Multiple-Starts Sequence
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Race Management
Forum Discription: For race officers and competiors to discuss the topic
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11612
Printed Date: 11 May 25 at 2:53am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Multiple-Starts Sequence
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Subject: Multiple-Starts Sequence
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 1:38pm
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5-4-1-Go is great for dinghy opens with a long line and lots of boats, but our twice-a-year RO's fret over getting it + flags right, and more importantly it makes the total sequence appreciably longer than the old 6-3-Go, wherein the starts could be just 3 minutes apart instead of 5. We have race time limits of 13:00 and 17:30, and later-starting classes would appreciate more racing time, which the 5-minute start-spacing currently eats into. I notice that other clubs, some quite prestigious, are still using the 6-3-Go sequence, so I'm thinking of proposing that we revert to it by amending the club SI's. Any drawbacks/complications I need to be aware of? ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Replies:
Posted By: Oli
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 2:58pm
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we use 6-3-go, with up to 11 starts in club week. No real issues except the occasional encounter of a next fleet in sequence boat being on or near the line outside of their prep, but when its that busy we have an marked exclusion zone to help reduce those situations. 3 min sequence helps us with time being tidal and also reduces noise pollution for the neighbours. ------------- https://skiff-media.teemill.com/" rel="nofollow - T-SHIRTS https://www.photo4me.com/profile/23908/" rel="nofollow - PRINTS |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 3:43pm
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Three minute starting sequence/cycle was never in the RRS: it was always a local SI adaptation. Three minutes certainly has a nice rhythm to it, and can save time, if that's genuinely an issue. If time is not genuinely an issue, I'd stick with 5, 4, 1 Bang, as that's what your members are likely to encounter at regattas.
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 3:44pm
| We use 4-2-Go. I have been on an RC boat where they used 3-2-1-go, but that struck me as far too many flags and stressful on the RC crew. |
Posted By: AlexM
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 4:00pm
| In the winter we move to 3-2-1-GO (4 fleets) as we have so many boats taking part. We moved to the system as it cuts down the time starting the all the fleets, especially if we have any general recalls. The courses we have are ave. lap (on the water committee boat start) so if we had a longer sequence boats may start coming through the line while others are starting (we have just adjusted our S.I’s to include a lapping line on the other side of the committee boat to prevent this). I've been the RO and find it fine, it is an intense 12min of a hooter going off every min with a flag movement but nothing a few people can’t handle. |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 5:09pm
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Thanks for the replies - very helpful and encouraging. I hadn't considered inserting 2-1 hoots, but was taking on board your comment, Jim, about the number of flags, when I realised it is the same number of moves as 5-4-1-Go, just without the long gap between 4 and 1 when the RO and ARO get engrossed in conversation before panicking when remembering the 1 ! Then again, everyone uses watches these days if they're serious, so 6 & 3 minute signals should suffice, I'd have thought. I guess we'd retain the 5-4-1-Go for bigger, all-classes races, so that our members should become bilingual  ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: moomin
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 9:25pm
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The issue you may have with 6-3-Go is if you need to use black/I/Z flags as you've lost the one minute time signal so you'll also have to amend rule 30 or rely on competitors to know when the last minute before the start is without any signal. With 3-2-1-Go you have all the normal signals as a 5-4-1-Go just in a shorter time frame. ------------- Moomin |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 20 Aug 14 at 9:57pm
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An I flag on the WSC club line would involve people portaging their boats through the dinghy park, but I take your point, moomin ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 12:10am
Mate, if your RC members suffer stress at having to hoist flags and make a sound signal once a minute on a warm dry committee vessel, then you've got serious OHS risks. Surely it's not too much to ask for race officers to keep their mind on the job during the starting sequence.
A three minute starting sequence/cycle needs to contain Warning, Preparatory and Starting signals, and they will normally change on each minute: that's what I meant by 'rhythm'. Numerous rules other than rule 26 rely on Warning, Preparatory and Starting signals, so if you are going to do away with these signals, you will need to do major surgery on the RRS.
