Savings are bit better than $11 either way $11 is $11.

I do support the fact that MyLaps are trying to protect their business, but it seems shifty the way they have done it, with out telling the clubs what will happen.

I have not raced much at all, this year is going to be the year though, and untill the tracks upgrade i am in the clear, but seeing as i don't race that much it is easy to stop.

And what about the people that have more than one transponder?

If MyLaps took MRT to court and got them to stop selling theirs as a breach of Patent, then yes i would agree with MyLaps, but seeing as they tried to back door every one, then no i wont.

I wait eagerly for a new MRT to buy, even if it is more

Im not sure about other countries, but MyLaps Australia has offered a very cheap upgrade offer for anyone using the clones or rc3 transponders. At the end of the day, its a mylaps system, for the small extra outlay when i have already outlayed in excess of $1300+ dollars on the car alone, i personally would by the brand that is garanteed to work with a patented system.

After some serious testing I can now share the following which I am very confident of. Where I'm unsure of something or it's an opinion I'll state it. The rest are verified facts through personal testing. All of this personal testing has been bounced around with industry sources, overseas tracks using Alycat with an RC4 Decoder, and emails with MyLaps to make sure I'm not missing anything:

Test equipment:

- MyLaps RC4 Decoder
- AMB Club Transponders
- AMBrc personal transponders (codenamed Pete)
- MyLaps RC4 Hybrid transponders (codenamed Harold)
- MyLaps RC4 "Pure" transponders (codenamed Purcy)

For clarity pictures of each transponder are included at the end of this post.

The codenames are used in the industry - honest I didn't make them up

Alycat 9.3.1.86 is the current release of Alycat and we are using it live at TFTR. We ran our first race meeting with it and the RC4 Decoder on Sunday 13 Jan.

All of the transponders listed above work with this version of Alycat, including the RC4 Pure, in that they all register when they cross the loop. The advanced temperature, voltage and Car ID information is not available (although I have seen this information in a Beta version of Alycat).

What is left to test then?

a. Where a racer buys an "RC4 Custom Transponder" which is an RC4 Pure with a transponder number chosen by the racer. While there shouldn't be any issues with this it needs to be tested.

b. Where a racer buys "RC4 Car ID" which is for multiple transponder purchases. Say you have 3 cars and want the same transponder number for all 3 eg; 7654321 (assuming it's available). MyLaps will sell you 3 transponders with that number but they will have an extra digit called a Car ID. The transponders will be 7654321-0, 7654321-1, 7654321-2 and if you run a Transponder Test in the Beta version of Alycat they will look exactly like this when they cross the loop ie; XXXXXXX-X. One of the racers at TFTR has ordered a couple of these and we'll be testing them when they arrive. I suspect that they will work in the current version of Alycat but all 3 may simply show the 7 digit transponder number 7654321 when they cross the loop. But this last sentence is opinion and needs testing.

MyLaps online shop http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/aust...s/B2C/rc/shop2 (so that you can see what "a." and "b." above are referring to)

c. Remember MyLaps have stated that if you don't have an RC4 decoder that you won't be able to read RC4 transponders. I'm keen to test this as well. If you are a track in Melbourne with Alycat and an RC2 or RC3 decoder and want to see if an RC4 Pure transponder will work at your track then drop me a PM.

How to tell an RC4 Hybrid apart from an RC4 Pure:- they use the same case but the Pure has a 3 letter code called a TCV printed on the case above and to the left of the transponder number. The RC4 Pure also has a white data wire (which the Hybrid does not have) in addition to the red and black. MyLaps tell me the TCV is used by MyLaps as a checksum for the Car ID. The two RC4 Pure's I have access to have different TCV's.

And the pics for reference:

- AMB Club Transponders (left)
- AMBrc personal transponders (codenamed Pete) (2nd from left)
- MyLaps RC4 Hybrid transponders (codenamed Harold) (3rd from left)
- MyLaps RC4 "Pure" transponders (codenamed Purcy) (right)

Hi David
How are you finding the aleycat 9.3 version with the Rc4 decoder?
Any problems encountered?
We are looking at upgrading from 9.1 with ours and are just trying to get a heads up on this
P.S. we have had no transponder issues so far ( all amb and my laps versions tried so far are working and signal strength is much much better)
Cheers
Lee

Hi Lee

So you've received your RC4 Decoder?

9.3.1.86 is a good stable version and has some enhancements over 9.1 which we like.

However, if 9.1 is working well for you then I'd wait until 9.3.2 is out of Beta and released as it will have support for RC4 Car ID's. Timeframe unknown as testing is still being worked through.

Feel free to email me anytime [email protected].

Cheers

Dave

Is anyone able to post some technical data as to why the MRT transponders are not working, if possible please be as specific and detailed as possible?
everything from Signal strength, Freq, Software versions. ECT

There is somthing in the works with a new decoder system to work with all PT's, i'd love to put one of you techincal boffins in touch with the person im dealing with.

Let me know.

Cheers

John

It is solely due to firmware version on the rc4 decoder john. Serccc has the same rc4 decoder as tftr but runs a different firmware (did not update theirs from stock) and the mrts work fine. TFTR updated the firmware and that is why the mrts dont work. Whilst it is possible to flash the old firmware back it would require a copy of the old firmware and someone who is willing to risk breaking a rc4 decoder...cant see it happening

If you wish to contact shaun the pres@ serccc email him on [email protected]

That sounds feasible.

But TFTR did not update the firmware. The RC4 Decoder came loaded with the latest firmware when we received it in December. I have emailed Shaun. Cheers

Thats a bummer steve. looks like they may be shipping some with latest firmware which kinda kills the do not update option

Here is an extract from an email received from MyLaps Sydney (Koert) on 29 November 2012:

you’ll receive a RC4 decoder as we have now received the RC4 firmware and the decoders will be flashed with the new firmware before shipping

Bastards is it version 4.3 firmware?

I'll check and let you know

Alycat has released version 9.3.2.29 with support for RC4 Pure transponder Car ID's. Voltage and Temperature functions are shown in the Transponder Test screen and in future releases will be displayed in other parts of the program I understand.

www.alycat.com

I'm part of the Alycat Beta test team as a volunteer, as are other tracks around the country.

Cheers

I was just sitting reviewing some mail I picked up during the week (I don't get a delivered service), and suddenly realized I still do not have my custom sub number RC4 that I ordered...

When I ordered it, the site was quoting like 10-15 days for delivery, and I have not heard a peep from MyLaps, so I went and checked the site, and they are now quoting up to a month "due to success", which is nice and all, but apart from the the non contact, for me it's also now been like one month and two weeks since I ordered it...

I recall when the RC4 hybrid was announced a few years ago the supply of them was delayed several months and I am sure the spin at that time also used those words "due to success".
The RC4 decoder Firmware update was promised to follow in a couple of months which turned to a couple of YEARS!