I got a beacon receiver in the mail today from Pi. In the literature it said that most or all race tracks in the UK have a Monster Beacon permanently installed (supposedly at S/F line).
It got me wondering. Wouldn't it be great if we had something like that at the tracks we run? No more setting up beacons and heavy batteries, trying to remember to get them (when the track isn't hot),etc.
It's probably not an easy thing to do, but I wonder if all of the Pi or Aim or whatever owners organized themselves and approached a track or club to do something like that. I wonder how that was done in the UK.
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Racer Russ
(former) FF/FC/FM/FS/FB/FA
Marietta, GA
The data ack manufacturers would need to agree to co-fund the beacon and offer it a very low price to the tracks. It would be "razors and blades" marketing along the lines of what AMB has done by selling its race control systems and software at a relatively low price, or even giving it away, to establish the de-facto standard and then making the real money on the transponders.
However, now that folks are so used to paying for the beacon in the U.S., it may be too late. The U.K. has had monster beacons installed for more than 10 years.
I would like to add 2 cents here about Pi beacons.
One of my pet peeves at the track is seeing 3 or 5 or 15 Pi beacons on the wall...There only needs to be one! When there is more than one they can cancel each other out if set on the same chanel and at a certain distance from each other. Everybody running Pi- when you see one up on the wall, don't add any more.
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In memory of Joe Stimola
I would like to add 2 cents here about Pi beacons.
One of my pet peeves at the track is seeing 3 or 5 or 15 Pi beacons on the wall...There only needs to be one! When there is more than one they can cancel each other out if set on the same chanel and at a certain distance from each other. Everybody running Pi- when you see one up on the wall, don't add any more.
Well, not exactly. If you are using a code other than 0, just put yours at least 15 feet away from anyone elses. If you are using code 0, make sure you are 15 feet away from others that are not code 0. The problem with not putting up your own is that you could be relying on a beacon that placed there by a car in Group 1. If you run in group 4, you may use the beacon of someone from group 6, but your data moves and has to be manually shifted. If no one else put one up in a later group you have no beacon.
How do people with AIM beaons work it out when they are getting pulled down during the day as races conclude?
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'Stay Hungry'
JK 1964-1996 #25
I don't know anything about any of the other brand beacons except I think CDS beacons are coded for each logger.
Tim- the issue is not to change channels- there only needs to be one beacon, one channel, period. Having said that, your point about race groups and people going home is valid, so maybe I modify my stance and say one beacon per race group.
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In memory of Joe Stimola
I'm planning to put out the AIM beacon even if there are 50 of them already on the wall. That way I know there will be at least one on the wall when I take to the track.
All AIM beacons run on the same signal and you can program an abscuring time that makes the receiver ignore any other beacons that might be on the wall. It'll take the signal from the first AIM beacon it sees and ignore all the others it sees for whatever seconds you program it for.
At least that's how I remember it's suppose to work.
Tomas, You're correct, there is a programable delay on the AIM units. Once the receiver sees a becon signal, it won't recognize another for the amount of time you program in. I think I have mine at 20 seconds due to the pit wall lenght at T-Hill and Sears.
I was using a hotlap timer a couple of years ago, saw a becon already on the wall, took mine back to the trailer, made 2 laps in qualifying, came down the pit straight and saw someone's crew member taking the beacon off the wall.
Just my $.02 but it's been my experience that most tracks (at least in the Southeast) and most Regions (again in the Southeast) do not want to get into the business of providing beacons but would rather leave it to each of us to be responsibile for them. I heard (secondhand so take it as gossip and not gospel) that an attempt was made with/at Road Atlanta to accomplish this but was met with enough resistance to kill the idea). I'm sure a lot of that resistance comes from the uproar if the "track" beacon does not work - as well as the expense and problems inherent with having to provide a beacon signal for each type of datalogger or lap timing system (Pi, CDS, AIM, etc.)
Certainly each of us can try to organize within our own racing groups for a "designated beacon person" but considering how often I plan on going to a race and then have to not go due to factors "beyond my control" I'd sure hate to be the one "designated".
I'm starting to take a close look at the new GPS system since they do not require ANY beacon...anyone reading this have any experience with them?
IIRC, the AIM system logs all laps for each competitor. Since their use is now universal in SCCA one could argue that beacons aren't even needed (I know I didn't buy one for my "new" car). All one has to do is get the T&S folks to give you the data.
Yes, timing can provide info via the AMB system. In the southeast, most regins broadcast live timing info that can be recieved via the icard system.
But, AMB is not a data logging system, like AIM is. All AMB can provide is individual lap times, and nothing else.
Many funded teams use both the icard system, and a data logger.
Without trackside beacons for dataloggers, the data logged becomes one long lap for the entire session, very difficult to work with in making track maps, looking at RPM's in corners, top speeds, etc.
It does require that your region be running the latest AMB software. And not all regions are do so.
I run a DL1 GPS logger that can drive a dash unit to provide in car lap times. I had borrowed a Dash 1 (Dash 2 unit to be out in a month or so), but did not get around to getting it installed for the March Memories at VIR this past weekend. But it does overall lap time and will do predictive times based on sectors you set up. You do the S/F and sector marker setup in your computer and put a file on the CF loggin card that is read and passed to the display.
You can also hook up a button to mark points while on track. Otherwise you have to have a track map first to set things up on your computer.
General Formula Car Discussion
Permanent Beacons at tracks
