EQUIPMENT

[DCM]

wELL YESTERDAY AT THE NOVICE SCHOOL, IT BECAME VERY CLEAR TO THOSE OF US WORKING AT THE TIMING TABLE THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT OUR COMPUTERS FROM THE ELEMENTS.. THE WIND WAS A BLESSING KEEPING US FROM FRYING, BUT ALSO BLEW AWAY THE EASY-UP PROTECTING THE COMPUTER SCREENS FROM THE SUN. HEY THE SUN CAUSES THE WIND TO BLOW, RIGHT?
SO THEN THE BIG DISCUSSION IS WHETHER TO DO A NEW TRAILER VS. NEW TIMING HARDWARE. THE TIMING HARDWARE WORKED FLAWLESSLY YESTERDAY. NO RAIN, CORDS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT ALL CHECKED OUT. WE COULD HAVE PRINTED RESULTS, BUT NO NEED TO. EXCEPT FOR NOT PUTIING NAMES AND CAR NUMBERS, IT RAN ITSELF.

ALSO THER WAS A SUGGESTION TO NOT PUBLISH NAMES, [THANKS PAT W.]
AS THERE IS A BIG INSURANCE LAWSUIT 'OUT EAST' OVER 18 AUTOXER'S INSURANCE BEING CANCELLED OVER THEIR NAMES BEING PUBLISHED RESULTS ON THEIR WEB-SITE.
JON SAYS IT WILL REALLY SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS TO NOT PUBLISH NAMES.
WHAT'A'YA THINK? STOP PUBLISHING NAMES?
SPEAKING OF 'PC' AND POLITICS, WHAT STUPIDITY, CANCELLING INSURANCE ON PEOPLE TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR DRIVING SKILLS.
WHERE IS THIS ALL GOING TO END? WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE?
I DIGRESS! [STOP RANTING DWIGHT]
MIKE DAVIS THINKS WE CAN REPLACE SOME OF THE TELEPHONE CABLE WITH THE ;GOOD STUFF' MAKE LONG, [100-150'] UNINTERUPTED WITH CONNECTORS, AND WE'LL SOLVE MUCH OF THE PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD.
INPUT?
DCM

[Jon Kotek]

Well I was planning on 'donating' a couple laptops with Hard Drives so we don't have to rely on floppy disks :p

Jon

[1/2mv^2]

If you could send me the dimensions of the case of the computers you are using for next Sunday, I could make some sun-screens/hoods out of matt-black plastic. This should help alot, but would restict viewing from the side (not that you could probably see anything from the side anyway, with all the sunlight).

They could be attached with velcro. I've made some of these for our graphic designers here at work, and they work very well.

I would need to know the width and height of the outside of the screen/case.

[mikeDavis]

I identified a timing computer and a penalty computer that have working floppy disk drives. I also identified several telephone lines that I couldn't make fail. Timing worked AOK on Sunday. We weren't counting pylons, or printing out scores.

The timing hardware we have is old. Just how old I don't know. If it quits working, the company that made it is out of business, so we'd have to get a new system quick.
The easy-up's were also easy-blow-aways at Sunday's event. A trailer would have been nice. I keep changing my own mind as to whether we need a trailer or a new timing system first.

The dimensions of the timing computer are 12" wide by 9.5" deep by 10.5 high.
the dimsions of the penalty computer are 12 1/10" by 10" deep, by 8" high.

Hope to see you all this Sunday!

Mike Davis

[SaturnRaycer]

Decisions, Decisions. I've read the three posts on this subject and would like to add my two cents worth.

Our purpose when we sponsor an autocross is to provide a venue, and accurate timing and scoring of competitor's runs then tabulate those results. At MOWOG 2 we failed the second part because of equipment that failed us.

An Army unit is equipped based on Tables of Equipment. There are three levels to this table. The first or "A" priority is mission essential equipment - you can't do you mission without it. Timing equipment falls into this category for us. If we have only timing/scoring equipment and pylons, we can run an autocross.

Our first priority needs to be reliable equipment. At a minimum, we need to replace our old "boxes and lights" with newer items. We seem to have good computers now, so that is a significant improvement.

Thanks to the individual who offered to make "sunglasses" for the computers - it will help even with EZ-ups. It's another temporary fix until we can get our trailer.

Our second priority this year should be a trailer. It seems that we're looking at around $4000 for this. We have a source for the money, but we need the will to do it.

Let me propose this.

Place the order for the new timing equipment and place the order for the trailer the next day. Let's not delay either of these any longer.

[DCM]

YES I AGREE, WE NEED TO 'GO FORWARD'
LET'S GET WHAT WE NEED TO RUN OUR EVENTS. AFTER ALL, THIS IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WITHOUT THE EQUIPMENT WORKING, WE WILL LOSE OUR 'MARKET SHARE'