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Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 12:32am
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I had in mind the Warning would be the 6, and the Prep the 3.... Previous classes 3 would be the next's 6, and so on. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 1:57am
That's going to run into trouble with rule 26 last sentence: If you go for 3 minutes do this: -3 min Warning Signal with one sound -2 min Preparatory Signal with one sound -1 min Remove Preparatory Signal with one (long) sound 0- min Remove Warning Signal, display next warning signal with one sound. To simplify RC boat timing, take a look at this app http://l-36.com/RCTimer.php" rel="nofollow - http://l-36.com/RCTimer.php it allows you do create a fully scriptable talking clock, with jumbo display. |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 6:35am
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Thanks, Brass, but we will already have to state in our SI's that we are derogating from R.26 to get away from 5-4-1-Go, so we can just derogate from that aspect of Rule 26 too surely?
I'm pretty certain that the Laser 3000 Nats in 2004 were started with just 6-3-Go signals just 3 minutes behind the 2000's in a rolling sequence of starts. Actually, that regatta was a good example of why you don't want to use the system for big events - as a good boy I kept well clear of the starting area until after the 2k start, then struggled to make the line in light airs for all the turbulence off the earlier starters. Not a problem for our club racing where the boat density will be minimal by comparison (fewer boats, very long line the width of the river) ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 6:53am
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With a rolling 6-3-Go, with no 1 minute, when does the Prep signal come down so it can be raised for the next class? ------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:58am
Some regatta 10 years ago hardly indicates best practice for 2014. Certainly, you can amend rule 26 and other relevant rules in your SI, but:
Whats wrong with the simple 3 minute cycle (bearing mind that you can use Orange Flag Down/Orange Flag up to give advance warning of the first starting sequence.
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Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 9:46am
!!! If only. The one time I was doing it it was on a wet windy day in an estuary in the South west, with half the crew mildly seasick on the only boat I've ever been on which seemed to be able to roll and pitch in at least 4 dimensions at once... My inland club is probably fairly typical - we have about a 18foot fishing boat type with no electricity, no heating and an unlined cuddy in which hopefully the results sheet doesn't get too damp to write on. 'Sorebones' it is not! And we don't use Z U or black flag (ore even I) for club racing, and revert to 5-4-1-go for open events where we might need the extra sanction. |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:11am
Glad to see they're biting down your way.
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Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:35am
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For clubs that are doing multiple starts every week, it is definitely worthwhile investing in equipment to make life easier for the once/twice a year ROs. Having a nice large clear countdown timer should be a priority. A large laminated "order of events" poster would be a good idea- including recall procedure. If using flags on cross trees it would be best to have enough halyards so that every flag needed can be attached before commencing the sequence, perhaps with labels to show which flag should be attached where.
An auto-horn could be a good idea- if using 3-2-1-Go it can be simple, just hooting every minute- but remember a manual-hoot function for recalls. Keep it simple! ------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 12:33pm
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Back in the olden days, we had 10,5 go, and the next class starting 5 mins later. Class flag up on 10, Blue Peter on 5, both down on go. I remember when clubs nearby started shortening that to 6,3,go, but the flag order stayed the same, but our club thought that a horrible, new fangled idea. Wouldn't a black flag go up at the 3 minute in the 6-3? These days, the rules will be set around the 5,4,1,go idea, but they really don't have to be if you don't want that. Not a fan of 5,4,1,go. When rear com sailing at Whitefriars, I introduced a bell at approx 10 mins, to allow cups of tea to finished before the 5 (or, strictly, the 4). 1 minute is not enough for a quick wee, either! Been using it for 10 years now, I think! Also, same flag is up from 5-4 as 1-0. All very well saying people should be organized enough to know which it is, but it can easily catch out less experienced sailors (and me...) ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 3:18pm
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 3:39pm
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Nope, they both came down on the gun, right or wrong. If there was another class starting 5 mins later, it was dipped. Can remember clearly, left hand on one flag, right on the other. Big pull. We also used to hoist the flags rolled so that a small tug would have them flying exactly on time. Most disappointed when I went to another club and they simply pulled them up on the hoot. That was the point for me where the noise started to mean more than the flag, whatever the rules say.
