No, they are NOT AMBrc, they are different, and usually a lot bigger, have a look at the ones used in V8 cars, they are a brick.It should be mandatory to use PTs at all major meetings, they speed up the meeting in not having to worry about chasing up transponders, etc. There could easily be a small supply of PTs for hire. There are already quite a few clubs doing this.

Yes I understand that they are not the same size but they are still AMB, and the go kart ones are alittle smaller. The size I believe has a lot to do with the battery they run in them.

Coxy.

Yes, but as long as you understand they are different technologies, there are a lot of different AMB transponders

I know that Moorebank it is manitory to buy a personal transponder. I think its the same at most of the large meets in 1/8 and 1/10 nitro. I think its a good idea

6 paid professional people at that, all RC has to offer are volunteers, in some cases would rather be racing as well.
If we started to use profesionals to run the lap scoring systems like the real racers of this level, we would be paying $100 plus entry fees to these meetings.

Most clubs rely on at least one big meeting to cover expenses like Public Liability insurance, council rents and expenditures, track maintainance etc.

It is great for the racers to come up with the ideas of spending the money, but the club has to earn the money to start with, then it has to managed the money over 12 months minimum. With rained out club days, etc also puts a big hole in the budget.

So do you believe the problem is AMB not Alley Cat.

I was not at the meeting and I have not seen a log file (one has been requested) so unlike a lot of other people here I don't feel I can state anything definitive.

The only definite hardware issue I am aware of is, as stated, if they were using an old 16 bit (Windows 3.1) application with Windows 2000, XP, etc and using low level hardware access, e.g transponders. This is a known recipe for intermittent hardware access problems.

The point I was trying to make is that we cannot assume that because we use AMB transponders and so do F1 that we can expect the same reliability.

However, AMBrc is a huge leap forward from any earlier system. I have examined many log files and the reliability of the AMBrc hardware is high. I have seen many meeting, over months, without even one missed lap. With sequence numbering, data re-requesting and data logging, etc, etc, it can be proven beyond reasonable doubt where any problem occurs, in either the trackside of the decoder (usually the loop) or computer side of the decoder (cable, port, computer or software) and with some further work even more can be found.

Of course, even if a definitive answer is found via a log file, e.g. that the problem was the loop, and that is backed up by sending the info to AMB, it doesn't mean that RC people here would even believe it, as has been shown.

This is encouraging. I was not aware that this sort of feedback from a meeting took place.

I guess that the next question is, if it proves that the problem was with using a 3.1 application, then I suppose it is purely up to the club to do someting about updating the software.

How would we know, as racers, if this upgrade had been carried out before we make the trip to Kambah again?

It only works if we can get a log file - there has never been a log file provided for any other of the problems being discussed here. Current version log files provide info on every keystroke, mouseclick, functions called and used, etc, etc.. You would appreciate that this info cannot be provided without a purchaser's consent, you would have to contact the club. On road rules used to include a requirement as to the standard of software used (I know, I was section head, I wrote them, and no, they were generic and did not specify Alycat).

Mad mackem just to give you some idea of the information gathered. Say the meeting I ran in Melbourne for TCS with 140 entries, I was using the same version of the program I am using now. The size of the meeting was about 10mg the log files 1 gig. a club meeting at Castle Hill would be 1-2 mg the log file would be 35-50 mg so you can see if a program does happen Ken can trace were it is and if it is Alyact or something else.

If you wish I can show you tonight when you come down to racing.
An example of a operating system failure was about 2 years ago, I had just bought a brand new computer put windows 98 on it and loaded Alycat 8.3 on and I had problems with missed laps. It took 3 months and alot of hair to work out that it was the operating system that caused it. I changed to xp and the problem was fixed.
But I do agree that if we are going to run meeting like we have been with international driver coming the association or the promoter should look at making sure that not just the track and organizer can hold it but the lap-scoring system as well

Thanks Trev, I'll take you up on that.

I shouldn't worry about the hair, you have a lot more to lose than I do.

Log file = 1 Gig, holly crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My guess this is why the system is crashing at big meets.

ROTFL, why would a disk file, large or small, cause a program to crash?????? Please, some common sense here. The logging system has been refined and improved over about the last 15 years, in all that time there has been one (1) crash caused by a log file, back in '99 I think, when something was tried to be logged early on before the log file was opened. Alycat issues a warning if disk space starts to get low so there should be no cause for running out of disk space.

However, I haven't seen too many log files that big, 20 Megs might be average.

Alycat, If you're having problems with finding the time etc to work on the system, why not release the system under a suitable open-source licence? That way many more people are able to point out issues and problems in the code, and even fix them with the correct skill.

Open sourcing the code does not mean you cannot sell the product for a fee(a common misconseption), it would more than likely increase sales because everyone would be able to trust the system a hell of a lot more.

Unless you're using proprietry AMB code to interface with the AMB system, of course you couldnt release that section of the code..

There are some very business freindly open-source licences around. Something to think about, though.

Sorry for not having enough common sense for you, but sounds like TJ has Log files larger than 20 meg every week.

So a 20 meg (your average) log file must be a 40 driver race meet.