Icard worthwhile purchase?

[anrkii]

just wondering how many it guys are using the I card, more importantly how many tracks in the midwest support this?

I have found them for $100 , , but it a worthwhile tool, or just a flashy gimmick?

[Mazmarc63]

I have had one for several years. It works at Daytona but not at Sebring and you have to be in a certain area for it to work. Haven't investigated why. I think the regions have to purchase a certain type transmitter ($$) for it to work. Most of the time I get too busy at the track to mess with it anyway.

I did see several spectators at the 12 Hours of Sebring using it. That was cool.

Not sure it's a worthwhile "tool" though.

[charrbq]

Jury's still out. Crew used it at an ECR enduro and loved it. We tried to use it at Daytona, but it wouldn't work. Other tracks don't implement the system, and it's useless. Memphis doesn't use it, and our lone crewman gave up trying to time five cars in a class, sat back and enjoyed the race.
I think that when it works, it's great, but you have to be in the proper place, at the proper time to receive the signal. And, of course, they have to broadcast it.
One thing's for certain...it is the official time regardless of what your wife says. AMB's not infallible, but it's pretty dang good!

[ddewhurst]

I have had a card for several years. It's great to use while watching/tracking the progress of a race but I have found no value race wise other than to see each car's fastest time for a session or race.


Some places it works & some places it don't work. Don't know which tracks send a signal & which tracks send no signal.

[pgipson]

so here's my perspective

The icard was a good idea, but it required region involvement. The deal was that a region had to buy a caetain number of icards (10 as I recall) and they got the interface to the timing system (including the transmitter) free. But the interface didn't work with all timing programs as I recall. And the transmission was VERY site dependent. It would hardly work at PIR.

We bought the set up thinking we would give a system to tech for use after a race (simplify the impound process and allow tech to identify the cars that would get weighed etc). And we would sell the rest and get our money back.

We may still have some of the original 10. And the transmitter set up was so sensitive that T&S almost needed a person just to monitor that. And that was never going to happen.

So, as far as I know, the Icard experiment in AZ Region was less succesful than we would have liked (i.e. a flop) and I haven't seen an Icard in use in a couple of years.

[seckerich]

I have had great luck with ours in the southeast. It does require some work for the region to man it for events. Great during qualifying to see how long you need to stay out. Some problems with reception around the track but timing is usually close to pits anyway.

[datadude]

Been using it for over 3 years, not a lot of problems. Problems when the region hasn't updated the software, same old stuff, don't bother to look for updates. Regions just have to get the antenna high enough to clear metal obstructions for signal, that radio wave thing. Most problems, lightning strikes with permanent antennas and then no one checks those anyways.

[Ron Earp]

Got one and it works great as Steve said in the SE. Couple of dead spots here and there, but overall experience is good.

R

[1stGenBoy]

Had one for years and yes it is dependant on where the antenna is placed at the track. Road America was always a problem down in turn 5 unless you were in the grandstands and turn 8 but, with the major paddock and track changes this winter along with a new higher antenna on the tower reception should be even better.

Bob

[charrbq]

Well, at least I saved money and bought a used Game Boy. It's there as an option in case the crew gets bored during an enduro. I've spent more money on things I used even less. I thought IT was supposed to be cheap.