio control was excellent, feeding information to the commentary which enabled us to keep the spectators up to date on the sprint and alert them for when the leaders were about to appear for the final loop. However, the control also behaved erratically, a few of competitors claimed they couldn't get it to beep - of them some had a record on their card anyway, and one didn't (which led to a long series of complaints, protests and appeals).

If I were using one, I'd make sure the battery was new.

Graeme

[andy]

What effect are you trying to achieve? How will the results be seen? Will there be a commentary?

it's for the 6days, much the same as the commentary on day 6 last year (mainly the elite competition) for a commentator to use to build up interest / excitement, at least that's the general idea.

[grubby]

SLOW held an excellent Harvesters a few years back with radio controls and a digital display back at the changeover - most interesting.


Ready for this ???

Now, what about a commentary involving the rest of us old gits, er. . . sorry. . . goats.

Spey 2007 - Give the first three in every class a new colour-coded number (from 1 to 3) or a number and unique suffix letter,on the final day, and the commentary team will immediately know where yesterdays overall leaders are, in relation to each. other.

Who gives a toss where the Elite leaders are, generally speaking, apart from the competitors themselves.

. . . I'll get me coat (again). . .

[Seamus]

having done a little commentry in the past, it is a common complaint that we don't cover the Master/all classes. but you really cannot do more than a handful of classes any justice on the commentry. The organisers normally give a handle on what they wanted covered.

It is nice hearing your name over the run in. But if you want all the commentry to cover as many classes as possible, you may as well have a reading out service of the people at the last control.

It normally comes down to, do you want to cover the leading edge/future of orienteering or.......