2016 Trains and Lanes Outdoor Offroad Racing - Easton, PA
04-12-2016, 11:25 AM
#197
Hey guys, I am an electrical engineer and have dealt with RF issues in the defense industry for over 25 years. There is probably a slew of problems from ground loops to improper shielding. My guess is that if you're looking for that magical fix you're probably not going to find it. Sometimes this is like herding chickens. Just spit balling here, but I would look at the lighting circuits. They could be introducing noise. Also keep in mind that you can shield the crap out of anything but if the shielding material is not at ground potential you're wasting your time. There are so many possibilities and I'm sure you guys have tried almost everything. How about separating the timing system power circuits from your normal distribution system. Maybe try to run it off a properly grounded generator for a night. That will certainly help exclude ground loop issues.
04-13-2016, 03:15 AM
#198
Tech Apprentice
04-13-2016, 03:35 AM
#199
The guys that are giving tips for the lap counter problem it's great and thank you, but....... I have stated and I think others have also. The noise starts happening as it gets dark. I personally have turned every breaker off in my box except to run the lap counter and just like clockwork as it gets dark the noise start increasing. So I've saw it happen with nothing powered on that I can control. This noise is not coming from something powered at the track. It is AM radio interference that starts as the sun goes down. So we need to figure out how to block that noise.
Another example, things run fine all day long with low noise. I turn my lights on a couple hours before dark to allow them to warm up before night. When I turn them on there is no increase in noise, but once the sun sets you can watch the noise rise by the hour.
The lap counting loop is nothing more than a big antenna.
Another example, things run fine all day long with low noise. I turn my lights on a couple hours before dark to allow them to warm up before night. When I turn them on there is no increase in noise, but once the sun sets you can watch the noise rise by the hour.
The lap counting loop is nothing more than a big antenna.
04-13-2016, 07:19 AM
#200
Yes. As Homer said above.... lights or no lights, noise level doesn't change.
At about 830 pm we start to see a few random missed laps, and the noise level continues to rise from there.
I have also tried running the scoring system off of a generator.... no difference, that I recall.
All outdoor tracks that I race at or communicate with have this problem. If they don't, it's most likely because they don't have lights and are finished up by dark, the time noise levels seem to rise.
One other thing to note about the scoring system is that they work decent, even late in the evening, indoors in commercial buildings. The same system, when moved outdoors has high noise levels. I think the building acts as an rf filter for the loop/decoder.
At about 830 pm we start to see a few random missed laps, and the noise level continues to rise from there.
I have also tried running the scoring system off of a generator.... no difference, that I recall.
All outdoor tracks that I race at or communicate with have this problem. If they don't, it's most likely because they don't have lights and are finished up by dark, the time noise levels seem to rise.
One other thing to note about the scoring system is that they work decent, even late in the evening, indoors in commercial buildings. The same system, when moved outdoors has high noise levels. I think the building acts as an rf filter for the loop/decoder.
04-13-2016, 07:25 AM
#201
Yes. As Homer said above.... lights or no lights, noise level doesn't change.
At about 830 pm we start to see a few random missed laps, and the noise level continues to rise from there.
I have also tried running the scoring system off of a generator.... no difference, that I recall.
All outdoor tracks that I race at or communicate with have this problem. If they don't, it's most likely because they don't have lights and are finished up by dark, the time noise levels seem to rise.
One other thing to note about the scoring system is that they work decent, even late in the evening, indoors in commercial buildings. The same system, when moved outdoors has high noise levels. I think the building acts as an rf filter for the loop/decoder.
At about 830 pm we start to see a few random missed laps, and the noise level continues to rise from there.
I have also tried running the scoring system off of a generator.... no difference, that I recall.
All outdoor tracks that I race at or communicate with have this problem. If they don't, it's most likely because they don't have lights and are finished up by dark, the time noise levels seem to rise.
One other thing to note about the scoring system is that they work decent, even late in the evening, indoors in commercial buildings. The same system, when moved outdoors has high noise levels. I think the building acts as an rf filter for the loop/decoder.
04-13-2016, 07:49 AM
#203
It starting happening when we did the mandatory updated.
04-13-2016, 04:06 PM
#205
What weight shock oil do you guys tend to run on this track for nitro buggy?
04-13-2016, 05:16 PM
#207
Well right now i put 45f amd 37.5r with the stock kit pistons. When i was there on opening day i didint race nor got to run on the track but a sponsored kyosho driver i was talking to said that it felt way to stiff. So i was thinking 40f and 35r? Or 40f and 32.5 r? Not really sure lol
04-13-2016, 06:39 PM
#208
Well right now i put 45f amd 37.5r with the stock kit pistons. When i was there on opening day i didint race nor got to run on the track but a sponsored kyosho driver i was talking to said that it felt way to stiff. So i was thinking 40f and 35r? Or 40f and 32.5 r? Not really sure lol
04-13-2016, 07:13 PM
#209
