Originally Posted by cbh148

Bought 6 or so transponders to loan out to people at the track, and embarrassed myself today as it would only read 1 lap for 1 of the transponders because the sun was out. Hell, it didn't read 1 lap, just the beginning of one lap for one vehicle.

Even when I moved the camera to the shade, pointing at a straight section of the track that was also in the shade, it still would not detect anything. Only once the sun was beginning to set did it start working.

Is this just the way it is? Seems like a terrible catch in the system if a device for the usually-outdoor activity of RC car racing is at odds with the sun.
With the infrared beam. Sunlight can be a issue. Usually just moving the reader works. Some have put boxes around it.

Or an overhead timing bridge. That aims the reader down as vehicles pass under.
All transponders were ziptied to the shock towers as there's no easy way to aim it through a body window without going to a lot of trouble to 3D print custom CAD'd brackets for each different vehicle, which nobody will bother to do for just a loaner transponder type of thing.