Originally Posted by
Bob Malphurs
I never understood the purpose of cloning a PT.
When AMB came out with the PT's theory was one unique number that no one else in the world has. Not to mention how this has helped the race program. Even if you sold that transponder the person that bought it still had a unique number. But since the "clones" hit the market I've read many posts of racers saying they get couple of clones then sell the original or sell the clones, etc. Chances are those who buy a used transponder are unaware they have a PT that is not unique!
At least a clone from MyLaps will have the 8th digit that will make it unique!
Sure MyLaps PT's cost a little more. But what in RC racing isn't over priced? Don't know how many times I've heard someone brag how much they spent on a car kit or a nitro engine or a purple anodized part that is broke or obsolete in 6 months!
My 13 year old PT is still kicking and never missed a lap!
The answer to that is simple: multiple transponders with the same number make it easier for a racer with more than one car.
I race at a club that runs lots of classes. Now that I am getting older I only run 5 classes a day (we only one qualifier before the main). In the past I have run as many as 7 classes in a day when we had 23 heats per round. For the past 3 years I have only had to remember
two numbers for all those cars. That, and only that, is the reason I owned MRT transponders.
When our club upgraded to RC4 I sent my 9 MRT transponders in to get 9 pure RC4s. I picked out two numbers out of those 9 that were easy to remember, and got 3 (soon to be 6) CarID transponders. I sold 5, and will soon sell the remaining two of the 7 who's numbers I didn't "like." I sold them for $88 (the lowest price I found anwhere else for brand new ones) each, paying 92.50 (shipped) for the CarID transponders. I feel the $4.50 premium to get the CarIDs after selling the other RC4s is worth it to me to have less numbers to remember.
If that's hard for you to understand, maybe it is because you have a photographic memory.
If AMB had offered multiple transponders with the same number before MRT did, I would not have bought the MRTs. MRT offered a service AMB refused to offer at that time.