------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: vscott
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 4:34pm
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We have visited one club that uses the same class flag for all classes - very confusing if you have not got out for the start of the first class away. We forgive them because of the beauty of the surroundings! Why is it the preparatory flag that goes down at 1 minute to and not the class flag? If it was the class flag then you would have a visual signal that you were in the last minute (only the prep flag) and the same number of flags to go up at the next manoeuvre. ------------- Mk IV Osprey 1314 Think Again 
Kielder Water Sailing Club |
Posted By: patj
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 6:45pm
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At BCYC we do 6-3-0 with class flag at 6, blue peter at first 3 along with next class flag then first class flag down at 0 and next class flag up.... so each class flag is up for 6 minutes and the blue peter stays up until the last Go. Hoots every 3 minutes.
Even a single handicap start is 6-3-0 and it is all written into the local procedures and SI and it seems to work. Classes needing a general recall go to the end of the sequence for their restart. |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 7:26pm
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Sounds like 6-3-0 is a goer for us then, especially as we have a line of boards with each of the class flags on, which can be concealed or revealed by a 90 degree drop of its own dedicated P flag board. Dropping the P flag board a further 90 reveals the P below the class flag.
We have already long-since amended our SI's to send the naughty class to the end of the queue. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:12pm
| We have three starts, and use 5410. Don't recall having any real issues. |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:22pm
Then you don't have a 'Slow' fleet complaining about lack of racing time before the limit excludes them, and your race crews are immune from the overwhelming desire to converse. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: craiggo
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 8:50pm
| No we don't. Our first fleet to go is the fast handicap, then slow handicap then our cruisers/yachts. We had a few grumblings when we initially switched from 6,3,0 but after a couple of weeks it was like we'd always used 5,4,1,0. We only have a 3hr window to sail in so we are pretty constrained but it works for us. I can imagine that if you have 4 or 5 starts then it becomes a problem or loss of recalls. |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:01pm
I can't, of course speak for the practices at your club, but here's the rule:
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Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 21 Aug 14 at 11:17pm
Under the old pre-1995 system, the starting signal was the lowering of both the Warning and Preparatory Signals (and if the I flag was used to invoke the One Minute Rule, it flew with the Preparatory Signal, but the One Minute period was signalled by lowering the I flag. The effect of both the old and the current procedure is that the Class Flag, which is the warning signal remains on-display for the whole of the starting sequence for that class or division, thus:
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Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 02 Nov 14 at 11:16pm
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Right, some feedback on this. We were seduced by the apparent simplicity of the 3-2-1-go sequence, which merely replaces '5' and '4' by '3' and '2' respectively, and gave it a go at the start of our Frostbite Series today. I acted as ARO for guinea-pig RO who is an experienced racer but only a twice-yearly RO; we run two-person race-box teams. Once I'd convinced him that, yes, we really did sound a signal every minute, the procedure worked very smoothly, with me standing outside working the flag boards (and getting drenched) and him hooting away inside the race hut following the timer. At the end of the refreshingly short sequence, however, we both had to admit that we were so committed to those tasks that we had not had the opportunity to survey the goings on around the start line, and in particular to distinguish between the boats which were starting and those which were preparing for the next start. That would not be such a problem except that in this series we run Long, Medium and Lapping courses, freely selectable by competitors, so that the starters in each cannot be distinguished by their class of boat or PY. Moreover, at WSC boats generally launch from the beach on the on-course side of the line, then sail to behind the line before their start, adding to the confusion. Thus while it may be a goer at other clubs, especially if there are single-class fleets, it was too much for our two-man team to truly be on top of today. So, subject to me preparing a set of amendments to the SI's, next week, we'll try the 6-3-go sequence, with the '3' of one class being the '6' of the next and so forth. This should provide us with much more time to check what's happening on the water. If anyone's club uses this and they can point me to a good set of SI's on the web, I'd be very grateful. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: Brass
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 2:10am
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Regardless of whether you go back to 6 minute sequence, AUTOMATE Get one of these https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.paloaltophoto.starttimer Run it on a cheapo Android tablet. And/or get the club to splash for one of the various species of Auto-Hoot machines. It's just dumb having humans watching clocks and pushing horn-switches. And while you're at it, get a Go-Pro pointing down the start/finish line
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Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 9:49am
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Thanks, Brass. I'm sure you are right, and if I were the permanent race officer I'd be automating as you suggest like a shot.
