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Transponder/race timing technology?

09 Feb 2009, 21:39
howdy
does anyone have any experience with sports timing/transponder technology?
not the DH/beam type timing now - need a solution for XC where accuracy isn't as crucial but needs to deal with larger qtys of riders passsing through in a short space of time
What I'm wanting is some info/costs on the chip-type transponders that you wear and they send out a signal to either timing equipment or a timing interface to a laptop etc.. when passed by an antenna/receiver system

sounds geeky?
you bet, but hopefully there's some alternative solution to frantically scribbling down numbers at xc races, I'm guessing it's probably expensive but still worth checking out
thanks
Fergal
09 Feb 2009, 21:52
Hey fergal I'm pretty sure this is the system used by these guys. http://www.kiltorcan.com/

They are a karting centre in Kilkenny and from my memory when I was down there the timings seemed to work fairly well.

They may be able to help. Great idea by the way
09 Feb 2009, 21:55
hello,
I used these last year at the dragon downhill races in wales and they're deadly! they give you these little plastic things and you cable tie them to just above your bb and you have to give a fiver deposit that you get back when you give it back, it'll stay programmed for the season if you want to just keep it aswell (they use the same numbers for the whole season). They only take a second to reprogramme so it's handy enough. They have sensors on the ground with rubber mats over them that pick it up when you go past the line. thats all i know about them but they seem good, and can't be too expensive if people have to pay for them, and they last for ages aswell. the Dragon lads have been using the same ones for a few years now so it could be a smart investment.
hope this helps in some way.
09 Feb 2009, 22:39
thanks for that lads, I'll check them both out - the Dragon dh solution sounds pretty much like what I'm after though
09 Feb 2009, 22:57
the dragon dh system sounds similar to what the tri guys use. Everyone has a transponder on an ankle bracelet and there is matts at the begining and end of each section when they stand on them there time is recorded.