Lap TIming Devices

[Zilli]

Hey all,

I want to grab a timing device but unsure where to start... interested to see what everyone is using... proper timing devices vs. gps systems? whats the most accurate? how much do they cost? and where to buy from?

[sendok]

u will use it on the track o.O i guess it's better rent it from the track on a track day... IMO

[Zilli]

i dont think you can rent from Wakefield

[crazyray]

i believe wakefield have their own set now.....

[gambate]

i'm looking into this..
http://www.cc-2000.com/xtracing/en/products.html

[lukits01]

this is pretty good if you're looking for more than just lap timing
http://www.performancebox.co.uk/overview.html

[Zilli]

i'm looking into this..
http://www.cc-2000.com/xtracing/en/products.html

this one seems to be big on features for a reasonable price...

[Zilli]

this is pretty good if you're looking for more than just lap timing
http://www.performancebox.co.uk/overview.html

whilst this is the ultimate, i cant justify to cost...

[bennjamin]

get a S60 nokia phone. (N70, N95 etc) , grab a external GPS bluetooth unit.

Download http://www.racechrono.com/ - free GPS timing which is as accurate as natsoft timing ~ alot more userbased features too :)

total cost ? probably $150-200 all up.

[Zilli]

thanks Benn, does the phone actually need to be active? as in hooked up to a network? stupid question maybe but yeh...

[Zilli]

also, how much difference did you see with the timing on saturday and your own timing on your best lap?

[bennjamin]

thanks Benn, does the phone actually need to be active? as in hooked up to a network? stupid question maybe but yeh...


No - it can run in "offline" mode - i use a N70 off a old contract with no sim card in it and it works fine.



also, how much difference did you see with the timing on saturday and your own timing on your best lap?

it can be as accurate if not more - you can adjust the accuracy.

My times and Aarongs times were the same as Natsoft gave us ( the timers)

[Zilli]

so is there any inherent advantage in having a "proper" dedicated timing device?

[bennjamin]

if you refer my and arrongs device as "proper" -

Pro's -

portability
ease of use
live updates of current times/past times/speed/performance etc
personal tracking of ALL data (race lines , speeds , top speed etc)
free to use forever as opposed to a extra fee per trackday

cons - initial cost...thats it.

It really is a cool piece of kit. The fone sits somewhere in your car and you drive. Lap lap lap....you take a time out and cross reference to your GPS timer. You can browse each lap , and each sector of the track , each speed and a telemetry of your accel/braking etc. Its really cool. Similar to what actual race drivers use to analyze their own performance.

IMO its great because you can go to a track , any track in the world and use this bit of software. No need for an organized day , just go for it.

[sendok]

Sorry, i dont know if Wakefield probably dont supply timing device, the phone that Ben advise seems to be a good idea :D

[Zilli]

thanks Ben,

I was moreso trying to determine why one woul spend 500 on a dedicated lap timing unit as opposed to your method...

thanks

[bennjamin]

oh...it seems like a waste to spend such a vast amount of money on anything else.

PS get my method its cool :)

[aaronng]

Do you plan to do trackdays without timing? Most of the ones organised here come with timing. Just grab yourself a cheap bluetooth GPS and you're set.

[95civic]

I have used both Mychron (from AIM) and Alfano for timing in cars. Personal favourite is the Mychron, easy to use and can give you great data. Although it does cost a little more than the alfano it is well worth the money, the features that are included are very useful when it comes to racing.

[Zilli]

so for about 200 plus a handset that i can use i can make it happen using your method Benny.

Aarong, i reckon i would man, 2 months is a long time to wait, so id be tempted to just go on an open day to blow off steam between timed sessions, thats why i wouldnt mind getting something i can use...

A member has brought to my attention a Michyronlight tg unit for sale for $345... sticker price retail is 500... the website doesnt tell me much about what it does other than time the laps though, any insights? for that money id be tempted really

[95civic]

I will speak to the guys at AIM tomorrow and see what I can find out for you. The base systems that are used were designed for Karts but can also be used on cars. Shoot us your number if you like and I will see if some of my old sponsors have any stock they are looking to clear :)

[SuperDave]

The performance box's main draw back is it can only measure to an accuracy of 0.1s. Depending on skill levels, 0.1s isn't enough resolution. For the money I would buy the AIM MyChron. It is still GPS but has a 0.01s resolution, plus it has the nice feature of being able to setup your own sectors on your PC if you buy the software. There are 2 versions of the MyChron unit, the Lite TG and the Lite TG LOG. The Blitz lap timer is cheap and does to 0.01s but relies on magnetic strips in the track.

[DEEJDM]

Do you plan to do trackdays without timing? Most of the ones organised here come with timing. Just grab yourself a cheap bluetooth GPS and you're set.

Hey,

What bluetooth GPS did you use? Are there any minimum requirements cause RaceChrono recommend about 1Hz receivers

cheers

[.::F[L]Y::.]

wow. good idea ben and aarong

[aaronng]

Hey,

What bluetooth GPS did you use? Are there any minimum requirements cause RaceChrono recommend about 1Hz receivers

cheers

All of the commercial GPS units are at least 1Hz. I use a Globalsat with the sirfstarIII chip, which I think is 10 Hz. It's pretty cheap now that newer chipsets have been released. The way racechrono works is that it has many checkpoints, which it can then use to calculate the decimal places for your timing. On a track like wakefield, there is only 1 checkpoint, so it is a little less accurate than on a larger track like Winton.