But the fact is that our ROs are different every week, most of them do the duty just twice a year, and many are no longer regular racers or even visitors to the club, so any system we introduce has to be completely fool-proof. The thought of them needing to find (it would go walkabout) an android tablet, switch it on and operate an unfamiliar app makes my heart sink, let alone what might become of a go-pro; we had a club-wide search for a printer cable a few weeks ago, which someone had 'tidied up'. A repeat-countdown timer with auto-hoot is nonetheless something that might just work here, provided it is built-in and has just a couple of very well labelled buttons. We need to look into it. ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 10:14am
This is the reason why we still use our old and creaky custom box at Hunts. The lake it a bit small for the course to cope with 3 starts on a 5-4-1-Go (as fleet 1 would be coming through the line at fleet 3 were starting). 3-2-1-Go is probably a little short too if you are intermixing the starts. With 6-3-G0 you get 3 minutes between starts (meaning any stragglers from fleet1 are gone before fleet 2 is lining up). It works well and is why we still use it. The only thing that I wish the would do it have a 1 minute warning (and drop the prep as with 5-4-1-Go) but this would currently need to be a manual process to we cannot easily do it. There is some talk of getting an autohoot to replace what we have but knowing our committee this is likely to take years (it has already been talked about for at least 2 years). ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:00am
So you'd ideally like a 6-3-1-go-1-go-1-go sequence, Jeffers? Maybe just a hoot but no flag-shifting at the '1'? ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:33am
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No 6-3-Go for all fleets (with a 1 in case you are using a subsitute as a prep). Would mean a lot of flag rasing and dropping though: Fleet 1 6 - Class Fleet 1 3 - Prep and Fleet 2 Class Fleet 1 1 - Prep drop Fleet 1 go - Fleet 1 class drop and prep back up for fleet 2 and so on..... So the 3 for fleet 1 is the 6 for Fleet 2. Gives you 3 min between fleet starts. 1 min between starts is not enough, especially if you have a recall of any kind (IMO). ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:43am
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Ah, see what you mean, Jeffers. By 3-2-1-go, I meant we were having 3 minutes between starts, but with a flag-shift and horn every minute in the same sequence we use for 5-4-1-go. It seems that many people using a 6-3-go rolling sequence such as you, do not bother dropping the prep till the end of the sequence. I guess that's what you do if you're just using the P flag? Are your club SI's available on-line? ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:52am
These are my clubs SIs. We use 4-2-go.
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:58am
They should be online but they are not, I shall speak to out webmaster! Yes we keep the P flag up once it is raised and then drop it at the last start (we never have cause to use a substitute as we can usually identify boats over). ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 11:59am
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Thanks Jim. Looks like a good starting point for us, but now we must wait for Brass's reaction! ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: marke
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 12:09pm
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marke We use a custom combined auto lights box and horn system. Its been running for about 15 years with no failures apart from needing to replace its small configuration screen a few years ago. Press one button at the start of the sequence and it displays the various lights and sounds the horns for up to five starts. It also has lights for signalling OCS and general recall (and shorten course) I have seen a few other clubs that have combined lights/horns systems, but after sailing at many clubs who used flags or buckets for signalling (which is often daunting for new OODs), I'm sort of surprised that more clubs don't invest in something similar. I don't know how much ours cost - but I'm sure it was less than a grand from a local electronics contractor - £65 a year a bargain. sailing instructions are http://www.starcrossyc.org.uk/syc1/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=49" rel="nofollow - HERE |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 12:55pm
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Thanks marke. We really need something like that. You almost certainly have an escape button; do you have dedicated for each of the recalls, individual and general? I'm wondering what you physically do to schedule a general recall [hmm, too easy and some of our ROs might get recall happy...] ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: deadrock
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 2:32pm
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At Oxford we have used a rolling '6:3:Go' sequence for several years and it works pretty well. The three-minutes between starts is enough for reluctant starters to get across the line without fouling the following start, and it gives the race team (which has probably never worked together before) enough time to sort any issues out between starts. The whole sequence of 4 starts is over in 15 minutes unless there are recalls. Recalls re-start at the end of the sequence. Boats are required to keep clear of the starting area from the Preparatory signal for the first fleet until the Preparatory signal for their fleet. For guidance the club's SIs can be found at http://www.oxfordsailingclub.com/sailing/racing/full-racing-rules" rel="nofollow - http://www.oxfordsailingclub.com/sailing/racing/full-racing-rules , under STARTING. Hope this provides a few ideas.
