Cheap Portable RC Car Laser Lap Counter
 

I have made a cool portable laser RC Car timing system - $35 and about 15 minutes to make. The instructions are posted here. If you try it and like it let me know!

http://www.rcraceday.com/sites/rcrd/other.asp


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Cheap Portable RC Car Laser Lap Counter
 

I was assuming going into this thread that you needed a solution... And here it is all done!

Not too shabby...Question... is it all self contained or is it a unit that has to be connected to a computer (hence the pocketPC excel link below it)

Not too bad but from the instructions it appears like it costs more than $15.00.

Cheap Portable RC Car Laser Lap Counter
 

It is all self contained. The Hobbico counter does timed race or lap based. It beeps when you best your fastest lap while racing too. Really pretty cool. Costs $35 takes 15 min to make.

The Pocket PC spreadsheet link is a setup sheet to track car configurations and results. A tab can be made for a track or surface you run on with the tweaks and setup you use. It is really convenient to have it on my Pocket PC because I can enter right into it and have a history of my setups. When I show up for a race at a particular track or club I pull my best setup for that location and get to configuring my car.

Cheap Portable RC Car Laser Lap Counter
 

But you can only do Time trials right?, not races with opponents

Cheap Portable RC Car Laser Lap Counter
 

Right. It is really a practice tool for one driver only. Can be used at a track, on the street, parking lot etc. Can help a great deal with skills though as it provides solid feedback to the 100th of a second in a timed or lap based race. At the end of the instructions I do outline how multiple people with their own lap counter an run a timed 'staged' race that introduces the multiple driver competition element. Works well. Of course racing is always a blast, even if it is just two cars..

RCRaceday.com is working on an inexpensive 6 lane PC based system AND a portable system but it is a ways off yet. I'll post when I have more.