iCard Use in NEDIV

[Blix]

Does anyone have a confirmed list of regions/tracks that will be using the iCard system in 2004.

Thanks
Eric
NER SM #12

[Greg Amy]

We had a brief chat on this board a couple of months ago on this subject. As I recall, we had a small handful of geeks willing to support it, with the head geek claiming it was to be discussed at convention (IIRC).

Any updates, Dick?

[dickita15]

It was talked about at the open comp board meeting at ner's annual meeting. The timing chief is not against it but it not willing to promise to staff it. there was no one there strongly asking for it. Ner's position at this time is that we are willing to do it if some person or persons is willing to step forward to implement the system, but there has not been any ground swell of support.
posting on a forum is not support.

by the way my understanding is that wdc at summit is using it this year.

dick

[Blix]

What would the appropriate way to support it be Dick?

Thanks
Eric
NER SM #12

[lateapex911]

I spoke with the iCard rep in Atlanta at the ARRCs.

Basically, the system is fairly easy for the region to adopt. A minumum buy and the company installs the transmitting antenna.

The region needs to supply a laptop and the manpower to run it. Acording to the rep, you boot up, open the app, do a little configuring, hit "go" and you're done. Shut down at the end of the day. As you all probably know, it takes it's data from the AMB system via a choice of protocols.

That said, the rep is a rep, and the rumours are that it has a tendancy to crash during the day, requiring a click or at worse a soft or hard reboot. When I brought this up with him, he admitted some minor glitches, but said the latest rev had fixes that would eliminate the issues.

So, back to the question. T & S is leery of adding unknown responsibilities to their workload, but is more than happy to provide support to the system in the way of space.

So, it looks like what is needed is a dedicated laptop, and an operator to do the morning start up, and be able to resolve any issues that might occur during the day. That person should have a decent handle on the operation and set up of a computer. And as NER hosts a number of events, each event needs to be staffed.

Okay, Dick, anything to add or correct?


------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[dickita15]

Originally posted by Blix:
[B]What would the appropriate way to support it be Dick?
/B]

your right eric i shoud have answered that.
level one, tell the ner comp board chair or one of the driver reps you would like to see the system implemented.
level two, Offer to buy one of the $200 recievers that the region would have to buy a quanity of to implement the system.
level three, offer to learn to set up and run the system and be there to run it for a few race days.
level four, offer to learn to run the system train and recuit other to do it and make sure someone is there every event to make it happen.
dick

[eprodrx7]

Dick, How many recievers do we nee to buy to get thins going?

[dickita15]

john
i think we only need to buy 10. obviously this is not a large obstacle. level 3 & 4 support are the biggies but i want everyone who is serious about this to have a oportunity to show support at what ever level they can.

honestly i think that once the system is up and debugged it will take almost no effort to run but why should a very small group of hard working people (t&s) have to implement a new program if it is not important enough to the drivers to make some effort to make it happen.

This is of course a syptom of a much larger situation. A small number of people do a large amount of organizational work so we can all race. keeping the racing program running is just not important enough to enough racers.
As I hope all ner members know, because they read Pit Talk, I have been asking for months now for a drivers rep or two to the comp board from each race group. No IT drivers have come forward at this time.

dick

[ulfelder]

Dick writes:
---
I have been asking for months now for a drivers rep or two to the comp board from each race group. No IT drivers have come forward at this time.
---

OK, you shamed me into it - I'll volunteer. Let me know what it entails: [email protected].

/Steve U
05 ITS

[RSTPerformance]

Originally posted by dickita15:

As I hope all ner members know, because they read Pit Talk, I have been asking for months now for a drivers rep or two to the comp board from each race group. No IT drivers have come forward at this time.

dick

Dick and Brian, I will be attending all the comp Board Meettings that I can now that I am home again. Burlington to Worchester was just to far! Just remember that I am here, and a young sucker for almost anything http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

One quick question on the Icard... Does it also work with the new Gameboy SP? The Gameboy advance is obsolete and will be discontinued soon. The Gameboy Advance is what I have seen it being advertised that it will work with but I 've never seen that it will work with the SP.

Stephen

[eprodrx7]

Stephen,
It does work with the SP but because the card slips into the bottom of the SP if will invert the antenna giving poor performance. I use a "gameboy color" The really old one! Found it a pawn shop for $15. It's even blue like the car.

[dickita15]

steve u
thanks i will email you

stephen
send me a email at
"patullo(at)compuserve.com"

ok still need a couple of folks from ITA/C and SM/SSM. and well as some non IT groups.

Caution the i card is a power hog. with the old color ones you can just pop in 2 AA alkalines maorning and noon. with the rechargeable ones you are always trying to find a plug. also the color unit has a reflective screen that is good in strong sunlight. dick

[BillW]

iCard will also be coming out with a USB version for your laptop shortly. They were tesing it at Daytona last w/e.

Bill

[dickita15]

Originally posted by BillW:
iCard will also be coming out with a USB version for your laptop shortly. They were tesing it at Daytona last w/e.

Bill

that will improve the use of the system a lot being able to store data so you can see more than what is trasmitted this minute.

[eprodrx7]

Guys I was given the impression that the PC system is being geared more towards the pro level teams and will be priced accordingly. They told me $600 for card and software.

[RacerBill]

Last year at the CART race at Mid-Ohio, I was talking to a gentleman who was distributing the timing and scoring data to PDA's. Info was originating from the AMB system. Does anyone know why the SCCA went to a proprietary system that requires very specific hardware (that I have absolutely no other use for) instead of a system that could use multifunctional hardware. I have no children at home, and my great-grandson is at least 5 years away from being able to use a gameboy. However I do have a Sony Clie that will accept wireless lan cards.

[datadude]

The package to the regions cost basically nothing. The new laptop and pda version will run about $299.00 and you will be able to download. This is basically a plug and play thing in timing. No one is need to sit and babysit it once it is set up. If it goes down it is two mouse clicks to come back up.