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Posted By: marke
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 3:22pm
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Medway At a start the OOD watches the line and he calls individual recall or GR - they have nothing else to do as the box is doing the sound and visual signals. If recall is called then either the OOD or assistant presses the orange strobe (individual) or red strobe (general recall) and makes a sound signal. If its an individual recall the orange strobe goes off after a minute or when all OCS have returned. It uses coloured lights - so it can shorten course for individual starts - e.g. green light + flashing orange strobe is shorten course for the handicap fleet. The sailing instructions allow us to revert to flags if the lights are not working - but I have only seen that happen once in all the time we have used it. We really only use flag C to indicate a change of course. One day we'll get around to integrating it with our PC based lap timer and results system - but for now the OOD just needs to remember to start the light/sound box at the same time as they click the "timer start" on the PC. If we were to build another one I would like an aural indication that a signal is coming up. I have a picture of the control end of the box somewhere I'll see if I can dig it out and post it. Mark P.S we use the 6-3-0 system for nearly all of our races. I think you need a 3 minute gap to allow a decent separation and to allow the starting fleet a clear run at the line. Sometimes when doing junior training we have used 1 minute intervals and I just override the automated time signals and signal the lights and horns manually with the external controls. |
Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 10:56pm
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Thanks marke, some useful pointers there. With all the coloured lights, it certainly sounds like a cheerful system! deadrock, I used to be a member of OSC, but can't remember a thing about the start procedure, which must mean it worked well! I doubt it was computer-driven then though, unless the club used a ZX81! That is very, er, concise amendment of R.26... ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: marke
Date Posted: 04 Nov 14 at 12:20pm
The front panel of the control box. Its about 600mm high - but would be a lot smaller if made today
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Posted By: Medway Maniac
Date Posted: 04 Nov 14 at 1:01pm
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That looks great. It actually enables you to do easily things that many of our part-time RO's would struggle to do at all, like abandon a race for a single fleet. The only thing we'd need that I'm not seeing there (but may still be possible), is the option to change between 6-3-go and 5-4-1-go or even 3-2-1-go. Also nice, on a Wednesday with few boats out, say, if it were possible for someone to set it going then shoot off to join the racing. But now I'm trying to gild the lily... Where do we send the cheque? ------------- http://www.wilsoniansc.org.uk" rel="nofollow - Wilsonian SC http://www.3000class.org.uk" rel="nofollow - 3000 Class |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 04 Nov 14 at 1:27pm
But who then finishes the race and takes the times? ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: marke
Date Posted: 04 Nov 14 at 1:40pm
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Well for a wednesday night series everybody could record their own times when they sign off. Better still - we have a PC based signon system - so you could have a reverse le mans finish. As soon as you finish, you sail to the shore, chuck your crew out, who then runs to sign off - your finishing time is the time you signed off! [Or how about huge QR codes on the sails with a high resolution videocam] Actually there was one infamous occasion of a junior race where somebody started the race (i.e. pressed the green button) and I used a copy of our race timing software from home, getting the finish times using the club webcam. Worked fine except when someone logged in and tried to command the webcam to look somewhere else! [Medway - sorry this is one of a kind - but I'm sure any reasonable electronics contractor could knock one up (and include the option to set the start intervals - which ours doesn't have). The horn button just sends a current to a (loud) air horn). The lights are coloured - about 6" diameter and fairly standard items - and surprisingly they last for ages. We have two lights for each colour set at a shallow angle to one another, to give a wider field of view (and also to provide some redundancy). |
Posted By: marke
Date Posted: 04 Nov 14 at 1:51pm
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Here is an idea - how about crowd sourcing a solution. Find a handful of clubs who are interested and get a common spec sorted out (OK maybe that won't be entirely straightforward) and then go to a contractor to get several built at reasonable cost to you (and reasonable return to the contractor). P.S would be nice if it had an API so that it could be configured from a PC - i.e our race programme automatically configures the race timing/results software - but would be nice if it could also automatuically configure the lights box as well. |