Wheel-Wheel Wireless Live Timing System

[TimingScoring]

The only other snafu I found was if you time-out or go out of range, the drivers names never populate again but their times keep populating - the names and other data just say "waiting for response"

My overall review is its great if you are there at the beginning and don't leave the range etc.

The scoreboard feed from the Orbits software sends the Driver info out only at the beginning of each session. If you join a session after the start, then all you see is the live data. The T&S operator can press a key to re-send the driver data. Does anyone know how to create a Windows macro that would "press" the <F2> key every five minutes or so?

Thumbs up to MC for embracing some new technology!
Thanks to those that worked on this!

You are quite welcome. Much of the credit goes to Devin Anderson (MSCC) who tipped me off to the app. My initial research seemed to indicate that it wouldn't work for us for various reasons, but Western Michigan Region was using it at our co-sanctioned event at Grattan Raceway. I learned enough about the app there to be able to implement it for our Wheel-Wheel events.

[TimingScoring]

... could get pretty decent signal from the pit lane and trophy area [at RA] when T&S was across track.
... could get signal to about the Safety & Rescue compound, the Tech Barn, and about to the yellow chair in pit lane. Started to get spotty toward the silo.

I had issues with range... I couldn't get much past half way down pit road... and if I went east much past the tech shed.

The MC WiFi network range is quite limited. It's original purpose is to connect Timing & Scoring with Race Control. Later we found it had enough range to be able to set up the Paddock Monitor PC somewhere close to the tower (it's in the tower window by the trailer when we are at BFR, at RA it's in the PitLane at the PitSteward tent. That same PC can get a good signal at both the BFR and GingerMan Pavillions, but it has an external high-gain WiFi antenna mounted on it.

To get more Paddock coverage for an average WiFi device with its built-in antenna, we would need to install a WiFi repeater.

[Dick Karth]

Live T&amp;S on the Android

We got it to work on Cathie's Android. The "app" was $5, reasonably priced. We found what others found ... range was about half way to silo down pit road. Hopefully a repeater that would cover all paddocks at BFR won't be too expensive. Maybe BFR will put a cheap monitor in the pavillion. Maybe a repeater on the top of silo. I think that the app could be more robust, but that might be coming too. Between the digital readout for AX on Sat and live T&S on Sunday ... we moved forward quickly. Nice job Bill and anyone else who worked on this.

[Thefirebuilds]

We were able to watch, in live timing, one of those "other" club's events last Sunday, from our home with the app. Pretty cool to "see" Tracy and Jamey battle it out in live feed.

[willy_1959]

haha I didnt even know mc fed the timing app. I bought this app for Lemons and I think its great! I am all for expanding it so we can see MC positions from where ever. or at least looking into how much and then making a decision!

[TimingScoring]

MC Wheel-Wheel Live Timing Expanded WiFi Coverage

An expanded WiFi network is now available at all MC events for Wheel-Wheel wireless Live Timing.

We installed a WiFi repeater into the MC equipment trailer which extends WiFi coverage to most of the Main Paddock at BFR. I've connected reliably as far as the access road bridge over the stream near Grid, and out to near Turns 4 and 1. Hopefully it will cover much of the main-level Paddock at Road America, since we park the trailer next to the Pitlane at the BlackFlag Steward's position near Start/Finish.

There are now two different apps available for almost any WiFi-enabled device other than older Win PC's or Blackberry phones.

The original app is called Race-Monitor and is available for various devices:
iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch (iOS 4.3 or later)
Mac (OS X 10.7 or later with 64-bit processor)
Android (OS v2.1 or later)
Windows Phone (7.5 or 8 )
Windows RT
Windows 8
Blackberry Playbook Tablet (not available for BB phones)
www.Race-Monitor.com

An app is also available from a company called RaceAmerica, and works on iDevices:
MyLapScore for iPhone / iTouch
MyLapScoreHD for iPad
http://www.raceamerica.com/mylaphd.html


Both of the apps connect to the MC WiFi wireless network to provide MC Live Timing data, not to the internet.
The Race-Monitor app provides the additional capability of viewing live timing data from various venues that distribute their timing data over the internet, but MC currently does not echo the timing data over the internet.

Flyers attached.

[Dick Karth]

Nice work Bill!

[BillMartin]

There are now two different apps available for almost any WiFi-enabled device other than PC's or Blackberry phones.

The original app is called Race-Monitor and is available for various devices:
iPhone / iPad
Android
Windows Phone
Blackberry Playbook Tablet (not available for BB phones)
www.Race-Monitor.com

A new app has just been released from a company called RaceAmerica, and works on iDevices:
MyLapScore for iPhone / iTouch
MyLapScoreHD for iPad
http://www.raceamerica.com/mylaphd.html

Race-Monitor is now also available for Apple Mac's and Windows8.
See message #21 above in this thread for an updated device/OS list.

[bobwismer]

Race-Monitor

I loaded Race-Monitor on my iPad and it seems to operate OK. I was able to monitor some races in Georgia over the weekend............Bob Wismer

[Dick Karth]

Any thoughts about bouncing MCSCC's T&S to the Internet so that someone with Internet access could get live Timing and Scoring?

[BillMartin]

None of our venues provide us with a connection to the internet. Theoretically at ACC and RA if we ask nicely enough we can get the info needed to connect single PC's to their WiFi network. We have never been provided access to the BFR Local Area Network, I'm not even sure that the BFR Timing tower is in reliable range to one of their WiFi hotspots.

The MC PC that would need to connect to the internet through the track's Local Area Network is already connected to MC's Local Area Network. It can be tricky (but possible) to get a single PC to connect simultaneously to two LAN's. In any case we couldn't connect at BFR, and I am reluctant to implement any service that cannot be provided at all the venues we visit.

The other option is for MC to purchase a cell-based data connection device (for example a "wireless hotspot", although I'm not certain a "hotspot" is the correct solution), along with the recurring data plan expense. It would need to be from AT&T as in my experience that is the only reliable cell-based data connection available at BFR, and that has only been true since they added that new cell tower just to the South of Turn7.

I am not aware of enough interest among the MC membership in having the timing data available over the internet to go to the trouble and expense.

Comments here would of course be welcome.

[gofasttowin]

Will Race Monitor be utilized again this year? I'm not seeing the MC event on their listing of this weekend's events.

[BillMartin]

Will Race Monitor be utilized again this year? I'm not seeing the MC event on their listing of this weekend's events.

gofasttowin, Please read the post immediately preceding your post.

Midwestern Council does not "echo" the results to the Race Monitor web server, so MC events do not appear on the upcoming events list and are not available over the internet.

The MC timing data is available ONLY AT THE TRACK during the event, by connecting to the local MC WiFi network.

[Integra111]

The new software seems to be working better in conjunction with this live timing app too. Previously, I used to start the app too late and I would get the times, but not the driver info. Now, I seem to be able to get all the info no matter when I start the app.

[BillMartin]

The old software ("Orbits2") only sent the driver data out at the beginning of the session, or whenever the computer operator happened to perform a manual "refresh" to re-send it. The new software ("Orbits4") apparently sends out the driver data more-or-less continuously.